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themanguidemg · 7 years

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Where to Stay in NYC: Sixty SoHo Hotel

TMG’s Tony Hernandez reviews the newly renovated Sixty SoHo.

I’m a big fan of Tablet Hotels. The long-established international authority for boutique and luxury hotels does a remarkable job of curating a list of hotels which seldomly, if ever, disappoint. I’ve used them countless times over the past five years and last week I turned to them once again in order to secure a room in New York. Sixty SoHo caught my attention both for their aesthetic and their location. Within minutes Tablet Hotels secured my room (with a complimentary upgrade) and I was set to go.

A layered experience: that’s the best way to describe the newly rebranded Sixty SoHo. The attention to detail at this property is truly amazing. The person responsible for the myriad details was Jason Pomerac, who opened the hotel as 60 Thompson back in 2001. Pomerac is considered a pioneer of the “lifestyle hotel” trend which seems to have gone off the rails recently. Major hotel brands such as Marriott, Hilton and Starwood have jumped into the “lifestyle” game, but most of their properties feel formulaic and have thus become highly predictable. Such is not the case at Sixty SoHo.

Sixty SoHo exudes a comfortable, casual vibe. The feel is far more residential than hotel-ish, with huge windows to allow more light, rich velvets, warm lighting, planked timber floors, a mix of contemporary and midcentury elements, dark woods, stones and an eclectic collection of artwork and books.

The public spaces while not particularly large, invite you to explore with a series of intimate spaces to relax or hold private meetings during the day and evening. Comfortable couches and spacious workspaces make getting to work a pleasure. Gas fireplaces on both the concierge and lobby levels provided a cozy, upscale environment during this week’s snowstorm.

Local restauranteur John McDonald is set to open a coastal Italian eatery in the Spring. McDonald’s other neighborhood restaurants include Lure Fish Bar, El Toro Blanco and Bowery Meat Company. In the interim, you’ll find tasty bar snacks at the intimate Gordon Bar, where the staff is both warm and knowledgeable. (You’ll find Aviva makes a most memorable Sazerac.)

My only disappointments were in finding a “cardio room” the size of a coat-check closet and equally ill-equipped, and rooms which weren’t sufficiently insulated. I could tell for example, if my neighbors were showering or perhaps enjoying a good laugh.

Overall however, my experience was an absolute delight. I look forward to returning soon and I recommend you consider this property when you book your next visit to New York.

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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How to Negotiate Effectively

Watching a good negotiator in action, you’d think it’s a natural talent that only a lucky few are gifted with.

While that might be true of certain politicians and CEOs, it is possible for the rest of us who aren’t trying to solve international crises to make a good deal here and there.

Here is a basic guide to negotiation every man can follow.

Set your final price and stick with it

Chances are you’ll know what the asking price is for whatever you’re going to haggle for. Before showing up, pick a price that’s within reasonable range of the asking price and what you’re willing to pay and stick with it.

Obviously, when you show up to negotiate the deal, your first offer will have to be lower that what you’re actually willing to pay. This will give both parties room to meet in the middle where they are both satisfied. If the guy wants $6,000 for the used car and you want to pay $4,500, start by offering $3,000 and chances are you’ll get what you’re after by working up in a few $500 increments.

Setting a final price ahead of time is especially important for novice negotiators because it inspires an air of confidence during the deal and makes sure you won’t get taken advantage of by someone more experienced.

Research and bargaining power

Setting a price because that’s just what you want to pay for something is totally fine. But when it comes to actually making a deal, that alone might not get you very far.

Instead, you need to explain to the other party why that’s the amount you want to pay based on the product or service at stake. Usually, this can be taken care of through research. If you’ve spotted your perfect used car, on the Internet inspect the photos and description of the vehicle carefully, compare it to the same model being sold elsewhere and inspect the car carefully in person. The cost of any necessary repairs or better deals you can list off will serve as bargaining power to get you a better deal.

This strategy is also true when it comes to the other party. As California-based negotiation instructor Ed Brodow says, “You can’t make accurate decisions without understanding the other side’s situation.” If you can’t gather any information about the other party ahead of time, ask probing questions to find out what’s at stake for them during the bargaining process.

Overcome your nervousness

In his book, Friendly Persuasion: My Life as a Negotiator, legendary sports attorney and negotiator Bob Woolf points out that, in the vast majority of cases, both parties in a negotiation are equally nervous. According to Woolf, as long as there is mutual kindness and respect in the negotiation process, no one should be scared.

Establish mutual respect

One of the most important parts of making a good deal is establishing a certain amount of mutual respect between the two parties.

Part of that will come through in a reasonable asking price and a reasonable offer, but it’s also how you behave before, during, and after the negotiation.

In an article giving negotiation advice, Harvard Business School professor Deepak Malhotra writes, “Anything you do in a negotiation that makes you less likeable reduces the chances that the other side will work to get you a better offer.” Smile, introduce yourself, shake the guy’s hand. You know…just be civil as though you’re meeting any new person in a friendly context. You’re just there to negotiate, not fight the guy to the death.

Failing to do this will likely result in you not getting the deal you want, and if this is a person/place you’re planning on doing business with in the future, it’s really not in your best interest to harm that relationship.

Let the other guy start things out

No matter what kind of negotiating situation you find yourself in, it’s usually better to let the other person name a price first. This will immediately tell you if you final price is attainable. If you were hoping to get that used car for $3,000 and the sells starts out at $12,000, you know you’re probably walking away from this one without having to waste you time or energy (unless you’re some sort of expert negotiator…which most of us aren’t).

Do more listening than talking

Throughout the negotiation, follow what experts call the 70/30 Rule. This means you should be listening 70 per cent of the time and talking the other 30, encouraging the other party to keep talking by using open-ended questions and remarks.

From a psychological point of view, this puts you at an advantage because it establishes their role as the one asking something/a certain amount and you as the one who can fulfill that. Instinctively, the one who has the power to make or break the deal is more likely to get what he wants.

Never give away something for nothing

Malhotra also says to make sure any concessions you make are reciprocal. This is achieved by first making your offer for a reciprocal concession clear and diplomatic and then planning these concessions ahead of time and breaking them up into sections during the negotiation.

Walk away if you have to

For a lot of guys, not being able to close a deal is a big shot to their ego. But as long as you’ve asked for something reasonable and behaved appropriately during the negotiation, there is nothing to be ashamed of.

Sometimes it’s because the other person is too inflexible or not understanding. Sometimes it’s just that the two parties don’t quite click the way they’re supposed to for the deal to go down smoothly.

Whatever the case may be, follow Brodow’s Law, which is about always leaving yourself a way out of negotiations. You should set a boundary in your own mind about what you’re willing to give up. If it is crossed, you’re better off walking away.

Ultimately, the biggest mistake people make is that they think a negotiation is a competition in which one person wins and the other loses. It’s not about someone trying to gouge you or you getting away with lowballing.

Actually, negotiation is the art of finding a middle ground where both parties are happy. The buyer should be happy with the price he paid, and the seller should be satisfied with what he received. No matter how you go about negotiation, remember that those are the only good deals.

