Start Working on Improving Your Appearance #6

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the old saying goes. But there are some general principles about male hygiene that you should concentrate on to maximize the looks that God gave you. Here is a Top Ten list, starting at Number 10. There will be one new tip every day until we hit the Number One tip.

6. Find a hair style that compliments your head and face. Few things that a man can do to change his appearance are as effective as a hair style. Most guys found a hair style in their teen years that they like and still have it in their 30s.

You never get a second chance at a first impression. So, what does your hairstyle say about you? One of the most important things about you is the image you project. What kinds of hairstyles do the most successful people you want to emulate have? Then you should have the same hairstyle NOW that they have. Begin to think from the end…which means that you need to start NOW acting and looking like that person that you want to be.

You can’t look like a longhaired hippie and expect employers or chicks to look past your unkempt appearance and see your value. That’s why the word “appearance” exists. That is a visual word, and whether you like it or not, you and everybody else on the planet are affected by what they see.

Go to a barber or stylist and truly listen to their advice. It’s possible to have a hair style that looks great but is low maintenance. Still, you should be in a barber’s chair every three to six weeks to keep a good style looking good at all times.

Improve your appearance if you want to be a Great Lover.

Start Working on Improving Your Appearance #7

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the old saying goes. But there are some general principles about male hygiene that you should concentrate on to maximize the looks that God gave you. Here is a Top Ten list, starting at Number 10. There will be one new tip every day until we hit the Number One tip.

7. Use moisturizer on your skin. Chicks really know how important this is. It is especially important if you’re shaving daily. But your feet need it as much as your face. Forget all the moisturizers at the store…they’re full of chemicals you can’t even pronounce. And your skin absorbs ALL the stuff you put on it. The companies that make moisturizers are trying to sell you stuff, not nourish your skin. Don’t believe the hype.

All kinds of things can cause dry skin. Air conditioned office air is very dry. Sun and wind will dry you out. Harsh chemicals will dry your skin. Hard work will rough up skin. Harsh winter weather and heated home interiors can be drying. And dry skin is unhealthy plus you’ll look older.

My recommendation is to buy raw coconut oil. It is usually solid in the container, like canned Crisco shortening, but melts upon contact with your skin. Coconut oil is natural, terrific for your skin, and you’ll always smell like the beach. I’ve never found a cologne or after-shave that fought with the smell of coconut oil…they always smell good together. Use it from head to toe on a regular basis, and always after a shave.

Improve your appearance if you want to be a Great Lover.

Start Working on Improving Your Appearance #8

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the old saying goes. But there are some general principles about male hygiene that you should concentrate on to maximize the looks that God gave you. Here is a Top Ten list, starting at Number Ten. There will be one new tip every day until we hit the Number One tip.

8. Maintain your smile. Floss your teeth daily. I asked my dentist if I needed to floss my teeth daily. He replied, “Only floss the teeth you’d like to keep.” Flossing is kind of a pain, since there doesn’t seem to be a way to do it without having one hand inside your mouth. A cool tool is a combination toothpick and floss tool. It has a short length of floss at one end and the pick at the other end. Very convenient, and you can find them at drug stores and even some convenience stores.

Whiten your teeth twice a year. With the explosion in the availability of whiteners, you can do this easily at home. However, the dentist’s treatments are quicker, just more expensive. Be careful how often you use whiteners, as too much use can make your teeth sensitive to hot and cold.

Improve your appearance if you want to be a Great Lover.

Start Working on Improving Your Appearance #9

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the old saying goes. But there are some general principles about male hygiene that you should concentrate on to maximize the looks that God gave you. Here is a Top Ten list, starting at Number Ten. There will be one new tip every day until we hit the Number One tip.

9. Don’t shampoo your hair more than once a day. There are lots of days that I am in the shower in the morning before work, and then again after a workout. But shampooing your hair too much will remove all the natural oils and leave hair brittle and less healthy looking. I didn’t say “don’t get it wet.” It’s fine to stand under a showerhead and soak your hair without shampooing it.

My personal opinion is that a bar of soap will work fine on your hair rather than shampoo. Shampoo is just soap and water in a different form. Don’t fall for the sales pitches. Use cheap soap.

There are lots of people in the natural health community that will tell you how it’s better for your hair if you don’t shampoo it at all…only using shampoo about once a week or so. They think it’s fine to run hot water through your hair daily, which will warm up and remove hair oils without stripping the hair and skin of body oils. They have a good idea going. Check it out.

If you are going to ignore this tip, then at least make a commitment to using a good conditioner on your hair before you step out of the shower.

Improve your appearance if you want to be a Great Lover.

Start Working on Improving Your Appearance #10

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, the old saying goes. But there are some general principles about male hygiene that you should concentrate on to maximize the looks that God gave you. Here is a Top Ten list, starting at Number Ten. There will be one new tip every day until we hit the Number One tip.

