Girlie Men

This past weekend was one that will forever mark for me the moment of the most profound change in the way in which I perceive the world around me and the people that inhabit it.

As I rode through the foggy darkness early Saturday morning with Pottsville, Pa as my destination, I was more than a little apprehensive as to what I would find at the end of my journey. I knew that I was about to meet, for the first time, Forum members with whom I would visit the coal breaker in Hegins, Pa as well as the Number 9 coal mine in Lansford. However, my anxiety and preoccupation was not caused by the scheduled activities for the day but, rather, the fact that some of the people in our party were GIRLIE MEN!

How would they act? What would they look like? Would I know them when I saw them? Would I feel uncomfortable in their presence? These questions, and others, were swirling around in my mind.

When we all met in the parking lot of an eatery on Route 61, I tried to size everybody up. One fellow had a firm handshake and looked to be in good shape but, maybe he just works out. Girlie Men are known to be concerned about their looks and God knows they have the time to tend to it because they don't even shovel their coal! Another fellow's handclasp was limp at best but, maybe his children tend to the stove.

I was more than a bit uncomfortable being seen in public with openly Girlie Men and I prayed that no one I knew would see me for fear that they may think that I was one of them! The fear of embarassment was unbearable.

As the day wore on and we all got to know each other better, I became more at ease. By the time we divulged to each other our combustion preferences, it didn't seem to matter much at all. The people I suspected of being Girlie Men weren't alway so. For the most part, they dressed like me and acted like me. Yes, there were some affectations here and there but, nothing flamboyant.

As we broke bread together at which must have been the longest meal in history, I had an epiphany. Each one of these Girlie Men were someone's son; someone's brother; or someone's father. Any one of them could have been my son; my brother; or my father. Although I would be devastated, if my son told me he was a Girlie Man, I would still love him. How could I not? He would still be my son. And I would want him to be treated with the same respect and consideration as everyone else notwithstanding the fact that he was a Girlie Man.

One Girlie Man who will go unnamed confided in me that at a very early age, he knew he was different. He knew that shovelling coal was not in the cards for him. Nothing about it was appealing to him; in fact, it repulsed him! While driving his vehicle, he opened his window, punched the air and proclaimed loudly, "I am a Girlie Man and I don't shovel Coal!" Rather than live a secret life in the shadowy underbelly of society, he chose to embrace his identity as a Girlie Man. I was happy for him.

I sincerely hope that someday, all people will see that Girlie Men are not much different than the rest of us. In fact, the things we have in common clearly outweigh the differences. Perhaps we will all be able to overcome our preconceived notions about Girlie Men and they will be able to marry, adopt children, and become scoutmasters like everyone else.

John C.

I'm confused...even though you have a stoker, you still have to get the coal into the hopper, right? So you still have to shovel to some extent. Maybe "Girlie Men" is too strong a name....

The weather is supposed to turn cooler this week, so I may be starting the Harman again. That's a hand fed stove. So I have to go to the bin, shovel coal into the scuttle, and fill the stove with a smaller shovel. Later I will shake and refill....

Never mind, "Girlie Man" sounds good now.....

JerseyCoal wrote:This past weekend was one that will forever mark for me the moment of the most profound change in the way in which I perceive the world around me and the people that inhabit it.

As I rode through the foggy darkness early Saturday morning with Pottsville, Pa as my destination, I was more than a little apprehensive as to what I would find at the end of my journey. I knew that I was about to meet, for the first time, Forum members with whom I would visit the coal breaker in Hegins, Pa as well as the Number 9 coal mine in Lansford. However, my anxiety and preoccupation was not caused by the scheduled activities for the day but, rather, the fact that some of the people in our party were GIRLIE MEN!

How would they act? What would they look like? Would I know them when I saw them? Would I feel uncomfortable in their presence? These questions, and others, were swirling around in my mind.

When we all met in the parking lot of an eatery on Route 61, I tried to size everybody up. One fellow had a firm handshake and looked to be in good shape but, maybe he just works out. Girlie Men are known to be concerned about their looks and God knows they have the time to tend to it because they don't even shovel their coal! Another fellow's handclasp was limp at best but, maybe his children tend to the stove.

I was more than a bit uncomfortable being seen in public with openly Girlie Men and I prayed that no one I knew would see me for fear that they may think that I was one of them! The fear of embarassment was unbearable.

As the day wore on and we all got to know each other better, I became more at ease. By the time we divulged to each other our combustion preferences, it didn't seem to matter much at all. The people I suspected of being Girlie Men weren't alway so. For the most part, they dressed like me and acted like me. Yes, there were some affectations here and there but, nothing flamboyant.

As we broke bread together at which must have been the longest meal in history, I had an epiphany. Each one of these Girlie Men were someone's son; someone's brother; or someone's father. Any one of them could have been my son; my brother; or my father. Although I would be devastated, if my son told me he was a Girlie Man, I would still love him. How could I not? He would still be my son. And I would want him to be treated with the same respect and consideration as everyone else notwithstanding the fact that he was a Girlie Man.

