Many men are incapable of doing anything by half. Guys don’t say, “Hey, I’m going to take up biking to work for health and economy.” A guy doesn’t take up biking. He becomes a Biker. This means he buys a $3,000 bike, an indecent spandex suit, a high-tech hydration pack with a bracelet that monitors his blood and beeps if he’s getting dehydrated, special shoes that clip to his pedals (never understood the point of those), and a meter for his bike wheel so he knows how many miles he’s pedaled. And don’t forget the pre-vulcanized patch kit, mini-pump, and wrench set that fit into a little soft case under his gel-cushioned seat.
It doesn’t stop there. Anyone can bike to work. But a Biker bikes. Suddenly, he’s up early doing 50 miles before breakfast. He’s entering himself in bicycle centuries around the country. He brags that he once did 50 mph downhill, and that his bike only weighs 6 pounds. He subscribes to Cycling monthly where he learns to coordinate his breathing with his pedaling. And so on.
So, sometimes it’s probably better if your man sits on the couch playing Call of Duty. It’s cheaper, and at least you get to see him.
But then again, sometimes you benefit if your man goes crazy. Which is why I’m reposting this NYTimes article about men and cooking. Guys, read this: Cooking is cool. I mean, how bad can it be if our men learn to putter around the kitchen?
Well, actually… In No Cheating No Dying, the author has a husband who obsessively works his way through some slab-sized haute cuisine cookbooks. Any day she is likely to catch him dismembering a whole, freshly killed pig on the counter, so as to get truly fresh mashed brains. Slavish devotion to progress through the cookbook subsumed any concern for keeping the wife happy. The author notes that one salad she really liked didn’t reappear for another four years. He’d already done it, so why waste time doing it again?
Still, for all that, I think we net benefit when a guy begins to take the kitchen seriously, so I’m encouraging it. Just, for God’s sake, guys, keep away from the molecular gastronomy.
Bad for Shidduchim 
CYCLIST!!!! bikers wear leather, cyclists wear spandex.
besides, i’m female and was a cyclist once and own a lot of the paraphernalia you mentioned. don’t knock clipless pedals until you’ve tried them. basically, they allow you to take your mind and motor control off your foot’s position on the pedal, conserving your energy. the shoe also pulls the pedal up instead of just pushing it down. this is best done on long rides and NEVER in city traffic.
A guy who can cook is on my “would be nice” list (along with tall and has a good voice.) So far I’ve dated maybe one guy who said he can cook and enjoys it.
I can boil water!
I guess you got more than you bargained for when you asked for a guy to invite you out for a bike ride…
husband doesn’t go near the kitchen (except to take a plate or glass or microwave something), i don’t touch the garbage or the laundry. sharing the kitchen would drive me insane, and i’d rather cook and wash a million dishes than do laundry. thankfully, he feels the opposite, and we’re each sure we have the better end of the deal. and his food demands are very low- if i don’t feel like cooking, i don’t, and we eat sandwiches or pizza or frozen bourekas. i don’t think i could handle a husband who cooks.
lol.
iyhby
November 5, 2012 at 10:28 am
I can boil water!
Big deal just buy a 40 cup urn at Walmarts and fill it up with Brita filtered water… It keeps hot and doesn’t run out so fast.
Oh blast, so you’re saying I really can’t do anything? Pity.
Nah, there’s hope for you. The first time I tried I couldn’t boil water. And now I can. So you’re already starting ahead of the game. I recommend you experiment by putting things into the water while it’s boiling, like eggs or pasta or rice.
Oh, I don’t know, that’s a big step. Anyway, I’m in depression and feeling sick with the election results so I don’t think I’m capable of doing much anything, at least for today.
You could cook your own comfort food. Mac n’ cheese.
Or spinach lasagna, I can never say no to that!
I think I’m just gonna catch up on Once Upon a Time, I haven’t seen this season yet.