Plain canvas shoes

Flop it up!

Canvas shoes are the perfect beach shoe. They breathe well and slip on and off easily. A simple shoe with no detailing, canvas shoes go with any outfit. Being a low maintenance shoe, they won’t be ruined if you test the water before you take them off. Best of all, they can be found in a range of bright colors. To be right on trend this summer, source a pair of blue or rust colored canvas shoes.

Boat shoes

With some detailing and ornamental laces, boat shoes are a sophisticated option for hot weather. They are as formal as daytime summer shoes can get, and can be worn with either pants or shorts. As with other summer footwear, socks are not needed. Once worn only on boats, they have now made their way into the mainstream and are embraced by the style-conscious. Wear them out to lunch or to the beach. Boat shoes with a contrasting upper make a statement, while block-colored boat shoes are quietly stylish.

Note that boat shoes are not the plastic creations known as Crocs, or worse, imitation crocs. Boat shoes are made from canvas or leather and feature laces, often in a contrasting color.

Espadrilles

Espadrilles are an exotic choice, with their rope detailing around the sole and often nautical prints. They are easy to wear- just slip them on and you’re done. Due to their distinctive shape and flat, flimsy structure, espadrilles suit shorts well but look cheap when worn with long pants. I am of the opinion that espadrilles resemble a dustbuster, but don’t let that put you off. They are a unique statement shoe and if you like them and carry them off, you should wear them. Expect people to notice your shoes when you don a pair of espadrilles.

If you’re going to wear flip flops…

So you’re really attached to wearing flip flops, and will not give them up for the sake of looking better. If you’re going to defy style and wear your flip flops, at least take this piece of advice: stay away from ‘active’ flip flops. The type with a thick band and a rubber base that moulds to your foot, you just know that they were made with functionality in mind with no regard as to how they look. Worn chiefly by dads who have surrendered any hope of being stylish, active style flip flops are to be avoided. If you’re wearing them for light exercise, your feet will be better off in a good pair of trainers. For casual wear, replace them with a pair of supportive boat shoes.

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Get out there, grads!

While I did have to sit through a half-hour speech from one particularly grating class president (really, you’re going to cry every 30 seconds?) I was pleasantly surprised to hear some professor/dean of the department of whatever talk about the importance of finishing what you’ve started. This age-old adage applies to both recent grads as well as those of us who haven’t drunk shitty beer out of red plastic cup in several years.

You know that friend of yours that can never seem to finish anything? The one that talks a big talk, but still lives in his mom’s basement and is always “nearly finished” with that groundbreaking novel of his? The one that finds a new interest every week, whether it be playing guitar or cooking, but never actually follows through and learns how to shred or scramble eggs? What do you and your friends think of this guy? Is he respected or ridiculed? Is he someone you look up to? Probably not, huh?

The lack of being able to actually finish what one starts screams laziness and low self-confidence.  The ability to follow through and pursue a goal to fruition is the mark of a confident, go-getting guy. No goal worth pursuing is going to be easy. Whether you’re goal is to run a marathon or open your town’s first adult book store, it’s going to take hard work and persistence to get there. Giving up at the first sign of failure shows that you’re unable to deal with setbacks, that you’ve got no backbone. It shows that you have no confidence in your abilities if you don’t actually accomplish what you set out to do.

Sure, some goals are loftier than others and might not be achieved no matter how hard you try. Say, for example, you goal was to score a number 1 hit on the Billboard chart. Being that there’s a bajillion artists out there and the radio plays about two new songs every six months, your chances of actually accomplishing this are close to one. The confident man, however, pursues his goals no matter how bad the odds. If it doesn’t work out, he doesn’t give up. Even if he never makes it on the radio, if he continues to play music and follow his passion, he’s anything but a failure.

If you want others to respect you and, more importantly, if you want to respect yourself, finish what you start.  Don’t be a quitter or a flake. There are plenty of those out there already. It’s not too late to finish what you’ve started, even if that means fulfilling your goal from age 10 to be a real Ghostbuster. Just prepare for odd looks from friends and family.

