"Personal Goals"

Why wait to say, "HAPPY NEW YEAR," to make resolutions?

Pick up a hobby
According to an article in the International Herald Tribune, when you do things that make you feel good, such as a hobby, it activates an area of the brain called the nucleus accumbens, which controls how we feel about life. Activities you enjoy also stimulate an area of the brain that makes you feel happy. Think hobbies are a waste of time? Think again! Hobbies can enhance your creativity, help you think more clearly and sharpen your focus.
So, if you were thinking about picking up guitar, go for it! Or, start up a basketball league with your buddies. You’ll get your guy time fix and get to blow off steam—giving you more energy to face the world with your best foot forward.

Save more money
There are many easy ways to save money that really add up--from savings account that automatically transfer money from each paycheck to booking cheaper travel to being more strategic about where you go to happy hour.
But according to financial planning experts, the first steps toward financial freedom is understanding your financial reality—how much you make, how much it costs to live and how much discretionary income you have to play with. Use your bank’s online spending reports feature to keep track of daily spending, and make adjustments when you spot bad patterns. If you smoke, cutting out cigarettes is not only good for your health—it will save you about $1,800 a year.
Driving less is another huge way to save money. Carpooling, using public transportation and biking/walking goes beyond being environmentally-conscious, it can save you hundreds of dollars a year on gas, vehicle maintenance and parking fees. Buying gently-used vehicles and furniture through consignment is another smart way to save money, both on the front end of acquisition costs and in resale value.
Go through your closets, garage and basement and hold a garage sale, or place ads on Craigslist and take unwanted clothes to a consignment shop or Goodwill for a tax write-off. And the easiest tip of all, is just to stop spending as much money! Just have your bank automatically withdraw a set amount of percentage from each paycheck—when you have less to work with, you’ll naturally reign in your spending.

Start a retirement fund
It's never too early to start planning for your retirement. Think about this: a 25 year old guy can invest $2,000 a year for eight years without investing an additional dollar after the age of 33 will earn more by the age of 65 than a 34 year old who invests $2,000 a year for 32 years. One of the best retirement plan options available is your employer's 401(k) Plan. You make pre-tax contributions, which reduces your taxable income, while earnings grow tax-deferred until retirement. In most cases, employers will match a portion of your contribution. If your employer offers a 401(k) it’s foolish not to participate—it’s like leaving money on the table … and walking away.
Another option for retirement saving is the IRA (Individual Retirement Account). A traditional IRA allows pre-tax contributions to grow tax-deferred, meaning you don't pay taxes until you withdraw the money, so the amount you would have paid in taxes earns income from the time you contribute it until you take it out.
If your employer doesn’t offer a retirement plan or you work for yourself, a SIMPLE-IRA, self-employed 401(k), or KEOGH are options for sole proprietors and the self employed.

Make a smart investment
Investing isn’t just about stocks and bonds. Investing in an art, vintage car or watch collection is considered an investment too. If you have a passion, why not add a smart collection to your net worth? Not sure how to go about investing in art? You can subsribe to art publications, attend showings and get cozy with a trusted art advisor. For more tips, see the AskMen.com article on buying art.
With the real estate market in its current state, now is a great time to buy that investment property you’ve been thinking about. According to an article published by Forbes.com, the best markets in the US to get a good real estate deal include:
1. Fort Worth, Texas2. Kansas City, MO3. Houston, TX4. Cleveland, OH5. Denver, CO6. Long Island, NY7. Washington, D.C.8. Orlando, FL9. Phoenix, AZ10. Las Vegas, NV
Find out why these cities have the best real estate deals, view the Forbes.com article here.

Eat more whole foods
Convenient foods have monopolized the foods industry and with good reason—they’re convenient, and usually cheaper too. Most of us are on-the-go and don’t have time to cook a home-cooked breakfast or prepare spaghetti sauce from scratch, let alone seek out a nutritious and healthy lunch during our hectic days. So what are processed foods? It’s pretty simple: processed foods have been altered from their natural state for convenience, prolonging shelf life, or safety. The methods used for processing foods include canning, freezing, refrigeration, dehydration and aseptic processing. With all of the hoopla over healthy eating, it’s hard to know what’s good for us and what’s bad. While certain processed foods are, in fact, unhealthy, not all are bad for us—so I’m not saying to launch an all-out boycott of all things pre-packaged and processed.
Milk is technically a processed food product because it’s pasteurized to kill bacteria and homogenized to keep fats from separating. Instead of stressing out about what not to eat, try loading your fridge with healthy whole food snacks and packing a lunch of veggies, fruits and nuts. Opt for fresh soups and veggie wraps from restaurants and leave the onion rings and sodas for your cheat day.

