Powerful Powernaps

How many times have you really felt like sleeping but were prevented to do so by a paper or project that was due the next day or by having to go out with friends?!

If you are like most other people the answer is probably a lot of times! My next question is going to be what have you tried to do to combat this, naps, stimulants or just plain die-hard determination ?!

The right answer however is a combination of all three! 

Research has shown that both information overload and pushing our brains too hard can zap energy. But studies by the National Institutes of Mental Health found that a 20-60 minute “power nap” can not only reverse the mind-numbing effects of information overload, it may also help us to better retain what we have learned. 

Now you will say, yes I always take naps but most of the times I am even more tired than before so naps only screw people over! Yes it's true, an unexperienced napper can get quite the undesired effects from his short bout of ZzZs, however here are a few important tips to help turn your napping experience 180 degrees:

1. Depending on your personal circadian rhythm, picking the right time for a nap is a little tricky. I like to do it after lunch if I need extra energy in the afternoon or after dinner if I want some extra hours to work on a paper during the night. After a meal you are already prone to fall asleep due to your body switching its focus on digestion and absorption of nutrients which makes it a perfect time to nap if you can't normally just fall asleep during the day.

2. One of the worst things that can happen after a nap is feeling even more tired and groggy than before, making the time spent on the nap a complete waste. The best thing you can do to counteract this is to drink a cup of coffee or an energy drink right before napping. Now I know this might sound counterintuitive to sleeping but it takes a while for your body to absorb the caffeine from your gastro-intestinal tract. You will get to wake up right around the time the caffeine is starting to kick in, which combined with a restful sleep is a win-win situation.

3. Find a quiet (use earplugs), dark (use an eyemask) and comfortable (remember your body temperature goes down while sleeping so a small blanket should do the trick) spot for napping. Make sure nothing can bother you before your wake-up time, so turn your phone off, lock your office door, etc.

4. Find the best nap time for you! Different people have reported different optimal duration times for napping ranging from 15 minutes to an hour. All of it depends on how fast you can fall asleep. What you are pursuing from a power nap is benefiting from the first two stages of sleep BUT without letting your body continue with the rest of the sleeping process. This prevents sleep inertia, which is what makes a nap fail miserably.

5. Most important of all, set an alarm clock for the duration of your nap while maybe adding an extra 5-10 minutes depending on how long it takes you to fall asleep. If you're a snooze-pusher make sure the alarm is as far as possible from you, but while keeping it in audible range. If you're as terrible as I am with waking up you will set 2 or more alarms at a few minute intervals of each other.

6. Now that you are awake, do some jumping jacks to bring your body back to normal parameters, wash your face with some cold water and presto, you are ready to kick some paper/presentation/project ass.

Hair and Grooming #2 - Bloody Shaving

Shaving is one of the daily chores I hate doing most, because I always feel like Sisyphus, having to do something I know I'll have to do again the next day. Regardless of this, men have been doing it since the invention of the first blade and it has been a constant annoyance ever since.

Being more of a traditionalist and perfectionist I shave using a multi-blade razor, which though offers a better and closer shave than an electric razor has the disadvantage of occasionally offering you the gift of a razor cut.

There are a few ways that I know of that are efficient for minimizing blood loss and stopping the bleed. In order of increasing efficiency they are:

1) Washing your face with cold water after a shave, constricts the blood vessels closest to the surface of the skin, potentially stopping superficial cuts

2) Working by the same principle as number 1, pressing an ice cube to the cut will promote vasoconstriction even more, while the pressure will help by stopping the blood flow and promoting coagulation.

3) The fastest way for blood to clot is for it to be exposed to oxygen and for it to not be moving. Placing a little piece of toilet paper or tissue over the cut helps the bleed stop faster by acting as a barrier and by increasing surface exposure to air and prevents you from smearing blood all over your face. It does however give you a klutzy look so make sure not to leave the house without removing the paper bits.