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You see, as the weather warms up, there is nothing better than firing up that grill out and performing your manly duty of cooking with one hand while holding a cold brew in the other. And one of the meats that, for whatever reason, tends to get the short end of the tong when discussing items to grill: Chicken. But while the meat itself may not be the most taste-popping, there are a wide variety of ways to introduce a hint of seasoning to the proceedings. For instance: The glorious marinade.

Nothing gets a chicken to really pop in your mouth quite like marinade. So today, we’re leading you all in the direction of this great article put on my the wonderful gents over at Men’s Fitness about the best ways to marinate a chicken and keep it nice and healthy.

Cluck, cluck

Our favorite recipe of the bunch:

Mediterranean

Lemon is natural digestive aid and can help break down the proteins in meat, poultry, fish—even beans and eggs. This marinade, according to La Puma is the second-highest in antioxidant power of all marinades and complements the Mediterranean Diet.

2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1/2 Tsp Mediterranean spice mix
Make your own Mediterranean spice mix:
3 Tbsp dried rosemary
2 Tbsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp ground coriander
1 Tbsp dried oregano
1/2 Tsp sea salt
2 Tsp cinnamon

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. For every 1 lb. Boneless or 2 lb. meat with bone, add 2 tablespoons of the Mediterranean mixture. Makes 1/3 cup. Let it store for 24 hours—or at least 10 minutes for quicker serving.

Head on over to the above link to check out all the recipes, and then get grilling gentlemen!

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However, just like the fact that Los Angeles isn’t just about the Kardashians or starlets driving drunk, Houston isn’t just obsolescence and scandal. It’s the fourth largest city in the United States, has a rich arts scene and driving just over fifty miles gets you to the Gulf of Mexico and the beaches of Galveston. In fact, it was so easy to find five really cool things that I didn’t have to rely on the baseball park formerly known as Enron Field. (Editorial sidebar – that’s the problem with corporate sponsorship – once it’s there, it’s hard to get rid of that name in people’s minds.) Instead of basement dwelling Astros baseball, here are five great destinations.

Hike the Shoveler Loop Boardwalk in the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge

Space!

Only seventy miles away from the city center there’s the Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge. There are several good spots for wildlife watching thereand as a bird-watching fan, the boardwalk in Shoveler Pond seems like a great way to get a bit of exercise and to check out some birds. However, for the non-bird-watchers out there, you also might get to glimpse alligators. Hit Skillern Tract, and you can launch a canoe or kayak to get even closer.

See any Opera on the 2012/2013 Houston Grand Opera Schedule

I enjoy a good opera and as soon as I saw the 2012/2013 season for the Houston Grand Opera, I had to share it. At about any time you could chose to visit Houston, you’ll have a chance to see a world class opera company putting on some of the best classics from Puccini, Mozart, Wagner or Verdi. For a sample from “La Boheme,” here’s Che Gelida Manina sung by Luciano Pavarotti in 1964.

Visit the Johnson Space Center

Does anyone ever grow out of the phase of wanting to be an astronaut? (Looking at billionaires like Richard Branson and Paul Allen, my guess is no.) We may not get a chance to go to space, but we can visit the Johnson Space Center and take the NASA Tram Tour. It might not be close to the same thing, but combine that with a look at the past starships and how far we’ve come, maybe there will be a chance for non-billionaires in the future.

Check out the events at the Museum of Fine Arts

Of course when you talk about a Museum of Fine Arts, there will be paintings. However, there are also screenings of such films as “Strangers in the Night,” Samuel Beckett’s 1965 “Film” starring Buster Keaton as part of a double feature with “Waiting for Godot” as Zero Mostel and Burgess Meredith play Vladimir and Estragon, and “Reality Bites” if you want something a little more recent. Also, every day from 11 am to 3 pm, when you visit the sculpture garden, there is a gourmet food truck ready to cater your exploration of art.

