Things Guy’s Guys Like
“Hey, just what is a guy’s guy, anyway?”
That’s a fair question that I hear a lot. In an age where men have never been freer to be whoever they want, it’s never been less clear who they really are. Enter the Guy’s Guy, an updated, more casual, less macho version of the traditional Man’s Man. And unlike his predecessor, today’s Guy’s Guy celebrates the overdue recognition of women and sees their ascension as inevitable and a win-win for everyone. And there is a need for Guy’s Guys. Young men lack role models and middle-age dudes are being increasingly overlooked or demonized for the past sins of their predecessors (thanks, Newt). But, that’s show biz. I think we’d all agree that women would welcome a return of masculinity, but in a more circumspect and open-minded form. Some Guy’s Guys traits are casual confidence, seductive integrity, timeless style, and emotional intelligence. There’s more, but that’s for another blog post.
So to help clarify what is and what is not representative of today’s Guy’s Guys, in no particular order, here is my subjective list, which is always subject to change. Drum roll, please…
Stuff Guy’s Guys Like
Convertibles, mutts, a great pair of legs, wooden shoe trees, ice pops, margaritas while looking out over the ocean, knowing that the back page of the newspaper has the good news, Thanksgiving, summer dresses, the World Series, sex, Steve McQueen, wiffle ball, holding hands, a perfectly poured Guinness, the beach, “Swingers”, a long run, football weather, sleigh riding, your Mom, Bob Marley, clean sheets regardless of their thread count, sinking your putt on a par five, a handshake deal, sex, Central Park, breakfast over brunch, Bukowski, the NFL Playoffs, “Chopped”, kids, tee shirts and jeans, fit women, vinyl, Bobby Darin, East Coast, salty snacks, fishing, passion, “Sideways”, books, tools, fish, random acts of kindness, animals, sleeping, morning wood, crisp C-notes, iPhones, sunshine, waking up early, avocados, broken-in Levis, 70’s movies, “Siddhartha”, independence, World Cup, Rolling Stones, black bras and thongs, Clint Eastwood westerns, cash, the Rat Pack, surfing, that old leather jacket, Mexican food, New York, the smell of a fresh cut lawn, sweat, playing hoops without a net, mountain bikes, women on top, loyalty, acing a presentation, Jennifer Lawrence in “Silver Linings Playbook”, rock music with a horn section, sunset, knowing when to shut up, confident women, a 10 handicap, free wifi, the zoo, sixties television series, Sunday mornings, a clean bathroom, anything in a burger bun, pets, integrity, “The Sopranos”, Super Bowl Sunday, St Patrick’s Day, summer nights, jazz, having a woman as your best friend.
Stuff Guy’s Guy Don’t Like
Housewife shows, matrix management teams, Honey Boo Boo (WTF?), newscasters standing up, automatic weapons, last call, pralines, gossip, the Twilight series (sorry), passive aggressive women, emoticons, retargeted ads, iced wedding cake vodka, People’s Choice Awards (WTF?), cupcake worship, walking while texting, the fine print, insurance companies trying to be your friend, music acts that can’t play instruments, hyper-cuts and edits on ESPN, reverse mortgages and the actors who tout them, crème fraiche, Starbucks addictions, fast food, ballet flats on hot chicks, hard stops, “I’m a branding expert”, style over substance, lying, political war hawks who never served, phonies, girlfriends who flirt with your best bud, micro-managing, only hiring people who can’t take your job, smoking, reneging on deals, media that propagates fear, those animal hats with really long ears, dividing up the check to the penny, white furniture and shag carpets, owners of small yappy dogs that leave them in their apartments all day, overpriced brunch, cheap stereo equipment, Kathy Lee Gifford, the MTA, litter, people who keep their cell phone on speaker, hard drugs, long lines, bad pizza, jury duty, people who swear in front of kids, drunken NY Jets fans, procrastination.
As mentioned, these are directional and subject to change at any time. Who knows, maybe I’ll be selling reverse mortgages someday. Nah.
Do you agree with how a Guy’s Guy sees his world?
This week’s Guy’s Guys of the Week are the folks at Google who are giving sections of Manhattan free wifi.