4) The fastest way of stopping a bleed caused by a razor blade is by means of using a Styptic Pencil. Styptic pencils contain Aluminium (Aluminum for you Americans) Sulphate, a vasoconstrictor which scauses the blood vessels that fuel the cut with blood to contract and hopefully close up, avoiding the formation of a scab/scar.

Application is fairly easyy: wipe away blood then dip the pencil into a little water and press onto the cut 

You should be able to purchase a styptic pencil for no more than $2 at any pharmacy or drugstore or you can order it online from here.

Hint

- One way of preventing a scab from forming is dabbing a little petroleum jelly, or even better if you have it, antibiotic ointment, over the cut after it has stopped bleeding

- If you can withstand the almighty alcohol sting, pressing a cotton disc doused in medicinal alcohol on the cut will helps disinfect the area, preventing any further infections while the pressure helps stop the bleed

Fashion DON'Ts #1 - The Croc Boat Shoe

The occasions where I get utterly appalled by someone's fashion style or choices are not that many and not because there is a shortage of fashion blunders out there, but because most of the times the ones making them are either not very in tune with style or have yet to realize the error of their ways. 

In the case of what I am about to show you, there is absolutely no excuse. If you are like myself and think Crocs are the bane of the modern world, seeing the Croc Boat-Shoe might be short of the four horsemen of the apocalypse knocking at your door.I am beyond baffled as to what possessed the people designing Crocs to combine a staple of elegance and preppiness, the boat-shoe with its antagonist, the Croc!

If you have an answer to my question or would like to share in my sorrow, please comment below!

Fashion Forward #2 - Contrasting Bow-Ties

Sruli Recht is the embodiment of the free-spirited artist. He is Israeli-born, Australian-educated and now lives in Iceland's capital, Reykjavik. His works are always original and slightly otherworldly, breaking the gender barriers and reaching out to the essence of creation and beauty.

One of my favourite pieces from his collections and also my favourite bow-tie is his Contrast-Trim Bow-Tie. Having talked about how much I love contrast trims before, you can imagine how excited I was to see that someone thought up adding a contrast trim to such an entrenched accessory.

Contrast Trim Bow-Tie, available in indigo and sandstone - $55

Hair and Grooming #1 - The Chronicles of The Concealer

Men have always been preoccupied with asserting their masculinity in front of  members of the opposite sex, other men and to themselves. Modern culture is not devoid of examples of this practice as men are often seen in drinking competitions, fighting championships and other activities of this sort.I have always believed that the men who time and time again try to prove their supposed manhood are actually the ones that are most insecure of all. So then the question becomes what do they have to gain from it when we our world is fortunately not an alpha-male dominated one anymore?!

The reason for this short divagation represents the foundation for most of the posts that will be written under this category. We as a species are finally coming to terms with what defines us and are less and less driven by what society seems to have deemed as the norm, without any basis whatsoever, and following what we feel instead.

It is a fundamental right for each of us to pursue our own vision of happiness as long as it does not negatively affect another's. Drawing an analogy to this, even though a little far-fetched, why has it been frowned upon for men to wish to look their best while it has been alright for women to do so since times immemorial? How did society come up with the differentiation that women are allowed to dress-up in so many interesting ways, put make-up on for aesthetic purposes and always play the ingénue part, while men doing the same things be bowdlerized into ridicule?! In response, what has been dubbed as Metrosexuality is actually the balancing of these two worlds, whilst keeping all doubts of non-heterosexual behaviour at bay. Again, through the creation of this word and category of people subscribing to it, we see the insecurities of many men surfacing. They need to retain the masculine image that has been so pressed onto them since birth, that when wanting to do something that is normal, yet frowned upon by a heteronormative society, they need their metrosexual umbrella to serve as their deus ex machina.

