But Baby It's Cold Outside

Ok, so maybe cold is an understatement...

Today in Idaho it's -16 degrees (that's almost -27 in Celcius) and it's been like this for the better part of a week.

Yesterday it stayed in the negatives all day.  We had a 'high' of -2...

That's just plain wrong on so many levels...

...especially for a guy like me who travels for a living.

Schools are shut down today due to extreme temperatures.  Roads are closed or being plowed heavily to let commuters through.

Some people can't get into their own cars because the doors and locks have frozen shut...

There's a vehicle under there somewhere... I promise.

But the show goes on, even in conditions like this.  I'm working on a trip into Utah or Wyoming, where I am hoping the frigidness is slightly less frigid...

But I'm not getting my hopes up.

(Meanwhile in California, I have friends posting "oh no, it's 44!  SO COLD!" on Facebook.)

How is the weather where you're at?  Do you live in a climate that goes below zero and camps out for a few weeks?  How do you manage?

Meanwhile, in parts of Australia, it's getting close to hitting 120 degrees, and fires are burning out of control...  Maybe the mayans were correct and this is the end of the world?  Maybe it's not instantaneous, and will take a few months to spiral into madness?

Oh well.  Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go...

Get Your Prostate Checked (or risk a teenier weenie)

A lot of women say 'size doesn't matter.'  Whether they're lying to us or really mean it, it matters to us.

Men obsess about their penis.  Is it big enough, thick enough, does it 'last' long enough... did she feel it?  Was I good?

Oh, you're talking about your ex again?  Uh huh, mmhm... that's nice...  Was he bigger than me?

I'm of decent size (I'm leaving it at that, since I have some family that reads this blog) and I, like 99% of guys out there, wouldn't mind a little more.

This is why I was utterly dismayed when I read an article about men having shorter penii (penises?) after getting prostate surgery.

I love the way the article starts:  'You're alive.  Let's start there...' but most men would read the headline and shout 'GET TO THE SHRINKAGE!'

The article goes on to talk about the after-effects of prostate surgery.  Some men lose a quarter-inch in length, some up to an inch and a half.

...do that math in your head, dudes.  I'll wait...

That's quite a bit to lose, isn't it?

I'm still in my lower 30's, but I'm already thinking about prostate health.  I don't want cancer of ANY form, but wang-shrinking cancer adds a bit to the scary-ness of the big C.

Men over 50 reading this, you need to get your butt-button checked by a doc annually.  If you DO end up having problems, you want to catch it early.  Not only do save your life, but to save "_________ Jr." from getting knocked down a peg or two.

Some doctors even recommend starting around 40.  It's virtually unheard-of before 35 and rare before 50, but better safe than sorry, right?

Men under 50, you don't need to be prodded just yet, but do a little research on preventative measures.  Men's Fitness has a great article about some easy steps to take in order to keep your prostate healthy.  Supplements, lifestyle changes (stop smoking), etc can go a LONG way.

Hell, some people even mention the benefits of 'milking' your prostate from time to time, to keep it lean and mean...

...that's at your own discretion, by the way.  Keep it to yourself bucko...

No matter how you do it, do it.  You don't want cancer.  I don't want cancer.  But this type of cancer has other effects as well...  I love my little guy... all of him, and don't want to lose any bit of him.

Because size matters.  To us.  We're fail little creatures, us men... Our penis is our confidence, our manhood, our ego.  Primitive yes, but important nonetheless.