Daily Thoughts & Issues

IN THIS ISSUE:

JULY 5

Days left until the next millennium 01.01.3001

Photo of the Week
Brad Lewis/Tony Stone Images
Achieve Your Dreams

July 5 - Father-Daughter Take a Walk Together Day. * Independence Day - Algeria, Cape Verde, Venezuela * National Family Day * The Philippines are liberated by General Douglas MacArthur (1945) after ten months of fighting. * National Labor Relations Act (1935) guaranteed workers the right to organize and bargain collectively with their employers. It also prohibited the formation of company unions. * Birthdays: Huey Lewis (Hugh Anthony Cregg III), Jean Cocteau, Phineas T. (Taylor) Barnum, Cecil John Rhodes, Elliot Feld, Richard Michael (Goose) Gossage, James David Lofton, Robbie Robertson, Janos Starker, David Farragut, Stamford Raffles, Eliot Feld, Richard Michael (Goose) Gossage, Chris Gratton. And a special to Richard Koob.

DAILY THOUGHTS

The term "male menopause" is in fact a misnomer, although it has achieved widespread popular acceptance. What happens to men is more gradual than female menopause. Their reproductive glands do not all shut down around the same age, the way women's ovaries do. It also has little to do with fertility. But many men in middle life do experience a lapse in virility and vitality and a decline in well-being. New Passages

Weather Lore: Ne'er trust a July sky. As July, so the next January. Whatever Jul and August do not boil, September cannot fry. The Old Farmer's Almanac

The streets and subway stations of New York City were the canvases used by Keith Haring to display his graffiti-style art. His unique works became popular with the public but resulted in several arrests. However, due to his popularity, the police most often would release Haring without charge, sometimes even asking for his autograph. Gay & Lesbian Calendar

At the moment I reach orgasm, my husband takes a big swig of champagne and kisses it into my mouth - Kimberly, 31 Best of 1001 Sex Secrets Every Man & Woman Should Know

Noting is so difficult that it cannot be accomplished by diligence. - Terence. Achieve Your Dreams

The Handwriting Is on the Wall. Encouraging a preschooler to "practice" writing with a pencil or crayon is not the best way to teach handwriting, report researchers. Some better methods? Activities that help develop the tiny finger muscles involved in writing, such as playing with a pegboard game or doing a puzzle. Parents Tips & Tricks

Things to Be Happy About:  Favorite radio stations. Coral pink beaches. Goosebump experiences. 14,000 Things to Be Happy About

Try not to forget your dreams. Really Important Stuff My Kids Have Taught Me

Gratitude is a lesson that needs to be reinforced often. It is too easy to overlook the gifts you have when you focus on those that you hope to obtain, and you diminish the value of where you currently are on your path if you do not pause often to appreciate it.  If Life is a Game, These are the Rules

 The law of the harvest governs; we will always reap what we sow - no more, no less. The law of justice is immutable, and the closer we align ourselves with correct principles, the better our judgment will be about how the world operates and the more accurate our paradigms - our maps of the territory - will be. Seven Habits of Highly Effective People

Have a regular schedule for your inner activities. As you expand your awareness and the level of the inner simplicity you want to achieve, think about arranging a daily routine to make it easier for your inner efforts to fall into place. Simplify Your Life

"Unhappiness is not knowing what we want and killing ourselves to get it." - Don Herald. Are you so busy earning a living that you're forgetting to make a life? Stress Busters

Digging for Dollars. Many of your neighbors probably have dandelions. One girl started a dandelion digging service. She made flyers to put in everyone's mailbox. She charged 10 cents a root, and charged nothing if she missed the root. It's a great moneymaker for kids.  To Do Today

Always retain your values, principles, and beliefs. They will guide your actions with more surety than whim, emotion or desire. - Wes Roberts. Win the Day!