10. Keep clean linens on your bed. Your face is on your pillowcase every night, and the oils from your skin are absorbed by the case. That also means unless you are showering and squeaky clean every time you hit the sheets, your pillowcase gets nasty over time. A nasty pillowcase can help keep your facial pores clogged, which can cause skin breakouts and blemishes.

If you are sleeping with your lady, she’s getting her oils and makeup on your sheets also. And, unless you’re from another planet, you must know that no woman wants to sleep on your old tired, dirty sheets.

Finally, sex juices leave stains. Don’t lay down in that stuff after the night you leave it there, you pig.

Change your bed linens every week.

Improve your appearance if you want to be a Great Lover.

Stay-A-Home Date Ideas Part Two

Want to try some different date ideas? You don’t have to take her out and blow a bunch of money. Here are a few ideas for fun dates and you won’t have to leave home…hers or yours.

5. Theme dinner night. Choose Chinese, Italian, French, Indian, vegetarian, fondue, finger foods…any theme will do just fine. Just try your best to stay true to the theme. Appetizer, entree, sides, desserts, drinks…make sure it’s all authentic.

4. Board games. One of the things we love to do is have Trivial Pursuit nights. But pick any kind of board games. Monopoly, Risk, Poker (strip poker?)…they are all great fun.

3. Music night. With the cool new technologies, you can create CDs of custom playlists for each other. Then, every time you listen to that CD, you’ll think of her. She’ll do the same for you.

2. Bartender night. This one could get expensive, and you might get hammered. But you’re at home, so who cares? Get a bartender’s recipe book and mix up drinks that you’ve never had before. Or to save money, pick a theme liquor, like bourbon, rum or vodka, and make as many drinks around that theme as possible.

1. Candlelight and the whole shebang. This one will require your very special attention. You need the white linen tablecloth, nice dishes, wine glasses, flowers and SILENCE. Don’t let on that you’re planning and making this happen. You have to cook her favorite meal, favorite dessert, serve her favorite drinks. You can gain some major points if you can pull off the candlelight dinner.

Show your lady how much fun it is to stay in with you! You’ll be a Great Lover.

Stay-A-Home Date Ideas Part One

Want to try some different date ideas? You don’t have to take her out and blow a bunch of money. Here are a few ideas for fun dates and you won’t have to leave home…hers or yours.

10. Comedy night. Get some standup comedy DVDs, or funny movies. Pop the popcorn, get the sodas and a bag of theater candy, and get ready to yuk it up.

9. Have a tasting night. This could be built around wines, liquors, dessert liqueurs, or even chocolate. But it’s got to be stuff you haven’t tasted before.

8. Theme movie night. Crime dramas, chick flicks, horror films, old movies, new releases, sci-fi…just snuggle up on the couch with all the snacks and watch ‘til your eyes glaze over.

7. Cooking together is a terrific date night. A great two-step is to go the market together and shop for all the ingredients, then back home to fix dinner.

6. Babysitting for a married couple. Married couples with young kids will love you if you’ll babysit for them for free. This gives you a great chance to show your lady you are good with kids. Then, once the kids are in bed for the night, you and your lady can cuddle up and re-create some of those teenaged nights you might remember.

Come back tomorrow for the top five date ideas. You’ll be working on becoming a Great Lover.

Is Your Home Woman Friendly?

You’ve gotten your first date – congratulations! Now things have progressed to the point that she’s willing to see where you live.

But is she going to be drawn to your surroundings or repelled by them? Here is a list of things that women love to see in a guy’s home, starting with number 10.

10. Something you made with your own two hands. It could be a piece of furniture, or a lamp made out of an odd item, or artwork, or sponge-painted walls. Even if your work sucks, you tried, and you can make a joke about it. Chicks like to see that creative part of you expressed in your living space.

9. No dust on every horizontal surface. That tells her that you are a clean human being even when not trying to impress others.

8. At least one cool appliance. That usually indicates that you know how to cook other than Ramen noodles and microwave popcorn. A pasta maker, a bread machine, an espresso machine, etc., all send a message that you’re somewhat comfortable in a kitchen.

7. Pillows and a throw comforter. Have a little style, and get some color-coordinated pillows and a couch blanket or two. It’s kind of an unspoken invitation to cuddle up…especially if you’re watching old movies and such.

6. Interesting coffee table books are good conversation starters. They show what you like. I don’t recommend leaving a photo album of you and your old flame on the table, though. Keep that somewhere else.

5. Wine rack and wine. You can get good wines for less than $10 a bottle. Get a cheap wine rack and place a few bottles in it. Women like being offered wine more than a can of beer. Also, spend some time getting to know a little bit about wines. It makes YOU more interesting.

4. A collage of photos. You can get photo collage frames at any department store. Put in photos of family, friends, special events, trips, etc. Photos of you as a kid are always a winner with women. You might even include photos of you and an old girfriend. That way, she’ll know that at least one other woman can stand the sight of you, and that you’re not a homo.

