How to be alone

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I'm a guy who loves a bit of poetry. When I mention this to people, I get the occassional jab about my lack of manliness (apparently back hair only grows where poetry doesn't) but I feel pretty confident that real men appreciate beauty in the written and spoken word. I remember when I was in Cleveland attending med school and a friend was catching a ride from me after class and noticed a copy of the book "Poems That Make Grown Men Cry" sitting on my front seat. This discovery led to being offered a tampon which I graciously declined since I have a stash in my car in case my wife should need one.

I don't mind being teased about my love for poetry. There are times when it strikes me right in the heart muscles and grabs me tight. I'm not too macho to admit that I my face peed a bit while reading Ben Jonson's 'On My First Sonne':

Farewell, thou child of my right hand, and joy;My sin was too much hope of thee, lov'd boy.Seven years tho' wert lent to me, and I thee pay,Exacted by thy fate, on the just day.O, could I lose all father now! For whyWill man lament the state he should envy?To have so soon 'scap'd world's and flesh's rage,And if no other misery, yet age?Rest in soft peace, and, ask'd, say, "Here doth lieBen Jonson his best piece of poetry."For whose sake henceforth all his vows be such,As what he loves may never like too much.

If that doesn't get you, then there is something wrong with you.

Well, as much as I love poetry, I have to admit that there is a lot of it that I just don't get. A small bundle of it speaks to me while the rest bounces around my mind like random words thrown together on a page. But when a poem speaks to me, it often REALLY speaks to me. Such is one I found on YouTube of all places.

Many people automatically assume that I'm a natural extrovert because I get chatty with people quickly. On the contrary, I am quite introverted and get a bit of anxiety when I'm in crowds. I just hide it better than some. I actually enjoy doing things alone. I go to movies alone. I walk around the mall alone. I often sit up late alone. I do like people too but there are times when I just want to be by myself. So, Andrea Dorfman's poem 'How To Be Alone' really got me. Check it out:

Book Review: Man Made by Joel Stein

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Man Made: A Stupid Quest for Masculinity by Joel Stein
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Joel Stein took on the quest that I have contemplated myself since my son was born 6 years ago. There were actually times when I felt like he had somehow gotten inside my head and found all of my insecurities and decided to go test them. I don't know if this is a challenge that all new fathers face but the lack of confidence in our manliness is definitely something that both Joel and I have in common.

From the moment I read the first paragraph, I knew I was going to love this book. I laughed, cried, laughed some more and got inspired along the way while he desperately grasped for any bit of rugged toughness he could find to fill in his own gaps in masculinity. Just like him, I want the best for my son and have often wondered if I am man enough to teach him how he should be. How can I teach him to kill a bear with his bare hands if I spent my childhood playing with Carebears with my sisters?

I'm glad that Joel Stein fought an MMA fighter so that I didn't have to. Maybe we're just fine as fathers after all. All I know is that this is one of the best memoirs I have read. I'm sure that not everyone will feel as connected as I was to the story but it is a laugh-out-loud adventure that is definitely worth the read!

View all my reviews

Epic manliness

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This full body sweater is pretty much the picture of epic manliness. Or not. You decide.

Poster: Hasta La Vista, BROTHER by Jon Smith [#manly]

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I think hanging this print on my wall would make a little bit more manly...