Scare yourself at the Spaghetti Warehouse

I love haunted places. I found this page on the Houston tourism site and I knew that I had found a must see. The Spaghetti Warehouse in downtown Houston sounds like the best scary place (or it could be I’m hungry) and the story of the crying boy gives me a few chills. There are some that are skeptical, but as soon as the article mentions that the lights stay off when you tour upstairs, I’m sold.

Any suggestions for things that I missed? Any additional recommendations for the area? Just let me know in the comments.

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The United States is a disgustingly overweight country. Let’s not pretend otherwise. Many people develop habits at a young age that later lead to morbid obesity and non-existent self-confidence.

The college years tend to be a period when such habits develop. With classes, part-time jobs, binge drinking, and relationships, it really can be difficult to make time for your health. But heed my advice: Don’t fall into the trap! 

Don't give in

The benefits of good health are tremendous, ranging from better memory and cognitive functioning to less risk of heart disease or diabetes. College doesn’t have to be a time to develop bad habits. You can develop good ones as well. Follow these 7 tips, and you’ll be well on your way to feeling great.

1. Start Small

Rome wasn’t built in a day. If you try to start improving your health by vowing to run five miles a day when you’ve been a couch potato for three years, you’ll quickly become overwhelmed and frustrated. Depending on your current weight and fitness, start with something manageable, like incorporating an apple a day into your diet, drinking a couple more glasses of water, and walking for half an hour four times a week.

2. Beware of the Dining Halls

While the all-you-can-eat buffet style of many dining halls is pretty fucking awesome, it can also be a recipe for disaster. Try to limit yourself to one or one and a half plates of food per meal, and eat some fruits and veggies!

3. Avoid Sweets

Okay, okay, I know. Easier said than done. But, you’d be surprised how much easier it is if you just stop for a week or two. Your taste buds start to savor and enjoy yogurt and blueberries just as if they were chocolate cake and ice cream! Maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration, but give it a try. And remember, out of sight, out of mind is the best policy when trying to cut back on any vice.

4. Use the Campus Recreation Facility

Campus rec memberships are typically free for students, yet many barely make it in four years. Don’t be one of those people. The rec center offers a multitude of exercise opportunities, from yoga classes to pick-up games of basketball to weight-lifting. Try a little bit of everything until you find something you enjoy. It’s much easier to be consistent working out if you can train yourself to look forward to it, which brings me to my next point.

5. Find a Way to Look Forward to it!

For me, I always end my workouts with 20-30 minutes of reading or meditation in the sauna. I savor this serendipitous alone time, and it is often my motivation to get my ass to the rec! Figure out a method that works for you, such as rewarding yourself post-workout with a Snickers or only listening to a favorite music artist when you’re exercising.

6. Don’t Make Excuses

It is incredibly easy to justify skipping a work out or eating a few brownies because you’re busy or had a bad day. Do your best not to do this! Skipping out on your routine will reduce motivation and diminish your hard work in a hurry. Stay committed, and remind yourself of why you’re trying to become a healthier person.

7. Remember That it’s Never Too Late

It doesn’t matter if you’re 5’6” and 400 lbs right now. I’m serious. If you follow these guidelines and ease yourself into it, you’ll have developed better habits in no time and will start to see results, which are often the greatest motivator.

Final Words of Encouragement

So what are you waiting for?! Get off your computer and go for a walk. “Not now” turns into “never” before you know it. Your journey to becoming a happier, healthier, and more confident person can start today.

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The great Joe Dudley

Dudley also had to overcome more challenges than the Zuckerbergs and Sean Parkers of the world. He was born in Aurora, NC, and had a speech impediment so pronounced that he was labeled a special needs child (which is a gentler version of the term they had back then) and held back twice. Still, he persevered, and kept his father’s advice about never depending on anyone else for his living in mind. Since his dad was a farmer, Dudley went to A&T State University as a poultry science major, and did agricultural work for the college to keep his bills paid.

