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Monday

Monday Motivation: The Gatekeepers Are Gone!

Here's a little something to go along with that cup of coffee you had a few hours ago...

Are you tired of people telling you either what you can't do or the thing that is your passion just isn't good enough?

So is Lamar Tyler...



The Gatekeepers Are Gone" is the newest web series from production house Tyler New Media based out of Atlanta, GA. Hosted by Lamar Tyler the weekly series focuses on the power of blogging, social media and personal development. Episodes from season one push viewers to take their blogs, their business and their brands to the next level in 2011.

Tune in next week for the next episode of The Gatekeepers Are Gone. We're a couple weeks behind here, so I may post multiple episodes in the coming weeks to get us caught up.


E.Payne is the author of Investing In An Emotional Letdown and I Didn't Invented Sex. For the past 3 years he has posted 600+ articles about fatherhood, marriage and everything in between here at Makes Me Wanna Holler.com. To learn more, click here.

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Friday

The Week In Review - 1/28/2011

Just in case you weren't on the blog or on the Net this week, and just in case you happened to be hiding under a rock...which sometimes isn't a bad thing:


On this Blog:

I wrote about how a TV show called Southland left me in tears.


Elsewhere on the Net:

I ask the question: Are you bringing your A-Game?


In the U.S.:

President Obama gave his State of the Union Address.

The Northeast received another dumping of snow pushing the total dump so far close to 40 inches in some places.

A school in Pennsylvania is creating all kinds of controversy. Something about 6 minutes of daily "segregation."

Rahm Emanual won't go away quietly.

People are getting tired of the "Step" prefix/title.

Some people refuse to be battered by the economy.

The black woman who put her kids in a better school other than the one she was zoned for got out of jail. (This one has stirred up national outrage, and this article has some very amazing comments).

A pre-schooler brought a .22 caliber to school.


And just in case you don't follow what's going on in the world...

All hell is breaking loose in Egypt.


E.Payne is the author of Investing In An Emotional Letdown. For the past 3 years he has posted 600+ articles about fatherhood, marriage and everything in between here at Makes Me Wanna Holler.com. To learn more, click here.

Join the Makes Me Wanna Holler.com Facebook Experience

Follow E.Payne on Twtitter @EPayneTheDad

Thursday

Southland Made Me Cry

Southland
SPOILER ALERT: If you watch SOUTHLAND and DID NOT see this week's episode click below if you want to read more!

From the flashforward scene at the beginning of this week's episode I was absolutely sick. Based on the type of character Sammy is and based on what he's currently going through with his wife there's only one person that could cause him to break down into tears. I saw all the blood on his shoulder that had changed from red to maroon due to oxidation. Then I heard the blood-curdling scream. The scream that comes when a loved one is gone. A scream that only a woman can deliver. I heard that scream from my mother many times myself as a youngster when members of my family died --- either by natural or unnatural causes. It comes with the territory when you have a large family. Unfortunately.

I knew from the beginning of the episode that Detective Nate Moretta was dead. But I suffered through the hour to see how it happened. Everything about the episode was wrong. There was a very unpleasant telling detail that kept repeating itself. The camera caught Nate repeatedly looking over his shoulder. Then finally when he needed to watch his back he didn't. It was an minor oversight that cost him his life.

His murder was unexpected, sudden and brutal. Five minutes earlier no one could have ever predicted or anticipated it. And now everyone on the show and all of us watching at home are left behind to pick up the pieces and make sense of the insanity.

As I watched my heart banged against my ribs. I was practically out of breath and at the sound of the blood curdling scream at the end of the episode, now put into perspective. I shed a tear or two. He was a father and a husband, trying to do the right thing. He knew how to speak to people and seemed to have what was necessary to keep his emotionally unstable partner from becoming completely unglued. But he was a detective and sadly, violence doesn't pick and choose. It doesn't go after the bad cops and spare the good ones. Usually the opposite is the case. And what took years to build: a life --- was gone in an instant.

What If I Don't Make It Back Home?

There isn't a day when I don't leave my house that I don't wonder for at least one second, What if I don't make it back home? I usually say a quick prayer and keep it moving. But the more I stack my chips --- the more I grow as a Man, the more I learn as a Dad, the more I realize as a Husband --- the more I gain wisdom and knowledge of the world, the more cognizant I become of my mortality. Usually, it works the other way around. But not for me.

Fear of the unknown causes paralysis and none of us should allow this to occur. So I will continue to live my life despite the grays that are overtaking my goatee and the daily peril I notice now more than I probably did a decade ago. And I will continue to watch Southland to see what happens next. If you're not on to this excellent cop/detective drama, you need to be. I won't go so far as to say it's the next Wire. But it definitely has a similar hold on my attention.