Coming back to the topic at hand, it is true that most of us have not been blessed with perfect skin or have not yet found the best skincare solutions for our problems. Women have been hiding these defects for thousands of years and it is finally time for men to be able to do so whenever they please. 

As I see it, there are two main categories of blemishes that could pose as a source of distress for a modern man.

1. Dark Circles

Living in our fast-paced times, sleep is a premium not all of us can afford. Besides its negative effects on concentration, metabolism and other health aspects, the most visible effect that lack of sleep has is the appearance of dark circles under the eyes, also known as eyebags or raccoon attacks.

Dark circles appear because the skin under the eye is the thinnest in the body and the proximity of blood vessels and capillaries to the surface gives the areas under the eyes a dark blueish tint..

2. Scars, Razor Burns, Freckles and other blemishes

These types of blemishes are either permanent and a source of angst or temporary and may appear in the most inopportune of times. Either way they are an unwanted presence on anybody's face.

While the prevalence of dark circles is mostly hereditary or age-related and the other miscellaneous blemishes are usually hard or impossible to remove there are a few cosmetic solutions to help mask them.

Women use three main types of cosmetic products when they wish to mask certain imperfections on their faces or even their overall skin tone: foundation, concealer and powder. Using all three can be a little overwhelming for many girls, so for guys who only want to conceal smaller parts I would only advise using a concealer.

Applying concealer is not very hard and it only takes up to a minute, depending on how many spots you wish to use it on. The following video will help you understand concealer better:

Ross does a great job explaining all the intricacies of concealers and also provides us with a few good products to stick with:

Moisturizer/Concealer Base:

- F.A.B. Ultra Repair Cream from Sephora - $28

Concealer 

Select Moisturecover  by MAC Cosmetics - $16.50

- comes in 15 shades

- very affordable

M Cover by Clinique Men - $14.50

- Pro: If you're afraid your girlfriend, parents, roommate or anybody else might think less of you for using concealer, this product has Clinique for Men written on its products to aid in your defense (in reality the product is identical to a woman's)

- Con: only comes in 2 shades

Concealer Applicators

Professionnel Platinum Stippling Brush #44 from Sephora  - $35

- a little pricey, but if taken care of properly will last a lifetime
- wider tip means less accuracy for spot concealment but larger area of application

194 Concealer Brush by MAC Cosmetics - $19

- affordable and practical

Hints

- Remember to always CETM (cleanse, exfoliate, tone and moisturize) before applying concealer as it helps the concealer particles stick to the skin better without giving your face a cakey make-up look.

- Less is always better. Lighting conditions in the bathroom are usually very different from natural light, or indoor artificial light. Always check your appearance in a second mirror.

Model Spotlight #1: Kerry Degman

ABOUT

Name: Kerry Justin Degman
Occupation: Male model
Date of Birth: Oct 4, 1988
Height: 6'0" (183cm)
Born: Portland, Oregon
Based: New York
Discovered: Dropping off his little sister at her modeling agency
Hobbies: Baseball, skate boarding and guitar.





Kerry Degman, one of hot All-American models, came under my radar through all the modelling work he's done for Rugby Ralph Lauren, H&M and various GQ photo shoots.

Check out his fan-made blog: http://kerrydegman.blogspot.com/

Fashion Forward #1 - Drop and Give Me Harem

Even though I've featured the Harem pant before, I love the following pair in particular. The bunching up at the calves combined with the front row of buttons brings a little edginess and unconventionality to the whole outfit. My only problem with them and with most of the amazing clothes I have found on YESSTYLE is that they are constructed mostly for an Asian body frame, which sadly no amount of dieting will ever bring me close to.

ISNOM - Button-Front Elasticized Waist Harem Pants ($55)

L.L. Bean Tries Risqué

L.L. Bean, a long established brand of moderation and traditionalism, featured as the staple of preppiness by Lisa Birnbach in her famous "The Official Preppy Handbook", has recently added a couple of pieces that deviate from their standard collections, as part of their L.L. Bean Signature brand. L.L. Bean Signature, much like Rugby and Ralph Lauren, represents an opportunity for them to reinvent themselves. 

