The Blog for Men

I fully support the notion of “being your own man” and I think part of being a man is being able to make your own decisions. Technically making your own decision might include deciding you don’t care about how much you weigh or if you are in good shape. However, I firmly believe that part of being a man is maintaining a level of physicality and a reasonable weight. Why? I see part of a man’s responsibility is to be able to do things like: run up a a few flights of stairs if he has to, protect his loved ones (or even random women/children) if it came to it, have sex with his significant other…and in generally be useful both inside and outside the house. If a man is too overweight or too out of shape…OR if he is extremely thin and weak… how can he take care of basic tasks a man should be able to?

Imagine the “the shit hitting the fan”… meaning some sort of emergency that requires survival type activity or the unlikely scenario of being drafted into the military for a ground war… would you be physically ready? If you think that scenario would put you in some real trouble, maybe that is a good reason to think about building some physical prowess and ensuring your weight in an appropriate range. In an even more basic scenario, how about day to day items like removing a lug to change a spare tire, helping push a car that is stuck in the snow, helping a friend move to a new apartment or house, or any physical task. Can you do that without being out of breath or straining?

A man should respect his body, take care of it, and make it useful. If you take care of yourself you will feel better, have more energy at work and at home, you will be more attractive, you will have more confidence… the list goes on and on. The whole point I’m trying to make is that it is part of a man’s responsibility to be useful and that means being in shape and keeping your weight in check. Throughout history there are many cultures that men were built to be warriors and leaders. The training started young and assured that men were training and developed. However when you shift to today, the comfort of modern life and it’s conveniences have made it possible to slide through life without any discipline or work. If you disagree, step back and think about why. Are you just making excuses to yourself? Are you trying to justify laziness or lack of discipline?

With that little rant… let’s talk about what you have to do… and how it really isn’t that complicated…

As much as people pushing fad diets, miracle workouts, and other snake-oil products would like to fool you. The secret to being healthy is pretty easy. Eat real food (if you read the ingredients on something and don’t know what it is, don’t eat it!), move around a little bit everyday, lift some few weights, walk or run most days, play sometimes (basketball, golf, swimming…anything). It really can be simple. If you are doing those things and eating real food, you will feel good and look good. Don’t over indulge and don’t be stagnant, the rest will take care of itself.

Another part of being a man is having some discipline. So don’t eat half a box of Oreos…put them down and have sex with your significant other (if you’re single, go out and meet someone instead)… turn off the internet and go be social. Is sitting in front of your TV or computer really making your life any more worthwhile?

A few simple guidelines…

Food

Eat REAL food. Stuff that was once alive, growing somewhere, and didn’t need to spend too much time in a factory before getting to you.

EAT:

Protein: steak/beef, chicken, pork, fish, eggs
Carbs: vegetables, fruits, rice, some beans
Fat: nuts, seeds, olive oil, butter, avocado
Other: Eat dairy (milk, yogurt) if you are not lactose intolerant, avoid fast food and other greasy stuff.

DON’T EAT

(or limit yourself):
sugary snacks (cookies, ice cream, candy bars)
highly processed carbohydrates (sugary cereals, chips, pretzels, etc.)
sugary drinks (soda/pop, coffee loaded with sugar, and actually most fruit juices are missing a lot of the good stuff…skip it in favor of a piece of fruit and some water)

REDUCE

(and eliminate if you can)
bread and pasta – The number of people that tell me they “could never give up bread and/or pasta” is interesting…especially because I have personally seen hundreds of people reduce or give-up bread and pasta and be okay (and far healthier)
beer and wine- I get it, you might not want to give-up beer, but drink it in moderation. Stick to only on weekends and try to limit yourself to 2 or 3 drinks.

Photo Credit: Adam Bautz

I always knew how to “swim”.  But my version of knowing how to “swim” wasn’t quite the same as actually knowing how to swim. I could float for hours in any body of water, but my version of a freestyle stroke was closer to drowning than it was to the smooth long strokes you see from a seasoned swimmer. I had never had a lesson, or been taught any form. But after a minor injury about ten years ago, I had to take a reprieve from lifting and most sports (those with a lot of cutting and/or contact). I debated biking vs. swimming, but I decided swimming was the way to go since winter was approaching.

