Shine Your Shoes Like A Soldier
July 29, 2008
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There I was, staring down at my lackluster boots with a sinking feeling in my stomach. It was day two of basic training and we had just been informed that we had one hour to get our boots as shiny as our cadre’s (each looked as if they were covered in glass)…or we weren’t going to like the repercussions. Never in my life had I shined a pair of shoes and now I was under the gun, trying to inconspicuously imitate my roommate who grew up a military brat and had apparently been doing it since he was 5. I learned very quickly how to shine shoes that day…not quickly enough, but that’s another story for another time.
Chances are, unless you join the military, you will never have to face punishment for not having shiny shoes. Nonetheless, it is a great skill to have in your man arsenal. Whether it’s an upcoming wedding, graduation or simply another day at the office, a pair of shiny shoes can set you apart as a man that knows how to take care of himself.
Not only does shining your shoes look good, it is a necessary part of properly caring for and maintaining a nice pair of leather shoes or boots. The polish itself helps moisturize and waterproof the leather, lengthening a shoes lifespan.
How To Shine Your Shoes Like a Soldier
There are a lot of opinions when it comes to the best way to shine a shoe. Everyone has their own unique twist from using spit to using a lighter to burn the top coat of polish (cool, although potentially dangerous). The process below is a simple one that I have used for many years and it has worked fine for me and many of my military peers.
The Manival #14
July 29, 2008
Welcome to the 14th edition of The Manival- the weekly blog carnival for men. Each week, a different man blogger hosts the carnival. Each carnival features articles about how men can be better husbands, fathers, and, well, men.
Let’s get started with this week’s submissions. There were some really enjoyable reads among the entries.
Editor’s Picks
Rickey Henderson waxes poetic about his year of beard-ful glory and eloquently mourns the passing of his manly facial hair. His ode to his fallen beard, Farewell, Whiskers of Glory, is posted at Riding with Rickey.
Discovering Dad presents a guest post about what it is like to be a First Time Dad Over 40. I really liked how the author made a mp3 journal recording each day while his wife was pregnant. He’s going to burn these musings onto a CD and keep them stored them away for his son to listen to someday. Cool idea.
In 7 Proverbs for Skilled Living, Cameron Schaefer, author of Schaefer’s Blog and regualr AoM contributer, shares how the ancient Proverbs offer valuable insights into our modern lives. You don’t have to be religious to appreciate the advice found in these pearls of wisdom.
Career and Money
Totally Consumed offers some advice on how to be a calm, cool, and collected leader in the face of stress in The Stress of Leadership posted at Totally Consumed.
You already dream of telecommuting, now Derek makes it seem even more enticing by showing how you can Save Over $175,000 Working From Home. Posted at The Man Page.
Corey Allan helps you get your finances in order in The Lazy Marriage’s Budget posted at The Simple Marriage Project.
Dressing and Grooming
Dr. Awesome presents a comprehensive answer to whether real men can sport long, luxurious manes. In Long Hair, the good doctor goes into the history of long man hair and when it is and is not acceptable. Posted at To Every Man A Manswer.
Barry Wright, III presents Getting the Most Value Out of Tee Shirts posted at fashionablemathematician - fashion.
Family and Relationships
At A Good Husband Cory Huff challenges men to start taking part in a new tradition: Monday Morning Amour. Each Monday, commit to doing something romantic for your lady and leave a comment about it on the blog. Making it public will ensure accountability.
Summer has turned a corner and “Back to School” ads are already here. Don’t miss out on the chance to spend some quality time with your kids. Dad of Divas presents Top 10 Summer Activities for Dad and Kids at Discovering Dad.
John Stewart presents A Balm in Gilead, Part 2: Wife posted at The Night Writer.
Health and Sports
Chris at Martial Development explains why Karate fighters and other would-be ninjas should never utter the phrase, “I don’t want to fight you” in The Worst Karate Move I Ever Learned (and How to Fix It).
Israel Lagares presents The Best Foods For Men posted at Fat Man Unleashed.
