Make the Best of Summertime with Coastal Dog Swimwear

I participated in a Blogger Activation on behalf of Dad Central Consulting for Coastal Dog. I received a product sample to facilitate my review and to thank me for participating

Hey there.  I live in Southern California.  There's a running joke in our family that the weather in Southern California is "warm, hot, or hotter."  lol  Well, considering that it's been a warm Spring, I'm expecting it to be a pretty hot Summer.  Especially now so that I've moved into the Lancaster area.  From what I know, that's pretty close to the Mojave Desert.  So... what's a family of 6 to do to stay cool in the Summer near the desert?  BEACH AND POOL TIME!!!  We have family in Lancaster that has invited us to their pool anytime it gets hot and guess what... IT GOT HOT!  We grabbed our swimwear and were about to head out the door when my young one yells out, "WAIT!!!  DID YOU GET MY NEW BLUE SWIM SHORTS WITH THE DOGGY?!?!?!"  Why yes, son, we did grab your Coastal Dog swim shorts.

Zact Mobile is Perfect for Introducing Smartphones to Kids #MC

Hey there.  My 14 and 12 year kids have smartphones on their holiday wish list.  Though I know that it would be practical for them to have one, I do have some reservations about mobile phone usage and risks.  What if they go over on minutes?  What if their texting get out of control?  Well, with Zact Mobile, I can get the kids smartphones and still be in control.  With Zact, I can easily set text limits, set curfews, and all at a low cost.  The average Zact mobile bill averages out to about $22.  And it doesn't hurt that Zact was recently awarded The National Parenting Center seal of approval.  Need more info?  Check out the below video!

Keep Your Body Dry with Gold Bond No Mess Powder Spray

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Mom Central Consulting for Gold Bond. I received product samples and a promotional item as a thank you for participating. 

Hey there. Summers can be pretty hot here in Southern California. Temperatures regularly hit 90 degrees and that can lead to some pretty sweaty bodies walking around.  Even though many of us can hit the beach or walk around an air conditioned mall, many others are stuff inside offices and being sweaty at the work place is just not recommended.  See, I work in an office and for the most part, the air conditioner keeps us cool.  But there has been times where it breaks down and we are stuck in the sweltering heat.  I've gotten into the habit of sprinkling some Gold Bond foot powder spray in my shoes to keep them dry.  Last thing I want to have is moist feet where fungus and bacteria can grow.  But the problem that I had with the powder is that it's kind of messy.  Sometimes I sprinkle too much and it gets all over the rug.  Sometimes it gets all over the outside of my shoe so I'll have to spend some time cleaning it up.  Well, now I don't have the messy problem anymore.  Our good friends at Dad Central and Gold Bond have provided me with the Gold Bond No Mess Powder Spray to try out and let me tell you, this is replacing the standard powder.

The AVEENO Men's Collection for a Wonderful, Close Shave

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Dad Central Consulting for AVEENO. I received product samples and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Hey there.  I have a love/hate relationship with shaving.  I love that I can snuggle close to my wife after a good, close shave, but I hate the nicks, cuts, and razor burn that sometimes comes with shaving.   I wouldn't say that I have sensitive skin, but if I go about a week without shaving, I can almost guarantee myself that my shaving experience won't be a good one.  Sometimes, it would get to a point where I would try to avoid shaving!  lol  But as most men would tell you, going that long without shaving will leave your face very prickly and snuggle time with the wife will go down to zero... Nobody wants thier face scratched by stubble!  I've tried to switch up my razor and that didn't help.  I even switched from shaving gel to foam to back again.  I just couldn't find a good enough product that will leave my skin feeling good and provided me with a close, comfortable shave.  That is, until I was introduced to the AVEENO Men's Collection.  Our good friends at AVEENO and Dad's Central provided me with a set of the AVEENO Men's Collection, which consisted of a face wash, shaving gel, and aftershave.  After more than a few shaving sessions, I'm ready to give my thoughts and insights on the AVEENO Men's Collection.  Let's get to it.

Metallman's Reverie Update

Metallman here, with today's update

Hey there.  I just wanted to drop by and a leave a quick post about what's going on at Metallman's Reverie. I haven't had much time as of late since I've been working on other projects so I want to give you guys a run down as to what the game plan is.  I want to update you guys on the fundraising, the reviews, the giveaways, and the events planned.  So let's get to it.

First off, the Get a Life podcast is not dead.  lol  I've gotten some reader feedback asking when the next episode is going to air.  My Get a Life partner in crime is traveling at the moment so we decided that it we would take a few weeks off while he travels the north east part of the country.  We'll resume the podcast once he settles in and we're good to go.  I'm genuinely flattered that some of you guys are asking about it.  Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.  lol

Experiencing Thinning Hair or Hair Loss? Viviscal Man is Here to Help!

I participated in a campaign on behalf of Dad Central Consulting for Viviscal. I received product samples and a promotional item as a thank you for participating.

