DadCentric

Spring Thaw: 5 Tips To Get You Ready For Winter's End

As the sun starts to steal back its time in the sky from Old Man Winter, Dadcentric offers up 5 tips to prepare you for spring’s upcoming thaw. From building a garden bed to grow your own food to concocting a time management plan to help you stick to your diet & exercise, this advice will surely help you adhere to a healthier lifestyle. The efforts you put in now will reap rewards in the future.

1. Build a Raised Garden Bed: An excellent way to start getting your mind wrapped around your future garden. Whether you choose to grow vegetables or herbs, nothing to more satisfying—and healthy for you—than making a dish with fresh ingredients from your garden. http://eartheasy.com/grow_raised_beds.htm

DadCentric Cooks: D.I.Y. Kitchen Tips

The key to success in the kitchen is maximizing your time—and your ingredients. So DadCentric has decided to provide budding gourmands with a few time-saving tips on how to stretch out food in your fridge and cupboards.

1. Pickling: The easiest way to make the most out of in-season vegetables or fruit is to pickle them. The cucumber—by far—is the most popular pickled item. But you can pickle anything: green tomatoes (with jalapenos), Brussels sprouts, apples, red onions, asparagus and hard-boiled eggs. You name it. You are only limited by your own imagination. Simply cut them up, add some vinegar (salt, pepper, sugar or any other spices) into a saucepan, and let it sit until the desired taste and then… Viola! It is ready to be canned. http://nchfp.uga.edu/how/can6b_pickle.html

2. Infused Butter: Has this ever happened to you? You buy a bunch of basil, oregano or cilantro for a dinner recipe only to use a few sprigs and then have them go bad in the back of the fridge? One way to utilize these herbs is to chop them up and add them to a stick of melted butter. You can pour infused melted butter into ice cubes trays for individual portions to be used in sauces or let it solidify and have it as a spread for a slice of toast or loaf of oven-warmed bread. http://www.thedabblist.com/herb-infused-butter/

In Which We Give One Lucky Reader A La-Z-Boy Power Recline XR

A few weeks ago, the good people at La-Z-Boy asked me if I'd like one of these to review and give away:

Why yes, I said. Yes I would. 

This is the La-Z-Boy Cole Power Recline XR Reclina-Rocker Recliner. It is a power recliner; that is to say, you plug it in, and use the remote to adjust it to whatever position suits you. Back straight, feet up? Sure. Full recline? Yup. No recline, just rock? Certainly. I've parked my la-z-ass in the chair for several hours' worth of reclining, and it is very comfortable and very easy to use. (If I had a quibble, it would be that the chair rocks when in full non-recline mood. I am not a huge fan of rocking chairs, but that wouldn't be enough to give the chair a thumbs down.) It's also surprisingly light, which makes it easy to move in case you ever want to vacuum up that rapidly growing pile of Cool Ranch Doritos under the chair, which some people do, it seems.

Would you like one? Sure you would. One lucky reader will get a La-Z-Boy Cole Power Recline XR Reclina-Rocker Recliner. All you have to do is leave a comment below. Using the power of Random.com, we'll randomly select one lucky winner (and you can only enter once, to keep things fair), and the good people at La-Z-Boy will hook you up with a sweet power recliner. You have until 6:00 PM PST Sunday, Jan. 27, 2013 to enter. Good luck!

UPDATED WITH OUR WINNER: Congrats to commenter Karen! Your chair is on the way. Thanks to everyone for reading and commenting!

S Gifts and Contest: Sol Republic & Shellback Rums

It's been a long time since I did a review post on something that was sent to me. But, when I was offered a pair of headphones to try out, I couldn't pass it up. When I was deployed, I had 'phones with me all the time: a pair of Skullcandy in-the-ear for the gym or surfing the web at the MWR; a pair of collapsible Skullcandy over-the-ear for watching movies or listening to music in my cell room. They were a "must have" accessory. But, at the same time, that environment is hard on them. The only set I have left that made it out of counrty are my Skullcandy Skullcrushers. So, when I received an email about trying out a pair of Sol Republic Tracks, I figured, what the hell.

Dove Men+ Care Wants You To Have Good Skin, As Do We

Now that I'm working out of an actual office and not out of my house, I've lost my SoCal PermaTan and have taken on the waxy pallor of a Moria cave troll. This might not be a bad thing, considering that for years I've been a typical San Diego beach guy, which means that I've done a fairly horrible job of protecting myself from the Sun's rays, eschewing sunscreen and rolling the dice in a game of craps with Helios, a nasty case of melanoma if I lose. 