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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How to Train for Your First Marathon

Are you familiar with the myth that gave the word ‘marathon’ its origins? In Ancient Greece, Phidippides died after running news of victory from Marathon to Athens. Granted, the ancient route of provenance likely wasn’t paved with asphalt and our Grecian friend was probably over-excited and under-prepared, but that was still a most arduous undertaking. Train for it properly and your feat will be a different manner of life-changing.

Start easy

Honestly, your aspiration puts you at significantly higher risk of injury than the folks solely looking to get into shape. Pushing a body beyond what it’s ready for is a pitfall whose diameter you’re widening. You might lose some speed of progression to caution, but the alternative can lay people out for weeks at a time. Remember: We don’t earn points by pushing through warning signs.

If this is your first time running, word to the wise; spend a year or so just becoming comfortable with running a whole bunch. Give yourself plenty of time to develop strength and form before you dive headlong into serious training. If you’re generally active, 4-6 months should do.

At the very beginning, focus on running “short races” (5k, 10k) and eventually run a half marathon to get yourself used to long distance running. The key: increase your mileage every week, no matter how slow.

Adopt a regimen that works for you

There are a number of variations aimed at different specific goals, but your concern for the first attempt is probably simply to finish, rather than to place at the head of the pack. The venerable Hal Higdon’s novice program is a solid place to start, and many running magazines host their own breakdowns and charts. Regardless of which you choose, though, some things are held common.

First, you’re going to need a very strong aerobic base. That is, your body’s ability to continue effectively using fuel reserves in extended durations is the star of this show. Depending on who you ask, the benchmark is a regular mileage of anywhere from 20 to 50 per week.

However, you don’t want to punish your body so run really long races (more than 10k) only once a week.These serve the purpose of building your comfort with and adaptation to conditions closer to what you’ll experience in a marathon. Add a sizeable portion from your dollops of additional distance to a weekend run and work that day to around 20 miles. To improve your resistance, go on the stationary bike or run in a pool if you can (so the bouncing up and down doesn’t hit your body as hard).

Build up to this volume at a gradual pace. You can take as long as you’d like, but about two miles each week appears to be what most schedules plan for. Intersperse them through three to five days.

Training should be throttled to a speed where you can comfortably hold a conversation. The idea is to maintain and develop that sustainable level of exertion – if you’re hustling yourself to the point of needing to stop, you’ve dipped into the realm of high speed anaerobic exercise. Which is great, but you’re specializing elsewhere. Slow it down.

Before the big day comes, it’s generally recommended to taper your exercise back over the course of a few of weeks, taking things quite gently the week before. Allocate some time to ensuring you’re in a state of repair before you show Phidippides how it’s done.

Eat well

When your caloric expenditure can be measured in Big Macs, there’s going to be an enormous volume of food to balance. But beyond choosing wisely, however, take care to eat enough to sustain yourself, particularly if you’re concerned with building or maintaining muscle mass during the process.

When training for a marathon, you should NOT be skipping carbs because they contain glycogen, which is the main fuel for your muscles in long distance running. You’ll want to get your body used to storing glycogen.

During the race you should also consume energy gels and chews to help you recover and keep you from hitting the wall, some fruit and energy bars will work as well.

Get your rest

Recovery periods are an essential part of any physical training effort. It’s in the down times that regeneration occurs and strength and endurance are built. A body without rest is wearing itself down to probable damage. If you know what’s good for you, you’ll take a couple days each week to do absolutely nothing but sit on your butt. Also, make sure you’re sleeping well and enough.

Now that you’re ready to run and challenge yourself, don’t forget to check out the best running shoes on the market.

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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9 Hacks to Make your Morning Run Smoother

Mornings are not everyone’s friend. Even those of us who pretend to be ‘morning people’ have a rough morning every once in a while. However, there are tricks! Tricks, hacks and tried-and-true things that will make your morning run smoother and your afternoon more energized (yes, it is possible).

Here are 9 helpful hacks to make your morning less of a pain and your afternoon self more energized:

1) Pick your clothes the night before. This may seem simple, but it will cut at least 10 minutes from your morning routine, allowing you to have more time to yourself in the morning. Plus, you won’t spend any time stressing about weather this sweater matches this shirt or this tie.

2) Organize your day the night before as well. Organizing your planner and your daily checklist the night before allows you to just ‘follow the plan’ instead of worrying about what to do next. The key to following your plans to the letter is to not only make a checklist, but assign an order and a definite amount of time to each task.

3) Eat breakfast. You know that saying, the one everyone tells you all the time: ‘breakfast is the most important meal of the day!’ I don’t know if it tops my mid afternoon snack, but breakfast is nonetheless very important. Sometimes we forget that food is our body’s fuel and without it we are running on fumes (and coffee!). So make yourself some breakfast and take your time to eat it.

4) Drink water. Speaking of fueling your body, water is a necessary companion to the energy your breakfast gives you. Plus, you’re supposed to drink a lot of water throughout your day, and we all know no one does, but one glass every morning could make all the difference. Make it iced water to wake you up even more!

5) Put your alarm across the room. I am terrible for this myself – the snooze button is my best friend and worst enemy. Snoozing actually makes you less energized once you wake up, believe it or not. So, do not snooze in the morning, set your alarm and put it across the room. It will force you out of bed and into the real world. It will suck at first, but it will ultimately give you more time in the morning! You don’t want to start off the day by procrastinating.

6) Stay away from work AND COMPUTER for at least an hour. Do not check your e-mail, do not answer work calls, this is your time. Your work has you all day, but for one hour every morning, make it your time. This will help you relax, enjoy your mornings, and make you less stressed all day!

7) Don’t touch your tech for at least a half hour before bed. If you go to bed right after staring at a screen, it will take you longer to fall asleep. So, a half hour before bed, turn the technology off and spend some time with your loved ones, or reading a book. It will help you fall asleep faster, and ultimately give you more REM sleep. More quality sleep equals a happier morning.

8) Get up earlier. Getting up earlier gives you enough time to stay away from your email and take all the time you need getting ready. We know you’re used to always being in a rush in the morning, but waking up early gets rid of all of that, resulting in more peace of mind.

8) Workout. No one wants to work out right when they wake up, but once you get into a routine, you’ll notice the difference. Even just a small 20-minute workout can do the trick. You can go for a short run, or do some light cardio at home, even yoga helps. It tells your body to wake up and sets you up for an energetic day.

9) Shower and groom. Your day can only go downhill if you’re the kind of guy who wakes up only half an hour before he’s needed at the office,throws on any shirt that’s laying around, and barely brushes his teeth before heading out. Showering and grooming (shaving, taking care of your skin, combing your hair) will add an extra boost of energy you didn’t know was available–you will look better too, providing you with an air of confidence that can only improve your day.

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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10 Things to Never Say to a Bartender

You’re in a bar, which is one of the great experiences and privileges of being an adult, so you need to behave like an adult. To those who work in them, bars are sacred places. I’ve been tending bar in various places around the Bay Area for more than ten years, so I know what I’m talking about.

I’ve seen some bad behavior, and I’ve seen some angels. It all boils down to this: the more awesomeness you radiate, the more your bartender will like you. When your bartender likes you, you get service faster, you get the inside scoop on any fun new product coming in the door, and you might get a free taste or drink once in a while. However, building that relationship takes work, so follow the instructions below to know what not to say to us bartenders and you’ll be a star regular in no time.

“Can you make my drink really strong?”

