What Is Going On?

I was surfing the web today and was checking out trends/styles and some designer clothes. I got to say I was shocked when I came across a pair of jeans by Current/Elliot. They are called "The Crop Skinny". I took a look at them and couldn't help wondering what commanded the $499 price tag. As I looked over the first picture I just couldn't understand why a pair of distressed pants, capri's at that, would be so expensive.

I checked out the additional pictures and almost died laughing since I realizied what all the hype was about. The waist and pockets have silver studs on them to give them their "designer" look. What is so comical about it is that if you were around in the 80's you'll remember the fingerless studded gloves that were worn by about every rock star at one time or another.

Now here's what I find so truly interesting is that when all the studded items were so popular you could but a package of 100 studs for 2 bucks or somewhere close to that. That way you could make your own unique items out of any item that you wanted. So I ran the math on it. The cost of making a pair of jeans is about $12 to $15 with another $4 to $5 to distress them. I was able to find 100 studs for $3.40 so this would cost about $10.20 in studs. Assuming you aren't using child labor it will cost another $5 to $10 to attach the studs to the pants. This brings the total production cost of the pants to about $40. This is a very generous estimate for them I would expect it to be maybe half of that.

So if your in $40 to make a pair of pants even with mark ups the retail price should be well under $150 but in this case it's almost $500! Why? Is a name really that important? Let me know what you think.

Why Men Love Shopping

So the whole story that men hate shopping is somewhat of a myth. We don't hate shopping we just hate most shopping.

I pulled out my to do list and fixing the drip on my faucet was at the top of the list. The constant sound of drip drip drip had finally become annoying enough that it was time to do something about it. A quick inspection told me that I could replace the washers but the faucet was old, ugly and the mineral build up from Arizona's hard water meant that a new one was a better choice.

I told my wife that we were all going to make a trip to home depot. She protested so I told her that I would try to pick out a nice faucet for the kitchen sink. Apparently she didn't trust my judgment since it only took her a few moments to get ready.

We entered Home Depot through the contractors doors. For those of you who don't know they are on the far end by lumber and concrete. As we entered the smell of cedar wafted past. I inhaled deeply enjoying the aroma. "Where's plumbing?", my wife asked. "Over there", I replied pointing generally in it's direction. The smell off the cedar and the row of wood got the better of me so I headed straight down the lumber isle. My imagination was in overdrive as looked at each piece of wood. 2x4, 2x6, 4x4, 4x6 they even had some custom cut 10x12's that were a special order the customer had refused. In my mind I was builging a play set for the kids, added the walk-in closet and even built a second story on the house.

The next isle was fencing and it made me realize that I wanted a decorative picket style fence on the front of my house. I checked out all the options and decided that the black iron fence would look the best and hold up in our climate. I pulled out my note pad and wrote down prices so I could go home and measure and figure out how much it was going to cost. Once I was done off we went to the next isle.

Every isle had another project that I wanted to try. Rewire the house, put in new windows, hardwood floors and the list went on. We got into the first plumbing isle that had all the pipes and fittings. Heavy duty PVC pipe, adapter, valve it was all here. Everything I needed to make a massive potato gun or boom cannon. Just as I was figuring out the best way to build it I heard a loud sigh behind me. "What's the matter honey?", I asked. "Nothing", she replied. I knew in a second that she wasn't having a good time.

Trying to be sensitive to her needs we moved over to the plumbing fixtures. It took a little while but we found one that we could agree that we both liked even though it was neither of our favorites. No sooner than it hit the cart then she looked at me and asked "You ready?". My mind raced we were only on aisle 6 of 24 plus the whole gardening section outside. My heart sunk as I tried to think of something that she would agree that we needed but nothing came to mind. I was like a deer in the headlights. I couldn't move but unable the find a reason to stay.

As we walked to the checkout I looked down every aisle looking for something we "had" to have but nothing would create the convincing argument that I needed. At the last second I realized I needed a Hail Mary. Something huge, something there would be no rebuttal for. "Let's get new door handles", I blurted out. Most of the handles were as old as the house and needed to be replaced. I thought I had came up with the perfect excuse. Something my wife had wanted done anyhow. Then I remembered that the dishwasher was on it's last legs so we could go to appliances after handles. Storage would be next since she always mentioned getting more shelves in the laundry room.

I was on a roll. I may not get the whole store but I would get most of it. I was planning the best way to move from department to department so I could make random stops along the way. If we went to lighting after paint then I could check out the power tools.

I was already heading towards the hardware aisle when I heard the checkout girl ask "May I help you?". I turned around just in time to see my wife hand her the faucet.

Why Men Hate Shopping

It's no secret that most men don't like to go shopping. For us the mall is a place of tedium. When I have been dragged into yet another store standing there in the clothing section I often wonder why this shirt won't work or what's wrong with this skirt.

