Country boy attire part 2: Jacket

An essential part of being a country boy is being able to weather the elements. I have personally been in some really nasty weather and have tried to get some work done even when it seemed impossible! The important part of all of this is having the right attire, and for the elements the most important thing is a jacket.

There are many kinds of jackets for many occasions. I recently went into a sporting goods store and Carhartt has launched a soft shell work jacket to compete with the soft shell outfitters of the world. For me I need 4 kinds of jackets. The first is my Carhartt, big and thick, this thing can stop a bullet. It's not the warmest but in its defense it was made to layer. The arms are usually polyester on the inside making it easy to slide a hoodie through it or another jacket. A work jacket or coat is essential especially on those cold days when you have work outside and you can't worry about it getting snagged on something and shredding.

The next one I need is a fleece. I use a North Face fleece with elbow pads as a base layer or if it isn't too cold I just wear it. A good soft shell would be nice in this situation too. These are especially nice because many are waterproof and windproof and also don't rip easy. They are quiet and flexible which are an essential for hunting or working outside. One way to test the jacket is to do the blow through test. Put it up to your lips and blow hard, if your breath goes through it it's not weatherproof but if it is woven tightly it won't allow your breath to go through and you know you have a good jacket. As I mentioned before, Carhartt makes one now that can be really useful but North Face, Mountain Hardware or any other major outdoor brands usually has them, including Target, their G9 line sells a pretty good one for cheap.

The third kind of jacket I use is a pea coat. I use it for nicer occasions, traveling, church etc... these are coming down in price and www.target.com has them for fairly cheap right now. Also check Old Navy.

The last is your go to, your hoodie, or quick jacket, something that you don't care if it gets dirty but you have it and it's been reliable. You mentally have to have one of these if you are a country boy, it's old faithful and you can wear it with anything. I sometimes wear a hoodie and my levi jacket. My wife almost throws up every time, but it's old faithful for me.

I think it's important to be prepared for almost every situation, not mentioned here are my ski jackets and my hunting clothes... also a must, but if you don't ski, don't worry about it and also hunting... sometimes a nice camo shell works just fin.

Staying warm is essential to being a country, you have to be able to do work and stay warm doing it.

Country boy jobs

I'm currently in the middle of talking to about four different industries about jobs. Investment banking, ad agency, financial services, and event planning. Through all of this I actually sat back and thought, "where do country boys work?" I've been thinking long and hard about this one, I'm not exactly sure where every country boy is but through a lot of time thinking and a rough survey I've come to a few conclusions, here they are in no particular order:

- Country boy jobs have to offer some sort of mobility and freedom. This stems from our roots of doing things with our hands and getting out and getting dirty. Even if you are in a career, if you're a country boy you really want to have some sort of mobility, maybe it's as little as from one floor to the next, or as much as one country to another, in the end, there has to be some physical mobility.

- The job has to have a result in the end. When were young we built stuff, we saw stuff constructed and had something to see as a result. Forts, pens, fences, barns etc... if we just check in everyday, turn the computer on and bang our heads against the wall just to be a cog in the wheel... we'll go nuts. That being said, there has to be a goal to work towards and something to see in the end.

- We have to be able to laugh at things. It's hard when you are in an environment that is so stinking rigid that you can't even throw out a redneck joke sometimes. I am pretty educated (I have an MBA) but that doesn't mean I'm pretty smart and sometimes I like to digress a little and talk about simple things and laugh with friends. If we are in an environment where we cannot do that... we'll go nuts.

- The job has to be in line with our values and understanding. I'll be honest, I'm sure there are country boy software engineers out there, you guys probably have this level met for you but for me, I have to understand it. I enjoy working with the Energy sector (read: oil) because it makes sense to me and I grew up around it. I believe in drilling and I understand it. If I'm going to be working with flux capacitors, probably not going to cut it for me.

- Last but not least, we as country boys have to be able to maintain our identities. Yep, we can't be forced to leave that behind. I don't care if you work on Wall Street, you are who you are and they cannot take your boots away from you. It is a sad day when you are forced to quit being you... don't do it, fight the power and stay true to your roots! (Read this wives... never try to change a country boy, you'll only get an angry man who will resent you for it.)