Sure, if you want to pay for a double. If it’s a more complicated cocktail, then no—the ratios are the way they are because it’s what makes the drink taste good. Then again, if you’re asking for a martini or a Manhattan, it’s already 100% booze so it’s not going to get any stronger.

“Can I have a martini?”

There are a lot of modifiers involved in making a martini. If you want one, that’s great. But before you order one, ask yourself the following questions. Do you want gin or vodka? What brand of gin/vodka? Up or on the rocks? Dry? Dirty? Perfect? Olives? Onions? Lemon twist? Default for a martini is stirred because there’s no citrus added, but make sure to specify if you want to be like James Bond and get yours shaken, keeping in mind, that it’ll be one watered-down cocktail. Similarly, don’t walk up to the bar and say, “I’ll have a beer.” You’ll need to narrow it down a bit, unless you’re at some strange bar that has only one kind of beer.

“Hey sweetie/honey/baby/etc.”

I have a name. If you know it, use it. If not, don’t use a pet name to get my attention. That’s really really bad. Even “Hey Bartender” works better than that. Better yet, just make eye contact and smile. After that, any good bartender will get to you when it’s your turn. And yes, there is a line. Even if you can’t see it, I can.

Whistling or snapping

This immediately makes you invisible to a bartender—and frankly should make you invisible to any reasonable human being you did that to ever. I’m not a dog. Repeated violations of the no whistling or snapping rule will result in getting you hauled out of the bar by my 6’4″ door guy whose shoulders are wider than you are tall. Seriously. Don’t do it.

“Can I get a free drink?”

No. However, most bartenders at good bars do have some sort of buy-back policy or discretionary free drink fund for each shift. Be nice to your bartender. Be friendly. Be respectful. And if you don’t actually ask for a free drink, well, one might still come your way; eventually.

“I’m Yelp Elite, so…”

Congratulations. You have too much free time and think the internet cares about your opinions. You’re still not getting a free drink.

“Can you just make me something off-menu? Whatever you want to make.”

What I want to make right now might be half a pint of shitty well vodka at room temperature with a pickle in it. Seriously, though, any bartender worth his salt is going to be happy to make you something delicious that you’ll love—you have to be specific about what you want. For example, my favorite cocktail to request of a good bartender (on a slow night, of course) is a spirit-forward, overproof rye cocktail that tastes like Christmas. I always end up with something warming, spicy, and very slightly sweet. If you want to order a bespoke cocktail and make sure to get what you want, specify your base spirit and then follow up with some solid adjectives—sweet, herbal, floral, fruity, tart, light—to give the bartender an idea of what you’re looking for.

“I’m a great tipper.”

If you’re saying that out loud to someone in the service industry, you probably aren’t. Also, you’re breaking the unwritten contract whereby everyone knows not to talk about tipping. You just do it, I take it away and say thank you, and unless it’s a large enough amount that I’m concerned you made a mistake, we will not be discussing it again. Of course, if you’re looking to become a regular and want to skip to the head of that line when it’s a busy night, a really good tactic to take to make that happen is taking good care of your barkeep.

“Can you recommend a blue drink for me?“

No. I absolutely cannot.

“Is this your real job?”

Let’s start with, yes, this is a real job. And it is also my real job. While it may seem all throwing back shots and meeting cool people—and sure, there are days when bartending barely feels like a job, and those are great days—there are also the other days.

The Friday night where the guys out for someone’s 22nd birthday get the birthday boy so wasted that he pukes on a table in the corner, which they cover with newspapers and rush out quickly without telling anyone. The Tuesday evening where for some reason, only your three most irritating regulars decided to come in and they’re alternating between pounding $2 High Lifes and arguing politics and they’re all getting increasingly offensive. The Saturday night when it’s three deep at the bar and you just can’t get out of the weeds because for some reason everyone wants a damn ramos gin fizz and your arms might fall off from all the dry shaking you’re doing.

So yes, it’s work. Real work. Tiring work. Just standing and smiling and being polite for a 10-hour shift doing anything whatsoever (teachers and nurses, I’m lookin’ at you) is tiring. And yes, sometimes we can drink on the job. Think about it as a different kind of perk, like your health benefits and retirement plan.

This is the first installment of Ask a Bartender with Caitlin McGarty. Got a burning question that isn’t, “Can you tell me about your butterscotch schnapps?” Send it my way via Twitter.

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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Emotional Intelligence: Why and How to Cultivate It

Emotional intelligence (also known as EI or EQ) is one of those nebulous concepts with several mutually exclusive definitions, but each sketches a similar image. To state it simply, emotional intelligence is one’s fluency in analyzing and acting upon your own and others’ feelings. The ability to operate with them plays an enormous part in your social interactions as you respond to cues and communicate effectively.

It is not the sole province of the mawkish, but a skill any adult would do well to develop. An utilitarian sort might focus exclusively on its uses in gaining an upper hand and influencing people. Don’t do that. Its correlation with mental and relationship health is a better reason to train yours.

Emotional intelligence can be seen as IQ’s counterpart, a necessary half if you want to be a balanced and effective human being. To succeed you need to be both intelligent (IQ) and emotionally intelligent (EQ)

The University of Macedon found that every component they assigned to happiness can be predicted by a dimension of EI. Use it to empathize, diffuse conflict, build trusts, alleviate stresses, forge bonds, attract the opposite sex – it influences every important aspect of human life.

Building your personal quotient

Begin with a test subject capable of conveying exactly how they feel to you. Somebody like, say, you. Observe how you feel yourself reacting to the world. Whenever there’s a swell, or reaction, identify it and tag it. Where did that come from? What was happening or being said when it popped up? What is it like to experience this emotion? How has it affected your behavior? If you can pin down the details, you can draw relationships between them, building an understanding of an emotion as well as its sources and consequences.

You could call this being self-aware. The next trick is using this knowledge to perform some personal triage and control the things you’ve identified. It’ll help you work on keeping anger in check, eliminating impulsivity, and making mindful decisions about your happiness, for example. Practice evaluating your thoughts and their interconnections and taking control.

Taking it outside

As it happens, this perception helps with other people too. Empathy is essentially being able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes and understand their emotions. People tend to have similar reactions to insults and hugs, and yours should map nicely onto others. How would you react if their situation were yours? What must they be feeling now? Read body language or directly ask about how someone’s feeling to fill in the gaps of the picture you’re constructing. Being able to ready people will be a huge asset to your success. Are they embarrassed or uncomfortable? Happy or faking it? Being able to successfully recognize these will allow you to influence them.

Again, the information gleaned can be used to make prudent choices about our behavior. We can learn to stop assuming the worst about somebody’s intentions or evaluation of us if we can imagine what they’re dealing with. We can gracefully uplift somebody’s self-esteem and reap the social rewards, and so on and so forth.

You just need to keep forming habits out of the myriad ways EI manifests itself. Spend time making an effort with people and run behaviors and responses through your head. Keep flexing the emotional intelligence. Eventually it’ll get stuck that way.

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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Network like a Pro: The Man Guide To LinkedIn

Time for a change? Looking for a new challenge? Maybe you’ve got a big interview coming up? Or you could just be looking for a way to expand your professional network? LinkedIn can help.

