Stories & podcast · on
topic 569083
Stories from the men who facilitate and attend these circles, on topic 569083.
41 stories
A Book Club for Men?
Recently, Chris and I interviewed author Matthew Quick for the second time on If You’ve Come This Far. As we started the show, Matthew mentioned a couple of book clubs that had endorsed his new memoir, Dad, Love, Me.…
Hasta La Vista Brothers
When I first found MenLiving, my very first meeting was on a Wednesday night with Todd Adams facilitating. I still remember what I shared back then: “I’m here to heal my relationship with myself, step into my masculine…
Bill
Honoring Bill Hattendorf Facilitator & Friend 1947 – 2026 It is with heavy hearts that we share the news of the passing of Bill Hattendorf — MenLiving facilitator, Vietnam veteran, fraternity elder, church servant,…
Take A Break
The words in the blog will not be anything you likely haven’t heard before. Sometimes a simple reminder is helpful, though, especially in these busy times as we approach the holiday season. Thanksgiving, of course, is…
Do You Want to Be My Friend?
I love spending time with my daughter Emma at outdoor playgrounds. Over the years, we’ve given cute pet names to the various parks around our home. The fish park is the one right outside our back door that has two…
I’m Glad I Went
I belong to a men’s organization called MenLiving. I’ve been involved with the group for a while and regularly attend their Zoom meetings. They host at least one a day and might even be trying to add more. One of their…
Man is a Bridge for Man
Yesterday, I returned to the U.S. from a hiking trip in Southern France. On every level, it was a spectacular experience. The hikes were this beautiful blend of natural wonder, deep history, and serious physical…
Once a Brother
A couple of weeks ago, I found myself wandering cobblestone streets in Spain and Portugal—walking 12 to 15 miles a day, soaking up sun, and rediscovering something I didn’t even know I was missing: my brother. Randolph…
Intentions.
A new year often inspires reflection and motivation for change. If new year’s resolutions work for you, great – but they’re not for everyone. Personally, I’m not a big fan of resolutions – or goals in general. Real…
The Power of Connection
Connecting is my word for the new year. In our fast-paced, digital world, the concept of connecting has taken on new meanings. While technology has made it easier than ever to stay in touch, the essence of true…
You’re Overthinking It
This is for those of you with a strong conscience and a high degree of thoughtfulness. As for the rest of you, go ahead and head back to your mirror. So you just accepted a job and are invited to the Boss’ house for a…
Integration of the Head and Heart in a Medical Career
Thirty years ago I entered Loyola Medical School and my initiation into the culture of medicine began. As best as I could at the time, I prepared myself for the challenges ahead. I aimed to cultivate a strong will,…
Hello, Friend.
This week, the featured post is authored by MenLiving facilitator, Mike Rosen. Mike is a father, a 4th grade teacher and has been the lead on our Tuesday night seperation / divorce meeting since its inception. As a kid,…
DIY
On the fourth episode of our podcast , If You’ve Come This Far, Chris and I interviewed Billy Baker, a Boston Globe columnist and the author of “ We Need to Hang Out .” In his book, Baker recounts his efforts to make…
What is a friend?
Last week, my friend, Tracy Brown , sent this quote that is attributed to poet C. Raymond Beran to me and Todd Adams. In his email to us, he wrote, “I know how much you guys are doing to build bridges for friendship…
Not All Men’s Groups are Created Equal
I’ve recently started a new relationship with a woman I met about a month ago. A few weeks ago, she invited me to her brother’s wedding in Las Vegas – I mean, Vegas, right?! So, of course, I accepted the invitation, not…
Collector or Purger?