Fate had other plans for Dudley, though. He learned about Fuller Products and went to New York to learn at the feet of one of the richest African-Americans in the country at the time, S.B. Fuller. $10 later, Dudley had a Fuller sales kit and started working as a door-to-door sales person. He was a natural, as it turned out, and was soon earning $100 a week, which paid his tuition and prompted him to switch majors from poultry science to business administration. I very rarely get to type sentences like that.

Dudley worked full-time for Fuller Products as a troubleshooter who improved sales in slumping territories, and eventually became an independent distributor in North Carolina. This gave Dudley the financial capital to buy a small beauty products company and open a storefront and salon, which did so well that he turned the business into a regional chain across the Southeast. That company is Dudley Products, and it’s now a huge operation centered in the otherwise unremarkable city of Greensboro, NC.

Dudley’s company is unique in that it’s one of the few black-owned manufacturers of African-American hair care products, and because of Dudley’s practice of selling directly to salons instead of going through retailers. Not surprisingly, his company was highly rated in Black Enterprise Magazine’s Top 100 Black Owned Businesses, and Dudley products are available in Canada, Brazil, Zimbabwe, South Africa, the Bahamas and the Caribbean. Budding beauticians can also take classes at Dudley Cosmetology University (DCU), which offers advanced programs in cosmetology, manicuring, esthetics, and management training. The school has campuses in Chicago, Washington D.C., Charlotte, Durham, and Kernersville, NC. Pretty good for a guy who was treated like Forrest Gump throughout elementary, middle, and high school.

I guess what we can all take from Dudley’s story, aside from the obvious lessons about a strong work ethic and an indomitable spirit, is that leaders in any industry can make an impact on their communities and become successful. Pursue what you’re good at with everything you’ve got, and chances are you’ll make something of yourself. Just think, in 20 years it might be you sharing your gravely-voiced holiday greetings on YouTube.

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Hooray!

Less than a week after the release of the film’s first official teaser poster, Will Ferrell’s website Funny or Die debuted a teaser trailer for “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues,” the upcoming sequel to 2004’s “Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy.” The trailer features Ron (Ferrell), Brick Tamland (Steve Carell), Brian Fontana (Paul Rudd) and Champion “Champ” Kind (David Koechner) in proper moronic form.

Not much is revealed in terms of plot other than Brick’s most likely made-up reveal: “In this movie, we play witches.” The trailer does, however offer a revealing voiceover:

“In the age when the dinosaurs’ roar greeted the dawn and apes rode the winged horse across the valley of Eli, there was a lone stranger who offered comfort, wisdom and overly sexual neck massages. It was said he would one day return. That day has come.”

That day won’t be for a while –filming isn’t supposed to start until February 2013 – but beggars can’t be choosers.  Plans for a prior sequel had been announced in 2008 only to be scrapped in April 2010. All fans have had to enjoy since the first film is the direct-to-DVD “Wake Up, Ron Burgundy: The Lost Movie,” which offers alternate scenes containing most of the original plot.

Look for “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues” sometime in late 2013. With its release, perhaps we’ll finally found out if diversity really is an old wooden ship.

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So who we looking at?

Character: Wolverine (a.k.a Logan or James Howlett)
Actor: Hugh Jackman
From: X-Men
Type: Film

I’m sure that we all watched cartoons and fantasy films as children. Back in those days, the world seemed filled with magic and Superheroes were real. However, as we aged, we started to see the limitations of life on this planet and accepted boring and controlled lives, slowly allowing the magic to leave us. However, this doesn’t need to be the case. We don’t need to forgo our heroes of yesteryear. There are many characteristics we can take from such ‘Superheroes’ and absorb them into our own lives, to propel us into kindred status (at least to the girls in your local bar anyway!) When you ask people for ‘Superheroes’ they wanted to be like, Wolverine, of the X-Men fame, normally tops the list.

What are the clips about?

