The Phantom of the Opera*

Basics:

According to Wikipedia, The Phantom of the Opera (in French, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a French novel by Gaston Leroux. Initially, the novel sold very poorly and was even out of print several times during the twentieth century. Today, it is considered to be a classic of French literature. It has since been adapted many times into film and stage productions, including the notable Andrew Lloyd Weber 1986 musical starring Michael Crawford (ahem!) as the Phantom. (Side note: The Phantom of the Opera musical is now the longest running Broadway show in history and the most lucrative entertainment enterprise of all time, its worldwide box office over the past 20 years out-grossing even the highest grossing film in history, Titanic.) For more information on the story itself, see here.

Pros:
Dude can sing

A one-woman man

Misunderstood romantic side that appeals to women

He's French

Cons:

He's French

VERY jealous lover

Has stalker/might kidnap you/kill your boyfriend/raving lunatic tendencies

Not so easy on the eyes

Lives in the sewer

History of extortion and violence

*Upon review, it seems that Erik AKA The Phantom may not be a man worth marrying after all. Turns out he's got some really serious cons stacked against him. But when I say "dude can sing," I mean dude can REALLY sing.

Murph and His Men*

It takes some kind of man to become a Navy SEAL. I don't know that all of SEALs are men worth marrying, but I know that I'm grateful for every last one of them. And then there are these men: Michael Murphy, Matthew Axelson, Danny Dietz, and Marcus Luttrell, men who battled the enemy during Operation Redwing. According to news reports and testimonies by family, friends, and lovers, these men were definitely worth marrying. The posted bio basics is for their leader, Lt. Michael P. Murphy, and the photos are of the brave warriors who served with him---three of the many who gave their lives in the mountains of Afghanistan and the lone survivor who lives to tell the story. (It's long, and it's a departure from this blog's usual sarcasm, but you asked for reality...well, here's some reality!)

Basics:
According to the Navy military Web site, Michael Murphy was born in 1976 in New York. Murphy grew up active in sports and worked as a lifeguard in the summers. Murphy attended Penn State University, where he was an exceptional all-around athlete and student, excelling at ice hockey and graduating with honors. He was an avid reader; his reading tastes ranged from the Greek historian Herodotus to Tolstoy's War and Peace. Murphy's favorite book was Steven Pressfield’s Gates of Fire, about the Spartan stand at Thermopylae.

Muphy graduated BUD/S training and willingly served his country as a SEAL. In 2005, Lt. Murphy was the officer-in-charge of a four-man SEAL element in support of Operation Red Wing tasked with finding key anti-coalition militia commander near Asadabad, Afghanistan. Shortly after inserting into the objective area, the SEALs were spotted by three goat herders who were initially detained and then released. It is believed the goat herders immediately reported the SEALs’ presence to Taliban fighters.

A fierce gun battle ensued on the steep face of the mountain between the SEALs and a much larger enemy force. Despite the intensity of the firefight and suffering grave gunshot wounds himself, Murphy is credited with risking his own life to save the lives of his teammates. Murphy, intent on making contact with headquarters, but realizing this would be impossible in the extreme terrain where they were fighting, unhesitatingly and with complete disregard for his own life moved into the open, where he could gain a better position to transmit a call to get help for his men.

Moving away from the protective mountain rocks, he knowingly exposed himself to increased enemy gunfire. This deliberate and heroic act deprived him of cover and made him a target for the enemy. While continuing to be fired upon, Murphy made contact with the SOF Quick Reaction Force at Bagram Air Base and requested assistance. He calmly provided his unit’s location and the size of the enemy force while requesting immediate support for his team. At one point, he was shot in the back causing him to drop the transmitter. Murphy picked it back up, completed the call and continued firing at the enemy who was closing in. Severely wounded, Lt. Murphy returned to his cover position with his men and continued the battle.

As a result of Murphy’s call, an MH-47 Chinook helicopter, with eight additional SEALs and eight Army Night Stalkers aboard, was sent in as part of the QRF to extract the four embattled SEALs. As the Chinook drew nearer to the fight, a rocket-propelled grenade hit the helicopter, causing it to crash and killing all 16 men aboard.

On the ground and nearly out of ammunition, the four SEALs, continued to fight. By the end of a two-hour gunfight that careened through the hills and over cliffs, Murphy, Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny Dietz and Sonar Technician 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew Axelson had fallen. An estimated 35 Taliban were also dead. The fourth SEAL, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class (SEAL) Marcus Luttrell, was blasted over a ridge by a rocket-propelled grenade and knocked unconscious. Though severely wounded, the fourth SEAL and sole survivor, Luttrell, was able to evade the enemy for nearly a day; after which local nationals came to his aide, carrying him to a nearby village where they kept him for three more days. Luttrell was rescued by U.S. Forces on July 2, 2005.

