Good clean fun

Well, it's been a while, but I've decided to start the blog thing again, as there is just so much to talk about lately!

I've decided to take on a topic that most guys out there could really benefit from, but few ever really want to talk about or research. Trust me, this is important.

Ok, so you've decided to make the investment and improve yourself. It will be work and effort, but it will be worth it.

From the physical point of view, there is a huge foundation that must be built, and built correctly. This is not impossible, and does NOT take forever, BUT you must work at it! For instance, I have a workout regimen that is (at the very least) chronic and intensive. It involves a personal trainer and a gym membership, and is 5-6 days a week. Guys, I'm talking to YOU. You want the bod that gets a woman's eye? You have to WORK AT IT.... A LOT! And not just for a little while, FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. Believe me, it's WORTH it.

C'mon guys, put some effort in, and your woman will AMAZE you with the appreciation! I know it can be a cramp to get to the gym, and dedicate 60 to 90 minutes to working out - oh I mean actually lifting the weights, not chatting with the babes - but the payoff will surprise you and come far quicker than you could realize. In addition, you are taking good care of yourself. You are forcing out the poisons in your system, increasing circulation, and doing yourself a load of good. It has even been shown that weightlifting that is intense and chronic can help ward off depression! That alone makes it worth your while.

OK, also, I don't smoke. I almost NEVER drink alcohol, save for special occasions. Guys, again, I'm talking to YOU. You want those abs that your lady can't keep her eyes (and hands) off of? Put down that beer bottle. It's worse than soda for adding flab to your midsection, and elsewhere. Smoking is going to absolutely kill you in more ways than the obvious. Besides the lung and cancer problems, it radically cuts down on your body's ability to intake oxygen and process it. In short, you'll be running out of breath way before you should! Plus, most women do NOT relish the thought of yellowed, nicotine stained fingers touching them! Kissing a smoker is not a pleasant experience, and the odor tends to permeate everywhere. Really, it's not cool, no matter how tough it may look on TV.

Personal grooming is another area where most men fall short, to the point of driving women away. Crusty, stained, smelly, old you isn't going to be something a woman wants around her. Can you blame her? Depending on my schedule, I may shower and clean up several times during the day, depending upon what I have going on. This is one of the biggest areas where a man can really learn from a woman, as the female gender is very attuned to cleanliness and grooming. Your grooming habits may seem "prissy" and "girlish" to your beer swilling, obese, slovenly, pals at the bar, but in the end, let's face it, they'll be by themselves, and you won't.

I could probably blog for weeks on this topic, but for the sake of brevity and short attention spans I'll try to shorten it up. Here's a few more areas you should pay attention to:

Hair - have it? Get it cut and KEEP it trimmed. Getting ready? Keep combs, brushes and hairdryers handy. I have an assortment at home, dungeon, and in a bag in my car, just in case. I no longer have a beard, so clean shaven is the order of the day for me, with razors and other shaving supplies kept close at hand. When I did have a beard, it was immaculately trimmed and shaped. Here's another one that many people ignore - I keep a small electric trimmer for nose hairs. Yeah, yeah. I know it's something we don't like to talk about, but if you're guy thinking of catching that lady's eye, it's something that's critical. For those of you with thin hair or receding hairlines, depending on how it looks, it may be time to think about shaving it all off. Most women tell me that a bald guy is very masculine looking and studies by various magazines have shown that it can actually make you look younger.

Body hair is another area. If you have a lot of it, and many of us guys do, keep it under CONTROL. Trim it down! If you look like "Magilla Gorilla" many women become repulsed. If you decide to get rid of it, you have a few choices. Shaving, which is a little "risky" in many areas, but cheap and easy. Waxing, which, although uncomfortable for some, is much safer and very effective. Laser is highly effective, and essentially painless. It is, however expensive. It is remarkable in that it leaves no scars, and is permanent. I wax myself entirely every so many weeks. Many guys find this to be excruciating but I have no problem. It's done in about 1-2 hours and makes a WORLD of difference.

Clothes make the man. Or so the saying goes. Another area where us guys can take a few tips from the ladies. I'm in the process right now of completely upgrading my wardrobe both fetish and vanilla. This is one area I let slip for a while, and I really have to play catch up now. However, a well dressed man projects a very positive, confident, sexy image. Save the "world tour" t-shirts and other such pieces for when you're cleaning the yard.

My mom used to say that "a man should go clothes shopping at least once a week - even if all he buys is a pair of socks or some underwear." At the time, I thought she was being a bit over zealous with the shopping, but I realized just the huge amount of wisdom she was giving me. You see, if you're in the store, and I DON'T mean K-mart, but a legitimate department or clothing store and all you're doing is buying a simple item or two, you are also beginning to scan the other things that are on the shelves and displays. That pair of slacks, that shirt, those nifty ties.. Before you know it, if you're even a little bit smart, you'll be buying more than just socks and underwear, although those things are important too. Your wardrobe will be more current, in better shape, and with far less than the huge dollar outlay that most men have to cough up because they wait until their clothes are dead before they are out buying new.

Fragrance. Look, don't be an idiot here, ok? Cheap aftershave poured from a can isn't gonna do it, so leave that for the losers. While you're at said department store, you should head over to the men's fragrance counter and start poking around a bit. Oh, DON'T dump a fragrance on yourself, no matter how great it may be, and then bolt for the door to meet a lady. The odor is overpowering. What you should do, is apply it as you are getting dressed, being careful not to get it on expensive jewelry, light colored shirts, or silk as the alcohol in the fragrance can sometimes damage these items.

That's all for now. Consider this "Stage 1" with more to follow.

-Virage