I never underestimate the power of a woman's eye roll. We build the private spaces to escape her ever watchful and menacing gaze. For God knew his ever presence would never be enough to keep a man in check so he created woman. We have been drawn towards and trying to escape His creation ever since...
Maybe I'm not a "real" woman, but the only reason I don't piddle outdoors is because I'm not equipped to do it comfortably - I used to envy my brothers' ability to write their names in the snow without freezing their bottoms off. I think fart jokes are pretty funny, too. But then again, I suppose "piddle" isn't the most masculine word in the world. Anyway, sorry to intrude on the ice house conversation, I'll toddle off back to shore now before the ice breaks.
I think Garrison is correct and have believed certain people like the “anything goes theme” so they can say or do whatever they want. There are no longer any filters needed or common decency. IF the President of the US can do and say such stuff, WE sure can. It’s like “whatshisname” has unleashed a Pandora’s Box.
Mary Kay, there have been "whatshisnames" throughout the entire history of mankind and most probably throughout mankind's predecessors. It's a "Hey, look at me! Aren't I funny! Aren't I great! Don't you want me to be your Dictator?". Do yourself a favor, ignore the static. Live a good life. Focus on the joys of living. Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.
I live in a small, rural town, and as far as I can see, there aren't many "anything goes" folks running around our streets - maybe they're all unleashing their filters in the ice houses ( or the barns, since the lake isn't frozen over, yet). It's okay for a few old Uncle Sids to be around; they make for "interesting" family gatherings and funny future family stories. Would I vote for one as president? No. But then I didn't vote for Whatshisname, either.
By the way, my brothers always turned their backs during their outdoor wintertime penmanship practice, so common decency wasn't an issue. I helped out my folks with the farm chores, and worked as an LNA for a while when I grew up - if I let a little flatulence or pee (or, heaven's forbid, POOP!) bother me, I'd be in a pretty mess indeed.
I was blessed with two daughters, and they were raised such that they are comfortable anywhere a man can be comfortable. They can swear and tell dirty jokes as well as any drunken sailor, or they can dress up and act sophisticated. They are both mountain goats, meaning they were raised in the Adirondack Mountains and feel comfortable climbing mountains in the summer or ripping them up in the winter on their snowboards. And to top things off, they are both Dr.s. It is hard to believe I could have daughters like this. They fit anywhere. And like me when I was young, the are extremely liberal. And although they are not on board with our next president, I know they like her saying: "Underestimate Me, That'll Be Fun."
Football is inhumane. And hockey, known for players itching to pick a fight (sparked by the unspoken equivalent of “What did you just say?”) in which there’s an instant pile up where everyone jumps in and sticks fly? One of my heroes is Wayne Gretzky, but come on boys, just keep the puck moving and play the game.
And is it just me or does anyone else care less about Time’s Person of the Year (really?) and her flatulent horses?
There are many Whatsisnames and they work in government, business, the law, education, and the media. They’re everywhere. And one of them slyly said, “Where is a woman’s place?” And women responded, almost in unison, “Anywhere we choose.” So one day when a President Woman is elected, it will be no surprise.
I think we got into this mess because, being human and afraid of our own power, and being sometimes lazy, we allowed people like whatshisname—who isn’t afraid of his power but unfortunately was never socialized—to do the hard work for us. The fact that men retreat to their ice shack or DR corner or garage, and women to their dog walk on the beach is so that we can return. With new ideas and stories and energy to accept the power in ourselves and share it with those we love. Aren’t we all attracted to someone who is not afraid, of their power, and placing it where needed? (Garrison has inspired me over the years with his power to make a sentence that touches millions. I hope he claims that power someday soon.) There’s power, and then there’s power that releases the power in others. And that’s what will get us back on track.
And speaking of powerful females, who ‘sing’ and share their gifts with others, my choice for ‘impressive person I’d like to ice fish with’ would be Marianne Williamson. There’s someone who our grandkids won’t be embarrassed for.
Starting out in my legal career, a senior partner born in Scotland liked to tell young associates, “Never trust someone with an organized desk. It’s a sure sign of a disorganized mind.” I still think of Old Tom whenever my wife walks into my home office, gives a “tsk, tsk” and walks out without a word.
I don’t agree that young men are socialized. I believe the cellphone has shaped a society of young people who don’t understand how to read social cues - body language, facial expressions, subtle language. They wouldn’t do well in an ice shanty, not because they take after the best qualities of their mothers, but because the cold would immediately drain the life out of their cellphone batteries.