In these two videos, we are given glimpse of the characteristics that make Wolverine such a great character for guys to aspire to become like. Wolverine is his own man, a pure bad-ass that lives by his own rules and does what he wants, when he wants. He’s on his own journey in life and doesn’t act like in other guy in society. He ignores the social norms and the rules of the environment and simply acts without regard for the repercussions. In my opinion, Wolverine is a true Alpha Male but we need to go further to see why this is the case.

So why should I care?

In a world where mutants stand out from humans, Wolverines attributes make him stand out from other mutants. Yet, it is the way that he lives his life that makes him a great character to look at. He’s the guy that people know not to fuck with, girls fall for him without him needing to do anything and he’s the one that people notice, even when he’s a secondary character. We may not have super powers of our own but there are aspects of Wolverine’s character that you can adapt to your own life and be more successful with.

Furthermore though, Wolverine is the personification of the things that we wish we could unleash in ourselves. The animalistic rage, the acting without thought of repercussion, the general care free approach to life he exudes in most of the film, are just some of the things he does that we all wish we could utilise in our everyday life. We can all imagine ourselves going berserk at our boss, using our own adamantium claws to clear our well of the queue ahead or regenerating instantly when we come down with the typical winter flu. In your typical cinema, most men left, after seeing the film, wanting to be Wolverine whereas most women left the cinema, wanting to bed him!

OK then, what should I watch out for?

Carefree Attitude. Wolverine first and foremost is a plain bad ass. He has no regards of your opinion on him. He does as he pleases and voices his opinion on whatever the situation he finds himself in. As you can imagine, he cares little for social norms or fitting in with the group. Yet because he acts congruent to what he believes, people accept it from him. Many of the PUA community refer to this somewhat as ‘Cocky Confident’, where you say as you think and don’t change for anyone. However, I consider Wolverine’s approach better as unlike the PUA’s, he does not have an end goal (e.g. to get the girl to like him), Wolverine simply is purely self-amusing.

He has complete faith in himself. Wolverine’s opinion of himself is not dictated by how others perceive him. He has now interest in how the others value him or even if they like him. Something many people can learn is to stop caring what others think of them and stop using someone else’s opinion to adhere a value to their life. Wolverine is a great example of this unyielding belief in himself. Even when he is getting his ass kicked, he doesn’t think of retreat and steps forward again and again. Not always a great strategy but the desire to succeed is a lessions lost on no one. We men need to realise that the only thing that stop us from anything is our limiting self-beliefs and death. The first Wolverine can help with! Watch how he just takes everything in his stride and always believes that he is more than capable of succeeding. He fights for his life many times. It makes asking for a raise or approaching the girl at the bar seem simple now doesn’t it!

He’s very resourceful. Wolverine does what he needs to survive. From cage fighting to living in his trailer, he does what he needs to get by and tries to find out his past (avoiding the Shadow Government agents trying to kill him along the way). Wolverine learns to use his mutant powers to his advantage and ignore his weaknesses, which is something a lot of guys forget. Guys have become so focused on their self-believed weakness, that they forget to be thankful for and utilise their strengths. You may not have the strengths of Wolverine but be glad for what you do have. From having the balls to approach the hot blonde at the bar, to trying again after being rejected, we all have strengths in life we can use. What are yours?

Wolverine adapts as he goes. This is something that a lot of guys need to learn. We, as men, have gotten lazy. We all seem to be looking for the cookie cutter approach in life – where we seek the one solution that will work in every situation. However, you need to use your brains when it comes to women. A pick up line or technique may work with one girl but it won’t work with everyone just like going berserk and swinging your fists won’t work with every enemy like Wolverine found. Wolverine learns to sound out his enemies, utilising friends when needed, to reign in his impulsiveness. You need to adapt as you go and think on your feet like Wolverine. Look at what works for you and what doesn’t. Put yourself in the high-pressure situations, learn to think on your feet and adapt as if you were an unbeatable beast too. The only time you fail is when you stop trying. Life is a never-ending journey. As the band Aerosmith once sang, “Life is a journey … not a destination“, never be complete, spend every day trying to better yourself and who knows where it will lead you.