If you have 'em, feel free to share your thoughts on this week's episode of Southland below.

E.Payne is the author of Investing In An Emotional Letdown. For the past 3 years he has posted 600+ articles about fatherhood, marriage and everything in between here at Makes Me Wanna Holler.com. To learn more, click here.

Join the Makes Me Wanna Holler.com Facebook Experience

Follow E.Payne on Twtitter @EPayneTheDad

Wednesday

Straw Texture [PHOTO]

Straw Fedora Texture

The real questions is: Can you guess what it's from?

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Tuesday

A Woman's Last Stand: Competing Burdens

So my hometown Bears blew it and so did my New York Jets. It will definitely be a blue collar Superbowl or a slugfest or some combination of both. All of which I'm fine with. It will be interesting to see if it's "Black & Yellow" or "Green & Yellow" when the smoke clears.

I just happened to be looking at some of the old Superbowl commercials from last year when I happened upon the following ad. If you recall, it was featured on this blog around this time last year.



As I continued my search, I noticed someone took it upon themselves to create a slick response video on behalf of women.

Warning: The following video contains one F-bomb and a B-word and a mention of breasts...



As the 2nd video didn't play on national TV there was no need for censorship. The first makes light of "A Man's Burden" to promote a testosterone-mobile. The second had no product to promote. It was pure commentary. And based on the final sentiment, it came off a little mean-spirited. It wasn't unlike the tone of most conversations between men and women on the topic of who has it worse. I do not disagree with the "Woman's Burden" as it was described. I presume the haggard look of the women versus the hopeless look of the men also speaks to the director's view that this burden is not only heavier, but one that is unsung and comes at a beauty-robbing price.

I'm not a woman so I can't speak to reality of that existence. So I'll ask the question: Is this what it really what it boils down to for you? What do you think about the video, Woman's Last Stand?

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Friday

Get Your Hug On!

Believe it or not, today is National Hugging Day. No harm can come from hugging and research suggests that children who receive daily physical contact (hugs) are smarter children.

It's Friday. Take a moment to have some fun!

1) Tell someone you know that today is National Hugging Day.

2) Announce that you are going to give them a genuine, dedicated hug.

3) Give them a heartfelt, long hug that ends just shy of being creepy.

Just make sure the person doesn't hate you so you don't get knocked out. And should someone try to hug you and you're not too fond of them, politely ask them to move along. Then go find someone to hug!


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Thursday

The Difference Between High School & Preschool

High School

When dropping my teen off at his high school I always tell him to have a good day and do his best. The usual response I get is an unintelligible murmur followed by a series of grunts. He then drags his war-ravaged backpack across my dashboard or the back seat depending on where he's thrown it. Then like clockwork, no matter how many times I tell him, no matter how many times he apologizes, he winds up and slams my car door as if he were going for the gold in a championship game of handball.

I watch him skulk off to the school entrance, walking like he's headed for the electric chair. I shake my head and wonder what happened, trying to remember if I was that way. I probably was.


Preschool

Entering my daughter's preschool is like walking into a live action cartoon. There a bright colors everywhere. Handmade art and pictures of little smiling faces adorn the walls. The sound of children laughing and squealing perpetually floats in the air (followed sometimes by a sharp reprimand of "No Running!" from a teacher). The staff is usually smiling. And everyone calls me "Dad", presumably because knowing all the children on a first-name basis doesn't allow for enough RAM to remember the last names of their parents. My daughter bounces into her classroom and her little classmates happily call out to her. Everything is little, clean and cute. She sheds her jacket, hands it to me to hang up for her and goes to wash her hands in a sink situated not too far from the floor. I always manage to chat with at least one parent for anywhere from two to ten minutes. And without fail before I leave, my daughter hugs me around my legs and says, "I love you, Daddy," before being herded off to some activity.

I walk to my car, slightly missing her, and at the same time thinking how amazing it must be to learn anew and experience every single day as a brand new one. I try to remember my preschool days, but I can't. I'm too old.

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Wednesday

Icy Stripes - Wordless Wednesday

White Stripes - Gold Stripes

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Monday

Martin Luther King, Jr. - A Man of Words, Deeds, Challenges & Triumphs


"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."


- Martin Luther King Jr., Strength to Love, 1963

Roll up your sleeves and get to work, volunteering. Check out MLKDay.com.

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Friday

Break of Dawn

5 years ago today at the break of dawn I became the father to a beautiful baby girl. Amazingly, we named her before she was born, and it's meaning: dawn's light.

It's been an amazing experience so far.

I am very thankful, very honored and very challenged to be bestowed with such an awesome responsibility.

