The Connoisseur Society for Gentlemen and Scholars.

Con/nois/seur- n An expert judge in the matters of taste.

For decades--maybe centuries--men have depended on women to set the rules for polite behavior.  Sometimes that woman was the man's mother; sometimes she was his wife; sometimes she was a famous etiquette expert like Amy Vanderbilt or Emily Post.

There comes a time in every man's life when his mother isn't around any more.  Married or not, he is expected to go to parties and to entertain.  He has business associates to deal with and coworkers with whom he must get along.  Such moments can fill a guy with needless terror.  He may get frustrated trying to tie a bow tie or set his table correctly.  He may find himself fumbling when he needs to introduce two of his best friends.

The truth of the matter is, being a gentleman is not a rocket science.  Being a gentleman requires little logic, a bit of forethought, and a great deal of consideration for others.  It is not about complicated rules and convoluted instructions.  Instead, it is about trying to make life easier for other people.  It is about honestly and sincerely being a nice guy.

For a guy the noblest virtues are camaraderie, dependability, and unswerving loyalty.  It confuses him to think that his future might be ruined if he ate his entree with a salad fork.  

That is why the club I am starting, The Connoisseur Society for Gentlemen and Scholars, spells out what a man really needs to know if he plans to make his way in this world.

Simply acting like a gentleman is not enough.  It is being a gentleman that is important, and that means thinking of others, being there when you are needed, and knowing when you are not needed.  It is what you do and who you are--an accumulation of gentlemanly behaviors over the course of a lifetime--that makes a man a gentleman.

Look for an informational meeting about the club within the next month.  It will, barring unbeknownst delay, begin next semester.  If you are at all interested in cigars, fine liquors and wine, proper suiting/fashion, golf, art, music, grooming, cooking, being able to hold a conversation with anyone you meet, landing the job of your dreams, etc., Come and Join.

As always,

Cheers