This is the fourth and final post in my series reflecting on my journey from Maundy Thursday evening to Easter morning.
In recent decades it has been my custom to grow a winter beard—I call it my Thanksgiving-to-Easter beard. This means that I generally shave it off on Holy Saturday. This year was no exception. Saturday morning I decided to spend some me-time reading The Wall Street Journal online. I came across an article about tying 
bow ties. I’ve always been a fan of bow ties. My dad always looked so dapper in his. I have such happy memories of the day I was confirmed in the Episcopal Church, when he helped me tie my bow tie for the first time. I was a man now—no more clip-ons.
Anyway, in that same article there was mention of a blog site called SocialPrimer.com written by K. Cooper Ray (pictured at right). I knew I was going to like it when I read its tagline:
Manners, Conversation, Style & Handling Your Liquor
I had a rather pretentious childhood, myself, and have always suffered from delusions of grandeur, eliciting much ribbing from my older brothers. My mother’s mother, my Gram, was a very elegant woman, and I always resonated with her. So it was quite natural for me to find myself resonating with SP, as Mr. Ray refers to himself in his blog.
Several hours later I awake from my reverie and extricated myself from the mesmerizing glare of my computer screen, newly invigorated for the task at hand: the annual shaving of the beard. I also decided to class-up my act from now on. That evening for the Easter Vigil and again Easter morning, I wore a suit and tie (never could get the bow tie to work, despite my dad’s tender coaching so many years before) to the shock and delight of my fellow choristers and congregants. It was fun.
Moreover, it felt good. It reminded me of my mother’s father, my Gramp, who was also quite dapper. He would have approved. This has carried forward into this week as well, with several opportunities to dress up nicer than has been my custom.
Resurrection. Time to put away the old and embrace the new. I have a new outlook on how to carry myself in public. Perhaps the Miraculous Medal that I now find myself wearing has something to do with this, and perhaps not. I just know that exceedingly good things are on the horizon. Can’t you feel it? I certainly can.
Happy Easter, everybody! And yes, it is still Easter—will be for a total of fifty days. 
P.S. I also like SocialPrimer.com from a technical standpoint. It is a very well designed blog. I intend to use it in my technical trainings. So what’s so good about it? It’s rather plain, after all. Well, in my opinion, it’s not plain as much as clean and crisp. Also, Mr. Ray offers useful information for free and does not clutter his blog up with offers for whatever he is hawking at the moment, like so many blogs do. I’m all for generating income with a blog, but let’s do it subtly, and only after providing solid content for free. His blog wins on all accounts.
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