The business-focused social network boasts in excess of some 300 million members and seeks to do away with the need for business cards. LinkedIn replicates real-world business interactions online, such as introductions and recommendations and also offers users an always up-to-date location for your numerous business contacts.

Described as the world’s largest professional network — you should be using LinkedIn for connecting with like-minded pros in your industry and upping your rep.

Our guide will give you some pointers:

Complete your Profile

This may seem like a no-brainer but adding as much information about you and your work history on your LinkedIn profile can really help. You’d be surprised at the number of profiles you’ll come across with no profile picture, or very little information to go over.

Based on the information you enter LinkedIn will let you know how you’re doing — every account has a ‘Profile Strength’ rating, going from Beginner to All-Star.

An ‘All-Star’ account is one with plenty of detail and information — think useful stuff for those checking your profile out.

To attain an ‘All-Star’ profile you’ll need to ensure your profile has a picture, your education history, a list of skills you possess, over 50 connections along with details on the industry you work in and your most recent positions.

Adding this information helps those checking you out get a good idea for what you’re about.

Ask for Recommendations & Skill Endorsements

Your work history is highlighted on your profile page, listing all your gigs from over the years — it’s here where you can reach out to colleagues old and new to get them to vouch for how great you are.

It’s easy to do, just visit your profile and in the dedicated Recommendations section you’ll see a button inviting you ‘Ask to be Recommended’. Once you hit that you can choose which connection to ask for a personal recommendation. Any replies you receive can be approved by you and then shown against your work history, adding weight to the good work you did whilst in that role.

In addition to getting acquaintances to recommend you, you can also get people to quickly certify your skill set. LinkedIn will display a list of skills, as chosen by you, along with how many of your contacts agree that you rock at your chosen skills. It’s a nice way to offer a glance-able list of what your good at, and who agrees. You can easily get other people vouching for your skills by just picking what your contacts are good at — LinkedIn seems to do a good job at getting others to vouch for you, if you do the same for them.

Highlight your best work

If there is one thing people on LinkedIn don’t take enough advantage of, it’s the ability to highlight the work you’re most proud of.

Within your profiles work history section you can list your personal work highlights — treat this as a sizzle reel of your best stuff. It can be anything from a link, video, presentation or document to download.

This is a great way to add a ‘portfolio’ to the CV that is your LinkedIn profile. It’s also an easy way to make your profile more visual — letting you stand out from countless other profiles that recruiters look at.

Join Groups

If you’re serious about making a name for yourself in your chosen industry then LinkedIn groups are a great way to make your mark.

Just tap in your search query and do a group search to see the countless groups you can join to have your say on industry matters. When searching be sure to keep an eye on the membership numbers, picking groups with a good mix of active members and good conversation. Find a good community where your voice can be heard, and get to work on becoming an influencer.

Being helpful is key, don’t go in with a hard sell — you can learn from Gary Vaynerchuk here, jab, jab, jab then give them the right hook (that’s ‘help, help, help, ask’ when it comes to LinkedIn).

Stay in Touch

Ever been to one of those networking events where you have to work the room and talk to a mix of people? LinkedIn can handle this for you too.

Reach out to people who interest you and work together where it makes sense, discuss your industry and work in groups and stay connected with your existing contacts. You never know when your boss from five years ago may come in useful a few years down the line. Stay in touch, even if it’s just congratulating someone on a promotion, commenting on a new hire, or offering feedback — it’s all key to keeping you in someone’s mind, you never know when they may need you.

Good luck out there!

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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Top 5 Reasons to Avoid Soy Protein

For the longest time, I thought soy protein was a good thing.

I did not know much about it, but generally heard it talked about in a positive way. I was first introduced to it by my vegetarian friends, but after a while, I started seeing it used everywhere, from soy milk to soy-based protein supplements. However, I began to wonder, “If soy is so cheap, meat-less, full of protein, why is the whole world not using these little beans?”

Well, it turns out soy is not as healthy as people may think (myself included) and it’s especially not healthy for men.

Soy actually has many negative side effects. It is full of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and has a high level of phytoestrogens, which as you’ll see below, may be harmful to men.

So to help shine some light on these dangers, here are the top five reasons to avoid soy.

1) It increases your estrogen levels

If you’re trying to get some gains in the gym and you’re pounding back soy protein, you may start seeing your body grow…just not in the right places. Men’s Health ran a story a few years ago about a man whose breasts began to become swollen and painful after drinking soy milk on a daily basis. The man, who was a retired US army officer, said it felt like his body was feminizing.

The reason for this is that soy contains phytoestrogens, a compound that mimics the body’s natural estrogen hormones. These high levels of estrogen can promote aesthetic issues (such as man boobs) or even worse health problems such as thyroid dysfunction. Soy can make you have more estrogen and less testosterone than you would normally have when taking other types of protein.

2) It can cause infertility

A Harvard University study found a higher intake of soy and isoflavones is associated with lower sperm concentration in men. While the reduction was small, it was considered statistically significant.

The phytoestrogens that mimic your body’s estrogen hormones are the reason soy can also lead to infertility in men. Guys who consume high doses of soy may not only see a reduced number of sperm, but lower quality too. This lower sperm quality is caused by a lack of androgens in your body that are reduced when you have significant levels of estrogen.

3) Takes away from other important minerals and vitamins

Soy has high levels of phytic acid and these inhibit your body’s ability to absorb important minerals. When you consume soy foods and supplements, you are actually increasing your body’s needs for vitamins and minerals such as Vitamin D, Vitamin B-12, zinc, calcium, copper, iron and magnesium (something that many people are already deficient in).

4) Results in a smaller penis

A smaller penis? That can’t be right! Well, while it doesn’t cause your penis to decrease in size, soy can cause a boy’s penis to grow at a reduced size and will result in a smaller penis. This can occur if a mother is consuming high levels of soy protein while pregnant or if a developing child consumes a lot of soy in their early years of development.

5) It negatively affects your behavior

While not as drastic as the other side effects, soy can cause you to show a more aggressive behaviour.

Soy can negatively affect your behavior, according to a study published by researchers from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center who divided adult male monkeys into three groups for a 15-month study. Each group of monkeys was given different levels of soy protein, with one group given only protein from milk and other animal sources. They found that the monkeys who were fed the high amount of soy demonstrated more aggressive yet submissive behavior than the other monkeys. These more aggressive monkeys also spent less time with other monkeys and increased their alone time.

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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Man To Man With Padrón Cigars President, Jorge Padron

Tobacco has been a part of Jorge Padron’s life from day one. As a child, he learned the art of cigar making from his father, Padrón Cigars chairman Jose Orlando Padrón. Today, Jorge Padron is president of the Padrón brand, which over the years has earned the highest accolades in the industry. I enjoyed a Man to Man with Jorge Padrón recently, where we discussed the challenges of taking over leadership of the family business, customer service, and the drive to stay on top.

“I smoked my first cigar when I was fifteen years old and I almost died after smoking it!”

You come from a traditional cigar family. At what age did you first realize this might be the business for you.

Jorge: I was raised in the cigar business. I’ve been exposed to it not just through my father, but through my whole family. My brother and my sister and I have been exposed to it for a long time and we’ve seen the dedication and the hard work it takes to build a business.

