... appreciate good songwriting.

Of course, every man must figure out what he considers good songwriting on his own.  This pretty much sums it up for me.  I cried when Guy sings the final verse.

... be able to grow his own food.

My Grandfather had a garden.  Two in fact.  One in his backyard and a community garden that he was a part of.  He was responsible for the corn.

I remember from a young age admiring Paw Paw's ability to tend the soil in such a way that produced immaculate fruits and vegetables.  Salads at Paw Paw's house were something to be cherished.  Of course, we didn't appreciate the spinach at that time, but every summer we would cover our faces with sticky peaches.

I had a chance to spend a few hours in the car with Paw Paw the other day.  He can't hear very well, so he likes to do most of the talking (he is 89 now).  I can't think of a better way to spend a couple of hours.  So, I asked him to tell me about gardening.  This is 2 hours distilled down to a few bullet points:

• SOIL - This is the most important thing.  Period.  If you have bad soil, nothing will grow.  You will probably have to amend your soil to some degree with compost or some other organic matter.  
  
  
• While gardening can be a very complex endeavor, Mother Nature is very smart, and generally takes care of things.  You just have to work with her.  There are 5 basic elements to consider.  Soil, Compost, Seeds, Water, and Sunlight.  Now, it is up to you to figure out the right combination.
  
  
• Grow what you like to eat.  There is no use spending any time growing something you aren't excited about.  The reward is what will motivate the effort along the way.  (of course, consult a gardening book or the internet to figure out what grows in your area during any specific season)
  
  
• Start small.  Get yourself a pot and grow tomatoes on your porch or herbs on a windowsill.  You can always expand, but it is pretty hard to put your yard back together.

I'll get started now, and hopefully have some homegrown tomatoes to put on my sandwiches by summertime.  I think Guy Clark had it right...

NEWER AND BETTER QUALITY VIDEO HERE

... be able to sew a button.

There are certain things in life that you need to ask for a woman's help with.  Selecting the right cologne, for instance. 

However, when you are left one button short, there is no need to trouble a lovely lady over it.  It is rather simple, and here is what you need to know:

1)  Pull off enough thread to stretch from your fingers to your elbow, and thread the needle.  Pull your needle to the middle of the thread to double up the thread.  Tie a knot (like you are trying to choke the button) where the two ends of the thread come together.

2)  Put the button where you want it.  Start on the inside of the fabric, and push the needle through both the fabric and one of the holes.  Pull tight.

3)  Go back through one of the holes directly next to first hole and pull tight.  On the fabric side, cross diagonally and push through the fabric and the unused hole diagonal from the 2nd hole used.  Basically, repeat this pattern about 4 times (with the crossing taking place on the inside of the fabric).

4)  Once the button is secure, poke the needle through the fabric side, but don't go through the button.  Loop the thread around the button (like a noose) to tighten everything.

5)  When everything is tight, put the thread back to the inside of the fabric.  From here you can use the needle to go underneath some of the exposed thread and tie yourself 3 or 4 knots to hold the hole thing together.

Of course, if you are a visual learner, check out below.  There are variations, but it is basically the same.

They put those extra buttons on the inside of your shirt for a reason.  Now you can use them.

... carry a pocket knife

You may not be MacGyver, or even a Boy Scout for that matter, but that is no excuse for being unprepared.  And there is no single tool that will allow you to be prepared for more situations than a pocket knife.

Pocket knives come in many forms, and each one tells you a bit about a man.  For instance:

A Swiss Army Knife says, "Last week I borrowed the knife that my girlfriend keeps in her purse, and I must have forgotten to give it back."

An Oldtimer says, "I am a man that has an appreciation for nostalgia... I'm also too damn cheap to buy a good knife."

A Spyderco says, "I have a pocket knife, but it also kind of looks like a martial arts weapon.  So I might just be looking to kill you."

And, of course, a Buck knife says, "I have a firm handshake and strong resolve."

Now, every pocket knife is different, and it is a very personal decision.  I happen to prefer my Buck Knight that I received as a groomsman gift (thank you Mr. Pedroza), but every man needs to pick out the knife that suits him.  However, here area  few things to keep in mind:

1)  Make sure it locks - While using a non-locking blade is suitable for cutting a loose thread or popping a balloon, you never know what task you will need to perform.  Go ahead and spend the money on a lock blade.  It will come in handy sooner than you realize... plus, it will buy you some points with any ladies who have their priorities straight.

2)  Stay focused & leave it at the blade - while it can be cute to have multiple blades and various tools, it is pretty unnecessary.  Every Man Should be able to do whatever those various tools are designed to do (screwdriver, scissors, tweezers, toothpick) with a standard lock-blade pocket knife.

Unless you know exactly what you want, you should not shop for a knife online.  Go into a knife store and try them out.  You will find one that is right for you.