The Opera Poker Set ($499)

LET’S FACE IT, men like to go all in. Whether it’s their clothes, their cars or their women — they want the best. When a man invites his buddies over for the weekly poker game, the same applies. Nobody wants to go to the guy’s house who brings out the plastic chips from the supermarket and the flimsy cards.

If a man is to host poker night, he must do it right. And that starts with the poker set.

A good poker set — complete with clay chips and playing cards that actually shuffle correctly — can making playing even at the kitchen table seem as good as Vegas (or Atlantic City, for you East coasters). And if you’re going to drop some coin on a poker set, you might as well go for the best.

We recommend The Opera Poker Set, available at Christopher’s Games of Quality and Distinction. This set will set (pardon the pun) you back a cool $500 … but practice your craft, and you’ll win that cash back in no time.

For something of an alternative, yet classic, set … try the River Boat Casino Poker Set ($210). Its Monte Carlo-style chips will add a bit of flair to your otherwise mundane breakfast nook.

For an added bonus, set up the card table in the garage with the door open. Let the breeze in and the smoke out.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ramberto/ / CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

C.J. Wilson, Green Bay Packers

Wilson (top) in his new Packers jersey, and (below) showing off his ECU Pirates ring.

C.J. WILSON HAS had just enough negativity to keep him going. But this Belhaven, N.C., native is proof that almost anything is possible with the support of family, friends and community.

Wilson comes from a large family — he’s got eight brothers and sisters — that has something of a reputation for late-in-high-school growth spurts. His freshman year, it was never a matter of “if” he’d go out for his Northside High School football team, but “if” he’d get a chance to get on the field — that growth spurt hadn’t quite hit yet.

Jumping ahead to current day in Wilson’s timeline, the seventh-round Green Bay Packers draft pick did indeed get on that high school football field. But from way back then, there have always been questions about Wilson’s ability to “make it.”

He tipped the scales at 215 his senior year in high school, and had a stellar season at middle linebacker. He did not, however, get the nod for defensive player of the year from his hometown newspaper. But Wilson was never anything but happy for his teammate.

Still at 215, Wilson was recruited by East Carolina University to join then-coach Skip Holtz’s first signing class. He was penciled in at defensive back, but that was until that growth spurt finally hit. Before heading to ECU in the fall of 2005 as a greyshirt, Wilson had bulked up to 245 pounds. Before he hit the field about a year later, he hit a playing size of 6-foot-4 and about 260 pounds.

A defensive back? No more.

Over the next four years, Wilson became one of the most dominating defensive ends in ECU history. With 27 sacks, 45 1/2 tackles for loss, 36 QB hurries to go with 192 career tackles, Wilson now has his eyes set on the NFL.

Oh, and now he tips the scales at about 290 pounds.

We caught up with Wilson, and had a chance to look back at his life and career up to this point and how he’s looking forward to what his future holds:

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The Man F.A.Q.: It seems like you’ve never done things the easy way, but you’ve always managed to prove your naysayers wrong and make your supporters proud. Has everything always seemed so uphill?
C.J. Wilson: It goes back to when I got to high school. I had to work my way into the starting lineup. And in college it was the same thing, with the greyshirt and academics and having to prove myself in the classroom first. I had a couple of people who said they didn’t think I was going to make it. All that did was just fuel the fire for me. I’m glad I had some of that negative talk towards me. All it did was keep me going.

TMF: I’m sure it only takes but so much negativity to keep your fire going, as you say. I’m betting you’re glad you had a few people in your corner along the way, too. What was it like to have all their support?
CJW: It means a lot, and I know they’re very proud of me and happy for me. It’s my family, but not just my family, I’ve got my cousins and friends all over. I’ve got friends and fans from all over. It means a lot that I’m reaching a lot of people. I always make sure to thank them for all the support that they’ve given me. I also couldn’t have done it without God, and I always make sure to thank Him for helping me get to where I am now.

TMF: After high school, you picked a top division football program instead of a smaller school. You didn’t really have a role to play early on, how did you manage to get on the field so soon and have such an impact right away?
CJW: Yes, it all happened so fast. I got on the field through a few injuries (to those above me in the depth chart), and I made the most of my chance. Before I knew it, I was playing in front of 50,000 fans.

TMF: After playing four years with the Pirates, you were drafted in the seventh round by the Packers. Waiting all the way until the last round, how stressful was that?
CJW: It was long and drawn out. I was anxious and nervious. I was with my whole family, and I had a couple teams call me and tell me they were going to draft me, but they didn’t. Then when the Packers actually called my name, it was great. I’m very happy; they’re a winning team with a lot of pride. They’re in a small town. It’s a lot like Greenville, (N.C.), where there’s not a big city but right in there is a great big football stadium. I went in there, and I just remember thinking I was walking where legends have been.

