Wednesday 28 September 2011

A sign of aging you can reverse!

The age-related loss of muscle strength, mass and functional ability is called sarcopenia by medical professionals and is considered a significant health issue for middle-aged and older adults.

Amid all the angst and upset of menopause, I've noticed I can now lift 23 kg without big issues whereas 15 kg used to be my limit. I also completed a 10 km hike with some capability to go further whereas about 4 years ago (pre menopause) I only managed to drag myself 6 km.

The difference to my physical capability appears to be related to my more active lifestyle (I need to walk a reasonable distance to work) and also to some minor weighbearing exercise. Frankly I am suprised at this improvement in performance at a time when a cessation of hormones should be impacting negatively. However, as this article from the Peak Health Advocate shows, an older adult exercising frequently can equal or better the performance of a younger adult who does not exercise.      

YES! Decrease in strength and muscle mass is a sign of aging that can be reversed!
More bright flowers from the Queen Street mall - everlastings & fresias!

Sunday 4 September 2011

It's not all about me ... and people can't read minds either!

A young blogger shares an epiphany in that she realises that she needs to understand others and be flexible enough to take their wishes into account. She says it heaps better than my summary here. When I read honest and useful posts like this by young people I feel there is truly hope for the world!

Associated with being able to walk in the shoes of others is also the realisation that people can't read our minds. Some people, often males, cannot interpret clues and hints as easily as others and require messages to be spelt out. The skill of course is in doing this politely without appearing brusque.

The matter of forthrightness comes to my mind just now because a friend has just broken up with a girlfriend - they seemed eminently unsuited and she seemed quite self-centred, so I am not unhappy at the break up. However, after the break up she wrote a long letter to him detailing all the things he SHOULD HAVE DONE sexually.  Nary a word was spoken previously and she did not deviate from her limited sexual style even though he made requests I would rate as very reasonable. Was she just being mean? Did he fail Mind Reading 101? Did she want a man that was more assertive sexually? Who knows?

ANYWAY ...I do find difficulties in communicating what I want sexually. One prominent reason, especially at the start, was that I did not know what I wanted! Heaps of reading and experience has helped fix that, but still at times I prefer to just try things out because I don't have enough information to form an opinion up front.

A second reason is shyness and not wanting to appear wanton. Of course, men tend to prefer their women to be wanton in private, even though they may prefer someone who is well-presented and well-behaved in public. I let Awesome wheedle "shy" preferences out of me. Sometimes its just more fun to share information that way!  

The learnings? It's not all about you. Don't expect anyone to be a mind reader. Try hard to speak up and do your best to facilitate your partner to voice their preferences.
Brisbane July 2009 - Victoria Bridge looking towards the CBD

Friday 2 September 2011

Cleanliness, penises and oral sex

Sometimes a single small piece of information is enough to cause a “light bulb moment”. Yesterday I learned that a significant number of men with foreskins don’t wash their penises thoroughly and have build-ups of sticky stuff underneath them. It did not take long for me to start thinking of the implications.

Note: I expect an equal proportion of men without foreskins don't know how to wash them properly. This article does not discriminate against foreskin owners! 

First off the block was – OOOOO – now I know why many women don’t provide oral sex – one look / whiff of a dirty penis (with or without foreskin) and they would be put off for life! HUH – and innocent little Candice thought they were worried about imaginary germs!

Secondly I thought – crumbs – some men may not know what the benchmark is for a clean penis. They are probably sitting at home now complaining about fussy women.  

I don’t believe many people would choose dirty and infected over clean and comfortable if they knew! A benchmark clean, healthy penis is pink (or whatever you skin colour is) and does not have any sticky stuff on it. It is also not red and irritated. ALSO, a washed penis with foreskin is just as clean as one without..

Thirdly I thought – CRUMBS – men can’t smell their own penises – they are just too far away from their noses! OK guys, even if you wash in the morning, by the end of a hot day you will get a little sweaty down there – sweaty enough to put a girl off. On the other hand, a clean, healthy penis smells like clean man and tastes from bland to really nice! The lesson from this is of course to wash thoroughly and often.  

Fourthly, I realised that a woman can only tell a man how to wash his private parts from the point of view of her getting close and personal to them. Afterall, there must be some secret men's business about private part washing that is simply never shared with girls (or other men it also appears!)! So here is my “best practice” preference based on observations of men whose penises I verified to be clean and on the online “literature”.

Soap is not mentioned as necessary by various online experts and I can imagine how sensitive parts could be irritated, but I would prefer judicious use of mild, non-perfumed soap such as Neutrogena and of course a thorough rinsing. That way any residual soap does not irritate and you smell and taste like clean man, not soap.  

I suggest a good lathering and thorough washing of the groin area, anus and butt. The shaft and head of the penis could be thoroughly washed with warm water only. However, I’ve observed soap used to good effect and can't attest that a non-soaped penis would smell/taste the same as a soap-cleaned one.

Please remember to wash all the parts down there individually and carefully – all the nooks and crannies please - don’t just splash water at them. If you have a foreskin, gently pull it back and clean underneath it. Remember when washing that someone may put that part in their mouth!

Finally, it’s best practice to shower twice a day, especially in warm climates, if you work hard and if you want your lady to have sex with you every day. You may even shower before sex, just to be sure!

What do you think gentlemen? Is there anything to add or take away from my analysis?

Note: You can wash too much and irritate the penis, especially if you use soap and rub too hard. Just be sensible – m’okay?   
For some reason this reminded me of a clean penis ...