Boxers or Briefs?

The infamous question asked of Michael Jordan in the Hanes commercial now 10 years ago. Since that time, Michael has been a phenomenon in the underwear world. There are even ads of other famous personalities (namely Cuba Gooding, Jr., Kevin Bacon, Matthew Perry, and Charlie Sheen) playing on the coolness that obviously Hanes has made Michael. I personally like Michael Jordan. I remember watching him face off with Dominique Wilkins in 1988 in the NBA Slam Dunk Contest. It was where ‘air’ was born. Anyway, I digress.

So, does a woman really care if her man, the man she likes, or any man she sees for that matter wears boxers, briefs, or (Allah forbid) bikinis? In the original commercial, you can’t see the men that the ladies are grading, but you can imagine. So what does the type of underwear that a man dons tell you about him? Let’s look at the basic types and maybe we can tell.

First, the brief. These are the traditional underwear of men. These have a Y-shaped fly for obvious reasons, and no not that. The waist and legs have elastic bands to ensure a snug fit. The traditional color is white, hence the term ‘tightie-whities’, but these tend to come in most colors under the rainbow and various printed designs (my little boy wears ‘Cars’ themed undies).

Next, boxer shorts, or boxers. These have an elastic waist but the legs are loose fitting similar to shorts. There usually is a fly with or without buttons, again for obvious reasons. This type of underwear is looser fitting and does not offer the ‘support’ that a brief does. Boxers are available in colors, patterns, pictures, logos, and slogans. Boxers are also made of various materials such as spun cotton, flannel, knit cotton, and silk.

I want to mention a hybrid-type of underwear that has become more mainstream in recent years, the boxer brief. Boxer briefs try to take the best of traditional briefs and boxer shorts and make them into one piece. They are form fitting similar to briefs (and may or may not have a fly, but why they wouldn’t I am not sure…go figure) but the legs are generally longer like those of boxers; think cycling shorts but with shorter legs, and probably no hot pink, yellow, or green stripes.

Lastly are the bikinis. These usually have small pieces of material in the front and possible in the bank connected by an elastic band. There may or may not be any material that covers any of the sides of the leg. No fly. Again colors are various as well as prints (animal is very popular especially zebra). Materials tend to be cotton or synthetic but also silk.

Who chooses what and why is for anyone to guess. This would be a good poll. For me, I prefer boxers as they are the most comfortable. But I am also a fan of the boxer brief which also is comfortable and a little more vogue today. And the bikinis…not for this post. lol

You Are Where You Have Been

I just finished reading Fugitive Pieces, by Anne Michaels.[1] This is a recommended read. This book explores the history of a boy whose outlook on life is redirected by events related to the Second World War. Two things that I especially liked about this book: first, this author is a poet taking her first voyage into the world of noveldom; second, the characters are real. Now, it should be made obvious that the book is based on actual proceedings. Consequently, some of the nitty-gritty of certain events is included.

But one thing about this book is that I actually ‘felt’ for the lead character. Although it may be a stretch to correlate, my life was greatly shaped by events in my childhood. Granted we are all products of our upbringing and all that comes with that. But when some to most of your early memories are painful or melancholy ... it is different. Not to disappoint, the character does go on to lead a good life. But the story doesn’t end there, so don’t let this review stop you from picking up a copy.

For everyone that has moments/memories in their past that they would like to change (myself included) but can’t, this book is a refreshing “kick-in-the-face”. Your life is only what you make of it. It has been said that your life plays out and that you can only make the day-to-day decisions that define the path. This book makes me think that this view is flawed. It negates to account for the major decisions that we make. We consciously make the decisions that direct our futures. It is the day-to-day events that are difficult to control. So, do not attempt to forget or cover-up what has happened in your past for it has made you who you are today. But make your decisions today based on where/what you want to be tomorrow. I will.

"Life’s simple: kill or be killed!"

I like movies, but who doesn’t. I am always a sucker for a good comedy or action film. I’ve even been known to enjoy a few chick flicks with my awesome wife. We’ve seen several of the new movies that came out over the summer. Some of which I won’t mention for the benefit of my juvenile and senior readers. But one that I do wish to mention is Babylon A.D. I don’t consider myself a huge Vin Diesel fan, but I have enjoyed his movies.

