Last week I guest-posted at Katdish’s blog about losing my man card.
Here’s the post in it’s entirety, with some new material thrown in just for kicks.
Here’s 7 10 (of the many) reasons why, if Man Cards were real, I might not be carrying one…
1. I Have No HandyMan Skills
I’ve got a father-in-law who built houses for a living, a brother-in-law who helped built his own house, and a dad who can do just about anything around the house that needs to be done. How did I end up like this? I don’t know. But thankfully my father-in-law is only 10 minutes away in case a picture needs to be hung or a door needs to be fixed. (I wish i was kidding)
You know how much help I was to my father-in-law when he was building my deck? Negative help, that’s how much. He literally had to undo a bunch of the stuff I did on the first day. After that, I just watched and fetched him drinks. Completely embarrassing.
2. I Hate Hide & Seek (aka, Manhunt)
Want to know why I hate Hide and Seek? Because I hate hiding and I hate seeking. Pretty simple.
Think about it, when does hiding and seeking happen in real life? When cops are chasing bad guys. When bad guys are chasing other bad guys. When a child is about to be disciplined and disappears. You get the idea. The whole concept of hiding is that you don’t want to be found, but eventually you will be found when you play this game. Sounds terrible to me.
And for the record, we played manhunt on the streets of my neighborhood almost every night in the summer growing up. I hated it.
3. I Know Nothing About Cars
I’ve got no opinion on Ford vs. Chevy. I don’t know or care how many cylinders are in my Odyssey. I don’t know what the brown fluid on my garage floor under my car is.
Want more?
I don’t have a dream car. I think loud engines are annoying. I once spent hours in the library reading about what carburetors and overhead cams were just to impress a girl I liked. Didn’t work.
4. I Prefer Light Beer
Do i enjoy beer? Yes.
Do I like to drink obscure beers and comment on how “hoppy” they are? No.
Do I like to drink heavy beers and then say, “Now THAT’S a beer!”? No.
I like light beers. Miller Lite. Coors Light. Corona w/ a lime.
What can I say? They taste better to me. And they don’t make me feel like I just ate a 26-ounce filet.
5. I Hate Paint Ball
You know how I hate Hide and Seek? Well here’s a math equation to define what paint ball is. Paint Ball = (Hide & Seek) + (Pain). Ooh! Where do I sign up!
I played paint ball once. It was my worst nightmare. My goggles were fogging up so I couldn’t see anything. I was hiding. There were lots of people seeking me. Those same people were trying to inflict pain on me. I just tried to get shot in a relatively painless area and get off the playing field. Instead I was shot in the neck from 10 feet out.
Never again.
6. I Have a System for my Fingernails
It doesn’t involve painting or buffing, but yeah, I refuse to just bite my fingernails like a nervous neanderthal.
First I cut them with fingernail clippers.
Then I file them. You have to file them, otherwise they’re all sharp and they catch on your bed sheets and in your pants pockets.
After they get filed, I’ll smooth them out with the space between my bottom two front teeth. Takes off the last few rough edges and you’re good to go.
The result is trimmed, smooth fingernails. Takes 5 minutes a week. Sue me.
7. I Like To Talk Things Out
If my lovely wife Erica and I ever have a disagreement (yes it happens! shocker!), I’m usually the one who makes the stronger push for communication. Don’t misunderstand here, she is a great communicator. I’m just over the top nuts about it. I love talking about how I feel. Maybe it’s because I’m a writer and I like putting words to good use? I don’t know.
Please pray for her, that I’d learn to just shut up and watch TV once in a while.
8. I Have Girl Parts
Just Kidding. Wanted to make sure you weren’t skimming.
9. I Watch The Bachelorette
I don’t care what you say, it’s good TV. (The cruelest show on television? Absolutely – I even wrote an entire blog piece on it last summer. But entertaining as all get out.)
10. I’ve Never Been in a Fight
Unlike my buddy Nate, who once beat up 3 guys at one time in front of a club in Providence, RI, I’ve never taken a punch to the face. Never thrown one, either. Closest I’ve come is skirmishes with my younger brother Josh growing up, but those don’t really count. Although, when Josh and I did fight, he’d usually try to punch and I’d try to rake the eyes. Not very manly.
What about y’all?
Guys, any reasons your Man Card might be in jeopardy?
Or how about the ladies? Anything you do that threatens the security of your Woman Card?
Posted by Bryan AllainTags: guest post, katdish, man card











I cannot embroider to save my life! I’ve been that way since I was a little girl…
Okay, you spend more time on your fingernails than I do. And the front teeth thing? What’s up with that? I guess I’d just have to see it.
Oh, and you and my husband should do lunch. The two of you could talk things out and you’d both be happy as clams.
Ok, I fit into 5 of those 10. I guess I’m only have the un-man you are.
“Although, when Josh and I did fight, he’d usually try to punch and I’d try to rake the eyes. Not very manly.”
That is easily the best line.
And they would easily take away my man card too if this list is the criteria.
rake the eyes…that is hilarious! I’ll laugh about that all day. about #8…I always suspected…..
Nice post…you’re just like my engineer brother-in-law when it comes to #1. I think it must be your analytical thinking minds…takes too much energy away from the hands!
Did you not get enough abuse on my blog? Sheesh! The fingernail thing? Wow.
I read on the twitter that Ed Stetzer was turning in his man card because he went shopping with his wife and then went to a chick flick with her.
What is this world coming to?
This is an amazing post. I would lose my man card because
1. I cry in movies
2. I own a flat iron
3. I also like to “talk it out”
4. I have large nipples
5. I don’t like football
6. I’ve never seen braveheart
7. I’ve never killed an animal larger than a quarter
@luke and @leslie – yeah, i was an eye raker. thing is, since i’ve never been in a fight i’m still a little scared that if i have to throw down in the future, i’m going to revert back to my eye raking days.
@katdish – i’m a glutton for punishment.
@tripp – i’m with you on the occasional movie crying, but you lost me on the football and the braveheart. your man card would be in serious jeopardy.
Tripp -
YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BRAVEHEART?
Sorry – FAIL! Turn in your man card.
Okay so wow we have a lot in common Bryan minus the bachelorette quirk of your’s and the weird teeth and finger thing. I never liked playing paintball though, I ran away and lied the first time I played saying I was in the field when really I was playing with grass on the sideline. Cars mean nothing to me also, I don’t know if you’ve seen mine lately! Good writing! Keep it up man!
If you ever are in a fight, go for the eye-raking. I think it would give you the upper hand–I doubt any guy would expect that crazy move, so the element of surpise might be on your side!
This made me laugh — but only because I can relate! Especially 1, 3, & 7… I’ve always felt like my “man card” would be in jeopardy because of those things! Thanks for speaking so honestly with your usual great sense of humor. Makes me feel much better about myself to know I’m not alone!
I try really hard to be handy, but you can ask my wife, unless someone’s making sure I follow instructions, I usually screw it up and leave a gaping hole in the wall.