February, a small month with big plans

A glance at the calendar shows February has lots going on. We’ve just crossed Valentine’s Day. Monday is President’s Day. This month is also home to Groundhog Day, The Superbowl ( almost like a holiday and quickly becoming a destination date regardless of your rooting interests.) Still to come are Mardis Gras ( donut day in our region ), Ash Wednesday and let’s not forget that next week has been designated as National Pancake week. Don’t ask me who designates these things but they’re all official as far as I can discern.

A glance at a promotional calendar I keep at my desk lists these highlights for February along with several other designations to look out for the month, most of which are either silly or just simply stupid. One day that jumped out at me on the calendar was ‘Man Day’. Apparently last Sunday ‘Man Day’ was listed as something to take note. ‘Man Day’, I extensively searched on the typical search engines to find out more and came up with nothing. ‘Man Day’ could mean anything. Maybe its founders wanted us to think of mankind, benevolence, generosity. In other words think of being kind to your fellow ‘man’ this day. Well, I guess we can all take a liberty and think of ‘man day’ any way we’d like to since I can’t find anything online or otherwise that would spell out what exactly ‘man day’ is.

February is a short month, one more week and we March on. (pardon the pun). Placing ‘Man day’ in this month was an interesting thought. I’d make it closer to better weather. Being a man, I think of man day the way a lot of guys would. A day to indulge all things masculine. Surprisingly, I thought that would have been on Superbowl Sunday, which was two Sundays ago, but the calendar says that it was this past, the 11th. If I were to design ‘Man Day’ I’d have some big plans. Ladies, you’ll probably cry foul saying we already get ‘our day’ on Father’s Day or certainly Superbowl Sunday. The problem with dad’s day is that not all men are dads. Also, let’s be candid and stop kidding ourselves. Dad’s get the short shrift on Father’s Day compared to Mom’s Day. Mom should have a big day and deserves to be revered and catered too. I have no beef with that, it’s as it should be. But as my dad once quipped, ‘The old man is lucky to get a few extra minutes of sleep and usually a tie, or soap-on-a-rope.’ Why does everyone think us dads want that?

Superbowl Sunday isn’t just reserved for men either, families, friends and basically every age and gender convenes to eat, drink and watch the annual spectacle. No, if I had it in my power to design ‘man day’ I’d set it up right. The day would start with a power house breakfast of Steak and Eggs, maybe some other fat laden breakfast meat, pancakes, strong coffee and the latest edition of The Free Press for inspection. Then, weather permitting we’d have our ‘man’ golf tourney. Reserve Fox Hollow or Locust Valley for the day and beat the golf ball for a few hours. Of course fine cigars, refreshments and men with young sons would have them caddy. Give the boys something to look forward to when they become eligible for ‘man’ day. At the ninth hole there would be a delicious buffet to enjoy while someone cleans your clubs then onto the back 9. After the ‘man’ golf tourney we’d head by motor coach to A.C. for a show, gambling or both. Dinner would start the evening, at one of those fancy restaurants that serve steaks the size of your head and desserts that come with instructions to the nearest heart center before partaking. ‘Man Day’ would conclude with a leisurely stroll to walk off the evening meal and a fine cigar. Now that would be a man day to remember.

As a man if I indulge this thought I’m living in an imaginary world. At this stage of my life being a ‘man’ means being a ‘dad’ first. So instead of golf tourneys I do karate tourneys. Instead of casinos and steakhouses, I do scout meetings and soon baseball practices. The golf tourney and lavish steaks have to wait for this man. But beware, if I catch a patch of time to enjoy my own self proclaimed ‘man day’, I’m jumping on it. Finding the right day, enough money (golf and steaks aren’t cheap) and the right weather are about as likely for me as hitting the power-ball. I have started to show my sons a glimpse of my version of what I think ‘man day’ ought to be. Last year we all went golfing ( the boys rode in the cart and handed me my clubs ) I had a ball and proceeded to have my typical lousy game on the links at Fox Hollow but me and the ‘guys’ had fun. For dinner we grilled steaks then ‘gambled’ by playing monopoly to close out the day. Am I hoping my boys treat dad to a ‘man’s day’ kind of day once they get a bit older? What do you think?

Enjoy the rest of winter and use the rest of February to create the day of your dreams. Even if you can’t make it happen it’s a nice thought on a cold winter’s day. Dreaming of the perfect version of ‘Man day’ see ya round town.