Christmas 2007 – Gift Suggestions for the fella’s in your life……

Well the new year has brought in new practical needs. So I have tried to denote a few good gifts that hopefully will prod your imagination as to what the guys in your life might want or need. The prices are ranging from $11-$499, and the list is not in any order. I hope you enjoy and that it helps you out!

Here we go:

We begin this year with the item that is the latest rage. I have seen them and they are darn cool! I definitely would want one in my arsenal of toys, that’s for sure! Here are my top two selection of the year

#1

IPOD Touch (16gb)- $397.88- Cutting edge technology read to believe it, go test one out and you’ll own one too.

New Ipod Nano (8gb)-$197.88-The old IPOD video but smaller

http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore

Both can be bought online and the best price I found was at www.walmart.com

#2

Now, I’m not a gamer, but this year I am going to recommend 2 that I think most guys are into and would enjoy having under the tree

Wii – $330.74 – This is a cool way to actively participating in the gaming experience. You can find this just about anywhere, but probably not physically in the store, so you might need to order early!

http://store.barginsworld.com/12303.html

PlayStation 3 80GB Motorstorm Pack- $499.99 – the price is the same wherever you look. www.amazon.com

#3

The best bang for your buck….

Garmin Street Pilot c340- $222.00 – (PC Nation) http://www.pcnation.com/web/details.asp?affid=308&item=6G0110

- I bought one for myself and my fiancé. I just love it, it’s the best tool out there and everyone should have one. Until all cars are outfitted with GPS, I think no guy would be disappointed with this handy gadget

#4

Morning Helper-Clocky -$49.95

If you are like me and don’t like to get out of bed on the first alarm, this is the gift for you. It’s an alarm clock that runs and hides from you! Clocky! Clocky gives you one chance to get up like a normal person. But if you try to cheat and stay in bed (you know who you are!), Clocky will jump off of your nightstand, alarm sounding, and wheel around your room looking for a place to hide. Fully adjustable: set it to snooze once before running away.

http://www.sharperimage.com/us/en/catalog/product/sku__NH500BGE/source__25162/cm_ven__ChannelAdv/cm_cat__Gifts.com/cm_pla__feeds/cm_ite__NH500BGE

#5

Invoca Voice Activated Remote Control- $59.95

Bringing Lazy to a new level-

Come on, we have all been waiting for this one! I’m telling you, this is the gadget to end all gadgets! This is a guys must have, if you are wondering what to get Dad, look no further!

Voice-activated remote controls all your equipment with just the sound of your voice. Instruct your TV, VCR, DVD, cable and satellite with up to 25 voice commands. Preprogrammed with four voice commands “Power”, “Channel Up/Down” and “Previous” And its new learning feature makes key-to-key... http://www.brookstone.com/shop/product.asp?product_code=552158&cm_ven=Compare&cm_cat=ChannelAdvisor&cm_pla=Gifts&cm_ite=datafeed

#6

Grilling Station- I love to grill and my list would be be complete if I didn’t chime in on this manly event.

Must have in the grilling arsenal 2008:

Sharper Image 25-Piece Stainless Steel Grill Set #GE002 - $59.95

1- Bigger, better 25-piece stainless steel grill set comes complete in a handsome aluminum case. Expanded 25-piece barbeque set features an incredible new heat-resistant, easy-clean basting brush, corkscrew plus salt and pepper shakers.

http://www.gifts.com/search/offer_click/noheaders?click=0142F39AE63EFCF7F5AE8833908BDEAB16183A6E2ABFEA7EDD88A3C9C2D537E1&ideaID=2321&clickPage=Product+Page&numOffers=1&numProducts=6&featuredProdDisplayed=false

2- Sili Baster / Injector Set -$20.00 – Weather you are injecting, basting or brushing, this is the all in 1 tool. Don’t grill food without it!

http://www.wmboundsltd.com/shopexd.asp?id=426

3- grill & bbq mat – $ 20.00 You would not expect this to be handy, but for the griller that has everything, this might be the thing to get to shock him! Great invention for the veggies and turkey burgers when heatly people want to eat tooJ http://www.chefsplanet.com/products/view/14

4- Cast Iron Rectangular Grill Press by Charcoal Companion – $11.75 . Definitely need to be able to Bobbly Flay it~! I use brick wrapped in tinfoil, but if someone would get me a couple of these I would love it! Think of the applications!!! Flatbread Sandwhich! Mmmmmmm

http://www.4thegrill.com/cog5024.html

5- Steakhouse Burger Press by Grill Friends – $17.99- My roommate had one of these and it was the best! You make burgers quick and easy! Best burgers around that’s what people told us! http://www.4thegrill.com/hak60522.html

