From the lost film archives… Meet The Parents (my parents…): Once we become parents ourselves, our perspective on our own parents changes. Suddenly many of the things that annoyed us about our folks when we were young begin to make perfect sense. We see ourselves interacting with our kids in ways similar to how our parents interacted with us. We see ourselves in our parents in bigger, deeper ways than perhaps we ever have, when we look at the world through the eyes of a parent ourselves. Talking with our parents about parenthood can be both frightful and insightful as we…
Dads
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Most Topular Stories
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Meet The Parents (Cast of Dads & Sass Edition)
Dad-O-Matic21 Jan 2012 | 7:31 am -
Joining The Xbox Nation, Part Two
DadCentric27 Jan 2012 | 1:43 pmJason continues his epic review of the Xbox 360 Kinect. -
The Weeklies #202
Rude Cactus27 Jan 2012 | 6:25 amThe Weekly Mental State. Frazzled (which is rare) and confused (which is not). The Weekly Beer. Centennial IPA. The Weekly Read. Ed McBain's 50+ volume 87th Precinct series has been recently reprinted. Now, I'd never read anything by McBain but I figured I should give him a shot. I'm so glad I did. The Con Man was a great police procedural but what's more remarkable is the wonder way in which is was written. McBain had a fantastic sense of humor that he wrapped around his stories though that humor didn't detract from the seriousness of the stories or the people in them. It was a brief book… -
[OSBURN ON TAP] You Can’t Bully Walter’s Hill
THE FATHER LIFE7 Jan 2012 | 12:15 pmBeer has been the topic of choice for almost all of my previous articles. I’ve plunged into the land of Italian Amaro and even drank at the table of Jeremiah Weed, but for some odd reason I’ve strayed away from wine for the most part. That changes right now. Today I’m going to tell you about the odd history and the wines of Bully Hill Vineyards. Bully Hill was the first wine I ever tried and because it’s delicious, affordable, local and available at every liquor store in my area, I continue to enjoy it to this day. Also, it’s pretty cool because it has ties to professional sports… -
Hats off to you, my son
Child's Play x3 - A dad and his twins...+124 Jan 2012 | 12:04 amYou asked me for a hat to keep your head warm. It seemed a silly request considering that we live in warm, sunny San Diego but it’s been cold in the mornings lately (low 40’s!) and your little ears and head were feeling the brunt of the cold on our morning walks to the bus stop. On my lunch break the other day, I stopped off at the local store and picked you and your sister up a knit hat for a whopping $4.01. Bargain. I was excited to bring it to you and you were equally excited to receive it. The first night, you slept with it on your cute little head and it was evident you were…
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Dad-O-Matic
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Meet The Parents (Cast of Dads & Sass Edition)
21 Jan 2012 | 7:31 amFrom the lost film archives… Meet The Parents (my parents…): Once we become parents ourselves, our perspective on our own parents changes. Suddenly many of the things that annoyed us about our folks when we were young begin to make perfect sense. We see ourselves interacting with our kids in ways similar to how our parents interacted with us. We see ourselves in our parents in bigger, deeper ways than perhaps we ever have, when we look at the world through the eyes of a parent ourselves. Talking with our parents about parenthood can be both frightful and insightful as we… -
The Ultrabook Has Arrived! (The #UltrabookDads Videos)
9 Jan 2012 | 3:04 pmI think you’ll agree that computers are now a part of just about every family’s lifestyle (not to mention our business lives…). It has been fascinating to watch the rapid evolution of computers over the years. Remember the first computer you bought for your home? Chances are it was a huge desktop PC with a large CPU, and awkwardly heavy CRT display. Today that early PC is a digital dinosaur, and, arguably, the idea of a big CPU for a “desktop” PC is perhaps on its way to extinction as well. Lap It Up… When laptop PC’s first hit the market we were enamored by… -
Love is Action Not Just Words
7 Jan 2012 | 8:12 pmEveryone gives love lip service but it’s action not just words. We men especially need to learn that it’s important for us to show our love with actions and not just our mouth. It’s what we do that counts the most. It isn’t the flowers or mushy greeting card or expensive gifts, but the every day little things we do for our wife and kids. (Oh, that doesn’t mean you can stop getting those things by the way! Do that at your own peril). Here’s a great example from *He’s Just Not That Into You* where the Jennifer Anniston character visits her… -
Are You Old Enough For Facebook?
6 Jan 2012 | 8:06 pmImage via Wikipedia This is a post I wrote on my own blog a few months back. I thought it would fit nicely here with the dadomatic community. If you have children and you let them play on social media websites, or are wondering what to do because your child is asking for a Facebook/Twitter/Google Plus account, this is my approach/opinion. There is no right or wrong way to approach social media with children. I think teaching them to follow the rules is what is important. Well, we (my wife and I) decided to let our oldest daughter have a Facebook account. She’s fourteen now. Facebook… -
From stuffed animals to puppy dogs
4 Jan 2012 | 5:00 amThis past weekend I was completing one of my to-do items on my list, and figured the new year was as good an excuse as any to get it done! I have a stack of home movies of my kids on VCR tapes that I have been meaning for years to get converted to DVDs before the tapes gum up and fall apart. It’s not hard, I do it all the time, but it’s kinda like a plumber with leaky pipes… it always gets pushed to the bottom of the list. But I finally finished it. It was a blast watching these videos of my kids as babies, and I must confess to tearing up more than once. The same…
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DadCentric
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Joining The Xbox Nation, Part Two
27 Jan 2012 | 1:43 pmJason continues his epic review of the Xbox 360 Kinect. -
Special Guest Dad Ben Cohen-Leadholm Takes Us Ice Fishing
26 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amGuest blogger Ben Cohen-Leadholm gets us outside on a frozen lake. -
Joining The Xbox Nation, Part One
24 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amIn which Jason gets an Xbox 360 Kinect, and ponders the Gamer Life. -
Single Dad Fail #36: The Game Face Slips
23 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amI wake up around 7 a.m. on Sunday morning. A rare occurrence in itself, sleeping this late. It feels luxurious. It's chilly and gray outside, but I can hear birds, and pale sunlight is already starting to unravel the clouds.... -
Christopher Walken Reads "Where The Wild Things Are"
20 Jan 2012 | 8:00 am"He chases a dog...with a fork...I don't think he's really gonna eat him...kids are jerks."
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Rude Cactus
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The Weeklies #202
27 Jan 2012 | 6:25 amThe Weekly Mental State. Frazzled (which is rare) and confused (which is not). The Weekly Beer. Centennial IPA. The Weekly Read. Ed McBain's 50+ volume 87th Precinct series has been recently reprinted. Now, I'd never read anything by McBain but I figured I should give him a shot. I'm so glad I did. The Con Man was a great police procedural but what's more remarkable is the wonder way in which is was written. McBain had a fantastic sense of humor that he wrapped around his stories though that humor didn't detract from the seriousness of the stories or the people in them. It was a brief book… -
Kyle
26 Jan 2012 | 6:07 amI get an absolute ton of junk in my inbox. I'm not talking spam. That gets filtered, carted off to some deep recess of the internet, and I never know it's there. No, what I'm talking about are the product pitches, the unsolicited guest posts, the product review opportunities, and the pseudo-public service announcements that outnumber my actual comments by about three to one. I don't really mind. I know where the delete button is. But occasionally something comes through that catches my attention. Your readers could help save a 4-year-old's life. That's a hard subject line to ignore. -
The (Super) Powers That Be
25 Jan 2012 | 6:31 amOwen is obsessed with superheroes almost as much as he's obsessed with Star Wars. If there was a fictional universe in which superheroes, Jedi and Sith Lords co-existed, his head would explode. The other day I asked him what his superpowers would be if he had them. He told me walking backwards. He'd be Walking Backwards Man. Apparently he and I need to do some brainstorming around the relative awesomeness of potential superpowers. I've already identified a few for myself. Flying. I'd definitely like to fly. It would be awesome. Plus, I hate airplanes so I'm thinking that if I knew how to fly… -
Dadwich
24 Jan 2012 | 6:37 amI awoke at 3:15 AM to the pitter-patter of little-girl feet. Those little-girl feet were attached to a little-girl body who very quickly and stealthily crawled into bed next to me, patted me on the shoulder and fell fast asleep. She was, no doubt, worried that I'd send her back to her room. I didn't have the energy. I awoke at 4:15 to the pitter-patter of little-boy feet. Those little-boy feet were attached to a little-boy body who navigated his mother's side of the bed and, quickly and stealthily, crawled into bed on the non-Mia side of me, picked up my arm, placed it over his body and fell… -
He's A Mean One, Mr. Gingrich
23 Jan 2012 | 7:31 amI need someone to explain the political appeal of Newt Gingrich to me. I just don't get it. And his win in South Carolina made me feel as if I was truly missing something. As I see it, Gingrich is an egocentric, hypocritical, divisive, ethically-challenged cry-baby with a penchant for leaving critically-ill wives. And - full disclosure - I saw that while a part of me can't help but like the guy. Granted, it's a small part of me. Now, many of these things cross over from opinion territory into the Land of Fact. Which should really scare Republicans hoping for a 2012 win. To nominate Gingrich…
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THE FATHER LIFE
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[OSBURN ON TAP] You Can’t Bully Walter’s Hill
7 Jan 2012 | 12:15 pmBeer has been the topic of choice for almost all of my previous articles. I’ve plunged into the land of Italian Amaro and even drank at the table of Jeremiah Weed, but for some odd reason I’ve strayed away from wine for the most part. That changes right now. Today I’m going to tell you about the odd history and the wines of Bully Hill Vineyards. Bully Hill was the first wine I ever tried and because it’s delicious, affordable, local and available at every liquor store in my area, I continue to enjoy it to this day. Also, it’s pretty cool because it has ties to professional sports… -
[INTERVIEW] NHL’s Mike Mottau
7 Jan 2012 | 12:00 pmMike Mottau is a thirty-three year old defenseman for the New York Islanders. The Quincy, Massachusets native was selected with the 182nd pick by the New York Rangers in the 1997 NHL draft. He played his college hockey at Boston College where he amassed 157 points in four seasons and took home the Hobey Baker Award for best division one player in the country during his senior season. He spent most of the ’00-’01 season in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack but was called up to the Rangers for 18 games and registered 3 assists. He spent the next six seasons bouncing around from… -
[SPORTS] NFL Power Rankings: Week 15
24 Dec 2011 | 12:27 pmIn honor of Chrismahanakwanzakuh, I have decided to be very generous this holiday season and give each team a special present. Team TW 1 A Vince Lombardi Trophy. Anything less would be a disappointment. 2 Some name recognition for Jimmy Graham. Or at least a cool nickname so that we remember who he is. 3 A quick recovery from Anquan Boldin because they’re going to need him if they are going to get far in the playoffs. 4 A DVD copy of the Tom Hanks classic movie Big for Zoltan Mesko because I’m pretty sure… -
[SPORTS] NFL Power Rankings: Week 13
11 Dec 2011 | 12:10 pmTeam TW LW 1 1 Fact: the Packers haven’t lost a game since October 3rd, 1987. At least it seems that way. 2 2 I don’t care that the Steelers are the first AFC team to reach ten wins. The Ravens are still better. 3 3 Drew Brees is one of a handful of quarterbacks who are on pace to beat Dan Marino’s season passing record of 5,084. 4 4 Niners clinched their first division title since 2002. Back then it was Garcia to Owens. Now, it’s Smith to Crabtree/Davis. 5 5 Big Ben showed a lot of grit in returning with a bum ankle, but he’s still the least likeable quarterback in the NFL. -
[OSBURN ON TAP] Basketball And Beer
3 Dec 2011 | 9:31 pmExcited for the big Christmas afternoon basketball rematch between the Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat? If the NBA season isn’t cancelled, that will probably be the first time you will get a chance to see any professional basketball this year. Fear not, there is other basketball to watch. The best part is that it’s already on and it has been for a few weeks. Many people believe that college basketball is the more exciting, pure version of the sport anyway and they definitely won’t be in a lockout any time soon. The sneakers are squeaking on the courts, the “Cameron Crazies” are…
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Child's Play x3 - A dad and his twins...+1
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Hats off to you, my son
24 Jan 2012 | 12:04 amYou asked me for a hat to keep your head warm. It seemed a silly request considering that we live in warm, sunny San Diego but it’s been cold in the mornings lately (low 40’s!) and your little ears and head were feeling the brunt of the cold on our morning walks to the bus stop. On my lunch break the other day, I stopped off at the local store and picked you and your sister up a knit hat for a whopping $4.01. Bargain. I was excited to bring it to you and you were equally excited to receive it. The first night, you slept with it on your cute little head and it was evident you were… -
The Evolution of a Blog Name
15 Jan 2012 | 11:43 pmBack in the day, when this blog was very young, I naively called Swee’Pea and TheMonk by their real names. I never, in a million years, thought anyone outside of Grandparents would find what I had to say interesting. But they did. Before I knew it, I had strangers reading my blog and we knew then that we’d change their names on the blog. But to what? It came down to the nicknames that had organically come from us as we got to know the twins. Swee’Pea was one of the nicknames that Mommy used and TheMonk came from my nickname of Chunky Monkey as TheMonk was growing. Fast… -
I believe…
6 Jan 2012 | 7:21 pmSwee’Pea and TheMonk are struggling in their belief. As much as they want to believe in a higher power, they are confronted by peers who audaciously announce that to believe is to be a fool. But they want to believe. I can see it in their eyes and feel it in their hearts - they want to hold onto the notion that a higher power of benevolent good does exist. They want to believe and so they asked me, last night, over dinner, “Daddy, is Santa Claus real?” I looked at them from across the table and a heaviness weighed on my heart as I struggled with how to answer this question. -
Change is hard
5 Jan 2012 | 11:46 pmAs I mentioned below, Swee’Pea and TheMonk are destined for their own rooms. We ordered loft-style beds for each and Swee’Pea’s came last week. This past weekend I mustered all of my furniture-assembly skills and built Swee’Pea’s princess bed. And while Swee’Pea was clearly excited, she was also apprehensive. She has a history of being scared to try new things and this was no different. She shed a few tears and asked for her old bed back. TheMonk, also feeling vulnerable and unsure, did the same. It was heartbreaking to see the looks on their faces as they… -
Jingle Bells, The Baby Smells…
24 Dec 2011 | 10:41 amMerry Christmas, everyone! May your holiday season be filled with love, friendship and lots of chocolate. From our family, to yours, have a very happy holiday. Lyrics: I used to write a blog About Swee’Pea & TheMonk But then came #3 And now they’re in a funk, Boo Hoo Hoo But Santa’s on his way So we are being good We tell Santa we love our sis We’re just misunderstood! Oh, Jingle Bells, The Baby Smells But she’s here to stay She only sleeps, eats and poops But we love her anyway, hey! (Repeat) At least three times a week The baby cries at night I haven’t slept a full 8 hours…
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DadThing.com - A Dad Blog
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RedBox Wii Games Review
15 Jan 2012 | 10:51 pmI was approached by smiley360.com to do a review on RedBox. For those of you who do not know what RedBox is…it is a small kiosk located outside of many retail stores where you can rent movies…and now Wii and XBox 360 games. smiley360 gave me 5 free promo codes to rent some Wii games. It’s actually pretty simple. You browse the selection on the screen, pick your movies/games, and proceed to checkout where you swipe your credit card. Movies are $1 per day and games are $2 per day. Not a bad deal at all! We went to a local RedBox to rent a Wii game. The first RedBox… -
First Bath Together Ends In Justified Screams
28 Oct 2011 | 10:45 pmSince Valerie has been born her and Ace have always had separate baths. They like to play in the bath tub, so it takes almost an hour to give them both baths, get on the PJs, and get them to bed. So, I figured I would try and save some time by letting them bathe together. Even though they are boy and girl, I figured that they are young enough that it would not matter. There I go figuring again… So, I wash Valerie first and then move on to Ace. I’m washing his hair when he lets out a blood curdling scream… “Oooowwwwww!” “What the hell did I… -
Happy 10th (I Mean 9th) Anniversary!
6 Sep 2011 | 11:07 pmLets step back to August 9th, 1998. I was a skinny, underfed, over worked, sleep deprived, poor, 19 year old college student going to school during the day and working at night for minimum wage to pay the bills. Girls were constantly on my mind, but having a girlfriend was not a priority. Time and money were slim to none and we all know that girls require a decent amount of both to keep happy. I would occasionally sit out on the deck of my apartment drinking beer (I had a roommate of age to buy it for me) and smoking cigarettes. I would notice these two girls, especially the blonde… -
Where To Start?
