NOTE : This doodle was completed by the artist in 30 seconds as part of a challenge.
4.13.2010
3.31.2010
3.25.2010
The Man Council
"No man is an island"
-John Donne
There comes a time in every man's life when he needs help. The portrait of "real men" that depicts them as lone wolves- angry and maladjusted- is wrong. Every great man surrounds himself with other great men. David had his mighty men, Jason his Argonauts, Arthur his knights.
A while ago The Men of The Man Blog published a short article on the importance of wingmen. Every man needs a wingman, this is axiomatic. Wingmen only operate in the heat of battle though. When the dust settles and Maverick walks away from his F-14 Tomcat, the wingman's job ends. The battle is over.
In those breaks between battles Man Councils are essential. A Man Council usually consists of three or four guys who give each other advice. Man Councils are usually intentional, occurring at mealtimes or during other manly activities (e.g. war movies, working out, coffee and a donut). Man Councils never happen without some other activity going on as well. Guys don't get together to just "talk." Man Councils are not support groups. They are meant to solve problems while preserving other productive undertakings.
During the Man Council there is no fixed structure for the dialogue. Structure is the fast track to disaster. Structure fosters the "support group mentality" that strangles manliness and stifles genuine conversation. Man Councils are not about "sharing," they are about finding the root of the problem and fixing it.
Some of you may say, "But, Men of The Man Blog!!! Sharing is good! It helps us expose our deepest struggles and fears."
You are wrong.
Sharing is not focused. Sharing opens the floodgates of irrelevant information, dousing listeners in a veritable torrent of emotion and psycho-babble. Man Councils are focused. One problem. One solution. One of the members doesn't know what to do. The other members pool their collective knowledge and give him an answer.
Emotion is not weakness. I hope we have made that clear on this blog. The problem is that emotion often gets in the way of problem solving. The point of a Man Council is to help a man in the thick of a problem step outside of his circumstances and view his situation objectively. Emotion can blur this objectivity and hamper the effectiveness of good advice.
David, Jason, and Arthur all needed their soldiers by their sides because they could not win their battles on their own. Nor could they have won them with just a single man at their side. Sometimes a man needs more help. Lone wolves are just that: lonely creatures that most people are scared of. If you are set on being a wolf, get a wolf pack. Surround yourself with quality gentlemen, men who know you, men who are willing to be honest with you and seek the best for you.
As the proverb says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
I would amend this to say, "As a bench grinder sharpens iron, so a Man Council sharpens a man."
Every man needs a Man Council.
-John Donne
There comes a time in every man's life when he needs help. The portrait of "real men" that depicts them as lone wolves- angry and maladjusted- is wrong. Every great man surrounds himself with other great men. David had his mighty men, Jason his Argonauts, Arthur his knights.
A while ago The Men of The Man Blog published a short article on the importance of wingmen. Every man needs a wingman, this is axiomatic. Wingmen only operate in the heat of battle though. When the dust settles and Maverick walks away from his F-14 Tomcat, the wingman's job ends. The battle is over.
In those breaks between battles Man Councils are essential. A Man Council usually consists of three or four guys who give each other advice. Man Councils are usually intentional, occurring at mealtimes or during other manly activities (e.g. war movies, working out, coffee and a donut). Man Councils never happen without some other activity going on as well. Guys don't get together to just "talk." Man Councils are not support groups. They are meant to solve problems while preserving other productive undertakings.
During the Man Council there is no fixed structure for the dialogue. Structure is the fast track to disaster. Structure fosters the "support group mentality" that strangles manliness and stifles genuine conversation. Man Councils are not about "sharing," they are about finding the root of the problem and fixing it.
Some of you may say, "But, Men of The Man Blog!!! Sharing is good! It helps us expose our deepest struggles and fears."
You are wrong.
Sharing is not focused. Sharing opens the floodgates of irrelevant information, dousing listeners in a veritable torrent of emotion and psycho-babble. Man Councils are focused. One problem. One solution. One of the members doesn't know what to do. The other members pool their collective knowledge and give him an answer.
Emotion is not weakness. I hope we have made that clear on this blog. The problem is that emotion often gets in the way of problem solving. The point of a Man Council is to help a man in the thick of a problem step outside of his circumstances and view his situation objectively. Emotion can blur this objectivity and hamper the effectiveness of good advice.
David, Jason, and Arthur all needed their soldiers by their sides because they could not win their battles on their own. Nor could they have won them with just a single man at their side. Sometimes a man needs more help. Lone wolves are just that: lonely creatures that most people are scared of. If you are set on being a wolf, get a wolf pack. Surround yourself with quality gentlemen, men who know you, men who are willing to be honest with you and seek the best for you.