#7 Tool Town- Here are a few new must have tools for the guys tool box

Screwdrivers-You’ll need a set of screwdrivers that includes various sizes of slot head,. For a more detailed description of each type see, http://homerenorepair.suite101.com/article.cfm/types_of_screwdrivers

$60.00 -Stanley 67-029 FATMAX Screwdrivers 5/16"x6" - Lot of 36

http://shop.vendio.com/satco/item/838234016/?s=1196595023

Locking pliers- Two pairs of adjustable locking pliers with a 2”-jaw opening will be enough to get you started on a variety of basic plumbing, woodworking, and renovation jobs.

$56.84 IRWIN Vise-Grip 538KBSG 5 Pc. Soft Grip Locking Pliers Set in Roll-Up Bag

http://www.tylertool.com/visegrip1.html

Tape measure- If you are a like me, and can’t seem to measure, this might be a solution. Now I don’t have one of these YET, but I will after today!!!! $15.90 - Bob Vila 25' Digital Tape Measure with Voice Recorder

http://home-solutions.hsn.com/bob-vila-25-digital-tape-measure-with-voice-recorder_pf-183576_xp.aspx?club_id=183576&sz=888&sf=HW0054&rdr=1&cm_mmc=Shopping%20Engine-_-Shopzilla-_-Home%20Solutions%20-_-Bob%20Vila%2025'%20Digital%20Tape%20Measure%20with%20Voice%20Recorder%20Item:%20183576

Pencil- It sounds obvious (not to mention decidedly low-tech) but almost any reno job will require you to make a mark or two on something. You’ll be at a loss without one handy.

Wood handsaw-

But sometimes a power saw is too bulky or unwieldy to tackle small jobs. $10.86 – Husky Jab Saw with Scabbard

http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?keyword=hand+saw&onlineStore=true&langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&marketID=401&locStoreNum=8125

Power saws- At the very least you’ll want a circular saw in your collection for cutting large volumes of lumber. After that, the most versatile investment for your cutting buck is a sliding compound mitre saw. One with a 12”-blade enables you to cut almost any dimension lumber you can find on the building center shelves, and the tilting blade lets you cut any angle mitre as well.

My recommendation is the Makita as they are a good brand name with a good price point. Here are a few to chose from.. http://www.cpomakita.com/saws/

#8

VitaMix 5000-$249.00 (this is quite a deal) Ok, so if you know me, you know my love for the blender. I can’t help but want other people to share in the joy of the blendable. I found it on sale and thought, “I really must post it”

http://secure.vitamix.com/acb/stores/4/Used-Vita-Mix-5000-White-P338C57.aspx?COUPON=07-0043

#9

THE NORTH FACE Men's Resolve Jacket - $71.20 This is my favorite jacket. Waterproof, breathable, pit zips, pockets. It’s the best, I paid well over this last year and can’t say enough about it. It has gotten me through cold rainy days and warm rainy days..i think, it’s hard to remember rain in GA. You can’t go wrong with this for your fellow.

http://www.ems.com/catalog/product_detail_square.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442597077&emssrcid=GoogleBase

#10

Acoustic Research AW-871 2CH 900MHz Wireless Stereo Speakers - $119.99

These are my favorite! I really enjoy my wireless speakers, I put them all over the house and sometimes I move them into a different room. If your house isn’t wired for sound this is the perfect solution!

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.asp?Item=N82E16882200001&ATT=82-200-001&CMP=OTC-B1zrat3&nm_mc=OTC-B1zrat3&cm_mmc=OTC-B1zrat3-_-Home+Audio+Speakers-_-Acoustic+Research-_-82200001

I hope that you have found this to be helpful!!!!

Relationship

Earlier in my blog, I talked about the “ship”. Well now I’m in one, yeah me!!! Suprisingly, I now consider myself an expert in this topic…Let me give you the top 10 never say list…feel free to add your own, I know people read this…I got so many emails about the boxer issue, WOW…I guess I need to go to target alone next week…gosh!
OK, without further adieu…My learnings of what I should not say!