While I am not sure I pass as a true minimalist, I do live with a minimalist mindset. The famous declutter, Marie Kondo, asks us to consider whether a possession “sparks joy” when we are considering what to do with it.…
Shame
A couple of months ago, my friend, Michael, made his first visit to Chicago. In addition to other planned events, we spent some time at the Chicago Art Institute. I dig the museum but hadn’t been in a while. Michael is…
Dating skills to practice on your friends
Kimberley Healey specializes in helping smart, thoughtful people create a deeply satisfying love life. Her work is intuitive, pragmatic and joyous. Each month, Kimberley hosts a Full House exploring dating and…
Stop Scrolling and Start Connecting
Before I get into the heart of today’s topic, I need to set it up with a little personal background. In the mid-80’s, my first post graduate job was selling computers for Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC). I worked…
Two Emersons Reflect on Friendship
When I was a kid, it wouldn’t be unusual for some smart-ass to ask me if I was related to Ralph Waldo Emerson. I can tell you the ask was never real curiosity (note the smart-ass), but I suppose an attempt to be cute or…
Befriending My Inner Critic
Author: Jim Schneider Like many people, I have an annoyingly loud inner critic. And when I say “loud,” I mean I he walks around in my head with one of those bullhorns that has flashing lights and sound effects, just in…
Better Than A Gratitude Rock
On this day before Thanksgiving, I am thinking I suppose appropriately about gratitude. But I am thinking about it in a little more twisted way than you might expect. In the information diet that I choose to consume, I…
The Sweet Aroma of Friendship
I live with the perspective that we humans are just animals with consciousness and that consciousness can be good and bad for us. For this piece, I am not going to share any deep philosophical explanation about the…
The Unending Quest for Happiness: Why Authentic Connection May Be The Answer You’re Missing
When Ruth Whippman , author of the New York Times Editor’s Choice book “America the Anxious: How Our Pursuit of Happiness is Creating a Nation of Nervous Wrecks,” was asked why embracing negative emotions is actually a…
Getting Intimate
On Friday, Patrick McKenna and I were collaborating on a communication piece to welcome new men connecting with MenLiving for the first time. In the initial draft, Patrick included a sentence about small batches. It…
Numbers & Labels
I just finished reading, The Every , by Dave Eggers. The novel is basically about a monopoly tech company that dominates humanity and a woman’s efforts to destroy it. In the book, the Every introduces (among many other…
Friendships of Character
Over the last year, I have used this space to share my thoughts on relationships and friendships. Today, I am sharing with you an excerpt from an interview between David Brooks, the New York Times columnist, and…
Circles of Friendship
Shaun Emerson Robin Dunbar, the evolutionary psychologist, is best known for his namesake “Dunbar’s number,” which he defines as the number of stable relationships people are able to maintain at once. (The proposed…
The Other Day…
The other day, during a rather tense discussion my wife and I were having…(okay, it devolved into an argument…let me be honest here), it turned from the topic we were “discussing” to how I’m difficult to communicate…
How To Not Be Perfect (What’s Shame Got To Do With It?)
Erik Treese & Joey Cardella Spoiler alert: This blog post is about shame. Ugh. Cool topic, bro. Bear with me though. Here I am, alone in the living room of my 1 BR apartment, having a moment where I have to laugh at…
Who are we?
I co-founded a men’s group with Frank Naugo in March of 2012. We invited a few friends into my living room to come together for a conversation. They didn’t really know what they were getting into and neither did we, but…
Courage to Connect
On Monday, I participated in a call with MenLiving member, Tony Schmidt, and Dr. Daniel Ellenberg. Dr. Ellenberg, is a psychotherapist, marriage and relationship therapist, author, and facilitator. He has been leading…
Brothers…Sisters
For a little more than a year, I have gathered virtually with many of the men on this distribution list for meaningful connection. Some weeks, I connect with you multiple times: in big groups, small groups and one on…
Brother.
Brother is a song by LA indie rock band Lord Huron. It means a lot to me and if you know the song it might mean a lot to you as well. If this post is your first exposure to the song, read through the words a couple of…
Alone not Lonely
I like being alone. There are many activities I would prefer to do solo, but I don’t often get the chance. I am rarely alone. I think I decided long ago that engaging others would lead to a more fruitful life. So, I do…
Ruminating…
I have been ruminating about our organization’s new name, MenLiving . As you can see, we eliminated the space between Men and Living to create the name and logo. My contemplation led me to wonder what if we added the…
Poems
The topic of our September 30th Chicago meeting was Cultivating Creativity. Mike Rosen and Todd Adams wrote a couple great poems about their MenLiving experience. We Gather- Mike Rosen Under the timeless glow of an…
How MenLiving Changed My Life
I was standing in my living room in Wicker Park sometime in 2008 when my friend Frank Naugo started talking to me about his desire to start something— a men’s group —a place to connect, learn and grow. I remember it…
A Glimpse of Understanding
I am visiting my brother who lives in Snoqualmie, WA which is about 30 minutes east of Seattle. After dropping off my 16-year-old daughter off for a lunch date, I had about an hour to kill so I decided to hike a few…
What Is Wrong And Right With This Video
I posted a 53 second video yesterday morning on my Facebook page . It is of a little boy (maybe 3 years old) stroking, protecting, and caressing his newborn brother. That’s it. Big deal, right? Well the video has been…
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