The first day I went in the pool, it was ugly. Every 50 meters required significant rest time to catch my breath and let my arms and shoulders rest. Up until this point, I still thought I knew how to swim. Enter the internet….That night I was googling-away looking for information about how to become a better swimmer. This google-fest consisted of phrases like “how to swim”, “become a better swimmer”, “freestyle swimming”. There was one result that popped up off and on throughout my research, “Total Immersion”. I watched some of the videos and read some online reviews and decided to try it out.

As I watched, I realized how wrong I was in regards with how to learn the skill. (As a side-note, learning to swim was really the time that changed how I acquired new skills and/or new knowledge forever. More on that in a future post). Total Immersion starts you off with VERY basic drills teaching you things like, body positioning, how to properly kick, how to float on your back, how to float on your side, how to roll over to breath. I’m not going to lie, I felt a little like a jackass doing some of these drills. I was taking up a whole lane floating up and down on my back or my side. Often times I would be running into the lane dividers or the wall of the pool! At the time, I felt like these were drills for a 3 year old! Despite the less-than-manly feeling, I stuck with it, even though it felt like I was only making baby steps.

It turns out one of the most important skills in swimming is to stay relaxed. This hit home hard. I had been fighting the water, trying to out out-muscle it, but I really just had to relax and glide. I think a lot of men have the same issue with this.

Don’t get me wrong, an Olympic swimmer I am not. BUT, I am now good enough that people mistake me for someone who knows that they are doing! It was tough to be patient at times, but it paid off. I went from gasping for breath after 50M to doing 800M swims with ease. I would recommend this DVD to anyone who is looking to add something new to their workouts, or even someone who is playing around with the idea of a triathlon. (I think the TI style is perfect for triathlons because it is primarily arm driven swimming with a minimal kicking.)

My beginner keys to swimming

• Positioning is key, you want your body to be long, and balanced in the water. The head stays down, looking only forward.
• Get long, as mentioned above you want to make your body as long and straight as possible with your strokes. The hand reaches far ahead and the body is lengthened behind.
• Arms should be relaxed on forward stroke, with the hand entering quietly and softly just after passing the head.
• The back arm should be almost back to your ear before pulling with the forward arm.
• Kick should be consistent and calm, just breaking the surface of the water.
• Cup your hands softly, and almost turn your body over the hand after they enter the water Sideways? Get sideways as you glide, you are more aerodynamic!

Other keys:

Do the drills, repetition, don’t worry about your times early on. It’s okay to look a little stupid.
You don’t have to get a speedo, but get a “jammer”. A jammer is kind of like spandex shorts. It makes a huge difference when swimming
Get some good goggles and goggle case. It is probably only a $30 investment, but well worth it.

Product links:

These are the actual products that I use. I tried a few different pairs of goggles and different swim trunks / jammers… these are the products that I settled on. I hope they work for you as well!
Goggles – Speedo Vanquisher
Speedo Goggle Case
Speedo Jammer
Total Immersion

photo credit:
Tony Baldasaro

Over the last 50-100 years, jobs have changed a great deal. “Careers” have replaced jobs. We have traded manual work for desks. No longer do we make things, rather we make spreadsheets, sit in meetings, or make phone calls. Change is inevitable and these shifts come with both positives and negatives. Matthew Crawford wrote a great book on this topic, “Shop Class as Soulcraft”. You should be sure to pick up the book. It details Crawford’s move from high paid desk job to motorcycle mechanic.

Overall Having done both manual and desk jobs I wanted to give a few of my thoughts on career and the value and actualization that does or doesn’t accompany it. I will also give a few comments on the book, and maybe a few ideas.

