Hey girl. Lately, I’ve found myself watching Ryan Gosling’s films. It started with Drive and sort of went from there. Then a friend tells me that he loves candy. Like loves candy to the point where his kind-of-ridiculous abs would rebel. As a baker and candy maker, that made me happy. But this isn’t (yet another) article about why Ryan Gosling is so great. Ryan Gosling is just a man. Granted, a handsome one, but that’s not really the point.
The point is: Why does it feel like every woman in America is in love with Ryan Gosling at the moment?
Because his characters are men.
They’re like the men in old Hollywood films. Men like some of our grandfathers. Gentlemen. They’re strong, capable, protective, thoughtful, and…in their own way, romantic. Especially those in Drive, Blue Valentine, and Crazy, Stupid, Love.
In Drive, his character is so protective of the woman he loves that he’ll do anything to make sure she’s safe…including kicking one guy’s head in. And, while very few women would approve of such actions, many of us are drawn to men who could step into that role if it was absolutely necessary. If, say, there were a zombie apocalypse, we want someone who could protect us from being eaten if our own gun ran out of bullets.
That’s not to knock Gosling himself. Journalists have been gushing over him and painting him to be awfully similar to those charismatic characters he plays. He’s modest about his physique, gushes about how amazing his girlfriends have been, and says his love life is more romantic than The Notebook (A movie that I have, to date, avoided entirely).
His characters showcase what women have been missing. When we were younger some of us wanted sensitive, soft, brooding…you know, Robert Pattinson, Johnny Depp. But, trust me, all those women who are swooning over Gosling? They don’t want brooding. They don’t want sensitive. They don’t want lithe.
Sorry, Pattinson.
So, guys…let this be a warning. If your woman is swooning more over Gosling than you, it’s not really about him. It’s that you’re not delivering what she wants (see: moping, obliviousness, “man cold”).
Men, be strong. Be empathetic. Be protective. Make her feel like she’s the most important thing in your world and that should there be a zombie apocalypse you would save her. Have a plan. If she has a plan and it falls through, have a backup plan. Open doors. Open her door first, even if you have automatic locks. Find your ambition. Your drive. Start building something. Build her something. Get dirty. Carry her to the bedroom.
And for goodness sakes, get to the gym.
Oh, and Ryan, should you see this and want something sweet, feel free to place an order.
Blackberry Hard Candy
Ingredients:
2 cups sugar
1 cup water
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup fresh blackberries
Butter
1/4 cup Confectioner’s sugar
Preparation:
1. Butter two small 8 or 9″ pans (cake or brownie pans will do) and one cookie sheet. Set aside.
2. Puree the blackberries and strain the results through a food mill or mesh strainer so you have just the liquid and very few, if any, seeds.
3. Slowly boil down the juice to reduce the water content. Remove from heat.
4. Put the sugar, water, and corn syrup into a large saucepan. Heat over medium high heat and stir constantly until sugar is dissolved. Then reduce heat to medium low and allow it to reach 300 degrees. Do not stir.
5. Remove from heat and pour into two pans. Set one pan atop a hot water bath so it stays warm). Let it cool to the touch and then begin cutting and molding it into the shape you desire.
6. Dust with confectioner’s sugar if you don’t want the outside to be sticky.