You know what Mens Health say you should look like? How they make you feel the need to look like someone who spends all day in the gym? Well yeah, you can look like that, but it won’t necessarily make you happy.
Just do what you want to do. Go for a run. Ride your bike around. Run around playing on the beach. Surf. Kite board. You don’t need to be at the gym. And you don’t need to have a Mens Health body. Here are 4 men who are proof that you don’t need to look like a Mens Health cover model to enjoy life:

Surely didn’t care about gym

Johnny Depp chilling on his yacht with his wife. His net worth? Apparently around $75 million

Pharrell Williams, not known to be pump huge weights in the gym. Has gained international success. Net worth? Also around the $75 million mark.

Richard Branson. Does what he wants. Net worth? Ag, about $4 billion.

And you’ll notice a trend amongst the worlds most successful people, none of them care about the gym. Sure, they may still exercise for health reasons, but they certainly don’t care about sculpting the perfect body.
Drop gym if it doesn’t excite you.
Just do what you want to do.

It’s those advertisments, those marketing people, who have you wanting all this stuff. These supplements. Stuff you don’t need. Stuff they want you to ‘need’

Open your eyes man, there is a whole world out there beyond the gym bubble.

Find it. Experience it.

– The scene –

Sean. Chilling. Bee Gees playing. Phone rings. Private number. I never answer these…curious. Let me take it.

“Hello Sean speaking”

Oh no. It’s Standard Bank. Offering me a Funeral Plan!

Sean on the phone to Standard Bank

You know why they’re doing this? Because they’re trying to kill me, I promise you. I have a cheque account and get charged around R100 per month, for doing nothing. Then I still get charged to deposit money and withdraw money. I have an ABSA account that I’m trying to run dry, because I’m actually too scared to know how much it will cost me to transfer my money from there into my Standard Bank account.

But I should actually be using Capitec bank for my day to day usage. Because they have no fees. You can buy a Coke, pay on your card and you won’t be charged a thing. I have fees on my statements such as R14…for whatever it was. A deposit, or a withdrawal or something. Absolute robbery.

Capitec look a little better with this:

• Zero transaction fees on debit card purchases – e.g. your shopping, retail accounts and petrol.

• Cash withdrawals R1 at Pick n Pay and Boxer tills.

• Cashback transactions at Shoprite, Checkers and PEP tills for R1 (cash withdrawal with your purchases).

In fact, it wouldn’t surprise me if the banks actually own a cemetary and a funeral home. Because at the rates they are charging, they are trying to kill us all. And they’ll still be making money from us when we’re dead. The sole reason I have a cheque account, is so that I can buy things online. Naturally I don’t quality for credit cards because I don’t have a PREVIOUS HISTORY OF ACCOUNTS I.E DEBT.

Well I’m sorry for that.

Just take me now, you clearly want to kill me, so just do it already.

And please stop stealing my money.

For your managers yacht parties.

CEO’s and other high profile banking people: Live like this, on your money

Thanks.

Not this last Friday, but the one before that, I arrived at Pepenero in Cape Town, around 15 minutes late for a little gathering between some of  Cape Town’s top bloggers and and Smirnoff  SA to find out a about something of which I had no idea. I literally arrived there not knowing what they were going to announce.

Now I was late because I was having lunch in Cavendish, not realising what Smirnoff meant by ‘lunch’ I thought it would be snacks and things like that, and I was seriously hungry so had a normal lunch beforehand.

Big mistake.

We were treated to a three course meal, so I started with salad, moved onto the steak and then finished off with fruit salad.

I dig Smirnoff, you just roll into Pepenero and chill round the table with the entire Smirnoff crew as though it’s a family lunch. Which it essentially is, we’re just extended Smirnoff family. I don’t get brands in the modern who are basically one dimensional companies. You know them for a logo, you call them and get through to a call centre. You don’t ever get to really know the brand and the people who drive it. Because every brand is run by normal people with some crazy ideas, but they’re still people, and too often we don’t get to meet them.

This is especially important with social media, it’s important to connect with your audience/promoters through more than just e-mails.

So we sat down and Adrian from Smirnoff (Well actually the marketing manager) dropped the news that Armin Van Buuren will be making an appearance in Cape Town! Before this, we only knew that Armin would be touching down in Johannesburg. Bleak days indeed.

The thought of actually having to go to Joburg was too much and most people were thinking ‘Ah whatever, you guys take Armin for one night, we’ll take the beach, mountain and the lifestyle for the other 99.999% of the year’

Some of the boys have even booked tickets to Joburg to experience Armin. Still a good idea. Why?

