Thanks Walker Lamond

Yesterday I was listening to Book radio on Sirius. I was not listening to the reading of any particular novel but rather to an interview with a throwback hipcat named Walker Lamond. He was discussing his book 1001 Rules for My Unborn Son. It is a hodge podge of little things that he finds to be important, simple, endearing. It's a message for his lil' boy on how to be be a boy and how to be a good man. I found it to be both an entertaining interview and enlightening.

The book (I learned) is a collection of good advice, great quotes, photos and sincere humor. It started as a blog and became a hardback complete with vintage cover art.

Rules offered included things on appearance like "hem all your pants by 2 inches so they actually fit properly" and "wear a sports coat at the airport for an easier experience." Very true rules though the majority of us either do not know them or more frankly do not care. Our generation is the business casual generation after all. Walker also presents more social rules like "Don't ask where someone got their eyeglasses" and "Sometimes your best bet is to bet on her." Sound advice on all counts.

So what brings me to this blog entry besides unoriginality? The answer to that is honestly very little. The interview included a portion wherein Mr. Lamond admitted that he gets a lot of hate mail from California because his rules indicate faux pas that are perfectly acceptable there. Walker is a NYC resident; he admitted in the interview very proudly that he is a Northeasterner. I thought on that comment and concluded that some rules are universal and some may be environmentally-influenced. The universal ones are even subject to the eye of the beholder.

So here are a few of my own. I think some are universal; some are Southern. And some are bullshi- (or they may be to you):

• Be eclectic. Culture, music, film and literature are diverse and beautiful.
• Memorize, embrace and love the poem If by Rudyard Kipling.
• Don't wear a kilt to dinner.
• Learn to defend yourself.
• Read.
• Iced Tea is always in season.
• Play Chess.
• You never get too old to look at the toy aisles in any store.
• Learn to dance (it might be the only thing that gets you laid).
• Question everything respectfully but still question.
• Listen to Frank Sinatra, REM, The Temptations, VAN MORRISON and Mozart.
• Spend money on great food and drink.
• Real men say "I love you"
• Don't be a douchebag.

If you want to know more about Walker Lamond he is on Twitter (rules_unbornson), Facebook and his website is http://www.rulesformyunbornson.com/.

Cheers.