a touch of randomness

I wholeheartedly feel that where there is credit to be given, it most certainly should promptly take place, ideally in a public forum (when possible). Therefore, I have to offer up a hearty thank you to the very talented Jon Bailey for updating my sad, tired and lifeless blog header. Due to his insane skill level, it took him a grand total of 2.5 seconds to create a couple of options, but it means so much to me as I make my bold attempt to revive my blog.

On another note, I have been meaning to share a blog with you, my dear reader, for some time now. It is The Art of Manliness (www.artofmanliness.com) and the wisdom offered is in no short supply. While I am clearly not a man, I have absolutely enjoyed every post I have read thus far. There are so many nuggets of gold that I can hardly pick my favorite posts; however, I shall give you just a couple to peruse at your leisure:

1. Roadmap to the Perfect First Date
2. How to Apologize Like a Man
3. The Unclassified Laws of Etiquette
4. How to End a Relationship Like a Man (please, please take notes)
5. The Case for Marriage
6. Be a Modern Knight: Protecting Your Lady in the 21st Century

Okay, I shall demonstrate some restraint and stop myself there, but honestly, if you have a son, a brother, any sort of male in your life, kindly direct them to this website and urge them to take copious notes. It is phenomenally written and most assuredly, thought-provoking. You could even read the posts together and use it as a springboard for an open dialogue between you and your son (or whomever).

The "art of manliness" in our society is sadly a lost art (kindly pardon the redundancy) and it is a crying shame that so few boys are being raised to be men who are strong leaders, consistently displaying strong character, conviction, integrity and a desire to be chivalrous. Once again, I find myself climbing onto my rather worn out soapbox, so save me the effort of another detailed diatribe and go to the blog.

And please, feel free to share with me some of your favorite posts from the site. As always, I'd love to hear from you.