Yes, while I bust out the paint rollers and coat my kids in several layers of SPF 5000 sunblock when we go to the pool or the beach, I've been a bit of an idiot when it comes to taking care of my own skin. As part of a series of sponsored posts (brought to you by the good people at Dove Men+ Care, who make nice stuff for guys that I and a couple of my fellow DadCentricians actually use), I got a chance to fire off a few questions to Rock Star Dermatologist Dr. Jeffrey Benabio. I'm not kidding - Glamour Magazine actually called him a "rock star", and he is a great guy who took time out of his busy schedule to answer those questions.

Me: It's safe to say that many men don't think of their skin when it comes to their overall health. What's the most surprising fact about dermatological health that might change that attitude?

Dr. Benabio: Men should be more conscious of skincare, especially sun protection, as skin cancer is the most common form of cancer. According to a recent study from the Skin Cancer Foundation “men over age 50 are more than twice as likely as women to develop and die from melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.”

Me: Figuring out what sunscreen to use can be confusing, given all of the claims that various products make. What should we be wary of when looking to buy sunscreen?

Dr. Benabio: When looking for a sunscreen it is important to choose one with an SPF of 30 with zinc or titanium. A higher SPF won’t provide better protection, it just costs more! Other ingredients to look for are avobenzone and octocrylene. Also, keep in mind that re-application is more important than which product you are using.

Me: Obviously, skin cancer is a hot topic, especially among men who spend a lot of time outside. What other skin ailments should men be aware of? 

Dr. Benabio: Other common skincare problems for men include fungus or bacterial infections. To avoid such ailments it is important to keep the skin dry, which can be tough in the summertime. Be sure to remove sweaty clothes and shower immediately after working out, as sitting in sweaty clothes can lead to infections. Be sure to use a powerful, yet skin-moisturizing antiperspirant like Dove Men+Care’s Aqua Impact, which provides 48-hours of odor and wetness protection without irritating the skin.

Me: Since many of us are too insecure to buy skin care products, what are some other ways we can make sure that we have healthy skin?

Dr. Benabio: Men shouldn’t be insecure about using grooming products! Since there are brands designed for men, like Dove Men+Care (formulated specifically for men’s skincare needs), guys should feel comfortable buying them. Such products work best with men’s skin and are critical to keeping the skin healthy. You can also ensure healthy skin by staying hydrated, exercising and eating a lot of fruits and vegetables.

 

This post sponsored by Dove Men+ Care, which you probably figured out, and yes, I received payment for it, but they make good stuff, so consider it an endorsement.

 

The Norelco Playoff Beard Challenge - Closing It Out

So as my last post for the Norelco Playoff Beard Challenge - or as my man Greg dubbed it, the Dadcentric Norelco Razor Research & Development Blogging Sponsorship Program, the peeps at Norelco asked that I say whether or not I’m gonna stick with their stuff for face maintenance or go back to my previous way of doing things. The answer is the infamous yes and no. No matter which way I lean, my routine will always be built on a solid foundation of “oh geez, I need to do something about this thing before I walk out of the house.” Even my transition from clean-shaven to bearded a few years back was inspired by laziness. After Son # 2 was born, shaving kind of fell to the bottom of the stack. My wife happened to like the look of me that way, so it stuck.

I can say with confidence that yes, I will stick with their beard trimmer. That thing just rocks on multiple levels. It does great work and it cleans up (most) of its own mess. Like a chef who comes to your house, prepares you a fantastic meal, and then leaves the kitchen spotless – but for your face. If you’re sick of cleaning beard stubble out of the sink, I highly recommend.  

The electric shaver, on the other hand, I probably won’t make my regular go-to. Don’t get me wrong, it works fine, and maybe if I had more face to keep clean I’d use it. But with just neck-beard to worry about, it actually takes me less time to just go old school on it.

Thus concludes the Dadcentric Norelco Razor Research & Development Blogging Sponsorship Program.

This post was sponsored by Philips-Norelco as part of their playoff beard challenge for which I received compensation. The opinions and the hair are mine, the shavers are theirs.

ThermaCare's Rally For Relief Helps Me Help Myself, And Possibly You As Well

So the good news: I'm off of the crutches, and the massive Erector Set/Immobilizer that I had to wear on my right leg for the past month is now propped up in the corner of my bedroom, collecting dust and hateful glares. (Those of you who follow me on Twitter will be happy to know that my stream of whingy Tweets about my knee surgery has ended. Return to me, O followers. All is safe and well.)