Agradecer (ahgrahdehSEHR)  To be grateful. Le agradeceria que moviera el coche. I would be very grateful if you would move your car.  Living Language

*SPECIAL BIRTHDAY: Richard Koob (1946). Born in the village of Iona, Minnesota, he is the founder/director of Kalani Institute for Culture and Wellness, and the Kalani Eco-Resort in Hawaii. Kalani presents a spectrum of events and gatherings for men. See "MEN'sFun" calendar at www.kalani.com or richkoob@kalani.com

TODAY'S ISSUE: HEROES

When John Wayne rode through my childhood, and perhaps through yours, he determined forever the shape of certain dreams - Joan Didion. So what's wrong with John Wayne?  He was a good guy, strong, a protector. Sometimes people say, "Don't be a John Wayne."  Why not?  Of course, we don't necessarily want to be John Wayne, but he portrayed many male characteristics that are worthy of admiration. Sure, he didn't cry a lot. But neither do most of us. We may cry sometimes; sometimes we feel sad without tears. The character John Wayne played was often fiercely protective. The paternal part of us appreciates that. John Wayne portrayed men who were larger than life, who embodied courage, honor, loyalty and compassion. He was a celluloid hero, and that's okay. We know the difference between the movies and reality. And we can still like John Wayne. Today I will enjoy my manliness in all of its many forms. A Quiet Strength: Meditations on the Masculine Soul

There's sort of that frailty in mankind that's very interesting to explore. Heroics are so few and far between - Clint Eastwood In recent years, we men have begun to think of ourselves in different ways - some new, driven by the times, and some ancient, driven by myth and prayer. We have broken free of the tyranny of man as the worker bee, driven and aloof. We see our homes not as our castles, but as our centers, sites of communication and love. We are driven as much by our hearts as by our minds. We must be vigilant. We do not acquire wholeness. Wholeness is revealed. The full life of a man is not an accomplishment, it is a gift. Begun heroically, the journey does not end in heroics and, in time, it becomes the task of humility and gratitude to lead us home. In time, the kind becomes the servant. The warrior becomes the guardian. The magician becomes the storyteller, and the lover, the gardener. I will strive to put an end to mere heroics. A Man's Book of the Spirit

The Man's Man:  There was never a question about how strong Bale was. Standing 6'4" and weighting close to 300 pounds, he was a big man. His reputation in sports and his physical attributes were known for miles around. Everyone said he as "a man's man". Late one summer Dale's father died. When he got the news, he was surrounded by several people, all wondering how he would respond. Some even stepped back, fearing that this big man, this "man's man" would break out in a rage. Much to their surprise, though, Dale slowly fell to his knees and wept without the least bit of shame or embarrassment. He was weeping appropriately, lovingly. This may have been his greatest strength, the strength and self-assurance to show his emotions. The shortest verse in the Bible is John 11:35, "Jesus wept."  But this verse may have the greatest impact for men today. No longer are we shackled by the lies of "manhood" but instead free by the gift of emotion, the honesty of tears. If Jesus wept, we humans then have all the more reason to do the same. Help me know that my emotion can be my greatest strength. B.D. The Man Within

Hey Man: Did you make a difference yesterday? Let us know at Contact Us. Be an unsung hero. Write to your federal elected officials in support of expanded protections of endangered species and their habitats. The Mystic's Wheel of the Year Want to make a difference but you don't know where to start?

BOOK OF THE WEEK

Why I am a Buddhist: No-nonsense Buddhism with Red Meat and Whiskey by Stephen T. Asma. In this book, a philosophy professor and author decodes the often confusing and contradictory impressions that crowd together under the umbrella of "Buddhism" to show the beneficial wisdom that Buddhism offers for the challenges of modern life. Beginning with the story of his early attempts at achieving mystical experiences with natural and controlled substances as a disaffected teen, he traces his exploration of Buddhism and mindfulness, a way to discipline our minds that helps us chart realistic goals and stay on course. Buddhism attempts to give us a second nature, one that writes over the old genetic and psychological code, but it never asks us to pretend that the old code doesn't exist. Unlike some other religions, Buddhism doesn't imagine humans in some unrealistic angelic form. Nor does it cast us as weak and fallen souls, incapable of any improvement save those delivered by an almighty deity. Learning to apply Buddhism is like learning to play an instrument. It takes a while to get the fundamentals - scales, chords, and fingering technique. Then it takes daily practice to learn melodies and progressions. Prolonged failure and frustration are inevitable, but very slowly one begins to hear real music. We don';t have to become virtuosos on our instruments or Buddhist sages to appreciate and employ the art form in our lives, but we can't achieve anything without effort. Hampton Roads, www.hrpub.com, 2010 ISBN 978-1-57174-617-7

SPECIAL URLs

 

