Skills every man should know.

My good friend Mr. Mitchell, editor and "international blog star" of the internationally acclaimed Life and Times Blog, were talking the other day and decided that there are certain rites of passage that every Red Blooded American Male should undertake. Less a rite of passage and more a checklist for the approved; a stamp of approval. A list of skills that every man should have. I've reviewed lists such as those posted at Popular Mechanics and other blogging websites for opinions and input to my list. Not research, but 'mansearch'. 'Mansearch' to find those among me worthy to be called Man.



'So where is the checklist?' one might ask... well look no further. Following is my list of skills that all men should be able to accomplish. If you are unworthy of calling yourself a man, then stop your crying and get to work. If you can say that you meet the standards then congratulations, you can be proud to call yourself a Man. You have the right and Stamp of approval in my book and also have my authority to create your very own stamp of approval to proudly display in your sweat shop, mess hall, office space, man cave, or other area approved by you since you can proudly proclaim your manhood.

1. Build a fire from scratch


2. Change the oil in your car


3. Swim


4. Cook something you killed (road kill doesn't count)


5. Field dress a deer


6. Tie a tie


7. Bleed brakes


8. Hook up an HDTV and included surround sound


9. Program the Microwave


10. Climb a tree


11. Pull out your own splinters


12. Pray


13. Mix concrete by hand


14. Use a Chain Saw (This includes attaching the chain)


15. Build a shelter in the woods without tools (I'll allow a pocket knife for this one, but you need to learn how to do without)


16. Clean a bolt-action rifle


17. Edit a digital image


18. Sharpen a knife


19. Back up a vehicle with a trailer attached


20. Fix a bike flat


21. Shoot a gun


22. Back up a vehicle using only mirrors


23. Frame a wall with windows and doors


24. Fix an electrical outlet


25. Fillet a fish that you caught


26. Setup a wireless network


27. Use a torque wrench


28. Use 4WD (including rocking to get unstuck)


29. Cut a tree to fall where you want it to fall


30. Put up a tent


31. Change a diaper


32. Balance the check book


33. Chop firewood with an ax


34. Throw, catch, and hit a baseball


35. Not really a skill, but all men should know the rules to football


36. Train a dog


37. Drive in snow and ice


38. Grill (with charcoal or open fire)


39. Load a muzzleloader


40. Properly execute a power clean


41. Fight


42. Check tire pressure


43. Make love


44. Reload a bullet (knowing the process qualifies)


45. Use air tools


46. Secure a computer... Using guns for this only counts if the computer is not on a network


47. The right way to tighten lug nuts


48. Pluck a turkey


49. Paddle a canoe


50. Read a compass


51. Tie a worthy knot


52. Fix a leaky pipe


53. Use Standard and Metric


54. Shoot a bow and arrow


55. Bait a hook


56. Cook


57. Use ALL of the remote controls


58. Drive a stick-shift


59. Hook up a trailer


60. Fix a flat tire


61. Use a hi-lift jack


62. Use a sling shot


63. Use bolt cutters to open a lock


64. Hang a door


65. Find a stud in a wall


66. Shingle a roof

To give all of you qualified men something to further qualify your skills as a man by, keep checking back for my future postings including "Things every man should do before he dies" and "Skills every elite man should know"

Feel free to post your opinions here as well for consideration for inclusion into the list.