Best Stuff for Men

Hey, thanks for visiting my piece of Internet real estate.  You might be wondering:  who is this guy who is trying to help me find the best stuff?

When it comes to describing myself, I suppose, like every man, I’d like to preserve some mystery, so I’ll say that sometimes I inhabit the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and sometimes the Pacific coast of California — a nice multi-ecosystem existence.  Skills-wise (in addition to writing and researching), I can’t do all the things Lazarus Long (Robert Heinlein’s character) suggests that a competent man should be able to do (can handle about 66%), but I can speak in public, run a marathon, solve a mate-in-three, write a nice thank-you note, use “it’s” correctly, change a tire, train a dog. 

Some would say I’m a baby boomer but I don’t identify with generational labels.  So far I’ve had one ex-wife, one motorcycle, one cavity, five dogs, more than five speeding tickets, two college degrees, two parents who are still married, about 26 different jobs, and have written one unpublished book that’s probably too freakin’ long to ever get published.  Street philosopher.  Semi-intellectual.  One of those jack-of-all-trades types — not an expert at anything (except perhaps making trouble within organizations) but pretty good at a number of things.  I’ve worked in construction, sold cars (BMW), worked in a bong factory (they hired me for my basketball skills), managed a software test lab, had my own service business, my own firewood business, been a proofreader, and played French horn professionally, among other things.  Working in industry, the service sector, the government, and for myself have taught me that the latter is best.  (If you want to, always go out on your own.)  Still, with respect to my personal economy, I’m a work in progress.  As many of us tend to be these days.

Education-wise, after undergrad courses exploring engineering, photography, landscape architecture, theater, business, and economics, I finally settled on Environmental Studies, which is vague enough, when you think about it, and interesting enough — or vaguely interesting enough — for a generalist to enjoy.  Got a BA in that discipline from one of the more iconoclastic schools around — the University of California at Santa Cruz.  Later, during a multi-year phase of political adventuring, I added a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Colorado, Denver.

But it turns out I don’t fit especially comfortably in a government niche.  I was fired as an auditor.  Which was fine.

Sentimental movies and Visa Olympics commercials can make me choke up.  Samurai movies and Eric Van Lustbader novels inspire a desire for katanas (I’ve tried 3 martial arts so far).  I’m currently taking flying lessons and learning to play the electric guitar (can already play drums).  Some of the guys I admire are Theodore Sturgeon, John Wooden, and Nelson Rangell.  I think Forrest Griffin is pretty cool.  I think Eddie Rickenbacker was pretty cool.  Richard Feynman and Hugh Hefner are two guys who epitomize living on your own terms.  I think both the Dalai Lama and Oscar Wilde have had some good ideas.  There are many others.

They say it’s good to be able to do whatever it takes, and I agree, as long as ”whatever” is enjoyable somehow.  I think life is beautiful, puzzling, and an interesting idea.

As you might gather from the above, I am an obsessive consumer, producer, and sharer of ideas and information.  This world has enough subjects and activities for 20 lifetimes of enthusiasm.  One way that bounty of stuff calls to me is through technological magic.  Some technology is fun.  Some is useful.  Some is both fun and useful (the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Garmin Oregon 550t come to mind).  I like things.  I like playing with them, testing them, thinking about their possibilities.

I am a passionate explorer both outwardly and inwardly.  Learning new things, creativity, looking over the edge.  And I relish communicating.  That’s why I’m a blogger.  Researching, thinking about, and writing about stuff and ideas of interest to men is one way to combine these enthusiasms.

If we met, could we become friends?  Why not?

In the meantime, I hope you find some useful info here.

If you like, please leave a comment about yourself and what you enjoy.

Eric C. Johnson

Administrator / Best Stuff for Men

Contact:  admin@beststuffformen.com

 

 

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Out and about in the snowy snow, Rocky Mountains, CO

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