I would like to congratulate their brazen move and advise that they continue to encourage such ideas in the future!

The item combination we'll be looking at today is all built on one very (according to L.L.Bean standards) short pair of shorts, a weekender bag, a nice duck motif leather belt and an earthy hand-sewn pair of leather chukka boots to finish it off.

Leather Eastport Handsewn Ranger Moc ($79), Downeaster Sport Canvas Bag ($54), L.L.Bean Corduroy Shorts ($49) paired with a nice Leather Field Duck Belt ($49)

This look is a perfect match for any guy who likes to stick with the good-ole traditional values but also wishes to keep up with the new trends as well. I am really considering purchasing a pair of these shorts for myself, to wear this Summer and Autumn. Remember though, always buy shorts in your size or one size smaller to avoid the common baggy look or having to pull your shorts up every two steps.

Urban Inspiration #1 - Flower Power

I have wanted to start featuring the most interesting looks I see on the many Urban Inspiration sites out there for a while. Here's the first of the many to come.

Courtesy of Lookbook.nu

This look, featured on Lookbook.nu by the amazing Dennis R. from Manila, Philippines, embodies what I consider the spirit of a warm blithe summer. The trichromacy of the light blue Linen Jacket, the navy Cuffed Pinstriped Shorts and his pink Y T-Shirt is perfectly balanced and the fact that the shoes contain splashes of all three colours is the cherry on top of the cake. Even though those amazing Paul Smith. Loafers are out of this world, I like to think I would have the bravado to pull them off.

The only thing I feel neutral about is his bag, even though my jealousy for Dennis owning so many Birkin bags is ineffable. I feel that a bag the colour of his shorts would have complimented the whole look much better, rather than it being matched with the belt.

Bespokely Bespectacled

Bespoke clothing has long since constituted the epitome of luxury and dandyism. Nowadays, though not as prevalent as in the golden days of the dandy, one can have a myriad of garments made precisely to their measure, bringing with them unparalleled comfort and style. 

Michael Bastian SS'10 featuring a Randolph Engineering design

When it comes to accessories, one can definitely acquire bespoke ties, scarves and gloves but very few companies provide made-to-order services for sunglasses.

Randolph Engineering, featured in Michael Bastian's Spring/Summer 2010 Runway show, is one of the leading companies that specializes in bespoke glasses of all kinds, be it sunglasses, seeing glasses frames, hunting glasses or military goggles.

The customization for most models they offer is  four-fold: Size (refers to the distance between your temples), Colour, Temples (Length of the temples, or the horizontal metal bars that go behind your ears) and Lenses (options for polarized lens usually come for an extra fee)

Their prices in my opinion are unbeatable, all their sunglasses block most of the UV light for your eyes' protection and the varied styles they offer are more than satisfying. I already own a pair of their aviators and would definitely recommend you get one too!

Some of the choices offered in the case of sunglasses

Cheeky Bones, Jaunty Jaws and Clefty Chins

The standard of beauty has always been changing throughout history and nowadays, more than ever, due to such a high exposure to media and "attractive people", we humans are more and more worried about personal our appearance

Even when it comes to men, some of which have been known to be almost oblivious to their physical appearance, the numbers have risen when it comes to men who now are interested in improving their overall appearance.

Contrary to the current beauty standard for women which is more sexualized, in the case of men, there is an increasing push for biologically attractive traits and urveying the current media outlets that portray beautiful men, such as billboards and ads, weight loss campaigns or television and cinema shows that the current standards of beauty in men revolve around two main areas: their faces and their bodies. 

According to Science Daily, men with large jaws, flaring cheeks and large eyebrows are sexy, at least in the eyes of our ancestors, researchers at the Natural History Museum have discovered This post will focus on three male characteristics that are considered highly desirable and therefore attractive, whether all of them or only one is present.

