Tag: Men
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It’s Okay To Man-Hug
Photo by Thiago Barletta on Unsplash We caught up with some friends at the weekend and when the husband and the old man did that awkward shuffle as they greeted each other, our male friend launched into the story of how he had tried to hug his elderly father once, who froze and brushed it…
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It’s OK To Be White AND A Man, Just Don’t Abuse The Privilege
Photo by Nick Fewings on Unsplash Evidently, certain people have a chip on their shoulder about the terrible onus of having white skin. I agree that it is terrible to be discriminated and victimized for your race and gender, and Pauline Hanson’s motion in the Senate last week reminded me of the backlash that has risen amongst…
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Why Are Men So Obsessed With Sport?
Photo by Morgan David de Lossy on Unsplash The old man is that breed of men that needs to hit a ball at least once a day. He delights in telling anyone who can listen to him (without falling asleep) about his childhood spent in the family garage, throwing ball after ball against its back wall. And while…
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My Husband Seems To Have Forgotten This Year That Valentine’s Day Is A Competition
I choose not to remind the old man about special events during the year, such as our anniversary, my birthday and Valentine’s Day because it makes our relationship so much more interesting. I know that many people frown upon the commerciality of Valentine’s Day, but personally, I have always lapped up the opportunity to receive the…
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Taking The Middle-Aged Man On Holiday
Mini breaks are what you do in middle age when the kids get too cool to come away with you (and you can’t afford to take them, anyway), and the idea of a long holiday with your other half is too daunting. They should be long enough to give you a break from the pressures…
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Suicide, And Making Men Understand That They Don’t Have To Be Heroes
It seems a million shades of wrong to be preparing for Christmas drinks when a week or so ago another family lost their son, in his early twenties, to suicide. I cannot imagine their ongoing suffering as I worry about whether we’ll run out of wine or if I’ll poison everyone with my Thai chicken…
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I’m Learning About ‘Privilege’
‘Privilege’ is a word that crops up increasingly in conversation at the moment – as it should – to make every one of us question our attitudes towards different races and genders. As a middle-aged woman with some free time now that the kids are older, I have noticed a reignited hunger and enthusiasm for…
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Pippa Middleton Doesn’t Need A Man To Define Her
I’m so relieved that Pippa Middleton finally found a gorgeous, generous man who took pity on her, pulled her off the shelf and played with her like some old raggedy doll from Play School. She has finally been defined as a person. And she’s in her thirties, after all, so phew! how lucky was she…
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The Secret To Long Relationships
I was bemoaning the fact that breakfast is my most disappointing meal of the day with the old man the other day, and he responded with ‘that’s because it’s the only meal you can’t justify having wine with.’ ‘True dat,’ as our son Kurt would say. Equally, our marriage might be more pleasurable if I…
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The Male Short Term Memory Issue: A Valid Reason To Nag
You’ll be aware by now that I’m a fervent believer in gender equality and the old man and I have heated discussions on the subject most weeks over a bottle or three of wine. And the one area in our discussions where he really gets to me is when he argues that because women don’t…
Louisa Simmonds 