Hey there.  I'm now in my early thirties.  I'm just now beginning to take better care of myself.  Actually, I started about a year or so ago.  I trained for a few obstacle courses, took my supplements, started to pay a little more attention to what I eat, generally, just got my self in better shape overall.  One thing that didn't occur to me to check on the health of my hair.  I know that many of us guys simply refuse to acknowledge that many of us will not have our long locks during our later years of our life.  It happens.  That's why I say you should enjoy it now while you know it's still there.  But what if you are already seeing signs of a receding hairline and thinning hair?  No worries, friends!  Viviscal Man is here to help!

Time to Tackle Organization with a Brother P Touch Labeler

Hey there.  It's time to tackle the garage.  Spring cleaning season is in full effect and Summer is just around the corner.  That means that stuff needs to be cleaned and organized because once Summer rolls around, everyone is going to be looking for their Summer stuff.  Whether that be the slip and slide, summer toys, the cooler, or the beach chairs.  Our Summers in Southern California are usually spent at the beach and, though it's one great time for the family, getting all of our stuff ready for the trip never is.  "Mom, where is my football!"  "Dad, I can't find the cooler!"  "Mommy, where is my water gun?!"  If you're a parent, you know the drill.  Nobody can find anything when it's time to go.  But you know what?  That's not going to happen this year.  We're prepared.  Well... at least we're going to be.  Thanks to our good friends at Mom Central, we have obtained Brother P Touch Labeler!  I know it's not a miracle worker, but it's going to make our lives a lot easier!  Let me explain.

Join us for a #MLB13TheShow Twitter Party

If you're a baseball fan, you'll want to attend this party!

Hey there.  Guess who's cohosting a Twitter Party?!  That's right!  This guy!  And you know what... you guys are all invited!  On Tuesday, March 5th, 2013, get on Twitter between 3-4PM Eastern Time and join us on a #MLB13TheShow Twitter Party!  For those of you that are not familiar with a Twitter Party, it's basically a conversation about a particular topic that last about an hour.  The hastag that you can use to follow the conversation is #MLB13TheShow.  The topic that we'll be discussing with be baseball and other outdoor activities that you can do now that Spring is just around the corner.  During the show, 6 random participants will win the MLB 13 The Show video game AND a PS3!!!  How awesome is that!  All for using Twitter and participating!  But that's not all...

DO MORE for NO MORE to End Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Hey there.  See that button up there?  That is the official button of NoMore.org.  The awesome group behind a strong movement to stop domestic violence and sexual assault.  It's a great cause to get behind.  No one should have to go through something as painful and traumatizing as domestic abuse or sexual assault.  I come from a bad neighborhood in South Los Angeles and it was not uncommon to see or hear violence out in the streets.  On certain nights I would see a man and a woman yelling and fighting outside of their house.  I had friends that were sexually assaulted as kids and it took a great deal of therapy to help them get through that kind of trauma.  I've seen it first hand and during my school days, I helped friends where I could.  Now, as an adult, as a father, I can do more.

Potty Training with Pull Ups

Hey there.  I am officially ready to declare my 2 year old boy potty trained!  YES!  No more dirty diapers but that has been replaced by many, and I do mean many, trips to my son's potty.  For those of you that haven't had the experience of potty training a child, let me tell you... it's not an easy task.  It can be very frustrating, messy, and may sometimes feel down right impossible.  But don't worry!  From my experience, it's all about the right technique to help your child learn to use the potty.  But before you embark on this incredible task with your child, you need to make sure you are well prepared.  A kid's potty, dependable Pull Ups, plenty of baby wipes, and a lot of patience will go a long way to making sure your child becomes successful!

The Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000 with SmartGuide Video

Oral-B at it's finest!

Hey there.  A few weeks ago, I received a Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000 with SmartGuide to use and review.  I must say that I was extremely excited to get to it.  A super powered toothbrush with several brushing settings and a smart guide to help you brush?  Yes please!  Now that I've had some experience with it, I want to let you guys know how it went.

First off, I am now brushing my teeth for MORE than the dentist recommended 2 minutes.  The smartguide and the 30 second timer for each section of your mouth is 100% responsible for that.  Without the timer, I know that I was rushing my brushing.  I also noticed that I may have been brushing a little too hard as well.  The power toothbrush has a red light (and sad face on the smartguide) to show you that you have brush too hard.   Have the smartguide as a guide, I know that I'll brush for the full 2 minutes and then do a little extra brushing because of the new teeth brushing ritual that I have incorporated into my oral hygiene.  I brush for 2 minutes using the whitening setting and then an extra minute using the deep clean setting.  I actually spend more time brushing my teeth than brushing my hair!  lol

The Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000 with SmartGuide Toothbrush

An Oral-B toothbrush with power!

