Its that time of year again folks, and yours truly has entered another world-class video contest. This time, its sponsored / facilitated by the Murphy-Goode Winery in Napa Valley, California. I need your help and your vote again. And hey, if you can rope anyone else into the voting process, its painless and takes virtually no time out of your day.

01 - Head over here: http://www.areallygoodejob.com/video-view.aspx?vid=6mjnqIGRWRI

02 - Enter your email address. You don’t have to subscribe to any newsletters to vote.

03 - Click the link in the email that will arrive almost instantly.

04 - and… Thank you! Stay tuned for updates.

If you’d like to watch the full version of the video (includes a few more laughs) head over here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUuR1B6c1fY

I NEED YOUR VOTE NOW : SOUTHWEST AIRLINES BLOG-O-SPONDENT CONTEST


This will take 30 seconds and no registration is required on the site.

01 - Head over here: http://southwest.spigit.com/homepage

02 - I'm currently on the top of the page until someone new uploads their video. Click the green arrow to indicate that you LOVE it.

03 - If I am not still on the main page, click "View All Videos" in the menu and then I should be on page 3 (or 2 or 1 as I move up). You will need to scroll all the way to the bottom to see the links to other pages of videos.

04 - The deadline is AUGUST 31! PLEASE DON'T DELAY!

05 - Thank you! Stay tuned for updates.

"What Would You Do For A Klondike Bar?" Video Contest

Here are our two submissions for the "What Would You Do For A Klondike Bar?" video contest from Summer 2008. Yes, there are a few deficiencies, but given our first effort, I don't think they came out too terribly.

Denim Day to Raise Money and Awareness for Breast Cancer
Research . Education . Screening . Treatment
Participate today!

http://www.denimday.com/

The 11th annual Lee National Denim Day will be held Friday, October 6, 2006

I don't recommend Lee Jeans, because, well, they are SO 1988. But since my mother just had breast cancer surgery in July, I would encourage you to stay aware of your health, wellness, stress levels, heart, mind, soul and strength to do your best to keep health problems at bay. And yes, support Denim Day this year.

have a strong day.

bravo out.

On a rare break from "fashion specific" commentary (though it will tie in again in this piece) I'd like to make mention of the disturbing trend of poor appearance with age.

Having just turned 30, the troubling trend with my peers is that they have spent the better part of their 20's setting themselves up for a lifetime of poor health and living below their potential. There is an acceptance that with age "I'm just supposed to go along with the crowd, and look like hell and not take care of myself." Whether it be related to drinking too much, poor nutrition, being overweight, poor hygiene or lack of attention to appearance, people seem to expect that their poor health, out-of-shapeness, or other alarming red flags that can lead to a lifetime of managing health problems instead of really living for the purpose that they are really here for.

Yes, it takes work to keep all these things in line. But the easiest thing is rarely the best thing.

No, i do not leave the house every time in a suit. No, i do not eat perfect every time i pull up to the table (though I have made huge gains in my nutrition and most things i used to hold as dear in my dietary routine don't even hold any appeal anymore).

But in the majority of cases, I understand that the image i put out affects how i will succeed in life and is also a reflection of self-image. Have we become so wrapped up with spending so much time seeking material things that we don't take time to work on ourselves and find out who we are such that we can make that a priority? Do we try to fill our insecurities with material things when we should be spending time getting to the root of the problem to realize why we don't feel good about ourselves?

We just expect that we are supposed to have declining health as we age because, well, "thats just the way its supposed to be."

We just expect that we are not supposed to take care of ourselves properly (which includes dressing poorly) because, well, "thats just the way its supposed to be."

I know people who spend so much time on a pet that they neglect themselves - including someone who got a new dog, wouldn't discipline it properly, and it has helped lead to that person's overwhelming health problems for two years now. Think about the amount of time and money spent feeding, getting medical care for, boarding, paying the neighborhood pet sitter to come watch your pet, replacing things in your home because the pet has destroyed them, paying for cleaning services, replacing carpet, not to mention the tangential effects of your own health in cases of allergies, medical care and so on, and realize that this all also turns into self-neglect. When something or someone else is depending on you for their survival, invariably you will put their needs above yours. Which is to be expected with a child - but a pet?

Yes, financial resources are always an issue to many. And it is not cheap to dress decently and to eat healthily. Do we have our priorities completely mixed up if we don't work to properly take care of ourselves first? Not selfishly, but I've found that I've spent too much time going and doing for others when actually neglecting some of my basic emotional and spiritual needs.

