Musts For Men

Hey guys: By the time you’re considered an “adult,” you’re expected to know stuff. All kinds of stuff. We know adulting is hard, and we’re here to help. We’ve rounded up useful information to empower you in a variety of situations that will eventually come up, like it or not!

8 Things Every Man Should Know How To Do

1. Cook One Signature Dish

Whether you want to impress a date, give your spouse the night off or spoil your mom, everyone should know how to cook one good meal. Your go-to signature dish doesn’t have to be complicated but should go beyond the frozen pizza and ramen noodles you subsisted on in college. Knowing your way around the kitchen can be intimidating, but there are many one-pot recipes that make a tasty meal. Or just make it easy on yourself and learn to grill a perfect steak!

2. Craft A Cocktail

Whether you’re mixing a drink for a business associate or a date, every guy should know how to make one bona fide cocktail beyond pouring a beer or glass of wine. It doesn’t have to be a fussy umbrella drink, but even a classic two-ingredient martini or three-ingredient margarita is a hit at any social gathering.

3. Give A Handshake

Like it or not, men are judged on their handshake. And, as they say, you never get a second chance to make a first impression. Practice your technique and you’ll never feel intimidated when someone extends their hand to you. The basics: Make eye contact. › Smile. › Grip their hand firmly (not limp, not crushing). › Shake up and down once or twice. › Greet verbally, i.e., “Nice to meet you.” See, that wasn’t so hard!

4. Sew A Button

We’ve all been there: you’re getting ready for a big presentation… or a job interview… as you’re buttoning your shirt, the button pops off. And of course that’s your only clean shirt. Or the only one you packed in your carry on. Maybe you took home economics in school or were in the military and were taught how to sew a button. If not, take a minute to watch a YouTube video or ask your grandma to show you this invaluable skill. All you’ll need is a hotel or convenience store sewing kit and five minutes or less and you’ll be good to go.

5. Jumpstart A Vehicle

Do you know how to use that set of jumper cables you keep in your trunk? It’s a good idea to familiarize yourself with the process before you find yourself with a dead battery.

Connect the red cables to the positive (+) terminals of the batteries in both vehicles. › Clip the black cable to the “live” battery’s negative (-) terminal. › Don’t touch the other end to the dead battery’s negative terminal. › Instead, clip it to anything metal that’s connected to the engine. › Start the live car; let it idle for 10 minutes, and then crank the dead car. › Remove cables in reverse order. Don’t touch them to each other or either car.

6. Handle A Blowout

A blowout, especially at 70mph on a crowded freeway, is nerve-racking. Instinct will tell you to hit the brakes. Don’t. Braking abruptly or a quick change in direction can destroy the tire further and cause total loss of control. Instead, maintain speed and steer gently in the direction of the skid. Once you have control of the vehicle, slow down gradually and pull onto the shoulder.

7. Carve A Turkey

Chances are sooner or later you’ll find yourself at the head of the Thanksgiving table. Do you know how to carve the bird? If you have a game plan, it’s not so hard. Place the bird on a cutting board, cavity side up and facing you. › Using a sharp chef’s knife (8 to 12 inches long), make a cut at each thigh and remove them. › Split the thigh and leg at the joint, separate them and put on platter. › With the tip of the knife, start at the top and slowly work down, following the bones on the left wing side. › Keep the knife on the bone and the breast will easily come off. › Repeat on the right side. › Slice breast meat, and arrange on platter. 

8. Change A Diaper

Just because you didn’t birth the baby doesn’t mean you won’t be expected to help with diaper duty. Have all supplies ready before you begin, including the diaper and wipes. Lay baby down on a flat surface with his or her legs facing you. Peel tabs back on old diaper and remove it while slightly lifting baby’s legs. Use wipes to gently clean baby’s genital area. Fold open new diaper, lift baby’s legs slightly and slide diaper underneath baby’s bottom with the Velcro tabs in the back. Lower baby’s legs and fold the top part of the diaper up toward baby’s bellybutton. Pull Velcro tabs around toward the front of baby’s belly and secure on front part of diaper. Put baby’s clothing back on. Throw away old diaper and used wipes. Make sure to wash your hands!

How To Tie A Tie

In Central Florida, business attire tends to be less formal than in some other places, but even if your everyday attire consists of shorts and T-shirts, at some point you’ll need to wear a tie to a formal event, and it will be easier if you’ve practiced in advance.

If you’re a visual learner, it’s easy to find an endless list of YouTube how-to videos. Here’s the Windsor knot in a nutshell: Drape the tie around your neck, making sure the wide end hangs about a foot below the narrow end. › Cross the wide end over the narrow end. › Bring the wide end through the loop between the collar and tie. › Bring the wide end back down. › Pull the wide end underneath the narrow end and to the right, back through the loop and to the right again so the wide end is inside out. › Bring the wide end across the front from right to left. › Pull the wide end up through the loop. › Bring the wide end down through the knot in front. › Tighten the knot using both hand and pull it up toward the collar.


Sources: www.artofmanliness.com, www.askmen.com, wwww.caring.com, www.esquire.com, www.fredericpatenaude.com, www.healthline.com, www.mandatory.com, www.muscleandfitness.com, www.popularmechanics.com, www.tie-a-tie.net, www.menshealth.com

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