Hey there.  This year, I turned 30 years old and I made a promise to myself to take better care of myself. Not because I'm in poor health or anything of that sort, but because it's a healthy lifestyle that I want to integrate into my life.  I started to exercise regularly, started going on morning runs, and I started to pay more attention to my personal hygiene and grooming habits.  I want to make sure that I am at my best going forward and nothing says great hygiene than an awesome smile.  That's the first thing that people see when they meet someone, you know.  A bright smile can convey confidence and that's what I want.  My teeth have coffee stains and I've been thinking of getting a more serious toothbrush to tackle those stains and attain that awesome smile.  Good thing that my good friends at Dad Central and Oral-B provided me with a toothbrush that claims to do just that.  Check out this bad boy!  The Oral-B ProfessionalCare Smart Series 5000 with SmartGuide (Oral-B 5000) toothbrush!

Metallman's Reverie: Blog Income and Traffic Report December 2011

Hey there.  December is in the the books and it's time to report on how well on (or off) pace we are in reaching my $2500 goal for the year. Let's take a look at the numbers:


SocialSpark - $38.95
Dad Central - $105.00
Blogsvertise - $10.00
Sponsored Tweets - $26.05
Payperpost - $34.50
Total for December - $214.50
YTD Total - $2,629.95 (+$129.95 ahead of pace)

Metallman's Reverie: Blog Income and Traffic Report November 2011

Hey there.  November is in the the books and it's time to report on how well on (or off) pace we are in reaching my $2500 goal for the year. Let's take a look at the numbers:


SocialSpark - $52.00
Dad Central - $30.00
Blogsvertise - $15.00
Mylikes - $1.06
Total for November - $98.06
YTD Total - $2,415.45 (+$123.78 ahead of pace)

Making Hickory Farms a Family Tradition

Hey there.  No matter what goes down in your daily life, at the end of the day, you come home to your family.  Always inviting, always waiting there for.  It's the best time of day, actually.  Well, at least for me it is.  After working hard all day, it's great to be able to spend some time with the wife and kids and dinner time is a great way to open up with each other and share the day's experiences.  It's a welcome change from the stresses of being a working parent.  And nothing makes the conversation better than an awesome meal from the wife.  But not just any meal, but a meal prepared using some Hickory Farms products.

P&G Family Movie Night Presents: Game of Your Life

Hey there.  Our good friends at Walmart and P&G have another great film on the horizon!  Game of Your Life is set to air on Friday, December 2nd on NBC at 8pm ET/7pm CT.  If you guys are not familiar with these films, they are family films that you can sit and watch with the family that primarily focus on tough subject matters that kids should know about.  They are films of morals, loyalty, family,drugs, and the like, that can open the door for parents to talk with their kids about these tough subject matters.  These talks can no longer be awkward when the film has already nudged the conversation to start.  This week's film is no different.

Metallman's Reverie: Blog Income and Traffic October 2011

Hey there.  October is in the the books and it's time to report on how well on (or off) pace we are in reaching my $2500 goal for the year. Let's take a look at the numbers:


SocialSpark - $50.00
SponsoredTweets - $30.02
Dad Central - $100.00
Blogsvertise - $10.00
Dragonblogger - $10.00
Mylikes - $1.99
Total for October - $202.01
YTD Total - $2317.39 (+$234.06 ahead of pace)

Metallman's Reverie: Blog Income September 2011

Hey there.  September is in the the books and it's time to report on how well on (or off) pace we are in reaching my NEW $2500 goal for the year. Let's take a look at the numbers:


SocialSpark - $76.35
SponsoredTweets - $26.01
Dad Central - $75.00
Blogsvertise - $41.50
Total for September - $218.86
YTD Total - $2115.38 ( +$240.38 ahead of pace)

Boosting the Kids' Immune System with Emergen-C

The breakfast of champions!

Hey there.  You know, as a parent, it's tough to make sure that your kids get the right nutrients in their body.  Especially when you have younger kids.  You make the healthy foods for them, but something is always wrong with it.  Phrases like, "I don't like this.",  "Was is that?", or "It's nasty, Mom." seem to be the norm whenever we decide to make a healthy dinner.  You would figure that after awhile, the kids will get accustomed to eating healthy and will soon stop complaining.  I guess kid DNA is configured to detest healthy foods.  lol  Anyways, I know that the kids are healthy and active, but that doesn't mean that they are getting the right nutrients or at least sufficient amount of nutrients in their system.  So when I received 3 boxes of Emergen-C Vitamin Supplement drinks, I was excited.

Metallman's Reverie: Blog Income August 2011

Hey there.  August is in the the books and it's time to report on how well on (or off) pace we are in reaching my $1700 goal for the year. Let's take a look at the numbers:


SocialSpark - $62.85
SponsoredTweets - $26.65
PayPerPost - $43.00
Dad Central - $250.00
Blogsvertise - $40.00
MyLikes - $2.11
Total for August- $424.61
YTD Total - $1896.52 (GOAL EXCEEDED!!! New Goal - $2500)