Text Messaging Do's and Don'ts

"In a world where Britney Spears is crazy, Lindsay Lohan is easy and Rihanna is just asking to get beat by Beyonce, it’s a surprise we could possibly care about insignificant things like text messaging. It really makes you wonder what this world is coming to. However, despite the utter silliness of it all, it’s still important to follow the rules. What rules, you ask? The text messaging rules. Because as we know, with any game there are rules and with every broken rule, you take one step closer to becoming a hermit with no dignity. Harsh, I know. No one said it would be easy."

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Hi Neighbor! May I borrow a pint of Guinness?

If your level of sobriety and sense of adventure compel you to go beyond simply boiling some spuds this Paddy's Day, there are some eclectic options on this site. A few examples...

Chocolate Guinness Cupcakes
Guinness German Potato Salad
Guinness Milk Chocolate Ice Cream
Irish Cheddar and Stout Fondue

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Best Time to Buy Anything

Get the best deals on everything from airline tickets to a car. It's all in your timing.
~ Men's Wealth at menshealth.com

While the title is a bit misleading (it's a very short list so if your idea of "Anything" is 6 things....), it still has some useful "tidbits." Like:

What: Airline tickets
When: 1 a.m. on Wednesday
Why: This is the best time to find a deal because airlines reset their fares every Wednesday just after midnight, says Peter Greenberg, Men's Health Travel Detective.

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18 Tricks to Teach Your Body

The writers at Men's Health have come up with a dandy little list of body tricks you can actually use.


Yes, yes, we'd ALL like to figure out how to balance on one hand during keg stands but come on, how often do you actually USE that skill? Twice a year? Instead, try this practical sample of manly wisdom:

If your throat tickles, scratch your ear!

"When you were 9, playing your armpit was a cool trick. Now, as an adult, you can still appreciate a good body-based feat, especially if it serves as a health remedy. Take that tickle in your throat; it's not worth gagging over. Here's a better way to scratch your itch: "When the nerves in the ear are stimulated, it creates a reflex in the throat that can cause a muscle spasm," says Scott Schaffer, M.D., president of an ear, nose, and throat specialty center in Gibbsboro, New Jersey. "This spasm relieves the tickle."

So, uh, does it work for girls too? lol

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Love's Not All You Need..

A Psychology Today article explaining how it takes more than the "L" word to make a relationship work.

On a sidenote, I just ran across a great quote that struck a chord on the subject:

"I need someone who believes that the sun will rise again, but who does not fear my darkness. Someone who can point out the rocks in my way without making me a child by carrying me. Someone who can stand in thunder and watch the lightning and believe in a rainbow." ~Fr. Joe Mahoney

I'm not going to comment on the fact the comment was made by a priest. lol.

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And Therapy for All....

Psychology Today: Rock Around the Doc: Metallica in Therapy

What's a band to do when they just feel a bit lost, like they aren't seeing one another for who they REALLY are anymore? Why, hit the couch of course. Sorry groupies, wait outside.
Let me say for the record that I sincerely applaud Metallica for not only their decision to seek help but, even more courageous, to go public with it to help others. With that said, I really just can't help laughing my arse off at quotes like these... Just waiting to turn on Oprah and watch them passing tissue boxes around. It just feels so.... 'This is Spinal Tap'.

Lars: "...it happened so naturally. Phil opened that door. It was amazing to sit there with people who you'd spent over half your life with and get to know them for the first time, get to love them for the first time."

James: "I know that we created some type of spark with our negative energy, and I know we can do the same with our positive energy. We've used a lot of energy going nowhere. But as far as losing my edge, I feel I'm sharper than ever."

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It's Harder Than It Looks

Psychology Today: Intimacy: The Art of Relationships
Definitely a worthwhile read... here's a brief excerpt from the intro:

"...most of what goes wrong in a relationship stems from hurt feelings. The disappointment couples experience is based on misunderstanding and misperception. We choose a partner hoping for a source of affection, love, and support, and, more than ever, a best friend. Finding such a partner is a wonderful and ecstatic experience--the stage of illusion in relationships, it has been called.
...there then sets in the state of disillusion. We somehow don't get all that we had hoped for. He didn't do it just right. She didn't welcome you home; she was too busy with something else; maybe she didn't even look up. But we don't have the skills to work out the disappointments that occur. The disappointments big and little then determine the future course of the relationship."

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Play Nice, Kids...

Psychology Today: Relationship Rules
The author suggests printing these out and keeping them on your refrigerator as a reminder. After reading through them, I must say I'd agree. A few favorites:

* Know your needs and speak up for them clearly. A relationship is not a guessing game. Many people, men as well as women, fear stating their needs and, as a result, camouflage them. The result is disappointment at not getting what they want and anger at a partner for not having met their (unstated) needs. Closeness cannot occur without honesty. Your partner is not a mind reader.
* View yourselves as a team, which means you are two unique individuals bringing different perspectives and strengths. That is the value of a team--your differences.
* Know how to manage differences; it's the key to success in a relationship. Disagreements don't sink relationships. Name-calling does. Learn how to handle the negative feelings that are the unavoidable byproduct of the differences between two people. Stonewalling or avoiding conflicts is NOT managing them.

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Assmosis: It's Contagious

Workplace Vocabulary

Funny stuff. A few examples...
TESTICULATING: Waving your arms around and talking Bollocks."
ASSMOSIS: The process by which people seem to absorb success and advancement by sucking up to the boss rather than working hard.
PRAIRIE DOGGING: When someone yells or drops something loudly in a cube farm, and people's heads pop up over the walls to see that's going on. (This also applies to applause from a promotion because there may be cake.)

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Between a Rock and a House/Place

Strange Houses On Unusual Places

Great photo blog. This particular collection features, as the name indicates, houses in amazing locations.
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Also be sure to check out the link for "Horses with No Name."
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KnickerPicker - The Online Dressing Room

Oh... ummm...uhh... I guess boys can use it too...

Marie Claire's pick as their "favourite new website."
"In an online first, you can pick the model which looks most like you, pick the underwear you like the most and then your model will try it on for you, strut up and down the catwalk so you can see the knickers from both the front and back. What's more, there's free delivery on all orders and brands on offer include Calvin Klein, Damaris and Princess Tam Tam.For the men in your life, there's also a boys' buying guide. Why not send him the link?"

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The 25 Most Baffling Toys From Around the World

So how excited am I to finally be a trendsetter? Very. Long before this list was published, I already had Poo and Pee sitting on my desk in prep for my son's potty training adventures. It's hard to believe I am, indeed, that cool. So I posted a photo above to prove it. So there.

Also filed in the WTF? folder? The teddy bear gun (yep, fires bears at kids) and the sled. Yes, it is a sled. For children. Baffling, eh?

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