TMF: The Packers have something of a blue-collar reputation. That’s got to remind you of your high school days, and your college for that matter. Do you think that will help you fit in?
CJW: Playing for (then-Northside coach Bing) Mitchell, he layed the foundation of hard work. We worked hard on the field and in the weight room. When I got to ECU, it carried over. With the Packers, they don’t do it with a lot of show. They’re very humble and do it with hard work. I feel like I’ll fit right in with the system they have.

TMF: I see you’re still refering to the Packers as a “they.” Feel like you’re part of the team yet?
CJW: Well, I feel like I’m about half way there. I just got back from a mini-camp. I think it’ll really sink in when I meet all the veterans. I’ve got to earn my spot on the team, and there’s some good players ahead of me. I’m glad it’s like that. I’m used to it.

TMF: And finally, you’ve had to give up the No. 95 that your fans have become so used to you wearing. It looks like, for now at least, you’ll be in No. 98. Is that OK with you?
CJW: I like the new number. I think I’ll like wearing it. I will wear whatever they want me to wear. It’s not the number that makes the player, it’s the player that makes the number. I think I can make 98 (with the Packers) just what 95 was at ECU.

Top: An American Walkabout, by Jason Foux. Middle: Foux rides in the back of a tow truck across Birmingham, Ala. Bottom: Foux crosses a lake in Louisiana via train trestle.

JASON FOUX had an itch. And like any itch, it wasn’t going to leave him alone until it was scratched.
Foux scratched.
His itch isn’t that uncommon, to be honest. But Foux’s reaction was.
Many men, of any age, get a longing to travel. Foux wasn’t to be satisfied by any ordinary vacation. No, he wanted to just get up and go; be on the move. No plans, no destinations, no return date.
Foux took that trip – with a pack on his back and the pavement at his feet – and traveled up and down nearly the entire East coast.
He always knew it would be a one-way trip, leading right back to his front door, but that’s about all Foux had in mind.
What took place was a two-month journey that took Foux from Louisiana to Rhode Island and back. He called his journey his walkabout, more about internal growth than just sightseeing.
When he returned home, he set out on his next journey. Once completed, he published his book An American Walkabout, which follows his journey from start to finish.

We caught up with Foux, and asked him about his trip, his return and his book:

The Man F.A.Q.: You have an interesting nickname, Newanderthal. Where did you come by it?
Jason Foux: Before my trip, I was thinking a lot about some of the things I would be doing. I had spent a lot of time camping, sleeping in the woods. I was thinking about being primitive, thinking about the neanderthals, the hunter-gatherers. That kind of worked into it. I knew (on my journey) I had no set destination, so I slipped ‘wander’ into it.

TMF: So, why this long backpacking trip? I mean, you basically lived like a homeless person, right? What was your driving force?
JF: I always had a wanderlust. Being in one place didn’t set well with me. I was always happy on road trips, backpacking trips. I was intent on taking a prolonged backpacking trip, and I didn’t want to have a goal in mind. I just had to go out and explore. The urge became stronger over time. I realized I wasn’t going to get any younger. About a year and a half ago, I just started making preparations.

TMF: Preparations? Didn’t you just have to grab your pack and go?
JF: I did a lot of conditioning. I wanted to make it farther than the edge of town. Once I actually set a date, it was a little more than a year our. I started working out at the high school track. I did a lap, followed by going up and down the bleachers. I also bought new backpacking gear. I started conditioning about a year and a half before the trip, but I later realized I could have done it all in about three or four months.

TMF: So you said you got all new gear. What all did you take with you?
JF: I had an internal frame pack, nothing special. I took a tarp shelter, water, my alcohol stove, a pot, some food, extra clothes, a sleeping bag and a light. When I left, my pack weighed about 50 points. … I quickly found out that I’d overpacked. On the trip, I would get rid of things. I lost about 15 pounds off the pack.

TMF: So your pack lost weight. Did you? What did you do for food?
JF: I lost between 15 and 17 pounds. What I found, in the eastern half of the United States, you’re almost always within a few hours’ walk of food. I never had to carry more than about a day-and-a-half worth of food.

TMF: When most people think of backpacking, they think of mountains and streams. Was that like your trip, or was it more urban?
JF: Whenever I was on the road, I was hitchhiking. I’d spend days or weeks in towns and cities, but I spent a lot of the time in woods and fields. I did a lot of cutting cross-country, so it was a mixture. I spent a lot of time in Providence, R.I., but I when I was in North Carolina, I spent a week in the mountains.

TMF: I read on your blog (newanderthal.blogspot.com) that your diary was stolen when you were in New York. How did you handle that?
JF: What I did was, as soon as I got a replacement notebook, I sat down and spent 12 hours writing and trying to remember everything I’d done. I maybe wrote half of what was in the original journal. That took a lot out of me. When it happened, I kind of wanted to go home. I was heartbroken. It was the most important thing that I had. All those memories and experiences were gone, and there was no way to get them back. There was no way for me to remember all the little details. At the same time, I learned from it. I found ways to have backups of everything I wrote.