One Girlie Man who will go unnamed confided in me that at a very early age, he knew he was different. He knew that shovelling coal was not in the cards for him. Nothing about it was appealing to him; in fact, it repulsed him! While driving his vehicle, he opened his window, punched the air and proclaimed loudly, "I am a Girlie Man and I don't shovel Coal!" Rather than live a secret life in the shadowy underbelly of society, he chose to embrace his identity as a Girlie Man. I was happy for him.

I sincerely hope that someday, all people will see that Girlie Men are not much different than the rest of us. In fact, the things we have in common clearly outweigh the differences. Perhaps we will all be able to overcome our preconceived notions about Girlie Men and they will be able to marry, adopt children, and become scoutmasters like everyone else.

John C.

I don't care who you are, that right there is funny!!

That was the idea!

However, upon further consideration, if we all accept the Girlie Men as legitimate members of mainstream society, who are we going to goof on?? I'll think on it a bit more but, I think I may have to retract my last post.
John C.

Funny!

Wood'nCoal wrote:I'm confused...even though you have a stoker, you still have to get the coal into the hopper, right?

Not neccesarily, depends on how you set it up. Larger stoker furnces with auger feeds the hopper is right in the bin or the bin is the hopper. In my case its a 55 gallon plastic drum which is pretty common. 400+ lb. of coal...

As another example I have a customer with a 12 foot basement, he built the bin as a hopper. Doesn't have to shovel a piece. He has the stoker up on a few courses of cinderblock so hes got room for at least a weeks worth of ashes in the dead of winter. In other words he can go away in the winter.

Agreed, ADMIN. I was thinking of small hopper fed stoves, not furnaces or boilers.

John

John,

You obviously have w-a-a-a-a-a-y too much time to think on those long motorcycle rides! 8)

Very good job and as others have already noted very funny. Thankfully, for the sake of their manly place in society at large, no "Girlie Men" were identified in this piece of art.

WOW! That was some very poetic and articulate writing John! You are obviously somewhat inflicted with the Girlie Man virus already. :happyhippy:

We are not asking for too much. We are asking Real Men to consider our perspective and to talk specifically and publicly to both Real Men and Girlie Men in America about how that feels, what that means and why it matters to them. After all, the care we have and show to one another is what makes us human.

Don't be afraid, get in touch with your feminine side, c'mon there is no shame. We in this country are all about diversity so say no to girliemanphobia and girlimanbashing. Just remember we are not an issue, we are human beings!

Besides, we Girlie Men do shovel coal, I just shoveled 5 tons into my coal bin.

Girlie Man VIRUS !!
Do you mean it's contagious???

JerseyCoal wrote:Girlie Man VIRUS !!
Do you mean it's contagious???

For your computer it is... I'm embedding subliminal messages into the forum to convert all you bigots.

you must purchase stoker with self igniter

Well if these oil prices hit 100.00 a barrel or more I will be switching from oil hot water to coal fired hot water but it will still be a hand fed of some type
Can' t Or won't become a full blown Girlieman Just can't do it must stay A Realman So John To Help get Rid of ViRUS and stay a Realman Start the Hand fed stove up and then go shutoff the main breaker in you Panel In a hour or so you should to Start feeling Like a Realman again Oh Don't Forget to light a few Candles If It does not work
call Me I can talk you threw it

C'mon admit it JC, you have been considering a stoker!

See Jersey John, it is a virus... and not just for the computer, JC has been around me too much in the past month... he is a goner for sure!

Hey....Look here folks. I don't care WHAT y'all say about stokers vs. handfired -

But according to Matthaus's sig line:

Matthaus
Girlie Man (AKA stoker user) burning buckwheat coal, Anthraheat Ministoker 80, and Gentleman Janitor in the basement (soon), Alaska Kast Console in the house and Harman Magnum in the garage"

This dude is burning 3 separate stoves with a fourth on the way :hothot: !!


I tip my hat to you Mr. Matthaus as being the MANLIEST girlie man of all!
:thumbleft:

Matthaus spreads the 'virus' too!! He found my 'girleman' stoker I'm using on eBay, and sent me the auction notice. I would never have found it, it was listed as a 'coal feeder'

So he's looking for converts.... I used to be a 'realman' too, I hand fed 9.5 tons of coal to my boiler last season.... UNTILL the stoker came along.. Now I just feed the hopper.

BUT I"M PROUD !! It's great to be a 'Girlie Man'. Hey I still have to load the hopper with 5-gallon buckets of coal at my shoulder level !! How 'girlie' is that??

Greg L

Hay Greg you won't be filling that Hopper much longer As soon as you
Hook up that A A boiler with the Auger you will not be shoveling any coal

Using Front end loaders to fill you coal bin/Hopper does not count as a Realman Hand Fed Guy
the only thing you be doing is adjusting you air flow and you feed speed and maybe your timers
Oh yeah once a week dumping the Ash tub So soon you will be a
full blown Girlie Man