You're right, the cellphone has no place in the fishing shack,just like you wouldn't bring a bottle of beer to church. I don't know enough young men to generalize but I am very impressed with the maturity of my grandson and his girlfriend.
Not all men need an ice fishing shack. Some years ago in my Midwestern town (pop. 250,000) a group of us (9 mostly in our 50's) who had such interest in common organized "The Men's Room" (a parody on a popular book at the time called "The Woman's Room" - a feminist tome). The stated purpose was to gather monthly and discuss our individual stories and issues of the moment. Forbidden was any sports talk or the usual male BS. It provided extremely valuable opportunities for all of us at the time to bring up heretofore unacceptable topics in such male company. Lasted for 15 years through thick and thin. Members were the likes of businessmen, church ministers, psychologists, insurance salesmen. Single, married, divorced (some in the process of making changes). Relationships with females were of major interest. The only rule was that what was said in the group stayed in the group. Donald Trump would have had no chance of an invitation to join.
This comment is not about today's column. It is about Taylor Swift. Although I am younger than you (age 75), I also have not paid much attention to her music. I listened to The Daily Show podcast today ( https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/15/podcasts/the-daily/the-year-of-taylor-swift.html )and learned a lot about her. I now have great respect for her as a person and as a song writer. If you listen to the podcast, pay close attention to the conclusion in the last 5 minutes. I think the two of you have more in common than either of you would admit.
He's not a goofball doofus, he's an unprincipled lying criminal/scoundrel who is very deliberately using the methods of dictators past and present to subvert American democracy. But certain evangelicals embrace him because they think he'll play dirty on their behalf. I have no idea what they expect to gain. Their reckless embrace of a monster will end up devastating their churches by becoming their very definition in people's minds.
He talks the talk of a million old souses in saloons across America and it's won him legions of loyal support but not enough to elect him President unless the Electoral College springs another surprise.
Take this for what it's worth. I work amongst mostly kids in their early to mid 20's. My son and his friends are in their mid 20's. Most of these kids are extremely enthusiastic about Donald Trump. They hate the dems because they see them as out-of-touch authoritarians. I'm not a smart man, so I'll leave it up to the sociologists to explain this all to us.
Too many kids in that age group really aren't paying attention. Many seem guided by vague impressions they pick up here and there. People like that are vulnerable to the lies of Fox "News." But there's really no excuse; anyone paying attention can see that trump lies constantly, about everything.
If they support trump because they think Democrats are authoritarian, they are sadly uninformed, misguided and anything but admirable in that regard. Please don't encourage them. This isn't a matter of where they are getting their news or of how old they are. It's whether their information is fact or fiction and whether they are being thoughtful, serious and honest in evaluating our current options as a nation. If they simply listened to trump himself—no interpretation, explanation or spin is necessary!—they would know that he is a liar and an authoritarian. But maybe that's what they want; around the world we are seeing that a lot of people do long for fascism, even in countries that have already lived through dictatorships. I get the feeling that some (unserious) people want to keep pushing the far right to greater and greater outlandishness because they think it will be fun to watch the ensuing chaos. My hope is that the United States will resoundingly reject authoritarianism and go back to being a serious country regardless of which party is in power at any given time. I'm not a big fan of the idea of American exceptionalism, but if we place a strongman in power and toss out our democracy, we will have given up any hope of reasonably considering ourselves an indispensable or model nation. trump says he can never lose an election, he spread the lie that Obama wasn't born in the U.S., he told white supremacists to stand back and stand by, he constantly speaks in such ways to incite political violence, he's been found liable for sexual assault, he's an election denier, he tried to get Zelensky to open a fake investigation into Biden, he wants to pardon the January 6th insurrectionists ("hostages," according to him), he has never apologized for calling for the death penalty for the Central Park Five... This list could go on and on and on and on and on. So really, you are on shaky ground trying to make a case, apparently, for this absolute scoundrel of a human being. It's frankly very irresponsible. Normally I wouldn't be so blunt in online comments because civility is important to me and I don't make a habit of lecturing people. But this whole trump thing has been going on for long enough that the damage he's done to the country should be crystal clear by now. It is time we stopped thinking of trumpism as simply a political choice. When a lot of the country is supporting an authoritarian we have left the realm of politics and we are in serious peril. We need to see that for what it is and let go of our political affiliations until the threat has passed. It should also be obvious that trump will only continue to hurt the country as long as people see him as their leader, whether he is elected next year or not. His entire life strategy is based on pitting us against each other. He is a liar. He has no integrity whatsoever. His mentor was Roy Cohn, the unscrupulous lawyer who helped Joseph McCarthy ruin so many lives. No one should ever support a person like trump for any kind of leadership role.