I think most of us country boys would agree, we would all love to have a farm or be working in the oil field somewhere but the reality is that it might be in our deck of cards right now... if we stay true to our country boy roots we'll get there.
Ultimately we are all bless with different God given talents, we have to utilize those and parlay those into a career, it can be any sort of career but whatever role you take within that industry, make sure you have the four things involved in your job.

I still don't have a truck so you have to do what you have to do. I am so country/redneck.

Snow = Ski season

I have respect for the snow, I like it and hate it. This morning we woke up to about 2" of snow. I am really looking forward to the ski season. I really cannot think of anything that compares with skiing. It is the closest thing to flying in a controlled manner or better yet there is nothing like it because of how close you are to the ground and how much you rely on yourself. I went down an escalator the other day and I rounded the corner and started going down it... I had flashbacks to skiing, it was amazing, for a split second I felt the same way I do when I drop in a bowl at the top of the mountains. Skiing is a great way to get out and enjoy the outdoors.

I really believe that skiing is a great Country Boy activity. Think about it, in skiing you are out there relying on yourself. As a country boy you rely on yourself all the time. In skiing you have to improvise and make things work, same as a country boy, think about fixing a fence or your truck. When skiing you have to have a good sense of direction, especially when in the back country... is that much different than being in the country on a hunt? Then the physical side of it, you summon energy you didn't know you had while skiing, you have to make it down the hill, you want to take one more run. In the country, you have to get the hay hauled, chores done, go to work... and when you're done with both of them you walk away with a high from accomplishment. That's the real reward.

The Bird Hunt

Upland game hunting has to be one of my all time favorite things to do. It is so unique and offers a ton of excitement. I went pheasant hunting on Friday with my brother and a family friend. We had a miserable morning but finished off our day by filling our 10 birds. The part of the hunt that is so much fun is the fact that you get to shoot a ton and every time a bird comes up you get that rush. Don't get me wrong, big game hunting is a blast but it is a different game. There is the hike, the find, the stalk, the shot, usually only one shot and you have to make it count. It is a bigger adrenaline rush but over the course of 10-15 birds coming up, upland game hunting probably wins out.

We started out in the morning with a terrible day. We were in an area that was very swampy and when the one of the dog's collars was turned off he flushed 7/10 birds were supposed to shoot. It was such a long walk from one end to the other and took us forever to get through the swamp that by the time we got to the other side to hunt the birds that had flown away we were pooped and the birds had ran. We went to the lodge and had a nice lunch and rested up for a bit. A couple of family friends showed up with their dogs and all of the sudden we had 5 dogs hunting in a new area. It was a blast and there was lead in the air. At the end of the day we shot 12, found 10 and just had a blast. It truly was a Country Boy day.

Country boy attire part 1: Jeans

I like any good country boy enjoy a good pair of jeans. I have worn many different brands of jeans and I finally have come to some conclusions about what types of jeans and what attributes of jeans I like the best.

The first thing that I like in my jeans in flexibility. I honestly can say that I've done almost everything in my jeans. I've played basketball, hauled hay, gone to a play, and run around with my dog (and pretty much everything else in between). I like a jean that has the flexibilty or room to allow for you to move your leg up to the 90 degree angle... think Captain Morgan. I also like a jean that allows you sit down without your crack hanging out. It's tough to find a jean that allows that that isn't absolutely huge!

Second I like dark jeans... light colored jeans just don't do it for me. They show every speck of dirt, they cannot be used to dress up a situation and they just look ratty (I do have a pair of work jeans that are light, so I'd be a hippocrite if I didn't say that they server a purpose)

Third, belt loops. I know I know, it sounds weird but not enough and you end up with the belt around your love handles and the belt is bent in weird positions. The other part of it is you do get a better fit and the jeans stay up better. (It's physics)

Fourth, Straight leg is about as big as you need to go. There are boot cut, flair, wide leg etc... but straight leg really is about as big as you need to go. You don't want your jeans to completely cover your boots. You look weird and honestly, your pants get filthy. Too tight... well, that's another story, I don't like 'em, I value my posteriety but I know there are plenty of cowboys who do. I just don't like the whole JNCO look of the late 90's especially with boots.

