Eric is a lovely soul I have had the pleasure of knowing for many years ... think elementary days. He has a wonderful heart and superb style. He's kind, caring, hilarious and charming. Traits that cause him to have a tremendous amount of friends and sidekicks. Eric is our "Kevin Bacon", he knows everyone and can easily relate them within 6 degrees of separation.
I couldn't think of a better guy to share his perspective on the "5 Things to do/try/buy" mini series. I hope you enjoy Eric's recommendations and encourage you all to practice what he preaches ... invest time in your life!
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| Meet Eric. |
1. Gentlemen… Invest in a suit. A classic, well-tailored suit should be a staple in every man’s wardrobe. Quite often men will not take the time to shop for a suit (or any clothes for that matter), but the reality is that suit shopping is actually a lot of fun. Specialty suit stores are dedicated to helping men look and feel great in a suit, and can help ease the overwhelming feeling of buying the perfect suit. A classic black suit is versatile and can be worn for many different functions. Personally, I prefer the look of a navy blue suit, which is just as versatile. A classic, well-tailored suit will last you for years and you’ll look and feel great when you wear it during many of life’s memorable moments! Make sure your suit has clean lines and fits you in the right spots – this will ensure it doesn’t look like you’re wearing dad’s suit. Many of the men’s chain stores for suits can help you with your fittings and finding the right one. Don't be afraid to look for an independent suit store as well. You might end up paying a little extra for a perfectly tailored suit, but it’s a smart investment.
2 “Don’t buy things, buy experiences”. Recently I’ve heard and seen this quote several times and at face value, it makes sense but when you spend a few minutes and actually think about it, it’s an incredibly powerful mantra to hold. In the Spring my partner and I traveled through Europe and on the last evening of our trip, we were sitting on a patio in Lisbon Portugal, eating a beautiful meal, drinking a bottle of vinho verde (exclusive wine to the Portugal region), while listening to a man play the cello – that was the first time I really saw the beauty of an experience versus a material thing. I will certainly not be able to ever re-create that specific experience, or the trip for that matter, but it is a beautiful memory that I will carry with me forever. So for me, I would much rather do something like travel with loved ones, go on an adventure, or visit and share laughs with friends, which creates lasting experiences and memories… something that is much more valuable than ‘things’. You certainly don’t have to travel all over the world to make lasting experiences (although you do make some pretty amazing memories traveling the world), so I encourage you to make as many lasting memories as you can!
4. Learn about who you are. I’ve taken an interest in the last little while in genealogy and ancestry. I won’t say that I’ve taken it up as a full on hobby, but I have been casually tracing some of my roots. I have one set of grandparents left living, so I am learning as much from them as I can – I can trace back to the 1600’s and ancestors in France and apparently have lineage to Spanish royalty. Regrettably, I didn’t have much of an interest in genealogy while my other grandparents were living and therefore didn’t pick their brains about our ancestry as much as I would have liked to. Fortunately my grandfather did document lineage tracing my 3x great grandfather back to Ireland, providing great framework for me to pick up where he left off. I think it’s so important for us to know where we came from. If you have grandparents you can discuss your lineage with, you should – it’s so neat to learn about what our ancestors were like and where we came from. If you don’t have a living grandparent to talk to, or a documented family tree, the Internet is full of great tools and resources for you to start learning about who you are.
5- Grow your own veggies. I do not claim to be any sort of a gardener, or green thumb, but growing your own veggies is a lot of fun. You don’t need hectares of land to grow a small veggie garden. It took me a few summers of trial and error to figure out which veggies I preferred to grow. But as long as you have a small space you can convert into a garden, you enjoy being outside, and you have some patience, then you’re all set. There is nothing nicer than when you’re making dinner, to simply run outside and pick whichever fresh veggies from your garden you need. One year I planted a full bed of beets, which I used for pickling – a great harvest that lasted for a whole year! This year I only planted a small herb garden, some peas, and radishes; smaller than years before, but equally as enjoyable. Although the dreaded winter season is right around the corner, take some time and decide which veggies you would like to plant next season – think about what you and your family make for dinner, snacks, preserves, etc., and consider that when planting your garden. Enjoy!
~ Eric, these are all wonderful suggestions. Each one I was able to relate to and enjoyed reminiscing.
When Adam and I got married he wore a tux, but shortly after he purchased a suit, had it tailored and ... wow, what a difference. I much prefer a fitted suit and wish we had considered it for our wedding.
Going back to school at any age is a great opportunity to invest in your education. It took me a few years longer as well but I'm proud to say I hold a University degree and a diploma from College. I'm most proud on my dad, who at 50 received his first degree/Masters then went on to get another Masters a few years later. Life experience matched with education is profound schooling.
My grandfather just gave me a box of old pictures that trace back to the 1800's. This winter I plan to take some time and uncover who my relatives are and how "we" came to live in Atlantic Canada.
Thanks again for sharing Eric!
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