The first midwest city to show up on the list is no surprise. Chicago comes in as the 6th most fashionable city in the country. The midwest does not show up on the list again until the 15th slot was filled by St. Louis.

Spring is always a time to brighten up the wardrobe, but this is especially true this season. Feel free to pick bold colors. Pastels will be a good look through the summer. I would suggest, that instead of loading up on bold colored tee’s and shirts, instead brighten up your bottom half. Try bold colored pants, shorts, and shoes. If you don’t feel right with out some denim on, do it as a jacket.

Navy Blue Adamis by Aldo. Find Here.

Air Franklin Wing Tip Oxford by Cole Haan. Find Here.

1969 denim-washed garment dye khakis (slim fit) from Gap. Find Here.

Chino shorts from H&M. Find Here.

The Time Teller P from Nixon. Find Here.

For years I’ve argued that Indiana produces the best basketball talent. People rarely believe me. Indiana University’s dry spell does not make for a compelling argument, but in my defense, they have not recruited the state well under past leadership. Perhaps the best evidence of Indiana’s basketball prowess is the success of Butler. Even after the states top tier players are scooped up by Kentucky (Marques Tegue), North Carolina (Tyler Zeller), Duke (Mason, Miles, Marshall Plumlee), and Ohio State(Dehaun Thomas) Butler has still been able to put back to back championship caliber teams together.

Get the guys in Indiana to stay in Indiana, and you have an Elite 8 team each year.

Agree with this argument or not, this year’s NCAA tourney has made one thing clear. The best college basketball is in the Midwest.

Four (MSU, OSU, IU, and Wisconsin) sweet 16 teams come from the Big Ten, tied only by the Big East. However, two of those Big East squads (Cinci and Marquette) are not so far east. Ohio made the strongest showing, with four teams representing the state (Cinci, Ohio, OSU, and Xavier). Of the total 16 teams left across the entire county, nine are from the Midwest. One more (Louisville), could be hit from a rock thrown from the Midwest. Only one of the final 16 teams is from west of the Mississippi river. That school is Baylor. In case your University geography is not what it used to be, Baylor is in Texas.  The east coast has some quality teams. The left coast put up a goose egg, which is no surprise. If it weren’t for an Indiana kid named John Wooden, the entire coast would have nothing but hacky sack and Frisbee golf trophies.

But I digress; the point is we can ball, and each year in March we get to show it.

*She’s Out of my League: Quite possibly one of the lowest rated films on this list. A tale of an everyday guy who lands a girl who well, is out of his league. Once you get beyond the raunchy jokes, Hall and Oates cover band, and a pretty funny script you have a tale of every insecurity that comes with all relationships.

*Garden State: From the brain of Zach Braff this movie combines a great sound-track with a well written script about coming home and finding love in an unusual place. Natalie Portman in any film is a plus as well. Garden State is the perfect character study of emotional baggage people bring to relationships and dealing with it.

*Almost any Kevin Costner sports movie: Bull Durham/Tin Cup/For Love of the Game. Lets discuss for Love of the Game. If you haven’t seen this movie by now…leave. It’s been on many of MWM lists. A perfect blend of sports and romance. Billy Chapel’s perfect game is examined while he is busy thinking about his most recent relationship.

*Groundhog Day: Bill Murray has to relive February 2nd over and over and over and over and over and over and over(you get the point.) Along the course of the film he realizes he is in love with his producer. Murray’s humor and sarcasm are put to extremely good use. *Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind: Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet play a couple who decide that the memory of their relationship is too much to bare, so they decide to have the memories erased. Along the lines they remember that not having the memories is even harder to imagine.

Spotless Mind is a perfect symbolic film. Anyone who has been in a relationship longer than a few months will have an understanding that no matter how bad the relationship was there was at least a few bright spots. Really, what a great metaphor for Valentines Day. No matter what your relationship status is you can find something in this film. Found memories, even of what you may consider a “horrible” relationship, and the eternal optimism that a new relationship brings. So fellow readers take comfort in knowing that you never know what is around the corner.

Currently, using Fish Aggregating Devices, 30% of what is brought on board of tuna ships is bycatch(turtles, whale sharks, sea birds, etc.) This type of fishing is the reason why we are seeing species of sea turtles on or in danger of being put on the endangered species list. Tuna companies also destroy eco-systems that the tuna rely on, combined with over fishing the worlds tuna population will eventually so scarce that the price of canned tuna will sky rocket.

The Chicago office is collecting hundreds of petitions to deliver to Chicken of the Sea HQ. Also, the Greenpeace office is planning a demonstration/parade for the 21st of January, which is THIS Saturday. The parade will start at Millennium Park, at the intersection by Michigan and Washington. The march should last about 30-45 minutes. Where we will ask that Chicken of the Sea Tuna be removed from the shelves of a local grocery store, as well as, delivering petitions our members have signed.