I smoked my first cigar when I was fifteen years old and I almost died after smoking it! So I didn’t really smoke again for quite some time. My father never forced us to either smoke cigars or get into the business. So over time as I graduated from college that’s when I started smoking cigars. I got out of college, I got my bachelors in marketing and then I went to get an MBA. At that point I knew I was going to come into the business, but at that time the business was not what it is today.

How so?

For one thing we didn’t sell nationally. We had national presence directly with many consumers but we didn’t have a national presence in retail stores. So there was a lot of work to do in that area. Most of our business was focused here in Miami selling to local Cuban cafeterias, where they sold “cafe Cubano” and all those types of things. So I knew that we had a good product because I felt if we could sell cigars to the Cubans in Miami, who are probably the most knowledgeably cigar smokers on the planet, then I felt that we can certainly sell nationally to retail stores all across the country.

That’s a great point. The Miami market must be a great test market I would imagine.

No question. When I started working here, I kept looking at the demographic of the customers that I would see walking in the door. At that time I was 21 years old – 22 years old and customers would walk in, they would buy a box and they would leave. But to sell them a box I would have to open 10-15 boxes of cigars so that they could personally inspect each one and determine which box they wanted. That doesn’t happen today. When a consumer walks into a retail shop they buy a box that’s sealed. They don’t even look at the cigars. But the most important point back then was that a lot of the customers that were coming in were older gentlemen. The typical age was probably between 50 and 70 years of age. So I kept looking at that and one day I said to my father,”Dad, we need to do something here because a lot of the customers that we have coming in here are older people and are very loyal and they smoke a lot of cigars but there will come a time when we won’t have a market left.” That’s when we started attending trade shows and then Cigar Aficionado comes along and they started promoting cigars as well so you know, the timing was perfect.

“I’ve done a lot of work to help build the brand to where it is today but what makes me the happiest is the fact that I have been able to do it with my father.”

Taking the reigns from your father must have been challenging. What was that like?

The thing for me is that its all about respect. You have to earn it. When I graduated from college, I got my MBA and my first brilliant idea. I came up to my dad and I had already been in the business for a few months, and I said, “Dad, I think we should change our Padrón band, the brown one, and jazz it up”, because it was a little plain. My dad let me go on for like 45 minutes with my explanation. He looks at me and he says, “Jorge, you know how many cigars I’ve sold with that plain brown band of yours? Almost 100 million cigars so when you have your next idea come back and talk to me cause that one isn’t going to fly.”

As you get older you get wiser so now looking back I think what an idiot I was for having even thought of that suggestion. It was ludicrous and my dad did the right thing by telling me to get out of his office. Over time you learn a lot more. Luckily for me I’m not a big ego guy. I’m very humble and very simple. I’m not a person who needs a lot of massaging to be happy. I’m happy when my dad is happy and over the years I’ve done a lot of work to help build the brand to where it is today but what makes me the happiest is the fact that I have been able to do it with my father and that he has witnessed it and has been a part of the whole thing. So people ask me that question all the time. How hard is it? Its not easy. My dad is a stubborn guy he has his ways but he has every right to be that way because he’s the one who built this business. My job was to help him improve the business. Fortunately over the years my dad has, little by little, understood that and respected my opinion more and more as time has gone by. Now its not like it was 20 years ago. I don’t present my dad stupid ideas any more. I present ideas that make sense and 10 out of 10 times he agrees. So its simple. Its not like we are trying to reinvent the wheel. We are on the same page.

Cigar Aficionado magazine has awarded Padrón the coveted Cigar of the Year award on numerous occasions. That must be quite gratifying.

Its probably the most rewarding thing. I look at this business through my dad’s eyes. So for me, the most important thing that has happened in the last 25 years is the fact that my dad who has busted his ass for many years before we got a lot of recognition, that now he gets to enjoy it. To see the happiness on his face when we get the number one rating is just priceless. What more can you ask for?

My dad can die tomorrow and he will be the happiest man on the face of the earth. You know? These types of things just validate everything that he has worked so hard for. But the most important thing in our business is that we make products that people consume. So its very tangible. The way we look at it, the reward is in the expression and the responses that we get from our consumers. The financial part of it comes second because if you don’t have that consumer enjoying your product then the revenue doesn’t come. That has really been the driving force behind Padrón’s Cigars from day one. It has always been quality driven. We have always believed that if we put quality in the product first, then everything else will take care of itself.

“Just cause you have success, just because you have the number one rating doesn’t mean that everything is fine. Now you have to work even harder to make sure that it stays there.”

You have a very loyal consumer base don’t you?

Yes, we have a very loyal consumer base. We don’t make a lot of cigars. But the ones that we make are good and fortunately this transcends the economy. There is a Padrón for every consumer. If you can afford a $25 cigar you are going to get great quality cigar at $25. But if you can’t afford a $25 cigar and you can only pay $5 for a cigar you can get a Padrón at $5 that is better than any $5 cigar in the market and maybe better than some $10 cigars. So that’s the beauty of our brand. We have never taken advantage of our position in the pricing of our products. We have certain cigars that my dad calls the Rolls Royce but we also have the everyday cigar, which is the Toyota, its the Padrón line that in my opinion is one of the best value cigars on the market. So we have it all and that helps us build a very loyal customer base. When you talk to a retailer anywhere in the country what they will tell you about Padrón is that its the number one brand for box sales in the most humidors. That’s a testament to a great brand.

I was introduced to the Padrón brand through my father with let’s say the Toyota version of the brand and I impressed. But I have to admit I wasn’t smart enough to stay with the Toyota I have since graduated to your more expensive cigars.

That’s good. I have 3 kids I have to put through high school and college so keep buying those.

You can smoke pretty much whatever you want on a daily basis. Since you can pick anything you want off these shelves, what’s your daily smoke?

There are two answers to that question. The first one is business. My job is to taste cigars so I smoke everything. Now, there are, within the cigars that we make, certain cigars that I prefer. For example, on New Year’s Eve, what did I smoke? I smoked an 80th and a #45. Imagine this; we make five and half million cigars a year. So my job is to taste. So I taste. I taste 3000 and I taste 2000. I taste everything. But when its my time and I have certain cigars to pick from I usually stick with cigars from the anniversary line and the 26 and the 80th.

The Padrón brand enjoys close relationships with its retailers and many of its consumers. I sense this began with your father.

No question. We sell five and a half million cigars a year and we do it without salesmen. We don’t have a single salesmen out on the road selling cigars. So, how do we do that? Well, number one we have a great product and people ask for it. But we also have very good relationships with the people we do business with. Not just at the consumer level but also at the retail level. The owners of these shops which are mostly family businesses, you know mom and pop type retail stores, specialized tobacconist throughout the country, that we deal with and that we know on a first name basis. They’ll call us up and say, “Listen, I need this for a special customer.” and boom we get it done. As opposed to some other companies that have a very layered system where you have to speak to 5 people to get a decision made. Here its one phone call and its done. That’s very important when you analyze the way that my dad has done business throughout the history of our company. He identifies with people and he has a heart and that comes back. From the consumer, from the employees, everybody respects him. And he’s not one to stay quiet. He gets mad and says things sometimes but every time I have heard him get upset over something he has been right. He says,”Cuando uno tiene razon, there is no one that can stop you.” and that’s the way he looks at it.

Despite the growth, Padrón Cigars continues to be a family run business, right?