At some point in adulthood you realize that most people you know really don’t love their job. There are varying degrees of hate, numbness, indifference, tolerance, and even some that don’t mind it. But you will usually be hard-pressed to really really love what you do each day. Much of that comes from the normal progression of grade school to high school to college to corporate job. In my experience, when I find these people that truly love what they do they fall into one of these categories:

– Started / own their own business
– Work in a field that directly helps other people succeed or recover
– They are the type of person that would probably love whatever career they are in
– Work with their hands / create things

There is some psychological aspect to not loving your job. I don’t remember all the details, but if I turn the clock way back, I can actually remember a principle we learned in a psychology class I took that basically showed if you are compensated to do something you will inevitably start to like it less. I remember one of the specific tests that were done for this was paying people to play video games. It showed those people truly started to dislike video games, even those that “loved” video games. Are any of our readers former Psych majors? Comment below if you can elaborate!

In the corporate world you are often far from the product the company actually sells. Beyond that, if you work in a financial industry (and therefore basically something that is intangible) sometimes the product is information or something else harder to see. Working in the finance department, legal department, IT or other support functions you could go months without dealing directly with customers or with the product at all (other than what you read in contracts or see in your spreadsheet). When you are this far from the product and the customer it is hard to see the real impact that your product has. It is tough to feel like you were a part of making that happen.

Adding to the distance from the product, in the corporate setting, it is difficult to measure how well you are truly doing (aside from sales where there is at least a $ measurement). It is hard to tell how well a financial analyst or marketing guy is doing. Performance reviews at corporations are awkward, influenced by opinion and social convention, and often contain a lot of opinion and bias. When you don’t feel like you know the “score” or how well you are doing, it can be tough to really know your value.

The corporate world is not without other benefits that undoubtedly have positive impact on your life: more stable/secure, known benefits and pay, comfortable work environment, paid vacations, retirement packages, regular work hours / schedule. Many companies also have numerous other perks.

Flipping to a world of more manual and creative tasks, you find much of what I have stated about corporate job is inverted. The builder / laborer / writer / artist / creator / and so on put their time directly into the product. It might go as far for some of the aforementioned to do the design, creation, and selling of the good or service they provide. In these careers you are so incredibly close to the product that it becomes an extension of yourself. You also usually know where you stand. If you are hand-making furniture, you will be able to see what the end result looks like. You can see defects, you can feel how sturdy it is, you can notice symmetry and design. You actually see tools and your labor turn wood into a piece of furniture. This is real time feedback and satisfaction (even if you don’t sell the furniture, the sense of accomplishment is there)!

There are drawbacks to a more artisan lifestyle. Often in these niches you are competing against a large pool of people, you often represent yourself and will need to market & sell your good or service on your own. The pay can be sporadic, as can the hours…and you will likely have to take care of medical insurance and retirement planning on your own.. If you work for yourself it is difficult to create an actual paid vacation. Lastly, your work environment could leave you injured, you may rely on keeping in shape and staying healthy to be able to do your job, and you could have repetitive stress on your body.

At the end of the day, you have to try to understand what works for you. if you are painfully risk averse, the peace of mind from a stable company might be a good fit. If you feel unrewarded and need a change, think about something that stirs passion in you, and explore! I really think it is worthwhile to experiment with whatever you think might give you more of a sense of accomplishment and may be more rewarding. Even if it doesn’t become your career, it might be enough to keep you grounded in your day job.

What do you think? Do you want to pursue something different? What is your passion? Leave comments and let’s have a discussion.

If you flash back 50 years, men lived a different life. We wore suits to the office or to church, drank bourbon or scotch, didn’t have air conditioning, we read newspapers, and sometimes we just sat there and did nothing. Somewhere along the line we have traded it for sweat pants, sugary drinks, and constant iphone or TV stimulation. Now we must always be entertained, comfortable, and everything we eat or drink must taste good. I once heard someone refer to this as the “yummy” factor. While much of what has happened in the last half century is progress, I think we need to return to our roots on a few items.

Not everything we eat should taste good. I know, this sounds ridiculous, but hear me out. Some tastes should be acquired. Your first bite of 85% cacao dark chocolate or your first sip of bourbon might not be delicious, but as you learn more about the chocolate or bourbon (or scotch) and start to learn the intricacies of the flavors you gain more appreciation for them and they become even more rewarding than the Snickers bar or the sugary rum and coke. Find something that you can enjoy that requires an acquired taste, and work toward refining your taste of that item.

