By Brett
Do your extension cords look like this when you’re unraveling them, no matter how nicely they were wrapped up? 
Today I’m going to show you a tip that will banish tangled and knotted extension cords from your life. It’s called the Contractor’s Wrap, and I learned it from a Boy Scout leader who worked as an HVAC man back when my mustache was merely peach fuzz. Here’s how it works. Step 1: Connect the Male and Female Ends Together 
Step 2: Make an Overhand Knot at the End 
Step 3: Make a Chain of Successive Slip Knots  Put your hand through the loop of the overhand knot that you just made and grab the two strands of chord beneath it.  Put your hand through the loop that you just made. Grab the two strands of cord beneath it, and pull it through the loop to form another loop. Repeat until you get to the end of the cord. Step 4: Tie Off the End  When you reach the doubled-over end of the cord (top image), you’ll want to pull it through your last loop to form an overhand knot. Finished Product  Your finished product should look something like this. Just hang it up to store. Unraveling  To unravel your extension cord, pull out the end to undo the overhand knot you finished with and then just keep pulling. Because you have a chain of successive slip knots, it will all just magically unravel without any tangling. Doubling Up for Longer Cords  If you have an extension cord that’s 50 feet or longer, I recommend doubling up your cord. Instead of pulling two strands through your loops, you’ll have four. It’s important that you grab and pull through all four strands when making your loops  Finished doubled-up Contractor’s Wrap. 
  
By Brett & Kate McKay
 | This post is brought to you by Trunk Club. Trunk Club takes the hassle out of shopping for higher-end clothing by pairing you up with a personal stylist who creates and ships a box filled with outfits directly to your door. | How does Outfitted and Equipped work? The FAQ. Sometimes all a man needs to recharge his batteries is a quick weekend getaway – maybe a little road trip to stay at a B&B with his lady or a quick flight to see old friends. One of the keys to making a weekend getaway a refresher instead of a drag is packing light. To that end, you want to bring items that are both versatile and comfortable and will suit a variety of possible activities and temperatures. Note: The clothing and accessories lack links this time as they are all available through Trunk Club. 1. Plaid button-down. A plaid button-down is light and easy to pack, and it looks good for both casual daytime activities and going out to places that are a little more formal at night. 2. Swim trunks. I like Rules for My Unborn Son author Walker Lamond's philosophy when it comes to packing swim trunks: "I'm an optimist, so I always carry a bathing suit in my bag wherever I go." You never know if your getaway will find you taking the plunge in the ocean, lake, or simply the hotel swimming pool. 3. Multi-tool. When I'm traveling by car, I like to have a multi-tool with me. I guess it's the Boy Scout in me. You never know when you'll need to use it. (For the best TSA-approved pocketknives and multi-tools for when you're flying, check out this post by our friends at Gear Patrol.) 4. Sunglasses. These are a must if you're driving to your destination. Nothing worse than squinting into the setting desert sun as you're driving west on I-40. Once you arrive at your destination, they'll be put to good use whether you're spending an afternoon at the horse track or taking a sailboat out on the bay. 5. Shoes. A pair of brown suede shoes offers the right balance between casual and dressy. You won't look out of place wearing them whether you're at a roadside diner or a more upscale restaurant in the big city. 6. T-shirts. When you're gone for just the weekend, you want clothes that can work double-duty. T-shirts fit the bill. Wear them solo or as part of a layered look. 7. Dark Denim. A nice pair of dark color jeans with minimal distressing is another one of those clothing items that can work for different occasions. They'll look great with a t-shirt and a pair of casual sneakers during the day or a sport coat, button-down, and a pair of loafers at night. They're the only pair of pants you need for a quick getaway. 8. Magazine. Traveling is when I catch up on all my magazine reading. I bust them out for plane trips and relish reading them in bed at night. I'm not looking for anything too heavy here. Just fun, easy stuff that lets my mind take a vacation while I'm on vacation. 9. Kindle. I also make sure to stock my Kindle with plenty of great airplane or car-trip reads. I like to have a mix of fiction and non-fiction on there. For fiction, you can't go wrong with anything by Louis L'Amour. His novels are fun, quick reads. For non-fiction, I'll typically download the latest pop-business or psychology book. You know, the stuff you see in airport bookstores. They're entertaining and also give me some conversational tidbits to bring up with friends. 10. Ball cap. In my experience, the return trip home usually starts early in the morning. I want to maximize the amount of sleep I get, so I'll skip the morning shower. To cover up the bed-head, I just slap on a ball cap. 11. Checkered button-down. Checkered button-downs have the same benefits as their plaid cousins. Lightweight, easy to pack, and versatile. I've become a big fan of gingham-checkered shirts in recent months. 12. Vest. The weather can change rapidly while traveling. A light vest not only will keep you warm in cooler locales, but it looks great with that plaid button-down you're bringing along. 13. Dopp kit. For details on building the perfect dopp kit, click here. 14. Duffle bag. When you're traveling for just the weekend, you want something simple and light. A duffle bag allows you to skip checking a bag if you're flying and it doesn't take up much space when you're driving. And as one of Mr. Lamond's rules for his unborn son advises, "Never pack more than you can carry yourself, and a man's luggage doesn't roll." 
  