TMF: Like your blog. How did you maintain that while you were on the road?
JF: As best I could. I went mostly into stores like Staples and Best Buy, every now and then a Radio Shack. At first I was looking for public libraries, but they’re hard to see. You can see a Best Buy from a mile off.

TMF: And eventually you made it back home and wrote your book. Did you know there would be a book?
JF: I’m a writer, been writing for years. Before I left I figured there’d be a book. That was one of the reasons I took so many notes.

TMF: What was your process?
JF: What I did was just read my journal, maybe five or 10 pages. I’d read the journal, and it would refresh my memory. Then I sat down and just wrote from that. The book is really just my journey, kind of day by day. There’s no particular format other than just the way the trip developed.

TMF: Was there any trouble adjusting back to a more normal life?
JF: Cooking, for one. The first time I went to cook a meal, I took my alcohol stove and pot from my backpack. I’d go look for something, and I’d look in my backpack. It was hard to get out of the old habits. I was used to sleeping when I was tired and eating when I was hungry. It was hard to get back on society’s schedule.

TMF: What about your family; what was it like to see them? What about your girlfriend?
JF: I was thrilled. I kept in touch as best I could with e-mail. When I got back into town, the first thing I did was track down my family. My girlfriend was the first person I actually saw. When I started to head back home, I didn’t tell anyone I was going. On my blog, I said there was another destination, but I didn’t say where.

TMF: Elaborate on your relationship with your girlfriend a little bit more. What was it like being away from her?
JF: It’s kind of hard to describe. Being away from her, I could talk to her on the phone or online. I loved her so much, and I wanted to be with her but I couldn’t. Then all of a sudden, I was standing right in front of her. It felt like I was right where I belonged. It was a big relief … to be able to hold her again.

TMF: So what would you say you got out of the experience?
JF: In a way, I’m more at peace. I’m able to deal with everyday problems a lot easier. (On my trip), I was dealing with problems day to day, and not just little problems. The little problems used to stress me out, like a dead battery on the truck or a broken hot-water heater. They don’t now. I also have a bit of advice that I’ve been trying to share with people. Everybody has something they want to do, some wild dream. Most don’t make the effort to do it. They end up 80 years old, wishing they’d done this or done that. It’s sad. Achieving something is not really that hard, you just have to be willing to make a few sacrifices and give up a few comforts. You can do what you want to do. If it means not getting that new computer or not having a few extra cable channels, then I think it’s worth it. I slept in ditches and ate on the side of the road. I wouldn’t give up any of it. It’s the most fulfilling experience I’ve ever had, and I got something I’ll never forget.

Jason Foux is back at home in southwest Louisiana, near Lake Charles. The 29-year-old quit his job as a graphic designer to take his trip, but is soon going to be starting work at the local newspaper helping with inserts and distribution. His book is available for purchase online at Lulu.com – An American Walkabout, and his blog may be read at http://newanderthal.blogspot.com/.

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New episode: A two-parter featuring Demetri the Greek and Jed Williams on sports.

Click here to visit the Kong and the PMan website!

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Flickr photo / seanosh (credit below)

SO YOU’VE SET OUT to create your own Man Cave. This seven-item checklist will make sure you get everything in the room that you’ll need. We’ll be focusing on a typical spare-bedroom Man Cave – the kind most of us get. If you’re lucky enough to have an entire finished attic or basement or above-the-garage bonus room, then you can go even further.

Screen: It all starts with the TV … the focal point. It’s what you’ll watch sports on, as well as re-runs of M.A.S.H and Cheers. Pick a spot where the TV won’t be obstructed by someone opening the door or where you won’t have to have your head turned all the way to the side to watch it. You’ve gotta go with a flat-screen if you can afford one. It takes up so much less room, and all the new ones offer ample inputs for cable, DVD players and game systems.

Sound: If sound is important to you (music fan?), you’ve got to go beyond your TV speakers. You can take it one step further by hooking up your two-speaker stereo system to the audio output of your TV. Take it to the ultimate level by getting an actual stereo receiver and slapping up the surround sound. Speakers today pack too much punch per inch; you can get small wall-mounted ones that’ll blow your hat off.

Seating: There are two directions you can go here if you’re limited on space: One couch or two recliners. Go for the sofa if you’re a lay-down TV watcher (or if you plan on doing a lot of napping in your Man Cave). The two recliners might be the way to go if you have a buddy who comes over often who might not want to sit next to you on the couch. But, ultimately, it’s your Man Cave, you get to make the call. A sofa sleeper can convert the Man Cave into a man-friendly guest room for when you old college roommate is in town for the weekend.