Well the Cape Town show is going to be a lot smaller. I’m talking a seriously small. How small?

500 people to be exact. And this isn’t something you often get to experience. Who else can say they were at a party that small and intimate, with one of the worlds greatest DJ’s? There aren’t a lot of people who will ever be able to say that in their lifetime. What’s more, the Cape Town show will be the 500th show of Armin Van Buurens A State Of Trance 500.

Boasting high speed ADSL, ISDN2 and satellite connections for radio and video streaming, the show will be broadcast across the globe from a sound proof, air-conditioned radio studio space built exclusively for the event.

Can you just imagine how mad it is going to be? 500 people. The Worlds Number 1 DJ. Cape Town. Smirnoff.

You just don’t get better than that.

Armin van Buuren, who has been ranked as the world’s number one DJ for four years running in the leading DJ Mag top 100 poll, will be the fifth top international talent brought to South Africa by Smirnoff SA in the last year. Smirnoff brought South Africa the likes of Tiësto for the Smirnoff Experience Mashup Street, DJ Sasha for Smirnoff Experience, Above & Beyond as Smirnoff presented Godskitchen and Monika Kruse, ATB and Markus Schulz who recently brought Berlin’s nightlife alive for the ambitious Smirnoff Nightlife Exchange Project.
Having recently won various awards as Best Global DJ (2010), Best International DJ (2010), Best progressive House / Trance Track (2009) Best Music video (2009) and Best European DJ (2009), it is evident that Armin’s passion in trance music is beyond a hobby, it is essential to his way of life. “What makes trance work so well is that it doesn’t stick to one style. It can incorporate electro, minimal, whatever it likes,” says Armin.

I’m not going to lie to you…this makes me feel good in the place where good feels best…

For more information regarding Armin Van Buurens ASOT 5oo Tour, head on over to the Smirnoff South Africa Facebook page by clicking here.

Tickets to the official show in Johannesburg on 19 March 2011 are available from Computicket. To stand a chance to win tickets to the Cape Town exclusive event, purchase a bottle of Smirnoff Triple Distilled, a six pack of Smirnoff Storm or Smirnoff Spin for more details.  Terms and conditions apply. Smirnoff is not for Sale to Persons under the Age of 18. The good thing about this?

JUSTIN BIEBER WILL NOT BE AT ARMIN VAN BUURENS ASOT 500 SHOWS IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Jay Bieber: Only allowed a nice cool can of the Biebertizer

This is what we refer to as ‘Great success’

I love this video of the late Andy Irons. Don’t ever do something that you don’t love, that doesn’t inspire you day after day, every day of your life.

Do what you love. Do what inspires you. In that way, you’re changing the world. You’re inspiring others.

And that’s what makes people great.

So the basic fact is, I am an amazing individual!

So amazing that I get to spend a lot of my time meandering about town in various disguises and under various aliases for many reasons, business and absolute pleasure included. As such, I often find myself trying on a decadent range of clothing, some cheap, some expensive, some good quality, some crap quality. For every 50 pieces I try on though, I only probably buy one because I’m so specific about style, fit and price. They all need to be perfect. And so there are some things I don’t buy, but that are still really great items of clothing and I think you need to know about them. So I’m here as a substitute for you because either you don’t have the time or you simply don’t always spot the things I do. I am your Change Room Superhero!

First up, Esprit in Cavendish Square. Their t-shirts are killer, but don’t buy them because I do, and I don’t want to see someone else wearing the same t-shirt as me! I didn’t buy these AWESOME shorts though because they didn’t quite fit me right.

The check pattern is very stylish, it let’s people know that, yes, you don’t have a job that requires a suit. Yes, you can pleasure many woman at one time. Yes, you’re wealthy, but still down to earth. Yes, you’ll be out with the boys on Sunday playing golf. And yes I will wear boat shoes and these pants when I visit the office once a week. It shows that you don’t take yourself too seriously and you know how to have a good time.

You see what woman think, just by looking at a pair of shorts? They read all sorts of funky stuff from your shorts. And I know this, how? Shiiiiiit son, I tap into my feminine side crazy styles to write these pieces for you!

They’re R450 from Esprit in Cavendish Square, and there is also an Esprit in the V&A Waterfront but I don’t know if they have these shorts in stock there.

Go got ‘em!