Manly Entertainment
Dustin Boston presents The Top 5 Manliest Vehicles Around - Which One Would You Want? posted at dBlogIt. Those are some manly, good-looking cars, but with gas prices like they are, the manliest car of all just might be a Honda Civic.
James Hills presents Planning Perfect Mancations posted at Man Tripping - Guys Weekends and Mancations.
Manly Theory
Kevin presents Mad Men TV Show: The Irony Of Manliness From Yesteryear posted at Return To Manliness.
Over at Stormbringer’s Thunder, Storm’s post, Is This Manly?, is about the Art of Manliness’ “Is it Manly” series. Storm wants to know what AoM means when they ask if something is manly or not. Really, the purpose of the survey question is to make it as open-ended as possible. Commenters are free to define “manliness” in their own way. I personally envision it to mean, is this item or activity befitting of a grown man. Storm believes that the opposite of manly is effeminate. This is not necessarily the case, although it could be. But the opposite of “manly” could just as well be “boyish.” Thus, to say video games are not manly is not to say they are effeminate, but instead to say they are childish.
That’s all folks! If you’d like to participate in next week’s Manival, please submit your submission using this form.
How to Give Flowers Like a Victorian Gentleman
July 27, 2008
Women often complain that the men in their lives are not romantic enough. But men sometimes have trouble expressing their feelings, often resorting to cheesy Hallmark cards or pricey bejeweled baubles to do the job for them. But there is a far better way to be romantic and it doesn’t involve spending a fortune or even opening your mouth.
In the days before courting consisted of hanging out and getting drinks, courting was a formal and dignified endeavor. Symbols were used to express feelings and thoughts deemed too special for mere words. During the Victorian Era, a whole romantic language developed around the giving and receiving of flowers. Everything from the type and size of the flower to the way it was held or presented conveyed layers of meaning and communicated a gentleman’s feelings and intentions. Each bouquet contained a secret message for a lady to eagerly interpret and endlessly dissect.
These days giving flowers has become a somewhat ho-hum cliché. Resurrecting this Victorian tradition will infuse the gesture with new life and romance and bring back some of the subtly, mystery, and fun of courtship. Your lady will swoon that you put far more thought into your selection of flowers than grabbing a bouquet out of the case at Wal-Mart. You’ll come off as a real gentleman and a hopeless romantic. It can become an amazing tradition you’ll both enjoy. Seriously. Women eat this stuff up.
Of course, even women nowadays have forgotten the meanings of flowers. So buy your lady a flower dictionary like this one. And keep a copy for yourself (it’s important that you both use the same reference, as the meanings were never set in stone and can sometimes vary from book to book). Then, each time you present her with a bouquet, she can search the volume to find what secret messages you have embedded in the flowers.
There are even bouquets that convey rejection or unrequited love, but having your soon-to-be former flame eagerly search through a book only to find out she’s been dumped is just plain cruel.
Here’s a partial list of flowers’ meanings to help you get started. Follow them, and you’ll be reviving throngs of women with smelling salts as they swoon for you.
The Art of Manliness Weekly Roundup: D-Fest Edition
July 26, 2008
Last night my wife and I attended D-fest in downtown Tulsa. D-fest is a weekend rock music festival that brings in dozens of bands from across the country and the state. It’s sort of like the Tulsa version of South by Southwest, scaled down, of course. We got to see some great bands perform last night. Phantom Planet and The Apples In Stereo, two long time favorites of mine, performed. They were great. However, the headline act last night was Oklahoma’s own The All-American Rejects. They put on one hell of a show.
The festival continues today. Tonight The Roots are performing along with Zappa Plays Zappa. We’re debating whether we’ll go tonight. We’ll see.
Now for some links.
Back to Basics: Your Calendar (@ lifehack) One of my personal goals right now is to get my life back into order. I’m pretty organized, but if I want to accomplish all my goals I have with school and the blog, I’m going to have to do better. The calendar is the foundation of personal organization. This post gives the pros and cons of different types of calendars.