Netflix gives us 8 straight seasons of our favorite show. We can watch episode after episode with no commercials and no waiting for the next episode. When men watch a game they are on twitter at every break in the action. We worry about texting about events more than watching them. Men need to stop with the constant stimulation and instant gratification. A real man knows how to enjoy sitting in peace and quiet. Some time should be sent in reflection and in thought. It’s okay to enjoy a good TV show or a good movie, but there is no need to watch 9 episodes straight. Practice some delayed gratification and develop patience and enjoy a bigger payoff.

In this current generation men always want to be comfortable, even if it is at the expense of looking unkempt. It is an age of slippers, sweat pants, and soft t-shirts. Comfort 24/7. There are some blurry lines around men and “fashion”. If a man cares too much about fashion he is seen as a bit too feminine. If he cares too little he is a slob. The sweet spot is somewhere in the middle. A man should have some understanding of fashion. I’m not advocating that everyone should walk around in a three-piece suit, but every man should have a decent suit that fits. There is also no need for a $1,000 suit, but know how a suit fits, get it tailored if need be, and wear it where appropriate. We do not need to always be comfortable. Learn how clothes should fit, skip the t-shirt on occasion, and shine your shoes.

Lastly, it seems everyone needs to be stimulated at all times. A TV show or game goes to a commercial and we change the channel. We stop at a red light and we pick up our cell phones. The stimulation is nonstop. Real men take time to reflect and to think. Soctrates said, “The unexamined life is not worth living”. Take time, embrace the quiet, and do a little thinking every once in a while.

Four simple things…acquire a few taste, practice delayed gratification, keep up your appearance, and do a little thinking. Four simple things can make life a little bit more enjoyable over the years.

Do you do any of these things? What have you learned from them? Have you noticed a payoff?

photo credits: grepsy

Regular TBFM readers will be familiar with what we regard as the best poem for men.  However, there is more than one worthwhile poem for men.  The Charge of the Light Brigade was an actual event where a group of British Soldiers was sent erroneously into a near impossible full frontal attack of a Russian artillery battery.  Despite certain high casualties and near inevitable defeat, the British soldiers marched valiantly into battle.  While not exceedingly significant in history, it is remembered by many due to Lord Alfred Tennyson’s eloquent poem describing the charge.  This poem is certainly one that every man should be familiar with.

I
Half a league, half a league,
Half a league onward,
All in the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.
“Forward, the Light Brigade!
Charge for the guns!” he said.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

II
“Forward, the Light Brigade!”
Was there a man dismayed?
Not though the soldier knew
Someone had blundered.
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die.
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.

III
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon in front of them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
Boldly they rode and well,
Into the jaws of Death,
Into the mouth of hell
Rode the six hundred.

IV
Flashed all their sabres bare,
Flashed as they turned in air
Sabring the gunners there,
Charging an army, while
All the world wondered.
Plunged in the battery-smoke
Right through the line they broke;
Cossack and Russian
Reeled from the sabre stroke
Shattered and sundered.
Then they rode back, but not
Not the six hundred.

V
Cannon to right of them,
Cannon to left of them,
Cannon behind them
Volleyed and thundered;
Stormed at with shot and shell,
While horse and hero fell.
They that had fought so well
Came through the jaws of Death,
Back from the mouth of hell,
All that was left of them,
Left of six hundred.

VI
When can their glory fade?
O the wild charge they made!
All the world wondered.
Honour the charge they made!
Honour the Light Brigade,
Noble six hundred!
-Lord Alfred Tennyson

There has been much debate over how to shave properly and what the right method for shaving is. There is even debate around whether or not to shave. There are Mach 3’s, safety razors, electric razors, disposable razors, straight razors, razor overkill. In this messed up world where you buy mach 3s out of a locked case at Walgreen’s, I hope to shed some light on the strange world of shaving.

You have 3 options

1. Shave wet (with a razor of some kind)
2. Shave dry (with an electric razor)
3. Grow a beard

When deciding which method to use, you need to know one thing…we are all unique snowflakes. Well, we aren’t really, that is bull$hit, but we do all have different facial structures, skin, and hair. So what is the best shaving method for someone else, may not be the best shaving method for you. Because I have an issue with razor bumps and ingrown hairs (seems to happen when you have thick + curly hair), I have had the experience of trying just about every type of shave known to man to try to find what works for me.