Storage: This is your first item from which you can get dual use. Sure, throw in a few shelves for your favorite DVDs and books (yes, you can use the Man Cave to read too), but also pull out the old foot locker from college or your time in the Army. Use it to store a few tools, the random remotes you only need to use every seven months and anything else you want close by but don’t need immediate access to. Your footlocker then becomes one part storage unit and one part coffee table. It’ll hold your hammer and nails and your icy-cold beer.

Mini-fridge: Speaking of that beer, you should also invest in one of those knee high mini-fridges. It’ll keep the beers nice and cold and if you put in either beside your couch or between your two chairs … boom … end table. Toss a football-helmet lamp on that sucker and call it a day.

Other plug-ins: These are your other tech toys, be it an Xbox, a personal computer, your amp and guitar or your neon St. Pauli Girl light. You’ve just got to make sure you have enough plugs to power everything. Power strips/surge protectors will come in handy here, but just make sure you don’t blow a fuse.

Your stuff: Finally, make the Man Cave yours. Got an old jersey from your football days? Hang it up. The retired kayak paddles? Wall. Maybe you’re even the proud owner of a piece of a giant redwood tree that was struck by lightning … it goes on the wall. Whatever makes you, well, you … that’s what makes the Man Cave yours. Without these things, it’s just a room with a couch and a TV.

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For your over-sized Man Cave: As before mentioned, if your the proud owner of a massive Man Cave, this is where you have room for your own bar, a pool table or ping-pong table, even a dart board. Don’t be afraid to go big with it. Just save those receipts … in case you have second thoughts, or realize you hate pool.

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Photo Credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/seanosh/ / CC BY-SA 2.0

The Man F.A.Q. editor John M. Swartz is on a road trip from California to North Carolina. On the trip, he’ll be doing it “on the cheap,” either camping or crashing at friends’ places along the way. He’ll be showing you where to stop for free camping along Interstate 10, mostly using National Parks’ dispersed camping rules. Crashing with friends is also a great way to keep costs down and re-charge along the way. This is Mark’s second cross-country road trip, the first being an east-to-west trip about a year ago. Going with him this time will be an old friend, who flew out to California and continuing the road trip through North Carolina to Virginia. Check back here for nightly updates and intermittent Twitter posts. You’ve gotta love technology, as it’ll all be done via mobile device and with the help of Mark’s wife at home:

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Day 1: It’s 7:30 a.m., and we’re off to get the rental car. We decided to take a rental to avoid putting 6,000+ miles on one of our cars. The main purpose of our trip is to bring a dog to my parents’ house along with several hand-me-downs for my brother’s new apartment. We’ll be spending the entire day in California (big damn state), making our way south from the San Francisco area to southeast of Los Angeles. We’ll be staying the night at Joshua Tree National Park. We got to our destination after dark, but luckily I’ve set up my tent a million times by now. It went up no problem (that’s what she said.) I got the fire started on the second try, not bad for in the dark. My wife will be happy to know I used my headlamp to get camp set up. We had chili for dinner, cooked on my one-burner compact camp stove. After a few beers and a few laughs, we turned in for the night. For the most part, the dog slept between us as something of a bro-barrier.

Day 2: My friend got up to watch the desert sunrise. I slept in until about 8. After breaking down camp, we took about two hours to hike a little through Joshua Tree. I climbed a few rock faces, and we spent most of the time in a dry riverbed. We hit the road finally about 11, and made it to Phoenix for a late lunch (well, more of an early dinner). It’s another national park for our night’s sleep. Arrival again after dark. We got in way after quiet hours had begun. Since we were really just crashing, there was really no need to set up a full camp. We unloaded the back of the jeep and just slept there. A sleeping pad and several blankets were all we needed to turn in for the night. In all, we did a rather short 475 miles. But it was still a good chunk of the 3,000 before arriving in N.C.

Day 3: Early to rise, and we were headed out the front gates of the Chiricahua National Park, and ready to hit the road. “But you’ve got to go to the top,” the lady said before we could leave. So, we headed back into the park, cruising along at exactly 38 miles per hour. The only problem … the speed limit was 25. So the nice park ranger handed me my very own opportunity to donate $187 to the national parks’ general fund. Very cool. I’ll be sure to mail a check (within 30 days.) Well, we finally left the park and hit to road for real. It was 775 miles in one day, but we arrived in San Antonio in one piece. Finally, a shower (the first of the trip), and we made our way to a bar with real live Texans. A few (OK, several) Lone Star beers (and a shot of whiskey) later and the night was capped off quite well. We’re crashing at a friend of a friend’s place. There’s more Texas tomorrow.

