"Men - Things Your Father Should Have Told You"

By Ron Stultz

22 February 2011

 

 

Hope you do not have high expectations as I have no secrets, magic, just a list I am slowly going to work on.

I have a son and sometimes I wonder what, if anything, I have conveyed on to him. Did I teach him anything? Did I try to make certain points that are worth remembering?

So perhaps just for my sake, if nothing else, what followings are things that should be taught, known to all men:

Women. Woman are full of fear or anxiety. The sooner you know this the better. Anxiety is a major driver for their actions. Don't care how strong they act, still full of anxiety. "The other shoe is always about to fall."

Women. Woman like to talk about their problems but most times, they are not looking for a solution from you. Just listen.

Relationships. Women, others, can not read minds. If you feel something, need something, share it, tell how you feel.

Bolts. Always insert and start a nut by hand. If you use a tool of some kind, sooner or later you going to strip the threads on that bolt and then you will have a real mess. This especially is true of wheel lug nuts on a car.

Working with wood. Measure twice and cut once. Easy to make a measuring mistake and then you have ruined a piece.

Working with wood. Always cut on the outside of your length marker. If you take a saw right on the line, your measured piece will be short half of a saw blade width.

Guns. Never ever shoot if you can not clearly make out your target. No shooting into brush.

Guns. Never point a gun at another person unless you mean to use it.

Morals. Never lie, cheat or steal.

Promises. Never make a promise you can not or will not keep. A man's word is his bond.

Freedom. Never let another take your freedom. You may give some of your freedom away but fight if someone tries to take it.

Facts. If you can not verify something you hear or read via 3 independent sources, it is not true.

Ownership brings responsibility. If you own something, you must strive to have a least a rudimentary knowledge of how it works and the maintenance it requires.

"Its" no bodies fault but your own.

Heron. Never ever touch it or do it even once.

Money. Never lend money to a friend.

Money. Never borrow or ask to borrow money from a friend no matter how desperate you think you are.

Money. Going into debt is giving freedom away.

Praise. It costs you nothing to praise the efforts, accomplishments of another person.

Listen. Learn to listen. Conversation is not always about you.

Pioneering. Remember that you have never been at this exact moment in space and time before and thus are always pushing into new territory. It is alright to not know what to do next or how to deal with a new situation. Just figure it out, learn.

Relationships. Not mine but still..."Watch out who you step on, on your way up, cause you just might meet them on your way down."

Work. Do not become trapped by having only one skill set. You could be the best buggy whip maker in the whole world and then suddenly be left behind. If you must do buggy whips, also learn how to make whips for other purposes, markets or branch into other leather goods.

Work. Never "go" just for the money. If you develop your skill sets, the money will come.

Laugh at yourself.

Children. You do not own any children you may be blessed with. It is your responsibility to raise them but you do not own them.

Integrity. The only thing you will ever really own. Never surrender an ounce of it.

Smile.

Self importance. Easy to take one's self too seriously. Remember that the sun shines on old folks too.

Nothing last forever. Be it good times or bad. You will survive.

Share.

Expectations. The fewer, the better.

Money. If you borrow, it gets paid back first.

Caving. All men do it. You withdraw into a cave, inside a shell. Sometimes you do not even know how you got there. Well, once you realize you are there, talk your way out by talking, communicating.

Sexual preference. No body's business but your own.

Work efforts. It is a poor workman that blames his tools.

Work efforts. Use the right tool for the job. If you need a hammer, get a hammer. If you need needle nose pliers, use needle nose pliers.

Work efforts. If you meet what feels like too much resistance, back off, take a break.

Work efforts. Sometimes something requires you to change positions. Do not get locked into only using one hand or the other.

Children. A day to them is like a week for you.

Opinions. You are entitled to them but not to the point of shoving them down someone's throat.

Perfect. There has been only one perfect man and you are not him.

Listen. Even the lowest of the low can teach you something.