Being attacked by killer squirrels? There's a blog for that

My dad died before he could see how much the internet has changed our lives.  Had he lived, however, I’m pretty sure he would’ve felt grateful for his lack of options, particularly when it came to the amount and nature of information out there on how to be a Better Man.   There are an infinite number of sites out there, designed to help men live better lives. Having spent many months cruising them during my self-improvement odyssey, I can assure you most of them are bullshit.

However, after wading through the sluices of interweb, I have found a few I keep returning to, probably because they resonate with me – they speak to my sensibilities, and tastes.  I suppose it’s up to every man to find their own, but if you’re like me and you’re looking for some guideposts as to how to be a Better Man, I’ve found I can’t do much better than the following:

Art of Manliness. Perhaps the single best place to go if you’re looking to be more manly, in the truest old-school sense of the word.  AoM has articles on just about every masculine topic imaginable, with tips on everything from cultivating integrity to waxing your mustache to the best way to propose to a woman in snowstorm while making a livable shelter from loose bark and a paper clip.   Admittedly, the prose is a tad earnest, and some of the views expressed may seem somewhat puritan and quaint -  but for AoM founders Brett and Kate McKay, that’s kind of the point.  Brett refers to himself as a “retrosexual” – someone who culls man’s history for his best virtues and finds ways to apply them in post-modern life.  Unlike other men’s sites, AoM isn’t guided by commerce or moral relativism.   AoM is about men choosing to live by a code, no matter how hard that might be.

Valet. Just as the name implies, this site exists to serve.  In this instance, the service is to help guys live as well as they can on the meagre means available to him.  That means no articles or photo spreads featuring products you have no hope of ever affording.  Think of Valet as a practical guide to living the good life on a budget.  Especially good is the daily Edit, a cull of various manly subjects from other sites – basically, it finds the gems lying in the vast steaming turd pile that is the Internet, so you don’t have to waste time getting your hands dirty.  A bit lean on substance, but still smart and definitely stylish.

The Selvedge Yard.  Just as Art of Manliness tries to reverse-engineer the idea of true manliness, TSY founder Jon Patrick does the same thing with style.  Other sites can barf out trends – JP is an historian of good taste.  Through a combination of great photos and simple prose, The Selvedge Yard goes back to the source code, singling out people and events that helped define modern tastes.  The Selvedge Yard shows how true style is about more than what’s on your back.

Bike Exif. This is a motorcycle site, but it’s for more than just gearheads – I think any man who appreciates creativity (but has yet to embrace opera of ballet) will dig it.  The site culls pictures of the most interesting, beautiful bikes in the world.  I wait for each new bike pic like I wait for Christmas.

Popular Mechanics. If you can’t be handsome, be handy – and if you’re neither, then go to Pop Mec’s website.   It won’t turn you into Mike Holmes, but with clever instruction PM can show you how to take on projects around the house, and do them well enough that women won’t look upon you with pity or scorn.

Mr. Bunndini. A haiku-writing dog.  What can I say? I like haiku, and the dog is a friend.