How can you go wrong with a movie about fast cars and illegal activities? You can’t. In another life I may have been a sci-fi fanatic, but I keep it to a closet secret in this one. Anyhow, the Riddick films (Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick) were great and I look forward to the next installment that is in the pre-production stages. But I held back from buying the action figures. ‘Cause then I would have to share them with my kids. Anyway, Vin Diesel is one of those burly tough guys that you like to see move and kick ass; like Schwarzenegger in his early days. Okay, so you get that I like Vin and a good selection of his movies. But this one was different.

The movie was underwhelming, to put it best. The action sequences weren’t what they could be and the plot was muddled with holes. The movie is based on a French novel Babylon Babies by Maurice Georges Dantec. The story line is heavy in doomsday politics. Here’s the quick breakdown. The world has come to near anarchy in the not so distant future. Guns and force rule. Naturally, Vin Diesel plays Hugo Cornelius Toorop (Toorop), a mercenary. In an attempt to take control of society, the leaders of a religious cult have created a genetically altered girl that is near perfect and has powers/abilities that are on the level of artificial intelligence. Problem: The girl has been raised in a remote convent in Asia to avoid her discover until the time was right. Solution: Hire a kick-ass mercenary who can transport her safely across international lines to New York City. Oh and did I mention that Toorop is considered a terrorist by the U.S. government and thusly not allowed to cross the border? So now you have what the premise is and you can guess the rest. Anyway, it wasn’t worth seeing in the theater but maybe at Redbox if you are a Vin fan.

But aside from the shortcomings of the film, it had a good soundtrack. Nearly all the music was performed by a band by the name of Achozen. If you have my page on mute, take it off and have a listen. This song, Dueces, is the opening song in the film.

Mayday, Mayday!

It is one of those days. You probably know what I mean. It’s just not that easy to wake up, let alone get out of bed and start your standard routine. To complete the day, it would need to be dark, gray, and rainy; me curled up in bed with a good book and the person I care the most about. Unfortunately, nothing is perfect and there is no fairy godmother. So, we move on and get it done. But what is the downward spiral that we feel? Why does the psyche get into this zone and what is meant when we say that we are ‘down’?

Let’s look at the different forms that ‘down’ can take. As a noun, down means a downward movement, descent, or a turn for the worse. It can also mean a slice of toast at a diner or casual restaurant, or the soft, first plumage of many young birds. And my favorite is a mutation of down: downer. Anyone or anything can be a downer if it invokes the actions or feelings mentioned above; well maybe not the toast or bird references. Note: you don’t want to be this.

As an action in a verb or adverb, down takes on a fuller image. It can signify movement from higher to lower and on or to the ground, floor, or bottom. It is this movement that I sense. Not a hitting of the bottom as being all the way down, but more of a directional shift toward the bottom. The bottom of what is another question for another post another day. It can also mean to be in or moving toward a calmer, less active, or less prominent state; to the point of defeat, submission, and inactivity; in or moving into a fixed or supine position; to fall; to put or knock down; to subdue; to cause to fall from a height, especially from shooting. These are all somewhat negative connotations to the simple word down. But he’s not all that bad. He can also mean in a book or on paper; in an attitude of earnest application, to drink quickly or in one gulp, in cash at the time of purchase, or toward the lee side as to turn a ship windward.

But perhaps as a modifier or adjective is where down does most of its work. It means downward, ailing, downcast, depressed, dejected; behind an opponent in points or games, losing, finished, done, considered, or taken care of; out of order.

Lastly, what would English be without its idioms? Down and out, down cold or pat, down in the mouth, down on, and down with. So just like all the other four letter words that are considered taboo, treat this one with care and use it when you really mean it.

Down but not out.

A Little Poetry or Prose

High up in the air, like a strung out kid, I am weightless. The horizon is a new challenge, but I'll never win. Always just out of reach and I keep playin’. Up above my problems. Up above my fears. Up above the world. I am a bird with no eyes. I can go anywhere, but I can’t see the way. The sun warms my back while the Earth cools my belly. I have a hunger that knows no satisfaction. My house if filled with priceless art that I don not own and cannot touch. Admission is granted with a smile and happy thoughts. Coming down. Coming down. The ground hits me like solid liquid. I am in the midst of it all. Working in it. Living with it. Eating it. You'll Bee one and overcome.

