Saturday night…Laurie and I were chillin’ by the fire
…wait…before I go any further…I have to give props to my wife for her fire making ability…it burned for hours with hardly any stoking…she just timed it out perfectly…building
after teepee of dried out branches from our pine tree…very impressive…anyway, we were having a few
and tossing around ideas for Callemonit…for instance…we wanted a hot button topic…a situation that normally frustrates people and even when they have the courage to speak up and Call Them On It, there’s often no significant resolution…she told me of how a
friend recently made a post about men who
and how annoying it is…to which I naively replied You mean that still exists…in this day and age?…Laurie’s not one to mince words…she tends to say exactly what she means…so, if she does feel the need to state the obvious…she might start with one of these
faces first…yup…she hit me with my own Callemonit.com logo…then she began…All these years we’ve lived here…how many times has it been that I’ve gotten honked at while
the lawn?…you’re in the yard painting or fixing something…no one’s bothering you…but if I get close to the main road…I’m fair game…think about it…the
is playing…we have cold beers and
on the grill…the
is shining…it’s hot out…I’m getting sweaty and dirty…working just like any man or woman…and it feels good to be a homeowner…getting things done…side by side with my husband…proud and excited to see the finished product…and then sit back and relax…it’s a good day to be alive…the last thing on my mind is to hear
…and not the
that sounds almost friendly…like a hello from a neighbor…which would be followed by a wave out the car window or in the rearview mirror…no, this horn is obnoxious and usually accompanied by a
…a quick one…like there was a stupid class in high school that demonstrated how a certain sound with just the right speed and inflection can make someone feel…what’s a good word?…”violated” seems strong…uhhh…how about plain
…that’s it…yucky on a beautiful day…completely unwelcomed and unnecessary behavior…I jumped in Well that really sucks…sorry Hun…so what’s the Callemonit approach there?…she replied Nothing…the car or work truck speeds by…there’s no opportunity for a educational Callemonit…I usually just think “What an a**hole!” and want to give them the
…but I refuse to stoop to their level…however, I’ll tell you what…a teaching moment can happen in the house or car or anywhere in public when Mom and Dad see their teenage son going down that path…especially when he’s with his buddies…they’re walking ahead in the mall or on the boardwalk…their heads are on swivels…they’re gesturing and ogling…and even letting out the occasional
…that’s a perfect time to sit them down and Callemonit…”Females should be respected…no girl wants to be looked at like a piece of meat…it’s degrading…if you like what you see…be polite gentlemen…introduce yourselves…maybe see if they want to get
or something…be civilized for Christ’s sake!”…Now this is what I love about having conversations with her
…I learn a lot initially…and then I can sort of play
advocate to get more sides of the story…trust me, I’m always taking Callemonit notes in my head…and Laurie’s perspective is inspirational…but, I have to tread carefully…or I might get one of these
…and it won’t be so cute…so, I added Well, what about me?…I say “Hey Baby…lookin’ good!” all the time to you…and half the pictures on my phone are like this
…and you’re just makin’ dinner, minding your own business, lookin’ out a window…heck, this
is the first thing I see when I turn on my phone…so, am I treating you like a piece of meat?…She was clear and concise No…you’re my husband…but I’d call you on it if you were starting to act like a dirtbag…next question?…I thought for a second Ok, got one…what about women…20’s, 30’s, 40’s, even 50’s…and they’re posting before and after pictures…usually the result of exercise, diet, or both…selfies in a
…wearing what seems like underwear…are they giving a mixed message…like they’re saying “Look at me…catcall me!”…Laurie made one of her patented faces
…it’s kind of a smirk fighting back disdain…and it precedes a reply just like my logo…Really?…I don’t know what you’re looking at…but I never see bras and panties…it’s usually workout clothes…or at the least, a jog bra…she reached for another
and entered the pulpit Do you realize the strain this man’s world has put on women…the mothers of…of everyone…not only do we have to do an awesome job raising the population…we have to look “a certain way” while doing it…I applaud all those women for their strength and determination…and if they were on an
