Eccentric and honest.

Hes definitely eccentricto give you one example, hes very proud of his
world record for the most number of footnotes in a law review article. It was his Mt. Everest: 4,281. But more
impressive to me, is that hes honest. To the extreme. Whenever were on a road trip, he refuses to pull over
at any old Holiday Inn or McDonalds to use the bathroom. Not unless we buy something. Otherwise, he says,
wed be stealing their soap and paper towels. So our bladders may be fuller, but our conscience is spotless.
A.J. Jacobs, author.

Aloof. Self-centered.
John C. Abell, journalist.

Charisma and character. He had a crowded, loving funeral. I met so many people that day who Id never seen
before; people whose lives had been touched by him. The parking lot was overflowing. It made it easier for
me in a way, as grieving him became, unexpectedly, a communal experience. And even though he died when I
was 16 he left me with lessons that have been good company my whole life.
Alexander Chee, novelist.

Unflinchingly strong.
Ben Corman, creative director of Rudius Media.

Quiet. Stern.
Randy Strauss, EMT.

Ill give you two pairs of contradictions: warm/explosive and fun/depressive. What can I say? He was loving,
and he drank.
Gordon Wheeler, CEO, Esalen Institute.

Tough. Caring. Hes a great dad, but of course I didnt always think that when I was 16 and he was trying to
get me not to act like an idiot.
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern University head football coach.

Oh, wow. My dad. My dad is hes wow. Im trying to come up with the two that best describe him. I would
say the two words would bewow, this is do people have a hard time with this? My dad is sweet and prag-
matic. My dad was my high school principal. It sucked.
Brady Udall, novelist.

Renaissance man.
Jeffrey Zaslow, journalist and author.

Determined, tough, and compassionate.

Josh Kraft, CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Boston. His father is Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots.

Casual and guarded.

Tertulien Thomas, Jr., actor and model.

We asked men to describe their fathers in two words.

This is what they said.

www.GoodMenProject.com
This first appeared as Tom Matlacks column, Good Is Good, in The Good Men Project Magazine.

Vodka and charm.

Nick Flynn, poet, playwright, and author.

Compassionate and Botox. Wait, lets replace Botox with awesome.

Tom Riles, comedian.
Nick Flynn

Clever. Witty.
Andrew Seibert, president of SmartMoney.

Con man.
Duncan Roy, filmmaker and Sex Rehab With Dr. Drew star.

Taxicab driver.
Sewell Chan, journalist.

Brave and loving. I need to elaborate. My father suffered a paralyzing stroke when my mother
was pregnant with me in 1959. She already had four other young children at home, and his illness
was a major impact on the entire family. I grew up watching him work hard all his life, despite his
paralysis, loving and providing for his family.
Michael Angley, author.

Loving contradiction.
Todd Mauldin, bluesman.

Brilliant and ineffectual (and sadly, departed).

Alan Poul, director/producer.
Todd Mauldin

Honest Ragman.
David Carr, author and journalist.

I only need one word. Abusador.

Junot Daz, Pulitzer Prize-winning author. Junot Diaz

Heres what Im going to say. Im going to do more than two words, Im sorry. But my dad is
generous, honest, kind, principled, directbut hes an asshole. And it in some ways is a redeem-
ing grace, because if he [had] all those virtues and was also just a nice guy all the time, hed be
perfect. He is a paragon of all that is best in a man, and yet a complete jerk at the same time.
Rev. John Finley IV, founder of the Epiphany School in Boston.

Kind. Withdrawn.
Joe McGinniss, author and journalist.

Simply complex.
Stafford Arima, theater director.
Eccentric and honest. Hes definitely eccentricto give you one example, hes very proud of his
world record for the most number of footnotes in a law review article. It was his Mt. Everest: 4,281. But more
impressive to me, is that hes honest. To the extreme. Whenever were on a road trip, he refuses to pull over
at any old Holiday Inn or McDonalds to use the bathroom. Not unless we buy something. Otherwise, he says,
wed be stealing their soap and paper towels. So our bladders may be fuller, but our conscience is spotless.
A.J. Jacobs, author.

Aloof. Self-centered.
John C. Abell, journalist.

Charisma and character. He had a crowded, loving funeral. I met so many people that day who Id never seen
before; people whose lives had been touched by him. The parking lot was overflowing. It made it easier for
me in a way, as grieving him became, unexpectedly, a communal experience. And even though he died when I
was 16 he left me with lessons that have been good company my whole life.
Alexander Chee, novelist.

Unflinchingly strong.
Ben Corman, creative director of Rudius Media.
Pat Fitzgerald

Quiet. Stern.
Randy Strauss, EMT.

Ill give you two pairs of contradictions: warm/explosive and fun/depressive. What can I say?
He was loving, and he drank.
Gordon Wheeler, CEO, Esalen Institute.