Day 4: We didn’t get to far today, and we didn’t get much done. Guess that’s Texas for you. After a night out in San Antonio (and a night on a hardwood floor), we took a detour north to a town called Luckenbach– population of three. It’s a little west of Austin, and consists of a post office and a stage (among a few other things). Texas country music and Shiner beer led to a dinner of pulled-pork. As we pulled out into the night, the country music faded away … headed east again. Sure, we threw out the travel plans for a day. It seemed like the right thing to do. A night in Houston will mean a shorter drive to New Orleans a day later than originally planned. But we’re still a day ahead of schedule of our Thursday deadline for pulling into Clayton, NC. In all today, we went about 300 miles, bringing the tally so far to about 2,100.

Day 5: Every road trip has a start and finish, but every one deserves a highlight stop. While on this trip each stop has had its own bright spots, a night spent in New Orleans kind of trumps them all. After driving a quick 350 miles or so from our hotel in Katy, Texas, we made it to my friend’s cousin’s house in time for a home-cooked Cajun dinner. Damn good eating. After that, a night out in search of real NoLa music. At our second stop, we found a jazz foursome that featured the very same trombone player that my wife and l saw playing on the street outside Cafe Du Monde while we were on our honeymoon. After the show, I went to the guy and told him we’d seen him on our honeymoon. He immediately told me to call her, and he took the phone and sang her a solo. For that instant, my wife was right there in that New Orleans jazz bar with me. Per the trip’s details, we’re 2,500 miles in. Up next, seeing a college buddy of mine in Birmingham, Ala.

Day 6: While the road makes a road trip, it’s friends that make a road trip great. I can’t say enough about my buddy who has gone on this experience with me. From showing me around central Texas to just being there on the seeming unending highway, he’s completely changed this trip from just being the melodic thump-thump-thump of a concrete-based road into an actual adventure. But one can’t count out the friends seen along the way. Once a man gets to be my age, I surely hope he’s got friends all over the country — whether they be former college buddies or the family members of other friends you’ve met over the years. There’s nothing like planning a road trip to run through a certain town because you know you’re going to run into an old buddy. That’s basically our stop in Alabama. We met up with an old college buddy of mine. We had a dinner of ribs and stopped by a pub downtown. A few beers and a few laughs put a stellar end to our last night on the road. For tomorrow, we will finish the trip by pulling into my parents’ driveway. After about the first three hours of the nine-hour drive, we’ll cross the 3,000-mile mark — a key milestone in an American cross-country road trip.

Day 7: We made it all the way to my parents’ house intact today. We’re actually going a little further east tomorrow, but it doesn’t really count as part of the roadtrip, as we’ve unloaded the rental and gotten it fit to return tomorrow. We pulled out of Birmingham, Ala., at about 11 a.m., and made it to Clayton, N.C., by about 8:30 p.m. — we did lose an hour (timechange) along the way.  The last leg was quite uneventful, although we did experience our first on-the-road rain with about an hour left in the trip. When we pulled in, my mother had two steaks waiting for us. What could be better?

Conclusion: In all, we did about 3,400 miles (mostly an I-10 straight shot with a few detours. I drove 3,100 of those miles — I wanted to say that I drove the length of the country. My friend took the wheel for our exploration day in Texas. We slept outside two nights, in friends’ houses three nights and only got a hotel one night. We used a combination of my handheld GPS, an atlas and foldout maps to navigate. More later.

A Q-and-A with the site’s creator and editor, John M. Swartz:

1. If you have friends coming for supper what would you cook?
Cook? Nothing. I’d grill meat.

2. What is your favorite word?
I feel like I’m on Inside the Actors Studio with that guy with the blue note cards. Favorite word? Seven.

3. What makes you cry?
Um, sad stuff.

4. What makes you laugh?
Duh, funny stuff.

5. If you were an animal in the wild, what would you be?
A bear. Wild and ferocious … but gets to sleep in sometimes.

6. If you won the lottery, how would you spend your millions?
I would work for the love of whatever I’m doing, and use the money for my family. I’ve give a huge chunk to help rebuild New Orleans.

7. If you could go back in time, what mistake(s) would you correct?
I’m a strong believer that making mistakes and learning from them is a huge part of making a person the way he/she is. So nothing major, actually. I would go back to the day I hurt my knee playing football and cut to the left instead of the right. I don’t really think limping down staircases when it gets cold has really taught me anything about “who I am.”

8. Do you believe that the cup is half empty or half full?
Depends on my mood. I tend to have a strong desire for some things, so that leads me to see the glass as half empty sometimes.

9. Who was your hero as a child?
I was a big hoops fan back in the day, so it was Michael Jordan.

10. What do you do for fun?
Whatever I want. I’m a grown-ass man.

11. Are you an outdoor or an indoor person
That’s easy … outdoors.

12. Define yourself in three words.
Meticulous, aggressive, caring.

13. What three words would your best friend use to describe you?
I would hope: Meticulous, aggressive, caring.

14. Where do you see yourself in five years?
Teaching my kids to play catch.

15. What are you most proud of in your life?
Finally finishing college, I guess. But I don’t usually sit around and think about how proud I am of myself … that’s kinda lame.