#10- I hate that purse
#9 – I seriously haven’t seen The Breakfast Club, Weird Science, Christmas Story, Animal House, When Harry Met Sally or Ferris Buellers Day off….
#8- I just crossed the line didn’t I, I should stop talking now, I really should quit. I would like to stop talking but I just want you to know this one thing. I should have stopped…I just can’t!!!
#7- Put a shock collar on your dog…it’s just a suggestion…what??? I love your dog…
#6- Auburn Tigers are the only real tigers (LS who???)
#5- that’s a waste of money buying so many shoes
#4- really you like the outdoors, you seem girly…uh….but not in a bad way. I mean you like things that girls like….i should stop talking now shouldn’t I. the line is behind me..dang it!
#3- I got you season tickets to Auburn next year, can’t wait for you to go to all the games with me!
#2- I love your teacher stories, that’s my favorite one ever!
#1- Is now the time I say I love you?

Well there you have it! It’s like my mind just shuts off from time to time but my mouth does not…hmmm

BOXER BUYER....

Ahh, it’s been so long since my last blog…Too long I’m afraid. Way too long…Since I have been dating Courtney, nothing funny ever happens that’s blog worthy..I try to find bloggable incidents, but nothing really seems entertaining to the public. She’s super terrific about making me laugh, but I don’t think she would want me to write all about her…And sappy is never funny, I’m all kinds of stupid sappy over her..And that’s just not funny. I was talking to a fun target lady the other day while checking out..that was funny…

So this weekend I was cooking on a retreat…yep, I cater…it’s true..well adam cater’s I just make him mad by talking when I “should be” catering. I had brought up an interesting hypothesis with Courtney last week that needed exploring. Well I found a willing table of people (Kassie, Eric, Grand big master p man, jen and Jenni) to listen to my hypothesis and chime in with their thoughts. I was thinking that I could use this blog as an opinion poll... Here goes...

I threw out the idea that men don’t buy their own boxers..their mom’s or wives buy them for them. I have never bought a pair of my own boxers..never…And I’m not a mommas boy either…Yep, it’s true…the table agreed that they didn’t buy their own boxers either(well that guys agreed)…so there you have it…I thought that yall could help me out with that..what do you think? None the less, it at least made a bloggable topic…boxer buyer? Who can deny the humor in that??? Seriously…

Trolling…

Well when it comes to meeting someone, there are lots of places. I am just going to throw a few out for discussion amongst you and your friends. Here are Mike’s Top 10 places to meet a nice girl based on years of research by yours truly (and conversely the girls met a great guy, so it works both ways:) :

• #10- Elevators- Always a good time to smile and say “hi” to a captive audience
  #9- Interstate 95 –Toll road- as good a place as any to pay for a car load of girls…and write a note on a piece of paper “got gas?” – Oh to be in college again
• #8- In the office- I would never advise this as a good place, but you have 1 built in thing in common, I’ve done it…never again…
• #7- In the mall- shopping is definitely a place to say “hello”, just smile and ask if they like what you have chosen…
• #6- Airplanes- Another opportunity to chat with someone that can’t run away, well not far away at least…
• #5- Grocery store - you can find some sweet convo in the frozen food section!
• #4- Any Restaurant- Waitresses love to chat, helps there tip. They get paid to flirt, use that time wisely. Toss out some charm…maybe they will toss back a number…
• #3- Bar Lines to a Bathroom- This is much better then at the bar. It’s a vulnerable state, nice time to strike up convo and be funny and witty..takes the mind off what’s going on…
• #2- Church- Super great place to meet someone that’s in many cases on the same page. Just say “hi”, they should be relatively charitable, after all…it’s church…but think of something to say beyond “hi"
  

AND THE #1 PLACE TO MEET SOMEONE……..
#1- Through friends in any location- Having an advocate is always the best way to win. If you have someone saying nice things about you, walls become mere speed bumps. you have to flirt and make sure that you be yourself….

It’s never easy; you always have to put yourself out there and rejection is always a possibility…Don’t think about it, just be natural. (what to say and how to act will be addressed in a later blog)

“S” & “ING”

When in the illustrious world of DATE, there are some terms that can get you tripped up. I’m not going to get too deep into this, just throw out a few points of discussion for you and your friends…..

Ok, here we go! When you go with someone for the first time to have coffee, it’s not really a date; it’s more like a screening..it’s true, don’t laugh! When you step up, ask them out (which I will dedicate a blog too in the future) it’s called a date. When you ask them out for a second date, you have now gone on a couple of date”S” and after a few consecutive date”S” you move from the “S” world to the “ING” world. It all depends on the level of consistency, commitment and compatibility... Let’s take a look at what the levels we go through in this.

Now in the “S” world there is a whole different set of rules to abide by. And in many cases these rules are defined differently by the parties involved. It's possible and in some cases acceptable that you might have another screening, or even another date... I’m not here to define the rules within the rule, but really just to mention that the “S” world is out there, and you might be in it.

