Time really does seem to keep slipping, slipping, slipping into the future.
I don’t know about you, but on balance, I had a fantastic summer. A season full of forays into the alpine, jumping into the lake, goofing around with the dogs, hanging out with friends, and generally having a hell of a good time. Topped off by an unexpected visit from my son, Andreas. We had a blast, cycling, hiking, boating, drinking single malt and bullshitting as we stared at the stars and waxed eloquent on all manner of topics.
Then, with shocking suddenness, it was over. The fall equinox came barrelling in the other day and kicked summer out the door. The evenings immediately grew colder. The morning sun started taking longer to yawn, stretch, and peek over the peaks across the lake.
All of which served to remind me I had dropped the Substack ball, forgoing my sacred duty to keep cranking out content in the selfish pursuit of fun in the summer sun.
Please forgive me.
As a peace offering — and to get back into the Substackian swing of things — I thought I’d share a (free) taste of a side project I have on the go. And what might that be, you may ask?
Read on.
Was there ever really a time "when men were men"?
What does it take to be a man these days? Are concepts like courage and truth, compassion and style, now simply the stuff of legend and old movies? What happened to the notion of leading an adventurous, creative, happy life — without being a total asshole?
In 2011, I set out to answer these and other manly questions, in a book titled Man Up in Ten Lessons.
13 years later, things haven't gotten better on the "what does it mean to be a man" front. Confused young men, unsure of their roles, lash out at a society they see as increasingly restrictive and disapproving. While many older men seem to have decided they have carte blanche to act out their most misogynistic tendencies.
Against that backdrop, I think it's time for a new book. While I turn my attention to that project, I want to make Man Up accessible for a new audience — this time in audio format. Here's a taste of what's to come — Man Up's first chapter, on courage. Be brave and have a listen!