6 Sep 2011 | 5:41 pmIt has been a long while since I have posted on this blog! So much has happened since my last post that I have no idea where to start… How about I start on the morning of Feb 26th. Our family looked something like this… …and at the end of the day it looked something like this… Notice a difference? The addition of a little person, you say? Her name is Valerie. Ace’s little sister. Our new daughter. I may be partial because 50% of her being came from me, but I think she is the 2nd cutest girl in the world…behind Momma of course. Take a look! Then a… -
PickTown Lights
9 Dec 2010 | 11:39 pmAce is really getting into Christmas this year. He is all about Christmas Lights, Christmas Trees, Santa Claus, … you name it. So, one night after dinner we decided to drive a few miles away and see the PickTown Lights. Freaking amazing! This dude has linked together 23 houses over a wireless link and has created an enormous Christmas light show!! All 23 houses are synchronized to the same song which is broadcast over the radio waves. You just dial your car radio in to the specific station and drive through. Amazing!!! Ace thoroughly enjoyed himself, but if you can keep it a…
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DIYFather.com
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#1 parenting secret revealed for new dads
27 Jan 2012 | 8:54 pmWhat is the #1 most important parenting rule in the world ever? Most of us experienced dads know this but some new dads might not be aware of the unwritten law of parenting. Revealed here on DIYFather.com for the first time in the history of dadkind: NEVER GIVE ADVICE TO PARENTS WITH CHILDREN OLDER THAN YOURS That's it ... nothing else matters. There's a few variations to this rule though (depending on your profession) Consultants: Don't give advice to other parents with older children unless you are getting paid for it Software Developers: If lastname(parent(B).child) = "Dotcom" exit(); else… -
A dad's point of view - value, money, our kids and the real world
25 Jan 2012 | 11:34 pmThere is a reason that money is on that short list of things that couples argue about most. What are the other things? Sex, and the kids, of course. With the state of our worldwide economy being in such flux, money is a more pressing issue for couples and families than any other time in my life. Financial literacy for our kids and for us parents is more important than ever before! As a baby-boomer, it's my unequivocal opinion that the only good thing 'My Generation' produced was some pretty terrific music. I blame our generation for the deterioration of the family unit; the decline in actual… -
Inspire your kids with sky lanterns
24 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmOn a recent trip to Thailand I picked up a "Sky Lantern" (mini hot air balloon / make a wish balloon) which is used as part of the new moon festival (Loy Krathong). During the festival the Thai sky is filled with millions of these sky lanterns - quite an impressive sight (see video below). But they are also quite impressive even when you just launch a single sky lantern with your kids from the backyard. We lit up our sky lantern to Celebrate Chinese New Year ... but you can really do this on any day (as long as there's no wind). Most lantern are super easy to make (tissue paper, wire and a… -
Year of the dragon - make babies!
23 Jan 2012 | 5:18 pmOn January 23 the year of the dragon starts (according to the Chinese horoscope) - if you missed out on new year celebrations and rituals with kids on 31 Dec 2011, here's your second chance! Celebrate the Chinese New Year tonight! Also if you're in the market for a new baby - get going with the lady of your life from today onwards. Babies born in the year of the Dragon are blessed with natural leadership abilities and the year in general is considered very auspicious. So tell your woman there's no better time for a bit of nookie then the next 12 months (or wait for another 12 years until the… -
Drama class at home - movie transcripts
23 Jan 2012 | 2:15 pmHere's a handy site for finding transcripts of your kids' favourite movies. If you want to study the script with your kids or put on a little play at home check out www.scifiscripts.com. Among others, the sites has the complete scripts for: Aladdin, Alice in Wonderland, Anastasia, Antz, Aristocats, Finding Nemo, Who Framed Roger Rabbit, The Iron Giant, The Jungle Book, The Last Unicorn, The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, Mary Poppins, Never Ending Story, Nightmare Before Christmas, Pokemon, Shrek, Sleeping Beauty and Toy Story. Check it out and turn the…
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DadLabs Blog
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Sh*t Runners Say, Dad Version
27 Jan 2012 | 8:55 amI ran 20 miles last Saturday, and plan the same for this weekend. Why? Why would anyone do that? Especially a guy with a busy family? I’ve heard a lot of dads (and some moms) try to answer this question. None have been all that satisfying to me. My own attempts to answer, perhaps representative, are no less so. Obvious (non) answer: Marathon training. Okay. Again. Why? Sanctimonious answer: To raise money and awareness for my cause. Meh. While both Hand to Hold and Colin’s Hope are amazing charities that deserve whatever money and attention Team DadLabs can generate (I wish it was more:… -
Say What?
24 Jan 2012 | 11:28 amMy neighbors heckle and cheer when I jog! Every so often I do my marathon training runs in the late afternoon and early evening right before dinner. As the winter weather in Austin has been delightful of late, my eldest son Walker has accompanied me on his bike for many of these jaunts and it has turned into a great father son activity. We usually leave our house around 5 pm when the light is nice and many others in our neighborhood are out jogging, walking or enjoying the magic hour on their front porches and front yards. Surprisingly, during certain runs over the past several weeks… -
DadLabs Wins IAWTV Award: Best Educational Series
16 Jan 2012 | 1:37 pm“I’d like to thank the Academy.” Everyone should get to stand on a lighted stage, heft a statuette and say these words. Corny or not, it’s a thrill. And for a drama kid, something often dreamed about. The Academy in question is the International Academy of Web Television, the as of yet unnamed statuette, an impressive architectural looking series of Tubes, awarded for Best Educational Series. Not a Best Picture Oscar, maybe, but the award had the DadLabs crew flying high as any Golden Glober. (My nominee for statuette name: a “View” — as in we have 40 million views but none… -
Dad at a Car Show: Personality Disorder?
12 Jan 2012 | 2:35 pmAttending my first car show (as I did this week — the North American International Auto Show in Detroit as the guest of Ford) stimulated three facets of my personality: the inner child, the dad and the businessman. Inner Child When I travel, I grab a handful of car magazines. When I get the Sunday New York Times, the first thing I read is the car review at the back of the sports section. I’m never happier or more keyed up than when I’m in the throes of researching, testing and buying a new car. My love of cars is childish — having fallen head over heels when I was a kid and…
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Wired: GeekDad
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Geeky Dad Covers Depeche Mode With His Kids
28 Jan 2012 | 7:30 amThis video is making the rounds on Twitter and a few blogs this week, and we couldn’t pass posting here as well. Dad Dicken Schrader does an amazing job of choreographing his kids Milah and Korben to their own cover of Depeche Mode’s “Everything Counts,” including some wonderful recorder work by Milah. And just as geeks, we can admire his collection of toys on the back wall of his studio. You go, geeky dad! -
Imagine Cup Grants Help Bring Projects to Market
28 Jan 2012 | 7:00 amBill Gates stands with the team captains from the four winning Imagine Cup Grants teams. (Image: Microsoft) Over the past decade, many Imagine Cup finalists have taken their projects to market on their own. From a project that enables educational content delivery to laptops over traditional AM and FM in areas of the world with little infrastructure to a project actively used in the aftermath of the earthquakes in Haiti and Japan to coordinate efforts, these teams use the experience of the Imagine Cup to launch a startup and take the next step. It’s something that Microsoft both… -
Win Your Character a Role in a D&D Comic
28 Jan 2012 | 6:30 amEveryone who has played a RPG has at one point fancied that one of their characters was cool enough to star in a comic book or movie. Now you have the chance! Have you ever dreamed of seeing your character come to life in the hands of Forgotten Realms creator Ed Greenwood? Well, now’s your chance! IDW Publishing and Wizards of the Coast are pleased to announce the Forgotten Realms Character Creation contest, in conjunction with the launch of the all-new Dungeons & Dragons: Forgotten Realms comic book series, written by Greenwood and starting in April 2012! Chosen by Wizards, IDW and… -
5 Reasons to Kickstart For The Win
28 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amThis is just a quick note to tell you about a zany tile-based game called For The Win that’s currently seeking funding on Kickstarter. Despite the title which gives me fits when I think about how it should be capitalized, For The Win looks like a lot of fun: it has similarities to Hive in that the tiles form the playing surface and you have to keep all the tiles connected. But then it has its own twists. I’ve backed it myself already, but here are a few reasons you should check it out before the campaign ends on Tuesday, February 7: Hive is a great game, but it’s about bugs. -
Google Doodle Celebrates the World’s Largest Snowflake!
27 Jan 2012 | 11:56 pmI’m not sure how they measured it, but according to Google’s animated Doodle, January 28 is the 125th anniversary of the world’s largest snowflake. According to The New York Times, Giant Snowflakes as Big as Frisbees are certainly possible, if not common. Here in the Northeastern United States, we’ve seen hardly any snow this winter, let alone record-breaking flakes. Here’s hoping for at least one sighting of the beautiful white stuff this winter!
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Playground Dad
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Netflix for Babysitters?
4 Jan 2012 | 9:51 amHow many family members in your household access your Netflix account? Netflix has made some progress on making their service more family friendly, and for my daughters’ sakes they’ve got a little further to go…. We enjoyed a long New Year’s weekend away from home, spending most of our time at the indoor pool at our hotel, playing cards in our room, or mindlessly watching network TV. Looking for a little programming variety, I fired up the Netflix app on my iPhone and scanned the usual screen landscape: Recently Watched: Curious George, Avatar The Last Airbender,… -
The New Mobile Man Cave For Dads
27 Dec 2011 | 5:08 pmOur house is extremely busy with our four daughters. There is constantly a little one that needs to be wiped, repaired with a band-aid, broken up from a potential brawl with their sister…you name it. There is always something going on. I love the excitement. With that said, there is also a constant battle of who controls the living room and entertainment devices. The girls outnumber me so more often than not; Disney Channel is coming through the big screen TV, while another kid’s show may be occupying the tablet device. Because of things like those pesky college savings I haven’t built… -
The Ultimate Christmas Toy Guide For Dads: TEGU Mobility
18 Dec 2011 | 2:18 pmTo celebrate this holiday season, The Toy Wall is helping Playground Dads everywhere find the coolest toys for their families in this 12 Days of Christmas Toys series! In this digital age of touch screens and tablets where kids play by swiping a screen, should we be concerned about the impact this trend is having on our kid’s creative development? Luckily, the folks at TEGU, founders of the first magnetic building block system, are at the forefront of reinventing classic imaginative play without the need of electronic gadgetry or instruction manuals. Their recently released TEGU Mobility… -
The Ultimate Christmas Toy Guide For Dads: Skylanders Spryo’s Adventure
17 Dec 2011 | 11:18 amTo celebrate this holiday season, The Toy Wall is helping Playground Dads everywhere find the coolest toys for their families in this 12 Days of Christmas Toys series! As a kid, my friends and I loved playing co-op video games on the original Nintendo like Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Working together as we battled foot soldiers, we knew we had no choice but to try to complete the game in one go since there wasn’t a save option. Years later, on more advanced systems, we could level up and save our characters progress (i.e. Marvel Ultimate Alliance), but play couldn’t continue if we… -
The Ultimate Christmas Toy Guide For Dads: Fisher-Price See Yourself Camera
16 Dec 2011 | 12:47 pmTo celebrate this holiday season, The Toy Wall is helping Playground Dads everywhere find the coolest toys for their families in this 12 Days of Christmas Toys series! There’s nothing more annoying (or embarrassing) of having to retake photo after photo of a self-portrait shot of you and your friends to put on Facebook. Luckily your kids don’t have to worry about any chopped off heads or perfectly aligning the background when they use their new Fisher Price Kid-Tough See Yourself Camera! Vastly improved from previous versions, this durable digital camera features a superior resolution…
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Spain Dad, a baby blog
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Parenting Book for a New Generation of Involved and Nurturing Fathers
9 Jan 2012 | 3:05 amWithin weeks of getting pregnant, April had a stack of parenting books waiting on my nightstand, complete with neat, hand-written bookmarks telling me which chapters I needed to read. In nine months, I had learned everything about April giving birth, becoming a mother, and how I could support her. What I wanted and couldn’t find was a book by a normal guy telling me about becoming a dad. The last thing I needed was more expert advice, a ten-step plan or fancy pie charts. I just wanted someone to give it to me straight, “What was parenting going to be like for me?” To answer this… -
Children’s Book featuring Alleke
6 Jun 2011 | 3:52 pmI’ll be doing my first ever book signing this Saturday in Madrid. It’s a children’s book called Clara Has a Baby Brother. It’s bilingual in English and Spanish, and Alleke is the protagonist. Also, Alejandra Quiceno (www.kalakita.com) will be showing 12 of her illustrations for kids and also doing face painting. We’ll see if I can convince April to make some of her famous chocolate-chip cookies! If you’re so unlucky as not to live in Madrid, and thus, will not be in attendance this Saturday, BUT you’re still eagerly awaiting the chance to get your… -
Dear John
2 Mar 2011 | 4:01 amSpain Dad, a baby blog celebrated its fifth birthday in February. This milestone has given me the chance to reflect on my original purpose for this blog. In 2006 when April first got pregnant, I remember she had a stack of parenting books waiting on my nightstand, complete with neat, hand-written bookmarks telling me which chapters I needed to read. In nine months, I learned everything about my wife giving birth, becoming a mother, and how I could support her. What I wanted and couldn’t find was the story of a first-time dad discovering how to be an involved and nurturing parent. The last… -
Peek-a-Boo, Jesus
11 Feb 2011 | 10:42 amI think Teo thinks prayer is just another game of Peek-a-Boo… -
Kissing Disease
9 Feb 2011 | 10:18 aman outtake from our engagement photos, 1999 How romantic is it that just before Valentine’s Day I caught a virus called the kissing disease? Or maybe it’s not romantic at all since April didn’t get it too. Hmmm… Anyway, this morning while I was lying on the couch resting, April had the following conversation with one of the grandmas that drops her granddaughter off at school. “How’s your husband? Is he feeling any better?” “About the same,” April said. “I’m sorry to hear that,” the grandma said, and then turned to one of…
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Our Family of 4
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Toys Delivered
4 Jan 2012 | 3:19 pmSorry, this is late but......The toys were delivered. Below is a photo of us delivering the toys at St. Louis Childrens Hospital in early December. We were AMAZED at the amount of toys we collected. Toys came from as far away as Ohio, and even Kade's school got involved and collect a huge amount of toys.Thank you to all who donated, til next year. -
Toys Part II
20 Nov 2011 | 3:16 pmLast year about this time we held the first annual toy drive for St. Louis Childrens Hospital. We started the toy drive last year to "repay" Childrens for the toys that Kade received during a stay over Christmas two years ago. Last year we collected over 8 50 gallon bags full of toys. Go here to read more about our first ever toy drive.Right now we are collecting for round two of the toy drive. We are off to a good start, and are in the process of filling the floor in Kade's room with toys. We would love to collect more toys than last year, and we might just… -
Leaving Holland
14 Nov 2011 | 10:42 amWritten as a continuation of "Welcome to Holland" by Emily Perl Kingsley. My point of view as a parent mourning the loss of a child with special needs. This won't make sense you have not read the above "Welcome to Holland"So, you were expecting a trip to Italy and got re-routed to Holland. It seemed to take a while but you became accustom to Holland, it's terms, technology, and expectations. Some would even say that you have become an advocate for trips to Holland, an ambassador if you will. You started making plans and expectations for your future… -
Kade's Eulogy
17 Oct 2011 | 3:03 pmDear family and friends,When God gives you a child, you have no idea what the future holds, and you immediately start making plans and aspirations for your baby. You can make all the plans you want, but God has his plan too, and no matter how bumpy or smooth the path, it is the Perfect Plan.It is no secret that Kade’s path was full of obstacles, but he had his share of smooth patches too. God knew Kade’s path when He made Kade, and it was Perfect. Sure Kade spent more than his fair share of time in the hospital. Sure, Kade lost countless moments to seizures. -
Wings not Wheels
14 Oct 2011 | 4:01 pmIt is with a heavy heart that I write this. God called Kade home last night. Kade passed away peacefully in his sleep. We can only assume it was due to a seizure. Arrangements are as follows :Visitation Sunday Oct 16 4pm Church of Our Lady, Festus MOFuneral MassMonday Oct 17 9:30am Church of Our Lady Festus, MODonations may be made to Make-a-Wish of St. Louis or Variety Children's Charity St. Louis.
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I have to wipe his what?