16. Are you a cat or a dog person?
Dog.

17. Do you own any pets, and if so what do you have?
Right now, two dogs.

18. Who do you admire most?
My wife. She’s making a baby; that’s pretty cool.

19. When do you plan on getting married?
Oct. 3, 2009

20. Get the number or give the number?
Neither. I’m married.

21. Romance or Kinky?
Romance.

22. How do you feel?
Bored. I’m waiting for people to return my calls.

23. What size shoes do you wear?
10.5

24. Water or 100% Juice?
Water.

25. Would you rather be hot or cold?
Cold. I’ve got a pretty active inner heater.

26. Would you rather lose an arm or a leg?
Fuck! What’s with all the depressing questions? This is bullshit. I’m not answering this crap.

27. Favorite Place to Eat?
Russian River Brew Co., in Santa Rosa, Ca.

28. Opera, Musical, Concert, Play, Performance, or Other?
Aren’t operas, musicals, concerts and plays all performances? This is kind of a dumb question.

29. What is your favorite clothing brand?
Patagonia, REI or the North Face.

30. If you had to pick one car, which would it be?
I light, maneuverable SUV that also exhibits the type of sturdiness needed to go off-road.

31. What are some of your favorite Disney films?
Don’t have any yet … but will, kid on the way and everything. I think Treasure Planet is a Diz flick. Maybe I’ll watch that one with the tyke? Wait, wasn’t Pirates of the Caribbean a Disney movie? That one, then. But Disney usually makes me think of cartoons.

32. Why did the chicken cross the road?
To live in infamy.

33. What was your last thought?
Something about a chicken and a road.

34. Favorite fruit?
Pineapple.

35. Would you rather be blind or deaf?
Whoa, too deep a question if you don’t have any booze to offer. But, deaf, I guess.

36. Do you eat cold cereal at night?
Sure.

37. What is your favorite TV show?
The Alaska Experiment. Or Biggest Loser. Or The Ultimate Fighter. Damn, it looks like I like shows where people get eliminated.

38. Kill the spider or let it out?
Kill it. That’s not based in cruelty or anything. Firstly, it’s just easier to kill it than it is to trap-and-release. Secondly, my wife says, “There. Kill it.” So, I kill it.

39. Do you shower every single day?
No, a day off every now and then is good for you.

40. Walking past a beggar, spare change or ignore?
Depends. I’m probably about 50-50.

41. Where do you want to travel next?
Joshua Tree NP. That’s the first stop on an east-to-west cross-county road trip I’m taking later this month.

42. What is your favorite food?
Indian or Thai.

43. If you had only six months to live, what would you do first?
Damn, again with the depressing shit. I would make sure my family is taken care of after I’m gone. That’s what everyone should do. What? Did you want me to say something lame like “climb Mount Everest?”

44. What is your favorite place?
A tent in the middle of nowhere.

45. If you could have one super human power what would you choose?
The ability to instantly learn a vast amount. Like snapping my fingers and knowing an entire language.

46. Have you had a beer in the last week?
Actually, no … and that’s news. Stop the presses. I’ve had some bourbon though.

47. Vitamin Water or Gatorade?
Gatorade.

48. Flip flops or tennis shoes?
Flip-flops … I’d wear ‘em year round if I could.

49. What do you do on Fridays?
Work.

50. If you could be someone else for a day, who would it be?
Bill Gates … I’d write a check out to John M. Swartz for the sum of $5 million and drop it in the mail. I’m sure ol’ B.G. won’t miss a little $5M. Then, the next day when I’m back to being myself, I’d start checking the mailbox every day.

Flickr photo by clintus / credit below

GOING TO THE GYM is like being a referee. You’re at your best when no one notices you. Better to just blend in and get your work done.

Think about it. When’s the last time you noticed someone at the gym (and NOT the woman with the sweet ass on the treadmill) for doing something good? How many times do you say to yourself, “Wow, that’s excellent form and an appropriate amount of reps for that weight.” Never, right? The only time you notice someone else in the gym is when they’re doing something completely moronic. And it’s usually the same ones doing the same crap. Here’s a list of the usual offenses, and how to not be “that guy” at the gym.

Forget your towel: It ain’t just to wipe your brow, bro. You sweat, everyone sweats. Some more than others. That’s fine. It’s when you sweat all over, say, the flat bench and just get up and walk off that makes you a tool. But even worse is the guy who just doesn’t have a towel and lazily wipes the sweat with his hand or something. At least the guy who just walked off … maybe he simply forgot to wipe that one time. The guy who doesn’t have a towel and does a half-assed cleanup job? He’s displayed that he knows better (the half-assed wipe). Sure, sometimes you forget your towel, but most gyms have paper towel dispensers (and sanitation spray) all over the place. Use ‘em.