If you are someone who enjoys conservation, protecting wild life, or even wants to ensure that future generations have tuna to enjoy you should lend you support for further information check out the following sites, plus I will be there wearing a crab hat, which will be worth it!

http://www.tunasecrets.com/

http://www.greenpeace.org/usa/en/

“The bank is something more than men, I tell you. It’s the monster. Men made it, but they can’t control it.”

- John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 5

“How can you frighten a man whose hunger is not only in his own cramped stomach but in the wretched bellies of his children? You can’t scare him– he has known a fear beyond every other.”

- John Steinbeck, The Grapes of Wrath, Chapter 19

That being said, if I had the money, I’d invest in Detroit. Home prices are down 40% from their peak, and those are the homes people want to live in. There are entire blocks of abandoned homes selling for hundreds of dollars each. If Detroit ever turns around, money will be made. Steinbeck may best describe the crippling depression of Detroit, but Warren Buffet best explains how to profit from it.

“Be fearful when others are greedy, and greedy when others are fearful,”

- Warren Buffet

Los Galanes in Mexicantown.

Los Galanes in Mexicantown. One of the few booming areas.

Michigan Central Station. Abandoned January 6th, 1988.

Foran’s Irish Pub, Downtown.

Abandoned skyline

“People Mover” 2.9 Mile track around the downtown

Canada, from the “People Mover”

Detroit

When did we stop being carefree kids? In theory, I have now been out of college longer than I was ever in college.

College should last longer.

Why is it that college is so much cooler than the real world? Sure, you get to drink all the time and have more free time than you know what to do with. You can do dumb shit like skip class to play another game of Madden. In college, finishing last night’s keg is reason enough for a personal day (How did I graduate?). But you know, I think it’s much more than those things. I think it’s all about potential. In college, we don’t know who we are yet.  And the beautiful thing about that is, you can be whomever you want.

I’m reminded of a line from one of my favorite movies,

“I remember once imagining what my life would be like, what I’d be like. I pictured having all these qualities, strong positive qualities that people could pick up on from across the room. But as time passed, few ever became any qualities that I actually had. And all the possibilities I faced and the sorts of people I could be, all of them got reduced every year to fewer and fewer. Until finally they got reduced to one, to who I am. And that’s who I am, the weather man.”

-Dave Spritz (Nick Cage)

The Weather Man

Oddly enough, I liked that movie long before I ever knew I myself would become a weatherman. (Really, that is my full time job.) Of course, life is really not that bad. I am in control of my own destiny. So are you. It is my life and I can make whatever I want of it.

And that’s what I love about 2012, because in 2012, I can be whoever I want to be.

“May the best of your today’s be the worst of your tomorrows.”

-Jay Z

Young Forever

Good Luck in 2012 Everyone.

The year started off like any other for me. A NYE party in Libertyville IL, complete with open bar and an awesome live band. The month of January was a mix of ups and downs, as if a theme for the year was developing. Great times involving MWM antics, t-shirt companies, accompanied by the likes of Brett Favre exposing himself and my car being broken into, to this day not sure which bothers me more.

As the months progressed it dawned on me that I was living a stunted life. Still living in a college town, doing all the things college kids do(in my defense several of my friends were attending classes) all while getting paid under 9 bucks an hour. My 2011 transformation was almost as revolutionary as the events that occurred through the year. While Ball State students and, undoubtedly, the majority of 20-sometings were moving like Bernie the Arab Spring was occurring. 2011 also was not a good year for the enemies of America. We got to say goodbye to Bin Laden, Muammar Gaddafi and Kim Jong-Il.

Spring 2011 was one that really cemented just how weird the year was for me. Steven Colbert, Katy Perry, and an unknown Rebecca Black finally gave Friday some credit. I didn’t get raptured, even though I’m pretty sure no one else did. Wakarusa music festival was an amazing event, anytime you have the opportunity to jump into a waterfall take it.

Summer 2011 was the catalyst season for me. Fresh off of waterfall jumping and camping the month of June was full of finally watching “Human Centipede.” There are things you cannot unsee and this film is one of them. June 20th will be a memorable day for me, it marked the last day I was a resident of Muncie, Indiana, I’ve practically lived there for 5 years. June slowly turned into July, which was full of employers not hiring me and a bit of a rut. August saw me using Google+ the way it was intended for, sharing music videos of well known songs, and start my short lived career as substitute teacher. Summer was also a grand time for my ginger self to go to Lake Michigan as often as possible. Proving my point that any beer, even warmish Busch Light, tastes better outside in the sun.

While the calender turned from August to September a few things stuck out to me. The “Occupy Wall Street” movement started, the Cubs were vying not to finish last place in the NL Central. My job search took me to Indianapolis, where inspiration for several of my articles came from. The Ball State Football Cardinals proved that they could actually win games against Big Ten teams again (See the BSU/IU Game). October saw another Halloween come and go, my first real “Alumni Homecoming” aptly dubbed “Bro-Coming.” Television was also a highlight for October, the return of HBO’s “How to Make it in America” and AMC’s “The Walking Dead” provided excellent conversation for MWM.