Comeback Kids

Why do we allow comebacks in music and film? It has always baffled me. They had their chance and for one reason or another it passed. Even though actors and musicians may continue to release music and movies past their prime and even remain popular, the quality is just not there. They stick to what they know; what’s safe. However, this doesn’t win over new fans or critics. It takes a ‘shake-up’ or dramatic revelation in the media to bring the focus back.

Now, I’m not down on any particular artist or music style but there are two in particular that come to mind that fit this mold. I will talk about one of them here; Mary J. Blige. I will be the first to admit that I liked her back in the day. I even owned her first album What’s the 411? But during the mid- to late-90s alternative rock was all the rage and that was what the cool kids were listening to. However, it should be noted that during this time period Ms. Blige continued to be successful releasing several hits and winning a Grammy for her collaboration with Method Man on her second album My Life. But then in December 2005, she released her seventh album The Breakthrough and what a breakthrough it was. Ms. Blige collaborated (another post to come about collaborations) with nine different artists/groups/duos on this album. So, instantly there is buzz because people like J.U.S.T.I.C.E. League, will.i.am, and 9th Wonder were involved. Another boost was coming though. In February 2006, Mary J. Blige appeared on the Oprah Winfrey Show. She talked all about having a hard life and how she had been molested at the young age of 5. Oprah took to her like flies on sh… well you know what I mean. And she continues to be enchanted by Ms. Blige. This was recently reaffirmed by Oprah including Growing Pains (the most recently released album) as the CD in her influential ‘favorite things’ list for summer 2008.

Not only did Oprah like her but so did the critics and fans. The Breakthrough was flying off the shelf! And it didn’t stop! She went on to win nine Billboard Music Awards, two American Music Awards, two BET Awards, two NAACP Image Awards, and a Soul Train Award. This is not to mention the eight Grammy Award nominations that she received, although she only won three. Now is it just me or does that seem excessive? This is someone who has been popular with fans for a long time but not critically acclaimed for ten years since her last Grammy Award. Everyone wanted a piece of the media frenzy that followed Ms. Blige that year, and they did. Mary J. Blige’s ‘comeback’ is not uncommon in the entertainment industry, but for some reason sticks in my mind. One last note further illustrating the pattern of her media rush was the release of her eighth album, a greatest hits compilation.

I think that it’s great when an artist releases a film or album that demonstrates good work. But for the media and award groups to pounce upon it is asinine. It’s no wonder that it is so hard for an up and coming star to ‘make it’ in the entertainment industry; as those who have to influence to realize those dreams act like ADHD kids without their meds jumping from one shiny object to the next in unison and without much thought.

It's A Beautiful Day

My family and I just returned from a trip to San Diego, California. Let me just say that there is a God and that even though Phoenix may have been overlooked in the creation phase (as I don’t understand why anyone would want to live in the furnace like hell that it is) there are some places that are near perfection. This was my first visit to Southern California. The weather was gorgeous; hovering between 70 and 80 degrees. The humidity makes your skin feel soft and supple; in contrast to the dry and scaly feeling that normally accompanies life in the desert. The people that we came in contact with were nice and courteous, and believe it or not the traffic was not that bad; even I was shocked at that.

We hit Legoland. This is a must see if you have young kids and even if you don’t. It was really fun, even for me. The restaurants were great and the scenery unparalleled. There is something about sitting on the beach, feeling the warm sun on your skin, hearing the waves gently crash upon the sand, and seeing surfers coast on the tops of the rolling water that is so peaceful. I think that I could be happy as a beach bum. But then again who couldn’t? I didn’t get a chance to try surfing or body boarding, but they are on the list for a future visit. We had a great time full of little adventures and can’t wait to go again. My wife even claims that I was ‘looked over’ as we passed a gay bar on our way back from dinner one evening. I have been hitting the gym a little more lately, but didn’t think that I was totally metro. Oh well, what you gonna’ do?

My only regret is that we didn’t get to visit Tijuana. But then again, from what I hear it’s not that cool. My wife and I will have to visit one of the more touristy places in Mexico at a later date with no kids. Any recommendations for where is best are welcome. Hang loose!