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Hot Wheelin
20 Jan 2012 | 2:19 amHot Wheelin -
Peeing In The Night, Or On The Night
14 Jan 2012 | 3:47 amPeeing In The Night, Or On The Night1:15 in the am. I am diligently editing my latest video of the boy racing his Hot Wheels track when I again hear his incessant moans of anguish emanating from down the hall. ‘Okay damnit, I don’t care if he whines again, this time I am hauling his butt off to the bathroom,’ I promise myself.“Hey bud, are you okay?” I ask him as I pat him on the back while he -
Cracked House
21 Nov 2011 | 3:01 amCracked House"Hey, W-Dirt!" There he is. "Do you want to buy that house we looked at the other day?"You mean the cracked house?""Hmmm, yeah. The cracked house.""Okay! But it's too big. We can't bring it home with us.""Well, thank goodness for that, because we are moving to it. And closer to the beach too. Isn't that fun?""Yeah!"That cracked house originally sold for 40 grand back in '51. The sad -
Made In Japan
9 Nov 2011 | 2:31 amMade In JapanWhat's that say Poppa?" The boy asked me as he pointed at the backside of his new extrra large bright red beach shovel."Let's see. Says, Made In Japan.""Oh."-Later that day-While grinding playdoh into the dining room chair cushion, the boy flips over his Spiderman plate and asks me, "What's that say Jay?""It says Zak!.""Oh. What does that one say Jay?""Made In Japan.""That what it's -
Ahhh Damage!
19 Oct 2011 | 1:53 amAhhh Damage!Something didn't go my way the other day, 'Damnit!' I exploded, as the kids frollicked around the living room floor killing, smelling, wrestling, smashing, and chewing. Not neccesarily in that order. Maybe even all at once though.A minute later, as W-Dirt was crashing his Evil-Doctor-Porch-Chop toy into his huge pirate ship he yelled for all the world and the seven seas to hear, "
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How To Be A Dad
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Your Heart Will Throw up in Your Brain
27 Jan 2012 | 3:35 amSometimes things are captured on video that make your heart throw up inside your brain. It makes you wonder how humanity has survived as long as it has. We posted this to our Facebook Page the other day, thinking people would be screaming, “what horrible parents that kid must have.” And then the comments took some interesting turns. We know people lose track of their kids. We know there isn’t such a thing as perfect parenting. But allowing your kid to almost ride the escalator in the sky? Then, deep down or plain as day, we all know we’ve failed or at least rubbed… -
Breastfeeding: Suck It
26 Jan 2012 | 2:10 amThere has been a lot of controversy around breastfeeding lately. Retail stores have told people they couldn’t do it within their walls. Formula companies implied that formula was a better route. It’s like breastfeeding is being silently marketed as obscene or something. With all the swirling hatred on the topic, I thought my son and I should share our thoughts… BREASTFEEDING: GOT A PROBLEM? SUCK IT. For those who have trouble producing milk or choose not to breastfeed, this isn’t directed at you. This is for the idiots who have a “problem” with… -
My Wife Just Said… #44
25 Jan 2012 | 2:05 am“I’m going to go change my tampon and then I’ll feel a bit better about life.” -Avara -
Facebook Fist Bump (FBFB)
24 Jan 2012 | 2:15 amYou may feel foolish at first, but you’ll probably smile or burst out laughing. You’ll see. YOU’RE FIST BUMPING US (or each other) THROUGH THE INTERNET! And we think that’s almost as rad as teleportation. Except not as useful, probably. The Fist Bump Click to enlarge It’s easy. The FBFB can be done on any screen, so you really don’t have any excuse not do it! (But be gentle!) Whatever your thoughts are about this interactive gesture, it’s undeniable that it’s here to stay. Until it gets old and dated and is then replaced with something… -
Gimme My Boobies Back!
23 Jan 2012 | 2:27 amThe Boob Decision Moms tend to be beautiful, near-magical creatures. But when it comes down to a heated breastfeeding debate, sometimes we’re left with just the creature part. But this isn’t about that, we’ll leave that one to better writers who are actually women. Mothering.com ran a design contest for a universally recognizable symbol for breastfeeding to replace the controversial icon of a bottle. Above is the winning design in use, plus some funny submissions. Click to enlarge. The Promise Pregnant with Lucas, Lizzie decided she was going to “give him the…
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It's only me, Josh.
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I Must Be Strong
26 Jan 2012 | 2:38 pmI find it odd that during the month my mom was in the hospital dying of cancer, I never cried, never let it get to me, and I stayed strong. Now that she’s gone, it’s hit me like a ton of bricks, I have moments where I just feel like spontaneously crying, and I’m just weak, drained, and depressed. Today is my wife’s 31st birthday and I just sat around starting off into space. Then I laid in bed, cried a bit, and then fell asleep for two hours until she went to work. I can’t let this get to me. I miss my mom terribly, but I have a wife and 4 kids who need me too. -
I Miss You MA…
25 Jan 2012 | 3:03 pm -
My mom’s star on Stand Up To Cancer
24 Jan 2012 | 5:31 amI donated. Now my mom has her own star in The Constellation. I love you MA. I miss you terribly already -
Cancer Has Taken My Mom From Me :(
24 Jan 2012 | 5:30 amI received the call at 2:30 this morning. Mom passed away shortly before the call. I’m still trying to come to grips with this. Right now it just feels so surreal. I love you MA! You’ll be greatly missed by many people. I’ll see you in heaven someday…. -
A Call
23 Jan 2012 | 7:16 amA nurse called me at 5:30 this morning and said mom’s breathing was erratic and raspy and her pulse was irregular. It’s gone from taking it one DAY at a time to one HOUR at a time. So again, I must prepare myself because this day may be the day that I lose my mom.
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All That Comes With It
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How to make the most of your savings
19 Jan 2012 | 10:16 amAs part of my ongoing campaign to act like a grown up I’ve been looking at finding a better place to keep my savings The only problem is that, due to the state of the economy at the moment, most savings accounts are paying pittance in interest. Sure, using price comparison sites like the one I linked to above you can make sure you’re getting the best return for your investment – but the days of 5% interest savings accounts are long gone. So I got to thinking – what other ways could I make some decent money from my savings? * Invest in starting up a online business… -
Credit cards, mortgages, and jackets with patches on the elbows.
17 Jan 2012 | 4:25 pmI have a hankering for a corduroy jacket. A brown corduroy jacking with elbow patches on it. I wish i was joking, but I’m not – I really fancy one. I think they are cool. I don’t know why i think they are cool – I just do. I mean Dr Who wears one! (well nearly, his one is tweed) It’s not cool though is it? In actual fact it’s the sort of thing a middle age man with a beard and a wishy washy liberal do-gooder job would wear. Hmmm. Other signs and symptoms of my pathetic middle ageness include trying to get a hold on my finances. There was a time when I lived… -
Meter reading? It’s a gas.
16 Jan 2012 | 1:55 pmI am not an organized man. In fact, it’s pretty fair to say I am an exceptionally disorganised man. I am also someone who never puts off to tomorrow anything that could feasibly be put off until next week, or even next month/year/decade. These two delightful character traits combine to make my existence a non stop rollercoaster ride of ulcer inducing stress and panic. It’s so bad that I suspect that if I didn’t have my wife to act as my custodian I’d be living naked and shivering in a ditch somewhere. One of my biggest mental blocks is gas and electricity meter readings. Every time I… -
The day after the return
3 Jan 2012 | 3:39 amWe came back from Center Parcs early. Only a day early but for some reason it felt like a bit of a failure. Amy was ill, some sort of virus that gave her a temperature and a rash that, judging by her occasional proclamations of “I’m scratching!”, was a bit itchy. I’m sure given different circumstances it would have been an ok holiday, certainly worth the £200 we paid for four nights. However I wouldn’t want to pay the full price summer rates, it’s just not that nice. The cabins were the main let down – all grey breezeblocks and you could tell the… -
A New Blog
12 Dec 2011 | 2:41 amHi. In case anyone is interested I have a new blog. Sort of. If anyone is interested in community news and events in Slaithwaite and the Colne Valley then they could do worse than go visit my new community hyperlocal site Slawit.org It bears very little similarity to what I did here – I’m using it more as a method of engaging with and providing a service to my local community than a form of self expression, but it’s there if you’re interested. If anyone fancies throwing a link it’s way in order to push it up the google search lists I’d be eternally…
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Cynical Dad
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LMFAO At LMFAO
15 Jan 2012 | 9:32 amOk. I know this is swinging dangerously back to daddy blogger territory, but the kids and I have watched this twenty times this morning and wanted to share! -
iPad Blues
29 Dec 2011 | 9:04 amWe got the kids an iPad for Christmas. If you never here from me again, it's because I've become way too addicted to Fruit Ninja. -
Best Christmas Music Of 2011?
14 Dec 2011 | 2:40 pmOk. It's been pretty slim pickings this year as far as new Christmas music goes. In fact, this song by the Killers is the only thing I've heard that's worth keeping:How about you? Anything new that trips your trigger? -
Thinking
13 Oct 2011 | 10:06 amIf we treated each other with the same love and respect as we give the guy who made our cell phones, we wouldn't need Words With Friends. We'd be having Dinner With Friends. -
The Rapture's Coming Early, Y'all
18 May 2011 | 4:28 pmKiss your loved ones and get your tinfoil hats ready!
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Poop and Boogies
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Gifted
21 Jan 2012 | 11:49 amI am telling this story how I remember it. The first part is my take on what my father told me many years ago. My family went to a normal, suburban, public elementary school. Each year every third grade student took a standardized test (not an IQ test but similar) evaluating their intelligence. Students that scored above a certain number were invited to participate in an accelerated learning program the following years. At our school this program was called TEC, which I think stood for The Enhanced Curriculum or some such. The TEC students, who were also called… -
How to have a secret girlfriend
10 Jan 2012 | 8:00 pm1.-Always make sure that a secret girlfriend is older. She will like the attention of a younger guy. Cougar is a word they use for this. 2.-Make sure she is married so she cannot keep bothering you at odd times. This is kind of an inverted "hard to get" scenario. 3.-Be nice to her husband so he does not think anything fishy is going on. If both she and her husband are together at an event, ignore her and give the husband extra high fives and stuff. This also works in your favor regarding the "hard to get scenario". 4.-Make sure that your girlfriend's women-friends see you pay… -
Growth
5 Jan 2012 | 9:03 amI know this may come as a surprise, as it did to me, but these little people in my house, the small, sometimes extremely loud, extremely smelly ones actually grow. I should know this. I have pencil marks, lines with dates and names smudged next to them, on my wall in the hallway near the laundry room documenting their growth. I watch them, everyday, shove gobs and gobs of food down their mouths in order to fuel their growth. Every time I dress them I notice that the space between the hem of their pants and the top of their shoes gets a bit wider. They grow. I should know this. The… -
The Week Between
28 Dec 2011 | 1:29 pmMy dad worked as a department manager at a Sears in the city. One of his departments was the Garden Center, which during the winter months was converted to the Christmas Center. The week after Christmas was always a busy week for him dealing with returns, clean-up and converting the area back to the Garden Center. When I was kid,10,11,12, 13 years old, I would go with a few of my brothers to work with my dad during the week of Christmas break. We were off from school, he needed the help and I am sure my mother didn't mind that we were out of her hair the week between Christmas and… -
Time of Year
16 Dec 2011 | 11:47 amIt's that time of year. The Poop and Boogies family is doing our best to make this the "hap, hap, happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny fucking Kaye". Our three boys are at that perfect age for the holiday season and Lauren is making sure this year is one that they will remember. Needless to say we have been very busy with shopping, decorating, cleaning, errands, work, school, parades and driving at night to look at the decorated houses. Here are some of the highlights. Lauren taught herself how to make gingerbread houses for the kids to decorate. After the house was…
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Creative-Type Dad
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Original Science Fair Project Ideas That Will Change the WORLD
21 Jan 2012 | 1:00 amMy daughter’s school science fair is coming up soon. In fact, she just told my wife and I tonight that it’s happening next week.After a robust and at times heated discussion about exactly how long has she known this information, my daughter and wife started listing a bunch of possible project ideas around simple scientific topics such as butterflies, volcano’s, mold, bugs, heat, cold, etc. to which I answered to all of them – boring.Kids have been using those science fair topics for thousands of years ever since that one episode of “The Brady Bunch” where Bobby made that volcano… -
It’s Twenty-Twelve. Weird…
6 Jan 2012 | 1:00 amI’m not entirely sure what happened over the last month; it sort of just whipped by.A rundown of what’s been going on:Sadly, I still have Christmas gifts that I still have to mail. As a matter of fact, I’m looking at them now.We bought a house "last year" and it's been a blessing and a curse renovating it as it was built in 1954 and hasn't been touched since. I got a new sewer main replacing the old ceramic one for Christmas!My 1 ½ year old got a new Thomas the Train set and a few other random small toys - guess what his favorite toy is? The cardboard center to the paper towels. He… -
WORSE CHRISTMAS JOB EVER: Santa’s “Last in Line” Elf
12 Dec 2011 | 1:00 amThe worse Elf job isn’t a Dentist, it’s actually being the last person standing in line for Santa pictures at the mall.At first, I didn’t think anything of it when Santa’s maybe 16-17 year old cashier girl Elf approached my family and gave me a handmade written sign on the back of a dinosaur experience ad that said “LAST IN LINE :) ” Her only instructions were “Here, hold this and show it to people behind you.”Exhibit 1: “LAST IN LINE :) ” handmade card on back of the dinosaur experience ad. Note irony of smiling face at the end of the note.Then as she walked away I… -
Disney World – The Most Tiring Place on Earth
5 Dec 2011 | 1:45 amI think I’ve finally recovered now that we’ve been back for a week.No doubt about it, all of the kids we traveled with loved the place and all of the adults seemed to have fun as well - eating and drinking at EPCOT is a huge reason alone to go. And in hindsight I really enjoyed spending time with my family, some in-law's we hadn’t seen in a few years, and our friends that traveled along with us.The only problem I really had was waking up early, walking and waiting in lines all day, and then getting home at around 10-11PM at night…for 6 days in a row!The place is a marathon of… -
Vacation - Good. Taking a Toddler on an Airplane – BAD!
18 Nov 2011 | 12:00 amWe leave for Disney World soon and I couldn’t be more thrilled about finally being able to take some time off of work to spend time with my wife, kids, some friends, and some family we haven’t seen in over 5 years.But with all of the excitement comes dread – my son is now 18-months old and has literally two setting: RUN and sleep. Saying he’s a bundle of energy is an understatement.I first considered buying him a seat on the airplane, which of course is HIGHLY recommended by the airline and “experts.” Problem is, when my daughter was around 19-months we flew with her car seat and…
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Modern Day Dad
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CES 2012: iCade iOS Video Game Controllers
17 Jan 2012 | 2:50 pmI wrote yesterday over at The Gentlemen of Gaming about how underwhelmed I was towards video game stuff at CES this year. In fact, the only stand-out thing I saw was the iPod, iPhone and iPad game controllers from iON Audio. The standard iCade has been out for a year now. (You may have seen it at your local Best Buy - it's the miniature video game cabinet that turns your iPad into a little old-school arcade system.) This year they've got three more, the best of which is the iCade Mobile (shown below). The iCade Mobile is a Bluetooth controller for an iPhone or an iPod Touch. You… -
CES 2012: GoPro Wi-Fi BacPac + Remote
17 Jan 2012 | 2:20 pmI am really, really enjoying my GoPro video camera. For $200 to $300 you can get a great 1080p video camera that you can put almost anywhere. It will also take time lapse images which [I've been really enjoying lately][youtu]. At CES this year GoPro announced a really sweet accessory for their cameras. The Wi-Fi BacPac + Wi-Fi Remote connects your GoPro camera to your iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch through a Wi-Fi network it creates. Once connected, you can see the live video output of the camera as well as control what it's doing. It will also connect up to 50 GoPros at a time, giving… -
Gee Mr. President, Thanks for the Christmas Card (Finally).
