Men as they grow older, usually lose a great number of their childhood friends. If we are fortunate enough to get married, many times we leave our drinking buddies, college pals behind. Lately, some of my own brothers have been taken home way too soon. At some point, adult males begin to long for the fellowship of their brothers. Our work, our wives, and our hobbies are no longer enough to feel fulfilled in our journey. There is something to be said for a group of men that can share life together. I am not talking about a bunch of guys that sit around drinking beer every night after work instead of going home. Nor am I speaking of those that gather to belittle or pass judgment on others as they stroke their own egos. I am talking about the kind of brothers that you can lock shields with and fight the battles we face on this earth together. “Brothers don’t necessarily have to say anything to each other – they can sit in a room and be together and just be completely comfortable with each other.” It’s been a couple of years now since I found a couple of groups of brothers to lean into. One group is a spin-off of a bigger Facebook group I belong too. It was developed as a safe place for guys to share and well be guys. The other group is founded on 5 core principles or in this case stones with the foundation set around the story […]

Read More

A handkerchief also known as a “Hank” has renewed an old tradition of a man’s everyday carry option. I remember my grandfather would never be found without a hank in his pocket. A tradition passed down to my dad and at one point attempted to be passed down to me. I have numerous white hanker chiefs buried in my sock drawer. Usually, they only see the light of day on weddings or funerals where tears likely would be shed. Over the past few years, I started carrying bandannas instead of a hank for everyday use. That is until I was introduced to a real hank, now the bandannas will get lost in the drawer as well. Men, in general, are messy humans; we need hanks to manage our daily lives. Whether it be for a bloody, I mean a runny nose, or perhaps to wipe the wing sauce out of our beards or the grease off our hands. We usually need a way to clean ourselves on a regular basis and at times even the slobber of our best friend, our dogs. Recently I was introduced to handmade hanks that take everyday carry to a whole new level. Instead of a thin bandanna that gets dirty easily, these hanks are durable, double-sided and stylish. Even if the hank remains clean all day, it provides a perfect place for the end of the day pocket dump. I sometimes shy away because I don’t want to be too ‘showy-offy’ but the older I get I think, ‘You […]

Read More

In a day and age where gender lines are blurred and chivalry is fading away, there are some basic skills every man should have. Let me preface by saying these skills are not limited to men, but more so should come second nature to us. They are life skills you may or may not have been given or shown by your father or grandfather. As the years go by some of the greatest skills a man could possess are slipping through our fingers. Men are not as present in the lives of their kids these days so some of the skills may need to be self-taught or relearned. Become a Master of Language – Both the spoken and written word have become lost art. Avoid using slang and jargon, master your first language, perhaps even learn a second. Be a Reader – Reading will add to your arsenal of topics both at the water cooler, the bar or over dinner. Read the classics, history and self-improvement. Read more than just the articles in Sports Illustrated or Field & Stream. Pick up a Hobby – Men that are all work and no play are well boring to be around. Learn to fish, hunt, woodworking, or whatever. By adding versatility in your life, you become more interesting. Be Date-able – This goes for married and single men alike. Married men, date your wives, date your daughters, show them how much they mean to you. Single men, have respect for yourself and those you might date. Another notch […]

Read More