1. High Cheek Bones

Higher cheekbones, on top of offering a more unique look when compared to an average male face, also give the impression of a more pronounced jaw. The attractiveness of this trait stems from the female preference for a less aggressive looking partner. Aggressiveness has been correlated with larger canines and smaller jaws/lower cheekbones. Actors like Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom and Viggo Mortensen may have gained part of their popularity due to their high cheekbones.

James Marsden is the proud owner of a perfect pair of cheekbones.

2. Pronounced Jaws


Having a pronounced jaw has also become a staple of manliness and this is also not without reason. During puberty and to a lesser degree throughout the rest of his life, the secretion of testosterone in men helps define what are called primary and secondary sexual characteristics. Facial bone definition is a secondary sex characteristic and its attractiveness comes from the evolutionary advantage gained by a female when choosing a partner that is healthy and would therefore generate healthy offspring.

3. Cleft Chins


The Cleft Chin is an inherited dominant trait which manifests itself by the formation of a cleft in the chin due to an incomplete fusion of the two halves of the jaw bone. Biologically, from an evolutionary standpoint the cleft chin offers no advantage nor any disadvantage. The sole probable reason for its apparent attractiveness is again the motif of uniqueness, diverging from the less interesting average male.

Jack Scalia is one of the first male models to feature an exquisite cleft chin

Keep It Cool

Temperatures are finally rising almost all over the northern hemisphere, bringing with them longer days, vacations and happy summers. If I were to ask anybody what their two least favourite things about summer were, the answer would most likely be heat and sweat.

Heat is definitely not an element we can adjust, other than running inside to the AC climate and sweat is  dependent on many biological factors like genetics, diet, weight and hormones. While the latter can be addressed in many ways, that will be covered in a future post.

What SoFla guys would look like without AC

Going back to heat, while it's not very easy to change the actual temperature of your surroundings, preventing its detrimental effects and how you physically feel it are definitely more approachable  issue. Sunlight, besides  its possibly harmful UV component, also brings heat to whatever it touches.Wherever you may be during the summer, you'll most surely feel the heat. Your body responds to heat by sweating, however this leaves the skin dehydrated and smelly, neither of which are desirable in our society.

Therefore, continuing on the same line as my previous post, Of Scents and Manly Sensibility, that dealt with using essential oils to manufacture your own natural products, I would like to introduce you to Men's Body Mists and how to prepare them for yourself.

Women have been using Body Mist for a while now and it's very likely you've seen one or more women extract a spray bottle out of her purse and spray it on her arms, legs and cleavage. What Body Mist essentially does is rehydrate the skin and mask some of the sweat's smell through addition of essential oils. What's left behind leaves your skin feeling refreshed and cooled. I can see how most guys would not feel comfortable doing that in the summer, so I won't push it on to you too much. But remember, dehydrated skin ages much faster than moisturized skin!

The general market does have a few options to offer when it comes to Men's Body Mists (same-ole-same-ole as Women's, maybe with use of other essential oils).

Silver Falls' Men's Body Mist - 4oz. - $8.5                                   Mailelani Men's Body Mist - 5oz.- $5

If you don't want to order it, or you would like to dry making it yourself from pure ingredients, here are two recipes I found online, on Snow Drift Farm's website.

Clear Body Mist I

This easy recipe uses polysorbate 20 to emulsify the mix. The perfumer's alcohol will clarify it. Leaves skin feeling cooled and lightly scented.

6 oz. perfumer's alcohol + 1 oz. perfumer's alcohol (set aside)
1 oz. polysorbate 20
1/4 tbsp ylang ylang
1/4 tbsp tangerine
Mix together the alcohol and polysorbate 20. You should have a clear mix. Add the EO's. You should have a turbid mix. Allow to sit for 12 hours. If the mix doesn't clarify, add another 1 oz. alcohol and allow to sit for
several more hours to clear.