28 Dec 2011 | 5:51 pmI don't usually get political here on Modern Day Dad, but this isn't really a post about politics. Rather, it's a post more about politeness than politics. In 2008 I was a big supporter of President Obama's campaign. For the first time in my life not only had I contributed money towards a campaign, but I had also volunteered. Even though it was a small amount of time (knocking on doors on election day), I enjoyed the victory because I felt like I had contributed something more than just my vote. That night I received the thank you email like everyone else, and I was happy. That Christmas… -
Talking "God" with Your Kids
21 Dec 2011 | 5:18 pmDiscussions of God and the beliefs that different people have has been a topic of conversation with my kids this holiday season. Not at my instigation mind you, but at the prompting of a table-mate my kindergartner has at school. And while I was unprepared for these conversations at the outset, I'm fairly happy with how they've turned out. Today a friend of mine pointed me towards a great article in the NY Times in October 2010, the crux of which is that kids can handle the messy truth and contradictions of life. Which is shaping up to be my experience too. For a Child, God's… -
Thank you Steve Jobs.
5 Oct 2011 | 11:03 pmIt's hard not to dip into hyperbole about a man who's life is so extraordinary it essentially defies hyperbole. But I really can't think of a contemporary person (whom I've never met) that has had more of an effect on my daily life than Steve Jobs. His death is a great loss and, selfishly I suppose, I hope that his legacy survives long enough for us to transition into a world void of his unrelenting drive to make things better for everyone. I think the best way to remember him is to go back and watch his 2005 Stanford commencement address. Remembering that you are going to die is the best way…
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Mommy Daddy Blog
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Snowtographs
27 Jan 2012 | 6:05 amThe snow that I so desperately wanted before the holidays came (albeit late) and went. Now, I am craving Spring. I need some green grass and morning dew in my life. Of course we can just pick up and move to the south. Having the flexibility to do so is so wonderful, but we’re just not ready. So I will continue to b-word about it until that time comes, lol. Anywho, I took some photos before the snow melted and I wanted to share them with you :). Sidenote: I look back at photos from previous Winter’s and realize that Jayden always seems to be growing out of his coat. I just picked… -
She {hearts} Phix Drinks
26 Jan 2012 | 6:22 amHow many of you drink mostly water, but on occasion would love a treat to drink? Or maybe you drink a lot of soda, but would love to cut back with a sweet, yet healthy alternative. Phix is a company I came to learn about… that offers an energy herbal drink powder line, as well as a sleep line. Each blend packed full of green tea anti-oxidants and other added vitamins. I got the chance to try not only their energy line but also their sleep line. I will say that I preferred the energy to the sleep… only because I am not a huge fan of lemon. That being said their energy mix… -
She {hearts} Strawesome
25 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amI came across a neat company recently that sells reusable glass drinking straws. “Why choose glass straws?” you may ask. Well, there are many reasons (click here for the top ten reasons to choose reusable glass straws), but I personally prefer to use them because they are toxin-free (no BPAs or phthalates) and reduce waste. Plus, they look cute and are fun to use! Strawesome sent me a Barely Bent Going Green Straw to try out. I love it! I picked green because I think it looks like a Starbuck’s straw. I was worried that glass straws would be too… well,… -
She {hearts} Nada
24 Jan 2012 | 6:30 amBeing a yoga instructor, I have known the importance of foot and posture health for many years. I know that being barefoot is best, but unfortunately we can’t be on a yoga mat all the time. I have been interested in minimalist shoes for awhile, but I didn’t know you could have fashion coincide with this concept. Walking around looking like I was wearing gloves on my feet wasn’t gonna happen. Nada offers two minimalist style Somnio shoes, one for running and other forms of fitness, and a ballet style, more for everyday. The ballet flat has been my go-to shoe. They’re so… -
She {hearts} Krimson Klover
23 Jan 2012 | 4:02 amPart of what gets me into the Winter spirit are boots and sweaters. Fair Isle sweaters especially. I just fall for them every time. I was recently introduced to Krimson Klover who are like THE lady sweater emporium! Krimson Klover offer what they like to call Knits With a Twist. All of their sweaters not only keep in the warmth, but they dress up like nobody’s business. Krimson Klover offers styles that are sexy, flirty, and fun… so there’s a little something for everyone! I received the Eva sweater and it is gorgeous! I chose grey (flannel/ivory) because it can be worn with…
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Parenting Message Boards - Parenting.com Community
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favorite character in Vampire diaries
28 Jan 2012 | 2:58 amWho is your favorite character in Vampire diaries ? Watch Top Gear Season 18 Episode 1 | Watch One Piece Episode 533 __________ -
American Dad Season 8 episode 9
28 Jan 2012 | 2:58 amAmerican Dad Season 8 episode 9 will going to be air soon .. American Dad Season 8 episode 9 | Lost Girl Season 2 Episode 15 _______ -
favorite character in True blood
28 Jan 2012 | 2:58 amWho is your favorite character in True blood ? Spartacus Vengeance Episode 1 | Family Guy Season 10 Episode 12 _________ -
Anime Tv shows
28 Jan 2012 | 2:58 amDo you like Anime Tv shows ? Californication Season 5 Episode 4 | The Simpsons Season 23 Episode 12 __________ -
Spartacus Blood and Sand Season 2 Episod
28 Jan 2012 | 2:57 amAre you guys excited to watch Spartacus Blood and Sand Season 2 Episode 1 as it will be airing soon ? Spartacus Blood and Sand Season 2 Episode 1 | Kourtney and Kim Take New York Season 2 Episode 10 _______
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Writer Dad
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As A Father, I Could Never Hope For More
11 Jan 2012 | 9:50 amMy baby is a baby no longer. My baby hasn’t been my baby for a while. This weekend our firstborn child, Haley, turns 10 years old. I’ve been arguing with the calendar for months, taking turns with Cindy as we point our fingers to the sky and curse the impossibility. But the months continue to smear our logic with their mocking smiles. We can argue all we like, but we will never return our faded years. Cindy is cursed with being married to a man who will reflect on moments gone by in excruciating detail, while I am married to a woman who mourns their passing. Together, we promise to make… -
Ho-Ho-Ho And Happy Holly
20 Dec 2011 | 2:00 amHo-ho-ho and happy holly Kris Kringle’s jingle bells are jolly Cards and cookies, candy canes Twice checked lists and lots of names Hanging stockings, flocking trees The inside warms the outside freeze Christmas music crisps the air And lights the smiles everywhere December days, they inch on by Going slow while flying by For children waiting till the Eve Close their eyes as they believe The morning comes with stockings FAT Santa’s footprints on the mat Carrots gone, milk is drained The mantle has been candy-caned Presents piled, giftwrap glowing Mom and dad, their smiles knowing… -
Her Biggest Emotion Was Relief
15 Dec 2011 | 2:00 amMy daughter, Haley, is writing a book. Her book, “Mia Maria and Two Times The Kindergarten” is a wonderful little project, though Haley is slightly devastated she missed her first deadline. Yes, she’s only nine, and yes, I did give her a deadline. We’ve been working on Mia since early this year, starting back in late April. Every Wednesday night we would sit in my office for an hour or two, starting with our outline and working through the chapters one by one. The finished outline was 3,000 words and provided a thick skeleton for her full story. Haley diligently added pages… -
10 Ways To Be Frugal And Stress Free This Holiday
12 Dec 2011 | 6:56 amThe holidays are here. Time for family and friends to gather under the umbrella of good cheer and genuine connection. Keeping things simple and sweet is the secret to living a balanced life every day. Our last few Christmases have been hard, juggling life, family and finances. But those years have helped us grow. Here are 10 ways a buckled economy can help keep things in check over the holidays. 1. Learn to say NO. Saying yes, when you should say no, leaves you resentful and overwhelmed. When people are really your friends, and your family really loves you, they understand when you can’t… -
Not Doing My Best
9 Dec 2011 | 2:00 amI’m tired, I’m hungry, I didn’t rest I’m grumpy, I’m grouchy, not doing my best I wish I felt better, I should’ve heard what she said When mom tried to feed me and send me to bed I said I wasn’t hungry, and disagreed with my tummy Even though the spaghetti smelled wonderfully yummy I yelled, “I’m not tired!” though I woke before dawn And all my insistence was deep in a yawn It’s time to surrender, I can’t take anymore My pillow is waiting for my face and a snore Next time I’ll listen, my mommy was right Right now I’m so tired – YAAAAAWWWWWN… good…
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Rice Daddies
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17 Jan 2012 | 5:38 pm
17 Jan 2012 | 5:38 pmSorry I couldn't resist, with all these videos circulating on the internet why not this one: -
Tiger Math
14 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amAs a parent and a former elementary school teacher, I cringe every time a parent tells me his or her child’s teacher “can’t teach” or “doesn’t teach right” – And when that teacher is a math teacher I drop to the floor, curl up, and squeeze my eyes shut real tight -- I wrap my arms around myself and rock myself and tell myself that everything’s going to be alright – You see, my mother -- my -
Economics of Fatherhood from Active Dad UK
2 Jan 2012 | 9:10 amI stumbled across this video from Active Dad UK while searching for links to free ebooks for kids (their aunts and uncles got them Kindles for Christmas). In addition to providing descriptions to free ebook sites, Active Dad also included this video regarding the impact of parental (namely fathers) literacy on their children. It had some interesting statistics (though I didn’t see a source so -
Studio Ghibli: Kid-Approved Movies for a Night In
30 Dec 2011 | 5:00 amJust before the recent Christmas holiday, Jennifer at Retrevo.com sent out a list of “Epic Nerd-Approved Movies for Kids.” It concluded a longer list of overall Nerd-Approved Movies (scroll to the bottom of their list for the kids movies). It included (in my opinion) some great movies like The Goonies, The Secret of Nimh, The Witches, and The Dark Crystal. It also included some questionable -
Christmas, Santa, and Jesus
23 Dec 2011 | 5:00 amAs a parent, two stories I would like to tell better are the story of 9/11 and the story of Christmas. With the former, I’m still trying to get it “just right.” Both my children were born after 9/11 (my older one just nine months after). They are also still very young and naïve. People are still “linear beings” to them. There is a distinct line between right and wrong, good and bad -- And good
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sweet juniper!
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20 Jan 2012 | 10:30 am
20 Jan 2012 | 10:30 amIt just occurred to me that over the past year, several of my law school classmates have stood before the venerable justices of the U.S. Supreme Court to field difficult questions of law, with answers that might find their way into the annals of American jurisprudence. My son just asked me, "Does The Beastmaster wear underwear?" -
The Regifting Ninjas
16 Jan 2012 | 11:22 amOver the holidays we were in Pittsburgh with my wife's family watching The Griswold Family Christmas Lampoon or whatever it's called with all the crazy lights on the house and Randy Quaid. At the first scene with Todd and Margo (the yuppie neighbors) I yelled out, "Ooh, that's us." While not entirely true, to my wife's relatives in Pittsburgh we might as well be. My wife's stepmother judiciously -
2011: a year of costumes
30 Dec 2011 | 8:01 amI put a few of our favorite pictures from 2011 in a slideshow; most never appeared on this site. When I see all the fun stuff we did this year all chronological like that, I feel less bad about all the arguing and frustration that also went on between this dad and his six and three year old kids. Because trust me: there was plenty of that too. The song is "We Don't Need Much," from the -
Sweet Juniper 2011 Holiday Card by Heather Ross
23 Dec 2011 | 10:10 amThis year we were excited and honored to have author and illustrator Heather Ross do the portrait and hand lettering for our 2011 holiday card. Half of our daughter's dresses are made from Heather Ross fabric and we have admired her illustrations for many years (so it was a special thrill to have her create this card for us). For the subject, Heather chose our annual trip up to Eastern Market -
. . .And a red-tailed hawk in our Christmas tree
20 Dec 2011 | 9:36 amThere's usually a point during our evening walk where I let my dog off his leash to run around an empty park. He's a birddog---either a Braque français or a German Shorthaired mix---and he has all the energy and instincts of his breeding. On Friday night, we were alone out in the darkness (the lights in this city park haven't worked in years) when I saw the dog suddenly stop circling, stand
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A Dads POV
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The REAL Differences Between Men and Women, Part One
27 Jan 2012 | 2:43 pmThe number of differences between men and women, the sexes, is vast. Note that I used the word, “Sexes,” Read more... -
OMG, What Does THAT Mean?
26 Jan 2012 | 4:29 am -
The Triple Decker Sandwich Generation #Seniors on #DadChat
23 Jan 2012 | 1:45 pm -
Values, #Money, Our Kids, and the Real World
22 Jan 2012 | 10:04 amThere is a reason that money is on that short list of things that couples argue about most. What Read more... -
Why I LOVE to Ski and Why You Should
20 Jan 2012 | 10:46 am
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The Busy Dad Blog
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Bugs are food, not friends
24 Jan 2012 | 2:38 pmI had this whole long intro written for this video, but I decided to scrap it. One simply cannot introduce a video of himself sampling a bug platter with any degree of eloquence or justification. This was filmed when MrLady and I attended a China-North America business summit in Harbin, China this past September. Well, this, was filmed at a beer garden while off the clock. They serve normal food at the summit. -
So, SOPA and PIPA walk into this bar
18 Jan 2012 | 10:13 amAnd they ruin the internet. They also make Lunchboxdaily really boring. We finally get bi-partisan support on something and it's THIS? I say let the parties go back to bickering, and let us make fun of it all on the internet. I'm not technically savvy enough to shut my site down for a day in protest of SOPA/PIPA, but I can send you to a site where you can call your local representatives to stop this nonsense. -
Me with a stickblender, singing Johnny Cash
16 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amI can tell you one thing: if anyone ever does a Google search for kitchen appliances and Johnny Cash, I can rest assured that my blog will rank prominently. You deserve some background. Kenmore has invited me to their Kenmore Live Studio in Chicago this coming weekend for a Blogger Summit to check out some of their latest innovations for the home. As part of this, they're giving the good citizens of the internet (remember when the term was netizens? wow, what was your AOL address back then?) a chance to win Kenmore gift cards ($25, $50 and $100) for submitting innovative ways to use everyday… -
But does it pass the Tiger Dad test?
9 Jan 2012 | 4:01 pmSometime last fall, Brainy Baby asked if I wanted to try their latest flashcard/DVD/Book set, the 123s Counting Collection. I couldn't really say no. Because that would be like saying "no, I don't want my baby to be smarter." At least to me it does. Well played, Brainy Baby. We tried them out this weekend. Tiger dad style. I never said this would be a cakewalk, Brainy Baby. By the way, Brainy Baby wants to help you make your baby smarter, too. Just leave a comment complimenting my baby's acting debut and I'll enter you in the drawing. I'll give you until Friday, Jan 13, 5pm PST. -
Merry... happy... seasons... Chr.. Holi... um HI!
25 Dec 2011 | 2:46 pmFrom my family to yours. Wishing you the very best. Whatever that means to you this time of year.
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Wisdom Begins in Wonder
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Some hae meat and canna eat
25 Jan 2012 | 4:48 pmSo it’s Burn’s Night tonight and I have to say I don’t think I’ve ever celebrated it. In fact I had never even tried haggis until about five years ago as noone in my parents house liked it apart from my mother you would have her own wee Burn’s Supper every 25th January while we had lasagna or some other easy to make meal. For the last few years though I have made haggis, neeps and tatties for the family dinner though. It’s tasty food and haggis is always on offer so it ends up being a cheap meal when your feeding six folk. In fact I think tonights dinner… -
Toddlers: An Instruction Manual: A Guide to Surviving the Years One to Four (Written by Parents, for Parents)
21 Jan 2012 | 3:54 pmMonths ago Joanne Mallon got in touch with me looking for quotes from parents to include in her upcoming book about Toddlers. My contribution was rather cringworthy but somehow it made it in to the book. It finally went on sale just before Christmas but I wanted to give it a read before I wrote about it. Just when you think you’ve got your head around who your baby is and how to handle them they change into a toddler almost overnight leaving you wondering who this new child is. Full of practical advice on living with a toddler it’s actually made the last few weeks on our house a… -
Something different? Oven baked parmesan seasoned chips
19 Jan 2012 | 1:39 amThis time last year it was a source of pride in this house that almost every dinner that was cooked in our house was made from scratch. I’m a firm believer in being able to do it yourself and not rely on ready made meals, sauces in a jar or prepared meat. I make my own chicken nuggets, soup, curry and pizza and the kids love all of it. Over the last twelve months though things have started to slide. It started with jars of curry sauce and then moved on to pasta sauces and frozen pizzas. Yesterday I decided that it had to stop but all I had in the house was chicken and potatoes. Other… -
First school play
10 Jan 2012 | 3:01 pmIt’s something that Findlay’s old school never really did. The classes did presentations at the end of year assembly but aside from the occasion song or piece by the music class that’s all it really was. The boys new school this year has been like a homecoming of sorts for me though. It seems as if every event or end of term has required at least one class in the school to put on a show of sorts. With Findlay the first term seen him going from the quite one that held up a poster during a presentation to singing front and centre during the harvest celebrations. In fact… -
Peppermint Creams
9 Jan 2012 | 6:06 amThe kids are constantly asking to make cakes but they are getting to the point where they don’t think holding the spoon is ‘helping’ but they haven’t quite got the knack of anything more than simple cupcakes. So when the youngest insisted that after her mince pies at Christmas she could make something else I had to hunt for something simple for her to make that had as little input from myself as possible. A quick dig around old recipe note pads found this recipe for peppermint creams and I have to say after my previous couple of attempts at these where they were almost…
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xbox 4 nappy rash
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A to do list
5 Jan 2012 | 7:35 amSome things just look wrong, and that wee redirecting post sitting up here was one of them. We've been to New Zealand and returned and all was fantastic and someday I'll finish updating the trip story which might well be during our next holiday when I have the time, which itself might well be in 10 or 15 years when we've finished paying for this one, but I will, at some stage. I would say it seemed somewhat cruel to bring the child back to the more confined and restricted spaces of Holland, when she had the run of some of the most wonderful open spaces you could imagine, but considering that… -
God only knows why
28 Sep 2011 | 2:47 pmBut if the universe allows, by conspiring to have time, inclination, and technology collide I may just keep this http://theoctoberkiwis.blogspot.com/ updated with 'whatever' over the coming month. Maybe. Perhaps. Probably. -
They're coming to take me away - ha ha!