He has values. During the film, Rogue (played by Anna Paquin), a young attractive mutant begs Wolverine for help after she has run away from her family. Many guys, beta males, would have taken advantage of the situation and used it to try and seduce her. However, Wolverine follows his values and knows what he considers right and wrong. Instead, Wolverine takes her under his wing, almost becoming like an Uncle to her. Unfortunately, too many guys have forgotten the concept of adhering to values. We have forgotten that we are judged by the actions that we take by others and, more importantly, ourselves. Wolverine understands Rogue’s predicament and feelings and he is able to put aside such feelings. Yes, the drunken girl in the club may be easy to you and would be another notch on the bedpost but it kills you inside and makes you hate yourself, to sink to such depths. Become like Wolverine and aim to ensnare the girls that leave you breathless (and not needing to take a test).

He has feelings but they do not run him. In the film, the only girl that has an effect on Wolverine is the hot Jean Gray (played by Famke Janssen). Wolverine is quite taken by her, even at one point referring to her when he states “his heart is taken by another“. I’m sure we have all been there, when a girl is everything to you. However, Wolverine doesn’t develop oneitis – where your entire life is consumed by the (sometimes unrequited) feelings for a girl. One the other hand, Wolverine acknowledges that he has feelings for her but he doesn’t let it affect how he goes through life. It goes back to his values and his goal in life. Wolverine knows that he is OK by himself and that he can wait for the right girl, knowing there are millions to choose from. Losing the girl you love is hard (I’ve been there!) but ruminating for her does nothing but give you a sore head and a heavy heart. What does help is to pretend you have Wolverine’s instant healing and simply get up again and carry on working towards your goals. At one point in the film, Wolverine is literally kicked in the balls by a woman (Mystique – played by the gorgeous Rebecca Romijn) and he just gets up and carries on fighting! Being rejected by any girl feels like a ‘kick in the balls’ but it doesn’t mean that you should stay down and feel the pain and give up. Imagine your balls are made of an indestructible metal and get back up and fight again!

OK, how do I become like that?

Wolverine!

Act as if you are Wolverine. Now I know you can’t go and get an adamantium skeleton or regenerative healing powers but you can act like it when you are interacting with women or in your life in general.

Guys need to start saying as they think. We, as men, have become truly scared to say what comes into our old grey matter. We think we need to impress girls by saying things we think they want to hear. Nothing is further to the truth. People, especially girls, have an inbuilt bullshit detector where they know if you are acting and not being the person you truly are. Stop thinking that you need to use a particular line or pretend to be someone else to impress people or bed them. Instead, decide on who you are, what your values and beliefs are and never sway from them. For example, if she’s being a bitch, call her on, don’t let it pass or she’ll think you accept it. I’d rather be able to look myself in the eye than sleep with the girl who would sleep with all. You must decide what is worthy in your eyes though.

Heal like him. We all take rejection badly. We sulk, hit the drink or worse stay indoors and don’t venture out and interact with amazing new people. It’s easy to do that though when you feel that your ego has been crushed. However, guys should instead adopt the belief that they can become like Wolverine. They need to believe deep down, that you have instant healing powers. Any injury to your heart and ego is instantly healed in seconds. How could you fail when nothing fazes you? Like wolverine, it may take you a while to accept this and use it to your advantage but once you lock this down, you won’t look at life the same way. All you will need to do is heal for a few seconds and then throw yourself straight back into the fight for the girl you want.

