I once had a friend who, upon her return from safari, said that she was  having trouble remembering numbers. Never having been on safari, who was I to argue this statement's truth? (Its plausibility, maybe) And since it was said without even the slightest hint of a smile, I took it to be true. Barring an ailment such as Alzheimers or amnesia, does one normally unlearn something as fundamental as math? Wouldn't it be similiar to riding a bicycle? Well, recently I was helping my little cousin with her times tables and, for the life of me, I could not remember the answer to 9x6. Seriously, no matter how hard I tried - NOTHING! And yet I've never had the luxury of traipsing across the Serengeti. (Though I was at the Los Angeles Zoo several months back.) Granted, English was always my strong suit in school, but I have definitely known my multiplication tables since third grade. Thankfully, I've recently come upon the simply amazing math-based tutorial website, Khan Academy,founded by Salman Khan in 2004, which has even been recognized (and apparently, used) by Mr. Bill Gates. Originally, the site was started to help his out-of-state cousins with their math studies; the site now has over 1,800 video tutorials and has reached tens of millions in just a few short years. Mr. Khan (the sole instructor) takes you from basic  Arithmetic through Linear Algebra, touching on Biology, Chemistry and Physics along the way. I was just thinking, in case times tables aren't my only issue, maybe I should look for my abacus, in the meantime.

Studies have shown that one of the best and most effective ways to stave off Alzheimer's is by routinely performing mental exercises like Brain Teasers and Crossword Puzzles. At Khan Academy, you'll get these fun exercises, as well as, the core mathematics that you came for. Check it out.

As I've mentioned in previous posts, a true gentleman needs several people in his life to keep him properly maintained; a reliable and quality shoe repairman is one such person. Whether you need a simple polish or new soles, a good shoe man is a must in any gentleman's life. If it's true that women pay attention to a gentleman's shoe, and often make a judgement call based on their assesment, then I always want to look polished.

I purchased this pair of Ralph Lauren split-toe spectators nearly 15 years ago. Originally, the surface on top was done in a white suede; beautiful to behold, but a headache to maintain. It seemed as though each time that I wore them, invariably, I'd spill water onto the suede! Eventually, I took them to Deluxe Shoe Repair in Newport Beach and asked if they could replace the suede with a white leather. They did and I've never been happier with my spectators. I loved the suede, but paying $20.00 for each cleaning was becoming rather tiresome and expensive. For now, I'm back in business. As with all of my shoes, because I'm diligent about using cedar shoe trees and I take them in for routine  polishing and heel replacements, as needed, after 15 years, these spectators really do look nearly brand-new.