19 Sep 2011 | 3:57 pmI'm not quite right in the head. Well, I can't be really, can I? I mean, the cracks must have already been showing in my mental well-being if I thought it was a good idea to fly to - quite literally - the other side of the planet with a toddler, just so we can all eat, sleep, and travel around the countryside in a camper van. But I do think I've stretched the bands of sanity by disrupting the week and half before our departure, that any normal person would spend preparing for said trip, by having some builders come in and basically wreck our house. As I type this my darling daughter is… -
Double Dutch, a little English, some baby, and a dose of repetition
25 Aug 2011 | 2:41 am‘In auto?’ ‘In auto?’ she asks again, dragging her raincoat and a bunch of keys to the living room door. She wants to go for a drive in the car (auto). -‘Maybe later’. ‘Uit!’ (out!) she says with more urgency, clawing at the door trying to prize it open. ‘Deur stuk!’ she announces for a finish, before pottering off back into her own world, distracted by God only knows what. -‘Yes, the deur is stuk’ (Door is broken) Off she trots, busying herself with her ‘brush’, her ‘ball’, her ‘bug-eeee’ and all manner of other things, sometimes English, sometimes Dutch,… -
The leper's anus, & other stories
3 Aug 2011 | 5:32 pmNappies, nipples, nose wipes. Bottles, bibs, buggies.Changes of clothes, snacks, toys, and books. All part of the preparation involved in taking a toddler to the shops just 45 minutes away.It’s overly complicated and clumsy, and while it gets easier the more often you do it, it doesn’t encourage you to take longer trips with anyone who regularly leaves snot on the knees of your pants.Never being ones to do things easily, we’ve decided to take our offspring on a trip somewhat further afield, all in the name of 'a holiday'.We’ve decided it would be a fabulous idea to spend 12 hours…
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Daddy Types
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Throwback Bugaboo Cameleon At Giggle
28 Jan 2012 | 7:00 amIn the words of the bard, This was a triumph. I'm making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS. It's hard to overstate my satisfaction. Bugaboo has released what amounts to its first throwback edition, a 2012 Cameleon outfitted in one of the classic, single color Frog fabrics, navy blue, with an off-white lining. It's like it's 2002 all over again, only with extendable handles and better suspension and stuff. I tell you, we liked our Cameleon, but when we were hitting the stroller zone the second time around, I found myself jonesing for the Frog. I looked pretty long and hard on Dutch auction sites for a… -
Balancing Blocks By Fort Standard
27 Jan 2012 | 10:30 pmFort Standard was founded like yesterday by designers Gregory Buntain and Ian Collings, and already they have a tableful of awesome, crystal-faceted balancing blocks handmade from salvaged hardwood and finished in a range of tasty colors, and white. Fort Standard Balancing Blocks, bag of ten, $85 [fortstandard.com via ro/lu] -
'The Quarry Whence Modern Names Are Hewn'
27 Jan 2012 | 3:34 pmThe past and the future once again meet in the present, with generally awesome effect. Because while it seems normal that you can now instantly find and buy a copy of Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley's suddenly indispensable 1888 book, Curiosities Of Puritan Nomenclature, it still feels like a small miracle that you don't need to. Because thanks to the University of California's Digital Library initiative, the entire book is available for immediate and profitable study. Bardsley apparently spent 12 years collecting and scouring the church registries of England to create what seems to be the… -
Peregrine White Had A Posse
27 Jan 2012 | 3:09 pmGod bless the Puritans and their Biblical baby naming strategies. Or as they might put it, God, please don't damn their infants to a fiery hell for only having a two- or three-word scripture phrase as a given/baptismal name. Sarah Marshall has a great set of Puritan naming highlights at The Hairpin, culled from Pastor Charles Wareing Endell Bardsley's 12-year labor of love, Curiosities of Puritan Nomenclature, published in 1888. Repent Durant, Helpless Henley, and is Fight-the-good-fight-of-faith White a cousin to the first Pilgrim born in Plymouth, Peregrine White? Ask God-only-knows Burns. -
Funny, Die, Or Breastfeed?
26 Jan 2012 | 10:39 pmFor a moment there, Funny or Die thought comedian Ahna Tessler's short comedy video, which included the new mom of twins breastfeeding, was obscene or whatever, and took it down. But when the Times started asking about it, they decided it was hot instead. And certianly hotter than some random beer ponger's junk. Which is now linked to by the paper of record, btw. Breast-Feeding Video Prompts Harsher Response Than Intended [nyt]
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Daddy Forever
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Review and Giveaway – Thomas & Friends: Curious Cargo DVD
25 Jan 2012 | 2:01 amI received the Thomas & Friends: Curious Cargo DVD for review on my dad blog. Thanks to Lionsgate and HIT Entertainment, I’m also giving away a DVD to a lucky reader. My toddler loves Thomas & Friends and he loves this DVD too — especially the first episode, which features a giraffe. My son calls the giraffe big, and he likes to tell me how the giraffe won’t lie down and how it ate all the apples. My son is so cute when he tells me about the DVD. He acts as if I haven’t watch the DVD with him a hundred billion times already. It’s hard to believe that… -
Giveaway: The Big Year DVD
24 Jan 2012 | 2:01 amTwentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment is giving away The Big Year DVD on my dad blog. The movie features Steve Martin, Jack Black and Owen Wilson. It’s a story about three men from very different walks of life, facing a mid-life crisis, a work-life crisis and a no-life crisis. The trio ends up in a birdwatching competition, which results in a hilarious adventure. The Big Year will be available on Blu-ray and DVD January 31, 2012. Read more: Giveaway: The Big Year DVD Find a Job : : Free Magazines : : Embedded Star : : EDA Geek : : EDA Blog : : FPGA Blog : : iZachy© 2012 Online… -
Seven Interesting Things About Chinese New Year
23 Jan 2012 | 8:49 amHappy Chinese New Year! This time of the year, I like to torture my kids by making them dress up in their Asian outfits. Aren’t they cute in the photo above? I think it was of the few photos that didn’t show them rolling their eyes at me. Last year it was the year of the rabbit (my year). This year it’s the year of the dragon (my oldest daughter is a dragon). Below are seven interesting things about Chinese New Year. Read more: Seven Interesting Things About Chinese New Year Find a Job : : Free Magazines : : Embedded Star : : EDA Geek : : EDA Blog : : FPGA Blog : : iZachy©… -
Quick Giveaway: Spartacus Party Pack
20 Jan 2012 | 6:16 pmI have a quick giveaway on my dad blog (ends at noon this Sunday). The giveaway ties in with the January 27th premiere of Spartacus: Vengeance (a STARZ original series). Spartacus is actually one of my favorite shows. Thanks to STARZ, I’m giving a Spartacus Premiere party pack, which is just what you need to host your very own Spartacus-themed party. The party pack consists of four Spartacus T-shirts, two Spartacus water bottles, fake blood and a $20 Domino’s Pizza gift certificate. Sorry, the prize pack does not include a sword. Note to parents: I love Spartacus, but it’s… -
Friends and Family Giveaway Winner
20 Jan 2012 | 8:49 amGood morning, readers. I have a winner announcement this morning. Before I get to the winner announcement, I want to mention you can help save the life of a four year-old boy. Kyle Crawford has a fatal condition and needs to quickly find a bone marrow donor (part-Asian, part-Caucasian). Head on over to the Kyle Crawford website (Facebook | Twitter) to find out how you can help. BTW, here are the current open giveaways on my dad blog: Fantastic Sams Giveaway (ends 1/24) PointHub Giveaway (ends 1/25) Timmy Time Giveaway (ends 1/26) Read more: Friends and Family Giveaway Winner Find a Job : :…
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Savvy Daddy - For super dads everywhere
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5 Q's to Ask Before Starting a Business
26 Jan 2012 | 1:00 pmby Tony Chen A lot of the savviest daddies I know have figured out a way to invent a life they enjoy - significant time with the kids and doing something they love. Many of them have achieved this life by starting up a business. What does it take? What questions should you ask before making the leap? As I just recently launched another business (Movement121 - check out the bag in the picture in my starbucks "office"), I just went through a lot of these questions myself yet again. Lots of choices to make up-front. Before you delve in, ask yourself these 5 questions. Why am I starting… -
A Home to Grow Childminding
18 Jan 2012 | 11:01 amHello, Our names are Lydia & Dale and we offer a childminding service from our lovely 4 bedroom home based in St John’s Wood, Marylebone, Westminster, London NW8. Our childcare business is named 'A Home to Grow' and caters for children of all ages. We are both fully registered, trained and qualified OFSTED childminders and have recent First Aid, Food Hygiene and Child Protection certificates. We are also both members of the National Childminding Association and we have public liability insurance for up to 12 children. We have many years experience of working in schools, nurseries and… -
well,is this site still active!?
29 Sep 2011 | 12:36 pmGreetings to all who may read this... I have just been looking for some good forum site for new dads and found this site ,but by looking at the dates i have some feeling that this site is not active at all...Could I be wrong?please let me know anyone...Thank you...In march 2012 is our baby due... -
How to Get the Best Father’s Day Gift
14 Sep 2011 | 9:00 pmBeing a father means getting some unusual gifts for Father’s Day when your kids are young. But as they grow up, you can probably expect something more thoughtful than another tie with a big smiley face on it. And since you are a father yourself, you can start giving your dad some really good gifts since you have some experience as a parent. Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you get the perfect Father’s Day gift for your dad. (oh, and it wouldn’t hurt to leave this article lying around your house when Father’s Day is approaching so your wife and kids can get a… -
How to Be a Successful Freelancer
14 Sep 2011 | 7:41 pmIf you are a self-motivated, skilled, disciplined, go-getter, being a freelancer is one possible way to earn a great income while having more flexibility with your family (something that a lot of new parents end up relishing). Here are some suggestions to help you make that happen. Avoid investing too much money or risking too much too early. Getting clients when you are just starting out as a freelancer may take some time. That means cash flow is going to be minimal for awhile. If possible, start your freelancing before you even leave your day job. This will give you an idea of how "the…
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A Suitable Wardrobe
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Acquiring The Wardrobe
26 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amWhile we were discussing clothing acquisition yesterday, I realized that a twenty-first century interpretation of Mr. Waugh's budget allocations could suffice to build a well-rounded wardrobe for the five day a week suit-wearing man over a period of five years, independent of his budget. And by that I mean that, as I have written several times in the past, a man can do a lot worse than to make himself a list of what he needs each year and compare that to his budget to determine how much he can spend on each item. It is a process that is just as effective for thrifted clothing as it is… -
Beau Brummels on $14,000 a Year
26 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amThe following piece, "Beau Brummels on £60 a Year," was written by author Evelyn Waugh (Brideshead Revisited) in 1929. The strategy remains valid today. Of course, there is really only one way of being perfectly dressed - that is, to be grossly rich. You may have exquisite discrimination and the elegance of a gigolo, but you can never rival the millionaire if he has even the faintest inclination towards smartness. He orders suits as you order collars, by the dozen. His valet wears them for the first three days so that they never look new, and confiscates them after three months so that they… -
A Bleak Prospect
25 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amA link-cuffed and signet ring wearing T. S. Eliot, the naturalized English poet and playwright known for The Wasteland, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock and other modernist things is shown in the photo (probably taken before the second world war) wearing a heavy worsted suit which I will guess weighs in at 18 ounces (540 grams). That would make a topcoat today but was once a standard English suiting.Worsteds of that weight predated central heating and passed from the scene as homes and offices grew warmer. Indeed, the 16 ounce (480 gram) suit is about as heavy as a man can comfortably wear… -
Best Friends
24 Jan 2012 | 9:36 am\I believe it was G. Bruce Boyer who wrote that a grenadine necktie is the best friend that a flannel suit can have. Grenadine is certainly in the top two, along with cashmere. It is the texture, you know. We have the weather for 14 and 16 ounce (420-480 gram) woolen flannel only a couple months of the year here, but it is unquestionably my favorite suiting. When it is cold, wearing a flannel suit has the positive characteristics of being wrapped in a blanket. Its only negative to my mind is that it takes an extra day of rest after wearing and that can make it less practical… -
Complement Your Coloring
23 Jan 2012 | 9:38 amSomeone on Style Forum asked how many solid navy suits other people have and when I went through my closet in my head I was surprised at how few there are. That's partly because I prefer patterns that will blend over solids (see More On Blended Dressing), but it is principally because I wear a lot more gray than blue. Indeed, I tend to reserve navy for the evening, sticking to gray (and tan to a lesser extent) for day wear. In this I am unlike most of the men I know who pay attention to their clothes and wear a lot of blue. Now that I think about it, I wear gray instinctively, light to…
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Nordquist Blog
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Someone To Blame
26 Jan 2012 | 2:04 amWhen faced with a parenting dilemma I seldom fall back those parenting books filled with time honored suggestions. The fact that I’ve never had any interest in reading them says more about me than the books. For better or worse, I trust my instincts. Last night was one of moments where my instincts told me to chill out, have a seat and shut up. My son attended a scouting activity and expected to be presented with an advancement. But it wasn’t to be. Although he’ll be honored next month, he was crushed. He worked hard to pass off the last few requirements, the last of which was building… -
Chasing Ghosts
24 Jan 2012 | 4:30 amI’m nearing the half way mark of my career and most of those twenty years have been spent chasing a ghost of one type or another. When I graduated from college I chased prominent companies. Position and pay weren’t on my mind as much as the company name. Then I chased the title ghost followed by the salary ghost. It took time but I usually found what I was searching for. But then the game was over, and it wasn’t long before I was chasing another ghost. I’ve talked to people who have the goal of working for Intel, Facebook, Microsoft or Google. Any position will do. Get your foot… -
The Milk Man
18 Jan 2012 | 3:22 amOne afternoon a representative from Smith Brothers Farms knocked on our door and asked if we’d be interested in having milk delivered to our home. We’ve never done this before, but make several unplanned trips to the grocery store each week to purchase milk, so it seemed like a good idea. Kim signed up on the spot. A few days later a small milk cooler showed up on our porch which lead to our kids calling dibs on who would be the first to retrieve the milk. Thursday morning rolled around, and the kids were up before the milk arrived . It wasn’t long before our milk man slipped four half… -
Lost in Translation
17 Jan 2012 | 3:57 amNine years after its release, I watched Lost in Translation on HBO. When it was over, I convinced Kim to watch it with me, and I enjoyed it as much the second time. I even noticed a few detailed I missed the first time such as when Charlotte stubbed her toe. The idea I take from the film is that connections can change the trajectory of your life. But they aren’t guaranteed nor do they occur often. When they do happen, they are the source of so much joy that the rest of life’s complexities fade into the background. I recently wrote about a friend I meet for Pho a few times each year. We… -
For Sale: You
13 Jan 2012 | 2:53 amI’m beginning to equate free with disappointment, at least when it comes to online services such as Facebook and Gmail. Twitter too but, I’ll leave that for another day. I’ve been logging into Facebook each day for four years. And yet I couldn’t explain their various levels of privacy to anyone. Just when I think I’ve set them where I want, Facebook decides to make wholesale changes in the name of what’s best for their users. But change after mind-numbing change, we know better. Maybe Facebook doesn’t intentionally try to confuse their users, but it certainly doesn’t hurt them…
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5ksandcabernets
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Eight is enough: Here’s the tale of my previous 3M Austin half marathons (in graphic form)
25 Jan 2012 | 11:05 amIn each race, what I did after Mile 8 told the tale. These are the Garmin splits from the last two times I ran the 3M Half Marathon, with 2010 on the right and the 2011 race on the left. (I’m signed up to run the race again this year. More on how I’ll do later in this blog entry.) I’ve highlighted my total time at Mile 8 because that’s where things began to turn in both races. In 2010, outside of a crazy downhill Mile 5, I stayed at or over 7:00/mile pace for each of the first eight miles, with an overall pace of 7:06 as I started Mile 9. Over the final 5.1 miles, and flush with… -
Here’s what my heart rate looks like when trying to run a sub 6-minute-mile
23 Jan 2012 | 11:18 amI inputed a recent 5 1/2 mile run into the SportsTracks software which uses data from my Garmin and allows me to look at a run after a workout and extrapolate current mile pace, heart rate, etc., at any interval I chose. For this run, I wanted to see what my heart rate and current mile pace were at .10-mile intervals. I only wanted detail about the last two miles of the run so that’s why this chart begins when I was at Mile 3.5 of the 5.5 mile run. That’s 21 snapshots in time. From Mile 3.5 to Mile 5, I ran at my half-marathon goal pace (7:00/mile or better). And then the last… -
Taking it to the streets: A guide to marathon running
20 Jan 2012 | 4:18 pmSo, the makers of the following chart left off the Austin Marathon (which I ran in 2011) and the Dallas White Rock Lake and Fort Worth Cowtown marathons (which I ran in 2005, 2007, 2008, and 2009), but outside of that, this is a humorous little graphic on marathon talk and marathon places. (Oh, and the Twin Cities Marathon is in October 2012, not December 2012) Enjoy! -
I’ve got goober gait: And there are just two more weeks to fix myself before the 3M Half Marathon
12 Jan 2012 | 4:10 pmLast week, as the registration deadline was counting down on the 3M Half Marathon, I decided to sign up. I was No. 5,900-something and the cap was 6,000. I thought about not racing. I don’t have anymore soleus or calf pain, but I’m still not 100 percent. My hips are weak. My core is terrible. And worse: I screwed up my stride. See, when I should have been resting while my calves were on fire, I still went out there three to four days a week and grimaced through the pain, altering my gait, changing up my landing and toe off to make it through a four or five-mile run. And now I got… -
The worst day of my life as a sports fan: Everson, oh, Everson
10 Jan 2012 | 2:26 pmEven now, when I watch highlights of this play, I think if I wish hard enough, Dwight Clark will drop that ball. Thirty years ago today…. January 10, 1982. Joe Montana. Dwight Clark. The Catch. I still cringe when I see the highlight, hoping Joe Montana overthrows it, or that Everson Walls can somehow knock the ball away from the soaring Clark. My mom missed evening church services to let us watch that game. And for a long time – hey, I was a kid back then – I believed the Cowboys lost because we didn’t go to church. (Hey, no Tebow jokes.)
