Three of My Favs

I don't typically think of myself as a guy who pays that much attention to brands, but there are a few that are very close to my heart and to which I am extremely loyal.

Apple




I think Apple makes awesome, high-quality products. I've never been unhappy with a product that I've purchased from Apple. I am a Mac guy through and through, and I wouldn't be able to motivate myself through my workouts without my iPod. I know some people think they're too secretive, their products lack compatibility with widely-used programs and software, they're a corporate bully, blah, blah, blah. I can understand these complaints and think they're valid in some instances. Nevertheless, when it comes down to it I love Apple products because of their user-friendly operating systems, sleek designs, consistency, and innovation. Not to mention their marketing campaigns are pretty cool, too.


Nintendo




I've loved video games since I got my first Atari 2600 in 1986 when I was six years old. After that, I was hooked on video games until I graduated from college. After college, work picked up, I had to travel more, and I gave up video games for several years due to my shifting priorities and lack of free time. However, video games have made a recent resurgence in my life in large part due to Nintendo.

When post-college life began to get really hectic, video games were one of the first things that I decided to give up. For most of my video game career, I had been a first adopter - always the first kid on my block to shell out a couple hundred bones for the latest video game system. After college, this was no longer the case. The respective releases of the Xbox 360, the Playstation 3, and the Nintendo Wii came and went, and I hardly noticed.

Then about a year ago, I moved in with a new roommate who owned a Nintendo Wii. I didn't think much of the Wii at first. In fact, my first impressions of the Wii came as I watched my roommate make a complete ass out of himself playing a game called Rayman Raving Rabbids. The game required that he twist, contort, and thrash about in what looked to me like full-body dry heaves. He said it was fun. I said he looked like a douche and warned him never to play the game when we had company over.

It turns out I was too quick to judge. Although I never got into Rayman Raving Rabbids, my roommate had downloaded several old Nintendo games onto the Wii that I had played when I was a kid, including the granddaddy of them all Super Mario Bros. One day after a hard day at work, I decided to relax with a quick game of my old fav. After that, I was immediately hooked again. The easy gameplay, simple graphics, and amazing fun factor took me back to my childhood. After playing the original Mario for a bit, I had to try the latest rendition of Mario for the Wii - Mario Galaxy - which my roommate also owned. It was awesome - Galaxy had incredibly easy yet innovative gameplay, gorgeous graphics, and that same consistent fun factor of the original. And that's why I love Nintento. I always know what I'm going to get: simplicity, innovation, and just straight up fun.


Converse




I got my first pair of Converse Chuck Taylor All-Stars when I was still in diapers, and I think I've had at least one pair in my closet ever since. My dad has always been a big fan of Converse and has also had at least one pair of Chucks in his wardrobe at all times. He still reminds me on a regular basis that before the era of $150 space-age basketball shoes and long, baggy shorts Chuck Taylors were king. According to him, when he was young Chucks were the dominant athletic footwear of the time - they were the choice for most athletes, and especially basketball players. He also likes to note that athletes back then preferred short shorts pulled up to their belly buttons as opposed to the longer, baggier variety popular today. Those were simpler times after all, and since he's been doing this stuff since before I was born, he's got to teach me these things... That's almost a direct quote.

Anyway, since this is apparently a topic that he's passionate about, my dad still loves to rock it old school with his Chuck Taylors and belly-button-waisted short shorts, staying true to his convictions and refusing to conform to current fashion trends. Honestly, I could truly do without the short shorts. If he moves too quickly, there's at least a 50 percent likelihood of indecent exposure, and nobody needs to see that. But on the other hand, I really dig his Chuck Taylors. His Chucks are probably the coolest casual clothing that he wears. And I obviously love them, too. I really like their variety of styles, comfortable fit, and affordability. Like my dad, I will always have at least one pair of Chucks in my repertoire. They're timeless. Belly-button-waisted short shorts? Not so much.