King's Corner

Corruption of the Holidays
and how to fight back.
In our consumer society the only break we get from some horribly commercialized holiday is August, even that is ruined by attempts to convince the public they need to make purchases for school. Labor Day is about the BBQ, Halloween about high end costumes and candy, Thanksgiving is represented by gluttony and Christmas, well let’s not get started on how bad it has gotten. Do yourself a favor, break away from the rush, the expense and the disconnect of a commercial holiday and find out what they are really about. Get over the idea that receiving is what the holidays are about, get rid of the extraneous crap filling your plate and car. Get back to the basics, working with your hands and mind for the holiday. Go cut a tree in the forest, shoot a turkey or duck, the TV is not what should be guiding your decisions in life. Break away from the keyboard and screen to build a bird house, try baking a pie, developing new skills round out a Compleat Man. While taking away new knowledge and experience you can give from where it matters, not the store.
Each holiday is something different for each person, years ago Thanksgiving to me began a tradition of deer hunting. This tradition began due to the fact that I lived a good distance away and could only afford to be home for Thanksgiving. It was an excellent opportunity to spend quality time with my family and possibly fill my freezer. This tradition continues to this day. I am looking forward to going out and hunting. This is my tradition for one holiday, if this time of year is breaking your back, take the time to create your own traditions, buck the status quo and become an individual, one with an idea about how to bring back the true meanings of the holidays. I am looking to giving thanks for all that this year has brought. I can honestly say that there have been many changes and I am struggling to keep up, but a Compleat Man has resources; friends, family, beliefs, tradition and his inner strength. -B. King

Self Education, Keys To Success.

Listen up fellas, I just finished Jon Krakauer's "Where Men Win Glory" and damn that is what I call a book. In case you are unfamiliar with the Pat Tillman story, he walked away from the NFL to enlist and serve his country. Now how many of us out there would do that? It goes to show that the spirit of the American Man is not dead yet, at least not in some of us. The time has come gents, zero hour is upon us. Time to suck it up and quit acting like little boys, or in some of your cases, girls. Quit blaming your father for your mistakes. Quit celebrating mediocrity like success and honestly get off your cell phone or facebook or whatever digital media is corrupting your brain and read a book. Start with "Where Men Win Glory" by Jon Krakauer. Find some motivation. Who knows, maybe this will be your first step to moving out of your parents basement and enjoying the company of a young lady that's not inflatable. 

As I See It

My First Word About The Lost Boys

It has become evident there are problems growing in the ranks of American young men. A once proud group of tough, capable men have been reduced in recent years to an un-masculine group who in large part, think and act like a bunch of whining little girls, and not to mention dress like girls as well. Yes I'm talking to most of you. Somewhere along the way men have lost their way. We, as a society of men, lost the capability to be the masters of our environment. You need to forget what the media, Calvin Klein, and GQ think men are because they don't know shit. If it was up to these pricks we would all carry purses, where skinny jeans and never act like men again. This image that has been created is killing the culture of the American male. Texting, video games, fear of getting dirty, or working hard, is killing us, if you can't see that, then yes I am talking to you. There was a time when men knew when and how to: work, play, love, fight, speak, and shut up and act. It is the intention of this paper to inform you of the problem many of you can't see in front of you. Our goal, is to inspire a reeducation of young American men who simply don't know how to act like a man. A group of authors, all have a hand in this, this is not one man's ideas or observations. We include business owners, Combat Veterans, college educated professionals and a few single women, who have lost faith that real men still exist. For change to happen someone has to take the first step, consider this step one. When a man see's a problem that he can fix, he does something about it.

As I See It

America, Respect, and What it Means to Me

 A compleat man has an opinion based upon factual research or personal experience, not what someone told you, even your dad. Grow up, form your own opinions, and act like a man. If you don't like the actions of our elected officials then get involved. If we all do our part and inform ourselves, as men should, changes can be made. To be a compleat man involves finding issues that matter to you, informing yourself, and fighting for them. You don’t need to have an opinion about every issue but as a man you should have a few you care enough about to fight for. If we truly are a government of, by, and for the people, who is really to blame for our slide from the greatest country on earth to our pathetic standing now? It is my opinion that it is the responsibility of every American man to be an informed citizen. By saying I don't care or not reading up on what you need to know in order to make informed voting decisions, you demonstrate the ultimate disrespect to anyone who has given service to this great nation. Let's stop disgracing the greatest men who ever called themselves Americans and make a change. By using our liberties given by our Constitution, as American men, we can and will make a change for the better. The alternative is to continue as "Sheeple" (people who act like sheep), oblivious to the real world, wandering aimlessly under the misguided perception that everything will be fine. Just remember, the sheep getting led to the slaughter would put up a fight if they knew what was coming.                                    -S. Hanson

As I See It

Men, What Happened?