HINT: Add a little glycerin to your facial, body and room sprays. It helps keep the water in place on your skin, and in a room spray, it helps the scent linger a little longer.

Clear Body Mist II

Add a little more perfumer's alcohol and polysorbate to emulsify absolutes and resinous oils such as patchouli.

8 oz perfumer's alcohol
2 oz. polysorbate 20
1/4 tsp. vanilla FO
1/4 tbsp jasmin absolute
1/4 tbsp patchouli EO

Mix all ingredients together. This should result in a clear mix. If not, allow to sit for several hours. If it still doesn't clear, add 1/2 oz. more alcohol.

Remember that as any recipe, a little divergence from the path can be quite rewarding. Experiment with different combinations of essential oils to produce something more to your liking. The Healthguide.org recommends Cedar-wood, Rosemary and Lavender for use in Men's products, however I absolutely love citrusy oils and also almond and peppermint scents.

Personal Augmentation - Volume 1: A Better Camping Experience

This post represents the start of a new series entitled "Personal Augmentation", inspired by Gearpatrol.com's 30 Days of Upgrades: Be a Better Man series. This series will be a constant work-in-progress whereby through means of online references, pictures, videos and books, I will try to highlight some of the things that every person aspiring to, as former President George W. Bush would say, personal embetterment ought to know.

This first post focuses on Camping. Ever since the advent of modern civilization and increased urban aggregation, man has felt an emptiness that stems from a lack of  physical connection with nature, which over the course of the many thousands of years of evolution has become ingrained into our very existence. In lieu of the necessity to hunt or change one's location according to migratory patterns, modern man, supermarkets and all, satisfies its need for said connection by doing an activity which we all have come to have a love-hate relationship with: Camping.

1. Planning Ahead
2. Picking a Campsite
3. Pitching a Tent
4. Starting a Fire
5. Meals on the Move
6. Camping Activities
7. Hygiene on the Go
8. Cleaning-up
9. Misc

A good resource on this topic is Bill Revill's 21 Ways to Improve your Camping Lifestyle:

Esteemed Compendiums

I've wanted to share these great fashion, style, culture and lifestyle resources with you for some time. That's why I created a page dedicated just to listing these online books I have found and read.

Here are some of the titles I have added or will be adding:

- The Official Preppy Handbook by Lisa Birnbach -

- The Official Filthy Rich Handbook by Christopher Tennant - 

- Take Ivy by T. Hayashida -

- Dressing the Man by Alan Flusser -

- The Gale Encyclopedia of Style, Costume and Culture by Tom and Sara Pendergast -

- The Encyclopedia of Clothing and Fashion by the Scribner Library of Daily Life-

- Fashion as Photograph by Eugenie Shinkle -

- Fashion Artist: Drawing Techniques to Portfolio Presentation by  Sandra Burke  -

- Complete Idiot's Guide to Etiquette by Sandra Burke -

- Historical Fashion of the 17th and 18th Centuries by Avril Hart and Susan North -

- Fundamentals of Fashion Design by Richard Sorger and Jenny Udale-

- Medieval Fashion by Tom Tierney -

- Guide to being a Gentleman by The Art of Manliness -

- Askmen.com's Style Bible -

- 21 Ways of Improving your Camping Lifestyle by Bill Revill -

- Wedding Etiquette for Dummies by  Sue Fox -

You can access it all here. Enjoy!

The Perfect Knot

How many times have you had to bend down in the most inopportune of times and places to retie your shoelaces? If you do a lot of walking and you own any other shoes besides Crocs and/or sandals (although I do hope that having come across my blog means you are not among that kind of people), the answer should be many, many annoying times. 

I used to be very annoyed with having to tie and retie my shoelaces (especially those of my boat shoes) over and over again each day, until I mustered enough angst and googled my way out of this problem. I was lucky enough to stumble upon Ian's Shoelace Site which I also referenced in my previous shoelace post, Spiraling Shoelaces.