Shaving Wet

This is what most people think of when they think about “shaving”. This actually lifts the skin and shaves the hair, so this is a closer shave than using electric. It has some combination of cream/foam/gel/paste, water, and razor.I subdivide this group into 2 more groups, quick shavers and experience shavers.

The quick shavers are all about speed. These men usually use a Mach3 or a disposable razor, they rinse their face quick, they spray on some new fangled shaving gel, and then it’s a race for the razor to cover the face.

The experience shaver displays a little more care in his approach. He likely has some higher-end soap, paste, or cream. He may have a badger hair brush to lather, and he likely has a safety razor (like a Merkur) or a well made regular razor (perhaps a razor from Harry’s or even just a fancy handle with a Mach III blade). This shaver takes a little extra time, or perhaps even spends too much time on their shave.

I understand the plight of both of these men. Time in the day is limited so you need to get out of the house, but you also don’t want to end up with razor burn, cuts, ingrown hairs, and irritated skin.

How to Shave – Wet Shave

Here is the general process you should follow when doing a wet shave.

Materials: High quality razor (with a sharp blade), Badger Hair Brush, Quality shaving cream or shaving soap, mug
Cost: $50 safety razor, $5-10 high quality cream/soap, $0.25 – $5 per blade (safety razor blades are very cheap, Mach 3 are expensive), $40 badger hair brush.

• Do not shave as soon as you get up. Give your face 15 minutes or so to wake up. Sounds silly, but the face is often a little swollen in the morning. This makes it a bit tougher to shave. The best time to shave is actually after having just finished showering (don’t try your face!)
• If you haven’t showered, rinse your face with warm (hot) water. Place a small amount of the shaving cream in your mug. Take your brush and saturate it completely with hot water. Do not shake off this water, just let it drip off. Once the brush is only slowly dripping water, swirl it in the mug gently to pick up the cream and build a lather.
• Take the brush and lather your face for about 2 minutes covering all the areas you need to shave.
• Rinse your razor, then begin shaving with the grain. Use light and short strokes, rinsing the blade frequently. If you have some hair that you can’t get going with the grain, try going sideways or very, very lightly against the grain as a last resort. Try to use the brush to relube any areas before shaving it a second time.
• Create your own method when you shave and do it every time. Whether it be neck first, then sides, chin, upper lip…whatever it is, have a method and stick to it. This is the best way to avoid missing spots.
• Rinse your face with cool water.
• Avoid alcohol based aftershave, but a lotion/moisturizer that does not clog your skin can be helpful.

This process should take 6-10 minutes, well worth a short part of your day.

Common Wet Shave Problems & Tips

Some people have issues with razor burn, ingrown hairs, or razor bumps. Here are a few ways to avoid this:

Be sure your razor is SHARP – This allows you to not put pressure on your face while you shave.

Shave WITH the grain – If you shave against the grain the hair is cut below the surface and often results in ingrown hairs or razor bumps.

Use a single blade or safety razor – The technology of double and triple blades actually lift the skin and shave under it, just like when shaving against the grain…this often results in ingrown hairs or razor bumps.

Shaving Dry

In this post I discuss shaving dry, but really I am referring to using an electric razor. Some of the new technology electric razors actually will work with a foam or gel, but historically these razors are meant for shaving dry skin. Electric shavers have small moving blades inside covered by metal heads or foils. These shavers basically shear the hair vs. removing the hair and the top level of skin when using a blade. there are two types of electric razors, rotary shavers and foil shavers. The rotary are the ones you see with 3 circular heads in a triangle formation and the foil shavers are a straight bar across. The rotary work how you might think, there is a blade inside that spins and cuts the hair. The foil shaver oscillates back and forth.

How to Shave – Dry Shave (Electric)

Materials: Electric Razor – Usually made by Philips/Norelco, Braun, Panasonic, or Remington
Cost: $40 – $200 for an electric razor. Usually they have a 1-2 year warranty, but will likely last 3-10 years.