Tough. Caring. Hes a great dad, but of course I didnt always think that
when I was 16 and he was trying to get me not to act like an idiot.
Pat Fitzgerald
Pat Fitzgerald, Northwestern University head football coach.

Oh, wow. My dad. My dad is hes wow. Im trying to come up with the two that best describe him. I would
say the two words would bewow, this is do people have a hard time with this? My dad is sweet and prag-
matic. My dad was my high school principal. It sucked.
Brady Udall, novelist.

Renaissance man.
Jeffrey Zaslow, journalist and author.

Determined, tough, and compassionate.

Josh Kraft, CEO, Boys & Girls Club of Boston. His father is Robert Kraft, owner of the New England Patriots.

Casual and guarded.

Tertulien Thomas, Jr., actor and model.
Despair and alone.
Robb Braun, motivational speaker.

Inherently good.
Steve Scalzi, director of basketball operations, Northeastern University.
David Atchison

Alcoholic.
J. Stephen Hicks, photographer.

Open mystery.
David Atchison, writer and producer. Dave Cowens

Blindly supportive.
Kenneth Hughes, actor and producer.

Mensch. Integrity.
Tim Berry, founder and president, Palo Alto Software.

I dont know if can do it in a couple of words. He was a typical World War II guynever said anything about
his whole deal over there and didnt really talk about himself, about anything really. He just went to work,
raised kids, and tried to do the right thing. Basically he was a barber. That was his main deal, being a barber.
I used to go to his shop when I was a kid and watch all the men play checkers and listen to them talk about
theirfamilies and politics and baseball. He got a Purple Heart because the enemy blew his jeep up one time.
He just happened to jump out of it in time. When he came home from the war, instead of going to college on
the GI Bill, he decided he had to go to work. He got married and had kids right away and went to work.
Dave Cowens, NBA Hall of Famer.

Brilliant, out-of-control.
Michael Kamber, photojournalist. Seamus, Tom and
James Matlack

Winner. Loser.
Tom Junod, writer.

Thug life. Its a good thing, Dad.

My son, Seamus Matlack, about me, Thomas Matlack, founder of The Good Men Project.

Brilliant and idealistic.

Me, Thomas Matlack, about my dad, James Matlack.

Hard-working. Remote.
James Matlack, about his father, Bob Matlack.
Two words to describe my dadalways working. He stayed busy working. He never had much time for his family. I
guess it was too hard to do both.
L. Pye, Probation Officer, writer.

suzanne says:
Southern gentleman.
Jack Walter says:
Neglectful alcoholic. Because he was.

Fabio Oliveira says:

Patient: my dad would stop eating during his lunch hour at home to explain to me some facts about plants for a
homework. He was an agronomic engineer.
Sensibility: he is a saxophone player actually, he also plays clarinet and cavaquinho, a little Brazilian guitar-
played in sambas and chorinhos, a Brazilian polka. He composed a song for each of his children (my sister and I)
when my mother was expecting us.

Ted Invictus says:

Rapist.
Thief.
Jed Diamond says:
The two words Id use to describe by Dad are Creative & Crazy. My father was a writer who struggled with the
pressures of having to make a living and be true to his art. When I was five he tried to commit suicide. When
he escaped from the mental hospital where he had been committed, he became a street poet, but our family was
never the same.

Lloyd Stenquist says:

Hopeful and Romantic

Mark Good says:

The best way to describe my dad would be to use two words together, then separately, self centered.
He thinks the world should revolve around him but I have always tried to live in his wisdom.

Gouthum says:
Two Words: Bad Ass.

scott meek says:

not home.

Jim Parkevich says:

loving and terrifying

MkAllen says:
Hard Working. The man worked 2 jobs most of his life and God was he hard on himself and everyone around
him.
Graham Phoenix, Male eXperience says:
Domineering, Loving.

He so wanted to the best for his family. He never stopped trying. Not just his wife, my mother, but also his three
boys. I was the youngest and could see how hard he found it to have boys who didnt do what HE wanted. He loved
us so much he could see what was best for us. His fault, if you can call it that was that he found it difficult to let us
go in the direction we wanted. But perversely, thats what we did. We flew off and worked and became successful.
I became a world-class lighting designer, the eldest became an aeronautical engineer, still working at nearly 70. The
middle brother became a hairdresser. Not much in common except a desire to be ourselves. Hmmm. maybe our
father put that there..

Van Dyke, Michael @ VTC says:

Tough guy
My father grew up under pretty rugged circumstances. His father left an already struggling family of 5 kids to be
raised by a mother who worked as a waitress, post WW I. For much of his early life, he was pretty much a street kid
who loved baseball and boxing. During the Depression he jumped trains and travelled across the country looking
for whatever work he could get. For most of his adult life he worked rotating shifts in a chemical factory, long before
there were things like environmental regulations. I worked there, too. I know what it was like and it wasnt pretty
but he did what he had to do to make a living and provide for his family.

