Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Gentleman or No

My favorite magazine is Southern Living. I've subscribed to it for years. One year I took a break and found myself buying it every month at the store. It's my favorite. I always start from the back and work my way to the front. The back is where the recipes and cooking articles are. Then on to the decorating and gardening and then travel. I loooove it. It's a good day when my new issue hits the mailbox.

In the July issue, they had an interesting article about what makes a southern gentleman. I thought it'd be fun to see how my hubby compares.

Here's what makes a southern gentleman, according to Southern Living.

1. STAND UP FOR A LADY. Jeff always gives up his seat for me. Any lady actually. I really hate to see a healthy guy sitting when a lady is standing. How rude. Where is the chivalry? JEFF PASSES THIS ONE.
2. KNOW THAT THE SEC HAS THE BEST FOOTBALL TEAMS IN THE NATION. Duh, HE ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, WITHOUT A DOUBT PASSES THIS ONE.
3. KILL BUGS. To quote Delta Burke as Southern belle Suzanne Sugarbaker on Designing Women, "Ya know, . . .when men use Women's Liberation as an excuse not to kill bugs for you. Oh, I just hate that! I don't care what anybody says, I think the man should have to kill the bug!" And I agree with her. MEN SHOULD ALWAYS KILL THE BUG. Sadly, JEFF FAILS THIS ONE. More often than not, he tells me, just get a paper towel and kill it. Ugh.
4. HOLD DOORS OPEN. My hubby always holds the doors open for me. Always. Sometimes even the car door. Not as much as when we were dating though. I hardly ever see a man go in before a woman. I think most men are pretty good about this JEFF PASSES THIS ONE.
5. FIX THINGS OR BUILD STUFF. JEFF NEITHER PASSES OR FAILS THIS ONE. HE GETS AN "N" FOR NEEDS IMPROVEMENT and AN "E" FOR EFFORT.
6. WEAR BOOTS OCCASIONALLY. Not the fancy, l-paid-$l,000-for-these kind. We're talking about slightly mud-crusted, I-could-have-just-come-in-from-the-field boots. I like boots with the proper attire. Jeff doesn't really have occasion to wear boots. He's more of a worn out, holes in the back Nike Free kinda guy. HE PASSES THIS ONE BECAUSE -- WELL, JUST BECAUSE.
7.TAKE OFF YOUR HAT INSIDE. This one is a pet peeve of mine. I try to teach my boys to take off their hat inside. Most times they don't. That's definitely a must. I just think it goes back to my southern roots. My grandmother Kimball would cringe at the thought of coming to the table wearing a hat. Big no-no. Jeff doesn't wear a hat. And really, why would I want him to? I love his salt and pepper hair. JEFF PASSES THIS ONE.
8. GRILL STUFF. He's the only one in our house that grills. He's excellent at it too. HE PASSES THIS ONE FOR SURE. Now, keeping it real. I wouldn't mind if he did wear a hat on this one. Maybe one of the big chef's hats. I HATE THE SMELL OF THE GRILL IN HIS HAIR!
9. CALL US. He'd much rather call me than text or e-mail. JEFF PASSES THIS ONE.
10.STAND WHEN WE COME BACK TO THE DINNER TABLE. Just a little half stand would make my heart melt. NOPE, HE FAILS THIS ONE.
11. PULL OUT OUR CHAIRS. HE PASSES THIS ONE. It's always good, too, if they don't grimace or appear to be lifting 12,000 pounds when they scoot us back in.
12.PAY THE TAB ON THE FIRST FEW DATES. He always paid when we were dating. He always pays now. Only now he might ask me if I have the money to pay. We have been married 22 years, you know. HE PASSES THIS ONE.
13.DON'T SHOW UP IN A WRINKLED, UNTUCKED SHIRT. Well, he doesn't like to tuck his shirt in when he's not at work. But he's never wrinkled. I mean, how wrinkled can a Georgia bulldog T-shirt be? When he wears something other than a T-shirt, he's tucked in and unwrinkled. HE PASSES THIS ONE.
14.NEVER GET IN BAR FIGHTS. Uh, yeah, right. If Jeff were to get in a bar fight, I'd be right beside him duking it out. That is as soon as I came to from passing out. He doesn't have a temper bad enough to even think about getting in a bar fight. He will play the occasional game of thumb war with me though. HE PASSES THIS ONE.
15.KNOW HOW TO MIX OUR FAVORITE COCKTAIL JUST THE WAY WE LIKE IT. We don't MAKE cocktails, but he does know how to make my coffee just the way I like it. When I make it, it's never as good as when he does. HE PASSES THIS ONE.

These are ways to be a southern gentleman, according to Southern Living.

It was funny because when I googled southern gentleman, Colonel Sanders kept coming up. Ha!

So tell me, how did your hubby fare?

Till tomorrow.

10 comments:

Nana said...

Papa passes most of them, even though we are not from the south. His days of bar fighting are over ( thank goodness) I'll have to tell ya about the time he got shot. Yes shot! I love Southern Living magazine too.

Joyce said...

Lanny passed them all but the cocktail (I don't drink) and the dinner table one.... standing or pulling chairs out. But he's a gentleman.

Jill said...

Well Mark doesn't pass most of these sad to say.
I kill the bugs. He only kills flies. Sometimes a big bug if I am too scared.
I rid the yard of snakes.
I love to grill and once he leaves work he refuses to pick up any kind of cooking utensil...
Wow... this could become a post in itself!

Theresa said...

My honey fails fixing things but he does try:) He doesn't wear a hat inside except for when his hair looks terrible and that is ok. And we don't make cocktails, so he passes that one. He wouldn't bar fight.

My Southern Gentleman passes:)

Love you!

suzanne said...

I read this same article and went over it with Jason. He passed with flying colors! More with older women than me but whatevvvvvv !

Teresa @ ♥ Too Many Heartbeats ♥ said...

My hubby would absolutely pass with flying colors! He is THE ultimate southern gentleman. That is why I married him!

I hope the rest of your week is absolutely amazing!

Many Blessings,

Teresa <><

http://toomanyheartbeats.blogspot.com

Cindy Lou said...

Jeff passes for the most part! He would probably do more if he wasn't married to me...which I think I can do anything!! I am Howell hear me roar!! Love you and have a great day!!

Rhoda @ Southern Hospitality said...

HI, Kelly, I enjoy Southern Living too & just started a new subscription. I think they are back to the way they used to be, thank goodness.

Cute list about Southern men, I think my hubby passes most of them too.

On that beadboard wallpaper, yes, it is very thick so will cover up whatever paint is behind it. I think it's best to paint it after it's up anyway, so it looks more like real trim.

Emma said...

Glad to hear you have a good man!!!

Anonymous said...

Are there still any men around like that. You all have some good husbands!!!!!I am waiting on Mr. right someday to come along and sweep me off my feet just like in the movies!!!!!!