Break of Dawn By EPayneMe, being dramatic. But rightfully so.

I'd be remiss not to mention another little girl. Please keep the family of Christina Green in your hearts and prayers.

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Thursday

New Sponsor:Randall V Designs | Handmade Earrings

I'd like to introduce our newest sponsor of the blog: Randall V Designs. You can see and click on their add in the right-hand side bar of this blog. As my wife's ears are adorned with handmade earrings nearly 100% of the time, I know this style of jewelry well.


They Are The Natural Choice


Natural elements give handmade earrings beauty that is hard to match. Natural, handmade earrings are also unique--just like you. At Randall V Designs, they don't repeat the same earring designs over and over again. So, the earrings that you select are a true expression of you.

Their website features a variety of handmade earrings: natural stone earrings, laser-cut wood earrings, ceramic Kazuri earrings (Kazuri beads are from Kenya), ivory-like tagua nut earrings (our tagua is from Ecuador) colorful iraca fiber earrings (iraca fiber from Colombia).

Visit them often. They are constantly adding to their collection of natural, handmade earrings so that you can start--or keep adding to--yours.

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Wednesday

Snow Day - Sled Day

Day 2 of being snowed-in in the ATL, I decided to get the kids active. I just happened to have my cell phone handy:








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Tuesday

Bausch + Lomb Clens Giveaway!

Near the end of 2010 I was asked to test a product that not only cleans but disinfects the touchscreens of electronic devices. At first I was skeptical wondering how it could be better than Windex or your standard eyeglass cleaning cloth. But after using Clens all of my handheld, touchscreen electronic devices are now as clean as they were the day I popped them out of their boxes as brand new toys.

I was so impressed I wanted to share my discovery with all of you and offer one lucky reader a free gift pack (pictured, right)!

----

Bausch Lomb introduces a new touch-screen cleaner, Clens, that not only removes those annoying smudges, but the germs and potential viruses that can be left behind along with them. Clens is a new, two-step cleaning system offering the most antibacterial protection for your devices - a perfect gift for gadget lovers and "germaphobes" alike.


GIVEAWAY RULES

  1. To enter, you must be a fan of the Makes Me Wanna Holler Facebook Page (if you are not, click here and let me know here in the comments that you are either already a member or have joined).
  2. You Must become a fan of Bausch + Lomb on Facebook and comment on this post. Five (5) winners will be chosen at random. Giveaway ends this January 28, 2011 at 11:59pm EST.

If you don’t win, you can always purchase Clens at your local retailer.

Thanks and good luck!

Official Giveaway Rules :

MakesMeWannaHoller.com is the official host of the giveaway and is sponsoring the giveaway, Bausch + Lomb is just providing the prizes to the eligible winners.

Winners will be chosen via random generator and then checked on Bausch + Lomb’s facebook fan page for eligibility. Only those who both comment & become a fan via Bausch + Lomb’s Facebook fan page are eligible to win.

Only those whom are in the domestic United States are eligible to win.

Contest ends January 28, 2011 at 11:59pm EST



Additional Product Information:

A series of recent studies highlight how touch-screen devices can easily harbor and transmit flu germs, with one showing mobile phones host 18 times more bacteria than a flush handle in a typical men's restroom. Clens results in a 90 percent reduction in surface germs when exposed to everyday usage, along with 13 varieties of bacteria, yeast and mold and is safely formulated for touch-screen devices and won't harm, scratch or discolor screens.

Clens is available in pre-moistened wipes and spray, and includes a microfiber cloth to gently buff and shine surfaces. The home and office kit comes complete with one 2oz bottle of spray, 6 pre-moistened wipes and 2 polishing cloths (RRP $19.95.) The convenient travel package contains 20 pre-moistened wipes and two polishing cloths (RRP $14.95).

Bausch Lomb tested Clens by simulating everyday use. Researchers handled mobile devices a minimum of 10 times in typical situations, such as during lunch and after using a computer. The devices were also deliberately exposed to 13 varieties of bacteria, yeast and mold. The surfaces treated with the Clens cleaning system yielded at least a 90 percent reduction in surface germs.

This is a sponsored post. Only one product to review was received in consideration of hosting this contest.

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Friday

MMWH Goes Mobile


Nothing insightful today.

It's 2011 and the world is a smart-phone world. After agonizing for most of 2010 in vain seeking out a low-cost and aesthetic method of optimizing this site for mobile devices, I've finally hit paydirt. You might be thinking, well, that's easy all you have to do is... Stop right there. I'm a Blogger user so all those fancy-schmancy plug-ins available in WordPress World don't work for me and my kind.