When I say tough guy, I mean that he took what life dealt him and kept fighting. As a father, he was tough but fair
and I respected and appreciated what he did for me because I know what it took for him to do that. I miss him
every day.

DaddyYo Blog says:

The two words that describe my father the best are Committed and Faith The two words almost become one
when using them to describe my dad. As far back as I can remember my dad has been a religious man. His unshak-
able faith and commitment to his family and his God have always been his driving force. From business trips across
the country to 2am calls to go to work and be in his office for 48 hours at a time, he has done it all in commitment
to his family and the faith that called him to be the man he is.

Homemaker Man says:

Making amends.
Bill M says:
The two words that describe my father the best are Ass Hole
I was adopted and hes always made it painfully aware to me, that I am not loved or as important as his 2 biological
children. Sad.

David Higginbotham says:

GOOD MAN!
Dan says:

Honest. Humble.
My father was a bank president and chairman of a large bank holding company. When I would visit his office, he
insisted I greet everyone properly-especially the men and women who, after hours, cleaned his office and emptied
his trash. He knew all their names, their family stories and never let me say anything derogatory about them. He
was exactly like his father in that. Respect everyone regardless of station in life. He makes me proud still with that
attitude-and I strive to be the same. And he loves my mom deeply.

My father: alcoholic tragedy. This fits for many reasons and it is not meant to malign the man. This year is my first
fathers day. It has been almost fifteen years since my father drank himself to death. His life and my life growing
up with him was an alcoholic tragedy. The biggest tragedy was what he lost out on and what we who loved him
lost out on as well as a result of his alcoholism. His actual death was also quite a tragedy, as if it were taken from
the Greeks themselves, because he was found dead in our family home after hemorrhaging to death on the day
that he was supposed to sign the retirement papers from his high-ranking govt job because they were too incom-
petent to come up with anything other than fire/retire as an option for a chronic alcoholic who had served them for
almost thirty years. And yet, like many tragedies, my father in all of his imperfection is the greatest inspiration for
the life I live today and the father I am and will be.

Bobby C says:
Still MIssed.

linda says:
the greatest

Alby says:
Ecologist & poet
truly wonderful was my second choice: he never said anything mean about anyone not even my mom and has been
a terrific dad.

divers says:
he died when i was eight..sadly ive never got to know him really.. but i felt he was very brave and strong..but also
broken and sad..still makes me sad when i think of himwhat life he had to go thru..how tragic it endedbut i
know he loved me and always treated me right..at least as good and long as he could..

Charles Tersolo says Dreamer and Booster

Anonymous
Cowardly lion
Designated worrier
@nanciesmartin
Wicked nuts.
@Oxy_Morons2010

Drowsy comedian Loud and loving.

@sedgeforrent @jarradrwalter

Real Mensch. Good Man.

@rose22 @jimstoic

Disingenuous bully.
@bliss_street Profanely religious.
@carr2n
Boisterous cheerleader.
@katierosman The best!
@Saby333
Educator/Motivator.
@KipLyn Musical, Thinker.
@charna

Compulsive Yakker Terrible punster.

@sullivanjames @jombita

@sullivanjames: Teddy bear

I asked my sons. Sam, 11: Treacherous @ScottMacIver
ding-dong. Will, 10: Devils son. Owen,
6: Sports builder. Huh? Humble. Unselfish.
@iOCDad
Exceedingly punny.
@becca_mcsleuth Faithfully Devoted.
@DaddyYoEffinRox
Loved laughing.
@MarkLeslie enduring encourager
@ferox11
Abusive Jackass.
@mister_write Biggest / Fan
@BMorePRGuy
Warm & Understanding.
@wright_Peter sincere jokester
@marielaazcuy
Older, better.
@westcenter In Sane.
@B_G_B_
Brilliant, Clueless.
Karen Logan DeMarini

Abusive Alcoholic.
Bronwyn Galloway

future Me
Alan Newcomer

Bad Ass.
Gouthum Karadi

Always there!
Lisa Ford Berry

Faithful Man!
David Higginbotham

Bad golfer.
Andy Oleszczuk

Miserable victim.
Kerri Wall

Yellow Ledger.
Becca Bernstein

Good guy.
Curtis Ogden

Funny, smart.
David Wise

Pirate, Philosopher.
Jessy Melowicz
At The Good Men Project Magazine, we write, discuss, and invite commentary on a whole slew of
topics for men and about men in todays world. What people wrote about their dads -- its not what
youll find in Hallmark greeting cards. Its real, honest, complex, and thought-provoking.
Thats how we roll.

The Good Men Project co-founder Tom Matlacks

Good Is Good column runs on Monday and Thursday
in The Good Men Project Magazine.

The Good Men Project Magazine is a cross-platform, multi-media destination featuring compelling writing about
parenting, sex, relationships, identity, ethics, humor, and health. The publications contributors include top-tier journalists
commissioned to provide feature content as well as volunteer writers and bloggers.

Visit www.GoodMenProject.com