3. A pet. Perhaps your lifestyle doesn’t allow for a dog or cat. But anybody can have a fish tank. Taking care of a pet of any kind is a strong message to a woman, since she’s looking for a provider.

2. A musical instrument you can play. Everyone should be able to play some sort of musical instrument…even if it’s only a set of bongos. But keep your instrument out where she can see it, and you can play it. And then play it, even if you’re horrible.

1. A clean bathroom. No woman wants to sit herself down on a nasty toilet. Before you have your lady come for a visit, make sure that your bathroom is spotless. Add some fragrant soaps or some other kinds of decoration, too. But if you can’t get next to that foo-foo idea, remember that the smell of Pine-Sol means “clean” to a woman. Matching towels would be nice, too.

It takes a lot of effort and thought to be a Great Lover, doesn’t it?

Holiday Date Ideas

Looking for creative ideas for dates around the holidays? Here is a Top Ten List, starting with number 10.

10. Go look at the pretty lights. There are places in every town where folks have decorated their homes for Christmas. Go out looking at the lights. You might even wander down to the business district where the stores and store windows are decorated. Once the light show is over, find a cozy place to have some hot cocoa together.

9. Christmas shopping. Yes, contrary to how guys feel about shopping, turn this around and make it a date. Your attitude will determine if it can be fun for both of you. Do some shopping together and then go have lunch or dinner together. Then carry the packages in for your lady when you take her home.

8. Holiday baking, making presents. If you are tight on cash this season, do some baking. Or, get real creative and make gifts for others. Baking together is always fun if you are playful. Plus you get to sample the gifts when they come out of the oven. For making gifts, you could weave a wreath, put ribbons on jars of jam, box up some cookies or frame a favorite photo or picture. Let your creativity flow!

7. Get Outdoors. Go ice skating. Go skiing. Go snowmobiling. Go hiking. Go to a sporting event. Have a snowball fight. Build a snowman. Make snow angels.

6. The Nutcracker. Dress up and go to the ballet. Great costumes, great music, and you show a little culture.

5. Christmas concerts. Take her to the Symphony Christmas concert. Even a concert by a church choir could be a good date.

4. Decorating the tree. Make it an event. But make her a special ornament for the occasion that will become a memento.

3. Christmas party…hers, mine and ours. Go with her to her office party, take her with you to yours. Then either host a party or go to a private party together.

2. Christmas movie marathon. Set aside a day and get your hands on a bunch of Christmas movies. A Christmas Carol…Love, Actually…The Christmas Story…It’s A Wonderful Life…even Bad Santa and other comedies can make a great day of being couch potatoes together around the holiday theme.

1. New Year’s Eve. The Biggie of all holiday parties. No one likes to be alone on New Year’s Eve, so ask her ahead of time. Last minute dates look desperate.

Now, go out and get lots of dates during the holidays! Be a Great Lover!

Cheating: Are you a Rat or a Friend?

What do you do when your buddy cheats on his lady? Do you tell her and risk losing a friendship?

What do you do when you discover that your buddy’s lady cheated on him? Do you tell him? It might still risk a friendship.

The situations get dicey when you find yourself with information you don’t really want to know. But you can come out the other side successfully if you think before acting.

If you find out that your buddy is cheating on his lady, go to him quickly and directly. In a face-to-face conversation, tell him what you know. First, you want to make sure that you are not incorrectly interpreting his actions. Then, you must tell him what you think of his actions as his friend. If you think what he’s doing is very un-cool, tell him that he is acting un-cool.

Under no circumstances should you help him cheat. Don’t be his alibi, don’t lie for him, do not become involved.

It is not your responsibility to disclose his indiscretion to his lady. Encourage him to tell her, and either try to patch things up or move on. Be supportive of him no matter what decision he makes. But nobody likes a rat. Keep your info to yourself and mind your own business.

There is one exception to this rule…when his lady is one of your close relatives. Family ties should trump friendships. And, even at that, you should go to him first.

If you discover that your buddy’s lady has cheated on him, do much the same thing. Confirm with her that the story is correct. Then, encourage her to level with her boyfriend…your buddy. But you should also give her a short time frame, like 24 hours, before you tell him yourself.

Another real bad no-no is to run this girl down verbally because of what she did. Because what if you say a bunch of bad stuff about her and then they reconcile? All that bad karma will hang in the air for a long time, and you could lose a friend over your comments about her character.

Don’t expect that you’ll be appreciated for telling him about her cheating. The Roman emperors used to get pissed and kill the messenger who bore the bad news. I’m not suggesting that your buddy will get violent, but don’t expect gratitude either. Just know that your information will throw your friend into a rough patch of water, and that you are trying to do the right thing.

Just give him some space so he can deal with this situation. Be supportive and let him know you’ve got his back.

True friends can help other true friends become Great Lovers.