Do more for others
Most of us wish we had more time to devote to giving back to the community. Unfortunately, it’s not always easy to give up chunks of time to spend delivering food or taking a youngster under your wing. If you do have the time, more power to you. If not, there are other ways to do your part to help those less fortunate.
Donate unwanted household items, non-perishable food and clothes to local charities or families you know could use them. Donating money or sponsoring a needy child is a great way to give back when you don’t have time to spare. A growing trend is shopping specially with retailers who donate to charities. You can buy the products you normally would buy and still do something good for someone else.

Get more quality sleep
Sleep is an area where many of us skimp, and it’s no wonder. With our 24-hour society and increasing demands to balance work and home life, how does anyone get any sleep? To compound the problem is noise pollution and a dozen other factors detrimental to sleep.
According to the Sleep Foundation, nearly 40 million American men and women suffer from sleep disorders. Sleep deprivation doesn’t get a lot of attention but is the cause of many illnesses and accidents, not to mention cranky moods and lackluster skin tones.
Start the New Year off right. Get to bed early enough so that you can wake up naturally without the help of an alarm clock and cut the caffeine after 5 p.m. or earlier if you can. Also, skip the nightcap; it’s more likely to disrupt your sleep than it will aid in restful slumber.

Spend more time with family
Life is short—why not work more family time into your life? If you don’t have a partner or kids, call up your parents, siblings or cousins. Keeping ties with those who knew you way back when is cathartic and keeps you down to earth. What is it all worth working for if we can’t spend it with the people we love?

Go green
You’re hearing it everywhere. Green is in! Even if you’re not a bonafide treehugger, going green helps your bank account just as much as the “global warming” crisis (actually probably more so).
Green your car—check your air pressure and air filter, remove bike racks and any equipment or extra “stuff” you’re carrying around in your trunk; this will help with fuel efficiency. Of course leaving the car in the garage helps too. Car sharing and using public transportation cut down on vehicle emissions.
Green your house--install water-saving shower heads and aerators, turn the tap off when you’re brushing your teeth and switch to energy-efficient appliances. If you have a garden, collect rain water to water plants. For more tips on going green, visit www.treehugger.com/gogreen

"To lead or to lag"

Caballeros...do you lead or lag, is the ?

I would ponder those words if I wasn't sure. It's easy to get caught up in the estilo of what's in. We're inundated from marketing genius, from tv commercials, bill boards, to publications and celebrity endorsements, so beware. If your estilo is heavily swayed by the above mentioned, you fella are a lag. If you travel the urban grind and cats are rocking similar gear, such as the same type of zapatos(shoez) denims, shirts, caps, etc, worn in the same fashion, it may be time to flip the script.

Lets view this from a resume perspective: If we'd all received our resumes from the same service, what's to separate us from another...not mucho. Of course, the content may differ but I'm speaking on an aesthetic level... Or even when you step up into that joint filled with chicas and you blend in like to previous fifteen guys. I hope your game is stronger than your ability to lead.

Now, to all my estilo gents that shop in the vintage, thrift in addition to retail, I'm smirking & bobbing my head to you! Your estilo exudes a strong sense of individuality and you wear it fashionably. Your resume doesn't make it to file13 and you're the one who parts the red sea when you inner a spot and that feminine energy is uncontrollably attached to you...now what you do after that is up to you, just know, you in the doe(slang for door).

Los colores(colors)

Knowing how to convey a message through...los colores.

According to Belisi, matching your tie color to your eye color creates a strking balance that gets noticed without being overdone. “It will really make your eyes pop, which always boosts your look,” says Belisi.
And what do the color experts say?
The meaning of color

Black
Black is an authoritative color that carries a lot of weight in social and business situations. In fashion, black is a slimming color. But on the opposite end of the spectrum, black can imply submission, which is why clergy often wear black. Black is intense and can be off-putting or intimidating. In terms of pop culture and folklore, black is associated with villains.
If you find black too severe for the office or feels too formal, break it up with diagonal white stripes.
Belisi Black Tie Bash necktie
The same goes for your dress shirt. If you aren’t wearing a tie, a black dress shirt with subtle white stripes is professional and modern. We like Dolce & Gabbana's Striped Cotton Dress Shirt.


