Masculinity via the crock pot...

William Shakespeare once wrote a poem called "The Seven Ages of Man," but I don't think "buying a crock pot" was included as one of the significant steps in life. Jables, however, insists that a real man should be able to concoct a tasty vat of chili before it's all said and done. He received his crock pot as a recent birthday gift, and he's put it to good use. I can almost see the chest hair sprouting.

Last week, he made a spicy batch of Italian beef, and it slow cooked overnight. Since my bedroom is mere steps from the kitchen, the pungent aroma of simmering cow literally showed up in my dreams. My subconscious kept asking, "What the Sam is that smell?"

Today I came home to a completed vat of cheese, beef, salsa, and jalapenos. Jables found the immediate need to shave.