Ian features many shoelace knots on his website, however when it comes to simplicity and reliability, his own creation, Ian's Knot stands out the most. While it took a little while to get used to tying my shoelaces this way, it definitely paid off and I now only have to tie them one time only, when I put my shoes on in the morning.

Ladies and gents, I give you Ian's Knot. Use it if you are also encumbered by your slipper shoelaces and let me know by means of comments if you know of any other good shoelace knots!

Surfeit Sputum

How many times has it happened that as you were enjoying a beautiful day someone just spat right in front of you?!

Sadly, this disgusting habit has been increasing, especially among children and adolescents. The lack of any specific rules or laws specifically prohibiting this in the United States and other less civilized parts of the world is party to blame, however the rest comes from a lack of proper education and sense of hygiene. 

Many viral diseases such as the Common Cold or Tuberculosis are transmissible through saliva and mucus, so why should we be exposed to your bodily fluids. Imagine for a second people would start urinating on the streets on a regular basis. Even though urine is very much sterile I believe the popular outcry would not take too long to generate a ban on this act.

So if you find yourself among this category of misbehaving spitters please STOP now! There is absolutely no medical or social reason that would require such an abhorrent act to be permitted. Saliva has an important biological role so spitting it out only worsens your bad breath and dehydrates your mouth and esophagus.

If you are sick and feel the need to eliminate mucus please buy some tissues!

If you are a smoker and dislike the aftertaste, stop smoking or wash your mouth with a strong mouthwash every time you feel the need to spit. 

If you have halitosis or constant bad breath, buy some gum (also a no-no when it comes to spitting) or some dissolving fresh breath strips.

If you just do it for fun, there is no hope for you besides self-education and restraint. Remember the street is a public space and therefore is owned by everyone. How would you feel if I came into your house and spat all over your carpet?!

Close To Perfection

Existence. Ephemeral and Ineffable.

Sometimes awful things have their own kind of beauty.

Having just seen Tom Ford's "A Single Man" has me pondering life's meaning again and I ask myself now, is there a universally distinct human purpose or is our sole animus a preparation for our inexorable destination?!

Exactly what fueled the creation of this blog was my wish of presenting the world and its objects, through their physicality, as being an anchor to all of us, against the flow of time and feelings. Many a poets, directors and other wielders of the fire of creation have ruminated over our irresolute and wayward lives with no avail, and I am certainly not one to claim to have an answer. Purposeful or purposeless, I enjoy the present, fondly remember the past and sometimes think of my future, but at all times I am anchored by my body, my feelings, my friends and my possessions. They are the ones who always remind me of my present physicality and it is they who give my life meaning until the final curtain falls.

In this post I would like to look at one of the things I enjoy doing most in life and that is observing beauty in all forms and shapes. Given that I just mentioned Tom Ford's recent movie I would like to praise everything from cinematography to set design, costumes to actors and their acting and dialogue to music. Nothing is superfluous under Tom Ford's vision and the timing for everything is beyond perfection. I would almost go ahead and call this a work of art but my lack of cinematographical education prompts me not to.

Nicholas Hoult, modelling for Tom Ford

Beauty in its physical human form was embodied most by two characters: Kenny, one of George's (played by Colin Firth) students played by Nicholas Hoult and Carlos played by Internationally renowned model Jon Kortajarena.

Nicholas Hoult as Kenny, in "A Single Man", wearing a nice mohair sweater, featuring a curious boat-neck 

Jon Kortajarena, modelling for Tom Ford

Jon Kortajarena as Carlos, possibly doing a better James Dean than James Dean himself

Enjoy the following portfolio of Spanish Model Jon Kortajarena for the beauty that is channeled through him negates the possibility of a random and purposeless existence since such a world would have no need for it.