After
a successful round of RVF meets last year -- which were not just fun at the time but also led to some continuing friendships -- I've been working on developing more real-life connections and wanted to give an (anonymizing) shout-out to the following blokes.
Green-On-GO
He is the kind of bloke you wanna have in your crew when any sh*t goes down. One solid guy. Green-On-GO was generous in shouting me lunch (thanks!), and unflinchingly candid in his description of both the joys and challenges of fatherhood, which gave me some food for thought. Will keep in touch.
FireStarter
Another RVF-meetup cherry popped. Firestarter is a down-to-earth, genuine, good bloke. Having the first catch up at a gym is a good way to connect with a fellow member in an easy-going setting, and we've had a few sessions together. Adding a social aspect to your workout makes it a lot more enjoyable, and helps to keep you accountable and motivated in staying fit. Let's keep workin' on those guns.
Rawbeefcake
I had the pleasure of being the first RVFer to meet Rawbeefcake. I went for a gym session as his guest and was quickly disarmed by his friendly and curious vibe. In addition, I was impressed with what he has accomplished considering his relative youth, and was pleased to see that he is living out a number of patriarchal values that would be well-regarded at RVF. Will meet again.
Note: Due to distance I haven't met the following 2 blokes in person, although we've had some great chats off the forum and I figure this is a good opportunity to give out some props.
Windom Earle
It seems common for guys to brag online about how many "hotties" they so easily banged on their fly-over trips, although in most cases their claims of both ease and hotness are likely to be overstated.
In contrast, Windom Earle actually slays enough high quality women to make fellow players jelly (myself included to be frank). So when he talks about quality, you can believe it's legit - see his SEA datasheets for a glimpse of his exploits;
Vietnam,
Philippines/Thailand/Indonesia. He is much more than just our regional stud though, and his insights can be seen through a number of posts such as advice on
reversing poor mood,
dealing with flakes, and
taking responsibility in LTRs.
With Windom Earle in your crew you won't have to worry about any sexually-frustrated meatheads trying to start something in a club. I mean, this guy is in perpetual beast mode. In one word:
Leonard D Neubache
I think it's fair to question the extent to which commentators on the decline of society or gender dynamics actually live out the values they preach, especially when they haven't been vetted offline. Another problem stems from the easy indulgence of outrage generation without the counterbalance of offering positive re-frames or actionable solutions. Pheonix recently
touched on similar issues with this negativity here.
However, in the case of LDN he really does walk the walk when it comes to being an independently-minded patriarch. By establishing a legacy on his own terms, far removed from the beaten track of conspicuous consumption and fleeting hedonism, he offers a successful model to emulate for young men looking to establish their own family with a traditional, loyal, feminine woman. What may come as more of a surprise to some readers is that whenever we talk, I am struck not just by his wisdom on relationships (he has helped me in my own LTR) but also by his free-flowing humour. See here
for one example of how this guy cracks me up...
Further, LDN is a huge patron here and his sheer dedication to RVF is reflected in his position on the
member list - as you can see, LDN is the only member on the front page (which shows the most prolific posters) to have joined in 2016, let alone 2015. See below for some example contributions:
* Relationships:
pair-bonding,
re-framing drama,
behaviour management,
* Humour:
meme game,
white house transcripts,
sheriff's office analysis,
* In-group accountability:
low-value posts,
compulsive contrarianism,
rigid thinking,
* Societal commentary:
forces underlying behaviour,
focus in culture battles,
* Various tips:
context in writing,
offering advice, and
dealing with social isolation.
If you're in Australia and are interested in connecting with fellow RVFers in real life, I encourage you to read more on
the 'why' and 'how' of such networking, and feel free to send me a PM. Let's build on the brotherhood Down Under. Cheers.