Opposite of using a blade, you actually want your face dry when shaving electric. If you are using a foil shaver, it is generally best to go with the grain as you do when shaving with a blade. If you use a rotary shaver, it is suggested to use small circular motions. For both types of shaves you want to be sure you don’t press too hard. Light motions work best, if that isn’t working sufficiently that likely means the blades are too dull. When finished be sure to rinse your face with warm water, then again with cool water.

As with wet shaving, avoid alcohol based aftershave, but a lotion/moisturizer that does not clog your skin can be helpful.

One important note – Generally it takes the skin 1-3 weeks to adjust to an electric razor. You may have some irritation in this period, but it will go away. If you decide to make the switch be patient and persistent to get through the irritation period.

Common Shaving Problems & Tips

Be sure to complete the recommended maintenance on your electric razor. The quality of the shave is going to be proportional to the quality of the razor and the sharpness of the blades.

Empty the razor of the extra hair that collects in rotary razors, but be sure to not bang them off any surfaces as that can damage the heads/blades.

Do not press too hard on your skin and do not spend too much time shaving one area. These can cause irritation and other skin issues.

Follow the instructions of your individual model, some allow for cream/gel, some have different features. These are just some general guidelines.

How I Shave

I actually use two different methods.

For days where I have important things going on: meetings, an interview, a wedding, an event, or something along those lines I use a wet shave.

I have have a Markur Futur Double Edge Safety Razor that I use with Feather blades.  I use a Badger Hair Brush and Proraso shaving cream from the tube for my lather.  I am sure to always have a sharp blade, and I can NEVER go against the grain.  I love the fresh feeling after a shave with this method.  It is close and leaves you very refreshed (I think largely due to the Eucalyptus & Menthol in the Proraso).

Other days when I need to get going quickly I either don’t shave or I use a Norelco electric rotary razor.  For whatever reason, I don’t have that 1-3 week “get used to it” period and I can alternate methods with no ill-effects.

Conclusion

Like I said at the beginning, there is no BEST way.  Both sides have some very loyal supporters.  I think it is fair to say that using a blade is a closer shave most of the time, and largely electric razors are less messy and slightly quicker.

The Best Shaving Equipment

Electric Razors
A Philips electric rotary razor similar to the one I use (approx. $65)
Braun’s highest rated electric razor (foil)  approx. $200
Panasonic’s highest rated electric razor (foil) approx.. $70

Wet Shaving
Markur Futur Double Edge Safety Razor approx. $80…will last a lifetime
Feather blades approx. $10 for 30 blades…MUCH cheaper than Mach3
Badger Hair Brush approx. $35
Proraso shaving cream approx. $10, but lasts a long time

The above is what I use; here are a few other popular products:
Mach3 Blades
Fusion ProGlide

Other Shaving Links:
I would also check out these great links:
Dollar Shave Club – Pay a MUCH lower cost for blades..just $1-$9 per month for 4-5 blades per month…Great deal compared to national brands

photo credits: photosteve101, saintbob, david robert wright

Real men read books.  This is just the truth.  Books get into more detail than any movie ever could.  Characters are developed, plots are twisted, and stories are told.   Today I want to shed a little light on one niche of literature that is interesting.

By definition a dystopia is the opposite of a utopia.  In a dystopia, society has regressed into some form of oppression, hardship, lack of resources, totalitarian government, economic turmoil, or some other overarching condition.

“The Iron Heel” by Jack London is often considered the first modern dystopian novel, but over the last hundred years or so there have been a number of great books written that have encouraged a tremendous amount of discussion.  Often these books are the source of very strong feelings and at times huge debate.

I’ll be honest; some of these novels and films are among my favorites.  I think the topics covered and theoretical situations are important for us to consider.  Dystopian books and movies help us form our values, political stances, and make our decisions in daily life.  They let us know that we can have a say in the world around us and hopefully they help us to avoid falling into the same patterns outlined by our favorite dystopian authors.