Fifth, the crotch cannot be too low! This ties into the flexibility thing. I've literally had chafe because my crotch was too low in a pair of jeans and it rubbed my thighs weird... talk about a dark day in my jean wearing career. The higher the crotch the better. It's easier for movement and it looks a ton better.

Brands... without wasting too much time. The expensive jeans really do offer a great fit. I've only tried them on because they cost too much for me. Levi's non signature jeans have treated me well. 501's are a classic. Wranglers have been good to me too. Recently they have had some more stylish jeans without sacrificing the durability. I have a pair of Guess Jeans (that's right, that's the name and they are still around) that have a good fit. They lack in the boot cut and belt loop area but they do fit really well. There are others... Dickies, Rustler, Lee's. Probably are just fine. I am more focused on the aspects of the jeans that I mentioned before. Look for those and it really doesn't matter which brand you choose.

Dodge Ram 2500 Big Horn Edition

I never thought I'd be such a Dodge fan. I've always said that I'm a GM man through and through but these past two weeks I've had my dad's Dodge truck and I am very impressed. It has the 5.7 litre Hemi which produces more than enough power to tow anything I need. I've towed camp trailers and boats and it tugs them around without a problem. If I were hauling someithing everyday I'd go with the Cummins diesel, but for starting it up and driving it without any warming up it's the perfect truck. I don't really need a 3/4 ton truck. I don't even own a trailer to tow but if I were to get one I would definitely consider the Dodge. My dad's truck is an '07.

The Hemi has 383 horse power and 400 lb/sq ft. of torque. They call it a legendary engine, and it's easy to see why. The Chevy Silverado boasts 397 horse power but the cost difference is incredible... it literally costs $7-10K more for the Chevy. Ford comes in with a beefy 6.2 litre putting out 385 horse power. All are within spitting distance from each other so it comes down to looks, ride, towing capacity and price. Dodge comes in a lot cheaper and the look is very distinctive. I have been very pleased so far and plan on testing it more.

Why not a Dodge?

Fall mornings

This morning my wife and I got up and took in the beauty of fall, it was gorgeous. We were the only ones on the trail. There is something about getting up to a crisp morning that makes me want to get things done. The cool weather alone makes me want to be outside working. I the best thing about the fall weather is the beauty. I love it when the leaves change and there is a clean feeling in the air. I have to admit it's a great time of the year for sports too, there is October baseball, the World Series is right around the corner, football season is in full effect and basketball is getting ready to go. And for all you norther country boys... hockey is getting ready to drop the puck too.

There is a feeling of moving on with fall, it's a new time of year and a new season. I look forward to enjoying the duck hunt, pheasant hunt and outdoors as much as possible in the cool weather. Here is to fall mornings and enjoying them the country boy way.

Moving, the love hate.

So my wife and I recently moved. We didn't make it to the country but we are slowly creeping back there. One days soon I hope. Anyway, one thing I really love is a change of scenery. I love moving to a new place and taking it in. It's a blast to see and feel new things. I like checking out the local places to eat and it's fun to see how each neighborhood has a different feel to it. But with that being said, there is a dark side to that. Visiting and living and two completely different things. Moving takes so much work you wonder why you even move! We moved over the course of a week. We took our time but it's dragging out even more. I think for me it's all about junk. I hate moving junk. We collect junk along the way but when it comes time to move it it just seems easier to just throw it away. I seriously look at everything I have and all of the crap I've accumulated over the years and it's unbelievable. I'm whittling away at it slowly and have a ways to go still.

I say this because it is a love hate thing. I love moving, seeing the new places and doing the new things, I hate the work that's involved with it. As a country boy I'm used to just making due with what I have. We don't generally have a lot of stuff and a transient lifestyle would be easy. We do tend to settle down in small towns or places we want to call home. How much easier is life when you have a few things that actually mean something to you than a whole bunch of junk? I've learned alot about myself through this move and how I want to be. I want to get rid of the garbage. I want to be able to load up my truck with my few precious items, things that have real importance to me and be able to take off.