Absolutely. Well, we got the first layer which is myself and my bother and my sister. Then we have the next generation down. My kids are still too young but my brother has two of his kids that work here, Jeffrey and Jessica. So they are starting. Little by little they are starting to understand the way we do business and that’s part of it. Elizabeth, my sister, also has her son Marcus who works with us as well. Also have my cousin Rudy who has been with us now for 15 years. So we have Ceaser Gadera who isn’t family but is almost like family. His dad use to work with my dad in Nicaragua back in the 70s. So we have a lot of family members that work here. But the most important thing in my opinion is that my brother, me and my sister we grew up and it was different. We have been working hard to build it to where it is now. We are at a level now that its a question of maintaining and hopefully improving but a lot of the hard work has been done. Now its just a matter of maintaining what we’ve got to ensure we keep that quality and keep the respect of the consumer.

Sometimes when you don’t go through all those experiences, you don’t understand what it takes to stay at the top. So the hardest things for us and for me in particular is to communicate that to them on a daily basis and tell them, “Listen to me. We are up here today but we could be down here tomorrow so you’ve got to stay on the ball. Just cause you have success, just because you have the number one rating doesn’t mean that everything is fine. Now you have to work even harder to make sure that it stays there.” That’s the thing that is amazing about my father, a person that has worked so hard and achieved so much, he never forgets where he came from. He’s still fighting everyday to sell that other cigar. It’s amazing! Eighty three years old and he has seen all the success but to him its like he is still back in 1964 selling the cigars by hand to the little cafeterias and that spirit is what everyone has to have.

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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#TravelTuesday: 5 Unexpected Great Places to See Fall Foliage

It’s October, and your lady friend keeps dropping hints about how much she’d enjoy a romantic weekend away, just the two of you, to see the brilliant reds, yellows and oranges of the annual fall foliage miracle. She has visions of a secluded bed and breakfast in a small Vermont village. You have visions of long lines of traffic snaking by outlet malls. She sees you snuggling in front of a fire. You see sky high prices for a shabby room. What’s an accommodating boyfriend to do?

Think different. While the crowds always head north in search of fall views, Vermont isn’t the only place leaves change color. Here’s a roundup of some counter-intuitive places to see beautiful fall leaves, perfect places to enjoy a weekend away, just the two of you.

New York City

From Van Cortlandt Park in the Bronx to Central Park in Manhattan and every townhouse-lined street in Greenwich Village, the five boroughs of New York City are home to some 5.2 million trees, according to the US Forest Service, and because New York is situated in the Northeast, home to the wildest displays of fall color, you are just as likely to see a tree flame out in shades of orange and red as you are to see an investment banker. Best bet: Look for an AirBNB apartment in the West Village, and stroll the streets under yellow maples. Then head to the High Line, the urban park where indigenous plants will be changing colors, before seeing the annual displays of yellows and oranges in Central Park.

Natchez Trace Parkway

The 444-mile highway connecting Natchez, Mississippi and Nashville, built on an historic path that linked Native American communities, is lined with hickory and Cyprus trees that mix nicely with a few maples to create a surprisingly colorful palate for a location so far south. If you don’t have time to drive the entire route, work the section between Tupelo and Natchez, and stop off in Jackson for oysters and, this being the south, college football viewing.

Cape Cod

Best known as a summer vacation spot, the Cape is essentially a large sandy spit that separates Massachusetts Bay from the broader Atlantic Ocean. That means it has an ample supply of swamp maple trees, the most ostentatious of all foliage trees. And because it’s such a tourist mecca, the Cape has no end of hotels and restaurants, most of which will be offering off-season rates at this time of year. Best bet: set up shop on the outer Cape, in Chatham or Orleans, then rent bikes and enjoy the sites on the Cape Cod Rail Trail, a rec path that stretches the length of the Cape and runs through forests and wetlands.

Baltimore

And you thought the only thing going on in B’mo in the fall was the Ravens. Like New York City, Baltimore’s urban landscape changes color this time of year, but the city’s main appeal is as a base camp from which to head an hour west to drive the foothills of the Appalachians and take in the color. At night, Baltimore’s bars and restaurants await you. We’re partial to the crab cakes at Koco’s Pub and the pit beef sandwiches at Chap’s.

Sacramento

California gets a bad rap when it comes to fall color, but that works to your advantage because you’ll leave the crowds behind. SoCal and the Bay Area may not see much change in color, but the closer you get to the mountains, the more likely you are to see some yellow. Set up in Sacramento, where the stunning peaks and yellows of the Sierra Nevada are just two hours to the east. Not feeling adventurous? Stay close and enjoy the views just outside the city at El Dorado National Forest and Antelope Creek Park. El Dorado’s wildflowers turn a spectacular shade of white and yellow in the fall, while Antelope Creek has some of the state’s best fly-fishing.

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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Asked: Top 10 Mistakes Guys Make At The Laundromat

The Laundromat can be a stressful place for a guy. So we asked Todd Fener, VP of the Florida Coin Laundry Association for the definitive Man Guide to Laundry. Avoid these top 10 Laundromat mistakes and you’ll be handling your business like a boss.

Doing your own laundry: For 10 bucks a week, the attendant will do it for you and you won’t have to wait.

Talking to a girl while she’s folding her underwear isn’t cool, it’s just plain creepy.

Bleaching everything may be great for your kitchen, but NOT your clothes.

Even if you’re from Boston – Don’t mix your Red Sox with your White Socks.

Using 4 pounds of Tide is NOT better than the recommended 2 cups.

Thankfully, Segregation is over – Still don’t mix whiltes with colors.

Don’t bring change to the Laundromat. If they don’t offer any, you don’t want to be there, and your life is definitely in jeopardy (and we don’t mean the game show).

Don’t put 7 months of clothes in a machine that’s meant to hold 7 days worth.

God and women don’t like men in holy underwear.

Treat your laundry like the Marines; nobody get’s left behind.

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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The Punisher & Tomb Raider Debut Action Packed Trailers

The Punisher is the MCU’s most awaited series since the original Daredevil, and Frank Castle doesn’t disappoint in the debut trailer. Joe Bernthal reprises his role as The Punisher, a sadistic anti-hero who aims to wipe out all crime in New York City. Bernthal’s Punisher can be seen guns blazing to the tune of Metallica’s One, which scores the brief clip perfectly. The trailer is a bit light on details while loading up more ammo clips than plot, but as of now it looks way better than previous Punisher movies that failed to capture the grit of the character. No known release date has been stated as of yet, but the fans are already demanding more.

Watch the trailer below and let us know what you think.

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On the other side of the spectrum, Alicia Vikander takes over the role of Lara Croft as the Tomb Raider franchise reboots. This film is more closely tied to the prequel video game released in 2013 and features a much younger Lara Croft experiencing adventure for the first time. The film is the first mainstream film by Roar Uthang, a Norwegian director who aims to spark new life into the franchise. Tomb Raider will debut on March 16, 2018,

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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Man To Man With Andre Phillipe’s Chief Creative Officer Jason Smith

We recently featured my conversation with Andre Phillipe, the young entrepreneur behind the Dallas-based menswear line by the same name. I enjoyed not only his take on menswear and where it’s heading, but I also dug their approach to men’s fashion. Wanting to learn more about the inspiration behind this “badass-dandy” look, I reached out to Jason Smith, the creative force behind it all. As it turned out, we had more in common than I imagined. Jason and I grew up just miles away from one another in Northern New Jersey. As you can imagine, the conversation flowed smoothly, aided in part by our love of fine menswear, cigars and good Whiskey. What follows is a slightly edited version of our “Man to Man”.