The standards for the American man have dropped over the years. In years past the qualifying bar for an American man was high.  More recently the bar has been reduced to a line in the sand that any poor moron can drag his butt across. At one time words like tough, hard working and capable defined the American man.  In one word, they were compleat. Today I mostly see boys, permanent adolescent boys, giving weak attempts to be macho clowns; if they give any attempt to grow up at all. The vast majority of young men, ages 18-25, simply do not know how to act like a man. The simple and disturbing fact, which exists in the culture of young men today, resides not in their loss of skills required to become a compleat man. It resides in the fact that young men today no longer wish to act like men.  Young men in America openly mock the qualities that make up a real man. In years past men respected women and the intimacy that existed between a couple. Commonly today a young man posts naked pictures of his girlfriend on Facebook or shares them with friends. Men take pride in the way they present themselves and their significant others.  Today I see boys waddling around with their pants around their knees. This "fashion statement" came from prisons, so I have to ask, since I didn't get the memo that made this look acceptable. What's next fellas? If you idolize prison life so much, does building a shank and making home brew in your toilet strike you as manly behavior?  You tell me where it ends, because bottom line, I don't get it. So as I see it, we have a problem here. If you agree then read on, self education and participation remain the steps to manhood. If you disagree, then the problem resides in you, so definitely read on. This publication enables you get on the right track. The Compleat Man, a worthy publication, comes to you from the Sheridan Men's Improvement Project. Time to Man Up and take responsibility for your actions and behaviors.  Bag the excuses fellas, because the bottom line is; excuses are for quitters and men don't quit.  -S. Hanson

KING'S CORNER

Time and Technology

Everywhere you go these days someone is on their cell phone, plugged into their iPod, relying on a GPS or sacked out in front of a TV or computer.  Technology has made our lives easier, no doubt, but it has also has disconnected the individual from society.  We rely less and less on interpersonal communication and interaction, substituting emails, text messages and Twitter for actual contact.  A compleat man knows when enough is enough.  Cell phones have become the norm for communication but that does not mean that I want to hear you talking to your girlfriend while I am in line to get my cup of coffee in the morning.  Have some manners and excuse yourself to find a private place to have a phone call, or put the phone on mute.  Just because you get a call does not mean you have to answer it in public.  I also have a peeve about texting, this is not a method of quality communication.  If you want to communicate with someone call them.  The text message is a way to find out if they are there or to send them information that they may need to write down.  Sending twenty messages of five to fifty words just to find out what happened last night is a poor use of time, be a man talk to them.  The same goes for music, take some time to pull the buds out of your ears and listen to what is going on around you, be able to understand and speak to those around you.  By no means do you need to have them on while working, in class or while driving.  The GPS may be handy and have a nice voice, but folks we are in Wyoming, if you get lost in Big Horn you are in a world of hurt.  Out in the wilderness, a GPS is handy, but knowing how to read a topographic map and use a compass are far more important than relying on batteries.  As we have said many a time, sitting in front of the TV or computer playing HALO or Grand Theft Auto for hours at a time is a waste of time.  A few hours a week is fine, but if your bragging rights include completing Grand Theft Auto in 23 hours you need to check yourself.  Drop the plastic computer shield and get out and talk to people, do something constructive.  If you are spending better that fifty percent of your free time using technology then you need a break.  Get out, learn something, help someone, become a compleat man.                                                                                        -B. King

ABBY NORMAL'S WISDOM

A New Brand of Mouthwash

   Oh boys!  What have you gone and done now?  It hurts my heart to see how many boys need to have their mouths washed out with soap.  If your mother won’t do it, then please open wide and Abby will give you a thorough washing and rinsing!  Since when has it become acceptable and tolerable to hear the F-bomb in every other word of a conversation, or hear women being referred to as the B-word?  Unfortunately, the uneducated boy considers this a large part of his vocabulary these days.  Let’s face it, we all have a moment where it just feels good to cuss, but I’ve always drawn the line with using offensive language in front of children and my elders. For men, this should include the presence of women.

  Recently, it has been my disappointment to work with certain individuals who feel it appropriate to discuss what they did over the weekend: Mostly consisting of how many girls they talked into taking home and what they did.  How manly and charming they must be to accomplish these feats.  Then, in the same breathe I get to hear about what B****** and C**** women are.  This boys, is what we refer to as the case of the classical ignoramus.  As a lady I find this vocabulary appalling and very disrespectful….maybe because I am neither of these titles so rudely bestowed upon these women.  I take offense to these words being used in my presence, and you should be ashamed of yourselves for having such a limited and narrow thought process and vocabulary.  Keep in mind that the workplace is not where these items of business should even be discussed. 

  Is it not enough that I have worked with men my entire life and enjoyed their company, friendship, and respect in the workplace, only to be rewarded with such lovely stories from scum of the earth?  I’m sorry, but I am a woman who diligently works beside men, carries my weight, camps out, travels, and keeps up with them.  Show some respect!  The foul language and disgusting remarks are unnecessary and should not be tolerated.  Most disturbing are the other men who stand by and listen to this garbage and never say a word!  What is wrong with you?  Have you lost your manhood along with your mind?

   There was a time when a man would stand up for a lady if others were being rude in her presence.  Now, they just stand around and laugh at the rude insults like it’s something acceptable.  I’m here to tell you it is far from acceptable or tolerable!  Seriously boys, you need to grow some cajones and not indulge in this ignorance.  Every time these fragrant man swine say something derogatory towards women, you should be thinking about your mother, sister, daughter, or wife and how you would feel if these horrible things were being said to or about them.  Bet you wouldn’t be so impressed then…not impressed enough to stand there and laugh like an idiot!

  It’s one thing to be out with the boys joking and kidding around and getting a little rambunctious, but keep in mind that there are certain times and places for appropriate language.  Clean up your act and your mouth.  People judge you based on how you present yourself, and your vocabulary reflects your intelligence (or lack thereof).  You need to be setting a respectable example for the generation following in your footsteps, not creating a cult of non-virility.  Challenge yourselves to create a new vocabulary that includes respectful, intelligent words; not garbage and filth that make people embarrassed to be around you!  Remember, profanity is a crutch for ignorance. I hope it trips you and knocks some sense into you.

–A. Normal