Some people say if you have the space fill it. I say if you have the space enjoy it. The less you fill it the happier you will be. You won't spend as much money and you'll have less options which equals less decisions which equals happiness. I'm telling you, moving can tell you alot about yourself. Learn who you are and peel away the crap in your life.

Country nutrition

I got into a discussion with my mother in law the other day about nutrition. First of all I am a firm believer that if you take care of your body it will take care of you. I believe in exercise, good food, and good rest. Every good country boy knows this especially when daily life calls for your best. The question is what's good nutrition? My mother in law has been on this kick of drinking green shakes. She blends kale with fruits and other ingredients... she's kind of a hippie in a way. We got into the organic discussion and she said that she didn't want to take anything into her body that wasn't natural. The pesticides and fertilizers naturally came up a and I made an argument that there is no scientific evidence that the supplements do anything harmful to the plants and crops... she was adamant that I was wrong. I told her it comes down to surviving. She would do the same thing to get a higher yield for her crop if she were the one growing it.

Regardless of that I took a look at my life and what I eat. I think the biggest point that we all need to consider is moderation. You can eat basically whatever you want, just know that the little morsel of chocolate has as many calories as two apples. It comes down to what you are willing to trade. I know that when I'm working hard I need food that has more calories. I really do need the energy. Most country boys burn a lot of calories. This is not an excuse to overeat, but being country boys, we do enjoy some good food. A nice biscuit, some tasty bbq, there is a place for it all. That's the beauty of being a country boy, we have a pallet for good food, we know how to eat it and we also know how to burn it off.

So here's to country boy nutrition. It's important to treat our bodies well, but sometimes it's nice to just let go and get some good viddles!

Fall days = College football

I absolutely love college football, I love the pagentry, the emotions, the plays, and the hype for the year. It happens every time, we come into the season thinking our team has a chance, we really think that. One loss into the season we are salvaging the season by rationalizing that next year will be great because we have so many returning starters and young players. The next week starts the battle all over again, depending on a win or a loss we start talking how this will impact the next season and what it all means.

It's kind of ironic that we always are looking forward to that next season thinking about what may be. In a world that is so big on perfection and getting everything right it's hard not to. There are very few teams and fans that can live in the now. Alabama was and is a now team. Ohio State (for as much as I think they are overrated) is a now team. Boise State, this is it, it's now or never. And maybe Oregon and TCU. The rest of the other 119 Divsion 1-A football teams are all thinking about next year... and what it could be.

You know what though, we love it and we come back for more... just like Kenny Chesney says in his new album Hemingway's Whiskey:


In little towns like mine that's all they got/
Newspaper clippings fill the coffee shops/
The old men will always think they know it all/
Young girls will dream about the boys of fall/

Sometimes it's good to just live in the now and enjoy what it's all about.

In sickness and in health

My dad always said to us growing up that getting sick was a sign of weakness. I still don't know how to take that, on one hand I know you have to power through some things, you know rally a bit. On the other hand there are times when enough is enough. I recently come down with some kind of nastified bug that is really giving me a hard time. I don't know what to make of it. Which leads me to my point, when do you throw in the towel and when do you power through? From personal experience I know in the past that I've always taken the latter approach, really just saying that nothing can touch me and I'll be fine. I drink a lot of water and try to sleep it off while continuing with my normal activities. I would go to the gym, go to work etc... Now that I'm a bit older I see the wisdom in not doing too much. I think the hardest part of it all is wanting to do things but physically not being able to do them. I want to be outside, climbing hills, looking for game, working on the yard. I can't do it, I'm just too sick.

Here is my rule that I follow now. If I'm not feeling well, I sit down and really listen to my body. If I think it's not too serious or I'm just tired I give it a day and try to sleep it off. If it continues I really slow it down, drink a ton of fluids and try to rest as much as possible. The thought on this is that you'll get back to doing the things you love quicker if you take the time to recover. There is no sense in dragging it out and never really being healthy. I didn't take my own advice and came down with what I have now. If I wouldn't have pushed it and really tried to get better I would be in a better place right now.

Country Boys are as tough as nails but sometimes we need to take a step back and not worry about what people think and listen to a smarter source than ourselves (in my case, it's my wife).