Making little steps towards better nutrition, which leads to being in better shape, which leads to feeling better about oneself, which leads to better confidence, which leads to the desire to dress in such a way that one radiates that is certainly a process that one can go through if they wish.

Even if no one but you notices how well you try to take care of yourself (though I assure you that won't be the case), isn't that the most important person to impress? That confidence and self-assuredness will grow with time and by default you will impress others.

And like a good football team that doesn't want to peak too early, what is gained by peaking at 25 and then heading downhill for the next 50 years? Make every experience worthwhile and use the knowledge from it to move forward and build into making your life something that will peak at the right time.

Fashion is not all just about the clothes you wear. Its a piece of the puzzle that adds to the big picture of who you are. Its not about the clothes, its how you wear them. Don't let them wear you. And don't let the expectations of the world, or lack thereof, keep you from living up to your potential.


bravo out

The Man Muscle.

Often noted by women to be the sexiest muscle on a man. Various names offered for it below. Please submit your own so that we can create the most comprehensive list on the web.

Apollo's Belt.
Thunder Road.
Ram's Horn.
The Man V.
Hip Loin Connection.
The Longhorn.
Tigris and Euphrates.
Funnel of Love.
Road to Perdition.

Layers are for Players


The Earth.
Cakes.
The Sun.
The Atmosphere.
Photoshop.
Water.
Grand Canyon rocks.
Paint.

If this was Jeopardy, the question would be, "What are things that contain layers?"

Why is water in the list? Temperature, currents and salinity to name a few things that affect the "layers" in water.
Why is paint in the list? Actually, it is more correct to say "coats" but go with me here. The best final product when painting (cars, rooms, nails, etc.) comes from multiple coats - oft including a primer coat.

And this is the ubershort list of things that contain layers.

It should be understood that we should also prepare ourselves so that observers see a veritable cornucopia of layers.

Allow me to explain.

Layering clothes in the winter is an understood procedure - mainly to those that live in northern climes. Multi-Layers allow someone to add and subtract layers at will to regulate their body temperature and even different types of fabric (wool, cotton, polyester, etc.) provide different breatheability and insulatory effects.

Allow me to propose additional procedures that would be best suited for layering.

Fragrance and Hair Products

The fragrance breakdown is as follows - in suggested order of relayering:

1. Pheromones. Showering or bathing daily to take your body back to the basics of natural pheromones. You have a natural scent - don't just work, work it!
2. Shower gel or other fragrant cleanser. Generally these will leave a lighter after-scent. You don't want it to be too overpowering as there is more olfactory excitement to come.
3. Deodorant. Goes without saying but it doesn't have to go all over. Just the key spots please.
4. Moisturizer. Body, hand, face. Different products for different reasons as some skin is more susceptable to the effects of aging.
5. Cologne / Perfume. The icing on the cake. The piece-de-resistance. The deal closer. The signature on the dotted line. The stamp on the letter. You can't mail the package without the stamp, thus you can't present yourself without the fragrant postage. Find the one(s) that work for you. Everyone's body chemistry is different and that is why it is vital to try some on and see what compliments you receive. Once you find one that works, don't hesitate every now and then to pass through the fragrance section at the department store to see whats new or what you haven't tried yet. A good place to begin is simply to see what fragrance you favor and then try it on and see what happens.

In this instance it is not necessary that you put all of these all over your body as the final effect will be received in an invisible fashion - but detected nostrilly. If you don't use all of the products from the same line, chose some whose fragrance work with your chemistry and some whose fragrances are complimentary to each other. Think "warm" or "cool" or "woodsy" to start.

The need for layering fragrances from the bottom up (no pun intended) is to gradually create a scent-field that will last most of the day - maybe with a spritz of cologne / perfume for a refresher later in the day. Depending on many factors such as heat, cold, humidity, clothes worn, hugging or interaction with others, it can affect the length of time your positive aromatic vibes will stay present. In the same way of creating a foundation for a new piece of residential or commercial construction, you need to follow this procedure for long-lasting positive aroma.

Hair product

In much the same way as fragrance, hair product(s) must be planned and applied for the best of good hair days.