By his undaunted courage, intrepid fighting spirit and inspirational devotion to his men in the face of certain death, Lt. Murphy was able to relay the position of his unit, an act that ultimately led to the rescue of Luttrell and the recovery of the remains of the three who were killed in the battle.

Lt. Murphy was buried at Calverton National Cemetery less than 20 miles from his childhood home. In addition to being awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, Lt. Murphy’s other personal awards include the Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal, Afghanistan Campaign Ribbon and National Defense Service Medal.

Pros:
Brave in the face of mortal danger
Willing to die so others might live
Loyal to family, friends, country
Understand what brotherhood means
Strong and mighty
Skilled with weapons and in war
Intelligent and accomplished
Ruggedly handsome

Cons:

Targets for terrorists

A rough day at the office could mean a folded flag

Made to endure baseless charges from the thankless at home and abroad

Even in peace they hear the call to war

Might not live to see the worth of their actions

Murph


Axe

Danny

Lone Survivor Marcus Luttrell

June 28, 2005 was the single largest loss of life for Naval Special Warfare since World War II. Below is a list of the brave warriors who were killed in action during Operation Redwing.

Navy SEALsSEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 1, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Lt. (SEAL) Michael P. Murphy, 29, of Patchogue, N.Y.
Sonar Technician (Surface) 2nd Class (SEAL) Matthew G. Axelson, 29, of Cupertino, Calif.
Machinist Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Eric S. Patton, 22, of Boulder City, Nev.
Senior Chief Information Systems Technician (SEAL) Daniel R. Healy, 36, of Exeter, N.H.
Quartermaster 2nd Class (SEAL) James Suh, 28, of Deerfield Beach, Fla.

SEAL Delivery Vehicle Team 2, Virginia Beach, Va.
Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class (SEAL) Danny P. Dietz, 25, of Littleton, Colo.

SEAL Team 10, Virginia Beach, Va.
Chief Fire Controlman (SEAL) Jacques J. Fontan, 36, of New Orleans, La.
Lt. Cmdr. (SEAL) Erik S. Kristensen, 33, of San Diego, Calif.
Electronics Technician 1st Class (SEAL) Jeffery A. Lucas, 33, of Corbett, Ore.
Lt. (SEAL) Michael M. McGreevy Jr., 30, of Portville, N.Y.
Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SEAL) Jeffrey S. Taylor, 30, of Midway, W.Va.

Army Night Stalkers3rd Battalion, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Hunter Army Air Field, Ga.
Staff Sgt. Shamus O. Goare, 29, of Danville, Ohio.
Chief Warrant Officer Corey J. Goodnature, 35, of Clarks Grove, Minn.
Sgt. Kip A. Jacoby, 21, of Pompano Beach, Fla.
Sgt. 1st Class Marcus V. Muralles, 33, of Shelbyville, Ind.
Maj. Stephen C. Reich, 34, of Washington Depot, Conn.
Sgt. 1st Class Michael L. Russell, 31, of Stafford, Va.
Chief Warrant Officer Chris J. Scherkenbach, 40, of Jacksonville, Fla.

HQ Company, 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Ky.
Master Sgt. James W. Ponder III, 36, of Franklin, Tenn.

*For Dreamlady who wanted a real man, a modern man, and preferably a man still living.

Thomas Langlois Lefroy*

Basics:

Thomas Langlois Lefroy (1776–1869) was an Irish politician and judge. Accprding to Wikepedia, Tom Lefroy had an outstanding academic record at Trinity College, Dublin. In 1793, his great-uncle sponsored Tom's legal studies in London. Later, Tom became a prominent member of the Irish bar and published a series of Law Reports. He was promoted to Chieft Justice of the Court of Queen's Bench in Ireland in 1852. He admitted to family to having loved Jane Austen as a young man, and some believe he was her muse for her literary heroes. Upon learning of Jane Austen’s death, Thomas Langlois Lefroy traveled from Ireland to England to pay his respects to the British author. In addition, at an auction of Cadell's papers, Tom bought a Cadell publisher's rejection letter—for Austen’s early version of Pride and Prejudice (originally titled First Impressions).

Looks like this in real life as Chief Justice (age 72!!!)

Pros:

Irish

Smart guy

Blue eyes and handsome (ages well too!)