Walking away from it all

I guess this is a nastolgic post. I think sometimes about what I really want in life and why I want it. A good friend of mine works as a CFO for a large real estate development group in town. He is very successful, has a beautiful wife and two amazing kids. He has a nice house and travels all the time. But last month he walked away from it all. I have to admire my friend and what he said. He said that he just had enough, he was involved in everything and wanted to have everthing right and didn't trust anyone else to get it that way. He was burnt out at 29, imagine him at 50! He did what he thought he had to, he just walked away from it all. My admiration for him comes from his ability to say enough is enough. The next day he unquit but for him that was all it took, one day just saying enough was enough. He said that by demonstrating to himself that he could just walk away and be okay with it and the sun would rise the next day, was enough. He since then has cut down on the hours, hasn't taken it too serious and even better has dreams of a simpler life. He talks of owning some land, teaching school, farming in the summer and coaching football in the fall. Good for him... as he said to me "what's money anyway at the end of the day?"

I guess we all need to take a look at our lives and be okay with walking away from everything if it gets to be too much. If we're not in positions in our lives' to be able to do that and move to a simpler way of life... well, something needs to change. For me it's going to that country boy lifestyle. Walk away from it all but gain everything.

A country boy's best friend

It's a subject that I could write about forever. Think Marley and me. I came home from work today and my dog was right there, waiting for me with all the love in the world. There are many reasons why a dog is a country boy's best friend. I like to think that we both suffer from many of the same things. We don't like fences or borders, we roam and when we are on leash we become bored and start looking for the end of the walk. We are both fiercly loyal and are quick to accept someone new but never forget when you've hurt us or disrespected us. We both look forward to exploring and figuring things out but sometimes just know that if someone says it's bad at least we listen for a minute. We'll eat just about anything. We both love the outdoors and can't wait to chase after a big buck. We just want to please the ones we love. I think the biggest things that we have in common is we really do just live life and take it one day at a time. It's no wonder that we love each other so much and are best friends.

Hats off to Jimmie Johnson and NASCAR

#48 Took home the checkered flag on Sunday in Dover. Jimmie my boy won! Honestly, I'm not a big NASCAR fan but I challenge you to tell me what NASCAR stands for....? Stumped? I saw a special on Appalachian Americans and NASCAR was a big thing about it. It stands for National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing. Basically back in the days of Prohibition some rowdy country boys that were transporting bootlegged moonshine souped up their cars and made them untouchable from the police. They were faster and responded better. Ultimately they were great drivers and passed other cars along the way down country roads. This lead to races being established between the best drivers and finally a true governing body was formed. So you can see how this sport has some deep roots in the country. Country boys have been driving fast and running from the law for a long time. Think the Dukes of Hazard but real. So on this day when Jimmie Johnson won, I thought I'd throw something out there that many country boys love.

Country culture around the world

One thing that has always appealed to me is the country life around the world. To me it's a way to really know a culture, get away from a city and see how the country boys do it. I've been watching the TV show Dhani Tackles the Globe on the Travel channel. (I'm streaming it on Netlix, season 2). It always seems that he steps away from the city to get into the country side to really experience the culture. In season 2 he went to Jamaica and went to the country to see where Bob Marley was born... and to really experience the Rastafarian culture in the country. I guess we country people are the ones who really carry the culture, wherever we are in the world.

Music Review: Zac Brown Band, You get what you give

I want to preface this with the fact that I love Zac Brown Band. I think they have such a unique/fun sound that is distinct to them. They combine traditional country with southern rock and a bit of the island fever. With that being said here we go: I was not disappointed but not too impressed either. On a scale of 1-10 I'd give it a 6.5 - 7. It's always hard for Sophmore albums to achieve the same accolades as the hit album. Some songs score higher and some lower. The overall feel that I got was that there are two or three good songs that catch you (like like Toes, or Chicken Fried) and make you want more. Others were just fillers. There is a distinct gospel feel to it which is fine, I enjoy it. You have to consider the band's Georgia roots and the fact that the majority of country listeners are Christians and it's fine. Thank goodness the band hasn't gone off the deep end like what seems like the majority of entertainers now days. Overall I will keep listening to it and hope that it grows on me more. If it does I'll come back and update my score. I've listened to the whole album 3x's through... maybe it's not enough.