Blogger released a Beta-version mobile template on Dec. 17 of last year. Beta, I presume because the template is beyond simple. You currently can't comment (sorry Disqus Nation) and the template is widget-free. And my beautiful Wibiya bar is gone. But for all you readers on the go this might not matter.

So there you have it. Makes Me Wanna Holler.com is now optimized for your smart phone. If you are an iPhone or Android user (the phones I tested) simply type in the web address: http://www.makesmewannaholler.com and the site will automatically refresh for your device. If not and your device still displays the web version of the blog simply type /?m=1 at the end of my web address. It should look like this:

http://www.makesmewannaholler.com/?m=1
scroll down to the bottom of the page and click MOBILE SITE.

(Blogger users beware: You first have to change your blog(s) settings via the link above to make your site recognizable by mobile devices.)

Now there should be no reason for you to say, "I couldn't open it on my phone." But just in case you still can't please let me know. Hopefully I will be able to roll out more options as they become available.

Happy Weekending!


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Thursday

Make Your Bed & Don't Sleep In It

2011 is the year that I take it all back...every piece of me (if it's salvageable or if I want it), but more importantly every piece I've given away.

They say the devil is in the details and whether you believe such an entity exists or not I think most will agree that other than Acts of God, grand messes are made of many, many, many mistakes...a.k.a. details. And even still on the scientific level, Acts of God are often distilled by scientists into series of unfortunate events leading up to one big MESS!

When I was single I was a dude who liked a clean bedroom to come home to. Why? Because I did. Because it looked sexy when you had company. Because it looks sexy when you don't. Because since you're bed is typically the biggest piece of furniture in your bedroom having a messed up bed will make the rest of the room look like butt.

Everyone in my house doesn't agree with this. People in general don't agree with this. "Why make it up? It's only gonna get messed up when I get back in it." I've heard this over and over again. My son feels this way too but as the biggest piece of furniture in his room is his floor he's got bigger issues. We make sure our daughter's room is nice and clean because she's a girl and she's my baby. Why not treat myself to the same level of pampering. Who knows maybe it'll rub off on my son? Although I'm sure it won't. It didn't for me until I was in college.

In 2011 I've decided I'm going to have a made bed, EVERYDAY. On Sunday I pulled a fresh set of sheets out of the linen closet, crumpled to hell and pressed them. Not with my hands, but with an iron. That's right. I ironed an entire queen set of sheets and a comforter. It took forever, but guess what? The focal point of my room, the bed looks really, really sexy right now. I enjoy collapsing on it to go to sleep and the thing I re-remembered when I made it up the first morning after I slept in it: it only takes a few minutes in the morning to make the bed. My day starts on the right foot because I leave a clean room and my evening ends well because I have an inviting bed to pass out on.

Yeah, as silly as it may sound, it's the little things that matter. Such as saying "Good Morning." When people are standing around scratching their heads wondering why the world is coming to an end, the little things that created the problem always elude them.

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Monday

The Top MMWH Posts of 2010

I'm late with this because I was too busy getting 2011 off on the right foot in the real world...

TOP POSTS OF 2010

I Didn't Invented Sex
A post featuring a conversation my wife and I had with my son when he attempted to talk slick about girls not respecting themselves.

Investing In An Emotional Letdown
A true eye-opener. A random conversation with a random stranger at a random Tweet-Up wound up becoming one of the most read posts of the year.

My Little Black Book
Sometimes you just have to strike out on your own. After being told a book project I was working on was deemed "Black" I ask the question, "So what?"

What A Single Woman Wants: Part 1
The first in my What A Single Woman Wants series. A surprisingly refreshing and honest discussion on the current state of the female heart.

The Huddle Of The Wife & Kids
One of the most painful days of the year for me. I had to bid farewell to a one of my closest friends before he began his prison sentence for a white collar crime.

What A Single Woman Wants: Part 5
The fifth in the What A Single Woman Wants series. An essay who's author is fully exploring the single life and has the courage and honesty to admit she doesn't currently know what she wants.

A Anniversary: New Beginnings & New Life
My Happy Anniversary Post dedicated to my wife on our 3rd year of marriage.

Wives In Your Own Words
A sampling of female readers of this blog who state in their own words what they believe their roles are as wives.


HONORABLE MENTIONS

How To Face & Overcome Fear (as a man)
What fear is for men and dads and how to overcome it.

Bye Bye, Backfat! Hello, Boxing Gloves! - The Series
Who can forget the multimedia series that chronicled my return to health via boxing.

Super-Not
The truth.

2010 - The Year of the Villain

Even more truth.

Thanks for staying with me this far and I look forward to spending 2011 with you as well!

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