MENSTUFF COLUMNS BY AUTHOR

  • The Advice Diva - The Advice Diva - relationship and sexuality issues discussed - www.menstuff.org/columns/advicediva/archive.html
  • Peter Alsop - Song of the Month - www.menstuff.org/columns/alsop/archive.html
  • Reid Baer - A Man Overboard - Interview of the Month - www.menstuff.org/columns/overboard/archive.html
  • Reid Baer - Poetry - poetry read on YouTube - www.menstuff.org/columns/baer/archive.html
  • Molly Barrow - Shrink About This - www.menstuff.org/columns/barrow/archive.html
  • Peter Baylies - At Home Dads - on at-home-dad issues that impact fathers who stay at home to raise their kids - www.menstuff.org/columns/baylies/archive.html
  • Tom Blake - Middle-Age Relationships - from an expert on dating after 50. www.menstuff.org/columns/blake/archive.html
  • Mark Brandenburg - Great Fathers - on fathering issues - www.menstuff.org/columns/greatfathers/archive.html
  • Ted Braude - BoysWork - a columnist in the The Detroit Free Press "Body and Mind" section www.menstuff.org/columns/braude/archive.html
  • Armin Brott - A Father's Guide - hosts "Positive Parenting" on radio www.menstuff.org/columns/brott/archive.html
  • Dan Bulf - Get Real - weekly pod cast on men's issues - www.menstuff.org/columns/bulf/archive.html
  • Ken Byers - Transition - on men's life transitions - www.menstuff.org/columns/byers/archive.html
  • Sandra L. Caron - Sex Talk - college students get answers to their questions - www.menstuff.org/columns/sextalk/archive.html
  • Neil Chethik - Relationships - www.menstuff.org/columns/chethik/archive.html
  • Otto & Susie Collins - Susie and Otto - relationship issues discussed - www.menstuff.org/columns/susie&otto/archive.html
  • David Copeland - How to Succeed with Women - www.menstuff.org/columns/howtosucceed/archive.html
  • Forrest Craver - Spirituality & Social Change - www.menstuff.org/columns/craver/archive.html
  • Layne & Paul Cutright - Powerful Partnerships - relationship issues - www.menstuff.org/columns/cutright/archive.html
  • Ron DesMarais - Cavemen in the Kitchen - great recipes for men - www.menstuff.org/columns/desmarais/archive.html
  • Jed Diamond - Irritable Male Syndrome - www.menstuff.org/columns/diamond/archive.html
  • Doc Love - Women Don't Lie, Man Don't Listen - answers to relationship issues - www.menstuff.org/columns/doclov/archive.html
  • Barry Durdant-Hollamby - Creating Change - creating change in your life - www.menstuff.org/columns/durdant/archive.html
  • Irv Engel - The Real Deal - www.menstuff.org/columns/engel/archive.html
  • Nancy Fagan - Expert Dating Advice - with Nancy Fagan - www.menstuf.org/columns/fagan/archive.html
  • Warren Farrell - Men's Issues: Facts and Perspectives www.menstuff.org/columns/farrell/archive.html
  • Leonard Felder - Wake Up or Break Up - www.menstuff.org/columns/felder/archive.html
  • Marty Friedman - Strong Men, Strong Marriage - www.menstuff.org/columns/friedman/archive.html
  • Kim Garretson - Mansgland - using humor to encourage prostate exams - www.menstuff.org/columns/mansgland/archive.html
  • Lion Goodman - How to get Women to Love You - www.menstuff.org/columns/goodman/archive.html
  • Liz Halliday - In a Man's World - www.menstuff.org/columns/halliday/archive.html
  • Rick Hanson - Your Wise Brain - www.menstuff.org/columns/hanson/archive.html
  • Tim Hartnett - Daddyman Speaks - being a father www.menstuff.org/columns/daddyman/archive.html
  • John Hershey - Blood, Phlegm & Bile: Parenting with Humor - He writes a syndicated biweekly humor column about parenting and family life. www.menstuff.org/columns/hershey/archive.html
  • Gary Hoeber - Psychotherapy as Soul Work, www.menstuff.org/columns/hoeber/archive.html
  • Patrick Houser - Fathers Make a World of Difference, www.menstuff.org/columns/houser/archive.html
  • Paul Joannides - The Guide to Getting It On - on sex - www.menstuff.org/columns/getiton/archive.html
  • Jack Kahn - NOMAS Boston - www.menstuff.org/columns/kahn/archive.html
  • Patrick Kennedy - Seniors - www.menstuff.org/columns/kennedy/archive.html
  • Joe Kort - Gaydar - to increase understanding between gay and het men - www.menstuff.org/columns/kort/archive.html
  • David Kundtz - David Kundtz - presents seminars, workshops, retreats, and conference presentations in the areas of men's emotional health, stress management, and spirituality. www.menstuff.org/columns/kundtz/archive.html