Clothes shopping should be fast and easy. Walk in, see it, buy it and done.

My wife sees it another way. Look at every possible item available and make notes of where every possible keeper is. Then go back and compare all the keepers. Try them on. See how it looks on. Eliminate some items. Try them on again. Compare them together. Look a little more as she contemplates possibilities. If possible include new clothes as possibilities. Try those on. Make a decision. Buy them.

I try to be a good husband and understand that this IS important to her but by then end of the experience I am as inclined to jump from the top of the mall as walk out the front door. Every attempt I have made to facilitate (and speed up) the process has proven fruitless. For instance I thought I had a pretty good idea on the types of clothes that she likes to wear so I decided to find the possibilities on a large rack for her. After a few moments of searching I triumphantly held up a blouse that looked like they made it to suit her style and taste. "What do you think of this honey?", I proudly remarked showing her the treasure that I had pulled from the rack. "Oh, It's nice", she replied flatly and obviously unimpressed. I made the the mistake of deciding to push the issue. "What's wrong with it?", I asked knowing that I was crossing a line. I don't really remember the answer but something about a button and colors and I realized that I had committed a major mistake by messing with the special karma of the mall.

From that point on I did what I usually do when clothes shopping. I followed, carried and kept my mouth shut. When she needed to try stuff on I waited patiently. When she resumed searching I followed quietly so as not to cause any more damage to the great balance. On occasion we would pass another couple and in almost every case I could see that the dynamics of their shopping relationship was the same. Both women would be so engrossed in the almost religious experience that they were oblivious that anyone was anywhere near them. I would try to make a quick nod to the other man who was also trapped to say I know your pain, I am in the same hell, just hold on they close in 4 more hours.

The Best Steak You'll Ever Make

Summer is here and Bar-B-Que season is in full swing. Here's a recipe for making the ultimate steak that will put your taste buds in heaven.

Ingredients:
Large T-bone steaks
Worcheshire sauce
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Chili Powder
Wood chips (I prefer apple but you can use any type you want)

Prep:
Sprinkle a few drops of the worcheshire sauce on each side of the steaks and rub into the meat.

Mix salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili powder in a bowl. Remember that the chili powder adds heat so don't use much if you don't want it spicy.

Rub the dry ingredients into each side of the meat and refrigerate for at least two hours.

Put your wood chips in water and make sure they are completely submerged. Depending on the size of the chips they should sit at least an hour. Drain the water off and shake out the excess moisture just before grilling.

Cooking:
If your using a gas grill then sell it in a yard sale since briquettes taste better.

Once your fire is going put your hand about 6 inches above the cooking surface and slowly count to 5. If you can keep your hand over the grill the entire time then your fire isn't hot enough let it heat up some more.

Place your steaks on the grill directly above the fire for 1 minute then rotate 90 degrees for one more minute. Flip and do the second side the same way. This locks in the juices and leaves the nice grill marks on the meat. For very thick steaks I will also do the sides of the steak.

Once the steak is seared move the meat to the side of the grill and off the direct heat.

Place your wet wood chips directly on the fire and spread them out to get the most smoke possible. (Keep a spray bottle handy since the wood will want to catch fire as it dries out. A quick squirt on the flame will produce a lot of smoke to help flavor the meat even more.)

After your meat has smoked for at least 20 minutes open the top and let the wood catch fire.

If you like the outside of your meat more done then move your meat directly into the flame and let it cook for several minutes on each side. **Use caution if you choose to do this there is a very real possibility of getting burned. Make sure you wear protective gear or use very long utensils for your own safety.

If you want your steak more done but don't want to cook the outside more then move it near the heat and close the cover on your grill. Check your steaks frequently but keep in mind that the more you open the grill the longer it's going to take. This is because you are now using the indirect heat from the fire to finish off your steaks so you need it to build up and hold the heat inside your grill.

Whatever you do don't cut into your steak to see how done it is. This will allow all the juices to flow out and into the fire. You can test how done it is by pushing on the meat. Soft meat is more rare and gets firmer the more it cooks. You can also use a meat thermometer to check the temperature.

Once your meat is cooked take it off the grill and let it set for about 5 minutes. This allows the fibers to relax and retain all the moisture.

Additional:
This is my basic recipe for steaks since it gives you a great flavor but you can still taste the steak. I designed this recipe because you may not know what your guests like. This way I have a fairly universal recipe that is enjoyed by most people. It was intentional that I didn't put any amounts in this recipe since everything should be mixed to your taste. Let me know of twists that you have found or tips that you want to share. One last thing, if you are going to use this recipe the please don't use BBQ or steak sauce. They are both designed to covered the flavor of your meat. Enjoy your summer!