Today’s post comes from someone who has always had a fresh perspective on manliness, all doing so without a Y Chromosome!! Our guest blogger for the mid-way point of Movember is my dear friend,  Tracy Hartman. Tracy and I grew up together and I can’t tell you how many times I passed out in her basement after three Nati Lights and a Zima at her legendary parties. Tracy is currently living in the Chicagoland area and working in downtown Chicago and writes one of my favorite blogs, Today is My Favorite Day! On top of being a young working girl Tracy recently got hitched to the man of her dreams and today she is sharing with us what its like to live with a man. Hopefully the Mo Bro’s out there will be able to appreciate their counter parts a little more after Tracy is done with you!!  – matt

First of all, it is an honor to be a guest blogger, and I appreciate the opportunity. Not only have I been a fan of “No Shave November” since Matt introduced me to the concept in high school, recently I’ve had my eyes opened to a lot of men’s health issues, so I absolutely love what Team Tallsome is doing this month.

You all may be thinking, “You’re a girl, what are you doing blogging about being a manly man?” And I’m here to tell you that I’ve recently married one of the manliest men I’ve ever met, and I am learning plenty! So today, I’m here to share with you what it is like to live with a man and how to really be a man in the eyes of the ladies. Dan and I lived together for a year before we got married. If anybody wants to say that you shouldn’t live together before marriage, I say, “You’re crazy!”  It honestly took me the entire year to get used to living with a man, and I’m sure he would say the exact same thing about me.

He grew up with two brothers, moved into a house he shared with other football players, and then lived in a tiny little apartment on his own, I don’t think you can get more manly living arrangements than that. So after 26 years of living like this, manly men can be sure to be in culture shock when moving in with a lady. And from living with Dan I’ve learned a lot of what manly men do…

Manly men:  Like to take off their clothes right when they walk in the door and leave them right there.

Manly men: Complain about the number of shoes that girls have but there have been times when I’ve walked through the house and picked up 12 ball hats and 6 pairs of tennis shoes.

Manly men: When they do shave, find it perfectly normal to leave their whiskers on the sink.

Manly men: Think it is fun to not throw their beer bottles away because they want to see how they can arrange the empties.

Manly men: Can watch SportsCenter for hours on end and spend as much time arranging their fantasy football team as they do telling you about their day.

Manly men: Take out the trash after you’ve spent the entire day cleaning, cooking, and doing laundry, and think they deserve an award.

But because I love my husband, and I love our relationship I’ve learned to live with all of these things. And because I am okay with this it is the flip side of his manliness, the side of him that he rarely shows to people, that I adore the most. When you get past the surface of his manliness you really see some great things. He listens to me, he calms my craziness, he helps me open pickle jars, and enjoys watching reality television with me. He’s playful, he thinks my jokes are funny, and he likes to celebrate all the little things in life with me. He’s loyal to his family and friends, he’s a harder worker than anyone I’ve ever met (besides my Dad who is also a very manly man, and until recently, has always rocked a mustache!), and he gives me constructive criticism which I’ve learned is his way of really showing he cares.

So men, that’s what it is really about. Be a manly man on the outside, who wears his boat shoes, goes to happy hour, drinks whiskey, is as loyal to his sport’s team as he is to his family, grows facial hair, and wears a watch. But open up to the ones that you love. All manly men have a soft side and when you find the one that you love, show them. The ladies will think you are even manlier.