Bastille Day

Twenty-two years ago today, I found myself in Jerusalem on my first trip to Israel as a part of the USY Israel Pilgrimage Program. I can remember going to bed early that evening as we had to be up at 5:00 a.m. the next morning to set out southward toward the Negev Desert. As we lay sleeping, we were awoken by what we thought may have been gunfire or bombs, but what was in reality fireworks going off in recognition of Bastille Day. I had never heard of this French holiday until our madrichim (counselors) came through the rooms and explained what was going on. Ever since then, this French holiday has been a little nostalgic for me. As today, July 14 is Bastille Day I thought that I would explain to you that this is the French national holiday, celebrated on 14 July of each year. In France itself, it is called "Fête Nationale" ("National Holiday"), in official parlance, or more commonly "quatorze juillet" ("14th of July"). Similar to Canada Day and the 4th of July, it commemorates the 1790 Fête de la Fédération, held on the first anniversary of the storming of the Bastille on 14 July 1789. This action commemorates the storming of the Bastille which at the time was seen as a symbol of the uprising of the modern French "nation", and of the reconciliation of all the French people who were living inside the constitutional monarchy which preceded the First Republic, during the French Revolution. For a great depiction of the French Revolution, be sure to see the Mel Brooks movie "History of the World." My best wishes to the people of France for a most meaningful and joyous national holiday.

Do I need to wear a suit when it is 98 degrees outside and 100 percent humidity?

Here is a great piece from my good friend Joseph Rosenfeld's blog, The Image MENtor. I seem to struggle with the very subject every year when the summer comes along and Joseph has some very good solutions. A link to his blog is offered below. One of my favorite neo-soul singers, Angie Stone, sings the famous line, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out the kitchen.” Were that to apply to clothes, we’d all be naked! But when it comes to getting down to business during the heat of summertime, people always think it’s okay to cut corners by wearing less in order to be comfortable. This can easily communicate an “undercooked” image. So I’m going to share some tips to help you dress comfortably during the summer months leaving you looking as cool as a cucumber. When was the last time you had a haircut? A summertime hairstyle takes a bit of weight off the top and keeps you from getting, well – hot headed. Are your dress shirts too tight at the collar? There’s an easy method for getting into the properly fitting dress shirt so you don’t get “hot under the collar.” Get someone to help you with this or stand closely in front of a mirror. Use a tape measure to get a skin measurement of your neck. Wrap the tape measure snugly around your neck, being sure the tape goes just beneath your Adam’s apple. Hold the tape in place and breathe before taking the measurement. Now add one-half inch to the skin measurement. If the final measurement totals a full inch [like 16] or a half-inch [like 16 ½], that’s your dress shirt size. If the measurement totals a quarter-inch or three-quarter inch, round up to the next quarter inch to get your actual dress shirt size. This allows your shirt to fit you properly. Avoid starch so your shirt doesn’t shrink around the collar and so it feels softer after laundering. Do your suits become sweat suits as heat and humidity are on the rise? During the summer, wearing a tropical wool weight is very helpful in maintaining the most polished and professional image, no matter what the thermometer reads. Also ensuring the lining is fine gauge keeps air flowing between the garment and you, ensuring better comfort even while you’re all dressed up. Depending on whom you’re meeting and the occasion, dressing up could be complete with a sport coat. Jackets provide the opportunity to wear blended fabrics like wool blended with silk or linen. Lightweight options like these are informal and keep your mood and message on the light side. Lighten up the vibe with lighter colors. Do this with shirts, pants, and even tailored clothing. But, don’t wear a light colored suit to an interview or to an important meeting with someone you are meeting for the first time or don’t know well. Lighter colored garments are light reflective and cooler to wear. This is a great way to keep a cool temper, no matter the temperature. Feet are a constant source of agony during any season. But one easily overlooked solution has to do with when you go shopping to buy your shoes. If you buy shoes at the end of your workday, say after 5:00pm, your feet will be at their most swollen of the day. It’s the best time to know the worst-case scenario of how shoes will fit your feet. Then when you wear your shoes, you’ll be more reasonably assured of their comfort all day long, all summer long. Along with these tips, I suggest avoiding blisters by wearing socks with your shoes. Good quality socks will wick moisture away from your feet and be more comfortable, although it may seem counter intuitive. Finally, avoid looking like a dweeb by wearing short sleeve dress shirts. Wearing clean-cut sport shirts best conveys the short sleeve look. Be sure the message you intend to send is more relaxed because these shirts will appear that way and may not be appropriate for all business occasions. Don’t use the summer months as your excuse to slack off and devalue your image or position. Should you be the boss, everyone in the office reads your outfits like a thermometer to know what to wear to the office during the summer months. Keep a cool look as you show value to your clients, colleagues, employer, and employees. Designing and managing your image is the secret science of your success. Joseph Rosenfeld helps professional men and corporate workgroups create effective visual brands. Visit JosephRosenfeld.com for details.

