Helluva Run

For the time being, I've decided to commit my energy to other outlets. It's not fun to write nor read posts that lack passion so I'll be calling it quits. Thanks for following along and all the enjoyable comments. Keeping up with Sprezz Central has definitely been a fun experience and who knows what the future has in store.

In the meantime, stay sprezzin'...

The Conversational Wingman

Almost as much as I like hearing the sound of my own voice, I enjoy playing the role of conversational wingman. As a matter of fact, I take a great amount of pride in my CW capabilities.



Some people take the task lightly, but this position requires more than meets the eye. There are several points to keep in mind. The ultimate goal for a CW is to ensure that the Pilot is viewed in a positive light by the other parties. It's your job to provide credibility, biased as it may be.

Be sure to smile and keep the energy positive. But if the Pilot says a joke that falls flat... you better be throwing in a couple of "hehes". Stick with "hehes" as a LOL would probably be over the top. Save the belly laughs for the right moments.

Throughout the conversation, you must utilize head nods appropriately (which symbolize that you agree with and kinda confirm the Pilot's points). We're shooting for a rhythmitic fashion. If you catch yourself looking like a freaking bobblehead... maybe consider sitting the next few plays out.

Note that it should be a cool calm and collected head nod. Almost like a half head nod. Something along the vibes of, "Oh yea, good point, Pilot. I didn't think of that. You're really contributing alot to our little chat here."

Finally, be sure to provide strong eye contact like they're saying the most intriguing shit you've ever heard!



Playing CW might not be glamorous, but it's certainly honorable. This weekend, get out of your own head, help a friend and take your game to the next level. That's Sprezzatura.

Cracking The Code

Someone sent me this a while ago, I'm pretty sure it was from Comedy Central. Either way, most of the following interpretations are dead on and you should enjoy.

"JOIN OUR FAST-PACED COMPANY"
We have no time to train you.

"CASUAL WORK ATMOSPHERE"
You'll be here very late, very often -- might as well be comfortable.



"MUST BE DEADLINE-ORIENTED"
Your first four projects are already way overdue.

"SOME OVERTIME REQUIRED"
Did we mention that you'll be here very late, very often? And most weekends.

"DUTIES WILL VARY"
Anyone in the office can boss you around.

"MUST HAVE AN EYE FOR DETAIL"
We have no quality control.

"CAREER-MINDED"
Female applicants must be childless.

"APPLY IN PERSON"
If you're old, fat or ugly, that position has already been filled.



"NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE"
This job listing is just a legal formality. The position was filled by some executive's nephew.

"SEEKING CANDIDATES WITH A WIDE VARIETY OF EXPERIENCE"
Due to consolidation, you'll be replacing three people.

"PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS A MUST"
This company is a total mess.

"REQUIRES TEAM LEADERSHIP SKILLS"
You'll have all the responsibilities of upper management, without the pay, title or respect.



"GOOD COMMUNICATION SKILLS"
Listen to management, figure out what they want, don't ask too many questions and get the shit done.

... Reading between the lines. That's Sprezzatura.

The Power of the Quick Lunch

There's something about meeting a friend for lunch that always brightens my day. Sure, fishing trips, Hampton weekends and baseball games are all good and fun... but there's nothing like a mid-day meal to really strengthen a relationship.



But as we get older it's tougher to sync schedules (unless it's related to business). Everyone has their own agendas which tend to get more hectic by the day.

With that said, we must adapt! It's important to throw in a twist. A friend questioned me yesterday for proposing a quick lunch. They said, "Steve, I'm in but what's the rush?"

The truth is I simply threw in the adjective because it produces a higher success rate. Admit it, there’s just something more appealing about meeting up for a “quick lunch” during the week. It’s right up there with “grabbing a bite” and yet miles away from the heinous “let’s DO lunch”.

Let’s do lunch? That’s a whole procedure. I'm thinkin appetizers, drinks, entrees... and then dessert if you're rolling with a snowball! Nobody has that kind of time to commit. Especially in Manhattan.