The “ING” world also has a set of rules. Frequently the “ING” world will incur a stricter set of guidelines that generally will involve what we call the DTR(defining the relationship). In the “ING” world, you probably are only going out with one person. In “ING” you have probably determined that this is someone that is a good fit for many of the things you are looking for in a mate, this is a great step! (applause now:). This is generally right before you introduce the person as your “significant other”.

Now, if you have gotten to this point, Don’t freeze up, it’s just part of the process! YEAH YOU! You have successfully passed the screening, the date, the “S” world the “ING” world and now you are cruising on the “SHIP” world- the relation”ship” world. I’ve heard a different letter slip into that world, but this is a “G” rated blog. So, bounce these ideas around in your head, laugh out loud…take a look at where you are, laugh again…Let’s assign the right ending, whatever that might be!

The rest of the story(conclusion of last weeks tale) :

Well of course I never spoke with her outside of her monthly phone call, I would have remembered meeting her or telling her about my dog, friends, roomates etc... But my roommate who happens to also be named Mike used to talk to her all the time when she came by since he was at home. When shemade appointments with me, and talked to him at the house she thought we were the same person. ….I know, anticlimactic! Mystery Solved, my roommate was the special customer...

Stranger then Fiction!

Ok, so the best phone calls are the ones where the caller knows you and you have no idea who they are! these are priceless comedic moments that are never fully recognized until the call concludes and the story is retold. These stories can only be trumped by the calls that at the end, you have no idea why the person is calling, or how they know you..there is generally a reasonable explanation, generally......Here's my tale!

(names are changed to protect the guilty)
The other day my phone rings (don't act so suprised!). With cell phones generally i know the person calling, if i don't well they get a formal "Mike Judge" answer. In this case the person gave their name and i did not recognize it. they proceeded to talk to me for minutes knowing all kinds of things about me, my dogs name, my roomates, my house(wierd details, like they knew me really well) ...i proceed to have NO idea who this person is. Finally it comes out that it's my old exterminator that wanted to call their "special" customers. i found this odd on several levels. But particularly on the level that we had never met left me thinking crazy thoughts. The person was no longer with the same company, and felt they they had not said a proper goodbye. Keep in mind, this is an exterminator that to my knowledge we had never engaged in a formal conversation. So i thought it was a sales call, duh.... In my haste to want to terminate the call (it was a very sweet and genuine phone call) i said, "ok, i'll give your new company my business!" they insisted that it wasn't a sales call and in fact refused to allow me to change exterminator companies. Again thinking this is odd, i said "seriously, it's business, i am a salesman and understand the nature of a sales call". again they refused and reiterated what a special customer i was and how nice it had been working for me, and they wanted to say a proper goodbye and thank you...Seriously...creepy..that's no lie! so we get off the phone and i tell my roommate about this call. we both have a laugh and then lock all the doors. haahhaha.

A few days later it dawned on me...I had solved the mystery..my suspicions were verified and all made total sense...I should have been on CSI Atlanta!!!!
(check back next week for how the case was closed!!!!:)

Bulletpoints of Disinterest!

2007- Let’s see those goals. Can’t call them resolutions!

1)I am not going to allow my gregarious personality to cause friction in the lives of those people I am closest too. Yes, it’s true, the human condition has many cures but I’m not the Dr…Drama Free 07, I own the movie and I read the book…get on board this train is leaving the station. Toot, toot!!

2) I can’t run from good ol’ commitment for ever.....It’s true. I need to get tired of running…so guess what??? I’m going to do run a marathon. After many years of looking at the problem, and diagnosing it incorrectly, the latest and greatest solution is…instead of running away from things, run towards something, or get tired of running… Problem solved! It was the obvious fix, I know you all thought the same thing…why didn’t anyone email me that suggestion last year???

3) Eat better! This was a last minute entry! There really was only one way to solve this…I didn’t know what the solution was until I laid my eyes on her on Dec 23^rd in Costco. Never had I seen such a wonderment. With such delicacy she mixes, frequently mingling the fruits in such a delectable fashion that it’s no wonder she was still available. She chops with such precision and tenacity it’s perfect everytime. From time to time I can integrate a little fruit with a little vegetable to get a whole mess of juicy goodness! You guessed it, I bought me a blender! I love this thing, it’s the best…everyone needs it. Peanuts become peanut butter, water w/ veggies become boiling soup because of the sheer power and friction of her spinning blade. Ice cream in 30 seconds…mmm

How’d I do???