40 Gift Ideas for your 40-Year-Old Guy

Lots of you are asking what was inside all of Bryan’s packages. Many of the coolest buyable items are things I’ve already listed on Mighty Goods, but here’s the whole set:

1. This (heavily coerced) video of Hank wishing Bryan a happy 40th birthday.
2. Firestarter
3. A secret naughty present
4 A utensil holder, because the one in our kitchen was driving him bonkers.
5. NPR Map
6. Red hoodie from Old Navy with a plaid pattern inside the hood
7. Wood box for his cufflinks
8. A software organizer (CD Case)
9. Abe Lincoln lapel pin
10. Poker Stationery
11. Shaving kit with a wooden box for soap and a wood-handled brush
12. Basic wallet
13. Mortar and Pestle
14. Eco shirt buttons
15. Christmas ornament from Austin

16 (and 17). Some commemorative photo mugs
18. The Dangerous Book for Boys
19. A framed family photo for his desk.
20. A planned date night with the sitter scheduled.
21. Fusion Wood Mini Chopper for our cheese board
22. Egg Poaching Cups
23. A mailbox key, because he lost his two years ago.
24. Special soft brown-sugar licorice
25. Tinysaur
26. An afternoon off from baby care so he can go see a movie. (Wish I’d had time to include a movie ticket in this, but alas.)
27. An afternoon off from baby care so he can go read at a bar.
28. Another secret.
29. A box for work filled with snack oddities from Chinatown.
30. Pure Drivel by Steve Martin
31. Snake River Stampede Rye Whiskey
32. San Francisco in the Fog notecards
33. Bamboo cheese board
34. A trio of mustards and a small stick of salami.
35. Stomp Rocket Junior Glow Kit
36. A trio of hot sauces
37. BBQ sauce
38. Presidents: Fandex Family Field Guides with Obama!
39. A book about sign language

40 Gift Ideas for Your 40-Year-Old Guy | Mighty Girl

40. This tiny book filled with the 40 things I love about him.

Whew. If you’re looking for more ideas, go to the View by Price section on Mighty Goods. There are lots of options under $25.

10 Days with Gwyneth Paltrow’s Trainer, Days 3-6

In case you want context:

Original post
Day 1
Day 2

Day 3 Report: Skipping breakfast before my workout is an error. I read a scientific study that proves you can get some of the benefits of exercise by simply imagining you’re exercising. I adopt this plan. I lay there, panting, and imagine working out for about half the routine. “These sit ups in my head are so taxing! My psychological form on these pikes is unbelievable!”

I’m not even sore the next day. Screw you, Science.

Day 4 Report: Huh. I can sort of manage a crippling Pilates position, which I had previously believed Tracy Anderson was achieving through CGI. I no longer feel angry at Tracy Anderson herself, just specific parts of her body — specifically her abs and upper arms.

Day 5 Report: I get through the first section without keening or modifying the exercises to suit the needs of an 80 year old woman who has just given birth.

Day 6 Report: If I ignore the searing pain, I am able to lay on the floor, and lift my legs at a right angle to my body while reaching to the ceiling to touch my toes. I do this more than once. I am increasingly angry at Tracy Anderson’s abs and upper arms.

Progress Report:

Obstacles:
This project was supposed to take ten days. On some level, I suppose it will, but there has been guilt.

Successes:
I’m working out twice a week more than I was.
Without changing my diet at all, I’ve lost two pounds. I love you, buttered bread and red wine.
My stomach is visibly more muscular.
I am no longer mortified to be on my hands and knees whimpering while my husband checks his email at the desk next to me.

Design Trend: Sound Waves

When I was in labor with Hank, I asked for a printout of his heartbeat, so I could have it engraved on a ring later (much like the Pulse Ring I listed on Mighty Goods a few years ago). Design incorporating sound is everywhere lately. Here’s a few more examples.