  • Bruce Linton - Dr. Dad - on fathering - www.menstuff.org/columns/drdad/archive.html
  • Ron Louis - How to Succeed with Women - www.menstuff.org/columns/howtosucceed/archive.html
  • Tom Matlack - Tom Matlack - Good Men Project - www.menstuff.org/columns/matlack/archive.html
  • Wendy McElroy - Wendy McElroy on Feminism, www.menstuff.org/columns/mcelroy/archive.html
  • Robert N. Minor - Minor Details - on GBT sexuality - www.menstuff.org/columns/minordetails/archive.html
  • Robert L. Moore - Man & Mythology - www.menstuff.org/columns/moore/archive.html
  • Dennis W. Neder - Being a Man - general questions about men's lives - www.menstuff.org/columns/neder/archive.html
  • Marty Nemko - Worklife - general questions about men and work - www.menstuff.org/columns/nemko/archive.html
  • Eli Newberger - Eli Newberger - general information on men's lives - www.menstuff.org/columns/newberger/archive.html
  • Linda Nielsen - Embracing the Father - working with the father/daughter relationship. www.menstuff.org/columns/nielsen/archive.html
  • Kathy Noll - Bullies and Youth Violence - working with schools, teachers and parents to end school violence - www.menstuff.org/columns/noll/archive.html
  • Mark Phillips - Stay-at-Home-Dads - helping men maintain that which makes us men, instead of becoming hairy Mom-substitutes - www.menstuff.org/columns/phillips/archive.html
  • Carey Roberts - Socialism & Feminism - is a social commentator on political correctness. www.menstuff.org/columns/roberts/archive.html
  • Perry Rose - Dating, Relationship, Sex
  • Glenn Sacks - His Side - on fathering - www.menstuff.org/columns/sacks/archive.html
  • Trudy Schuett - Domestic Violence - serving the under-represented www.menstuff.org/columns/schuett/archive.html
  • Carl J. Schutt - Circumcision - social commentator on circumcision - www.menstuff.org/columns/schutt/archive.html
  • Hugo Schwyzer - A Pro-feminist's Response - www.menstuff.org/columns/schwyzer/archive.html
  • Michael Shaffran - Men's Issues - www.menstuff.org/columns/shaffran/archive.html
  • Judith Sherven - Judith & Jim - discussion and answers regarding relationship issues - www.menstuff.org/columns/judith&jim/archive.html
  • Judith Sherven - The New Intimacy - www.menstuff.org/columns/newintimacy/archive.html
  • George Simons - Bellicose Veins - is a US specialist in intercultural and gender communication who hangs out in Mandelieu - la Napoule, France, as well as in Santa Cruz, CA. www.menstuff.org/columns/simons/archive.html
  • Andy Smith - Hard Hat Brotherhood - www.menstuff.org/columns/hardhat/archive.html
  • David B. Smith - Fighting Father Dave - www.menstuff.org/columns/smith/archive.html
  • Jim Sniechowski - Judith & Jim - discussion and answers regarding relationship issues - www.menstuff.org/columns/judith&jim/archive.html
  • Jim Sniechowski - The New Intimacy - www.menstuff.org/columns/newintimacy/archive.html
  • Reena Sommer - Custody - is an internationally recognized relationship and divorce consultant. www.menstuff.org/columns/sommer/archive.html
  • R. Don Steele - Don Steele - relationship questions answered -
    www.menstuff.org/columns/steele/archive.html
  • David Steinberg - Comes Naturally - on sexuality - www.menstuff.org/columns/steinberg/archive.html
  • Mary Lou St Lucas - A Mother's Love - www.menstuf.org/columns/stlucas/archive.html
  • Surprise - Surprise Author - From a new columnist every month - www.menstuff.org/columns/surprise/archive.html
  • Steven Svoboda - Fatherhood, Activism and the Law www.menstuff.org/columns/svoboda/archive.html
  • Michael Taylor - A New Conversation with Men - www.menstuff.org/columns/taylor/archive.html
  • Bruce Van Horn - Yoga for Men - issues around the health benefits of yoga for men - www.menstuff.org/yoga/archive.html
  • Michael Webb - Secrets of Blissful Relationships - on relationship - www.menstuff.org/columns/bliss/archive.html
  • Stuart Wilde - Spirituality - www.menstuff.org/columns/wilde/archive.html
  • Dr.Williams - Sex Health - on sexual health - Dr. Williams, www.menstuff.org/columns/sexhealth/archive.html
  • KC Wilson - On Gender Politics is a social commentator and author. www.menstuff.org/columns/wilson/archive.html