These novels should also serve as a reminder that things we take for granted now (like “all men being created equal”) have not always been so.  If you look back in history you see shades of some of these dystopias.  Throughout the ages and throughout the world there have been totalitarian regimes, social castes, war, starvation, viagra from canada, slavery, and many other atrocious occurrences.  A great deal of the world is now fortunate enough to be able to work their way from the bottom to the top or be able to fall from the top.   We are largely treated equally and allowed many freedoms.  We must remember this hasn’t always been so and it is our duty to keep it this way!

Some of my favorite dystopian novels are:

* Caution – there are no “real” spoilers here, but I do discuss the overall plot

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand

Cashing in at over 1,000 pages this is Ayn Rand’s magnum opus.  What happens when the thought leaders of a society disappears?  What happens when the government continues to pass more and more restrictive legislation?  Who is John Galt?    This story follows the protagonist, Dagny Taggert as the government and society seem to be collapsing around her.  I love how this novel encourages independent thought.

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

A snapshot of society as portrayed by Aldous Huxley looks like this: brainwashing, over medicated, loose morals, social classes, and government control.

1984 by George Orwell

George Orwell’s novel depicts a world with strong government control, constant war, censorship and many of your other typical traits of dystopian novels.  This hove

The Giver by Lois Lowry

This was my personal first experience with a dystopian novel.  This novel appears to have a society, which seems closer to a Utopia than anything else.  Jobs are assigned based on their skills and the main character gets the job of receiving all the members of the society.  As everything progresses you realize the society is more dystopian than everything else.  As I said, this one holds a special place in my heart because it was my one of my few favorite books of grade school.

Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

The temperature at which books burn. Mass scale censorship.  Government control. The evil of television!

The Road by Cormac McCarthy

This novel takes it a bit past dystopian and more towards post-apocalyptic.  This follows a father and his son trying to survive after some unexplained disaster.  Not for the faint of heart, this Pulitzer Prize winning novel is graphic and grim.

A mancation is a trip including a manly activity to any given location for men only.  This is not simply going on vacation with some buddies.  It is not the cliché trip to Vegas.  It goes beyond the normal and the usual.  The mancation is a vacation with action.  It is for guys only…no drama, no fancy drinks, and sometimes no showers.  The trip does not need to be expensive or elaborate, but those options are out there.  This could be for a bachelor party, a reunion, or for no good reason other than a guy’s weekend….

Planning the mancation

1. When planning out your mancation the first step is to find the group of gentlemen required for attendance.  Remember, no wives, girlfriends, or potential hook-ups…this will tremendously change the weekend…and we all know it’s true.

2. The next step is to select the activity.  This is possibly the most important step.  All gentlemen mentioned in the prior step should be in total agreement on the selected destination.  No whining or second-guessing once this is finalized.

3. Finalize the date and location.  This can be a logistical challenge, however it is important for every one to agree on the date well in advance.  Ideally get the group to agree on 2 or 3 different potential dates.  Once potential dates are selected check to ensure availability of whatever activity you have decided on.  Be sure to

A mancation is also a wonderful substitute for a standard bachelor party.  While it might be fun to do the standard Vegas trip or night out/strip-club, you don’t quite get the man time that should be spent.  A mancation almost always includes ample idle time for discussing life, family, sports, relationships, or anything else that comes to mind.

A few possible mancations

White Water Rafting & Camping – Most companies leading white water rafting expeditions have options for camping and often times have fairly upscale cabins at reasonable rates.

In West Virginia, the ACE Adventure Resort (http://www.aceraft.com/) they have packages with white water rafting and cabin accommodations included.  Pricing is around $50/night per person for 6 people, this would include a cabin with three bedrooms with queen beds, a living room with a sofa sleeper, front porch, back deck with hot-tub, fire-pit, fully equipped kitchen, and more.  Not exactly roughing it, but it makes for a pretty good mancation.

Cross-Country Trip – Embrace your inner vagabond, your Jack Kerouac, and dive into the often-ignored open road of the United States.  Get someone in your crews SUV or RV, or simply rent one…and take off…  This particular trip requires the ability to take some significant time off work, but would be well worth it.   There are numerous resources available online with route information, and guides more making your trip across the beautiful US of A.