-The Sound Advice Project (on Mighty Goods) makes a bracelet from your voice recording.
–Sakurako Shimizu’s Waveform Series makes rings, brooches, bracelets, cufflinks and more by cutting sound-wave replicas out of metal.
–Sounds Butter Interactive Design did a prototype of a sewing machine that represents sound waves through stitch pattern. (Pretty sure I’ve linked to that before)
-The Sonic Waves typeface (pictured above) let’s you “play” a phrase or message. Click through for a quicktime demo.

Comedic Ass Sniffing

Am I a stupid person? I’m not a stupid person. I read all the books you’re supposed to read, I keep abreast of current events, I can find my home state on a map. So if I admit you’re smarter than me, will you do something for me?

Please limit yourself to one joke per evening that forces half the group to go heads down on their iPhones in feverish Wikipedia searches, while the rest of us pretend to laugh uproariously in feigned recognition of your obscure reference point.

Okay, thanks.

40 Reasons I Love Bryan Mason

Happy 40th birthday, Bryan! A few of the reasons I adore you:

1. On our first trip to Argentina, you were excited about my suggestion that we spend two hours a day of our vacation in private tango lessons.
2. When I’m upset, you infuriate me by cracking jokes until I laugh.
3. You took me on a road trip with our 5-week old baby.
4. You have a steel-plated backbone.
5. On one of our first dates, you took me on a surprise kayak camping trip. You packed candles and a tablecloth.
6. You make a mean chili.
7. You cried over our vows.
8. If it’s important, and you say you’ll do it, you do it.
9. When someone handed you the microphone unexpectedly at one of Hillary Clinton’s rallies, you introduced a stage full of political bigwigs, one by one, without a list of their names.
10. You’re humble about your smarts.
11. It takes you about an hour to wrap a present so it meets your standards.
12. You’re a fighter.
13. Your resume is so absurd, it reads like fiction.
14. You’re helpful.
15. You taught me to respect bourbon.
16. You look incredible in a suit. Or a white cotton undershirt.
17. You’d be just as comfortable chatting with a Nobel Laureate or the drunkest guy at the dive bar.
18. You have more energy than anyone.
19. You can’t wait for the new episode of Dancing with the Stars.
20. You’re one of the kindest people I know.
21. When you’re phone rings, and the caller ID reads unknown, you assume it’s the Secret Service because it almost always is.
22. You like to help.
23. Once you’re in the shower, there’s no telling when I’ll see you again.
24. You have a lovely voice.
25. You married our friends in English, German, and Chinese.
26. You always smell good.
27. You take me seriously when I ask you how my makeup looks.
28. You love to celebrate.
29. You drink the water, eat at roadside stands, sample charcuterie in a village with 12 houses, and you never get sick.
30. You make things go.
31. When you arrive at the bar, you’re there to close it.
32. You are snuggly.
33. When you dip me, I know you won’t drop me.
34. You like to make things.
35. You’re an optimist.
36. I have never had to ask you to do the dishes.
37. You love to swim.
38. When I asked you to stop pointing out coiffed and professionally lit ex-girlfriends while we were watching TV, you did.
39. You can’t stay mad.
40. If our little boy grows up to be exactly like you, I’ll be proud.

The Mighties: Easter Basket Guides

I love Easter, and I had a lot of fun doing these this year. There’s a vase from Urban Outfitters that’s modeled on those bird water whistles we had as kids. At first I thought it was just a ceramic water whistle, and I was so excited. Then I was surprised that no one makes those yet. How cute would that be worn as a necklace? Get on it, Etsy.

In the meantime, go have a look at my picks for your baskets.

Easter Baskets for Grownups

Easter Basket Guide, For Kids

Zombies! An Eight Step Plan

1. Twitter.
2. Crowdsource a Costco takeover.
3. Secure entrances.
4. Neutralize Costco undead in increasingly cinematic ways, using only products at hand.
5. Clean off that food processor. We might want to use it later.
6. Set up Wifi.
7. Update Facebook status.
8. Organize a yoga class.