And now the sucky part begins.

I've got several weeks of physical therapy ahead of me, which means that I'm going to be bending and contorting that right knee - which really has no interest in bending or contorting, because that didn't work out so well the last time it was bent and contorted - to the point of pain and beyond. That's fine. Mentally, I'd prepared for that going into the surgery, and after than hellish first week of post-op haziness and exhaustion I was ready to put my useless right leg back to work. Not that easy, of course. Six months, the doc said, until your right leg is back at the level it was before you tore it it up. (Bonus: since I'd probably had a few minor ACL tears that went undetected prior to The Big One, my right knee will be better than it was before I destroyed it.) That meant a summer without surfing, running, and rugby. Which was how I was planning on keeping myself in shape. Which I had been in, prior to the injury.

Which means that I gotta hit the gym.

I'm not a huge fan. When I get my exercise, I like to actually be doing something fun - running down a trail, riding on a wave, driving my shoulder into some dude and knocking him on his ass. Lifting weights and riding an exercise bike were necessary evils, done so that I could enjoy doing the above things. Gyms are full of guys who ask each other "HOWMUCHYABENCHBRO?" and tell each other how huge they're looking. ("BRO! YOU! ARE LOOKING HUGE! HOWMUCHYABENCH?!") With a bum right wheel, though, my options are limited. The other happy thought: when you're been couchbound for over a month thanks to surgery, your muscles go to seed in a hurry. My right legshrunk. And the rest of me is rapidly deflating as well. So I'm not looking forward to the reboot I'm going to have to endure. Still, endure it I shall - I'm not ready to shuffle off into old age just yet, especially since I was in pretty good shape before I got jacked up. Plus I've got kids I need to give surfing lessons to and coach in the fine art of tackling. 

Luckily, I got a pitch from the folks at ThermaCare - use their fairly ingenious HeatWraps for a few months, write about 'em, tell you folks about their Rally For Relief campaign, get paid, and get some relief for my soon-to-be-aching back and (when I've passed the ice-only stage) recovering knee. ThermaCare states that their single-use HeatWraps, when slapped on to your back can provide up to 16 hours of nice, soothing pain-relieving warmth. I have a feeling that I'll be testing that claim after my first set of seated rows and lat pulldowns. 

I'll be updating you on my progress once a month, and to reward your patience, I'll give one lucky commenter (selected at random) a ThermaCare Gift Pack consisting of 16 lower back/hip wraps. All you have to do is tell me your favorite gym exercise, and do it by 8:00 PM PST on Weds, June 20. (Mine used to be power cleans, but I won't be doing those for a while.) I'll get some great suggestions, you'll get the satisfaction of knowing you helped a brother out, and hey, you might score some free stuff. See? Everybody wins.

This post is part of a sponsored campaign hosted by ThermaCare, for which I received compensation. While all opinions stated are my own, I make no claim about ThermaCare as a product or its effectiveness. 

 

 

Shaving Day or Another Great Weight Loss Routine

Oh man, what a blessed relief. 

It’s been 25 days since I stopped shaving my beard. I already had a decent bit of face-covering going on, but then Norelco came along and asked if a couple of us DadCentricians would be willing to grow out some hockey playoff beards and use their stuff to keep them in check. I’m not into hockey, but I was willing all the same, if for no other reason than to see just what this beard would look like if I just let it go for a bit. 

It didn’t really seem like it had grown all that much until about a week ago when I realized that I had hair permanently resting on my upper lip. That tells you how trim I usually keep it. At that point, I would normally be reaching for the clippers, but in this case, I was still waiting on Los Angeles and New Jersey to finish duking it out. It seemed a shame that all this beard growth wasn’t benefiting either team. That got me to thinking, what are some other reasons to let your beard go? A few thoughts:

Dadisms, Not To Be Confused With Dadaism

Irony Fuel: my friend Doug writes a great post about why we dads should care about how brands depict us, on the same day that I drop another sponsored post by a cool brand (Dove Men+ Care) who is eager to work with dads. (BTW - I actually don't disagree with Doug; I simply don't buy or work with brands that paint me out to be an idiot. I figure that if enough dads AND their wives/partners do the same, the market will sort things out. Yay capitalism!)