Leave the weights: First off, no one’s impressed with how much weight you’ve managed to load up on the bar. Additionally, it’s even less impressive when you walk off and leave it on the bar. This happens quite often in the bench press area and squad racks. But the most common place of infraction has got to be the leg press machine. Many a gym novice love the leg press machine, mostly because almost anyone can load up 500 pounds and move the thing around a little. There’s nothing worse than trying to keep a workout’s momentum going and having to stop for 5 minutes to re-rack eight of someone else’s 45-pound plates.

(For an advanced level, it’s quite common in many gyms to leave 135 pounds (two 45-pound plates, one on each side) on a bar at a flat bench. For many typical gym-goers, that’s their warmup weight. It’s up to you whether you go to a gym that has members that prefer to just walk up to a bench with 135 pre-loaded. But if there are four benches in the area, and three of them already have bars with 135 pounds, go ahead and be the “bigger man” and clear your bar completely.)

(Advanced level No. 2. Sometimes you’ll be working out, and there’s a person waiting in the wings to use the equipment after you. First off, you could easily offer to let him work in. Secondly, he might ask you to, for example, leave 225 pounds or something on the bar. In that case, it’s fine to leave the weight.)

Talk too much: Of course there needs to be rest time between most sets. But there doesn’t need to be enough time for you to tell the guy next to you everything that happened on Lost the night before. Also, don’t use the gym for Happy Hour. There are bars for that. Working out with a buddy, chatting all the while is fine. But you don’t need to catch up with everything that’s gone on since high school. Also, unless your name is Ari Gold and you’re taking a call from Vinny Chase (and really, not even then), leave your mobile phone alone. Do you really think you’re that important that you must take a phone call at the gym? Do you answer the phone while you’re at the movies, too? It’s worth noting that there may be instances when there’s something going in that’s important enough to take a phone call no matter what you’re doing — your wife’s expecting, you have a loved one in the hospital, you’re waiting for that massive job offer. If that’s the case, take the call, but quickly leave the workout area and don’t return until you’re done talking.

Linger longer: There’s nothing better than that feeling you get when you’ve finished a great workout. But you don’t need to share it with those still lifting. If you’re done, leave the workout area. It’s not that hard. Besides, locker rooms (or better, your living room) is where the wind-down process should take place. Too often, the gym tool lingers to tell others how great a workout he’s had. Is this really necessary? No, it isn’t.

Speed date: The only thing worse that lingering around other guys to chat is lingering around the ladies. Ah, the gym date-seeker. Sure, it is possible to flirt at the gym, and sometimes even called for. But usually, women in the gym just want to be left alone. If there’s a women you really, really, really want to talk to. Just try to sync up the end of your workouts. As she’s leaving the floor, ask her if she wants a smoothie, on you … and that’s on you, as in you pay for it. Not on you as in you want her to lick it off. Damn, man, buy her dinner first!

Grunt ‘n’ groan: It’s hard to find something more obnoxious than the guy in the corner doing shrugs, and letting out a massive grunt each time the weight moves. Sure, sometimes it takes a little growl to get the weight up for your last rep. But that’s your LAST rep on likely your last set. Perhaps you’ve got nothing left in the tank, and that’s the only way you can put the capper on your workout. But, seriously, you don’t need to grunt up all 10 of your second set of 185 on the bench.

Same shirt again: When you were a kid, almost everything you owned could be considered “gym clothes.” In adulthood, more of your shirts probably have buttons than have armpit stains. If you only have one set of workout clothes, try to make sure it’s laundered at least once a week. You’re a man. You sweat. Then you stink. And don’t try to cover it up with cologne … that’s even worse.

Poor form: Sure, you’d love to throw that third plate on the bar and join the 315 club, but if you have to sacrifice proper form not only is it dangerous, but it makes you look like a newbie ass. It’s important to learn proper form, especially if you’re going to be spending time in the free-weight area of your gym. Just because you manage to somehow lift the weight doesn’t mean you’re doing it right. Odds are, if you use poor form or even cheat (like swinging a dumbbell on a curl, using momentum to lif-t the weight), you’re never going to see any benefit. Lifting weights isn’t subjective. There’s a right way and there’s a wrong way. Learn which is which.

Know-it-all: You might notice a Mr. Poor Form one day at the gym. You recognize he’s not using proper technique, and you know better how he should be lifting. That just means you “know it.” It’s when you walk over, unsolicited, and start giving out freebie advice that makes you a “know-it-all.” Don’t be that guy. It’s not your job to make sure everyone uses proper form. It’s their job to learn, their job to ask, or the gym’s trainers’ job to intervene if someone seriously looks like they’re about to hurt themselves.

