Real Men

The other day I was joking around with some friends about dating and guys versus men when one of the girls asked me what I though constituted a "real man". It got me to thinking a lot about exactly what it was that made the difference. I think that there are several things that--in my opinion-- can contribute to a boy being a "man" versus a "guy".

Firstly, I think that a real man can admit when he is hurt or sad. To know that it is ok to show some emotion. As much as the media paints men as being heartless robots, the media is generally wrong about such things. And know when it is appropriate to show such emotion. Although I think that knowing the when and how is a trait that both genders can constantly be working on improving-- it's a tough skill to try to master.

Aside from that I feel that a young man's overall attitude and maturity level are what make him a man. How he treats women, is he respectful? What about servers and waiters? Does he treat those who serve him with respect? Can he have a serious and deep conversation, or is there an invisible barrier that won't let your discussions get past lighter subjects despite enough time spent together that those barriers should no longer be as huge as they may be. Is he honest in his dealings with others? Pay a full tithe on all earnings? Does he have his priorities in the right place?

A man knows his limitations and recognizes his own weaknesses. A guy will not. And one who is aware of said weaknesses and honestly trying to better himself is a man worth your time- one who may still have immaturities but recognizes that he is still only human. I feel that it pretty much boils down to attitude and maturity level.

First Day of Spring

I looked out the window for the first official day of spring to see the following:


I am beginning to think that the weather is going to be as bipolar as it was last year. One week it would be t-shirts and sunshine and then the next would be snowboots and umbrellas.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Dumb Laws

Laws come into being because somewhere at sometime somebody caused them to be so. So one has to wonder how some of laws came to exist. I wish I knew the stories behind some of them.


In Alabama it is illegal to wear a fake mustache that causes laughter in church.

In Alaska it is an offense to push a moose out of an airplane.

In Arizona donkeys are not allowed to sleep in the bathtub. I believe Georgia has a similar ordinance about donkeys not being allowed in bathtubs.

In Idaho it is illegal to fish from a camel's back It is also illegal to fish from the back of a giraffe.

A North Carolina law states that elephants may not be used to plow cotton fields. It says nothing about elephants being use to plow any other fields.

Kentucky law states that a person may not dye a duck blue and offer it for sale unless you offer more than six for sale at once.

In Utah it is considered an offense to hunt whales. It is also illegal to cause a catastrophy.

Illegal to have an ice cream cone in your back pocket in Alabama and New York.

More and More Randomness

Thoughts...

"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most."
--Mark Twain

"If you keep putting off enough tomorrows, you'll find you pick up a lot of empty yesterdays."
--The Music Man

"The bitterest tears ever shed over graves are for words never said and deeds never done."
--Harriette Beecher Stowe

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who mind don't matter."
--Dr. Seuss

"Learn to love people and use things, not use people and love things."
--Anon.

"Your mind is a cupboard and you stock the shelves."
--Pres. Thomas S. Monson

"Temptation is sure to ring your doorbell, do not invite it to stay for dinner."
--Anon.

Stereotypes and Gender Roles

Why is it that we allow the media to dictate what our gender roles ought to be? Men are supposed to be cold hearted and show no emotions. The stoic warriors who are ruffled by nothing. Women are supposed to be brainless and skanky.

But are they supposed to be this way? Are human beings really like this? Because the men I know and respect are not robots, nor are they the "stoic warriors". They are human, they are sad at the death of a friend, they are considerate of others. And the women I know and respect are certainly not brainless or skanky.

Not only are these roles inaccurate with regards to the average person, but these stereotypes hardly demand the respect that humans ought to show to one another. In my opinion we all ought to treat each other with the same respect we want shown to ourselves.

And who is hollywood to tell us how we should act and feel? I mean, look at how miserable most of these movie stars are. If men and women are supposed to fit the roles that the media lays down for them, then shouldn't they be living the dream? But they are not! Therefore I would conclude that the molds that the world claims we are to fit are not only inaccurate but potentially harmful as well.