10 Things We Can Learn From Men

Some people accuse men of being lazy for sitting on the sofa, but men argue that they’re merely using the time to regenerate and take care of themselves. I found this list on Care Pages and I had a total "duh" moment. Perhaps we are quick to judge our men and need to give them more praise for acting the way they do. Summarizing classic male traits may seem like shameless generalization, but we could all learn a thing or two from male-specific behaviors. Here are 10 to get you started.

Keep emotions in check
Certain situations require emotional detachment, especially at work. Sometimes, a poker face can help prevent others from getting overly-stressed out or overwhelmed. If you stay calm, everyone else will stay calm, and you’ll be able to focus on the task at hand.

Ask questions and challenge
Men like to ask questions and play devil’s advocate sometimes—not to antagonize or to argue—but to explore different points of view. It can help to get a new perspective on things.

Be confident
From an early age, boys may feel more comfortable than girls in speaking out without the fear of mistakes to hold them back. Later in life, some see this as men being more aggressive than women. But we could all learn from a little more self-confidence. Everyone has worthy contributions to make in daily life. A little bit of cockiness every once in a while doesn’t hurt.

Focus on solutions
Women often communicate to vent or share, while men look at communication as a means to an end to provide a solution. While venting certainly has its place, it can help to focus on a game plan when you’re really trying to make an important decision. Break it down into smaller, more manageable chunks and keep your eyes on the prize.

Make eye contact
The next time you’re faced with an uncomfortable situation, don’t avert your eyes. Instead, face things squarely. Staring down a situation for what it is can help you get through it with grace and positive energy.

Be the strong, silent type
We’ve all been there: feeling uncomfortable with silent pauses. Men don’t feel the need to talk just for the sake of talking. Standing back and being quiet sometimes means that you’re just taking it all in. Don’t feel the need to fill up the air with words. But when you do have something to say, by all means, say it!

Be a team player
Men might understand the spirit of teamwork faster than women. Many played organized sports while they were kids and have learned how to set common goals and work together. Not a bad skill to have.

Express anger sometimes
It’s okay to express a little anger to blow off steam. Women can sometimes bottle up their anger, only letting it pop long after they've built up a reservoir of resentment. Don’t worry so much about the other person. It’s okay to show you’re not happy. Then you can be done with it and move on.

Be a straight-shooter
Women are sometimes accused of expecting men to be mind readers. They hint and used veiled metaphors—then get hurt when men don’t figure things out. In reality, men are literal creatures who ask for things directly and specifically, so they expect others to do the same. What a refreshing concept.

Accept a compliment
You seldom hear a man replying to a compliment with a “Oh this old thing?” retort. Men love compliments and even fish in the conversation to get a few. Women have a tougher time accepting compliments without shooting back a qualifier. We all should own it. Smile and say thank you.

Spoon Mirror

Last week's project from Country Living was so much fun that I decided to post one more from the same site. This project was just too cute and unique, I had to show it to you. This is an extremely frugal way to turn an old mirror into a unique conversation piece.

SPOON MIRROR

WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

• 18 Inch Round Mirror
• About 105 Colored Plastic Spoons (check dollar store)
• Hot Glue Gun
  

HOW TO MAKE IT:

1. Place a generous dot of glue on the back of the base of the handle of your first spoon.
2. Press the spoon onto the mirror so that it's bowl sits just outside the mirror's edge and the handle points toward the center.
3. Put another dot of glue on the back of the second spoon's handle in the same spot, and lay it on the mirror next to the first spoon, so that the widest part of the second one's bowl nestles into the neck of its neighbor.
4. Repeat above steps all around the mirror's perimeter - just be sure to keep the handles pointed at the mirror's center.
   

Bicycle Safety

It seems 1950 was a popular decade for educational videos.
There was a video for just about any
social interaction you'd ever face.
I found this 1950s video for bicycle safety.
As you ride your bike this summer,
remember the following tips!
This particular video is kind of dry and boring.
Still, watching these old videos never gets old to me.

June And July Home Maintenance

To avoid home disasters and/or a lot of home improvement in one single weekend, I'm bringing you a home maintenance check list every month. Doing a little each month will save you time and money. Plus, you don't have to worry about printing a yearly list and then losing it. In case you missed the first four months, you can find them here: January is here, February is here, March is here, April is here, and May is here. These lists are very short, but important. I just realized I never included June... so today I'm offering June and July home maintenance.

For June you will need to:

1. Swab the Deck. Power-wash a wood deck to get rid of mold.
2. Schedule your annual chimney inspection. It will be more difficult to book an appointment in the Fall. You're also more likely to get a discount in the off-season.

For July you will need to:

1. Let the grass grow. Yes, you heard me. GROW. In summer, keep grass tall, which slows water loss by shading the soil. Raise the mower's blade three inches or higher from now till Labor Day.
2. Lower the blinds on south and west facing windows. This will prevent up to 45% of the sun's heat from entering your home, thus not needing to run your air conditioner so often.