Scrapbooking For Men

My son recently was showing his girlfriend a scrapbook that contained pictures, programs, newspaper articles, and various personal souvenirs belonging to him and his brother. It was colorfully embellished in modern scrapbook style with stickers and customized cut-outs. Greg told her it was all put together by me.

“Your dad did this?!!” she asked with skeptical surprise.

Yeah. Me. Why not? I’ve put together a half dozen scrapbooks including the one pictured. It’s a hobby I started almost 30 years ago. The chronicle of my own life fills nearly two scrapbooks, both of which includes extra pages I’ve added. If ever I become famous, they will look nice in a museum.

But I never considered scrapbooking a feminine hobby until the current scrapbooking craze escalated. When I started browsing the aisles of die-cuts, adhesives, stickers, embossing supplies, colored cardstock, stencils and rubber stamps, I realized I was a distinct minority. Surrounding me were hordes of women, young and old. Coincidence? No! I clicked on “scrapbooking” on a blogger’s profile and came up with 40 other bloggers who listed “scrapbooking” as a hobby. All females.

Nevertheless, I enjoy the hobby. It does make me wonder if I have other feminine characteristics I’m not aware of. Not too long ago I e-mailed my old high school buddy Bob that I was giving up on my economy sized bottle of Grecian Formula. I was going to try a rinse with my grey hair instead. His reply: “Rinse? Hmmm that sounds like a woman's term. Gotta come up with something a bit more manly. Something mechanical, airbrush with an airgun maybe.”

I guess I need someone like Bob who will advise me when I’m becoming a bit too prissy. Maybe someone like Trucker Bob who seems the type to gauge masculinity by the number of foes a guy can vanquish in a bar fight. Not too long ago Trucker Bob on blog 203 asked this question of the day: “Have you ever wished you were a member of the opposite sex?” I didn’t touch that one. You first, Trucker Bob.