A lot of men don’t have the kind of relationships with their fathers that they wish they had. Whether you and the old man are estranged, he’s passed on, or you just don’t get along, your relationship has probably affected your life in many ways. The purpose of today’s letter is to help you get out and understand some of the feelings you have about you father.
But it’s not designed to be an exercise where you whine about how your life is messed up all because of your old man. Think about and write down examples of where you really needed your father and he wasn’t there and the times you really missed him. But at the end of the letter, put a positive spin on things. Tell your dad how you learned how not to be a man from him, and how he made you work harder to turn out differently.
This letter is obviously something you might not want to send. But it’s still important to really think about how you feel about your dad instead of let- ting it fester inside.
M a k e a M e a l
Kate and I have a special place in our hearts for Uncle Buzz’s house, where he often servces up a delicious “breakfast for dinner” meal of homemade waffles, hash browns, and sausage. Everything he’s made me has been sin- gularly delicious. He’s a maestro in the kitchen and yet also a man’s man.
I’ve always found this combination really impressive.
In almost all primitive societies, the responsibility of preparing food fell to the women folk of the tribe. And with the arrival of the industrial rev- olution and the cult of domesticity, the home, and of course, the hearth, became the domain of women. While we’ve made great strides in equality since the days of sending our ladies out to pick berries and roots, the asso- ciation between cooking and women persists.
This is quite unfortunate. If you’ve ever taken the time to notice, most of the world’s top chefs are men, and cooking has a variety of manly benefits and qualities.
We’ve previously established the manliness of cooking. And we’ve taught you how to know your way around a kitchen. So today we’re just going to do a little review of the reasons a man should be as comfortable in the kitchen as he is in the garage.
1. Cooking makes you self-sufficient. A man strives to be as self-reli- ant as possible. But if he runs to Micky D’s every time there’s a rumble in his stomach and doesn’t even know how to make scrambled eggs for himself, then he falls short of being able to fully stand on his own two feet. Cooking is a valuable skill that grants us a greater degree of independence.
2. Cooking saves you money. The manly man is a frugal man. He’s always looking for ways to live within his means. And so he eats in far more than he eats out. He understands how much money can be saved by cooking one’s meals at home instead of eating at a restaurant.
The more clueless you are in the kitchen, the stronger the tempta- tion is to go out to eat. If the choice is between a PB&J at home or a steak dinner somewhere else, the latter is always going to win. As you get to the point where your own meals approach restaurant quality, staying home will become more and more desirable.
3. Cooking keeps you healthy. It’s shocking to flip through a health magazine and see the nutritional information for restaurant meals.
When a Quizno’s Classic Italian Sub has 1370 calories, PF Chang’s Pork Lo Mein has 1820 calories, and Macaroni Grill’s Spaghetti and Meatballs has 2430 calories, eating out not only does damage to your wallet, it also does a number on your waistline. Restaurant meals don’t just pack in the fat and calories either, they’re also loaded with salt;
Chili’s Buffalo Chicken Fajitas clocks in at 5690 milligrams of sodium (2,300 mg is the recommended daily allowance).
Cooking allows you to create healthy meals that can still taste great. And you can feel satisfied in knowing exactly what’s going into your meals. And that some dude at Domino’s didn’t add boogers to your order.
4. Cooking is creative. Finding years ago that they had no aptitude for painting or music, many men live lives devoid of creative outlets.
Cooking is an incredibly creative process and proficiency in this art is within the reach of every man. You take a bunch of disparate ingredi- ents, experiment with and tweak them, and create a whole far greater than its parts.
Many men want to learn a craft, a skill, something they can do with their hands. They consider woodworking or welding, but never consider cooking. But it can produce the same kind of satisfaction
as other crafts. Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore; it doesn’t have to be drudgery. It can be something you really enjoy and even develop a passion for.
5. Cooking boosts your social skills. Whether you’re single or married, few things can warm the heart of a lady like being able to whip up a tasty meal. Much of what we think of as charm comes from surpass- ing people’s expectations. Because of the historic association of cook- ing with women, a man who can really cook absolutely endears him- self to females. If you’re looking for a way to make your wife happy or impress a girl you like, show them that you’ve got real chops in the kitchen.
Additionally, every man should strive to be a gracious and welcoming host. Uncle Buzz always busts out all the stops in preparing Kate and I delicious dinners and breakfasts. And nothing makes you feel more at home and more welcome then a well-prepared meal. It helps you share a bit of yourself and your home with your guest.
Tod a y’s Ta s k:
C oo k a M e a l w i t h Y o u r Ow n Tw o H a n d s
It can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner. If you’ve never cooked before, don’t worry; if you can follow a recipe, you can cook. Remember, we’re not talk- ing about adding beef to Hamburger Helper or making a ham sandwich.
Make a real meal. If you’re a subscriber to the blog, and need ideas for reci- pes, check out substantial “Cooking” category. If you don’t have time to run to the store, try a site like supercook.com. You enter the foods you have at home, and it will come up with a recipe that uses what you already have.
Below we’ve provided you with a meal planner to help get you started.