I'm an All-American Man. I'm one of those old school people who believe in their country. I'm a Navy veteran and to this day there's nothing my country could realistically ask of me and I wouldn't do. I was raised on a steady stream of John Wayne, Texas Pride and men doing honorable things that might be a little out of fashion for the 21st century. I open all doors for my wife, including car doors, even in the rain. I rise when she joins or leaves a table. When we walk along a street I make sure she's on the side away from the street and I raised my two daughters to expect the same thing from the men in their lives. The kids are now 22 and 24 and I can't tell you how many times they've come home from a date and said the guy wasn't a "gentleman" because they didn't do the things expected of them. Outwardly I express disappointment, secretly I'm delighted. I warn people who talk or God forbid use a cell phone in a movie theater. In my youth(and beyond) I wasn't above laying my hands on people who needed to realize they had crossed a line. Being on the large side in terms of physicallity didn't hurt.
Being a real man doesn't mean you're a jerk. When my wife cooks I do the dishes, when the roles are reversed (yes I cook) the duties are reversed as well. Cleaning the house is a team sport for us. Yes, I pull the mans work when it's time to do the more unsavory things like cleaning a drain or most things involving a hammer, but truth be told she's right there behind me ready to lend moral support or assist. She does laundry because I would rather have everything dry-cleaned. I prefer to drive, not because I dismiss women drivers, but because I'm a bit of a control freak. When she drives I sit in the passenger seat with my mouth shut, close my eyes behind sunglasses and sometimes get a leg cramp from pressing the imaginary brake, but I don't complain.
I'm not a Meterosexual. While I do groom myself I think of it as simple vanity. Nothing gets waxed. I know what the wife likes and what she dislikes and back hair is on the dislike list, being both Jewish and in my 40's this can be a problem. So she takes care of that when we shower together. I like having my back free of hair and she apparently likes having her boobs glisten from being so clean. I dress well because of both the vanity thing and knowing it makes my wife proud of me. I own a few pairs of 501's, some old Doc's and boat shoes, a bunch of T-shirts and golf shirts but these are for around the house and backyard BBQ's. When we go most anywhere I dress for it. Professionally I have to wear a suit but suits are also good for after work, even a jacket goes a long way in this town. My wife loves having other couples look at us and know that later the woman will ask the man why he doesn't dress up for her anymore. I'm not certain if it's a good thing or a bad thing but I know that sometime, somewhere a man will be respecting his wife a little more or he'll be "encouraged" to be more thoughtful.
So men, you have to realize that what a woman wants is whatever she doesn't currently possess except for "one thing". Women are gatherers. If they've already gathered it that item is no longer on their list. If they have someone who acts like a jerk they'll find someone who's sensitive. If they have someone who's sensitive they'll find someone who is the dark-side guy. You can be everything to her if you try, but you have to work at it. And what is the "one thing"? It's simple. They have to have and keep their faith in you. Don't fail them because they never forget it. Earn their respect and treat it like the greatest treasure because when it comes down to it, it is.
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