Spot me: Having a spotter is a great way to practice safety at the gym. But you need to know when you need a spotter. There will undoubtedly be a time when someone asks you to spot them, and you’ll stand there and watch the guy bang out 10 reps, never breaking momentum. Quite irritating. If you’ve been going to the gym for any longer than a few weeks, you should know when you need a spotter and when you don’t. If you’re in a set where you think you might just need a spotter for a ninth or 10th rep, let the guy spotting you know that. At least then he’ll know you’re going for an ambitious number of reps and not just wasting his time.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/clintus/ / CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Flickr photo / Cosmic Kitty (credit below)

SO, THE HOLIDAYS are coming up, and you’ve finally got some time off from work. Perfect for finally getting to a few of those around-the-house projects that have been piling up, right?

But wouldn’t it be great if all that was done before the holidays, so all you have to do then is sit back and enjoy the “adult” eggnog? Why not tear through that to-do list right now. Or, at least take out a big chunk of it now so you can better justify a little sittin’ around time in a few weeks.

Being the Man of the House comes with its rewards and responsibilities. Here are a few things that usually need a little work in your typical house:

Un-clog that drain: She washes her long hair and you shave every day. Or maybe its that plate of food that you didn’t think was enough to warrant a trip to the trashcan. Whether its your kitchen or bathroom sinks or the dreaded slow-flow shower, a house’s drains take a beating. You can go the chemical route (ala Drain-O) or use the time-tested (and many times better) snake, but you’d be surprised how much quick-flowing drains can improve things. It doesn’t take that long, either.

That door sticks: It’s the door that either won’t shut all the way or make that horrible noise when you pull it open. A lot of times the “catching” is caused by a loosened hinge that’s causing the door to lean. A screwdriver and a good grip can fix that. But perhaps the door has warped slightly? Find where the door is catching and use a carpenter’s plane to smooth it out. You’ll get to use a tool. Fun, right?

Clear the path: Is that bush in the front yard grown over a little too much of the walkway? Or maybe that shrub in the back is blocking the view of the yard. It’s easy to let your yard’s bushes, trees and shrubs grow a little out of control. Not only is this a cool time (temperature, for many of us) to get outside, but cutting your greens back now can make for more healthy growth in the spring. And besides, this chore will get you outside for a bit. What’s wrong with that?

Clean the grill: No, not the one in your mouth … and not the one in the car either. Let’s face it, the grilling season is almost over. Giving the grill a solid cleaning – not just scraping the grate with the big metal brush – will have it good and ready to go come springtime.

Swap out the filters: Right now, a lot of the country is in that great spot between AC and heat – you know, when the power bill is at its lowest. But it’s about time to flip the heat switch. With the windows shut tight, having clean air in your home will depend on clean air filters. This is another out-of-sight-out-of-mind chore that often gets overlooked. It takes two-minutes, and clean filters can even save you a few bucks when you eventually do start running the heat full time.

Extra bases: This is by no means an exhaustive list. Don’t forget the little things, like changing light bulbs and the batteries in your smoke detectors. For extra credit, clean the gutters. Get a ladder, some beer and a buddy. Spend all day up there. And remember, if you’re the Man of the House, make sure your house stays in tip-top shape. A king is only as cool as his castle.

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Photo credit: http://www.flickr.com/photos/cosmickitty/ / CC BY 2.0

Get your run on, following a Thanksgiving feast.

THERE’S PROBABLY NOT a better time than the weekend after Thanksgiving to run in a charity 5K.

Thanksgiving — a holiday where we’re meant to sit back and reflect on all that we’re thankful for, all that we have. Thanksgiving — a holiday where we triple out caloric intake for one day.

Yep, no better time than to get in a little 3-mile run, right?

But it doesn’t have to be Thanksgiving weekend. Charity 5Ks are an easy way to give a little back and to get out and get active.

Charity and exercise is something of a theme right not on The Man F.A.Q., what with the Trim-Down for Charity going on. Aside from that, I love 5Ks. They’re just a fun — and rewarding — alone as with your entire family.

They’re pretty easy to find. One of the best sites is active.com. It’s great to find all kinds of events nationwide. You can search by zip code, and find an even right in your back yard. They offer full coverage of events. For example, there are 89 events going on this weekend nationwide that fit the search “5K.”

Active.com is also great for finding future events, as you can search for a specific date range.

Another great thing about 5Ks is the distance. It’s far enough to make you feel like you’ve accomplished something, but short enough for almost anyone to enjoy. Many people walk the entire length in about 40 minutes. Those in the best of shape will run through in 15-20 minutes. In all, the running is over in less than an hour, and will leave you with plenty of Saturday left to enjoy.

Small children? Many 5K events also offer 1-mile fun runs. If you’re running that with junior, you’ll often follow the first half-mile of the course (with all the rest of the runners, that way the children get the excitement of the starter pistol), and turn off and make you way back on an alternate route right to the same finish line as everyone else.

If you just get out — regardless of fitness level — and run one, you just might find yourself quickly hooked. It could even become a weekly event.

Keep those check stubs, donations are tax deductible.