23 Mar

Posted at 07:30h in Style & Grooming

One of the first things I picked up on from moving to San Diego from New York is the change from humidity to absolute atmospheric dryness.  With the climate change and lack of moisture in the air, one's skin and hair tends to dry out and get "flaky."  This is absolutely true with beards as well, hence the importance of using beard oil regularly. It was around the time of my move from the east coast to the west that I began using a new product called Virtu Beard Oil.  Virtu Beard...

04 Mar

Posted at 08:00h in Style & Grooming

Curly hair can be difficult to figure out, style, and maintain.  Men with curly hair have battled with their hair for eons.  From shaving it off to attempting to straighten it, it seemed like their only option was either the Bruce Willis or Afroman looks.  Of course, there are several alternative curly hairstyles for men that don't require the regular use of a razor or pick, and they all depend on which type of curly hair is covering your scalp. Wavy Hair Although some think of hair as three separate camps (straight, wavy, or curly), a...

18 Dec

Posted at 09:00h in Style & Grooming

Since around the beginning of No-Shave-November, I've been using a new beard oil.  For those rugged beards unfamiliar with beard oil, acquaint yourself with the number one daily beard grooming product.  The beard oil I'll be reviewing today is H-Beard Oil by Healing Natural Oils. Of the many hundreds, if not thousands, of beard oil brands out on the market today, H-Beard Oil is one that doesn't rely on flashy masculine marketing.  In fact, all the products sold by Healing Natural Oils seem to come in the same amber-colored glass bottle with...

28 Nov

Posted at 11:30h in Fitness

Meditation is something that most men scoff at. "You want me to sit still for ten minutes?  And then not think about anything?" This sounds unproductive, unrealistic, and overall unsatisfying.  I won't argue that point.  In fact, meditation will be exactly that the first handful of times that you attempt it.  But you should do it anyway. Like all skills, there's a learning curve - one that's relatively steep and frustrating at first.  But if you persist past this initial phase, the benefits are monumental.  In the past, many benefits have been monitored:...

24 Nov

Posted at 11:00h in Knowledge, Style & Grooming

We've all heard of Movember and/or No-Shave-November: the act of either growing a manly mustache or burly beard in the month of November to raise awareness and funds for a multitude of good causes that benefit and support men's health.  Included in but not limited to the list of men's health issues battled is prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health problems.  Even if you can't grow any facial hair, I absolutely commend anyone that donates to either cause. However, there is another lesser known cancer that does not receive the...

06 Nov

Posted at 17:39h in Knowledge

There are two things no self-respecting man should ever get caught holding: veggie burgers and Appletinis. That said, let's put an end to the extra-surgary, extra sweet, garnished, flowery-smelling, fruity-tasting, and paper-umbrella-decorated girly drinks unless you're on the set of Sex and the City. For one, the majority of them taste like diabetes and the others can hardly be called an alcoholic drink. Next time a lady asks you to try a sip of her Cosmopolitan, Sex on the Beach, or Fuzzy Navel, kindly tell her that you don't drink from that side...

01 Oct

Posted at 15:14h in Skills

I’m not saying that cigar lounges are for the stiff upper lip type; quite the contrary. That said, there are some guidelines that will help you become a better cigar smoker. Even some of Mr. Davidoff’s rules are a little too Victorian by today’s standards. For example: holding the cigar between your index finger and thumb, rather than your index and middle fingers. Zino felt the former method was more “elegant.” He may have had a point, but the way you hold your cigar is pretty much considered your...

19 Sep

Posted at 14:52h in Knowledge

Shmucks don't know how to handle their money.  They don't know their net-worth.  They have no idea where their paycheck is going at the end of each month.  They borrow money they don't have and maintain a history of bad credit.  They're in debt up to their eyeballs and can't see a way to get out.  They don't have any financial safety net and certainly did not save for their future. It's not entirely their own fault.  Although they should have completely responsibility over their financial whereabouts, they haven't been properly conditioned to....

12 Sep

Posted at 12:00h in Style & Grooming

“I’m not going to kiss you again until you shave off that beard.”  That is what my girlfriend, Julia, said to me one day about 3 years ago. I was a bit shocked when Julia said it.  I mean, I had a beard for the entire 4 years we were dating.  But she was dead serious about it.  “I’m tired of getting scratched by that thing when we make out.” So this was a real dilemma for me.  I consider myself quite the rugged fellow - I love my beard.  My beard...

12 Aug

Posted at 12:00h in Fitness

Pre-workout. The superhuman energy concoction of the supplement world. While I'm not personally a fan of purchasing 32 different types of supplements in the forms of powders and pills in order to achieve a perfect workout, perfect diet, and perfect recovery, some supplements have their uses. A pre-workout supplement is one that is, as the name implies, taken before going to the gym. Its purpose is to pump you up before your workout; to get your blood pumping and excite your entire body from head to toe, especially when you feel too...