Warren Buffet’s 7 Secrets to Living a Happy and Simple Life (@ success soul) Warren Buffet is quickly becoming a role model to me. I’ve always admired the man, but after reading this post, I want to learn more about him. My favorite “secret” from this post is how Buffet enjoys simple pleasures, like playing bridge. That’s probably one of the reasons he became so wealthy. He didn’t and still doesn’t spend his money on crap. A man who can maintain his thriftiness despite being almost richer than God deserves your respect. Anybody know of any good biographies about Buffet?
Reclaim Your Time: 20 Great Ways to Find More Free Time (@ zen habits) My buddy Leo at Zen Habits has written a great post on finding more free time in your life. Like I said, I’m trying to find more time in my day to work on my goals. This post will definitely come in handy in finding that time.
Let’s Hear It For the Losers (@ schaefer’s blog) Art of Manliness contributor, Cameron Schaefer, wrote this fantastic piece at his blog. America loves winners. We like to read about them and find out the secrets of their success. However, there’s lots to be learned from people who failed. Namely, we can learn what NOT to do or why something didn’t work. In your pursuit in learning about success, remember to not neglect studying failures.
Art of Manliness’ Take on a Simple Marriage (@Simple Marriage) Corey is beginning a series in which he gives readers a behind the scenes look at the people who run blogs. This week he interviewed Kate and I about what makes our marriage tick. If you’ve ever been curious about us, check out his site.
In the Forums
If you’re looking to get more involved in the AoM community, take part in the forums. Find advice on being a better man, pose a question, or just talk about your latest man adventure. Here are few interesting threads going on over there:
When to Quit Your Job (started by Wrathbone)
What did you do today? (started by Charles)
Man’s Best Friend (started by Andrew)
What height to wear a tie pin? (started by driving_about)
The Manival
A Good Husband was this week’s host of Manival #13. Like always, we had lots of great submissions. Here were a few my favorites.
Dog Names (@ To Every Man a Manswer)
How Ditching My Gas Lawn Mower Made Me Love Cutting the Grass (@ dBlogIt)
Make Out With Your Wife (@ i am husband)
If you’d like to participate in next week’s Manival, please submit a post using this handy form.
Vote for Your Favorite AoM T-shirt Design
If you haven’t already, make sure to vote for your favorite AoM t-shirt design. There are lots of great designs. Voting ends July 28, so make sure to get your vote in before then.
Is It Manly? Review
I thought it would be cool to do a wrap up of the previous week’s Is It Manly? polls. Last week’s question was “Are video games manly?” 2217 of you voted and the results were really close. 51% (or 1138 votes) of you said that video games are NOT manly. 49% (or 1079 votes) of you said that, YES, they were. The discussion was stupendous. Here are some of the highlights:
Lessons In Manliness: Private Ross A. McGinnis & Petty Officer Michael Monsoor
July 24, 2008
There are few manlier virtues than sacrifice. The ability to unselfishly put aside one’s own needs and desires to fulfill and protect the needs and desires of others requires a level of maturity and self-control few men ever truly attain. Instead, many men today are children living in man-sized bodies. They view the world and others as tools to fulfill their appetites. Only after they themselves are satisfied, can they begin to think about others. “What’s in it for me?” has become the battle cry of a generation.
“Sacrifice” comes from a Middle English verb meaning “to make sacred.” Ancient religions and peoples offered sacrifices of human and animals in order to sanctify their life or their community. But such gestures were invariably empty; external gestures can never substitute for internal failings. Instead, a man who wishes to sanctify his life must become a living sacrifice.
Of course the problem with a living sacrifice is that it can crawl off the altar. When the flames threaten to consume you, will you be able to take the heat?
These two men came under fire, quite literally, and passed that test. While both soldiers, they have much to teach all men about sacrifice and selflessness.
Is Being A Stay-At-Home Dad Manly?
July 23, 2008
Each Thursday we ask whether you think a certain object or subject is manly. Make sure to check out past Is it manly? polls. Now for this week’s question:
Is being a stay-at-home dad manly? Vote. Discuss.
