You can tell it’s Monday around here! We have everyone together and we bitch about the weekend successes and failures regarding our relationships. Personal relationships that is. It seems that the women are looking for something completely different in a man then all us assumed. Now, when you get a creative bunch of geeks together commiserating about what makes a good man even the men will pipe up and add their two cents. We scoured the Internet looking for tips and hints on this topic and then we voted on them.

Here’s what we came up with and not necessarily in the right order.

1. Bring a dish. Poet Robert Frost once wrote, “Good fences make good neighbors.” That’s irony, not prescription. A real man hits the neighborhood barbecue bearing a bowl of potato salad. You won’t just fill bellies, you’ll strengthen bonds. Bonus: no awkward introductions the first time you want to borrow your neighbor’s rototiller. Women loved this men did not!

2. Be nice to “her” dog. Sure, it’s yapping at you like you’re about to steal the china, and a Frisbee toss could break its face. But it’s not like we’re asking you to take Fifi for a walk or anything. Just hide some bacon in your pocket. Both men and women liked this one. One co-worker says her boyfriend doesn’t pay attention to her dog because he doesn’t like dogs. What? Who doesn’t like dogs? We suggested that she dump him.

3. Snow blow your neighbor’s sidewalk. You’re already out there. Be nice and this one will go a long way. Good one!

4. Donate more than dough. Like some time, or your Sunday afternoon. Giving cash to charity is a write-off. When’s the last time you helped out some unfortunate kids? Popular for everyone. We all agreed that we don’t do enough.

5. Cook her something from scratch. You’re not dating Betty Crocker, are you? Be bold. Homemade anything is the way to a woman’s heart. Women loved this one and men we’re scarred to try this.

6. Sing. Outside of the shower, that is. So what if you’re tone deaf? Own karaoke night anyway. Even Axl Rose can’t nail “Welcome to the Jungle” anymore. The worse your pipes, the more valiant you’ll appear. This wasn’t good for anyone on any level. Nobody likes the odds at being fun vs making a fool out of yourself.

7. Read a newspaper. A foreign one. You’re not going to learn anything from your local op-ed page that you don’t already know. Distance provides perspective. Perspective confers wisdom. You need both. When we found this on the Internet we all laughed because none of us could remember the last time we read the “actual” newspaper. Are they still around?

8. Stand up for someone. If a co worker’s being shelled in a meeting, lay down cover. You’ll be his hero, and everyone else will see you as a man who weighs in when it matters. Hmmmmm! This was a tough one that had some conditions but all of us thought it should make the list.

9. Watch a fish die. Don’t close the cooler lid. This is the gruesome finale to your fishing trip: a desperate animal, poisoned by the very air that sustains you. See it fall still. Nature is no Disney movie. You’ll never waste food again if you witness how it winds up on your plate. No one liked this one but we all agreed to never ever waste food again. . . ! EVER!

10. Mail her something—with a stamp, not a click. You check your mailbox every day, even though nothing good ever comes, right? So does she. The women lllllllloooooooved this one. The men never knew how much they loved something like this.

11. Show “thank you,” don’t just say it. Words are cheap. Stow the ear buds and talk to your bus driver; give the janitor a hand with the can. Real thanks requires a connection, not an empty ritual. Good one!

12. Shut your mouth. People will forget that your buddy called Canada “Canadia,” but they won’t forget your geography lesson, Professor Buzzkill. Since we have a bunch of know it all’s here we all learned a few things from this.

13. Pick up her tab . . . and expect absolutely nothing in return. Instead of slinking over to lay down a pickup line, settle into your own drink with a nod and a smile. Women love confidence. Besides, chivalry shouldn’t come with strings attached. Another one that women loved and us men were like, surprised because we all remember times when we tried to buy drinks for women and they looked at us like we were trying to pick them up. The women laughed!

14. Earn a nickname. Great men have fake names. Think about it. The Chairman of the Board. Satchmo. Charlie Hustle. The Admiral. What have you done to inspire yours? All the men thought this was far too risky and you could get stuck with a dreadful nickname. Women had no input and thought the idea was stupid and egotistical.

Craig

The post How to Be a Better Man (Person) . . . . ! appeared first on Arrowsmith Shoes.