The messenger for some kids who really don't care? Gee, thanks. Maybe they could use some guidance. "The left" has done what you say you hope it will do. Many times over. Others, many of whom call themselves Christians, need to take a serious look at why they would ever support a lying, unprincipled, cheating, racist criminal, and encourage their kids to do so. "The country is split in half" is no excuse, and it's not even true.
I’ve begrudgingly come to accept Mr. Trump as the entertainer/demigod that he is. What has continued to puzzle me is the embrace by the evangelical community of him and his politics. Reading Tim Alberta’s new book, THE KINGDOM, THE POWER and the GLORY: AMERICAN EVANGELICALS IN AN AGE OF EXTREMISM, is providing answers along with the disturbing account of the replacing of the Gospel of Christ with the gospel of Trump.
I'm imagining the orange menace ice fishing, with his 30 second attention span, catching a 6" perch, declaring it huge, the best fish ever, and calling a taxidermist.
You had me with your fine writing until that unpleasant name Hilary ambushed me like an foul odor on a enjoyable wark in a park. Oh well, such is life.
Watching Sports on television is a diversion from all the incompetent Presidents. There's a whole list of them now. Yes football is a violent competition and I still follow my Knicks in New York. Am I wrong to adhere to bouncing balls? Baseball and tennis are my favourite pastimes. I'm not fond of Novak and it has nothing to do with his vaccination status. I prefer Rafa and his passion on the baseline. Perhaps one should not watch Fox News as it causes high blood pressure. ha. Ice fishing in Minnesota sounds very masculine. Can you handle the camaraderie?
I never underestimate the power of a woman's eye roll. We build the private spaces to escape her ever watchful and menacing gaze. For God knew his ever presence would never be enough to keep a man in check so he created woman. We have been drawn towards and trying to escape His creation ever since...
Maybe I'm not a "real" woman, but the only reason I don't piddle outdoors is because I'm not equipped to do it comfortably - I used to envy my brothers' ability to write their names in the snow without freezing their bottoms off. I think fart jokes are pretty funny, too. But then again, I suppose "piddle" isn't the most masculine word in the world. Anyway, sorry to intrude on the ice house conversation, I'll toddle off back to shore now before the ice breaks.
You might be missing the main point.
I think Garrison is correct and have believed certain people like the “anything goes theme” so they can say or do whatever they want. There are no longer any filters needed or common decency. IF the President of the US can do and say such stuff, WE sure can. It’s like “whatshisname” has unleashed a Pandora’s Box.
Mary Kay, there have been "whatshisnames" throughout the entire history of mankind and most probably throughout mankind's predecessors. It's a "Hey, look at me! Aren't I funny! Aren't I great! Don't you want me to be your Dictator?". Do yourself a favor, ignore the static. Live a good life. Focus on the joys of living. Merry Christmas and have a Happy New Year.
Be Beste.
(I bet you've heard that one in the last few years. I couldn't resist, sorry.)
I live in a small, rural town, and as far as I can see, there aren't many "anything goes" folks running around our streets - maybe they're all unleashing their filters in the ice houses ( or the barns, since the lake isn't frozen over, yet). It's okay for a few old Uncle Sids to be around; they make for "interesting" family gatherings and funny future family stories. Would I vote for one as president? No. But then I didn't vote for Whatshisname, either.
By the way, my brothers always turned their backs during their outdoor wintertime penmanship practice, so common decency wasn't an issue. I helped out my folks with the farm chores, and worked as an LNA for a while when I grew up - if I let a little flatulence or pee (or, heaven's forbid, POOP!) bother me, I'd be in a pretty mess indeed.
I once saw a Little Lulu cartoon in which she was watching Sluggo pee outdoors. The caption was, "What a handy thing to have on a picnic."
I was blessed with two daughters, and they were raised such that they are comfortable anywhere a man can be comfortable. They can swear and tell dirty jokes as well as any drunken sailor, or they can dress up and act sophisticated. They are both mountain goats, meaning they were raised in the Adirondack Mountains and feel comfortable climbing mountains in the summer or ripping them up in the winter on their snowboards. And to top things off, they are both Dr.s. It is hard to believe I could have daughters like this. They fit anywhere. And like me when I was young, the are extremely liberal. And although they are not on board with our next president, I know they like her saying: "Underestimate Me, That'll Be Fun."