As the proverb says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another."
I would amend this to say, "As a bench grinder sharpens iron, so a Man Council sharpens a man."
Every man needs a Man Council.
3.22.2010
The Daily Doodle
Doodles are odd things. Even though they are a tool, good doodles can't be produced on command. A doodle must be formed and sculpted, but spontaneous at the same time. While I could parry this "doodling philosophy" into an extensive metaphor about how a man should be poised, prepared and yet totally extemporaneous, I will save that rant for another day.
Bottom line: Doodles have to flow organically. That is why my doodles (although the one below doesn't) often proceed from the material I am listening to. The doodle below is a gnomish fellow with a flamethrower- no relation to the lecture at all.
FIG. 2 - Gnome-with-a-flamethrower Doodle
From The Enemy Camp: Words of pseudo-wisdom from a lady on the other side
Dear Sirs, Noble Gentlemen, and Knights in Shining Armor,
It is my pleasure to address you on this exceptional day. Disclaimer: although I am addressing you from the “enemy camp” and can, after many years of experience (i.e. late-night ice cream talks) provide an accurate view of the female mind, I cannot claim insight to every female mind. Such ability would require divine intervention.
So… the question hovering before all your eyes is: “Why?”
“Why on earth does she like that shlub?” “Why do they care about mascara?” “Why doesn’t she realize that I like her?” “Why is door-holding such a big deal?” “Why is chocolate like a drug?”
Yes. We women come with quite a few question marks—some perplexing, some obvious, some as of yet hidden and unknown to man. Let’s address the first one, shall we? What are we looking for when it comes to men? What do we want? To touch the tip of that iceberg today, I will address several misconceptions. Possible further conversations are at the mercy of these fine gentlemen.
Women want a man who is tall,
False. Tallness is completely arbitrary. If you are a midget—rally. Women don’t care if you’ve touched six feet, or gone toe-to-toe with Shaq. We care whether or not we can wear our favorite shoes when we are with you, and not look like the gorilla Homo-sapien of the duo.
dark,
False. Darkness is unnecessary. If you are a purebred albino, you still have a chance at truelove. (Maybe with a sunscreen rep, but still… you have a chance). The average woman cares more for your eye/hair combo than your swarthy appearance. Should you be freckle-y and redheaded, but have shockingly green eyes—bemoan not your freckles. They only serve to make us love your eyes more.
and handsome.
This one is true. Every woman wants a handsome man. But don’t bury your pug nose into your misshapen hands and moan. Women are not like men in their definition of “handsome.” You can be a complete dog (true!), but still have a drop-dead gorgeous woman claim you as a “hottie.”
Let me explain. The details of your appearance are not the determiners of our attraction. This explains the couples you see in every town, city, state, and nation. Next time you sip a cup o’ joe in your favorite java spot, take a look at the couples around you. How many are equal in attractiveness? How many adoring women are hanging on the arms of men, far inferior in appearance? Lots, right? How many Pierce Brosnan men are sweet-talking completely dog-faced women? Not so many.
It’s because the first thing we, as women, are attracted to is your general demeanor. Should you be intelligent—cite your most interesting facts. Witty—break out your banter. Quiet—listen intensely. Focus on her. Not yourself. Never forget that your service and thoughtfulness will serve you far better than six feet of solid manhood, dark swarthy skin, and ruggedly proportioned features. Remember her favorite latte (skim milk, no foam, extra hot, added shot, caramel macchiato) and you have an in. Listen to yet another “horrible hair cut” story, and you’re golden. Maximize your character’s best assets, and you will find a lady who finds you very handsome… despite your midget height and albino complexion.
Best of luck from the enemy camp,
Lady C.
3.20.2010
The Daily Doodle
The authors of this blog have been contemplating adding this section for a while, but due to an inordinate amount of procrastination no action was taken. Since it is a beautiful afternoon and my mind is working at its tip top, I have finally decided to publish The Daily Doodle.
Let me take a moment to explain why doodles matter. While every man should aspire to be a model of self-control and attentiveness, The Men of The Man Blog understand that aspiring and being are two different things. There are some moments when attention slips or restraint fails and in those moments maintaining the appearance of self-control is invaluable. Doodles are a great way to appear to be engaged and alert. So while doodles are not the epitome of manliness, they are part of the journey to manliness.