Lobby Information Tables: A Good First Impression?

I had an appointment today in a building that I had not previously visited. When I walked into the lobby, I could not help but notice a table that became a venue for tenants and others to place their literature for prospective clients and others to see. It struck me so much that I I took a picture of it to share. The first thing that came to mind was what I remember seeing in some apartment buildings in New York City. That being lobbies and mail rooms just laden with flyers and menus from Chinese restaurants. People did not seem to be interested for the most part and these flyers, etc. ended up becoming an eyesore and eventually, trash. So when I saw this display today, I thought two things. One, it is good that the owner has provided a nice table for people to do this and so that the materials were presented in a neat and organized manner. Two, does this look out of place for when people would first enter? This was by no means an office building that was the caliber of a high rise on Michigan Avenue in Chicago, but it is home to a good number of businesses. Regardless of the rent, this is the lobby and the first impression for some. So I give the owner credit for trying, but would value the opinion of others as to what your impression would be of such a table upon entering a building.

Delta Airlines-Are They Nuts?

While on the way to and from Las Vegas this past week, I was amazed that Delta Airlines served peanuts as part of an in-flight snack. Given how sensitive our society has become to those with peanut and nut related allergies, one would think that they would go with something more palatable to the general population. As an example, our sons attend a pre-school and camp where there is a very strict ban on any type of nut product from being brought into the building. So I am sitting there thinking as the flight attendants come through what would happen if a passenger went into anaphylactic shock at 30,000 feet? To be fair, they also offered cookies as a snack, but I know that some people have a reaction from even smelling peanut or other nut laden products. However, in this litigious society we live in, I am sure that they have consulted with both legal and and medical experts on the subject. This is not to mention the fact that it was surprising that this snack was still provided free of charge. Am I missing something here? Thoughts?

A Prayer for Independence Day!

Today, July 4, 2009 marks the 233rd birthday of our nation. Independence Day means a lot to me. A lot more than hot dogs and fire works. It means that my family are very privileged to have the freedoms that we enjoy from being citizens in this great country. In honor of this occasion, I share with you a prayer written by Louis Giznberg from which I hope that you will find as much meaning as I do. Here it is: Our G-d and G-d of our ancestors, we your blessings for our country, for its government, for its leader and advisors, and for all who exercise just and rightful authority. Teach them insights of your Torah, that they may administer all affairs of state fairly, that peace and security, happiness and prosperity, justice and freedom may forever abide in our midst. Creator of all flesh, bless all the inhabitants of our country with your spirit. May citizens of all races and creeds forge a common bond in true harmony to banish all hatred and bigotry and to safeguard the ideals and free institutions which are the pride and glory of our country. May this land under your providence be an influence for good throughout the world, uniting all people in peace and freedom and helping them to fulfill the vision of your prophet, "Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they experience war any more." And let us say, Amen.

Top Ten Countries from June-A Special Welcome to Someone in Libya

Here is a list of the countries that had the most visits to this blog in the past month:

United States (US)	224
Canada (CA)	18
Israel (IL)	8
Korea, Republic of (KR)	6
Australia (AU)	6
United Kingdom (GB)	3
Germany (DE)	2
Romania (RO)	2
Netherlands (NL)	1
Switzerland (CH)	1

Not included is the first ever visit from someone in Libya. I am sure that it was not Colonel Muammar Abu Minyar al-Gaddafi, but hopefully someone who found something worthwhile to read. Good to know that there is free access to the Internet in such nations, where in the past, such simple freedoms were not allowed.

New Logo for Holiday Inn

While driving home from the airport today, I noticed that Holiday Inn has a new logo and branding. I like it a lot. It is clean, sharp, and fresh. It also brought back memories of their towels with the old logo on them and how people would take them home as souvenirs. Most interesting. It was always told to me that Holiday Inn wanted people to take these towels as it was free advertising for them to get these towels off the property and into homes around the world. I wonder if that remains the same today in an age of cost consciousness and environmentalism? It has been some time since I have been to one of their hotels, other than for a meeting or an event. But I must admit that the logo caught my eye and it may just have me look into one of their hotels on a future trip.