The philanthropist inside of me came out in November…err wait I meant “Movember.” Growing a moustache for men’s health issues was a great experience. We raised well over $100 and plan to exceed that number greatly next year!  After months of job searching I became an employee of Greenpeace in Chicago. December involved me mainly working and getting into the swing of things as a gainfully employed member of society in one of the greatest cities in the world.

As 2011 comes to an end I have only memories and Facebook timeline to hold on to. Friendships were formed, tested, strengthened, and rekindled. I am now sans four wisdom teeth, and have sampled a total vegan meal. I also end the year with a few regrets. How in the Hell did I miss the royal wedding? 2012 has a positive feel to it, and I only say that because I am not spending this article discussing anything political. 2012 is going to be great. Simple as that. My resolution this year is to be less hesitant. Writing this article made me reflect on the year that was and was not. It was positive and negative. The year was one of transition, experience, and life lessons.

Karyn’s is a restaurant with a focus on drinks. A full 22 seat bar and separate lounge upstairs comfortably surrounds the dinning area. With cocktails, over 30 organic wines, and 8 craft brews there is something for every pallet. Being a whiskey/bourbon man, my first drink had to be the Moon over Manhattan. Makers Mark, Averna Amaro, agave, and orange bitters. The Moon is a perfect example of good ingredients coming together to make one hell of a drink. The second drink I ordered was Karyn’s TREEtini (VeeV Açaí Spirit, fresh cucumber, fresh mint, fresh lime juice, agave nectar.) What made this drink special, along with the crisp and refreshing taste was the impact each TREEtini had on the environment, a snippet from the menu.

“For every cocktail served, a tree is planted on your behalf through the TREEtini program. To date Karyn’s on Green has planted 1,463 trees through the TREEtini program. Trees are planted in Tamil Nadu, India just outside the Indian Rainforest where the area was ravaged by
monsoons and is in dire need of reforestation. A single tree over its lifetime will absorb carbon dioxide at a rate of 48 lbs/year, release enough oxygen to support 2 human beings and recycle $37,000 worth of water.”

The menu was very helpful with the ordering process as each item is listed as it if it were not a vegan restaurant. The food choices were plentiful, classic American fare given an elegant and vegan twist. For starters,  I sampled “chorizo” and “crab” sliders; both were delicious and tasted just like the meat equivalents. For dinner I had the BBQ “Pork.” Along with the pork style seitan, the plate included braised collard greens which provided excellent bitterness, and cornbread stuffing. This plate proved to be too rich to even think about dessert.

In a city known for beef and pork infused everything,I found myself eating at a vegan restaurant and enjoying it. What added a special touch was that Karyn herself was walking table to table asking everyone about their experience. The one vegan with us even ratted us out as meat eaters, and Karyn laughed and was very chill about it. The entire night we were not given a guilt trip about our choices to eat meat and animal products. This added to the whole experience. With a separate brunch menu and a larger collection of drinks there is more to experience. Next time you are in Chicago and are looking to try something different you need to head to Greek Town and hit up Karyn’s on Green. This restaurant combines atmosphere, food, and drink with a health and eco conscious mind frame to create a truly unique dinning experience.

Use those frequent visits to the local mall, to take an extra lap, or walk more briskly in pursuit of those loved ones’ gifts. When safe and possible, use the stairs to and from the parking garage.

Have less time for full workouts due to family and airport obligations? Augment your workouts by supersetting, applying heavier weights and less reps to maximize your benefits.

Drink more water. Drier fall and winter air saps moisture from our skin and scalp. Water helps us metabolize food, filters the system, and suppresses runaway appetites.

Snacking for the season? This is the time of nibbling at the office, other parties, stores and home. Keep healthy options such as grapes, apples, nuts, and turkey sandwiches handy.

Diet don’ts: Resist the temptation to gorge now, and adopt a restrictive diet as a New Year’s Resolution. Diets that limit your intake of beneficial foods or proteins can rob your body of essential nutrients. Eat sensibly from now, throughout the holidays.

Don’t watch and eat. When we snack in front of the tv, we lose track of how much we consume. Eat either before or after the big game or holiday movie, when you are more apt to focus on what and how much you are having, and enjoy the entertainment for its own sake.

Feel full: Eat foods such as soups, fruits, veggies, hot cereal, and leaner meats, which are high in water content and low in fat. These foods will make you feel more full, and they take longer to chew, which can cut down on hunger.

Wasn’t that easy and painless? By eating the foods we love, but being more aware of our social habits, food types, and adjustment to our fitness routine, we can have fitness and fun during the holidays.

Please visit WorkoutHealthy.com for a wide selection of gym equipment, and the WorkoutHealthy Blog for more physical fitness articles.

Bijan C. Bayne, WorkoutHealthy