1. Shampoo.
2. Conditioner.
3. Hair masks. What?!
4. Gels.
5. Waxes.
6. Thickeners.
7. After-highlight or color treatment. I don't have my hair highlighted, but for processed hair, a leave-in conditioner or a special second conditioner to use in the shower is sometimes needed to tame the frizzies and flyaways.
8. Shine enhancers.

Some will be used in cleaning and conditioning the hair and scalp - spend time with a nice scalp massage to keep your noggin healthy. Some will be used during blow-drying. Some will be used prior to blow-drying. Some will be used as a finishing treatment for the final desired effect. Similar to a fragrance touch-up late in the day, some can be used to touch up the hair for happy hour or a visit to the opera. Follow appropriate instructions on the container.

Either way, know that they all offer a different benefit to the health of your hair. And as you can see - by starting at the root (no pun intended again...), each product is used in succession and in layers such that the addition of each new variable into the hair equation brings your coif to street-worthy presentation.

Clothes, fragrance, hair. The success of the final product is in the planning and process. Get your gameplan in order today.

Button Down Collars: The Appendix of the Fashion World

I'd like to make a motion. A motion to put an end to the abhorrent feature of many men's dress shirt collars known as the "button down collar."

Just note how middle-schoolish this looks - ESPECIALLY on business men and politicians. Pick any cable news channel - FOX, CNN, MSNBC, et al. - spend an hour watching the talking heads and keep track of the number of men who show up on national television with these ridiculous collars. Business men! Politicians! I implore you! SAY NO TO THE BUTTON DOWN! FOR YOUR IMAGE. FOR YOUR FAMILY'S FUTURE. For the safety and security of civilized society as we know it.

The perfection of a perfect point - brought to a shattering halt by an awkward button hole and then *gasp* a flippin' button where a flippin' button doesn't belong drives a stake into the heart of all those fashon minded and serves to reinforce the fact that the one wearing the button down, didn't really look in the mirror before leaving the house that day.

Buttons. An ingenious invention for allowing us to bring proper closure to our pants, shirts, jackets and even boxer shorts (though i never take the time to rebutton mine). Heck, the mouse you're using to browse this blog even has a button and a wheel for ease of scrolling that probably has a clickable button function as well. Like people, buttons come in all colors, shapes and sizes and have many different uses. But the one place they don't belong is on collars. (Actually, there is one other place - button flys on pants - but that will appear in another future post...)

Collar stays. The brilliant undercover fashion accessory. It allows a man to achieve a pointed collar perfection - almost as if the new perfected collar was carved out of the most exquisite unmovable polished granite - while giving no appearance to the outside world that there was an overage of effort placed into the collar formation and placement. But a man knows. He knows that he put that extra bit off effort to allow his collar not to curl, crimp or otherwise be misplaced throughout the course of a day (or night as the case may be).

Collar stays (and the shirts they are used in) also come in all shapes and sizes. And once one has several of these shirts in his repetoire, it shouldn't ever come to the point of being without an extra collar stay or two on one's dresser. In fact, many men's clothing stores offer a selection of FREE collar stays to keep you looking sharp and pointy all the time. And if they see the need to offer these pieces for FREE, it means you need to be taking notice, taking them and using them. And if you're taking them and using them, it means you have relieved yourself of button down collar madness and replaced those shirts with the proper type of collar.

Collar stays require a tad bit more effort - such as cuff links vs. button cuff (another upcoming blog topic...). You have to remove them before laundering. You have to replace them after laundering and before wearing. You have to keep a ready supply on your dresser or sink. But isn't it always the case that the things that take more effort are so much more worth it when the final product is presented to the public? Yes. It is.

Spread collar, English spread, Point, straight collar, tab collar, varsity collar, windsor collar, cutaway collar - collars ad nauseam. But this also means that you have a wide wide WIDE variety of collars to choose from such that the button down can be a thing of the past. An unused and forgotten vestige of the past - much like the appendix. There is a collar for you out there. Myself, I prefer a nice stiff strong spread collar to accentuate my strong jaw and features. All you have to do for yourself is find the one that suits you. Any reputable men's store can help. And once you do, cherish it, launder it with care, starch it gingerly, press it to perfection, review it in the mirror, and most importantly, wear it confidently knowing that now you have graduated to the ranks of real collar wearers everywhere. Society will thank you. I thank you in advance for taking this step towards greatness.

For the love of God and baby Jesus, leave the button down collar behind.

Next issue: "Layers are for Players"