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Do you find people take your clients more seriously when they’re wearing a custom suit?

When I’m out and about with clients, maybe that have gotten garments and I take them to lunch or we grab dinner or I’m out with my CEO Andre or any of the guys on the team, whether we are in joggers and a blazer or we are three pieced out, heads consistently turn. Guys and girls consistently their heads turn. It’s not because we’re loudly walking around trying to get attention but people notice when you dress well. You do walk with a sense of confidence because it’s you and it’s authentic. People notice that.

You’ve lived in the inner city in Northern New Jersey and Texas as well. Tell me how that experience is reflected in your work.

You got to think that we deal with guys in the board room that are very executive. They want to be buttoned up and tightened and that’s fantastic but we want to show clients how menswear can transform into many many facets. Like I can wear a sports coat with joggers and chucks but I can also wear it with some oxfords and a nice button down and a tie. So we want to show clients how it can be very versatile. I think I bring that to the table coming from a very urban environment but also high end board rooms as well. I’ve done the whole gamut and I’ve traveled many places and seen the highest of the high and the lowest of the low. You want to fit in everywhere and just be authentic and be yourself. So whatever that reflects. For me it’s very diverse. I think I bring that to the table and show our clients that I can do the same for them and their wardrobe.

What are some of the trends in menswear that you’re excited about?

I’m just excited that menswear is getting hot again. That the guys are excited about being gentlemen; excited about dressing well. I have a client that goes to the office two days a week and everyone in there is in shorts. He is in a suit. He just wants to do that. No one seems to notice but they all notice. Especially the CEO, who doesn’t wear a suit all the time. But when he needs to go somewhere who is the first person he calls? If he needs a business guy to go with him he asks my client to go. It’s little things like that. I’m more excited that guys care about looking good. The thing I hate the most is when I see a couple out. Beautiful couple the wife/girlfriend is looking phenomenal and the dude is in shorts and a t-shirt. It’s like what are you doing? So I think ladies appreciate that and guys appreciate when they put it on even if they say they don’t. A well tailored suit to a woman is like lingerie to a man. You know it makes a difference. It makes a difference. It absolutely does. So I’m excited that guys are starting to care.

Do you find guys’ attitudes change once they put on a custom suit?

It’s not just putting on a suit. It’s putting on the right suit. It’s not just putting on a shirt. It’s putting on the right shirt. Those types of things. Their shoulders go back; their head goes up. It is kind of an attitude. It’s an I’m here, I feel good and I’m confident in my skin. But it’s an investment, you have to invest in yourself, like how you invest in yourself in the way you eat and in a fitness membership and all that. You invest in your wardrobe. These are pieces that will last a lifetime. They are not fly by the seat trendy pieces that are hot now and then next year you won’t wear them. These are stable pieces that you’ll be able to do a number of things with and we’ll show you how to do that. The average guy can do that and needs to do that. Right? You want to dress for the man that you want to be and the man you are becoming and the job you want. Whether you have it or are aspiring to be there. We think that we provide a garment that definitely helps them get there.

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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Everything you Need to Know Before Buying Your First Good Camera

Every man should own a good quality camera. You’ll be able to capture memories that you can hold onto forever and to express yourself creatively.

But with hundreds of different cameras on the market and even more confusing and inaccurate reviews online, deciding on your first camera can be a tough call.

Here are some basic guidelines to finding the right one for you.

DSLR vs. mirrorless

Over the last two decades, DLSR cameras have become the standard for all industry professionals thanks to their excellent optical performance and reliability..

These days, a high quality DSLR can be had for less than you might think. In the Canon line up, the T3i or the SL1, if you’re looking for something more compact, are both great starters. They cost about $450 (body only). The D5200 is Nikon’s equivalent at just under $500.

Mirrorless cameras don’t use single-lens reflex or “mirror” technology of DLSRs. The benefit is that they are much more compact while retaining professional-grade image quality. A lot of these cameras are styled based on vintage SLR and rangefinder cameras, allowing them to double as stylish fashion accessories. Unsurprisingly, mirrorless cameras are a growing trend among more casual users and street photographers.

It’s worth noting that in the current camera market, you’ll have to pay a couple hundred dollars more for an entry-level mirrorless than for a DSLR. The Fuji X100S is a great place to start for about $800.

Ultimately, you’ll have to decide which camera system you want based on your needs. If casual street photography is your thing, then a mirrorless might be perfect. If you’re planning an expedition to Kilimanjaro, on the other hand, stick with the more rugged DSLR.

Don’t fall victim to brand mentality

The photography world has its own, unfortunate Pepsi vs. Coke-style rivalry between Canon and Nikon. Online forums are littered with brand-crazed fanboys blabbing senselessly about how much better Canon is than Nikon or vice versa—all of which you should ignore.

The truth is that neither brand is better or worse, but they are quite different to use. Go try a few cameras in store and decide which makes more sense to you. This is an important step because once you choose a system and start investing in accessories for it, you probably won’t switch.

You don’t always get what you pay for

Technology has made possible for camera manufacturers to put high-quality image sensors even in their cheapest cameras. What that means is the difference in image quality between a $500 camera and a $1500 one is negligible. When you pay more for a camera, you’re just buying more functions, which, as a beginner, you probably won’t use.

If you’re going to spend extra money, you should do so on better lenses. That will make a noticeable difference in the quality of your photographs.

Go with a prime lens

Most DSLRs come with the option of buying a bundle that includes one or more lenses. While this seems convenient, you’ll want to avoid this option, as these “kit” lenses are usually the lowest quality available from the manufacturer. Instead, buy the camera body and lens separately. (You’ll end up paying about the same as if you had gotten the kit anyway).

If this is your first lens, go with a prime lens. Prime lenses usually have better optics than zoom lenses and have wide apertures that will let shoot in low light situations and get some really nice blurred backgrounds on your photos. Not being able to zoom will also teach a lot more about framing a photo by forcing you to move around and explore different angles.

Some good options for first time buyers are Canon’s 40mm f/2.8 and Nikon’s 35mm f/1.8, both of which will cost you between $150 and $200

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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Top 10 Movies to Watch With Your Bros

Some nights, there’s nothing better than kicking back with your boys and catching a movie. Your choice in film, however, can actually make or break your evening. To help you avoid watching Happy Gilmore for the fifteenth time, here are the top 10 movies every guy should watch with his crew.

Fight Club

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A clear choice for the top 10 movies. Some people say you should be your own best friend…those people have never had a friend like Tyler Durden. Based on the novel by Chuck Palahniuk, Fight Club follows a bored corporate drone as he falls in with a charismatic ne’er-do-well as they bond over the fact they’ve never been in a fight. To rectify the situation, they gather together a group of similarly disaffected men to beat the living tar out of each other. Nihilistic, hilarious, and brutal, it’s a bro-bonding movie infused with all the Gen X angst you can handle. Just don’t forget Rule #1.

