An essay originally posted on my personal site.
I am what you might refer to as a gym rat.
I enjoy weight lifting the same way Bob Ross loved painting. He had his happy trees. I have my happy dumbbells.
The Moorestown Mall – The Demise of Mall Culture
A post from my personal site from April of 2018.
I am at the age where the phrases, “I remember when”, and “this used to be such-and-such”, are stated in conversation more times than I care to count.
Sentimentality and Romanticism have always occupied a small space in my heart and soul.
I practically grew up in the Moorestown Mall.
Surviving the Zombie Apocalypse
Over the years there’s been a strong interest and fascination with the “zombie apocalypse” genre. I can’t tell you how many hours I spent with buddies playing Call of Duty: Nazi Zombies. Even though you’re doomed from the start, it never gets old for me. There’s plenty of reasons why people love the subculture, which I won’t dig into here.
As many of you hear me say on the podcast, I’ll be brief.
First MG Meetup in October.
Yes, indeed. The first Masculine Geek Meetup will be in Atlantic City, NJ on Friday, October 4th @ 8PM.
Come meet TJ, Rob Says, Aaron Clarey and myself.
It’s free. You pay for your travel and food, drink, etc. First round is on us, however.
We’ve reserved a private room in a cool restaurant. Seating is limited. We’ll eat great food, drink good wine & spirits, talk, perhaps have a cigar, and wander the casinos.
Want to meet us? Head to the Contact page and drop us a line. From there we’ll set up a video conference so we can see your face and talk with you. Why? We need to make sure you’re not a mentally ill pudwack keyboard troll.
The Junto – Benjamin Franklin’s Intellectual Fight Club.
In the Autumn of 1727 Benjamin Franklin created a club called The Leather Apron Club which was later officially dubbed the Junto.
The Leather Apron Club/Junto was a small collection of like-minded men, tradesmen and artisans, that initially met every Friday evening at a local tavern to discuss philosophy, poetry, politics, self-improvement, and network in order to further their business interests and public endeavors.
Benjamin considered it a club for “mutual improvement”.
The Top Five Reasons Why You Need a Wood-Burning Fireplace
It’s August already.
The Summer is quickly passing and before you know it Autumn will be upon us.
And you know what that means.
Time for campfires and fireplaces.
I live in an apartment with a wood burning fireplace and I love it.
Wood burning fireplace, not gas burning fireplace. This is important. Sorry gas fireplace people. It is not the same. Gas fireplaces suck. There is no wood fuel involved. There is no history. No skill.
The vibe is different.
There are five reasons why you need to have or build one for yourself.
Admire Your Heroes, But Kill Your Idols
One of my first heroes growing up was Davy Crocket. Like many of you I’m sure, I developed that admiration after watching Fess Parker in the Disney TV series. I got the coonskin cap, plastic toy Alamo set, and a leather bag that I still use to this day to carry stuff for my muzzle loading rifle.
Over time, I’ve acquired a list of other men I look up to and want to emulate – one of the more recent ones include Dick Winters of Band of Brothers fame and William Marshal, “champion” of the Magna Cart and the first earl of Pembroke. Some of my heroes are living and some of them like Marshall and Winters have passed on.
However, they all have something in common.
A Farewell to Bond
A while ago I finally got around to watching Cowboy Bebop, a great 1990s Japanese anime tv show about a group of intergalactic mercenaries. What prompted me was an essay Aaron Clarey wrote celebrating its 20th anniversary. In it he laments that the show ended too soon, something I also felt when the final episode concluded. While some tv shows like the Simpsons have gone on for 30 years, Cowboy Bebop had just one season and a film.
However, Cappy added that this was perhaps for the best.
“A Nest Of Rebel Pirates” – Part One
I very much enjoy the study of History. I love it. Not for any academic requirement or gain, but just because.
World history I have studied over the years for pleasure. I also believe it should be a gentleman’s duty to learn and absorb such.
It’s a perfect means to gain perspective. And while I do just that, I much prefer the study of local history. The history of the state I reside in, New Jersey, is fascinating for me.
Your Mission Is To Live, Not Exist
If you ever want to get anywhere, you better do (or not do) this.
Did you ever hear that growing up? Did your parents ever say that? A teacher in high school? A college professor? A close friend?
I was thinking about this while reading a blog post by fellow MG cohost Rob about how the internet never forgets. One of the takeaways is watch what you say or do online, lest you lose your job or have trouble finding one in the future.