10 Steps to the Best Best Man Speech
July 22, 2008
Photo by trubluetitan
Last week we did a post on resurrecting the lost art of oratory and we will soon begin a weekly post on writing and delivering a great speech. But before we start that, we wanted to do a special post on the single piece of oratory almost every man will be asked to give at least once: the best man speech.
Indeed, at some point in your life, one of your buddies or your brother will probably ask you to be the best man in his wedding. This is a great honor. One of the duties of a best man is to give a speech wherein you say a few kind words about your friend/brother and his new wife. If you’ve been to many weddings, you know that oftentimes best man speeches can quickly devolve into an awkward, drunken spectacle. The mixture of booze and lack of preparation results in the best man rambling and sharing inappropriate and embarrassing stories about the groom in front of hundreds of family and friends.
If you don’t want to make yourself look like a huge ass and you want to truly be the best man, here are a few pointers to keep in mind as you prepare to give your speech:
The Polls Are Open: Vote For Your Favorite AoM T-Shirt Design
July 21, 2008
Notice: Polls are back online. Make sure to cast your vote!
Three weeks ago, I made a call for Art of Manliness readers to submit designs for a reader T-shirt contest. Man did you all ever respond. We received many fantastic submissions and I have to say we were blown away by several of them. A lot of creative genius is lurking amongst AoM readers.
Prizes up for grabs
We were so impressed with the work some of you put into the designs, we decided to up the number and amounts of prizes for the men’s contest. There will be two first prize winners. One for the men’s shirt and one for the ladies.
The first place winners will receive:
- $100 (for the men’s contest)/$50 (for the women’s contest) Gift Card to Amazon.com
- A Subscription to Popular Mechanics Magazine
- A Free T-shirt
- An insane amount of fame and prestige. Maybe not an insane amount, but you’ll definitely be famous among thousands of Art of Manliness readers.
We’ve also decided to add a second and third place runner-up prize for the men’s contest. Second prize in the men’s design will receive a $50 gift certificate to Amazon. Third place will receive a $25 gift certificate.
How to choose: Pick the one logo you think fits best with the ethos of Art of Manliness and that would look cool on a t-shirt. Remember: think about wearability too. A design may look cool, but you may not be able to imagine yourself wearing it around. Vote for the shirt you’d be proud to sport.
Vote using the polls below.
Voting ends: July 28.
Without further ado, the entries.
Are the Suburbs Killing Your Manhood?
July 20, 2008
Editor’s Note: This article is from new Art of Manliness contributor Cameron Schaefer. Check out Cameron’s blog at Schaefer’s Blog.
Ever gone on a man trip? When I graduated from high school I went on a man trip, backpacking and ice climbing in Southeastern Alaska for 10 days with two friends of mine. It was part boyhood dream, part silent protest against the post-graduation-Mexico-binge-drinking -sex-fest that most of my peers were engaging in.
Before I left, everyone had to give me their two cents, even if their greatest wilderness adventure consisted of a weekend in their grandparent’s Winnebago. I remember sneering in disgust as people would tell me how dangerous it was (most recounting stories of a very distant relative that got maimed by a blood-thirsty Grizzly then finished off by torrents of pony-size mosquitoes) and how silly my parents were for letting me go. Danger was exactly the reason I wanted to go.
It was epic. A white-haired, green-eyed bush pilot dropped us off 80 miles into the Wrangell-St Elias wilderness and we spent the next week exploring, climbing, shooting, throwing large rocks off cliffs, getting scared after seeing foot-long Grizzly tracks and yelling, “Hey Bear!” for the next 2 hours. We never saw another soul. For 10 days we were three guys alone in a wilderness much larger than ourselves marking our passage into manhood by the amount of times we cheated death. We were kings of men.
