Old Spice is classic, right? The scent, the “manliness” just permeates the thing. I like it, damnit…Wife got me some gel-type stuff for the shower, called “Champion” (yes, yes I am), and it’s great, too. Solid, good smell, and it actually lasts for a bit, too. Plus, I love that an old-school product has completely reinvigorated itself for today.

Anyway, figured I’d share these two videos…they are pretty funny. I can respect the team that made these…

“Watermelon” - http://youtu.be/hfiiWGWhB9g

“Shower” - http://youtu.be/XS1dM6kmCx4

Seems like they’ve even come out with a bar soap, which is awesome. I don’t mind the gel so much, but if I had a choice, I’d go bar all the way.  More control, less waste…or something like that.

Old Spice New Bar Soap is available in scents like Fiji, Pure Sport and Swagger. Whichever one you choose, it’s “The Bar Soap You’ve Been Smelling For.”  This new soap is sure to please the more than 40% of dudes who prefer the classic feel of bar soap. Check out youtube.com/OldSpice for more.

It’s been 7 weeks plus already since our little one, Caleb, was born. It’s been a whirlwind of crying, diapers, spit up, formula changes, poop, burping, changing, and…complete and total love. And that’s what is most important and what’s it’s all about. You see, if people really cared and/or focused on these (in the grand scheme) trivial travails, then the human race would have died off many, many moons ago.  For sure, it sucks big time to not get a full night’s sleep for 7 freaking weeks. Sometimes you most certainly do not want to hold him and walk him around, bouncing up and down like a drunken kangaroo. There are times when the thought of a stinky, Alimentum-tinged diaper is just the last thing you want to tangle with. But, especially this time around, after almost 6 years since the previous baby (our boy Liam) and almost 8 years from out little princess (Natalie), you just accept it more, you appreciate it all much more, you slow down and take a deep breath more. You chuckle and the poop and the insanely load, nails-on-chalkboard board screeching when hungry. You think the spit up is cute in some way.  Because it is. It 100%, without a doubt is. And even if you have to really convince yourself, kicking and screaming while in the weeds with it, you just do.

For all intents and purposes, this is the end of the baby-making road…unless by divine right or some other such obscure chance, this will be the last 11 pd newborn I hold at 3AM. And I don’t want to miss a minute. Because time flies, it really flies by. And you really just have to revel in the little stuff, the good stuff, which sometimes is the bad stuff.

Today, Head & Shoulders, along with new “Mane Man” C.J. Wilson of the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, declared MLB’s 2013 season the “Season of the Whiff” to launch the new Head & Shoulders with Old Spice.

Starting on Opening Day, for every “whiff” (strikeout) across MLB during the 2013 regular season, Head & Shoulders will make a $1 donation to the MLB Reviving Baseball in Inner cities (RBI) program. Fans can also get involved by tweeting whiffs throughout the season via #Whiff along with their favorite team’s Twitter handle to rack up donations for their team’s local RBI leagues and also have the chance to win cool MLB prizes.

Head & Shoulders is at The Grove in L.A. today kicking off the campaign via the brand’s first ever “Whiff-a-Thon” event with C.J. Wilson and fellow mane man Troy Polamalu. Josh Hamilton, who stars alongside C.J. in the new ad, will also make an appearance.

Find out more about Head & Shoulders for Men with Old Spice on:

• Twitter
• Facebook
• Homepage

Well, it happened…Caleb Reed Sweeney, born 7:29AM on 2/16/13. What a day…truly wonderful.  It was a long road to haul, what with the 16 weeks of bedrest and the labor fits and starts. At the time it seemed like forever, that it would never end.  Looking back, we made it through relatively unscathed and so much the better for it. Truly worth every hardship and every minute. I think I can safely say I speak for Vera on this as well. She was great, a real trooper the whole time. I’m very grateful for that.

It’s been a while since we’ve had a newborn to hold, rock, feed, burp, diaper change, lose sleep over. And it’s that much sweeter because of it. Was it nice to have the first two kids 25 mos apart…for sure, they are great buddies now. Is it also great to have a little one that’s almost like an only child, since the others are in school all day, play dates, sports, etc…absolutely! Totally different experience than before, and one that we will do out damnedest to enjoy…even when you’re a little delirious and a little pissy at 4AM.