Director: David Fincher

Starring: Ed Norton, Brad Pitt, Helena Bonham Carter

Snatch

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Guy Ritchie: Britain’s answer to Quentin Tarantino. Both favor colorful crooks, whiplash dialogue, and a bit of the old ultraviolence, but Ritchie adds British accents to the equation. Snatch is probably his most ambitious film to date, featuring an ensemble cast from both sides of the Atlantic as gangsters of varying stripes vie for a lost diamond. Keep an eye out for a pre-Transporter Jason Statham as a low-end boxing promoter and Brad Pitt as a Gypsy prize-fighter with an impenetrable accent.

Director: Guy Ritchie

Starring: Benecio Del Toro, Dennis Farina

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themanguidemg · 7 years

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Should I Take a Gap Year or Go Directly to Grad School/Work?

The biggest question on any college student’s mind is, “What am I going to do after graduation?”

After four solid years of partying, studying, and finding themselves, every student is faced with the tough task of deciding what happens next in their life. College life was fun, but you can’t be a student. forever. Graduation eventually comes around and what happens next is entirely up to you.

Graduation means you’re officially an adult. You are staring down the barrel of a 9-5 job with all the office politics and responsibillities that come with it. You kiss those 3 month summer vacations you’ve enjoyed your whole life goodbye, but gain the chance to truly make an impact on the world.

So, the question becomes, is there a rush to move on? Do university students have to hop straight into the workforce, getting that head start on their career, or should they take some time to have a break, travel the world, and truly find themselves?

Should I apply for that job?….. Should I apply for law school? …..Should I go travel? ….Should I go home and work at my old job?….

Starting your career or returning to school right away sounds like the responsible choices, but can be harmful as they may cause you to burn out. (Your brain may be a wee bit tired after just finishing four years of university). However, traveling on the other hand, while sounding fun (which it is) may not be the best choice either since the competition for a good career has never been tougher.

Taking the gap year

The pros for taking a gap year depend on what you plan on actually doing. A gap year is the year after university (or usually after high school), where you essentially take a a year off from school and work to do whatever you want. Travel the world, volunteer overseas, write a book, the world is your oyster (till money runs out at least); there are even websites to help you decide.

However, just make sure what you do is meaningful.

I don’t mean everyone has to do something huge like write a book or attempt to cure cancer, but wasting your year would just be, well, a waste. Your gap year is your best chance to do whatever you want, whenever you want, and however you want. Never again will you have so much freedom. Think about it, most students graduating from college have no kids, no mortgage payments, no job, no homework, and therefore no commitments. Take this chance and do something special.

So, what can you do?

Traveling is of course a must. Go surfing in Australia, backpack through Europe, or live in the city lights of Shanghai. You don’t have to see every country in the world, but by immersing yourself in other cultures, you will learn new things about the world as well as yourself.

Volunteering is also a great thing to do. Many people take off overseas to help others in developing countries. The experience can be rewarding for both themselves and those they help along the way. However, just make sure if you volunteer overseas that you are sure you are actually helping. “Voluntarism,” as it is now being called, can sometimes be worse than doing nothing as some companies make profits off the good hearts of westerners by exploiting the local poverty.

If money is short, creating a side project is a great way to spend your year off. Learn how to play a musical instrument, create a website, write a book, take some art classes, or learn how to fix your car. People always have some sort of skill they want to develop but just never find the time to do so. Learning a sweet new skill will do you wonders in life and may lead you to another path you may have never thought existed.

Reasons a gap year could be positive

Time to reflect on your life. Re-examine your values, interests and future goals

Learn new languages and cultures from traveling

Meet new friends and make connections you normally would have never made

Chance to branch out from your degree and test out other professions

Good for your resume. Employers like to see an applicant that has experienced other cultures and is different from the rest of the herd

Discover things that cannot be taught in a classroom

See things you may never, ever get the chance to see again

Time to calm your brain

However, as cool as everything sounds, sometimes the gap year isn’t the best idea for some.

The Money

Money can be a major issue, especially after paying tuition for the past four years, so taking off for a year with minimal or no wages may not be the best idea. Traveling or not working for a year will obviously put you further into debt, giving you an even bigger headache when you return from your gap year. It may be best for some to start looking for work or ways to pay off their debts first before they decide to travel the world.

However, I’m not saying that people with debt shouldn’t take their year off. All I’m saying is it is important to have an idea on how you will be repaying this debt when you return from your year off. If you are leaving university without the proper skills needed for your desired job or you have no clue on how you will pay pack these debts when you return, maybe some time should be spent sorting out these factors beforehand. Taking the gap year should be a way to cool your mind and find yourself, not escape your debts.

Hitting the workforce

Some people are excited to start their careers and that is awesome.

As aforementioned, the competition for jobs has never been greater so starting work right away has many advantages. You begin to start earning a solid salary and paying off your debts while many of your friends are still sinking lower and lower into their credit while they take that year off. Having no debts means you start spending your money in other ways, whether it is through investing, buying a house, or in other fun ways.

Diving straight into your career is also good as you never skip a beat from university to your professional career. We all forget stuff over the summer so just imagine what you might forget over an entire year off from school or work. This way you get the ball rolling right away and you can start working on some sweet projects while also getting paid for them. Win win.

However, as mentioned before, going straight into work may cause you to burn out as your brain may be saying “no way” after four long years of university. Therefore, it is best to truly ask yourself if you are ready. Starting your career is not like starting another year of school. Your career is a much longer and much bigger commitment. Being ready will not only lead to you being happier and healthier, but also you being the best employee you can be.

Staying in Academia

If more schooling is needed for your dream job, then you may be stuck in the middle of all of these options, asking yourself whether you should go straight into your post-undergraduate studies or if you should take that break to travel or start working. School is always a great idea, but a graduate degree is something you should not just hop into.

Graduate degrees are expensive…like major debt expensive. Getting that MBA or law degree is going to cost an arm and leg so it’s very important to decide whether this is exactly what you want. If you are going to put yourself down $10,000 to $100,000 dollars in debt, you want to be sure you are going to enjoy doing that job for a while. Do not just enter graduate school because you’re confused with what you want to do or you can’t find a job right away. Doing that may just lead you to being more confused and more stressed.

Waiting a bit before entering graduate school will also make graduate school more useful when you eventually attend. Robert Farrington, a contributor to Forbes Magazine, spoke about this issue, stating that he regretted going to grad school at such a young age since he couldn’t contribute as much as others.

For Farrington, he says graduate school should be about combining your work experience with your degree, not just getting another degree. Too often are people just getting degrees and not getting the proper experience and therefore falling into a trap at their jobs. Just because you have an MBA or another graduate degree, does not mean you will get an entry level position. You need experience as well. As Farrington states, “Going to grad school right after college is not a substitute for real world work.”

Yet in the end, whether you choose to travel, volunteer, work, study, or just hang out on your couch, the decision is entirely up to you. Nobody knows you better than yourself. Asking yourself questions like, “Is this worth it?” and “What do I really want?” is important when it comes down to making the big decision. Plus, traveling, work, and grad schools are not going anywhere soon, so the decision does not have be final. Your commitments will slowly build as you get older, so if you can, the faster you decide the better. But you also have all the time in the world when you’re in your 20s. Relax. Don’t waste time! But don’t stress.

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