Driving School – Most men fall in love with cars from an early age.  Something about being behind the powerful engine, and controlling that power is an irresistible draw.  There are a lot of driving schools out there that teach advanced driving skills.  (It is a prerequisite that you can drive a manual transmission, but isn’t that a prerequisite just to be a man?).  Check out the Mazda Driving School for a nice two-day program or the higher-end option…BMW’s prestigious M School.

Sailing Trip – Load up the boat, and take on the seas.  From the beginning of time men have been taking on the high seas (think pirates or Columbus).  Whether you look to sail the Caribbean or the Northeast, there is something special about the power of the ocean.

PETER

Michael, we don’t have a lot of time on this earth. We weren’t meant to spend it this way. Human beings were not meant to sit in little cubicles staring at computers all day, filling out useless forms and listening to eight different bosses drone on about mission statements.

Office Space, Mike Judge’s millennial comedy of workplace errors, hit theatres in 1999 to little fanfare; the film barely earned back its (estimated) $10M budget.

In video rental and cable re-runs, though, Office Space received new life as a cult classic. The key to its enduring popularity seems to be more than just jokes. Office Space captures the struggles of the modern workplace in a way no other film does. As the old saying goes, “it’s funny because it’s true.”

1. A Case of the Mondays?: Nope. Avoid inane small talk. It makes you seem simple-minded and petty. Peter’s neighbor Lawrence said it best: “I believe you’d get your ass kicked, saying something like that.”

2. All You Need is a Great Idea: Tom Smykowski’s ‘Jump to Conclusions Mat’ is indeed “the worst idea I’ve ever heard in my life,” but his point remains true. All you need is a great idea and some elbow grease. I mean, the ‘Pet Rock’ guy did make a million dollars.

3. Ask out the Waitress: Peter first escapes his rut by satisfying a simple, long-simmering desire: he asks out Joanna, the Chotchkie’s waitress. Later that day he beams: “I feel Great. Best day of my life.” You want something? Go get it.

4. Do Nothing: Recent science proves that quiet self reflection, i.e. “doing nothing,” has intense mental and physical benefits. So take a Saturday morning here and there to sleep in. Peter can barely restrain his glee after a morning to himself: “I did absolutely nothing and it was everything I thought it could be.”

5. Be ‘Gangsta’: In the context of Office Space, ‘gangsta’ is equal parts confidence, agency and honesty. It’s not the occupational hypnotherapist who improves Peter’s life. It’s Peter. In being blunt with the Bobs, perusing Joanna and destroying the electrified door handle, Peter shows—through confidence and honesty—“damn, it feels good to be a gangsta.”

6. Love Kung Fu: On their initial lunch date, Joanna gives all the signs of disinterest in Peter. But then he brings up the TV classic, Kung Fu, and Joanna melts: “I love Kung Fu.” Be it romantic or platonic, common ground is key in any relationship.

7. Destroy the Printer: Michael and Samir have every reason to be violent: after years of selfless toil, they’re tossed aside for newer (and cheaper) employees. The brilliance of Office Space is that instead of administering a (deserved) beating to Lumbergh, they vent their frustrations on the oft-malfunctioning office printer. It’s a cathartic release and the printer won’t press charges.

8. Mind the Mundane Details. From T.P.S. reports to Flair to decimally-challenged computer viruses, Office Space is a pageant of the mundane. Take pride in even the smallest task or end up sharing Michael Bolton’s frustration: “I must have put a decimal point in the wrong place or something…I always mess up some mundane detail.”

9. Bad Breeds Bad: Be it Lumbergh getting his Porsche defaced or the utter failure of Peter’s criminal turn, Office Space stresses time and again that doing evil returns more evil.

10. Fight for Your Stapler: It’s no accident that the squirrely Milton Waddams is the most self-realized character in Office Space. His cake is stolen, his desk moved to the storage basement and his paychecks stopped. But take the man’s stapler? He’ll burn the building down. Not that you should resort to arson, but you get the point. Every man has his limit; know yours and stick to it.

11. Work is Work:  Joanna sums it best as Peter faces jail for his crimes. “Most people don’t like their jobs. But you go out there and find something that makes you happy.” If work was meant to be fun, it wouldn’t be called work.

Be sure to check out our other “11 Lessons” series: Fight Club, The Shawshank Redemption