31 Days to Masculinity is a pretty straight forward book. Essentially it lays down a set of rules that you are to follow for the month and each day it offers a new challenge that you must complete. From what I skimmed of the first three days, these challenges will vary widely – some of them designed to take you out of your comfort zone, some really forcing you to think about yourself, what you want, and what you can do to get it. It is going to be an interesting month.

The Rules are simple:

No jerking off. No porn. Do 100 push ups each day. Start reading a book. Give real answers to people…ie don’t be a yes man, if you need to tell someone “no” tell them. And don’t cop out with “I don’t know/care.” If you have a vice, remove it. Only read one day at a time Complete the day’s challenge.

Day 1 for me was a success. I got my 100 push ups done, no fapping, I have no vices that I wish to remove, started a book, and I finished the daily challenge.

The Daily Challenge

Do 100 push ups. (done) Write down 3 short term goals and 3 long term goals that you are going to achieve. Under each goal, write down 3 actions you are going to take to ensure that you are going to achieve that goal. (done)

I thought about this for a fair bit this morning. I was trying really hard to come up with something that would open up a new spiritual side of me, that would enlighten me and open myself up to new ways of looking at things once I completed these tasks.

But no, all I could come up with is a sort of chore list for myself, stuff that I haven’t been able to get done for one reason or another.

Short Term Goals (30 days or less)

Get my project car into the garage – it’s been sitting in the backyard under a tarp for a number of years now. I did an extensive remodel of my house, adding a large three car garage and an attached workshop with the sole purpose of having a place to work on it. But I can’t really do that if it is sitting in the backyard. Air up the tires Clean out the space for it in the garage. Enlist my son to help me tow it from the backyard and into the garage. Cut up and dispose of fallen tree – We had a big storm blow through last weekend and about 70% of the city lost power due to fallen trees and limbs. While I was fortunate and only lost power for a day and a half, I did have a large limb fall in the backyard. Normally, I’d just fork out the couple of hundred dollars and have a guy come over to cut it up and dispose of it, but tree companies are backlogged a month and a half, and I don’t want to look at it for that long. Tune up my chainsaw Cut it up into manageable pieces Burn it or rent a wood chipper to dispose of it. Get my closet and drawers cleaned out – I am going to Antigua in two weeks and before my annual trip to the Caribbean, I always go through my wardrobe and get rid of worn or out of date attire and buy some new additions to it. I’ve been putting it off, but time is getting short, so it needs to get done. Identify worn or ill fitting attire and toss out or donate as applicable Make a list of my favorite clothing brands with sizes Buy new stuff to replace that which was disposed.

Long Term Goals (180 days or less)

Install new wiring harness into the project car – My son bought me a new wiring harness for the car a few Christmas’s ago, but since the dang thing has been sitting in the backyard it has yet to be put on. Get the thing into the garage (short term goal) Buy specialized tools required. Install kit. Clean and organize my workshop – Before the remodel, all my tools and what not were stored in a backyard shed. I’ve been slowly moving all my woodworking and automotive tools into my workshop off the garage, and turning the back shed in a gardening center. Install drawer liners into tool cabinet Install french cleats over workbench Fabricate tool hangers Install overhang on back shed – Despite the huge amounts of storage I have in my garden shed and workshop, somethings are best stored outside. I have a riding lawnmower, some picnic tables I use for parties, and other largish type items that are too difficult to move in out of the shed, but I’d still like to keep out of the rain. Building a porch-like overhang on the far side of the shed would facilitate this. Draw up some sketches and plans Buy Materials. Build the dang thing.