I saw something about Britney Spears the other day and I thought “Hell, back in the day I would have given both my nuts to get hold of her” And the reason I could afford to give both nuts is because then I wouldn’t have to have the burden of the kids she currently carries.

But just have a look at this minx:

And then this was her first video she dedicated to me, due to her audience at the time she couldn’t call it “I’m a sex slave for you”:

This is Britters in recent times:

Not so nice.

But you probably wouldn’t say no.

She’s rich and famous, why not?!

I really can’t pinpoint where it went wrong, but I do believe it’s about the time we broke up that it went McDonalds shaped.

Robert Downey Jr is a cool guy! And when I saw the shades he was wearing in Due Date, I knew that he was cooler than ever before. And then I thought, I wonder why those sunglasses appeal to me?

Well I suppose it’s because mine are very similar! Although mine aren’t Oliver Peoples, they are Serengeti. More specifically the Serengeti Napoli with Drivers Polarized lenses, which are quite honestly the best lenses I have ever used.

They don’t cut the color from your life, they actually enhance it. Greens become bright and red and yellows explode into life through Serengeti lenses. I’ve had Oakley, I’ve had Ray Ban, but nothing compares to my Serengeti lenses. Try them (Serengeti Drivers Polarized lens) at Eye Q in Cavendish and Canal Walk, and I promise you, you will never want another lens in your life. You see what I do for you? Always looking out for the best stuff, to make your life better.

Oliver Peoples sunglasses are available at Extreme Eyewear in Cape Town, albeit in very limited styles.

Oliver Peoples Benedict, as worn by Robert Downey Jr in Due Date retail for $400, local pricing is unavailable.

So as you know, I don’t particularly like being connected all day, but when I am connected to the world, my choice of phone is the Blackberry Bold 9700. And here is why (Vs the iPhone)

Apple make a great phone, and the web browser is far superior to the Blackberry’s. It’s easier to scroll thanks to the touch screen, which also makes it easier to zoom in and out. The camera on the new iPhone 4 is also far superior to the Blackberry. The screen resolution is also amazing. But there is this little thing of cost.

A new Blackberry Bold is R6000, whereas an iPhone 4 starts at around R7300. You do realise that the new Apple iPod Touch has the exact same functions as the iPhone, minus the phone call/sms part? And an iPod Touch is R2300. So you could get a Blackberry Bold and an iPod Touch for R8300, and maybe it’s not as cool as simply having an iPhone, but when it comes to saving money, Blackberry is the winner.

I pay around R60 a month for data on my Blackberry. That means I can post unlimited photos to Facebook, Twitter etc, I can send and receive as many e-mails as I like, I can send photos via e-mail and surf the web…all for one fixed cost. This also gives me access to Blackberry Messenger so I can send messages for free to other friends on Blackberry. Which is basically everyone. Yes, yes, I know about Whatsapp, but do you know how unreliable it is? I very often have messages being delivered hours after I have sent them. Not cool.

It amazes me that for so long people complained about the price of internet in South Africa, and now finally we can get uncapped at reasonable prices, and now people are spending money on accessing the internet via their iPhones. All just for the sake of actually having an iPhone. And it’s not that I hate Apple, I think Apple are awesome, and the iPhone is amazing. But the fact that you have to pay for data just puts me off. It puts more money into companies like Vodacom and MTN, of which I despise. I despise cellphone companies because for so many years they made an absolute killing off SMS’s, because when you look at an SMS and what it is, it should me way cheaper. SMS’s are way over priced and cellphone companies make millions off those little bits of data being sent around every day.

I’m stoked that things such as BBM and Whatsapp now exist.

And that is my main winning factor for having a Blackberry, the cost. It’s cheap to send and receive large amounts of data, and for me, that’s the strong point.

And besides, do you know what a bitch it is to type on a touch screen? I’ve tried, it’s not cool.

And let’s be honest, after a while you do get tired of the apps. Do you really need to chop fruit with your finger on the touch screen?

As the world expands, people are trying to downsize, because we just have too many options. Scale down people. Live simply, not because it’s the thing to do, but because it’s more enjoyable. Don’t kill yourself with information and activities. Keep it low key.

Pretty simple reasons for going for Blackberry, but reasons nonetheless.

How do you roll, Blackberry or iPhone?

And is your life better than your friends with Blackberry’s? Like I mean, really better?

Thought not.