Plus

  • Health Tips - on general health - www.menstuff.org/columns/healthtips/archive.html
  • Independent Means - resources for raising financially fit kids - www.menstuff.org/columns/independentmeans/archive.html
  • Numbers - www.menstuff.org/columns/numbers/archive.html
  • Questions - www.menstuff.org/columns/q&a/archive.html
  • Surprise - from a new columnist every month - www.menstuff.org/columns/surprise/archive.html
  • Words Can Heal - helping children grow up healthy - www.menstuff.org/columns/wordscanheal/archive.html
  • Wuzup?! - National or international events happening this month - www.menstuff.org/columns/whassup/archive.html

AWARENESS EVENTS THIS MONTH

July is Freedom Month. If you enjoy the benefits this country has to offer, you might check out what kind of men it took to found this country. The Fourth of July has more to it than beer, picnics, and baseball games. Read this! July is Anti-Boredom; National Mobility; Purposeful Parenting: Recreation and Parks; The month of the Muslim new year; Hemochromatosis Screening Awareness; National Foreign Language Month.

June 27 - July 4: Special Recreation Week. June 25-July 1: Deaf-Blindness Awareness Week. June 27 - July 4: Special Recreation Week. Jul 1-8 Music for Life; July 3-Aug 15: Air Conditioning Appreciation Days. Jul 4-10 - Freedom Week. July 8:-14: National Laundry Workers; National Therapeutic Recreation: Take Charge of Change Week. Jul 9-15 - Nude Recreation. July 15-21: *Captive Nations; Legal Revolution; National Plan to Promote Your Business Week. Jul 1 UN Day of Cooperation; International Joke; National Financial Freedom; National Recreation and Parks; National Purposeful Parenting, Jul 2 - I Forgot; Ducktona 500 Day; July 3: Compliment Your Mirror: Stay Out of the Sun Day. Jul 4 - Independence Day (U.S.); American Redneck; Fear from Fear of Speaking ; Independence-from-Meat Day; Sidewalk Egg Frying; Jul 5 - National Family Day, July 7: Father-Daughter Take a Walk Together; International UN Day of Cooperation. July 9: Don't Step on a Bee Day. July 10: Intern Appreciation Day. July 13: Skeptics' Day. July 14: Cow Apprecaition Day. July 15: National Ice Cream; Saint Swithin's Day. July 16: International Town Criers; Naitonal Get Out of the Doghouse Day. July 17: Wrong Way Corrigan Day. Jul 20 - Ugly Truck; Riot Act anniversary. July 21: Rat-Catchers Day. Jul 22 - Ice Cream Cone Day. July 23: Hot Enough For Ya Day. July 24: Cousins; Health and Happiness with Hypnosis Day. Jul 27 - *National Korean War Veterans Armistice; Take Your Houseplants for a Walk Day. July 29: *Parents' Day. Jul 30 - Father-In-Law Day, National Parent's Day.

* Means a Presidential Proclamation has been made.

 *    *    *
Men are so competitive that we even "out-die" women in all 15 of the major causes of death in the U.S. Most of these deaths are preventable with a positive change in life-style, eating habits, and/or general health care. Let's not strive so hard to hold on to this record. See what you can change now to live a healthier life.
Contact Us | Disclaimer | Privacy Statement
Menstuff® Directory
Menstuff® is a registered trademark of Gordon Clay
©1996-2023, Gordon Clay