Are You Strong Enough To Be My Man?*

*taken from the lyrics of Strong Enough by Sheryl Crow which I very heart fully would sing along with my mother while driving to Kroger when I was 12....and the words still apply today:)

Thank goodness for very attractive and assertive male actors. And for very talented and funny and endearing male writers. And for living proof, award winning husbands! You guys saved my life and brought me back to reality. Amanda almost made a BIG boo-boo. Word to the wise, boredom is like peyote to me: when it is in my system.....bad things happen. Now. we are not talking anything at a Hunter S. Thompson level. But I do act and think and probably look (emphasis on "probably" look, as it is mucho difficult for me to look anything less than exceptional!) very, very stupid. However, thanks to some real gentleman that have come on my radar I have been smacked into reality with a big sign that reads "Amanda, hold out for a REAL man, because believe it or not, they are still out there!" So I will no longer keep myself occupied with two bit losers who are the equivalent of white bread, and who cause more frustration in my life than anything else. Well, to you I say, "Good day, sir!" Be on your way. Keep walking, ain't need none of your kind around here.

Now because I am such a good friend, I will give you some of the things that helped me. First, enter Paul Newman. HELLOOOOO Paul Newman. What a man, what a man, what a mighty, mighty good man! Those piercing blue eyes and the air of confidence he has is crazy! His character Ben, in The Long, Hot Summer would have had me in love by the end of June! He knew he wanted Clara, and he was gonna have her. That's it! No ifs, ands, or buts about it! And talking about men, how about Robert Redford? Can I can a get a Hubble. He comes to her rescue, even when he doesn't have to. And he is not afraid to ruffle her feathers or to become genuinely irritated with her. And we can't even talk about men without bringing up the man of the hour: Ryan Gosling. He is a bona fided man! He has a legit personality, and it is consuming. Let's not even talk about how charming and handsome this man is (that is a whole post all on it's own.) But Lars gives the tiniest expression of caring and I go all weak in the knees!

I'm going to just put this out there: i love you Shane Nickerson! With each and every word that I read that you wrote makes my conviction to not get all wrapped up in a half man child that is seriously lacking in substance, that much stronger. Your Post about your kids are so sweet. You can tell that these little things are streaming out of you as if your heart melted, which mine does by the way, EVERY time!

And a big shout out to all the real life husbands that I know that are living like real men everyday! Kicking butt, getting things done. Still being able to maintain a sense of humor, quirky personalities, and handling your 'bidnas appropriately. (You've all scored some pretty amazing woman I might add as well. So kudos for that!) So, again, as a song somewhere, by someone once stated "I'm holding out for a hero!" Well, alright, maybe I should not be that diligent to not comply unless you wear stretchy pants, have a cape, and look totally different having glasses on, and can come to by rescue and whisk me away to the top of the Empire State Building.......but on the issue of being a manly man, and knowing what you want and knowing how to get it, and helping me get things down from the top shelf, or coming to my rescue with car trouble, or calming me down when I get all hyped up and crazy, and not being afraid to stand up to me, but still being gentle, on these things I WILL NOT budge! And I don't completely hate the idea of a cape......

In closing, thanks to all the real men out there that have proved to me not to settle. Thanks for doing you. And DOUBLE thanks for looking so good while you do it! Check you out! Go on with your bad self!

Love, Amanda Marie Kula (a REAL woman:))