By Jeremy Anderberg
Welcome to Day #14 of the AoM sandwich project. Last month we asked readers for their best sandwich recommendations. Out of 483 submissions, we picked 20 to highlight here on the site each weekday during the month of April. At the end, we'll publish all the entries into an epic man-sandwich cookbook. Enjoy.
Today’s Sandwich: The PB&J Hot Dog by Scott We got A LOT of submissions for PB&J variations. I honestly can’t tell you why, but this one caught my attention — I suppose because it seemed a little more “out there” than the other submissions. But at the same time, peanut butter and jelly are both fairly common ingredients at fun burger places, so I figured why not try it with a different variant of meat: the hot dog. I modified the recipe just a little, as to combine a couple different ideas from readers, but Scott deserves all the credit here for the idea. Let’s see how it holds up. Ingredients 
- 2 slices sandwich bread
- 2 hot dogs
- Peanut butter (I prefer creamy)
- Jam (I went with blackberry)
- Butter
Step 1: Cut Hot Dogs Lengthwise and Fry  Cut it right down the middle lengthwise.  You’ll end up with four slices of hot dog. Throw ‘em on a skillet for a few minutes (no picture, sorry).  Fried up hot dogs. Scott mentioned applying pressure so they don’t curl up. Good advice. I turned my back on them and they had curled up. Applying some pressure at that point was just fine though and they retained a mostly normal shape. Step 2: Apply Peanut Butter and Jam to Bread  I buttered one side of the bread (for grilled cheese-style grilling), then flipped over and gave one piece jam and the other piece peanut butter. Step 3: Grill  This is where I deviated from Scott’s recipe. His suggestion was to just toast the bread, and then apply the PB&J and hot dogs. We had quite a few reader suggestions, however, for a grilled PB&J. So I combined the two ideas. First up on the skillet, the slice of peanut buttered bread.  Then the hot dog slices. The four pieces have perfect coverage. Then slap on the jellied piece of bread. Cook just like you would a grilled cheese. It’s a little tricky to flip, so be prepared. Final Product
Taster’s Notes 
This was quite an interesting sandwich. Logistically, it was super messy. Grilling up peanut butter and jelly makes it all gooey and sloppy. I wasn’t in love with the hot dog, but it definitely wasn’t bad. This would be a good sandwich if you’re doing yardwork on a weekend and want something quick and easy, but a little heartier than just PB&J. It seemed like more prep than it really was — probably 10 minutes total, if that. It also has ingredients that any good man would regularly have in his house: peanut butter, jam, and hot dogs. It’s like two great American traditions rolled into one sandwich. 
  
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