You're a lucky man, sir. Bravo.
Football is inhumane. And hockey, known for players itching to pick a fight (sparked by the unspoken equivalent of “What did you just say?”) in which there’s an instant pile up where everyone jumps in and sticks fly? One of my heroes is Wayne Gretzky, but come on boys, just keep the puck moving and play the game.
And is it just me or does anyone else care less about Time’s Person of the Year (really?) and her flatulent horses?
My dad used to say (and I use that phrase more than anyone I know) that he went to see the fights and a hockey game broke out.
There are many Whatsisnames and they work in government, business, the law, education, and the media. They’re everywhere. And one of them slyly said, “Where is a woman’s place?” And women responded, almost in unison, “Anywhere we choose.” So one day when a President Woman is elected, it will be no surprise.
To me the surprise is that it should have happened decades ago but still hasn't.
I think we got into this mess because, being human and afraid of our own power, and being sometimes lazy, we allowed people like whatshisname—who isn’t afraid of his power but unfortunately was never socialized—to do the hard work for us. The fact that men retreat to their ice shack or DR corner or garage, and women to their dog walk on the beach is so that we can return. With new ideas and stories and energy to accept the power in ourselves and share it with those we love. Aren’t we all attracted to someone who is not afraid, of their power, and placing it where needed? (Garrison has inspired me over the years with his power to make a sentence that touches millions. I hope he claims that power someday soon.) There’s power, and then there’s power that releases the power in others. And that’s what will get us back on track.
And speaking of powerful females, who ‘sing’ and share their gifts with others, my choice for ‘impressive person I’d like to ice fish with’ would be Marianne Williamson. There’s someone who our grandkids won’t be embarrassed for.
Starting out in my legal career, a senior partner born in Scotland liked to tell young associates, “Never trust someone with an organized desk. It’s a sure sign of a disorganized mind.” I still think of Old Tom whenever my wife walks into my home office, gives a “tsk, tsk” and walks out without a word.
I don’t agree that young men are socialized. I believe the cellphone has shaped a society of young people who don’t understand how to read social cues - body language, facial expressions, subtle language. They wouldn’t do well in an ice shanty, not because they take after the best qualities of their mothers, but because the cold would immediately drain the life out of their cellphone batteries.
You're right, the cellphone has no place in the fishing shack,just like you wouldn't bring a bottle of beer to church. I don't know enough young men to generalize but I am very impressed with the maturity of my grandson and his girlfriend.
Not all men need an ice fishing shack. Some years ago in my Midwestern town (pop. 250,000) a group of us (9 mostly in our 50's) who had such interest in common organized "The Men's Room" (a parody on a popular book at the time called "The Woman's Room" - a feminist tome). The stated purpose was to gather monthly and discuss our individual stories and issues of the moment. Forbidden was any sports talk or the usual male BS. It provided extremely valuable opportunities for all of us at the time to bring up heretofore unacceptable topics in such male company. Lasted for 15 years through thick and thin. Members were the likes of businessmen, church ministers, psychologists, insurance salesmen. Single, married, divorced (some in the process of making changes). Relationships with females were of major interest. The only rule was that what was said in the group stayed in the group. Donald Trump would have had no chance of an invitation to join.
This comment is not about today's column. It is about Taylor Swift. Although I am younger than you (age 75), I also have not paid much attention to her music. I listened to The Daily Show podcast today ( https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/15/podcasts/the-daily/the-year-of-taylor-swift.html )and learned a lot about her. I now have great respect for her as a person and as a song writer. If you listen to the podcast, pay close attention to the conclusion in the last 5 minutes. I think the two of you have more in common than either of you would admit.
He's not a goofball doofus, he's an unprincipled lying criminal/scoundrel who is very deliberately using the methods of dictators past and present to subvert American democracy. But certain evangelicals embrace him because they think he'll play dirty on their behalf. I have no idea what they expect to gain. Their reckless embrace of a monster will end up devastating their churches by becoming their very definition in people's minds.
He talks the talk of a million old souses in saloons across America and it's won him legions of loyal support but not enough to elect him President unless the Electoral College springs another surprise.
Take this for what it's worth. I work amongst mostly kids in their early to mid 20's. My son and his friends are in their mid 20's. Most of these kids are extremely enthusiastic about Donald Trump. They hate the dems because they see them as out-of-touch authoritarians. I'm not a smart man, so I'll leave it up to the sociologists to explain this all to us.
