1. How to shake hands.
“Be firm—even with women. Nobody likes a limp handshake. Smile. Maintain eye contact. Confidence is key. Be prepared for power. Some guy will always want to squeeze harder than you. Don’t play that game. Let them let go. Don’t worry about how many pumps to do or anything like that. Relax. Be sincere.” —RESTAURATEUR AL BIERNAT
2. How to change a tire
3. The name of a good florist
4. The infield fly rule
5. How to change a diaper
6. How to chop wood
7. How to buy your wife jewelry. “Platinum or gold? Diamonds or colored stones? Is she flashy or conservative? Here’s a hint: look in her jewelry box, or think about if she’s given you a not-so-subtle sign like a magazine cutout stuck on the fridge. If you’re still clueless, diamond stud earrings, a tennis bracelet, a diamond pendant, or a strand of pearls are classics that every woman should have in her collection. And for important anniversaries (ones ending in 5 or 0), upgrade her engagement ring or add a second wedding band.” —STEVE BOCK, VP OF BACHENDORF’S
8. How to back up a boat trailer
9. How to give a toast. “Keep it short. Two to three lines should do the trick. Focus on the person being toasted, and speak from the heart rather than making awkward attempts at humor or using inside jokes others wouldn’t understand.” —JOHN SESSIONS, FORMER PRESIDENT OF BIG D TOASTMASTERS
10. How to grill a steak. “Don’t be scared of the heat. You have to have a lot of heat to get nice carmelization on the steak. And leave it alone. Only flip it once. Finally, as the texture of meat begins soft and firms as it cooks, use different parts of your palm to indicate to which degree the meat is cooked: rare is right under the index finger (the meaty area between index and thumb), medium-rare is the area just under the little finger (midway between the wrist and the bottom of the knuckle), medium is under the thumb, medium-well is the center of the hand (relaxed), and well-done is the center of the hand (stretched taut). Touch the meat, then the part of your palm designated for that degree. As a backup, get the ’helper tool,’ a high quality meat thermometer, to tell you when it’s done.”—RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN, EXECUTIVE CHEF AND OWNER, CHAMBERLAIN’S STEAK & CHOP HOUSE
11. How to tie a bow tie. “Two things: one, don’t look in the mirror, and two, just think shoelaces. First, practice tying in front of you like a shoelace, but around your leg (to get a feel for neck girth). Then move it on up. It’s as easy as one, two …” —MICHAEL GARZA, TIECOON
12. How to cry with dignity
13. How to throw a perfect spiral. “Grip the ball with your ring and pinky finger crossing the seams. Place your thumb low on the ball. Your palm should be facing inward and the ball pointing straight ahead when you start coming forward for the throw. Keep your wrist firm. As you turn and step into the release, snap your wrist downward so that your thumb is pointing towards the ground after the throw. Most of the ball’s velocity comes from this motion, giving it a tighter spiral.” —DALLAS DESPERADOS QB CHRIS GREISEN, WHO ALSO RUNS THE CHRIS GREISEN QB ACADEMY
14. How to break. “Keep your stick level, and hit the cue ball so hard that you could imagine piercing it with your stick. Breaking is, at its core, a matter of mass transfer. So even though topspin will scatter the break differently, beginners should aim at the middle of the cue ball. Start with 60 percent of your weight on your right foot, and then shift it to your left as you shoot. And experiment with where you place your cue ball. The best positioning differs for each person and each table.”—C.J. WILEY, FORMER ESPN WORLD CHAMPION AND CARSONS LIVE OWNER
15. How to let her win
16. How to keep a secret
17. How to parallel park
18. That self-improvement never ceases.
