Sideswipe: February 10: Meat chocolate? Gross

T-shirt print fail: Meat Chocolate? Sounds disgusting.

The secrets of men shared ...

1. I'm not staring at you, I'm zoned out thinking about how I'd start a brewery in medieval England while my eyes just happen to be facing your direction.

2. If we tie down anything on a trailer it's physically impossible for us to not say, "That's not going anywhere".

3. We desperately want you to throw us things instead of just handing them to us.

4. I spent an hour or so this morning reading about fighter jets then dozed off and dreamed that I was a pilot. Then I remembered a cool folder I had with a T-Rex flying a fighter jet on it. I laughed out loud at that memory and when my wife asked why, I said not to worry about it. Then I laughed again because I thought about a T-Rex trying to fit in at flight school. My wife and I are now fighting because she thinks I'm hiding something. We are really not that mysterious — sometimes we are just laughing at a T-rex trying to take notes on wind speed and lift.

5. The occasional longer stride to inconspicuously adjust our balls.
(Via Reddit)

Fisherman reels in a long shot

"About a month ago I was fishing in my kayak about half a kilometre out from Beachlands," writes Simon Mitchell. "I had just landed a fish on one rod and had it in my lap and noticed that my second rod (favourite light spinning rod, above) wasn't quite sitting properly in the rod holder. I thought that if a fish was to bite there was nothing to stop it from going overboard. Before I could do anything, that's exactly what happened! I watched as the rod and reel took off, made a little half somersault and slowly sank to the bottom of the sea. I was gutted but what can you do. Fast forward to Saturday, February 8. I was out again in my kayak in a similar area off Beachlands. Fishing was slow going and I was reeling in one line when it felt a bit heavy. I thought it was some seaweed but as it got closer I could see it was hooked on some fishing line. I recognised the distinctive pink colour and wondered, could it be? I started pulling in the heavier end of the line, and watched as my favourite rod and reel arose from the deep. I am still shaking my head in disbelief."

Fat chance of a lean summer break

Colleen Taylor of Taupō writes: "Back into my exercise programme after the long summer break. Thought how well I was going — I had definitely lost weight around my middle. Not so fast — I had forgotten to do up the top button of my shorts."