Getting Ready To Go

By Daniel van Voorhis –

So I wrote an article that made an impression with some, maybe a first impression. It was read understood, misunderstood, shared, defended, denounced, etc…. Lesson learned. I’m going to go safe and helpful today. This article is about impressions and first impressions, but on a different level (and one on which I am on decidedly firmer ground).

Scoff if you will, but your first impression of someone could be sullied by wrinkled shirts, flaky skin, oily hair, or scuffed shoes. So, using abbreviated and time-saving techniques can make you look sharp, without too much fuss.

Continue reading →

Where Are the Women At?

By Daniel van Voorhis –

I am not a sociologist nor am I a theologian. So please, if you could answer my question down here at the level of a guy wondering: why does it seem that so many conservative gentlemen (or many who want to revive a culture of some refinement) seem like misogynists?

Alright, I just rolled a grenade out by using the “M” word. No one likes it. I could have used the “F” word and wondered why some are afraid of it- but that debate has played itself out.

It seems to me that theological and political conservatism has attached itself to a kind of Mad Men swagger.

Continue reading →

Fashion Is What You Buy, Style is What You Do with it- Musings from the Man About Town

By Daniel van Voorhis –

Greetings from rain drenched, El Niño battered Southern California. While the rest of the country is in its usual winter appropriate gear, we here are wondering if our UGGs are waterproof, bemoaning the possible hazards that water might bring to Awards season, and slowing to a crawl in our cars on the already worst freeways in the nation.

Continue reading →

What Are You Looking At?

By Daniel van Voorhis –

Last week I was at a coffee shop doing some work when I found myself staring into space, lost in a thought or lack thereof. After a few minutes (seconds) I noticed I was getting the stink eye from some young twenty somethings at a table in the direction of my blank stare. I will be charitable, but based on the female’s choice of aggressive language on her T-shirt and the plugs in the gentleman’s ears, they weren’t helping to plan a cotillion nor waiting for their chums from the local prep school.

Continue reading →

The 12 Most Shocking Celebrity Revelations of 2016!

By Daniel van Voorhis –

The Jagged Word has its first scoop of the new year! We tracked down these, well, unflattering pictures of some of the hottest stars on the planet RIGHT NOW! Whether it is celebrities in their “not quite ready for summer” beach bods or an “A”-lister stopping at the local market in jeans and hoodie, we have, over the next few pages, discovered that some of these celebrities are JUST like us!

Continue reading →

Owning It: Power Ballads and Anxiety about “Doing it Wrong”

By Daniel van Voorhis –

It is the first day back to school, or the day of a job interview or meeting, or a first date. Maybe it is just going to a party with people who dig talking about things that intimidate you? We might be nervous on all sorts of levels. This anxiety comes from a number of sources. Will I fit in? Will I say the right thing? Will I be dressed appropriately?

Continue reading →

Rotten Tomatoes and A Few Good Books: The Man About Town Looks Back at 2015

By Daniel van Voorhis –

I tend to not read “best of the year” articles. I glance, but do not put much stock into them. So it makes no sense that I ask you to read this, an article I probably wouldn’t read myself. Except I am going to make my suggestions, mere suggestions with some context AND I am going to say something about Top Gun. So keep reading!

Continue reading →