Likes to have wild fun

Romantic at heart

Doesn't forget his first love

Has good taste in literature and writers

Proves women wrong that "Mr. Darcy" doesn't exist

Looks like this in the movie Becoming Jane

Cons:

Cares too much what his family thinks

Wears a girly wig

Dysfunctional family of origin

Very judgmental

Lost his heart to Jane Austen a long, long time ago

His estate is becoming a golf course

Is currently deceased

*This post is for Meems, to boost her belief in Mr. Darcy.

Sir William Wallace

Basics:

William Wallace (c. 1272-76 – 1305) was a Scottish knight, landowner, and patriot who is known for leading a resistance during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He defeated an English army at Stirling and became Guardian of Scotland, serving until his defeat at the Battle of Falkirk. After several years in hiding, Wallace was eventually found in Scotland and handed over to Longshanks, Edward I of England, who had him executed for treason.

Pros:

Able to protect you in a fight

Loyal to friends, family, and country

National hero

Has a Scottish accent

Looks like this in the movies:

Cons:

Doesn't take a lot of baths

Gets bloody a lot

Always on the run from the law

Dies a horribly gruesome death (and you might too)

No AC, electricity, or indoor plumbing in the 1200s

Henry VIII

Basics:
According to Wikipedia, Henry VIII (1491–1547) was King of England and Lord of Ireland, later King of Ireland and claimant to the Kingdom of France, from April 21, 1509, until his death. Henry was the second monarch of the House of Tudor and a significant figure in the history of the English monarchy, separating the Anglican Church from Roman authority and establishing the English monarch as the Supreme Head of the Church of England. Henry also oversaw the legal union of England and Wales.

Pros:
King. of. England.
Accomplished author, poet, and musician
Skilled hunter and athlete
King. of. England.
Looks like this on screen (at 18, then middle-age)

Cons:
Not a one-woman man
Has a gambling problem
You'll be pressured to have a son
The whole nation will know your business
He might have you beheaded
Looks like this in real life (at 18, then middle-age)

Mr. Darcy

Basics:
Mr. Fitzwilliam Darcy is a fictional character, the hero in Jane Austen's novel extraordinaire Pride and Prejudice. He woos and wins the heroine, Elizabeth Bennet, with his august moral character and lines like these: "By you I was properly humbled. I came to you without a doubt of my reception. You showed me how insufficient were all my pretensions to please a woman worthy of being pleased."

Pros*:
See romantic prose above
Wealthy
Well-connected
Fabulously handsome on the BBC
Dresses well
Rides horses
Plays hard-to-get

Cons:
Plays hard-to-get
Superiority complex
Not a suitable match (your parents would love him, but his wouldn't love you)
Given to believing gossip
Taken by our dear Miss Bennet

*Too many to list, people!

Jack Bauer

Basics:
Jack Bauer is the protagonist of the television series 24. Bauer has trained and worked in various capacities as a government agent, currently at the Counter Terrorist Unit in Los Angeles.

Pros:
Invincible
Can save you from terrorists
Strong and brave
Knows how to use a gun
Love his family
Knows President Palmer

Cons:
Is hardly ever home
Goes away without warning for long periods of time and doesn't call
Sometimes does drugs and other harmful things "for his job"
Tends to talk in an annoying whisper that he thinks is sexy
Has a lot of enemies
Most of his friends/family end up dead

William Wilberforce

Basics:
According to Wikipedia, William Wilberforce (1759–1833) was a British politician, philanthropist, and a leader of the movement to abolish the slave trade in Britian. A close friend of Prime Minister William Pitt the Younger, Wilberforce was one of the leading English abolitionists, heading the parliamentary campaign against the British slave trade until the eventual passage of the Slave Trade Act in 1807. Wilberforce was convinced of the importance of religion, morality, and education. He is buried in Westminster Abbey.

Pros:

Educated

Well-Read and articulate

Respected leader

Best friends with the Prime Minister

Fights for what he believes in

Has a heart to help others

Looks like this in the movies

Cons:
Unpopular do-gooder
Sickly
Has to win every argument
Will ignore you at dinner while reading the news
Talks about slavery all. the. time.
Currently deceased
May have looked like this in real life

Jesus

Basics:
The central figure of Christianity, the incarnation of God, the savior of mankind.

Pros:
Knows who he is
Wise beyond his years
He'd meet all your needs (the only man on the list who can!)
Knows everything about you...and loves you anyway
Will readily give up his life to save you
You don't have to worry about pleasing his mother

Cons:
Not the marrying kind
Won't live to see 40 (not on this earth, anyway)
Will ALWAYS be right in EVERY argument
Loves every other woman on the planet too