Has a goal in life. One of the main story lines for Wolverine is his overwhelming desire to find out what happened to him in his past, how he became ‘the animal’. Throughout nearly the entire film, Wolverine is consumed by his need to accomplish his goal, sometimes almost putting himself in danger (mainly later in the movie trilogy). Putting yourself into dangerous situations without thought is stupid but the notion is something that you can use to your advantage. Too many guys nowadays have nothing to aim for, so they end up drinking or taking drugs to hide from the pain of inadequacy they feel inside. Why not pick a goal, something that you really desire in life. It needs to be something big, that you really cherish, as it will need to get you out of bed and working to achieve it. Your goal maybe doesn’t need to be to find out your past but it should consume you. Pick something and get to work, spend every day working your ass off to achieve it. All of your heroes had a goal in life, why should you be different?

“Become the animal” and Go Berserk. During Wolverine’s transformation scene, one line that really stuck out was when Stryker told Logan to become the animal. Again, in the films, he often goes berserk and forgets fear and goes for what he wants. This is something that all guys should accept. Too many guys shy away from confronting those that need it or don’t take on challenges, as they fear the possible repercussions. Instead, you need to become the animal. Like an animal, they don’t get stuck in their head, worrying about what may or may not happen, the animal simply reacts to what is happening. Imagine that you are an animal when you feel fear. Feel the fear but know that it is not as important as the payoff. Wolverine fights for his life and you need to put your goals on as important a footing as this. Condition yourself so that when you hit the club or pub, that you forget everything else and use all your energy going from approach to approach … to approach. Go berserk on the night out. Be full of energy and fun and make the girls go berserk for you!

Forget the Past. Wolverine strides to find out his past but why not flip Wolverine’s weakness into a good thing for you. Instead of ruing all the chances you had to approach and didn’t in the past, why not forget your past. We humans hate to think we have missed out on anything. Our brains think that the reminders of the missed opportunities will remind us not to do it again. However, instead it makes us ruminate and feel sad about what we think we have missed out on (which is usually never as good as you imagine) Decide today to forget your past. Simply deciding to forget it will work. Avoid over complicating things and trying to be the victim by living the story you tell about yourself. You choose to live your story; you can choose to change it to something that works for you. Decide today is the day to start afresh, forget the past and become a legend.

Fuck like an animal. Girls will love it. I don’t think this one needs expanding on!

A Final Note

Super heroes may be something of make-believe and to entertain us but who is to say you can’t take something from the movies and make it something you use in your everyday life. Movie characters can be either a distraction from the bores of your current life or they can be an inspiration for how you can live a happier and more adventurous life. Which option are you picking?

So what do you think? Have I persuaded you? Is Wolverine the sort of character that you can identify with and wish to become like? Can you relate to him as a role model for change? Let me hear your opinions in the comments below.

Read our Mobile Site and join the discussion by following our TSB Facebook Page! You should also take part in our 31 Days to Better Game Challenge.

Get through that pain

As reported by WebMD Health News, a group of German researchers studied the results of 15 different studies comparing pain threshold and pain tolerance among athletes and non-athletes. Their findings, which appear in the June issue of the journal “Pain,” point to a link between working out and a higher tolerance of pain.

Both athletes and non-athletes have similar pain thresholds, which is the point at which pain is actually felt. Both you and that gold medal-winning, marathon-running friend of yours feel the sensation of a kick to the balls at the same time. What sets him apart from you, however, is his ability to withstand it. Athletes have been confirmed to have a higher pain tolerance, which is the maximum amount of pain one person can stand. While you might cry like a baby after a near flick to the junk, Mr. Iron Man might be able to withstand ten knees to the crotch without budging.

The research team also found that the amount of pain toleration actually varies by sport. Those involved in sports like soccer or football are more tolerant of pain than those that participate in endurance sports like rowing or running. Does it really come as a surprise that a linebacker might be able to tolerate a wicked Indian burn better than some scrawny runner? Cross-country skiers, however, were found to be just as tolerant of pain as football players. This probably helps during avalanches and random yeti attacks.

In case you weren’t aware, physical activity actually boosts endorphin levels in the body. Endorphins are pain-relieving opioids which produce a “feel-good” effect in the body, making things like 26.2-mile runs and scaling mountains seem somehow exhilarating. Unfortunately, sitting in a recliner munching on Cheetos does not achieve this same effect.