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Danz Family
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Tulsa Oilers Hockey Game
14 Jan 2012 | 11:41 pmWill and Drew got free tickets at school to the Tulsa Oilers hockey game tonight which was additionally free kid's jersey night...so how could we pass that up! Mama and Landon stayed home while Daddy and the big boys took in the game along with 10,032 other fans. There was plenty of great hockey to watch. The boys really enjoyed themselves. Unfortunately, Tulsa lost 5 to 2 despite the Tulsa oilers beating the Allen Americans the first three times they had met this year. Unfortunately, there were too many plays like this. Notice the hockey puck just above the tip of the hockey stick...it was… -
Merry Christmas 2011
25 Dec 2011 | 11:39 pmHappy birthday Jesus! The true reason for the season. Merry Christmas to all of our friends and family. Will, Landon and Drew visiting Santa Claus earlier this holiday season. I woke up early this morning after Santa Claus had come and snapped this picture of our Christmas tree all decorated with presents and gifts from Santa Claus in front of it. Finally, the picture for our Christmas card this year. Merry Christmas! -
Christmas Eve
24 Dec 2011 | 11:34 pmWhen we came home from church this evening, we took a moment for some Christmas Eve pictures. Landon is very excited about Ho-Ho coming! Will looking sharp. Drew was a great helper again this year putting up our lights, inside and out. Aunt Donelda joined her nephews in some matching sweater Christmas spirit. -
Excited About Christmas
24 Dec 2011 | 10:42 pmDrew, Landon and Will are very excited about Christmas tomorrow. They have a lot of little boy energy and are determined to find a way to burn it off, so a little friendly wrestling and whatever this is. -
Decorating the Christmas Tree
18 Dec 2011 | 11:42 pmThe fist step in decorating our Christmas tree is putting the star on top. Mama's been reading to Landon a little cardboard page Sesame Street book entitled, "Baby Brother's Christmas." In the book, baby brother is too little to help with any of the Christmas activities until the end: "Baby brother, you have the most important job of all," says Daddy. "You get to put the star on top of the Christmas tree!" As a result of the story, Landon was very excited to help put the start on top of our Christmas tree. Please realize that I am perilously standing on a chair in this picture. I don't know…
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HighTechDad
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iOS 5 Tip: Using Siri As A Spell Checker and Spelling Assistant – Spelling Test Results!
23 Jan 2012 | 10:20 amFor a few months now, I have been using the iPhone 4S and enjoying the wonders of Siri. There have been literally thousands of posts on tips and tricks that you can do with Siri (and I’m sure the one that I’m about to mention has been covered in some form or another). For those of you hiding under an anti-technology rock, Siri is a voice activated assistant that can help you find all sorts of information as well as act on a variety of voice commands.So, I have been scratching my head on trying to find something “different” to use Siri for and I believe that I came up… -
A Solid, Tech-Filled, All-Around Performer – 2011 Ford Explorer Test Drive
19 Jan 2012 | 9:25 amA few months ago, Sony and Ford Motors invited the Cast of Dads out to the East Coast to participate in a variety of events, one of them was driving a 2011 Ford Explorer (note, link is for the 2012 model) from Boston to NYC. Unfortunately, I was not able to attend the event, and boy was I jealous. Part of my envy came from the fact that I couldn’t drive the Ford Explorer (you can read more about the excursion over at the Cast of Dads). Luckily, over the 2011 holidays, I did have the pleasure of getting behind the wheel of the 2011 Ford Explorer for a road trip to and from Los Angeles… -
5 Ways To Make the Cloud Work for You
17 Jan 2012 | 9:20 amSo you have heard about cloud computing but are not really sure what you can do with it. Or maybe, your only exposure to the cloud is what you have seen in ads or heard in the media. Let me tell you, what you see on TV is only a fraction of the cloud’s true power. I’m obviously a bit biased, as I work for a cloud infrastructure provider. But that also gives me the ability to really focus in on use cases that seem to be popular this day and age.As I wrote in my previous article, there are some things that the cloud definitely is not. And, I would like to add that it is definitely not… -
Video: How To Wrap a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro MagSafe Power Adapter the NEW Way
10 Jan 2012 | 9:15 amI have been in search of a really good way to wrap up my MagSafe power adapter for both my MacBook Air and MacBook Pro. The reason being, if you simply wrap them up the “conventional” way, you run the risk of fraying the connections which increases the risks of electrical shocks or shorting out your power adapters. And to replace the power supplies, be prepared to pay around $80 (and I do recommend getting authentic Apple products if you DO have to replace them).I watched a few videos of people working with the “shortened” version of the power supply, where you utilize… -
I’m an Ultrabook Fan – the Speed, Weight, Performance & Design Convinced Me (An #UltrabookDads Video Production)
9 Jan 2012 | 1:00 pmRemember when netbooks were the “next big thing”? A few years ago, everyone wanted one of these small, compact and seemingly essential computers. But after a few years, the fog lifted from people’s eyes as they realized that the small form factor wasn’t the only thing that people needed. They wanted the best of all worlds, a small, lightweight, portable laptop that is fast and boast solid performance, has stellar battery life and looks slim, sleek and edgy. This new form-factor, based on a reference design from Intel, actually now has a name - Ultrabooks - and you…
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LiteralDan
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Classic quotes, Vol. 34
23 Jan 2012 | 12:01 amHere's a selection of quotes from the past few months, from my 4-year-old daughter M-, my 7-year-old son D-, and my infant son E-: M- (excitedly, pointing to a Bud Light truck parked near us at the gas station) Daddy, I see the waaater botttttle truuuuuuck! D- (drawled slyly, while doing his homework, as if idly asking about the weather, or some other not-remotely-related topic) Hey Dad, what's forrrrrrty-three plus thirty-six? M- (using her Important Announcement voice at the dinner table) This hot dog BUN is too hot! (asked if she's sure) ...No... the thing that's inside it. (asked, "You… -
Internet blackout
17 Jan 2012 | 6:30 pmBy way of issuing the latest "Happy New Year" on record, I'm gonna opportunistically hop on a rolling train that I will simultaneously claim to have pushed out of the station myself. That's right-- I am the sole pioneer of the Internet Blackout of Wednesday, January 18. I'm so far ahead of everyone else on this, I've already been holding strong for 17 days! So go ahead, all you late-coming, fair-weather bandwagoners-- I've been keeping the seats nice and warm for you*, grab whichever one you like! ...Except for that one, that one's for my feet. Here's to registering our support for defeating… -
A conversation between M- and D-: He's got a soft spot for them
29 Dec 2011 | 12:01 amNow that my son E- is officially 1 year old, hopefully he's sturdy enough to not require conversations like the following to take place between his 7-year-old brother D- and his 4-year-old sister M-, with D- giving his best approximation of my explanation of the fontanel: D-: No! Don't touch his head! Remember there's a part on top where he has no head bone, and if you touch it, you're touching his BRAIN, and then he'll be crazy forever?! M-: Crazy? D-: Yeah, you know, like.... M-: Like he says, "Uhhh, spaghetti is macaroni, ummmmm..."? D-: Yeah, just crazy; like his brain doesn't work right. -
A conversation with M-: Away in a manger full of presents
22 Dec 2011 | 12:01 amHere's a revealing conversation I had with my 4-year-old daughter M-, when I absentmindedly vented my brain of the potentially hazardous buildup of Christmas songs stuck in it: Me: "I don't want a lot for Christmas / ..." M- (interrupting with an important point, while gesturing slightly to herself) I do. Me: Oh you do, do you?? M-: Yes. Do YOU want a lot for Christmas? Me (really overselling my angelic virtue) No. I just want everybody to be happy. M- (brow furrowed in earnest reflection) ... Well, I want a lot for Christmas. You may enjoy my previous M- conversations, (7YO son) D-… -
A conversation with M-: Ready to leave the nest
19 Dec 2011 | 11:59 pmThe following conversation took place when my wife J- was fixing up my 4-year-old daughter M-'s hair one night before bed, as she and M- both complained about how tangled it was: Me (pointlessly defending myself) We were running late, and I forgot to bring a hairbrush with me this morning, so her hair looked like a rat's nest... I had to just comb through it with my fingers and pull it back into a ponytail. J- (about to share a story of mild mortification under the firing-squad gaze of Other Mothers of Daughters, after she'd had an "all-ready-to-go" daughter in a tutu packed into the car by…
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Unraveling Mysteries
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How to Nurture Your Creative Mind
23 Jan 2012 | 6:25 pmIt amazes me how most of us don’t understand that no matter your job, career or home life, the need for creativity surrounds us. Being creative is not limited to those in the arts; it applies to every one of us. If you’re a manager, an accountant, or a truck driver you will find that you have a problem and it needs solving. Creating a solution for those problems makes all of us a part of the creative community. The question then becomes how do we nurture that creativity and grow it into something that we can use daily? How do we position ourselves so that our creative mind is in… -
How a Los Angeles Clipper Fan Sees the Chris Paul Deal
16 Dec 2011 | 5:31 pmCould the Ugly Step-sister of Los Angeles Basketball Finally Make the Big Time? I have taken a bashing for many years as an openly confessed Los Angeles Clippers fan. My few spots of joy have been the occasion when my beloved Clippers actually found a way to squeeze out a win, especially against their cross town rivals the Lakers. However, those moments of ecstatic joy for a Clipper team that continued to languish in the bottom of the standings was taking a toll on my own self-esteem. You see, I’m of the belief that you pick a team and you stay loyal. You cheer during the ups and… -
How a Los Angeles Angel Fan Views the Albert Pujols Deal
12 Dec 2011 | 6:57 pmAlbert Pujols Decides to Play for the Los Angeles Angels for $250 Million As a Southern California native and one who has lived all his life in Orange County in the shadow of the Los Angeles Angels and their ‘Big A’, I am thrilled over their recent acquisitions. The addition of Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson has made this life-long Angel fan giddy with excitement. Having both Albert and C.J. joining the Angels just weeks before Christmas makes it feel like and early present for those of us who have been waiting since 2001 for another World Series Championship. Was Albert Pujols… -
Surviving the Holiday Business Parties
30 Nov 2011 | 6:50 pmHelpful Tips to Navigating the Christmas and New Year’s Season Parties Over the month of December you will probably be invited to more social parties than you will for the other eleven months. The holidays usually bring with them stress and being invited to the company Christmas party or holiday celebration can add to that stress. Many of us face questions like, what should I wear, how should act, and what should I bring? The following tips can help you navigate these tricky questions and let you enjoy the holiday season. 1. How to Dress for the Holiday Party Any social… -
How the Grinch Stole Your Christmas Tree
9 Nov 2011 | 1:42 pmHow Obama Will Make You Pay Extra to Improve Your Christmas Tree Image Nothing like adding a little more cheer to your Christmas spirit by throwing another tax on the American people. In a time when many people are having a tough time making ends meet, adding a tax on the Christmas spirit is going a little too far. The Agriculture Department under President Obama’s Administration has announced that they will be instituting a 15-cent tax on all fresh Christmas trees this year. The reason for the Christmas Tree Tax is to financially help support a new Federal program to improve…
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One Dad's Life
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52 Weeks of Photography - 2012 Style!
7 Jan 2012 | 11:56 amI think one of the most useful motivational sayings is "practice makes perfect." This seems to hold true no matter what subject area you are talking about - learning a musical instrument, painting, acting, writing, cooking, and even walking (think back to when you were one)! In fact, experts tell you that it takes something like 80 BILLION hours* of practice to become really really really good at something. They call this proficiency. Well now, in the area of photography, if you browse Flickr at all, you'll stumble across people doing 365 day challenges and 52 week… -
New Fingernails!
10 Sep 2011 | 3:39 pmRachel turned 10 a couple of weeks ago and one of her gifts were these fingernail decals from her sister. -
One for the Bucket List - Godspell
15 Jul 2011 | 2:26 pmI haven't actually fallen off the face of the earth - turns out the thing is technically a GLOBE, plus it has no face except in limited areas like Mount Rushmore (which you probably could fall off of). Additionally, as nearly every school child knows, only the moon has a face. Duh! In any case, I'm resurfacing here briefly because I thought you'd all like to know that this weekend, I'm checking something off my bucket list - playing in Godspell! This isn't just any version of Godspell, though, nope! We are doing the same score from the 2001 Tour. This is… -
Wordless Wednesday - Quarry at Sunset
20 Oct 2010 | 7:09 amThere is an abandoned quarry in Lemay called Ruprecht Quarry. Last night my wife drove by it and saw PERFECT lighting on some of the old buildings and urged me to go take pictures. So, off I scurried. Unfortunately, the sun had dipped below the trees when I got there, so the buildings were no longer lit up, but I still got a couple of good sunset pictures! These are actually different pictures taken from the same location, but I applied the "Advanced Tone Mapping" plug-in for GIMP on the second one in an attempt to bring out some of the building details, as well as the… -
Wordless Wednesday - Homecoming 2010
6 Oct 2010 | 9:17 amMy oldest daughter, Rebecca, on her way to her first homecoming dance. No, she did not go as a lumberjack! This was phase one - hair (done by my wife, Dianne). She went to a friend's house for getting dressed and makeup, then out to Francis Park for pictures, Del Pietro's for dinner, then the dance, then overnight at another friends house. All pictures taken with a Nikon D60, f3.5-5.6 18-55 mm kit lens. Click on the first picture for a larger version. Next two shots at Francis Park in St. Louis, after getting dressed for the actual dance.