Update: I have listened to the album a few more times and with like every good artist, the more you listen to them the better they get. ZBB has done a good job really embedding all of the songs with well thought out layers of composition. I have to say that I'm enjoying the music more and more. I'm going to give it an upgrade: 7.5-8/10.

Recreation

I think this is one of the most interesting subjects for everyone in general. What do we do to recreate? As a country boy I can think of a few things that serve as recreation to me but do they to everyone else? (See the Alan Jackson video here) For example, I love the mountains, I also love to glass the mountains for big game... my wife asks me what I'm doing and why I just sit and look at the mountains all the time. It's not that I'm just looking at the mountains but it's almost a game, I try and find the critters that have hunkered down on the hillsides. I know that this is probably not fun to everyone, in fact I know it's not but to me it's recreation.

Another quickly rising favorite of mine is working on cars. I got up early on Saturday morning to change the breaks in my wife's car... that was fun to me. I enjoy getting my hands dirty and accomplishing something. My brother in law on the other hand, would know a break pad from blinker fluid (that's a joke) and would rather pay someone to fix it for him.

The point is that we all need to find some things that are mental breaks for us in our daily lives. The science behind this is that as we go throughout the day doing the same thing we become less sensitive to the process whatever it is and eventually can fall into a lull that can either be depression or big mistakes. In Latin based languages the word most often used for recreation is diversion. This can mean fun, getting away, or literally diverting the mind. This brings up a valid point, it is all about diverting the mind to something that is in enjoyable and recharges the batteries so to speak.

Here are a couple of tried and true methods that country boys have been using for decades to make sure they have a little fun once in a while and recreate:

Have a recurring weekly activity planned. This can be anything from basketball in the mornings or evenings with some buddies and a local church or fishing with your kids after work during the week. This gives you the chance to have something to look forward to throughout the week that's always going to be there. It's important to have this fall back in case everything else gets tied up.

Have three or four fall back activities that you can do at the drop of a hat. It's important to just do something sometime. When I lived in my home town we had some rope and a piece of plywood and we would drab it behind the truck on a dirt road. It was quick, easy, and really fun. Now days it's a quick hike in the hills behind my house, glassing for animals, or some yard work. Anything to just get your mind off of things.

My personal favorite, let yourself have some fun. I love America, I love what we stand for, I love how we don't quit till the job gets done (think beyond wars). I will say this though, we over work ourselves and under reward ourselves. In Italy, France, and other European countries they get at least a month off a year in vacation and take all of it and more (in no way am I suggesting we become more like them, that's too much if you ask me, but they are a happy people). We need to let ourselves relax a bit more and enjoy life. That's why we are here anyway to have joy and live our lives. So don't feel guilty if you aren't staying up late every night to get that last spreadsheet done or you have to finish a report, take some time to recreate.

The country way is work really hard till the job is done, then sit back and enjoy what you've done and celebrate... till the next big thing comes up.

Simplicity

My day job is investment banking. It's a mentally tough and grueling job but hopefully it pays the bills one day and pays them well. I can't say that I want to do it for the rest of my life though. This causes me to be near a city and in my case in the city. I have such mixed emotions about this. I am a sucker for simplicity. Whenever I go to the country or visit my home town, things just seem to make sense. No one is trying to make the next big thing hit or trying to reinvent the wheel, rather it's simple. There are intelligent people everywhere and the most intelligent to me are the ones who put a high value on simplicity. This can range from a business model to a car. Many people's lives in the city are filled with all kinds of distractions... what so and so on the corner is doing, what training or workshop to go to, where the kids are playing their next game, crime etc... you get the point. Country living is something that I long for and miss... it's simple, early to rise, the smell of the land, I love the smell of dirt. Getting some chores done, then doing your work, and enjoying your family. Sure we all have things in life but it just seems that people in the country put a premium on simplicity.