Jonas Tesarz, MD, of the University of Heidelberg, believes that “because athletes are highly motivated to keep doing what they do, they may also be far more likely than others to ignore pain signals and play through the pain.” If it’s the bottom of the ninth, bases loaded and you’re up to bat, that day-long headache of yours seems suddenly less excruciating.

If you’re physically active, enjoy your higher tolerance for pain. Don’t go banging your head on the wall or anything, just rest easy knowing your body is better prepared to handle sprains, strains and such. If you haven’t done as much as a sit-up in the last five years, consider higher pain tolerance as one of many reasons to get off your ass and start working out. Because you never know when a buddy of yours is going to knee you in the family jewels.

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The question is: do you really need these pricey pieces of software?

Depending on the program, you may be able to find one or more free alternatives.  These so-called freeware programs are developed by groups of amateur and professional programmers and often can do most, if not all, of the same tasks that brand-name programs can do.  You can’t simply call customer service if your freeware doesn’t work as expected, but support forums and peer-created tutorials are widely available online.

People with a bit of computer savvy won’t have a problem with any one of the free programs listed below.

GIMP

Save some money

Photoshop is one of the most well-known image editing programs in the world.  It can be ridiculously expensive, especially if you buy it as part of Adobe’s Creative Suite.  However, there are free options for image editing that can do many of the same tasks as Photoshop.  The best of these alternatives in dubbed GIMP (an acronym of GNU Image Manipulation Program).  This program works on PC, Mac and Linux, and it can perform almost all of the image editing tasks that are possible with Photoshop.  GIMP users can even make vector images from scratch just like Photoshop users can.   Another member of Adobe’s stable, Illustrator, also has a free alternative.  Inkscape is an image creation and editing program that also works on PC, Mac, and Linux.  In addition to basic illustration and editing tasks, Inkscape also boasts many of the professional tools of its costly peers.  Both GIMP and Inkscape have forums and tutorials that can help novice users negotiate the learning curve.

Open Office

Open Office is one of the most useful free programs available.  In fact, I am using it to write this article right now.  Open Office is an suite of programs that can act as a free replacement for the likes of Microsoft Office and other similar, relatively high-priced office programs.  This is arguably one of the most well-developed free programs out there.  It includes a word processing program that is a very capable stand-in for Microsoft Word (it is easy to save programs in .doc format).  Open Office users can also create spreadsheets, basic illustrations and diagrams, databases, powerpoint presentations.

Audacity

Audacity is a free sound editing program that can be used to polish any type of sound recording.  People who want to perfect their podcasts or other simple recordings have been relying on audacity for a long time.  Perhaps it is not something that a professional recording studio would have on their computers, but for most simple tasks, it is more than sufficient and, of course, the cheapest option on the market.

Online PDF

What about creating .PDF files?  This basic task is a necessity for many people, from teachers and students to small business people.  Online PDF creation services like PrimoPDF can take the headache out of this process (which can indeed be a headache if you have multiple files that need to be converted into a single .pdf file).  You simply upload the file that you want to convert and enter your email address.  Primo and its free peers create the file from your uploads and then sends it to you for free via.

Pencil

Pencil is one of the most powerful (and most useful) free programs available.  It is an illustration and animation program that allows users to create and animate images using vector and bitmap graphics.  This is a useful software for people who want to create Flash-like animations for web sites (files can be saved in .swf or .mov format) or simply want a straightforward illustration program that doesn’t cost as much as Flash and its peers.  This is not the program of choice for movie or video-game animation, but for websites it is more than sufficient.

So before you decide to start spending two months worth of beer money on your next computer program purchase, look for a free alternative.  You might be surprised that you can save your money without sacrificing any quality.

Read our Mobile Site and join the discussion by following our TSB Facebook Page! You should also take part in our 31 Days to Better Game Challenge.