You’ll receive the book three weeks before the public–and even before all the media outlets (unless they make a donation too). But hurry, there are only 3000 copies available and given the respect entrepreneurs and others have for Godin’s work, they will go fast.

There’s an excellent review of the book by Hugh McLeod on the donation page.

The donation is made via PayPal. Note that the way it’s set up, the book will be sent to the address you have on file with PayPal (if you already have an account). This will be the address most people want the book sent to but if for some reason you want the book shipped to a different address you might want to inquire on how to set that up.

Also note that if you live outside of North America, you won’t be able to receive the book (Seth explains why here) but you can obtain a 20-page PDF summary of the book with a $10 donation.

I just made my donation to the Acumen Fund and am looking forward to reading Linchpin.

~ Mark Worthen

I Scream Out To You

I scream out to you in a whisper of sorrow:
Hear me, please hear me.

Because I will declare to you,
“I’m fine, really I am.”

Don’t be fooled.
I am a deep blue lake,
frozen hard.

You do not need to assault me with your ice pick;
You do not need to–nor could you–melt me with your intensity torch;
No, you need only look for the thin cracks in the ice,
And the whisps of steam emanating from the
Glorious spring of sublime masculinity which yearns from below.

- Mark David Worthen

The training will be held on August 7-9, 2009 near Flagstaff, Arizona.

The ManKind Project developed Gateway NWTA’s to help men who might otherwise question other men’s acceptance of their difference feel more comfortable.

There are Gateway NWTA’s for African-American men, Orthodox Jewish men, Christian men, and Spanish-speaking men, as well as for gay/bi/trans men.

Printed below are links with more information and a flier for the event. Please tell the gay/bi/trans men in your life about this unique opportunity. Men who think they might want to attend should register their interest here:

http://www.mkp-az.org/nwta_register.php

Feel free to call me (Mark Worthen) at 435-647-6706 with any questions.

General information about the New Warrior Training Adventure.

Information about the ManKind Project in Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho.

A Gateway NWTA for Gay/Bi/Trans men in the Washington, D.C. area, July 24-26, 2009.

The ManKind Project on Facebook.

The ManKind Project on YouTube.

Arizona Gay/Bi New Warrior Training Adventure

Lost on Internet TV

I’m going to post separately a few of my pet peeves about this new medium in the hope that if enough of us voice our discontent with these irritations that the networks will listen.

Last night I watched this week’s episode of Lost. Two peeves here:

1) The navigation menus are confusing. To watch an episode of the show, do you click on free episodes, FREE EPISODES, or WATCH FREE EPISODES? (Each of them goes someplace different.)

If I hover my mouse over EPISODES do I select EPISODE RECAPS, VIDEO RECAPS, PHOTOS, or LOST UNTANGLED? Are any of those really episodes? (No.)

The ABC webmasters need to read up on usability; this is the Internet, not a TV set.

2) When you arrive on the Lost home page, a Lost Untangled video automatically starts playing. Within 10 seconds it’s telling you what happens in the episode you came to watch! Grrrrrr! Talk about a spoiler. Come on guys! Think this through.

~ A Frustrated Lost Junkie

Here are the three books that have (and are) helping me deal with internalized shame:

1. Coming Out of Shame : Transforming Gay and Lesbian Lives by Gershen Kaufman & Lev Raphael

2. Outing Yourself: How to Come Out as Lesbian or Gay to Your Family, Friends, and Coworkers by Michelangelo Signorile

3. Ten Smart Things Gay Men Can Do to Improve Their Lives by Joe Kort

These two on on my “to read” list. If you’ve read either of them, please let me know what you thought:

The Way Out: The Gay Man’s Guide to Freedom No Matter if You’re in Denial, Closeted, Half In, Half Out, Just Out or Been Around the Block by Chris Nutter

The Velvet Rage: Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man’s World by Alan Downs

~ Mark Worthen

Ms. McCain will be a keynote speaker at the upcoming Log Cabin Republicans meeting.

Bravo Meghan! Thoughtful young leaders like you brighten the hopes for an America that embraces liberty and justice for all.

Boycott Jamaica

It’s time to stop buying Jamaican products, stop visiting the country, and start raising awareness about the Most Homophobic Place on Earth.

Please visit BoycottJamaica.org for details on how you can help. [But also see Comments to this post for an argument against boycotting Jamaica].

Truth Wins Out Press Release – National Jamaican Boycott Campaign To Kick-Off in New York City with ‘Rum Dump’ at Birthplace of Gay Rights Movement

Circle of Men by Bill Kauth

I’ve participated in a ManKind Project, (aka New Warrior) men’s group every week or two for the past eight years. I can’t imagine my life without it.

Sidebar: If you’re interested in starting a men’s group, I highly recommend the book, pictured at the left, Circle of Men, The Original Manual for Men’s Support Groups by Bill Kauth.

Why do I participate in a men’s group? Because the men in my group …

• Give me a safe place to learn how to be myself and shed the society-approved masculine mask.
• Give me a safe place to talk and act in ways I wouldn’t around women. To be with the boys without requiring intoxication, sexual exploitation of women, or sports.
• Encourage me to be vulnerable. They neither coddle me nor exploit my vulnerability. They listen.
• Support my conscious risk-taking even when the task appears daunting.
• Give me space to experience failure or disappointment. They do not pity me; they do not shame.
• Expect me to develop a life mission based on my vision for the world.
• Challenge me to live in accordance with my mission–to live with integrity.
• Expect me to be accountable for the commitments I make. If I have not kept a commitment I am expected to hold myself accountable in the group. When I hold myself accountable, I ask the other men ask me some tough questions which:
  • help me understand the impact of my choice on myself and others
  • help me identify possible unconscious motivations which took precedence over keeping my agreement
  • invite me to “get back into integrity” by making a new commitment and keeping it.
• Expect me to be mentally and emotionally present during our group meetings.
• If I have an emotional charge (anger, fear, etc.) with another man in my group, which will keep me from being present, I can, with the other man’s permission, utilize a powerful interpersonal process to express that charge and own the unconscious projections I am putting on the other man.
• Give me an opportunity to use a variety of group processes to help me live my mission; to live a life of integrity. For example, in one process, I ask the men to give me brutally honest and loving feedback regarding behavior patterns they see in me (and which I might not see) such as:
  • manipulation
  • deflection
  • hiding
  • lying
  • staying in a victim role
  • wearing a mask
  • emotional numbing
  • self-destruction
  • addiction
• Have fun camping, hanging out, playing cards, bowling, having picnics with our families, and going on road trips.
• Teach me to respect my elders and to invite elders to share their wisdom with me.
• Respect and honor my spiritual growth, whether or not that includes involvement in an organized religion.
• Accept the fact that I’m gay; support my coming out process; and examine their own prejudices and feelings regarding homosexuality. For six of the last eight years, all the men in my group have been heterosexual.

This post was prompted by one of my favorite personal development authors, Steve Pavlina and his blog post, How to Be a Man. My response to that article (on Steve’s forum) was the genesis for this “Why I Go to a Men’s Group” post of mine.

The men’s group I attend is part of the ManKind Project. I learned about the group after participating in the New Warrior Training Adventure.