good as new

My brother has faced his fair share of injuries.  As the sister of an athlete and self-dubbed "man of nature", I have become accustomed to his frequent phone calls that detail his latest bump or break.  However, he managed to surprise me when he called to detail his recent biking accident and subsequent front flip over the handlebars into the cement:

Takeaway: Primal instincts encourage men to be resourceful. Avoid emasculating him by allowing him to handle crises in the way that he deems fit.  However, when his method fails (i.e. his wounds become severely infected), feel free to step in and take over.

a blooming birthday

My brother has a very structured approach for gift giving.  I can always count on him to call me approximately two days before a loved one's birthday to ask about what "we" will be purchasing.  He thinks he is being clever by slyly attaching his name to my heartfelt gift ideas, but he surprised me this year when he attempted to add his own twist to our mother's birthday gift:

 Takeaway: It is easy to get frustrated with men for their laziness, but their idiotic contributions can evoke even more frustration.  Keep in mind that they mean well, and accept it for what it is.