When it comes to looking great and grooming issues, somehow men were left out of the loop. This is unfortunate, because in this day and age, men want to know! They want to know how to have great looking skin, get the best shave, how to trim unwanted body hair, how to walk so they're more attractive, and on and on and on.
Sure you can go to a spa or salon, but there's so much you can do from home that makes a huge difference, but you have to know what to do. In the book "Grooming Secrets For Men" everything is explained in detail. The best part is, you can do it all from home. For example, a lot of guys don't even know what skin type they are - dry, normal or oily skin. When looking for skin care products if you don't know which skin type you are, you're not going to select the correct product(s). Most products these days for men and women usually say "for dry skin" or "for oily skin." If you dont select the correct products, youre not going to see the results youre looking for.
A lot of men also have lots of body hair or body hair in certain places they'd rather not have it. If you have a hair trimmer like the Peanut by Wahl, which has several blade covers to choose from, you can trim hair on any part of the body including your "privates". But again, you have to know what you're doing. You don't want to trim the hair on your arms, legs, and chest so severe that it looks like you "did" something. You want to trim it so it looks natural but short. This takes practice and patience. You have to determine which blade cover (usually numbered 1 through 4) gives you the most natural look. Try the different blade covers on a small area of your arm or leg and see how you like it. Don't go too short too soon. If you go too short, you obviously won't be able to "fix" it until it grows back. If you trim just a little you can see how you like it and then go shorter. Trimming pubic hair is also a popular area that guys like to trim. It really does look good to trim your pubic hair when you know what you're doing.
In a book like "Grooming Secrets For Men" at www.thestylishman.com you can find out about different grooming techniques and decide which ones you want to try. Having great looking skin, the perfect shave, trimmed body hair, and just overall looking your personal best is a great self-esteem enahcner. The main thing to remember when doing all you can to look your best, is that its perfectly natural and normal to want to look your best, but don't forget what really makes you attractive is your personality, being a good person and helping others. If you do what you can to look your best coupled with being a good person, youve got it all!
David Scott Bartky is a grooming expert who has helped men all over the world look their best. His latest work can be found at http://www.thestylishman.com He resides in New Jersey and spends most of his time in New York City.
¶ 7:48 PM 0 comments
Musicians work hard. They write for days. They rehearse like fiends. Drag heavy gear here and there. Sweat like pigs on stage. Put marathon hours in at the recording studio. Work their fingers to the bonewell, at least into some pretty gnarly calluses. But, musicians also like to play hard: booze, drugs, groupies, and trashed hotel rooms are actually more occupational hazards that rock n roll myths.
No matter how disciplined an artist needs to be for his or her music, they will always need to blow off steam in some way or another. Some hit the gym, run, partake in extreme sports, do yoga, pursue their spirituality, web surf, build custom guitars, restore classic carsyou name it. All of these outlets help musicians to handle the enormous flow of energy so necessary to channel the creative process. Still, other musicians prefer a more debaucherous form of escapism. They drink until they puke, get stoned and eat a case of Cheetos, or sleep with all of their friends sisters.
This wild lifestyle, albeit a music clich, may feel terrific at the moment, but many musicians clearly forget that the days of offstage antics circling around the buzz of the band, like whispers in the wind, are long gone. These days, fans carry camera phones to gigs, friends videotape your bands every move, and everybodys a blogger. The afterparty, once simply a chance to blow off steam with loved ones and lovers of your music alike, has now gone from the innocent scandal of, Oh my God, did you hear what happened after the gig Saturday? to a website monitoring every second of debased insanity with pictures, video, and descriptive essays.
This new unexpected publicity may increase the number of crazed partiers at your next gig, but what happens when the entertainment attorney youve been courting, the A&R guy youve been hoping to hear back from, or the manager youve been telling how serious you are about your music, pops on the internet and finds your drummer passed out in the pool, your bassist vomiting in someones bushes and your guitarist naked in a strangers bed with cheerleaders of questionable age?
The following are a few tips that may help you to throw a terrific afterparty without the ramifications hurting your career in the long run:
1.)Pick A Designated Partygoer---As much as this thought may send shivers through the spine of any wild-at-heart musician, its a good idea to have someone at your afterparty keeping an eye on those whove sold their souls for rock n rollor at least Jack Daniels. Whether you rotate it from gig to gig, or find a friend of the band (girlfriend, manager, a bandmates brother, etc.) wholl stay sober enough to make sure that no one does anything stupidand if they do, that it wont be caught on tape. Playing Band Hall Monitor is truly a thankless job for anyone who parties hardy, so maybe free admission to the gig and some cool band swag as compensation would be a nice way to say Thank You for being our assigned killjoy tonight!
