When I first stood in front of a group of 6th–8th grade boys in Chamberlain back in 2001, I wasn’t thinking about writing a book.

I was thinking about how to help them.

That was the entire goal of the Explorers Club—and it still is. Give young men a place to belong, a reason to grow, and a few steady guideposts in a world that doesn’t always offer them clearly.

Out of that came a simple weekly tradition we started calling “Man Stuff.”

No production. No big speeches. Just conversations.

Real topics. Real questions. Sometimes awkward. Sometimes funny. Often more important than any of us realized at the time.

The Surprise No One Saw Coming

When I put those lessons into a book in 2020, I honestly expected it to stay local.

A gift for 8th graders. A reminder of what we had talked about. Something they could tuck away and maybe—just maybe—come back to later.

What happened instead caught me off guard.

The book traveled.

Parents started reading it. Grandparents started giving it as gifts. Young men I’d never met began using it as a reference. And conversations—real, meaningful conversations—started happening in homes I would never step into.

That’s when it hit me:

This wasn’t just about one group of boys anymore.

Why Another Book?

A fair question—and one I’ve been asked more than once.

The answer is simple: we weren’t done.

There are more conversations to have. More situations young men face today that deserve a little clarity, a little structure, and sometimes just a simple starting point.

Not everything in life needs to be complicated.

In fact, most of the things that matter most aren’t.

“Isn’t This Just Common Sense?”

I hear that one too.

And the answer is: sometimes, yes.

But only if someone takes the time to pass it on.

Common sense isn’t automatic. It’s learned. Modeled. Reinforced. Talked through.

If a young man grows up in an environment where those conversations happen regularly, he’s fortunate.

If he doesn’t, then something as simple as a short chapter, a conversation starter, or a story can make a bigger difference than we might think.

Who This Is Really For

Yes, the title says Man Stuff.

And yes, I wrote it with young men in mind.

But the truth is, most of these lessons apply far beyond that.

Parents. Mentors. Coaches. Teachers. Grandparents.

Anyone who cares about helping a young person grow into someone dependable, thoughtful, and grounded—this is for you too.

Because the book isn’t the end goal.

The conversation is.

What You Can Expect From This Blog

This space is an extension of the same idea that started it all.

Here, I’ll share:

• Additional lessons that didn’t make it into the books
• Practical ways to apply these ideas in real life
• Thoughts on what young men are facing today
• Tools to help spark better conversations

Nothing complicated. Nothing overproduced.

Just useful.

One Final Thought

If even one young man makes a better decision…

Handles a tough moment with more confidence…

Or avoids a mistake because of something he read or discussed…

That’s enough.

That’s always been the goal.

And it still is.