This week, I’m beginning where the book begins: with the Old-fashioned itself and a consideration of the practical value of philosophy.

Before making the cocktail, I took a little time to prepare my workspace. I wiped down the counter, moved unnecessary objects out of the way as best I could, and gathered everything I would need. I also took two or three deep breaths, emphasizing the exhalation. Nothing elaborate, but enough to mark a transition from what I had been doing before (cleaning the kitchen) to the activity at hand.

Time to pay attention to here and now.

Tasting Notes

Sight. The bourbon had a lovely dark amber color, almost like honey. The orange bitters I use in my personal version of the cocktail were practically transparent, while the Angostura bitters were pleasantly dark. My ice sphere began cloudy but appeared clearer as the liquid flowed over it. I particularly enjoyed watching the ingredients cascade down its sides. The finished cocktail retained its honey color, although dilution had lightened it somewhat.

Sound. I couldn’t really hear the bitters splashing or the bourbon sloshing into the glass. Those sounds were too faint for my ears. Stirring, however, produced a pleasant jangling sound, almost like wind chimes.

Touch. The bottles felt smooth in my hands, and the glass became cool once I added the ice. There was something soothing about the rhythm of stirring—at least until my fingers began to tire from some repetitive stress issues. Apparently, even a mindful cocktail ritual has its physical limitations.

Taste. The drink was cool and sweet, with a little kick of spice at the very end.

Smell. The spice of the bitters and the citrus of the orange made a particularly pleasant pairing.

A Few Philosophical Reflections

As a “professional philosopher,” I’ve encountered philosophy in two very different forms: as a professional intellectual enterprise sometimes taught by, frankly, snobs, and as a therapeutic way of life. I much prefer my philosophy therapeutic rather than snobby. It’s how I try to teach it, and how I try to live it.

It’s one thing to insist that philosophy should help us live better lives. It’s another to put that conviction into practice. This is definitely a case of “easier said than done”—at least in my own experience. It is certainly easier for me to articulate a philosophical ideal than to live up to it.

Nevertheless, I believe in the practical value of philosophy wholeheartedly. Philosophy saved my life in 2012, possibly literally, and I like to think that it continues to improve me to this day.

That doesn’t mean I’ve already become the person I aspire to be. I am most certainly still a work in progress. I’d like to be more consistently courageous and generous, and better able to navigate change and setbacks with equanimity. I’d like to help others less grudgingly and persist in the pursuit of worthwhile things without wavering. Nothing too exotic, I think. But, those goals are important to me, and worth the effort.

And perhaps that’s an appropriate place to begin this year-long experiment: not with the assumption that I’ve “mastered” anything (I haven’t!), but with a willingness to keep practicing.

Join the Conversation

If you’re following along, what did you notice while preparing or enjoying your Old-fashioned? And more broadly, is there a philosophical principle you understand intellectually but find difficult to put into practice?

Cheers!

Ted