I still don’t think it’s completely set in that I have a wife, 3 kids, and 2 dogs to worry about, but I’m sure it will hit full steam, full brunt very soon…once the shock and awe of the whole thing has waned a bit and we get into a more normal (new normal, not normal??) routine. I guess until then, I will be enjoying my time with the little one, seeing how is big brother and sister (and mother) swoon over him, mauling each other to see, play, hold, and love him.

I guess I can’t complain too much about any of that…

I’m not sure if you know about AXE® or Cravebox, though I kind of think you know about AXE more so than Cravebox given it’s racy commercials.  I’m not generally a cologne man myself, but when I was given the opportunity to try this out, I had to bite. I must say, it’s pretty cool. And the concept of the Crave box is equally impressive. If you are open to trying something new, I think you will be pleased with this.

Let’s cut to the chase, shall we?

What Cravebox is: Cravebox is a fun product discovery service that brings you fabulous products in beautiful, themed boxes. Each Cravebox costs $12 to $18, is delightfully designed around a central theme, and includes 4 to 6 specially selected products. Every box is designed by expert Cravebox Curators, who scour the world to find the most interesting, delicious and wonderful products to bring to our members. Our boxes are themed around dozens of categories, including:

• COOKING, ENTERTAINING AND GRILLING
• KIDS, BABY AND FAMILY
• HOME PRODUCTS AND HOME SOLUTIONS
• HEALTH, WELLNESS AND BEAUTY
• HOBBIES, PETS, ARTS & CRAFTS
• AND MANY, MANY MORE!

What’s AXE is: AXE® Hair gives guys the tools they need to make their hair look great. Spiked, messy, clean-cut — whatever the style, AXE® Hair has got the goods to make hair look its best at home, at school, at work… and at play. And theAXE® Hair Styling Kits Cravebox will bring them right to his door.

QUICK FACTS about AXE Hair Styling Cravebox Kit: This box contains several men’s hair-care products from AXE.

• Joining Cravebox is free.
• The cost of the AXE Hair Styling Cravebox Kit is $12, including shipping.
• Buy it now! Ready for immediate purchase, but quantities are limited, so order today.
• The box is just the beginning: Join us online to learn more, rate your products, and join the fun withTwitter, Facebook and Blog contests featuring cool prizes!

The AXE Hair Styling Cravebox Kit include a cool styling tool kit, full of hair care products he’ll use and you’ll love. Chosen to fit your (or his) preferred look.

Not sure you want to plunk down that big $12 and take a risk, well here you go:

Receive a Free Cravebox:

• The contest is for new members.
• Enter Promo Code AXEMen on the Registration Page.
• Don’t miss the Promo Code field. It’s right next to Zip Code, so don’t skip it. If you submit without it, there’s no going back to add it.
• Order your AXE Hair Styling Cravebox Kit
• The first 50 people who order an AXE Hair Styling Cravebox Kit will receive a Credit for a FREE FUTURE Cravebox. But we’re not stopping there, if you’re not one of the first 50, don’t worry because we’re also randomly picking 50 other people who purchase an AXEHair Styling Cravebox Kit to WIN a credit for an UPCOMING CRAVEBOX. Don’t miss out on this Great Giveaway

Well, the time is not immediately upon us, but it’s getting there. Natalie will likely be going to school in 10 years or so. Liam in 12. The little one to come soon after that.

It’s daunting for sure.  The costs are completely ridiculous and they don’t seem to be abating. The lethal mix of more and more people going to college mixed with low-cost college loans, and a plethora of government grants is just making this an untenable situation for all. The next major debt bubble in the US is college loans…kids can’t get jobs and their debt has ballooned to over a TRILLION (yes, with a “T”) dollars in total.

What can you do? Sure, there’s the 529 plans, but that is reliant on the mixed bag that is the stock market. Surely not a guarantee any more. There’s state colleges, of which I am an alum of U at Albany SUNY, but even those are averaging close to $30K per year. Forget private schools, they’re hovering around $50K or more…and this with without room/board/books/food.  It’s obscene.

