While riding a bike in the dark

[Sleeping in EQ]

30 years ago my dad taught me how to tie a tie. I had no idea that in 2012, this simple skill would be in demand.

Some of my students give a formal presentation once a year, and without fail, I ride to the rescue on a tie or two. I could be John Wayne. I could be charging these greenhorns $5 each.

"Where did you learn to tie a tie?"

"My dad taught me."

"My dad didn't live with us."

"Grandpas? Uncles?"

"No."

"Junior Achievement?"

"No."

"Choir?"

"No."

"Well, lucky for you. I'm an expert. I've tied ties thousands of times. I've tied a tie while riding a bike in the dark."

"Why would you do that?"

"At the time, it was the coolest thing I could do."

Of course they believe me.

I've had one student admit that he tried to learn how to tie a tie from a YouTube video. His knot was giant and loose, and its length was off, but at least he had gone to the effort.

I've had a few others who were content with the zipper ties. They didn't mind that the lack of a dimple in the "knot" was a giveaway.

A western-styled kid got away with a bolo. It matched his boots.

The clip-on is still a mark of shame and is avoided. If you are over 14-years-old, you might as well wear a "kick me" sign as a clip-on. The clip-on is a too-obvious confession of failure for the generation that received trophies for 8th place in t-ball.

What I don't say to my students is how the Mormon priesthood quorums are perfect for helping a kid who didn't learn how to tie a tie elsewhere. In a ward, a single mom with a boy need only make one entreaty to a YM or AP leader and her boy will be a Half-Windsor Master in no time.

[Donuthole]

I've had one student admit that he tried to learn how to tie a tie from a YouTube video. His knot was giant and loose, and its length was off, but at least he had gone to the effort.

He probably watched this video:

[ame="http://www.metacafe.com/watch/680611/double_windsor_tie_the_phatest_knot_ever/"]Double Windsor - Tie The Phatest Knot Ever - Video[/ame]

What a sorry looking knot for the end result of a "how-to" video.

[NorthwestUteFan]

I am reminded of the scene in Pretty Woman where Richard Gere asks Julia Roberts where she learned how to tie a tie.

"I slept with the debate team in High School. "

[myboynoah]

30 years ago my dad taught me how to tie a tie. I had no idea that in 2012, this simple skill would be in demand.

Some of my students give a formal presentation once a year, and without fail, I ride to the rescue on a tie or two. I could be John Wayne. I could be charging these greenhorns $5 each.

"Where did you learn to tie a tie?"

"My dad taught me."

"My dad didn't live with us."

"Grandpas? Uncles?"

"No."

"Junior Achievement?"

"No."

"Choir?"

"No."

"Well, lucky for you. I'm an expert. I've tied ties thousands of times. I've tied a tie while riding a bike in the dark."

"Why would you do that?"

"At the time, it was the coolest thing I could do."

Of course they believe me.

I've had one student admit that he tried to learn how to tie a tie from a YouTube video. His knot was giant and loose, and its length was off, but at least he had gone to the effort.

I've had a few others who were content with the zipper ties. They didn't mind that the lack of a dimple in the "knot" was a giveaway.

A western-styled kid got away with a bolo. It matched his boots.

The clip-on is still a mark of shame and is avoided. If you are over 14-years-old, you might as well wear a "kick me" sign as a clip-on. The clip-on is a too-obvious confession of failure for the generation that received trophies for 8th place in t-ball.

What I don't say to my students is how the Mormon priesthood quorums are perfect for helping a kid who didn't learn how to tie a tie elsewhere. In a ward, a single mom with a boy need only make one entreaty to a YM or AP leader and her boy will be a Half-Windsor Master in no time.

I liked it, SiEQ. Well done.

[Paperback Writer]

My oldest son took a general business/business computer application course his senior year of HS...and dropped AP Chemistry. I was not happy, especially since he would go on to major in Chemical Engineering (and almost all his engineering classmates in college had taken AP Chemistry). Oh well, it ended up being an easy "A" like he had hoped.

Anyway, one class the teacher had a sales representative from a clothing store give a presentation on professional dress. He asked if anyone could tie a tie. My son was the only student who could. And for that he got a gift card for the clothing store. The teacher was also impressed that he owned a suit. So he was volunteered to wear it for the next class where they would demostrate hiring interviews. The teacher was impressed with how my son conducted himself during the mock interview.

Not long after was parent-teacher night and the business class teacher sat down with us with a notepad to quiz us on why or son was so well prepared for the professional world as a 18-year old. Almost all of it traced back to YM program and Boy Scouts where my son learned to interact with men wearing suits or khaki shirts with sewn on patches.

Despite all my criticism of the LDS YM program and the LDS version of BSA, it was the first time I wondered where my kid would be without those programs. He would be like many of his classmates who couldn't tie a tie or converse intelligently with an adult.