Man, do you love yourself? Is your day filled with glorious man moments? If not, here are a few suggestions.

1. Buy yourself a Lazy-Boy recliner. Better yet, pick one up at the dump. As long as it is operational and doesn’t smell too bad you’re good. Any stains on it simply add to its comfort.
2. Give up losing the television remote. Instead pick up an extra one and stash it somewhere only you know about. It would be advisable to get a little holster for it so that immediately after use (for the short few moments you find a show you’ll actually watch for more than 30 seconds – aka, Nascar, football, fishing, hunting) you can stow it on your belt.

   This will help reduce the theft-while-reaching-for-your-beer incidents and insure you will never have to leave your lazy boy to look for the original remote (which is never in a place that even slightly resembles a location you would find a remote, like on the first-aid shelf).

3. Pamper Your Spouse. Make sure she has plenty of lotions, bath beads, etc., with which she can pamper herself. While she is soaking in the tub, sipping on her favorite glass of wine (all of which you will provide), you have free range with the remote.
4. Hide your favorite t-shirt. You know, the one you’ve had since
   the 9th grade; the one you’ve had to duct tape the shoulders of so it won’t fall off; that all important most-comfortable-shirt-in-the-world your wife can’t stand? The one you know you still look awesome in?
5. Schedule time with your shirt. Once a month give your lovely spouse a trip to the manicurist, massage therapist or her favorite activity of choice. This will give you some live-in-the-moment times with your beer, favorite t-shirt and remote.

   If you can’t afford this, make a deal with your best buddy to get your wives together for a significant period of time at least once a month. Then you’ll have someone to not talk with while you enjoy T.V. and beer together. The downside is you may have to share control of the remote. I recommend buying a timer so each of you knows when your turn is up.

   If you wanna drink foreign beer, like Budweiser, that’s cool. Just know what your doing when you buy, ok?

6. Put the toilet lid down. Every time. You may just get lucky if you do this often enough, if you catch my drift.
7. Find a place of solitude every once in a while. This will usually involve some implement like a fishing pole, shotgun, jet ski, scuba gear, dirt bike or some such thing.

   Heck, even duct-taping a beer cooler to the back of your riding mower would work.

   I am fortunate to live in the country and thus have a lot of grass I can mow. When my wife asks how long it’ll take to mow I usually answer in beer: “I think I’ll do about four beers worth today, hon’.”

8. Do some man shopping. As often as possible, make an excuse to visit Home Depot, Bass Pro Shops or similar stores. Give yourself at least several hours for each store. It’s all about dreaming and living in the moment. I would advise thanking your spouse for the time away with a massage and another bath.

Now, it is important to remember that just like the Buddhist’s Eight-Fold Path, this list is not to be followed in any particular order (though it would be advisable to start with #1). It is meant to be followed in a circular fashion – no beginning, no end. Each item presents opportunity for growth at anytime and each feeds into and relies upon the others.

Seriously speaking, men: do enjoy yourselves. But, love your wife and kids first. Spend time with them and never forget the small things.

Your job is to serve and love your spouse and invest the best you have in raising the children that have been loaned to you from The Big Guy. We never know when our time is up, so make each day count with those you love.

Now, go pour on some love!

photo credits: Velo Steve, Eric Hamilton, dailydose