Too many kids in that age group really aren't paying attention. Many seem guided by vague impressions they pick up here and there. People like that are vulnerable to the lies of Fox "News." But there's really no excuse; anyone paying attention can see that trump lies constantly, about everything.
They seemed quite well informed. Just using different sources than the boomers.
If they support trump because they think Democrats are authoritarian, they are sadly uninformed, misguided and anything but admirable in that regard. Please don't encourage them. This isn't a matter of where they are getting their news or of how old they are. It's whether their information is fact or fiction and whether they are being thoughtful, serious and honest in evaluating our current options as a nation. If they simply listened to trump himself—no interpretation, explanation or spin is necessary!—they would know that he is a liar and an authoritarian. But maybe that's what they want; around the world we are seeing that a lot of people do long for fascism, even in countries that have already lived through dictatorships. I get the feeling that some (unserious) people want to keep pushing the far right to greater and greater outlandishness because they think it will be fun to watch the ensuing chaos. My hope is that the United States will resoundingly reject authoritarianism and go back to being a serious country regardless of which party is in power at any given time. I'm not a big fan of the idea of American exceptionalism, but if we place a strongman in power and toss out our democracy, we will have given up any hope of reasonably considering ourselves an indispensable or model nation. trump says he can never lose an election, he spread the lie that Obama wasn't born in the U.S., he told white supremacists to stand back and stand by, he constantly speaks in such ways to incite political violence, he's been found liable for sexual assault, he's an election denier, he tried to get Zelensky to open a fake investigation into Biden, he wants to pardon the January 6th insurrectionists ("hostages," according to him), he has never apologized for calling for the death penalty for the Central Park Five... This list could go on and on and on and on and on. So really, you are on shaky ground trying to make a case, apparently, for this absolute scoundrel of a human being. It's frankly very irresponsible. Normally I wouldn't be so blunt in online comments because civility is important to me and I don't make a habit of lecturing people. But this whole trump thing has been going on for long enough that the damage he's done to the country should be crystal clear by now. It is time we stopped thinking of trumpism as simply a political choice. When a lot of the country is supporting an authoritarian we have left the realm of politics and we are in serious peril. We need to see that for what it is and let go of our political affiliations until the threat has passed. It should also be obvious that trump will only continue to hurt the country as long as people see him as their leader, whether he is elected next year or not. His entire life strategy is based on pitting us against each other. He is a liar. He has no integrity whatsoever. His mentor was Roy Cohn, the unscrupulous lawyer who helped Joseph McCarthy ruin so many lives. No one should ever support a person like trump for any kind of leadership role.
Hey, I'm just being the messenger here. The country is split in half. I hope one day the left will look at how they've contributed to DT's rise.
The messenger for some kids who really don't care? Gee, thanks. Maybe they could use some guidance. "The left" has done what you say you hope it will do. Many times over. Others, many of whom call themselves Christians, need to take a serious look at why they would ever support a lying, unprincipled, cheating, racist criminal, and encourage their kids to do so. "The country is split in half" is no excuse, and it's not even true.
I’ve begrudgingly come to accept Mr. Trump as the entertainer/demigod that he is. What has continued to puzzle me is the embrace by the evangelical community of him and his politics. Reading Tim Alberta’s new book, THE KINGDOM, THE POWER and the GLORY: AMERICAN EVANGELICALS IN AN AGE OF EXTREMISM, is providing answers along with the disturbing account of the replacing of the Gospel of Christ with the gospel of Trump.
Well, I'll be. Garrison has less interest in football than I do and as I, thinks it barbaric, or something close. Made my day, and thanks. rr
I'm imagining the orange menace ice fishing, with his 30 second attention span, catching a 6" perch, declaring it huge, the best fish ever, and calling a taxidermist.
I LOVE it!!!
You had me with your fine writing until that unpleasant name Hilary ambushed me like an foul odor on a enjoyable wark in a park. Oh well, such is life.
Watching Sports on television is a diversion from all the incompetent Presidents. There's a whole list of them now. Yes football is a violent competition and I still follow my Knicks in New York. Am I wrong to adhere to bouncing balls? Baseball and tennis are my favourite pastimes. I'm not fond of Novak and it has nothing to do with his vaccination status. I prefer Rafa and his passion on the baseline. Perhaps one should not watch Fox News as it causes high blood pressure. ha. Ice fishing in Minnesota sounds very masculine. Can you handle the camaraderie?