The good people at Dove Men+ Care asked me to talk about Father's Day. How do I celebrate Father's Day? An excellent question. I rarely give it much thought - frankly, as a semi-professional dadblogger, this June and last I approached Father's Day as an event around which I had to structure content. Father's Day is less of a holiday, and more of an editorial nightmare. 30 Days of Dads! Wrangling a bunch of guest bloggers! While working a 40+ hour a week day job! Jesus. I should have started a knitting blog. 

Father's Day has always presented a bit of a conundrum for me, as it has for many of the dads I know. My dad is a bit of a workoholic, and I'm starting to grudingly admit that a) I might have inherited that gene and b) despite the laid-back SoCal surfer/slacker/contrarian nihilist image I go to great lengths to project, being a bit of a workoholic has actually worked out for me. Right now, for example, I'm sitting in a hotel room in mid-town Manhattan, here because I'm attending a social media conference that my employer sent me to because I'm one of my company's social media managers, a job I landed because I spent the past 6 years busting my ass on this and other websites, and doing all of the social media promotional stuff that goes with it. I don't say this to brag, or humblebrag; quite the opposite. I'm genuinely amazed that I'm right here, right now. And certainly I owe a tremendous debt to everyone who reads this site, laughs at my stupid tweets, lets me post on their blogs, and invites me to speak at their events. 

So what does that have to do with Father's Day? 

On the weekends, I find myself watching a lot of English soccer matches. The kids are early risers; more often than not, they'll both be on the couch with me, and watch the games with a surprising amount of patience and interest. Something that never fails to move me: at the conclusion of a good match, when the fans are cheering their team, singing songs, displaying their affection to their team as only English soccer fans can, the players themselves take to the field and give a standing clap to those fans. It's a lovely acknowledgement. The first time either of my kids saw this, they thought it was strange - why are the players cheering the crowd? The players did all of the work. I explained it to them. Thank you, the players say. Because without you, that pass or save or goal I made is meaningless. 

And ultimately, that's why I'm perfectly content to do nothing special on Father's Day. I don't have a whole lot of Dadisms - the title of this post refers to the oft-repeated phrases we dads use to impart wisdom to our kids - but I do find myself telling the kids that gratitude should be expressed early and often. It's trite, but true: without them, Father's Day is meaningless.

 

This post was sponsored by Dove Men+ Care, who have a great contest going on at their Facebook page. Drop by, give 'em your favorite Dadism, and you could win the Ultimate Father's Day Gift Pack.

Banishing The Neckbeard - With Electricity

The truth of the matter is that I’ve never been much of an electric razor man. I've always preferred to maintain the hair-free portions of my face with a razor of the old – though not oldest – school variety. I got an electric razor as a gift years and years ago after I first started shaving, and I remember thinking, I have arrived. This, this is manhood encapsulated in the form of hair-taming gadgetry.

Except that it was really painful to use. It felt less like it was shaving the hair and more like it was just yanking it out of my face. And after all that, it didn’t even do a very good job. I quickly went back to my trusty old slide-across-the-face reloadable razor cartridges to manage my mug. Later, when I decided to walk through this world as a bearded fellow, those razors came to be a neck-only necessity. Because neckbeard is nasty.

But then the nice folks at Norelco sent a few of their products my way and asked, ahem, paid me to tell you what I think about them. I’ve been growing my beard out for the last few weeks at their request as part of what my man Greg dubbed the DNRRDBSP. But even as the beard hair grows, I’ve been using the electric razor that the Norelco folks sent me to keep the neckbeard at bay. Its actual name is the PowerTouch Wet and Dry with AquaTech, and so far it’s doing a pretty nice job. It doesn’t have any of the the hair-yanking problems of its ancestors, plus, as its name implies, you can use it on either a dry face or a wet one. Much like a manual razor, it seems to work best with a layer of shaving cream to help loosen things up. Plus it's got a nice little trimmer that flips out of the back. 

All in all, I’m pretty pleased with it. It’s probably a bit of overkill for a guy like me who only worries about keeping part of his face clean most of the time – like using a chainsaw to trim a few vines – but it gets the job done pretty quick. If you’re the clean-shaven type who’s big into gadgets and you want to slice a bit of time off your grooming routine, you’ll probably dig this thing. 

Next up, I’ll be taking Norelco’s beard trimmer to my face to get this thing back under control. Austin has enough long beards inside of its city limits, so there’s no need to add mine to the list. I’ll let you know how that goes.

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