I’ve always been a fan of boxing. The pageantry, the fierce competition, and the freakish shape these athletes keep themselves in is astounding. Although we are decade or two removed from the Pay-Per-View glory days of the sport, it still stands as a national pastime, and the result of a big fight is always water-cooler fodder for Americans.
I’ve always been a fan of sci-fi movies - whether it is a future dystopia, aliens come to Earth to harvest our resources, or some mysterious creature from the deep ocean terrorizes Manhattan. These types of films that suspend reality create an atmosphere of what “could be” and for films like Real Steel that take place in the very near future, it adds an even greater element of realism.
I’ve always been a fan of Hugh Jackman. He's manly enough to play Wolverine and rip mutants to shreds on a daily basis but also comfortable enough with himself to star on Broadway in musicals. He’s witty, can play the leading man, and definitely lifted a weight or ten before filming Real Steel.
|
Ask any Dad you know - having a new baby comes with challenges. Unlike the latest gadget you purchased, new babies do not arrive equipped with an owner’s manual and detailed step-by-step instruction pamphlet. For new Dads feeling lost within the realm of parenting, the Ontario Network Father Involvement Initiative has set out to provide online “cribside assistance” to those in need.
Driven by the passion for the bond between fathers and children, the site delivers information for Dads, by Dads. From a “fuel-consumption” guide for feeding, to a complete Dad’s “tool kit” for the road, the site provides a dose of all things Dad in a manly manner that leaves you feeling competent and prepared for all parenting challenges.
|
Taking vitamins does not lie on the top of my favorite activities list. Always purchasing multi-vitamin supplements with the best intentions, the containers generally remains three-quarters full until the time the expiration date rolls around. Either from forgetfulness, or the sheer dislike for swallowing pills, the vitamins simply never live up to their healthy expectations.
While vitamins quickly squeeze their way out of my daily schedule, hydration does not. After every workout, I quickly reach for the nearest thirst-quenching beverage generally arriving in the form of my usual sports drink. Although I had been forewarned about the high sugar content of such drinks, I had yet to find a competitor that would deliver on both taste and healthy content.
|
How manly would you describe yourself? Sure you watch the football game on Sunday and enjoy a good beer with your buddies, but how well would you score in the etiquette category of manhood? What about home renting, career, negotiation, urban survival, boating, or nutrition categories? If anxiety is brewing, it might just be time for you to put down the beer and man up.
The Man Test by Robert Dodenhoff tests readers on all of the categories that make up manhood. While she may want to know, the book does not come with a requirement to disclose the results to the women in your life. Although the initial test score may seem discouraging, the following chapters provide resources in every arena that a man’s knowledge cover.
|
It's summer - I sweat, I stink. If I'm walking to work on a humid morning - sweat. Working out at the gym? I'll probably stand around for awhile, but I will consider sweating. Normal deodorants do their best to cover up the odor, leaving you walking around like someone who resembles some sort of Fresh Scent/BO hybrid. The new Gillette Odor Shield line of products proposes a simple solution (crafted through hours of vigorous laboratory testing) to eliminate smelly man smells at the source using Reactive Technology. The Gillette PR company sent me a care package, daring me to put their items to the test using various liquids that may even smell worse than my typical sweaty morning. Check it out:
So there you have it. The Odor Shield technology eliminated the odor of the liquids and left a fresh scent. The Odor Shield Deodorant and All Day Body Wash can allow me to stop worrying about smelling and start worrying about more important things this summer - like why I thought buying a neon green bathing suit was a good idea.
|
“An American in Vienna” by Chip Wagar is the fateful story of Andy Bishop, a recent graduate in Journalism who leaves his home of Ohio to find his distant Austrian relatives. His timing however was ill fated as he arrives to Austria, Hungary just three weeks before the assassination of Austria’s Kaiser, or ruler’s nephew, and nephew’s wife. The result is Bishop witnessing the last stand of imperial Austrian society.
Rich in historical knowledge and facts, “An American in Vienna” describes the details of the lead up to, beginning and start of World War I and its inevitable consequences. Wagars inspiration for his book was the overwhelming lack of literature on World War I, and how he feels the Great Was is what set the course for modern European and World History.
|
When the warm weather comes around every year, my family spends the majority of our free time outdoors. From dinners on the back patio to wiffle ball games in the freshly cut grass, summer is our cue to get outside and enjoy the weather.
Sometimes I happen to glimpse the glow of delight on my Dad’s face as we enjoy a meal on the deck he built or run across his perfectly striped lawn. Although he never asks for large displays of appreciation for his hard outdoor work, this year there is a simple gift capable of showing him you notice all of the effort he exerts in making your outdoor summer adventures come alive.
|
Looking at the pile of ties and sports memorabilia in the back closet, you may realize as I have that Father’s Day gifts present quite the challenge. Sure, a nice engraved ballpoint pen fills the gift requirement, but its future of collecting dust just does not seem practical. If your Dad is anything like mine, getting outside and running around remains on the top of his to-do list. Pens, ties, and posters simply don’t fit his lifestyle.
I remember playing catch with my Dad when I was younger, shooting hoops until the sun went down, and kicking a soccer ball at the net as he pretended to guard against its entrance with all his might. He always wore the same worn-out sneakers, plain t-shirt, and navy blue Boston Red Sox hat with worn edges. As I sat back and thought about the memories, I suddenly knew exactly what to get him this year.
|
Dads serve as role models not only in their families, but also in their communities. Nationwide they make a difference through coaching sports teams, supporting local causes, and lending a helping hand. The Sears Blue Tool Crew recently announced the latest in their series of “Do it Together” initiatives. Highlighting the unsung fatherly heroes, the current contest seeks to appreciate the hard work and exemplary deeds that often go unnoticed on a daily basis.
|