with all men…or only women for that matter…they shouldn’t be judged…and they should be comfortable to look any way they want…feel good about themselves…for themselves…and if it just so happens that they’ve established goals…and they’re reaching them…then go right ahead…share the progress…there’s no mixed message with this one…AND they sure as hell aren’t asking for ignorant catcalls…anything else?…I replied Actually, yes…but first, tell me about…what was it…an island with only women?…this is when I have to be careful not to poke the
…especially when the bear’s had enough…she usually calls me on it this way Why is it Mark…whenever you’re drinking…you turn into your father…it’s just not funny…I’m not some guy on a jobsite…but this time there was a slight delay on her part…so I quickly back pedaled and apologized…and I restarted my last point…What about
…you know, America’s Got Talent…she knew exactly to what situation I was referring…so I’ll fill you in…there’s an act called The Messoudi Brothers…they’re 3 blood brothers whose specialty is acrobatics via feats of strength…they are insanely strong and talented…and part of their appeal is performing shirtless with chiseled muscles…but, here’s the awkward part, in my opinion…the two female celebrity judges…Julianne Hough and Gabrielle Union have gone over the top each time they’ve appeared…they huddle near each other like school girls in a 50’s movie…at a sock hop…or
…waiting to catch a glimpse…or possibly even say Hi to the dreamy
…and then as The Messoudi Brothers’ performance continues…us viewers witness the metamorphoses of Julianne and Gabrielle…from pubescent teens to a couple of divorcee
wanting to devour some manmeat…and to their credit, the acrobats chose to exploit the women’s behavior for their favor…after all, the goal is to win $1,000,000 and a show in Vegas…so even though the audience votes when it’s the live shows…glowing compliments from the judges can sway voting…smartly, the boys set up a platform in front of the judges’ table…they danced around the women…ripped…or rather, stripped off their shirts…it was The Messoudi Male Revue…Julianne and Gabrielle were beside themselves…then they escorted Julianne onto the stage and involved her in the building of a human structure…luckily for the boys, Julianne has core strength from years of
and being a regular on Dancing With The
…after the entire performance was complete…Julianne was seated…a little dazed…and still catching her breath…Simon commented to her about her husband potentially not being pleased with her involvement…to which she quickly assured that he’ll be fine…and then pointed to an area in the audience where he was sitting…so, that brings you up to speed…here’s what my wife concluded from the women’s antics Hun, sometimes I have no words…except to say “That is definitely giving the world a mixed message…the wrong message!”
…in conclusion, this is what I discovered about catcalls while hanging out with my wife Saturday night…women don’t like them…and for the most part, it would be difficult to change the ways of compulsive catcallers…you know, the whole teaching an old
new
dilemma…the most effective approach is to have Callemonit conversations with our children…do our best to nip it in the
…next, husbands get a pass when catcalling their wives…JUST DON’T PUSH IT!
…also, women who work their butts off to lose weight and get in shape are not wishing for the day they’ll hear catcalls…and finally, in regards to the hugely popular summer staple
…we could Callemonit by writing a letter, posting something on social media, or simply stop watching it…but here’s the bigger problem…behavior like this is becoming a runaway
in entertainment…it’s abundantly clear that
has decided to flip the script…just look how many TV shows, on demand series, and big budget films are glamourizing women taking the role of men…they’re now gangsters and gamblers and con artists and cheaters…so from my perspective…it’s not surprising that Simon Cowell and America’s Got Talent and NBC will turn a blind eye…but this slippery
might someday prove disastrous…a real disservice to Callemonit type movements like MeToo and all the women activists and celebrities who fought so hard to shine a light on inappropriate male behavior…men have been exposed…and those who haven’t, have scurried into the shadows…however, my fear is that this current trend of negative female assertiveness is like The Pied
leading them out of hiding…the
will feel right at home again…especially when this definition
gets edited to
…I hope you’ve enjoyed this post…I’d love to hear your opinion or even an idea for an upcoming Callemonit. Thanks, Mark