2.)Set Some Guidelines For Your Band And Fans---I know it sounds like Big Brother is busting up your raging good time but when youre talking about your career, its better to be safe than sorry. Have a chat with your band explaining that extreme behavior needs to be controlled at parties where fans are recording events. Post on your web site, and your fan club or have a Pow Wow at the gig and explain to your people that, while you love all of the cool photos and videos they take of the band at the gig, there has to be a few rules for what can be shot offstage. Be honest. Let your friends/fans know that you love partying with them but that the bands reputation is an important ingredient for its success and that its vital that certain memories be enjoyed by partygoers only and not preserved in cyberspace for the world to see.
3.)Monitor Your Websites And Web Communities---Again, better safe than sorry. Its always a good idea to visit your forums, message boards, photo galleries, fan clubs, blogs and online communities to see what the latest scoop on your band is. Its also wise to retain approval privilege on anything posted on each of your band sites. Let people post all of the drunken, naked pictures they want, and then pick and choose which images you want to represent your band. The same applies to comments and posts. Remember fans are important and priceless but its ultimately your image to preserve to the industry and the world and your web presence is how you represent yourself to everyone interested in you from fans to labels and everything in between.
4.)Dial Your Scandalous Behavior Back A Bit---Its all well and good for your drummer to sleep with your girlfriends mom on his own time, but at band functions make sure that the behavior is kept professional. In our modern society, the lines between reality and publicity have become so blurred that a simple kegger in your singers garage can get more coverage than a Grammy Pre-Show Special. Sadly, that may simply mean changing the standards of band partying to those that you exhibit at gigs. Throw private parties and have orgies in your grandmas bathtub, but when its music related youre, in a sense, at work and should act accordingly.
I realize that telling musicians not to party, is like telling a dog not to lick its private parts and if, after reading this, you feel that the thrill of the over-the-edge rock n roll afterparty is completely ruined, dont change your major to math just yet. Remember, doors lock, parties can be invitation only, cameras turn off, and bloggers can be taught to use discretion. You can still live like Jim Morrison at Scott Weilands toga party; just do your best to keep it off the internet. While a little scandal is titillating, a lot of scandal just says to a label, Sure. Well take your money and then well blow it all on Tequila and show up to the studio three hours late every day. Show the industry youre serious, put on a professional face, and give your website the appearance of a band thats fun and responsible. Then, have a private party, invite the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders, a donkey, the drug dealer next door, and your guitarists horny aunt and throw a party that would make the cast of Half Baked blush. After all, youve got to fight for your right to partyin secretwith the digital cameras unplugged.
Sheena Metal is a radio host, producer, promoter, music supervisor, consultant, columnist, journalist and musician. Her syndicated radio program, Music Highway Radio, airs on over 700 affiliates to more than 126 million listeners. Her musicians assistance program, Music Highway, boasts over 10,000 members. She currently promotes numerous live shows weekly in the Los Angeles Area, where she resides. For more info: http://www.sheena-metal.com
¶ 4:24 AM 0 comments
Removing and replacing a scuba mask is the skill that most new divers worry about. However with a few simple steps you can master this skill.
Mask clearing
Before you learn to remove and replace your mask completely you should practice clearing the mask until you are comfortable with this skill.
Remember - when you clear the mask start breathing out before you tilt your head up to prevent water going up your nose.
The magic snorkel
To prepare in advance for the mask removal you can practice at home with a snorkel. Fill a basin with water and place your face in the water. Breath through the snorkel to get used to having your face in water but still breathing.
Each time you do it try and stay an extra couple of breaths until you work up to thirty seconds.
Practice in your comfort zone
When you get to your next scuba diving session ask practice in the shallow end first before going into the deeper water.
When you do have to do the mask removal, try to take things slowly and focus on your breathing when you are nervous. If you panic signal the up sign and your instructor will bring you to the surface.
Mask removal and replace - step by step
- Fill your mask with water by breaking the seal
- Take a moment to breath and get used to having your face covered by water.
- Remove the mask strap and take the mask away from your face.
- DO NOT LET GO OF THE MASK!
- Make sure your snorkel is clear and to the side of the mask.
- Place your thumb in the nose pocket and guide it back to your face.
- Place the mask strap over your head and make sure it is not twisted.
- Feel around the skirt of the mask to make sure nothing is caught in it, hood or hair, also to make sure it is not tucked up.
- Clear the mask as you have been practicing before.
Good luck!
Just started diving? Can't face the water without your mask? Get expert advice and information at http://www.scubadivinglife.blogspot.com
¶ 12:22 AM 0 comments