I’m not going to lie to you, I’m a huge Pharrell Williams fan, just purely for the way he lives his life. He is just cool. Never in the press for the wrong reasons, in fact, never really in the press. Just doing what he loves. Keeping at it. Keeping inspired. And I was at Country Road about two weeks ago, and there were some boat shoes there. Now I’m a Sebago Docksides fan, but there were a pair from Country Road for R399 on sale. They were red. A little crazy, but with so few pairs left I had to make a quick decision. I hate impulse buys, and it’s not unusual for me to spend two months planning my next purchase. So this was unusual for me, and I bought them. As I walked out, I was thinking ‘Crisis Sean, you now own a pair of red boat shoes. WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?’ But then I thought, hell, I like red in small doses. They’ll look cool with the slim cut Nudie jeans. And a white v-neck t shirt, which I’m known to wear most of the time.

Now I’ll admit, the cut and quality isn’t Docksides, but for R400 you can’t even get a decent pair of canvas shoes. At some places you can’t even get a t-shirt for that price, so I’ll take them. These photos above were the photos I was going to post to ‘Change Room Superhero’ (A new addition to SLXS that I will be adding soon)

Those are the Docksides in the photo with the Country Road.

But my doubts have gone away, now that I see Pharrell Williams is kicking back in the same look as me.

Rad.

PHARRELL WILLIAMS IMAGES VIA THE SELBY

So after I posted about Rodriguez the other day, Junaid sent me this photo which he found on the internet (I don’t now which link it came from) It’s of Rodriguez, just chilling outside Mabu Vinyl in Cape Town. I don’t know when this dates back to, was Mabu Vinyl in a different location to where it is now? (Near Vida Kloof Street)

That’s real world cool, keeping under the radar, unassuming, just doing what he wants to do. Living the life he wants to live.

That’s what most of the world these days is missing, and Rodriguez has it.

This man is more awesome than any of us will ever be! Ricky Gervais absolutely ripped the 2011 Golden Globes apart, and here is a video of some of the main parts:

I need a full recording of the Golden Globes!

While everyone is going around trying to be clever and saying that Power Balance bracelets don’t work, we have conclusive proof that brands using the holograms do survive even economic recessions. Think Havaianas. The sandals have continued to sell, through the recession and they’re still doing extremely well now. Why?

HOLOGRAMS…THAT’S WHY!!

Mastercard and VISA. They basically laugh at recessions!

Why?

POWER — STRENGTH — ENERGY!!

The holograms resonate with the products natural energy field, making them way better than the rest.

And there we have it, conclusive proof that Power Balance has worked for years, but the technology has only recently been introduced to the public.

I popped down to the Villa in Hout Bay to say goodbye to our good friend Jethro who is leaving for LUNDUN tomorrow. We’ll only be seeing him in December again, and I finally remembered to post this poem that features in one of the villas bathrooms. It just reminds of what’s really important in life. That new Louis Vuitton bag or that car you drive just to impress people probably doesn’t matter much. Here it is:

“Desiderata”

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste,

and remember what peace there may be in silence.

As far as possible, without surrender,

be on good terms with all persons.

Speak your truth quietly and clearly, and listen to others,

Even to the dull and the ignorant;

They too have their story.

Avoid loud and aggressive persons;

They are vexatious to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others,

You may become vain or bitter,

For always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.

Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.

Keep interested in your own career, however humble;

It is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs,

For the world is full of trickery.

But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;

Many persons strive for high ideals,

And everywhere life is full of heroism.

Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection.

Neither be cynical about love,

For in the face of all aridity and disenchantment,

It is as perennial as the grass.

Take kindly the counsel of the years,

Gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.

But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.

Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.

You are a child of the universe,

No less than the trees and the stars;

You have a right to be here.

And whether or not it is clear to you,

No doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore be at peace with God,

Whatever you conceive Him to be.

And whatever your labors and aspirations,

In the noisy confusion of life,

Keep peace in your soul.

With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,

It is still a beautiful world.

Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Max Ehrman (1872-1945)

* “Desiderata” is Latin For “Things To Be Desired.”

I’ve been listening to Rodriguez since I was a little kid, and even found a tape deck of Rodriguez in the 80′s BMW the other day. Good good times! I remember Rodriguez blasting through the B&O back in the day when we stayed in Pinelands, and all these years later it’s still such amazing music. So I was on YouTube listening to ‘Sugar Man’:

And then I saw this comment below the video:

“Why have i never heard of Rodriguez until now!? man fuck living in the u.s, this is up there definitely with dylan.”

THAT is what we refer to as amazing!

A little clip of Jordy Smiths first superman attempt at Camps Bay on Sunday:

Via Sports Illustrated Facebook Group (HERE)