Keep it simple. In and out, baby. Stick to the quick lunch and let the good times roll... That's Sprezzatura.

Office Language

Thanks to Raj for passing on this funny link from Maxim. Pretty self-explanatory, there's a couple of funny ones... Check it out.



Click here!

'Drobe-aphobia

There comes a point in everyone's life where they're forced to take part in the stressful experience of shopping for work attire. For guys, this can be a nightmare-you're dealing with striped, solids, and shirts with crazy designs... Then, there's that preppy vest look that's kinda sophisticated but nerdy at the same time. Don't get me started on all the different shapes and assortments of ties!



Surely it's advised to bring along a female companion with a knowledgeable fashion sense... but alas, sometimes that's simply not an option. On these occasions, the man must fend for himself in the cutthroat wilderness known as the retail world, left with nothing but his own unreliable instincts.

Such was the situation that I encountered this weekend. The determination was made that my work wardrobe could use a few additions and unfortunately, nobody was around to join me for the process.

I made sure to talk shop beforehand with my female advisors for the right ideas, still, ya never know how you actually look without a reliable second opinion. With that in mind, I headed straight to the people who I KNEW wouldn't let me down. My peeps over at Nordstrom.

In Manhattan, there are a ton of posh and pretentious stores that can frustrate the hell out of you. I actually went to one place that wouldn't even let me try on the shirts. Apparently, I was supposed to get a sense for how the clothing looked and fit just by holding the box up against a mirror. Can you believe that crap?



So I escaped to Long Island and headed straight to Nordstrom. My man Ronald the salesmen really hooked it up! He immediately showed me which fit I needed so I wouldn't be walking around like some baggy clothed high schooler. Then, Ron dawg suggested some trendy styles and colors (Purple is so fall! ... just kidding.) and helped lock down the right tie- it's all about the paisley. The whole process barely took an hour. Well done, Ronald.

Shopping can be an overwhelming experience for guys. Half the time, we don't even know where to start. Fortunately, when women are nowhere to be found there's always Nordstrom to the rescue! Best customer service in the game... That's Sprezzatura.

Just Keep It Real (Featuring Ms. Terry)

(As discussed, there have been suggestions to add some women perspective to the site. So once again, today's post comes from a female contributor, Ms. Terry.)

Ms. Terry: Tucker Max is a brilliant 30 something year old male who abandoned a future as a prominent lawyer to pursue his true passion... women.

You know those crazy hook up stories you hear, where you think to yourself, “that's gotta be an exaggeration, no guy would ever possibly say that!” Those, my friends, are the ridiculous tales of Tucker Max.



I first learned about the man while in law school myself, and found his tales an excellent way to kill the two hours of my contracts class (OK fine, every class). Tucker's tales not only filled the boredom void, but also are a great ego booster.

Any time I'm feeling down after a bad date or heinous male interaction, I simply read a Tucker story and instantly feel better. Whatever I was going through is nothing compared to what women experience in his stories!!

Tucker is a bona fide asshole to woman, and makes no effort to disguise that fact. Hence the ever-appropriate title for his first novel, “I hope they serve beer in hell.” (Which just became a movie and opened last week!!! Woo hoo!)

Naturally his movie has generated a lot of buzz and not all of it's positive. There are many many people out there who really despise Tucker. We’re talking protests, rallying for his advertisements to be banned, even people making horridly untrue comments (I am not going there now, maybe next week).

I don’t get why these people hate Tucker so much. Unlike many single (horny) men, Tucker does not hide or mask his true intentions. He doesn't want a relationship, a date or a phone buddy; he just wants orgasms and has no problem being brutally upfront about that fact.



Though I may not agree with all of Tucker's actions, you have to support his honesty. I mean, how many of you guys have told a girl you would call her, could see a future with her, or that you wanted a relationship... when all you really wanted was to have sex with her?

This may not seem like a big deal to men but it sucks for us gals! Let's be clear, not wanting a commitment and only wanting sex does NOT make for an asshole. But if you throw in lying and deception then you're crossing the line.

Try the honesty route next time. It can lead to success, just ask Tucker!