girl power...There are a few women on this board!

I must admit that the entertainment factor keeps me coming back. Pete - how's the pain? Been running this week?

Monty,

thanks for asking. I gave a full report on the "weekend long run" thread yesterday, but to sum up, I've been pain free for a week and a half, but taking it easy to maximize recovery. Got out two days ago for 2 miles on the treadmill, then a hard 8 2/3 yesterday. Still no pain, but I'll do cross training today, and maybe one 10-12 miler on the weekend. Also got some good advice from a sports physio yesterday - I'll be trying a gel insert to correct a significant leg length discrepancy.

(I guess I didn't "sum up" very concisely)

Scotth,

There are exceptions to my rule, but generally speaking, I stick to my rule. Pretty much though, a single man who works just to support himself and enjoy his life and doesn't really give anything back to the community or anyone else in any way isn't really a man. It takes a rare single man to be qualified as a man in my book.

So flagpole, is Jason Mayeroff a real man? (kidding)

Actually I think Flagpole IS Jason Mayeroff.

:0/,

I never said there was no place for single men on this earth. In fact, I think there should be more single men, because WAY more men should not have had children as they are not qualified to be fathers.

Also, I don't fault men who decide to remain single and/or childless. I applaud them for recognizing either that they aren't qualified for married life or for fatherhood or that they've simply decided they don't want marriage or fatherhood. The implies that they have thought about it and made a prudent decision. Doesn't make them men though, and of course bad fathers aren't men either.

Ouch!

Pete, you gotta drop this 8 2/3 stuff. It's too, too, um, precise. Heck, that doesn't even equal anything in Canadian measurement terms (metric). Round up or down. I'm a 'round down' guy.

:0/,

Oops, I missed part of your message that I didn't respond to.

NO, YOU DON'T HAVE TO REPRODUCE TO BE A MAN!!

You do though have to be a father - you can adopt to accomplish this, and in many ways the men that adopt are more manly than other men.

Not being a woman, I can't comment on what is necessary to become a woman, but I can comment on what it takes to be a man, and being a father is a requirement (pretty much except for some exceptions).

dude,

Well, by my definition, no Jason is not a man, but neither would WEJO be.

I can still (and do) respect males who aren't men, so no slam is intended on anyone who isn't a father, it's just that unless you are a father, you don't know what it is like to be a man and therefore aren't one.

Monty wrote:

Actually I think Flagpole IS Jason Mayeroff.

Monty,

Surely you jest!

I am so confused. Can a woman be a man? You know if she has a couple of kids and contributes to the community?

Can I be a man? Maybe not. I only have one child, and of course those two annoying breasts. But some men have breasts.

I am confused.

16x,

you can most assuredly be a man. There is a cost, and maybe some pain and hormone therapy, but we have the technology.

and I am a 16x

I've been wondering, what is a 16x?

never tell, never, never, never

Being a "real man" is okay but equally important, something everyone should be aware of, are the requirements for being a real, to use a trendy term, "player"...

Real players do the following:

1) Are single, plan remain single, love many women sometimes several within the same week

2) Love themselves, consider children some sort of cruel and unusual side effect or risk to the player lifestyle

3) Provide for their skanks as far as some jewelry here and there to keep them happy

4) Stick to an entirely self-serving lifestyle. Anything without selfish intentions is certainly forbidden... and may disqualify one from player status.

There are more things real players do but these are the main requirements.

Nothing's for certain in this virtual world, Flagpole.

16x,

I can not define for you what it takes for a girl to become a woman since I am not a woman, but I can say that no, a woman cannot be a man, even with the surgery that Pete describes.

If a woman had surgery to turn herself into a man and then she walked into the public restroom where I was, I would not have a problem with that, but I would not think of that person as a man either. I probably would not think of that person as a woman either though but rather a "former woman". Sometimes you have to appease the crazies and the afflicted just so that their lives aren't anymore hellish than they already are - that is called grace - that is what Jesus taught us.

Oh yes, the men with breasts need to either put the twinkies down or the barbells down.

16x wrote:

Can I be a man? Maybe not. I only have one child, and of course those two annoying breasts. But some men have breasts.

Phil Mickelson comes to mind. But he seems to be a good husband and father. Do those boobies make him less of a man???