But if you want the bad boy mysterious look, go for a solid black dress shirt and pair it with jeans for a night out with the boys or for a first date.
The StretchPoplin Shirt in Black says sophisticated and a little bit dangerous

White
In many cultures, white is a symbol of purity. Traditionally viewed as a summer color, white can now be worn year round. For fashion white goes with almost anything; however it does show dirt and is more challenging to keep clean.
White ties are hard to come by but you may see more of them with the popularity of the monochromatic looks. The Belisi Cloud Dancer tie looks great paired with a crisp, white dress shirt or any color buttondown.

Red
Without a doubt, red packs a punch. An emotional and vibrant color, red simulates blood--the source of life. Red clothes get noticed, which can work for or against you. Red is intense, so if you’re involved in negotiations it could work against you, as red could be seen as intimidating and threatening. Red cars are also a popular target for car thieves.
For men, red is best when worn as an accent color such as in a tie, like the Belisi Fiore Rosso red silk necktie.

Pink
Pink is associated with romance and tranquility. A recent trend is men wearing pink dress shirts or ties. If you’ve ever heard the saying “real men wear pink”, there’s something to it. A man who wears pink screams confident.
If you’re not ready to commit to a pink dress shirt, a pink tie is a great way to subtly infuse a little color. Try the Paris Pink silk necktie by Belisi.

Blue
The color of the sky and the ocean, blue is one of the most popular colors. It causes the opposite reaction as red. Peaceful, tranquil blue causes the body to produce calming chemicals, so it is often used in bedrooms. Blue can also be cold and depressing. Fashion consultants recommend wearing blue to job interviews because it symbolizes loyalty. People are more productive in blue rooms. Studies show weightlifters are able to handle heavier weights in blue gyms.
Have a legal face-off coming up? If you want to pacify the opposition and appear less threatening (like to an arbitrator or judge), a light blue dress shirt, like the The Burberry Herringbone Dress Shirt is a good choice.
Or, accent a white, gray or black dress shirt with a light blue tie like the Belisi Blue Ice tie.

Green
You might notice your friends painting their walls green. And with good reason; green is calming, refreshing and easy on the eye. Green has been associated with fertility and wealth. A man who wants to convey status might wear a dark green tie or shirt.
Jasmine Rainforest tie

Yellow
Yellow is associated with cheerfulness and morning. But studies show that people lost their tempers more often in yellow rooms, and the color appears to upset infants. It’s a noticeable color but hard on the eyes. On a positive note, yellow can improve concentration (explaining why legal pads are yellow) and improves metabolism--hence the reason many kitchens are painted yellow.
A soft yellow is great in an everyday tie. Brighten up a gloomy day with the Support the Troops tie by Belisi.

Purple
Purple denotes royalty, wealth and luxury. It is a romantic and feminine color, especially in violets and deep purple velvet fabrics. Purple can appear artificial, since the color is rare in nature, so if you’re going for a natural look, purple may not be the right color for you.
Wearing purple is all about balance. The Veronica tie is colorful yet not overpowering.

Brown
Brown is the color of earth and looks great on people with Autumn skin tones. Light brown implies genuineness and dark brown gives off a rustic, earthy feel with its closeness to wood and tanned leather. Brown can also be a dull color, so make sure to fill your wardrobe with a variety of colors and tones.
When worn properly, brown is sophisticated in a non-intimidating way. A brown tie is a great way to send the message that you’re open and honest.
Spice up your wardrobe, add a little color!

"My eye brows raised!"

Caballeros, one of the many benefits of boosting one's estilo, "lingerie", caramba!

Sexy Italian Lingerie now at Victoria's Secret
Now you have even more reason to get excited when the Victoria's Secret catalog comes in the mail (or to your girlfriend's coffee table). The popular lingerie store has added the ultra feminine Italian lingerie line Intimissi to select stores in the US and online. The lacy bras and panties resemble the exclusive La Perla style but for a fraction of the price--like this Butterfly lace unlined demi bra for only $34. Now, go impress that special someone with some gorgeous Italian lingerie from Victoria's Secret.