And if you have a family or are thinking of starting one…do you not have as many kids because you can’t seem to fathom how to pay for all of this, maybe $400K per kid very soon? I definitely don’t agree with this…have your kids and build your family. Worry about this when you have to.  But I digress…

Anyway, I think we all share this same trepidation and the prospects of this are really daunting, but this is life right now, until colleges and the government set it straight.

I would say, though, don’t dispair…just enjoy your lives and don’t let this consume you.

As luck would have it (and this is the truth, I was going to write about this with or without this info graphic) , Frugaldad.com sent this awesome piece along.  Very well done, a real eye opener.

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Christmas 2012 and New Year’s 2013 has obviously come and gone.  Oh, you didn’t know?  I ruined the surprise…well, I apologize.  Perhaps you didn’t know that we have little boxes with numbers that you can talk into and carry around in your pocket. But I digress…

It was an interesting month or so at the Sweeney homestead, filled with family fun as well as health-related bumps in the road. Thank God, though, things seem to be settling down and perhaps getting back to normal. It’s always tough to have family issues. It’s more difficult to have issues with more than one family member. And it’s just that more difficult when it all hits you right around what is supposed to be the most festive and fun time of the year. You make the most of it. You pick yourself up and you get through it. You think about the good things about your life and the time of year. It’s Christmas and you have a great family…and that’s what gets you through.

Everyone handles situations differently, but my advice to you is to always think of the good, no matter how tough that may be to recognize sometimes. There’s always something you can focus on to get your through the rough patches, and God willing you get out of the other end doing ok. Completely unscathed…then you count your blessings…but just getting through is not too bad either.

Try your best to be your best and to think about the best parts of your life. You do yourself and everyone around you a great disservice if you do otherwise. Yes, perhaps that is corny and you may very well be rolling your eyes…that’s cool, I get it. I’m good with corny…corny and I are buddies…we hang.  With each passing year I realize that “corny” in today’s world is actually pretty damn great. Corny is what makes life worth living.

I wish you and yours a very happy, healthy, prosperous, and blessed 2013. Here’s to a good life…

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The Nation went 2 for 4 on his last set of UFC predictions and is now 40 of 64 over all.

“The Crippler” Chris Leben (22-8) vs. Derek Brunson (9-2): Chris Leben is fighting again for the first time in over a year, following his 1 year suspension for oxycodone and and oxymorphone.  Leben is an exciting fighter, but when he’s not fit or when he’s head is not in it, it could get ugly. Brunson is the latest Strikeforce import, and is coming off 2 straight losses. I’m going to bet that Leben is in shape physically and mentally and have him winning. Prediction: Leben by KO

Alan “The Talent” Belcher (18-6) vs. Yushin “Thunder” Okami (27-7): These 2 first met back in 2006, with Okami winning by unanimous decision. Belcher has improved even more since then, but I think Okami’s wrestling game will prove to be the difference again. Prediction: Okami by decision.

“The Barbarian” Tim Boetsch (16-4) vs. Costa Philippou (11-2-1): Boetsch has been undefeated since dropping down to 185, while Philippou has won 4 fights in a row. This is a tough one for me, but I’m going to go with Philippou, purely on a hunch. Prediction: Philippou by submission.

Joe Lauzon (22-7) vs. Jim Miller (21-4): This has the potential to be Fight of the Night, with the further potential of these two putting on a ground clinic. Lauzon has won 18 of his fights via submission, and is an Award Bonus machine, with 6 UFC Submission of the Night honors, 4 Fight of the Night honors, and 1 KO of the night honors. Miller, meanwhile,  has won 12 of his fights by submission. He’s a very good fighter but comes up short against the very best fighters at 155; his losses have come against Benson Henderson and Frankie Edgar (the current UFC lightweight champion and the guy he beat for that title, respectively), and Gray Maynard and Nate Diaz (2 fighters who have challenged for the UFC lightweight title and lost). Miller was never finished in a fight until his last fight with Diaz, and now he’s facing a submission machine in Lauzon. Can it be 2 submission losses in a row? I don’t think so. Prediction: Miller by submission.