With that being said there are ways to make your life simple in the city. The first thing to do is really reevaluate and see what is really important in your life. I know from my life I have to do this quite often, it's easy to get sucked in and get so deep into your life that you lose perspective... again, take time to really see what's important and what is fluff.

Another big one for me is to stop watching so much TV! Talk about cluttering your life, I have enough stress of my own let alone trying to take on the stress of 20 other people's lives. I'm a sucker for sports but I've had to limit the weekends to a game a day during football season and only if the Red Sox are playing... it's tough but it really did simplify my life.

This next tip may be the most important, set a goal and don't let the other things in life creep in while you are trying to accomplish this. My brother has completely eliminated a lot of the fluff in his life just by setting a goal to play with his daughter an hour or two a day. Whatever else he may think is going on quickly melts away along with the stress from work. I'm amazed every time I see him do it... he has a goal and sticks to it. We should all have those goals, whether it's starting a new business or making our garden great, pick a simple goal that is relevant to you and your life and stick to it.

Ultimately a simple life can be achieved anywhere... it just tends to be a whole lot simpler in the country. Sift things out and I promise you'll be happier.

Ahhh music...

So while I have my preferences in music I like to delve out into some other types of music. My brother in law is in love with The Sounds and I thought I'd give it a listen to see what it was all about. So the sound of the music is fine, the band is Swedish and their accent is a little visible. My first exposure to the sounds was with the Geico commercial when the two cavemen pull up on bullet bikes and "Don't wanna hurt you" is playing in the background. Good song, good sound... why not I thought. So I bought the album "Crossing the Rubicon". On a side note, a Rubicon is a journey with no end... there is your word of the day. Back to the subject, so I'm listening to the words of the song which are all in English and I cannot make sense of them! They sound like a foreigner has taken all the English they know and put the words together without any particular order! Crazy! I kept asking myself how this stuff sells? Here is an example of the words from the song Crossing the Rubicon:


There's a hole in the ground,
Where a key can be found.

To a place where they hide,
All their secrets inside.

There's a room with no sound,
There's a force all around.

There's no time,
And no space,
No mistakes,
To erase.

Honestly? It doesn't make sense at all! Then you listen to a country song and there is a story, a plot and it's about something real. I have to say, I like all kinds of music but I really like a song that makes sense and that I can relate to. Thank goodness for country and ballads... at least they make sense.

Boots...

I'm taking the time to write a little about my boots. I have owned a pair of Justin Western Style boots for the past six years and they have been great! I replaced the leather sole when it wore out and put on a hard rubber sole that is lasting quite well. During the summer I usually can be found wearing flip flops or boat shoes. When I exercise I'm in my gym shoes or when I'm in the mountains I wear a pair of Merrell's or my Vasque hiking boots. I don't usually wear my cowboy boots unless it's a certain occasion or if I know it's going to be a bit cooler. 100 degrees in my boots isn't that much fun. We had a cooler day here and I was dying to put my boots back on. I can't believe how well they fit... I love my boots! They fit my foot like a glove... honestly, the most comfy shoes that I own. I was recently looking into buying some new boots, ones that have a little more cushion on the bottom. I checked out Ariat and they had some interesting boots that could work but I just can't seem to let my boots go! I love 'em too much and will probably be wearing them forever. Moral of the story, you can never beat a good pair of boots.

p.s. if you want a great boots song, check out Eric Church "These Boots".

Country Vehicles...

It sounds complicated but it's not. I was on my way back from visiting my folks in Roosevelt, Utah (pop. 5k). As I was driving towards Salt Lake City I had to laugh, I started seeing more and more Subies... pronounced "Sooobies" or Subaru's. Yes, the good 'ol yuppie granola car that has seen a rising population in mountainous regions of the country. Don't get me wrong, good cars, great all wheel drive but honestly... ugh. It's a status symbol in Utah. You want to tell people that you are outdoorsy, liberal, and are okay with a station wagon.

The thing that made this so funny was that I was coming from the country. Jacked up 4wd trucks, mud flaps, turbo diesels and great people. I really did feel some remorse... some sadness coming back to the city. Where did we lose touch with reality? When did a tin box that spins all four tires in snow but can't climb a hill to a fishing hole become the talk of the town? They claim to be practical but how can you haul a load, throw in fencing (hole digging equipment not the sissy swords) tools, or a few bales of hay? You can't!