Now I live in the suburbs. Read more
The Art of Manliness Weekly Roundup: The James Gang Edition
July 19, 2008
Last week I was flipping through the channels and landed on America’s Got Talent. I normally don’t watch drivel like this, but a group that performed caught my eye. They’re called The James Gang. The best way to describe them is hip-hop mashed with swing. It sounds corny, but these guys pull it off. Besides writing killer music, these gents know how to dress in old fashion duds that still have the charm. To top it off, their logo is awesome. Very reminiscent of The Art of Manliness’ John L. Sullivan logo. Check out their MySpace page and listen to some tunes. It’s time well spent. Here’s their performance on America’s Got Talent:
Now for some links.
First, make sure to check out The Manival # 12 at Miserere. Lots of great posts on how to be a better man. If you’d like to submit to next week’s Manival, please submit using this form. Many thanks to Alessandro for hosting.
The List to Beat All Lists: Top 20 Productivity Lists to Rock You Tasks (@zen habits) I’m always looking to be more productive so I can get things done. But I’ll admit that lately, I’ve been failing at my goal to be productive. Looks like there are some good posts on this list to help me get back on the productivity wagon.
Man Up: Tuck Your Kids into Bed (@ simple marriage project) Bedtime is the perfect time for fathers to bond with their children. Dr. Corey Allen offers some tips on how fathers can get the most out of the time spent tucking in your kiddos.
100 Things To Do During a Money Free Weekend (@ the simple dollar) Trent at The Simple Dollar has compiled a massive list of things you can do during the weekend that don’t cost a dime. I’ll be downloading some podcsts (#5) to my MP3 player so I have something to listen to while rowing. I’ll also be attending the zoo for free (#22) tonight with my law firm.
Detaching From Material Possessions As a Sign of Emotional and Financial Security (@ frugal dad) Sometimes we forget that stuff is. . . well, stuff. Why do we get all hyped up for new gizzmos and dodads? If buying a brand new iPhone made you the happiest you’ve been in a while, maybe you have other problems you need to sort out.
Mama’s Don’t Let Your Sons Watch HGTV. They’ll Never Get Married (@ rachel lucas) There is a lot of man hating on television these days. Watch any commercial or sitcom and the man is usually portrayed as a dope or a twit. Well, men even get a bad rap on HGTV. Rachel Lucus explains her disgust at the way wives treat their husbands on the various house hunting shows on HGTV. Check it out. It’s a good read.
From the archives
Every Man Should Do This Exercise Routine Every Day
How To Throw a Dynamite Overhand Punch
Increase Your Manly Confidence Overnight
Resurrecting the Lost Art of Oratory
July 17, 2008
“Oratory is the parent of liberty. By the constitution of things it was ordained that eloquence should be the last stay and support of liberty, and that with her she is ever destined to live, to flourish, and to die. It is to the interest of tyrants to cripple and debilitate every species of eloquence. They have no other safety. It is then, the duty of free states to foster oratory.”
-Henry Hardwicke
The power of the spoken word is undeniable. At all the great crisis and hinges in history, we find great speeches which swayed the outcome. Great speeches have motivated citizens to fight injustice, throw off tyranny, and lay down their life for a worthy cause. Words have drawn meaning out of tragedy, comforted those who mourn, and memorialized events with the dignity and solemnity they deserved. Words can move people to risk life and limb, shed tears, laugh out loud, recommit to virtue, change their life, or feel patriotic. By weaving and spinning words into great tapestries of art, a man can wield an almost god-like power. Of course, even the most malicious leaders have known this and sought diligently to hone this skill for nefarious purposes. The power of speech can be used for good or evil and comes with great responsibility. Those who uphold virtue and goodness must be prepared to speak as masterfully as those who seductively and smoothly seek to convince the public to abandon its values and principles.
Are Video Games Manly?
July 16, 2008
Each Thursday we ask whether you think a certain object or subject is manly. Make sure to check out past Is it manly? polls. Now for this week’s question:
Photo by Rebecca Pollard
Are video games manly? Vote. Discuss.
n
Total Votes: 3016
Started: July 16, 2008
The Art of Manliness Guide To Snakes Part 2: How To Avoid & Treat A Snakebite
July 15, 2008
Yesterday, in Part 1 of the Art of Manliness’ Guide to Snakes, we discussed how to identify various poisonous serpents. But knowing your enemy is only half the battle. You should also know how to avoid being bitten and what to do if you are. Therefore, today in Part 2 we present more necessary man vs. snake knowledge: how to avoid and treat a snakebite.