FIG 1. - Guy-blowing-up-other-guy's-head doodle
Let me take a moment to explain why doodles matter. While every man should aspire to be a model of self-control and attentiveness, The Men of The Man Blog understand that aspiring and being are two different things. There are some moments when attention slips or restraint fails and in those moments maintaining the appearance of self-control is invaluable. Doodles are a great way to appear to be engaged and alert. So while doodles are not the epitome of manliness, they are part of the journey to manliness.
FIG 1. - Guy-blowing-up-other-guy's-head doodle
3.16.2010
The Second Face
This afternoon I was strolling down Park Avenue talking to my older brother, who is in town for the week. We’ve walked all over the city in the past few days. In fact, if I were to keep up this kind of trekking, I would probably go through several pairs of walking shoes every month.
While we have been walking the last couple of days my brother and I have briefly discussed the topic of shoes- not for longer than five minutes at a time of course. Any longer than five minutes and any guy risks entering the danger zone. Even over the summer, when I was working construction, my coworkers and I never talked about work boots for more than three minutes.
While men are not allowed to discuss footwear in detail, it is necessary for every man to knowledgeable about shoes. Shoes are a very important part of any first impression, and they can communicate quite a lot of information.
EXAMPLE: While my brother and I were walking back from Central Park today there was a man who came toward us on the sidewalk. He was in a group of young professional men. The whole group was totally homogeneous. Every guy looked like all the others. Except this one guy, let’s call him “Keith.” With every stride Keith put forward a light brown lace-up. The leather was polished and clean. The shoe was nicely stitched but not ostentatious. In an instant, this man, Keith, was set apart from the rest of his group.
Your shoes are your “second face.” They are the place a person pauses when looking you up, down, and then up again. A shabby pair of lace-ups can ruin the nicest suit. However, the opposite is also true. As our friend Keith demonstrated, your shoes can set you apart. In fact, the only things that set Keith apart were his shoes.
In closing, do not confuse my intentions in this post. I am by no means advocating expanding your shoe collection or turning into some fashion-crazed metro. God forbid. All I am trying to say is that shoes shouldn’t be ignored. All the men that read this blog now have immunity to go shoe shopping- in a manly and brief fashion. It’s okay. Go buy yourself a good pair of wingtips.
HISTORICAL NOTE: In ancient Rome, the soldiers wore very distinctive sandals. They had to be very well constructed for long marches, but they also served another purpose. Every soldier’s sandals had nails driven through the sole to provide traction on treacherous terrain, but the nails also made a loud clicking noise when the soldiers marched on paved roads or rocky terrain. As legions of soldiers marched on a city the nails would strike the ground in unison. Each soldier’s sandals clicking as he marched. All the soldiers marching together would create a thunderous noise with each step. Shoes were a part of Roman warfare. They matter.
While we have been walking the last couple of days my brother and I have briefly discussed the topic of shoes- not for longer than five minutes at a time of course. Any longer than five minutes and any guy risks entering the danger zone. Even over the summer, when I was working construction, my coworkers and I never talked about work boots for more than three minutes.
While men are not allowed to discuss footwear in detail, it is necessary for every man to knowledgeable about shoes. Shoes are a very important part of any first impression, and they can communicate quite a lot of information.
EXAMPLE: While my brother and I were walking back from Central Park today there was a man who came toward us on the sidewalk. He was in a group of young professional men. The whole group was totally homogeneous. Every guy looked like all the others. Except this one guy, let’s call him “Keith.” With every stride Keith put forward a light brown lace-up. The leather was polished and clean. The shoe was nicely stitched but not ostentatious. In an instant, this man, Keith, was set apart from the rest of his group.
Your shoes are your “second face.” They are the place a person pauses when looking you up, down, and then up again. A shabby pair of lace-ups can ruin the nicest suit. However, the opposite is also true. As our friend Keith demonstrated, your shoes can set you apart. In fact, the only things that set Keith apart were his shoes.
In closing, do not confuse my intentions in this post. I am by no means advocating expanding your shoe collection or turning into some fashion-crazed metro. God forbid. All I am trying to say is that shoes shouldn’t be ignored. All the men that read this blog now have immunity to go shoe shopping- in a manly and brief fashion. It’s okay. Go buy yourself a good pair of wingtips.
HISTORICAL NOTE: In ancient Rome, the soldiers wore very distinctive sandals. They had to be very well constructed for long marches, but they also served another purpose. Every soldier’s sandals had nails driven through the sole to provide traction on treacherous terrain, but the nails also made a loud clicking noise when the soldiers marched on paved roads or rocky terrain. As legions of soldiers marched on a city the nails would strike the ground in unison. Each soldier’s sandals clicking as he marched. All the soldiers marching together would create a thunderous noise with each step. Shoes were a part of Roman warfare. They matter.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)