Comments on: In the company of men

By: Ole Phat Stu

Ole Phat Stu — Mon, 30 Aug 2024 17:34:33 +0000

Cut the BS and buy a motorcycle like the rest of us

By: Don Harvey

Don Harvey — Sun, 22 Aug 2024 23:55:50 +0000

Once again, I wish I had time to craft a worthy response but it’s tall ships weekend in Port Washington and I’ve got to run down to watch the “Bounty” sail out of our harbor. So, a couple of quick observations.
First, search away buddy boy. You’ll never find anyone who plays chess as poorly as I.

Second, the more I read your posts the more I’m amazed at how often I find myself in agreement with your point of view. Either I’ve made significant progress over these past many years or, more likely, you’re finally catching up.
Third, I just returned from a small picnic on the south side of Milwaukee with Russ Feingold but I don’t feel I really bonded with the guy.
And finally, “here’s to the ladies who lunch…I’ll drink to that.”
Ooops, gotta go……..

By: Nance

Nance — Sat, 21 Aug 2024 00:16:32 +0000

At least for now, you’re right that your best bet is Democratic Party Headquarters. Or your local Green Party Hdqtrs. They both need all the help they can get and it’s time well-spent even if you don’t meet any male peers to relate to.

By: Frank Paynter

Frank Paynter — Fri, 20 Aug 2024 21:39:04 +0000

Hi Gaea, thank you for dropping in. I just read your “84 things” post and feel like our paths have crossed again and again. Not that we’ve ever met, you understand.

By: Gaea Yudron

Gaea Yudron — Fri, 20 Aug 2024 21:04:03 +0000

Frank, I really enjoyed your post today. I wish I had some great pointers but I’m sorry to say I don’t. Yours about stepping away from the keyboard cracked me up. I am just glad to know that some men think about these things and want to have more meaningful friendships with other men.

By: Frank Paynter

Frank Paynter — Fri, 20 Aug 2024 20:08:55 +0000

Steven, I’m glad to make your acquaintance here. I have family and friends up and down California, so you never know. We might run into each other. Glad you liked the post!

By: Steven

Steven — Fri, 20 Aug 2024 18:39:58 +0000

Great post…
It’s just a darn shame you don’t live down the road from me. I would definitely enjoy talking to you. But I’m in California and you are in someplace cold. We’re not going to meet.

By: Frank Paynter

Frank Paynter — Fri, 20 Aug 2024 15:39:43 +0000

Pattie, i don’t know if i can generalize but I can say that I have a brother four years younger than me who seems better at the male bonding stuff than I ever was. My twin sons, thirty now, were close before high school and sort of went their separate ways then. Maybe what they learned early carried forward because, while they are different as can be, they both have the knack of forming lasting male friendships.

My wife and I are each other’s best friends, and we’ve never had that other couple to do things with, nor have we missed the experience. I’m not sure we’d be happy with the compromises of traveling with someone else. We belonged to a couples card club some years ago and we enjoyed that. I never quite got the hang of abandoning the women in the kitchen while talking sports with the men in the living room though.

But, I might be willing to take up ice fishing if I had someone like Jack Lemmon to irritate with my crotchedyness.

By: Cowtown Pattie

Cowtown Pattie — Fri, 20 Aug 2024 14:59:14 +0000

Frank,

Just a question, but I wonder, do men who have brother(s) share a better male friendship bonding? That’s not really true with my husband who has nothing much beyond a mother in terms of commonality with his two older brothers. They used to be closer in their youth, but as they’ve become husbands and fathers, that gap is Grand Canyon big these days. (They did NOT have a nurturing father, in fact, he was an abusive SOB that drank and I wonder if that had a factor in the sons not being able to form good male bonds.)

My husband and I have tried to socialize with other couple friends, but no one couple seems to “fit”. Either they live too far away, or our interests don’t compliment well enough to make a foursome fun. We would enjoy the friendship of another couple to say, go hike in the Big Bend, or go camping, but I also realize we’ve gotten spoiled to not having to accomodate or compromise in what we enjoy doing in our leisure time.

When I think of male bonding now, I always get a mental picture of the Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau (John Gustafson and Max Goldman) as Grumpy Old Men. Probably typifies the older man’s friendships, I am guessing.

By: Ronni Bennett

Ronni Bennett — Fri, 20 Aug 2024 13:49:36 +0000

Frank…

Wonderfully thought out and stated. I’m posting a link on my story.