Ritual Men’s Products Giveaway Winners!
July 15, 2008
Last week we announced the Ritual Men’s Grooming Giveaway Contest. Up for grabs was a $79 kit with the full line of Ritual Products. We also selected three runner-ups to receive a bottle of Ritual’s Razor Rinse. We asked you all to share what your morning ritual was with us in the comments. And boy did you all respond! Over 200 of you posted your morning rituals. Moreover, many of you subscribed to our RSS feed and registered in the forums. In all we had 839 entries.
How we picked the winners. Each entry was assigned a number. We then used the Random Integer Generator to select 4 numbers. Without further ado here are the winners.
The winner of the $79 Ritual Kit is Sanjay from New York. Congratulations Sanjay!
The runner-ups who will receive a bottle of Ritual pre-shave razor rinse are Manbearpig (from the forums), JFM, and Tron (from the forums).
I also decided to add one more prize at the last minute for this entry. I don’t know if it’s this man’s real morning ritual, but reading it definitely made me feel more manly. This is from Paul DeMuertes:
My morning ritual?
I wake at dawn. The air has a stillness and a dryness only found on this plain, only at this time of the season. It feels good in my lungs. I lift the mosquito netting, roll out of the tent, and begin the fire. I prepare the coffee for it. Then gather the water from the salt lick for my shave. The straight razor feels strong and wet across my beard. It is a good feeling. It is right. I continue over the ears, across the top of the head, and down the back of the cranium. I wax my mustache, then apply a salve that the natives have given me of berries, mixed with beetle dung, to sooth my weathered face and scalp. It burns, slightly. The coffee smells strong in the morning breeze. It fills my nostrils with life.
I pick up my rifle, and ready it for the kill. The heaviness of the strap across my shoulder, the smell of the gun oil so close to my face, are full with memories of my youth, tinged with sadness.
The hunt commences. Somedays it’s kudu. Others hyena or rhino. Most days only opossum or squirrel. They like the backyard the best. Gentle reader, do not judge. I kill them not for the thrill. Not for the sake of the killing itself. I kill them to give the squirrels…the opossums…maybe, the occasional salamander…the dignity of a death they so richly deserve! After which, I empty my bowels, almost ritualistically, in the chamber pot. Then I make a morning meal of salt-cured, cold smoked kippers, as I drink the steaming, bracing coffee in the morning air. It feels good to be alive. To be a man.
A morning ritual like that, real or fictional, deserves to be recognized. Pato, you’re getting an Art of Manliness T-shirt for that comment.
Thanks again to everyone who participated in the contest. Be on the look out for more giveaways coming soon!
The Art of Manliness Guide to Snakes Part 1: Know Thine Enemy
July 14, 2008
You and your buddies are out on a camping trip reconnecting with nature and your masculinity. You’re taking a day hike to see some ancient Indian hieroglyphics, when all of sudden you feel the acute pain of two razor sharp fangs entering your flesh. You’ve just been bitten by a snake. Do you know what to do?
Just the sight of a slithering snake can send a shiver down even the manliest spine. And with good reason-with just one nibble, and in only a few hours, these feetless, cold-blooded serpents can snuff out your life. While only 9-15 people in the United States die every year from snake bites, if you don’t know how to treat them correctly, you or your loved one could become part of those statistics. Knowing how to deal with snakes and snakebites is essential man knowledge.
The best way to “treat” a snakebite is to avoid getting bitten in the first place. So in Part1 of the Art of Manliness’ Guide to Snakes, we’ll give you a dossier on all the bad boys you need to look out for.
In Part 2, we’ll discuss ways to avoid becoming some snake’s snack and how to treat a bite if you do get bitten.
Jessica said:
Dan said:
Dave K said:
Make sure to take part in the current Is it Manly discussion. This week’s question? Are Stay-at-Home Dads Manly?