For the UFC Heavyweight Championship – The Champion, Junior “Cigano” Dos Santos (15-1) vs. Cain Velasquez ( 10-1): These two first met in the very first ever UFC on Fox card in Nov. 2011, where Dos Santos knocked Velasquez out a minute into the fight to win the UFC Heavyweight title. Dos Santos re-wrote the future of the UFC with that win, as everyone was expecting Velasquez to rule the 265 lbs. division for years, not lose it in his very first title defense. Both have had one fight since then, with Junior destroying Frank Mir via 2nd round TKO back in May, and Cain doing the same to Antonia Silva in the 1st round on the same card. This is an interesting dynamic, and a must-win for Cain – what would be best for business is for Cain to win, and thus set up a 3rd fight between the two. If he loses again, he is pretty much out of the title picture until Junior loses the title. Basically, if Cain loses, he and the UFC are stuck between a rock and a hard place with him. He would clearly be the 2nd best heavyweight in the division, but can’t be placed in another title match vs. Junior. Nor can he be placed against other top contenders for the title since he would just knock them out of contention and take away challengers for Junior. In short, he would be the heavyweight equivalent of Rich Franklin after he lost twice to Anderson Silva, without the option of moving weight classes. Like I said, it’s a must win for Cain, and it would be best for business for him to do so and set up a 3rd fight. I just don’t think it will happen. Cain’s mindset is he’ll take a punch in order to get up close; he did so against Cheick Kongo and he was dropped a few times. And Kongo has nowhere near the power Junior has.  Heck, even Brock Lesnar with his rudimentary stand up was able to touch up Cain’s face before Cain got to him. If he tries to take a punch against Junior, he will get knocked out. If he decides to stay outside and be more careful, he will get picked off by Junior, as he will end up staying within Junior’s range. that’s even worse for him. I just think Junior’s boxing will nullify Cain’s style again, and will be the difference. Prediction: Dos Santos by KO.

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A chuckle (or wise thought) a day keeps the crazies away…

1. “We never know the love of the parent till we become parents ourselves.” ~ Henry Ward Beecher
2. “I don’t know any parents that look into the eyes of a newborn baby and say, How can we screw this kid up.” ~ Russell Bishop
3. “Live so that when your children think of fairness and integrity, they think of you.” ~ H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
4. “Parents are the last people on earth who ought to have children.” ~ Samuel Butler
5. “A child, like your stomach, doesn’t need all you can afford to give it.” ~ Frank A. Clark

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“WORX TOYS ARE THE COOLEST WAY TO DISCOVER HOW YOUR FAVOURITE THINGS WORK.”

Toys are great. Cars are better. But how about a really cool looking car that also teaches your kids how the car actually works?

Worx Toys was started by three fathers who had an idea for a revolutionary new type of toy that combines stimulating the natural sense of curiosity in children, focusing on ages 6 to 9, with discovering how things work and learning in a fun way. Their sons, like many other boys, loves to ponder about how thing work, often gazing quizzically into toys and asking a lot of questions.

So how did they respond to this episode of discovery and learning? Naturally, they started a toy company! The child is the inspiration for Worx Toys – the original Curious Mind! A child’s world is filled with curiosity. A question often on their mind is “How does that work?” Worx Toys inspire the curious child to discover and learn all about “how things work.”

I also really like that each Worx Toy is accompanied by an interactive storybook that takes the child through how each of the major parts inside the toy works in real life by showing them with animated lights and sound and corresponding codes. You punch in the codes on the toy and the different parts make noise and light up, all as you read the book!

We were able to try out the Speedster race car…and Liam loved it. He actually loved it before he knew about the different codes to light up the parts and before he saw the book. It was a big hit on a number of levels. It’s a great idea…it’s always a great idea to make things fun while educational as well. I’ll definitely be looking into getting more of these for my kids.

Find out more on the Web, Twitter, Facebook, and Pinterest. Check here to see where you can pick it up.

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