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Fighting Monsters with Rubber Swords
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Voices of Change
23 Jan 2012 | 10:51 amI've written a new post for Support for Special Needs, this time on the changing nature of how Schuyler uses AAC technology. Don't worry, it's not very technical at all. You can be assured that a blog post isn't going to get too far into the weeds when it includes the words "farting monkey". You're welcome. -
Quality
16 Jan 2012 | 7:53 amThis week at Support for Special Needs, I've written about the awful story of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's shameful treatment of a little girl with a developmental disability in need of a kidney transplant. If you haven't read about it, I hope you had a nice weekend offline. Because, seriously, it has generated more outrage and action online than I have seen in a long time. And rightly so.Exciting News: Look for me at Support for Special Needs weekly now. (Or weakly, if you don't care for my writing. You know who you are.) -
Storm-toss'd
15 Jan 2012 | 11:13 pmIt was a rough weekend for Schuyler. The monster that has been plaguing her lately was as hungry as ever. More complex partial seizures, more storms in her head, leaving her exhausted, sad, confused.The worst of them hit her in a toy store, sapping her energy and her interest. One minute we were wandering the aisles of Toys-R-Us, dueling with Nerf swords and contemplating the purchase of a very cool dinosaur to add to her collection. The next, she stood in place as if she had no idea how she got there, face flush and eyes blank. We went next door to a pet store, and there was a group there… -
Of monsters and mousetraps: 2012
2 Jan 2012 | 7:05 amI have a new post up at Support for Special Needs, about the coming of the new year and what it can mean for parents of kids with special needs. I'm looking forward to continuing my association with Support for Special Needs; the site is a fantastic resource and safe place for advocates and caregivers, and I'm honored to have the opportunity to contribute to their work in my own small way.Oh, and Happy New Year, everyone. Good timing, too; I was all set with 2011. -
MonsterGram
1 Jan 2012 | 8:06 pmSometimes we allow ourselves to forget.Sometimes the monster sends a friendly reminder.Friday was a rough day for Schuyler. Not one but two seizures, we believe, and the second one actually left her in tears. The confusion, the disorientation, the light-headedness, they upset her. She's aware of when something isn't right with her broken brain. Well, of course she is.(Note: Before I go any further, there's something I probably haven't made clear. I know it seems like I share everything here, but the fact is that I don't, not by a long shot. I think that's appropriate. But when I talk about…
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Velcrometer
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M. Ovie Reviews: The Artist
23 Jan 2012 | 9:24 pmM. Ovie Reviews: The ArtistAs a silent movie released in the twenty-first century, The Artist is an intentional anachronism. A gimmick. A stunt. A feature-length gag. I love it unreservedly and unironically.Appropriately, this silent film is about a silent-film star. As it opens in 1927, George Valentin is on top of the world. But of course the world moves out from under him when the talkies are invented. And thus commences his long, slow slide, made worse by the Great Depression and his own hubris. Of course it’s a familiar story. It’s a silent movie. You were expecting Tree of Life,… -
M. Ovie Reviews: Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol
11 Jan 2012 | 3:17 pmM .Ovie Reviews: Mission Impossible: Ghost ProtocolOkay, here's how big a dork I am: the only reason I was remotely interested in seeing MI:GP at all was because I'm a fan of the director, Brad Bird, who previously directed The Iron Giant and The Incredibles. Both cartoons, yes. I was kind of expecting another one, to be honest, but it didn't turn out that way. This is actually one of the more exciting action movies I've seen in a while.There are a couple of interesting things about the way this movie is being marketed. First, there's no number in the title, which is usually a sign of a tired… -
M. Ovie Reviews: New Year's Eve
5 Jan 2012 | 11:48 pmM. Ovie Reviews: New Year's EveYou know how there are some movies you don't think you'll like at all, but then you see them and your low expectations make them seem so much better by comparison? New Year's Eve is not one of those movies. I hated it even more than I expected to, which I did not think was possible.In case you're blissfully unaware of the existence of this abomination, Garry Marshall has shat out another Love, Actually ripoff, with a sprawling cast of previously respectable stars phoning in mini-performances in a series of holiday-centered vignettes that all intersect at one… -
4 Jan 2012 | 12:49 pm
4 Jan 2012 | 12:49 pmM. Ovie Reviews: Late 2011Yikes, I'm so far behind on my movie reviews for 2011 it's embarrassing. Now it's not even the year any more. I think I need to just give up on full reviews of the outstanding ones and just do the quick capsule write-ups like I used to do. Otherwise there's no way I'm ever going to catch up. At this point I just hope I can remember them all.Harry Potter and the Deathly HallowsSee? What did I tell you?Puss in BootsI was not expecting to like this at all, and I didn't love it, but I have to give it props for the eye-popping action scenes. Even in 2-D it's quite the… -
Like Clockwork
21 Dec 2011 | 10:37 pmLike ClockworkAnyone whose ever done any research into sleep disorders knows about the importance of a regular routine when it comes to getting to sleep reliably. I'm here to tell you it's true, but not necessarily in exactly the way you think.Most weekdays at some time between 3:20 and 3:30 PM, I save whatever I'm working on, get in my car, and drive the three miles to M. Edium's school. I pull into a spot in the pickup line; turn off the ignition, the heat, and the radio; and tilt my seat back as far as it will go. The next thing I know, the daily alarm I have programmed on my cell phone is…
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GoFatherhood™
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My New Painting That Started in A Lobby Bar
19 Jan 2012 | 11:04 amThis is a story about how the connectivity of the Internet changes how we buy things, and I present it for your amusement and entertainment… A few months ago I spoke at Blogworld Expo in Los Angeles and, like many others, stayed at the Sheraton Los Angeles. As is typical for a conference, evenings would find a group of us hanging out in the lobby bar, sharing a drink and talking about what we learned, what we’re doing and generally socializing. You know, the real value of a conference! While sitting at the lobby bar, I couldn’t help but notice the great 70′s retro… -
In Colorado, we’re now done with booster seats
18 Jan 2012 | 9:06 amI just realized this morning as I looked around my garage and counted one fancy car seat and two car booster seats that I don’t need them any more. My little one, K-, turned 8 last week (I even hosted a party for her pals at the local bowling alley. Solo. Yikes!) and the Colorado law for children needing to be in a booster seat states that “under 8″ is the criterion. So we’re done. I can get rid of these car seats (which turns out to be a surprisingly tricky thing because technically it’s illegal to resell them, as detailed in a much earlier blog post I wrote… -
Wandering Eye: Problem or Just Part of Being a Guy?
17 Jan 2012 | 11:36 amA reader writes… Hi Dave. I was wondering if you wouldn’t mind giving me your thoughts on men staring and making other women feel special by asking them questions, complimenting them, and giving them lots of attention when they are married. My husband does this and it has been an ongoing struggle and source of deep pain for me that is ultimately eroding our marriage. He seems to justify it by saying he is not touching or doing anything wrong and that he is just enjoying the beauty around him and that he is being a typical man. Can you give me your thoughts on this and any words of… -
Is a 4yo Too Young to Use Neutrogena Acne Face Cleaner?
9 Jan 2012 | 11:45 amI get letters. This time, the letter was from a young Mom: Is 4 years old too young to use oil free acne stress control night cleansing pads made by neutrogena? As the mother I use them every night. Some nights my 4 year old son will come in and want to clean his face as well. I didn’t think it would harm him till a friend of mine said it would mess up his skin. Should he not be cleaning his face with this yet, am I harming his face by letting him use the cleansing pads? Here’s how I responded to her, after thinking about it for a while: Personally, I wouldn’t allow my 4yo… -
Kids, Two Houses and Stuff in the Wrong Place
4 Jan 2012 | 5:42 pmI feel kind of bad for my teen daughter this afternoon. She was with me Thurs-Monday this week and today being Wednesday she’s at her Mom’s place. Problem is, she wants to go to the gym for a workout — which is great! — but her gym bag is here at my place. No worries, her Mom can bring her over and she can pick up the bag, right? On the phone, she assured me that wasn’t a possibility because both Mom and her fiancee were busy. Could I drive into town and drop it off instead? Plleeeaasssee? I couldn’t. I’m preparing for a trip next week and am trying…
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Clark Kent's Lunchbox
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Would You Tell Your Children That You Used Drugs?
24 Jan 2012 | 10:00 amI’m going to make a confession here that few people know about: I’ve used illegal drugs. For a little over a year after my divorce I took X-stasy and smoked marijuana. That’s right, not in high school or in college, but as an adult.Go ahead and judge me. This is the internet, which, among its many benefits, is the freedom to condemn others anonymously in the comments section. If you feel so compelled, have at it; just know I won’t care. It was dumb, I know. I’m not going to waste time justifying it, and that’s not exactly the point of this post anyway.The question I’ve had to… -
The History of Fatherhood in the United States
18 Jan 2012 | 8:02 amAfter yesterday’s post about Roman Krznaric’s essay on the history of the men as fathers, I decided to do a little research on my own; being a self-professed history nerd, I didn’t require much arm-twisting to do so either. Unlike Krznaric’s broader worldwide focus, I decided to hone in on just the progression of fatherhood in the United States, and what I discovered was surprising.Most of us are familiar with the major events in history—the colonization of early America, the Industrial Revolution, the Great Depression, World War 2, and so on. What many of us may have not… -
12 Month Plan for Dads To Prepare for the Apocalypse
12 Jan 2012 | 8:53 amWell, this is supposed to be the year the Mayan calendar runs out and the whole world’s supposed to go KABLAMO! Whatever. Personally I don’t think it’s going to happen, but I can’t say the same for my family. Last week my stepdaughter got in the van and started running down all the things that are supposed to happen. By the way she was listing them off I could tell what her source material for this was.“Where did you find all this out?” I asked.“I was watching TV with Grandma,” she replied.Exactly what I thought. But then it occurred to me that all of this might be plausible. -
Worse Than a Non-Believer: Dad-Moms Are An Abomination to God
9 Jan 2012 | 9:36 amAs I mentioned in my last post, I’m not done with the whole Dad-Mom topic. In reading the various posts on Tide’s depiction of a stay-at-home dad being “awesome,” I came across the religious take on the topic played out in a point, counter-point debate between Owen Strachan, a professor of theology and church history at Boyce College, and Laura Ortberg Turner, an admissions counselor at Fuller Theological Seminary.The discussion was a lively one, as you can imagine. To Strachan, the dad-mom, represented yet another of society’s attempts to pervert Bible’s stringent rules dictating… -
What the Hell is a "Dad Mom" Exactly?
6 Jan 2012 | 8:30 amGood Morning America recently did a segment on stay-at-home dads (SAHD) and society’s changing perceptions of men in this role. Overall I thought it presented the topic in a positive slant as opposed to reports in previous years where SAHD’s were more of an oddity and in many cases, simply victims of circumstance.What’s ironic for those who have been plugged to the SAHD community for a while, is that this gig as the full-time parent isn’t quite the phenomena it’s sometimes made out to be. Just read Jeremy Adam Smith’s, The Daddy Shift, or follow the NYC Dads Group, or chat with…
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Mocha Dad
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Personal Goal Setting for 2012
23 Jan 2012 | 4:27 pm2012 Mocha Dad While most people are busily writing down their New Year’s resolutions on January 1st, I’m contemplating my life. I consider myself to be an introspective person and I’ve never been able to create a list of resolutions without giving it some serious thought. Also, there’s a part of me that hates to fail; therefore, I have to make sure that any goals I set for myself are achievable. That’s why I usually wait until my birthday, which falls in the middle of the month, to set goals or make resolutions. Birthdays are always a time of reflection when I… -
The Man-Cold vs. The Superwoman
17 Jan 2012 | 3:45 pmWhen I’m not feeling well, I’m perfectly content with lying in bed all day. I also have no problem with my wife’s taking care of me or having the kids fetch me the remote. After all, my getting better is the most important thing. Right? Obviously, my family disagrees. Instead of serving me a healing breakfast in bed, they taunt me by calling me a big baby. Every time my daughter sees me sleeping longer than normal, she says, “Oh no, Daddy has man-cold. I guess we won’t see him all week.” Hey, I’m only responding to my body’s telling me that it needs a break. My wife,… -
A Musical Tribute to “Fatherhood”
15 Jan 2012 | 8:57 pmMany of you may know Tray Chaney as “Poot” from HBO’s “The Wire,” but I know him as dedicated father. He made this song and video titled “Fatherhood” to inspire other men to accept and relish in the responsibilities of raising a child and having him or her call you Dad. The video not only features Chaney’s son, but also his own father. Enjoy. Stay Strong, -
A Father’s Hug is a Powerful Thing
12 Jan 2012 | 2:52 pmI read an article in the New York Times with the curious title, “A Poverty Solution That Starts With a Hug.” I was intrigued and delved into the story. The piece talks about a study that the American Academy of Pediatrics did on the harmful effects of toxic stress on young children. As a child, I was well aware of toxic stress. I experienced poverty, domestic violence, and myriad situations that children shouldn’t be exposed to. But I managed to escape mostly unscathed and this article attributes it to my mother’s care and concern: Perhaps the most widespread peril children… -
Why I Keep Blogging
10 Jan 2012 | 3:33 pmI’m no parenting expert. But from time to time, I receive requests for advice from my readers. Sometimes I’m able to share solutions to problems I’ve experienced. Other times, I must refer the reader to a professional. However, I’ve discovered that many people already know the answers they’re seeking and they simply want someone to talk to and I’ve filled that need for several of my readers. I don’t offer advice. I don’t try to fix their problem. I just listen. The reason why I listen is because I understand how difficult it is for some parents…
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The Adventures of Daddy Claxton
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Feeling Like Ugh
3 Jan 2012 | 4:23 pmIt’s day 2 of 2012 and I’m drained at the stressors around me. Work is ever-present and I’m doing my level best to perform. I have three major projects underway and I’m doing everything I can to make them all come to fruition on time and within budget. The house, oMg, the house that has [...] -
Welcome to 2012
2 Jan 2012 | 7:48 amGoodbye 2011. I don’t mind seeing you slip into the mystery of the past. The year was certainly better than 2010, but it still wasn’t where I want to be on my life journey. There are some cool projects under way and I will be sharing more about them soon. In the meantime, I ask [...] -
Merry Christmas
25 Dec 2011 | 6:29 amBlessings to you and yours from my family. May you have a wonderful holiday. -
Let’s Face It Cowboys, We Are Not Going To Win With Tony Romo
11 Dec 2011 | 11:07 pmI just wasted another four hours on a Sunday to watch the Dallas Cowboys lose. Again. For a long time, I’ve been writing here on this site that Tony Romo is NOT the quarterback who is going to take the Dallas Cowboys to anything but a losing season. Time and again he has shown he [...] -
Balch Springs Police Officer Matthew Garcia
11 Dec 2011 | 10:24 pmI was saddened to hear the news today of the death of area Balch Springs Police Officer Matthew Garcia who died in a motorcycle accident off duty this morning. To make things worse, Officer Garcia’s wife was following behind and has to endure life with the memory of having actually seen what happened to her [...]