Practical is a truck. My neighbor is a great guy, but he is the epitome of Yuppie... wears a visor, tans... you get the point, says to me, "why would anyone own a truck, I have a trailer and can do everything a truck can do and tow it behind my Toyota Sequoia and haul a lot more people". He had me thinking for a minute... is he right? No, unless you have a flat bed trailer non single axle how on earth are you going to put in it what you put in a truck? Plus try dragging that thing over ruts, around trees, tight corners and see how you like it then. Then it dawned on me... the guy is from the city, a lawyer, and wears a visor. He has no idea of what's practical, he sees the world with a different set of lenses... very different. OH well.

You can't beat a truck, utility, durability and power. Of course you probably wouldn't understand unless you're a country boy.

The Title of a Country Boy

I kind of think of being called a country boy a title... think of it as knighthood or being a doctor. Because of that when I use it as a title it will be capitalized... Country Boy. But what does it really take to be a country boy? I was lucky, I was born into it. I was born in the country, raised in the country and at 18 moved from the country. So does that mean that because I lived in the country for the formative years of my life I'm a country boy and I get the title... well in a way yes.

In order to qualify to be a country by you have to fall under a couple of categories:

1st- Your god given birth right... or basically you were born into it.

2nd - you live in a city with less than 30,000 people... you can if you choose, take the title assuming you want to.

3rd- Transplant. I remember a guy that moved to my highschool that stuck out like a sore thumb... he wore cloths that you would see in the city and talked like he was from the city... ostricized. On the contrary he had a brother that embraced it and went along with the country living and ultimately earned the title of Country Boy.

4th- You have to have the mentailty... it is true, you can be born into the country, you can live in a small town, you can be a transplant but you ultimately have to have the mentality. What does that mean? The following pretty much sums it up for me:

"You have to love the quiet life. You have to know how to put you nose to the grindstone and find a way to make it work. You don't back down from anything but accept that sometimes you just can't do it. You have to be stubborn, not afraid, and willing to try to accomplish anything. You have to look forward to open spaces... good folk, and have a love for the outdoors. You can appreciate a good crop and be a gentleman. You don't worry about fashion, money, or anything that doesn't make your life in the country the best day yet... You long to get out of the city and look forward to the opportunity to fix a fence and see your work at the end of the day. They don't get much better than a country boy, I'd take one on my team any day."

Author unknown...

Taking the boy out of the country

It's true, you can take the boy out of the country but you can't take the country out of the boy. I have to admit, I still get excited when I see camo, cowboy boots, open fields, and pick up trucks. I honestly think it's just born in some people. I have a good friend from New Jersey, he was born and raised there but he is country at heart. He came out West to go to school and the country stuck in him. He fell in love with open spaces, guns, the outdoors and just getting things done country style. He now lives in Virginia and has 3 acres and lives a total country life. He's an engineer by day but a country boy by night.

I'm the opposite, I grew up in the country, I ran around with a .22 and barefoot shooting rabbits skunks and all kinds of birds from the time I was 10. I now live in Salt Lake City. I drive around on freeways, I'm surrounded by a couple of million people and talk investment banking all day... but I can't get it out of my system, every time I get away from the country and see the sleepy fields, cows grazing, farmers fixing fences... I just can't wait to get back there. Yep, they took the boy out of the country but they'll never take the country out of the boy.

Welcome to Country Boy Living aka CBL

So what is CBL? It is a blog and website (www.countryboyliving.com)discussing the finer things of living life like a country boy. For example... what do you do when you get bored? a- play a video game b- watch a totally awesome action movie c- clean your guns or d- go out and look for some kind of adventure in the country. Well the answer could be all three but that depends on you. What kind of country boy are you? How do you live your life? I'm going to use my Country Boy lens to discuss these topics and many others. Does a country boy mean you are an uneducated redneck? Absolutely not, what it means is you have an attitude towards things: quick to smile, easy to please, but work really hard and just get the job done! Hope you all enjoy Country Boy Living, and check the website... good times will be had by all!

Ryan