Manning up

I’m entering my first Dude Write contest this week.  Because I’m a dude, and I write,  or type, whatever.  I tried to think of something manly to write about, but in other men’s eyes, I may not be manly.  I don’t grill and I don’t know crap about cars.  I can’t fix things and I don’t know crap about power tools.  I don’t hunt, fish or drink beer.  I cry at sad and happy movies (something in my eye).  Maybe I shouldn’t write about manly things.

Or should I?  Because I’m way more manlier than the youth of today.  You would never catch me in skinny jeans, even back when I was skinny.  Seriously, skinny jeans?  It’s even worse when they roll the bottoms up and it looks like capris.  What the hell happened to the next generation?

I’m all for being in touch with our feminine side, but that doesn’t mean you have to act feminine.  I’m all for women’s rights but the older I get, the more lopsided it’s becoming.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying only real men get in fights and blow stuff up, and this isn’t towards the stay at home dad’s out there.  Taking care of your kids is the noblest of professions.  But skinny jeans?  Glasses with no glass in them?  Order drinks called Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino Light Blended (taken off the Starbucks menu, I have no idea what it is.)  They don’t even watch sports.  You know the guys I’m talking about.  We’ve all seen them around.  I’ve seen them in my own home.  They are my daughter’s type.  I guess that could be a good thing.  I don’t have to worry about them smacking her around because she could probably kick their asses.

I want to say something when I see them out on the street.  Grab them and shake them and yell “what the hell are you wearing?”  but I’d probably just go nuts when he looks at me and says “YOLO”.  AAAGGGGHHHHH!   Instead, I kind of look like this.

I don’t know what to think anymore.  While I may not be manly for the things I listed above.  I do the most manliest thing out there, I work to take care of my family.  I am a provider.  I take care of my wife and kids.  You know, when it doesn’t interfere with watching sports.  So I guess if these kids grow up to take care of their families, then I guess I’ll have to concede that they too, grew up to be men.

And when I’m old and have my pants hiked way up, where they look like capris, hopefully I’ll be proud of the men they have become.  All I know is, I’m not very proud of them now.

I am participating in the Dude Write Starting Lineup this week where you can find some excellent posts by bloggers who happen to be dudes.