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Luke, I Am Your Father
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A Real Nail Biter
25 Jan 2012 | 11:12 pmAs you would expect with Christmas barely in the rear view mirror, Lukas still gets pretty excited on those days when we pull up to the house after school to find a package waiting for us on the porch.It doesn't matter that absolutely nothing we have ordered in the past month, and truthfully there hasn't even been much, has been intended for him because he will still see it as a potential gift. So on Tuesday, when we came home and he viewed the small package sitting by the door he was eager to see what it was.But he shouldn't have been.That's because, rather than it… -
LIAYF Turns 4, Defies The Mayans
17 Jan 2012 | 11:51 pmHappy Tuesday Readers. I'm a day late, but I just realized that on Monday Luke I am Your Father turned 4 years old.Merriment and Whatnot. If anyone would have told me back in January of 2008 that I would still be doing this in 2012, I would have laughed. After all, according to the Mayans my blog was supposed to be extinct in 2011. That will teach people to trust the predictions of a civilization who, let's be honest, couldn't even foresee their own demise.Mayans!Seriously though, I think that having a dad blog that turns 4 must qualify me as somewhat of a Elder statesman of the… -
Friday 5: Favorite Sports Nicknames
6 Jan 2012 | 7:00 amShow me The GloveHappy Friday readers. Today I am going to borrow an idea from my blogging buddy Tim over at Life of Riles called Friday 5. Basically, for a Friday post I list my 5 favorite things in a different and completely random category.Today, I have chosen Sports Nicknames. Here are my 5 favorites. 5. The Big Unit: Randy Johnson was left-handed, stood 6'10" tall, and was perhaps the most imposing pitcher to ever take the mound in The Show. I know he went on to bigger things in his days with the Arizona Diamondbacks, but to me his performance in the 1995… -
Biting Sarcasm From My 4-Year-Old
2 Jan 2012 | 12:15 amWe had just sat down for a nice evening dinner on New Year's Day when Lukas made the comment. I completely missed his point at first. You can't blame me though, because after all it was completely out of character for him.We were having Mrs. LIAYF's delicious homemade Potato Leek soup, along with a loaf of pecan raisin bread. I had lovingly toasted and buttered the bread for him. But when I handed him a piece, he took me by surprise by making the following comment as he took his first bite."Thanks for burning the crust Daddy""But I thought you didn't like the crust… -
Dad Resolutions For 2012
31 Dec 2011 | 7:47 pmHappy New Year 2012!This will be my last post here at Luke, I am Your Father.Of 2011 that is. Ba Dum, Dum! Sorry, I couldn't resist.Yes, It's still 2011 here in Seattle as I write this, but the New Year is currently steamrolling across to globe and headed our way like a bunch of crazed, vintage 1985, Seahawks fans leaping from their seats in a successive Wave, and throwing their arms wildly into the air. Only, it's timing is much better.And, even though it's been quite a while since I partied like it was 1999 (our store of Poppers for tonight not withstanding - woo hoo!), I…
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Dad's Workbench: A Dad Blog
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The Wall-Desk
15 Jan 2012 | 11:52 pmI finally finished building our wall-desk. I built it to divide our room into a playroom and office. My wife gets to use it for her crafts… She is going to give me a little corner and a couple of shelves. -
Wrapped Up In Red
3 Jan 2012 | 11:36 pmIt was a fun Christmas. Grandmas, grandpas, uncles, aunt, cousins and lots of food. The girls where really excited. Joy wanted to help everybody open there gifts. It took Olivia a while but by the third Christmas party Olivia wanted to open every gift she could. My favorite was to watch them open there big doll house with 30 pieces of furniture. They were kind of tired of opening gifts but we convinced them to open the one wrapped in “Cinderella” wrapping paper. Once they had it opened, that was all they played with for hours. Next year there will be one more to add to the… -
Merry Christmas – from the girls
15 Dec 2011 | 12:21 amHere is a Merry Christmas from Joy and Olivia! The girls are getting excited, first year that Joy got to help wrap gifts. Of course she wanted to wrap a gift for herself, but she is starting to understand a little. When Jenn told Olivia that the gift was for Joy, Olivia when running down the hall excited to give an unwrapped gift to Joy. I can’t wait to watch the girls unwrap gifts this year. Each year gets more exciting! -
It’s A Boy!
22 Oct 2011 | 10:46 pmJr. is on his way. I’m going to have a son! So we had to go buy a little blue outfit today. Ultrasounds shows he is strong, healthy, good looking and lots of brains, just like his dad! We had to get some extra tests done but everything looks good. They say he is big but then again all our babies were very long. He will be the first of his generation to carry on the family name. -
Going Far to see farfarmor
17 Oct 2011 | 10:14 pmThis photo was at my grandma’s house or in Swedish it would be farfarmor. In Swedish far means father and mor means mother. A grandma on my father’s side is farmor and my grandpa on my father’s side is farfar, then a grandma on my mother’s side is mormor and a grandpa on my mother’s side is a morfar. So following that logic my daughters have a far, a mor, a farfar,a farmor, a morfar, a mormor, a farfarmor, a farmormor, a morfarmor, and a mormorfar. When I was a little boy their I meet their farfarfar, farmorfar, and even their farfarmorfar. There were far more…
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mattdaddy.net
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Day 7/365
27 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amI came across a great post by my cousin K on Facebook today and it was the YouTube video "Dear 16 yr old me". I didn't realize it was about skin cancer. You can hardly see the scar, but it's about the length of the box. I was lucky, I had the "Good Cancer" - basal cell carcinoma. After being diagnosed by my dermatologist, I went to a surgeon to have it removed using Mohs procedure, where they slice away layers until it's gone. My problem was that instead of the mole around the size of a dime, it was an iceberg that stretched… -
6/365
26 Jan 2012 | 7:42 amI've been trying to post things on my blog by writing them ahead of time and publishing them on specific days. You have to hit okay when you set the publish date or it won't publish Woke up late so Aidan was scrambling to get up and get out. Thankfully he made his bus so I didn't have to drive him to school. Okay, I'm going to break in here with something kind of funny/nasty. Why is it that cats wait for you to come downstairs or get out of bed before they use the litter box? I have two cats, and they've nailed me twice already. One when I first came down and emptied the box - "Oh… -
5/365
26 Jan 2012 | 7:34 amWent into the office today, traffic was slow as hell, so I stopped at my bagel place. I've been at this job for about 6 years now and my friend A and I stopped there on one of my first days to grab a cup of coffee and I've been going off an on since. http://bagelboyscafe.co/index.html They have snickerdoodle coffee, which is by far my favorite flavored coffee. I also get a sausage egg and cheese everything bagel, but we're not going to discuss that It's about halfway to work from home so it's a good stopping point. Did I mention that my commute is 1.5 hours long if I'm lucky. Yeah,… -
4/365
24 Jan 2012 | 8:40 pmI had my first physical therapy appointment today, and it isn't going to be as bad as I thought. One of the things I am bad at is posture when typing (jesus, I'm doing it right now). I tend to hunch my shoulders up into my neck and lean on my elbows and it's just a mess. This was my second surgery, my left elbow was done 2 yrs ago and has healed up really nicely. It was only as I was getting ready to think about going back to martial arts of some sort that my right elbow started complaining. My right elbow isn't healing as quickly as the other one tho. I have a feeling it's because… -
A new day: 3/365
23 Jan 2012 | 8:38 amWoke up this morning, headache from hell. Lets try to get thru today, k?
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Blogger Dad
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Am I a Writer Yet?
4 Jan 2012 | 12:00 amPhoto: Courtesy of Flickr / Creative Commons There’s this weird thing with writers where we’re afraid to lay claim to the title of “Writer.” There’s this invisible threshold we need to cross, either put there by ourselves or by what others define “a writer” as. And a lot of times that threshold is ever-changing: “You’re not a writer until you finish a book.” “You’re not a writer until you’ve sold your first piece of writing.” “You’re not a writer until you make a living at it.” I’ve… -
Zooey
24 Oct 2011 | 2:46 pmLast night, my son, E, walked by the TV during the World Series when actress Zooey Deschanel was singing “The National Anthem.” He immediately stopped in his tracks, stared, eyes glued to the TV, watching as she sang. E, entranced, watching Zooey sing The National Anthem. “She’s pretty,” he said, staring at her as if she were glowing or something. “She’s a princess,” a minute later, perhaps because of her dress. Then he asked, “Do you love her?” I laughed, and said, no, I love mommy. “You don’t love anyone on TV? You can… -
My Own TV Show And An Embarrassing Confession
23 Aug 2011 | 1:04 amWhen I was a kid, I used to pretend I was writing a TV show. Depending what age you asked me, I’d have a different sorta show ranging from a Star Wars-inspired show, a super hero show, a horror show, or, after spending one too many days home sick from school, a soap opera. Yes, I used to watch soap operas. There, I admitted it. All the guys in the room can point and laugh. The ladies, well, given the state of soaps today, you might be laughing, too. I didn’t like soaps for the romance, the sleeping around, or betrayals. No, I watched for the adventure. Shows like Days of Our… -
The Available Darkness Book Is Here
9 Aug 2011 | 1:40 amToday is my birthday. While this is normally a day where I’m depressed that I’m another year older and think about all the things I didn’t do last year, this year is different. I finally finished my first novel Available Darkness, which is now available at Amazon in print and for the Kindle device and app. I’d like to thank my co-author and friend Sean Platt for helping see this book through to completion and kicking my ass when needed. And thank you to the readers who kept emailing us asking when we’d finish (we ran the first half of Available Darkness as a… -
When Death Comes For Your Child
22 Jul 2011 | 9:16 amWant to cry your eyes out? Read about this family who may lose their 5 yr old daughter, Leah, over at Daddy Files. Want to help? Well, when you’re done crying check out this post.
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Halftime Lessons
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A moment or two.
8 Jan 2012 | 12:08 pmHappy Sunday, interwebbings. A lazy morning helping my daughter with her school project, and at the same time, teaching her that Frosty is much more interesting after he’s dropped a tab or two. We had a great day yesterday… She won her basketball game, we all took a hike by the lake, had a great [...] -
99% of life is just showing up.
19 Nov 2011 | 12:49 pmMy kids and I have been hiking lately. What began as a need to get out of the house uncovered the fact that my kids love being outside, hiking and climbing. And on our walk today, I discovered that when you open doors, kids will quickly run in. My son is 4. Four-and-a-half, as he [...] -
Austin BBQ, Texas sky.
12 Nov 2011 | 7:37 am -
A Night at Medieval Times (Dallas)
7 Nov 2011 | 11:43 amThis is another one of those times, I am told, where I arranged something for my kids, but then, I am told, I got waaaay more excited about it than a grown man should. I am told. Whatever. It’s Medieval Times!!! I have to say, I have always wanted to go to Medieval Times. I’ve [...] -
Enable Twitter Integration in iOS 5 (iphone and ipad)
13 Oct 2011 | 8:35 amOne of the great new features of iOS 5 is that Twitter has been integrated throughout. Now you can easily Tweet your photos, Tweet links directly from Safari, and even Tweet directly from Maps, Youtube and a lot more. To enable the Twitter integration in iOS 5: Go to Settings >> Twitter Fill out your [...]
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Ask Mr. Dad
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I’m Only Going to Say This 100 More Times…
25 Jan 2012 | 6:10 amDear Mr. Dad: We’ve tried to stress the importance of study habits to our 12-year-old son. But no matter what we do or say, he seems to end up playing video games instead of doing his homework. What can we do to make him start taking studying seriously? A: Whoa. Before we get to the [...] -
Don't Divorce Your Baby
18 Jan 2012 | 2:50 amDear Mr. Dad: My wife and I are going through a rough patch in our marriage. We’ve been talking about getting a divorce but are concerned about how it could impact our six-month-old son. Will it? A: Since children are all different and respond differently to the stresses in their lives, it’s impossible to predict [...] -
Drop and Give Me Twenty
11 Jan 2012 | 6:47 amDear Mr. Dad. It seems like every other day there’s a scary story in the news about childhood obesity and diabetes and more. What I rarely hear about is what to actually do about it—aside from “eat less junk and do more exercise.” I don’t find that terribly helpful. Can you offer some specific ideas [...] -
You Know I Love You More Than She Does, Don’t You?
4 Jan 2012 | 2:25 amDear Mr. Dad: I’m dating a single father who says that his relationship with me means the world to him. But is it normal for him to leave in the middle of a number of dates to cater to the whims of his almost 18 yr. old daughter? He's left to drive her to the [...] -
21st Century Manners—or the Lack Thereof
28 Dec 2011 | 6:34 amDear Mr. Dad: We’ve always taught our kids to say “please,” “thank you,” “excuse me,” and the other basics. But where are the rules about texting and using cell phones and all those other things that didn’t even exist when our parents were teaching us how to be polite? A: Great question. Reminds me of [...]
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A Dad's Life
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★ Dad truisms: Chaos Theory
14 Jan 2012 | 11:52 am“I accept chaos, I’m not sure whether it accepts me.”― Bob Dylanabout 5 hours ago via Timely by DemandforceReplyRetweetFavorite@dailyzenthe daily zen No related posts. -
★ Dad Cam — Oh Yeah!
14 Jan 2012 | 8:47 amOK, thanks to the nonstop CES news onslaught, I was able to find something that every dad needs– Miveu or as I like to call it, “The Dad Cam.” If you have an iPhone, get yourself this chest strap doohickey and start shooting some awesomeness. Better yet, use those Dad Do-it-yourself skills and stap it on your toddler (teenagers will probably object) and let the fun begin! God willing, I will be zip lining in Costa Rica in about a month and this thing is just what I need for the home video. The possibilities are endless. I wonder what the guys from How to be a Dad would come up… -
★ To Find Happiness, Forget About Passion
14 Jan 2012 | 5:47 amOliver Segovia’s piece in HBR this morning is very thought provoking and, I think, very true for dad alive today. It’s about feeling fulfilled and, thus, becoming happier. This used to be the basis and focus on a midlife crisis. It seems, however, that the terrible economy and job prospects has created a twentysomething crisis. It’s a crash between idealism and a desire to do what you love with the realities of being able to earn a living. Life isn’t that simple but that doesn’t mean you should sell your soul and live the rest of your life in quiet desperation/frustration. -
★ Why I Hate Android
12 Jan 2012 | 1:47 pmMG Siegler puts it very nicely: Apple, for all the shit they get for being “closed” and “evil”, has actually done far more to wrestle control back from the carriers and put it into the hands of consumers. Google set off to help in this goal, then stabbed us all in the back and went the complete other way, to the side of the carriers. And because they smiled the entire time they were doing it and fed us this “open” bullshit, we thanked them for it. We’re still thanking them for it! No related posts. -
★ Things you don’t need: IWC’s new Top Gun Miramar watch
12 Jan 2012 | 8:01 amThis is my first entry into a series I call “Things you don’t need but that you really want.” Above is the brand new IWC Top Gun Miramar watch. Named for the birthplace of modern naval air warfare where the best of the best go to get better, this anti-magnetic timepiece sports an advanced in-house flyback chronograph movement within its high-tech, scratch-resistant zirconium oxide case and stays strapped securely to your wrist during high-g maneuvers with the aid of an olive drab textile strap that evokes military-grade flight harness webbing. Further reinforcing the aviation theme…
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Makes Me Wanna Holler.com | Fatherhood, Relationships And Lifestyle
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Television Casting Call For Atlanta Families With Teens
27 Jan 2012 | 11:29 amStudio Lambert, the studio that brought you "Undercover Boss" is working on a new show called "It Takes A Village" for the Oprah Winfrey Network. They will be casting in Atlanta soon and may be looking for a family just like yours! Each episode will feature a family confronting challenges with their teens (just like on "Supernanny")... but the show will rally the community to help the family. The help will come from friends, family, neighbors and free services. At the end of the day, the show intends to create a greater sense of community for the whole… -
Fatherhood In Black: Tray Chaney
25 Jan 2012 | 8:58 amTray Chaney, with son, Malachi and father, Skip. NAME: Tray Chaney OCCUPATION: Entertainer (The Wire, Something The Lord Made, Fatherhood) AGE: 30 STATUS: Married HOW MANY KIDS: 2 KID(S) AGES: 5 years old YOUR ONE SENTENCE STATEMENT/FEELING ON FATHERHOOD: Our kids are the future! We have to be there for them! This is the first in what I hope will be a VERY large and long series of images. It’s easy to debate with words and emotion the notion of “The Good Black Man” who does what he says and means what he says who short of his own set of God-given flaws is a credit to his family and his… -
Organize Your Garage With the Brother P-Touch
23 Jan 2012 | 10:38 amBack in August of last year I initially reviewed the Brother P-Touch Label Maker and tested the durability of the labels under the stresses of wear and tear and water. The labels passed with flying colors. From there it was time to put them to practical use around my home. I began in my garage. That deep dark place where men stuff junk. Only a very small fraction of men own what I call "coveted garages" those stylish places where everything is neatly arranged along the wall, their is functional lighting, maybe even some artwork on the walls and the car or cars sit beautifully tended… -
Mondays With Michelle: My New Vegetable Obsessions
23 Jan 2012 | 8:30 amI haven't always loved brussel sprouts. In fact, as a kid, I hated them. Completely despised them. So much so, that I didn't eat a brussel sprout again until last year. True story. The foodie in me realized how much I had been loosing out and I finally picked up a bag from the farmers market. I brought the little green cabbage balls home and proceeded to trim them, cut them in half, lather them with olive oil, season them up and pop them in the oven to roast. What I got was the the… -
Date Night Jan. 20: Red Tails Movie
20 Jan 2012 | 9:39 amFrom all accounts this appears to be the movie to see this weekend, either on a date or with the family. It's based on the real lives of the Tuskegee Airmen. And the producer, George Lucas --- the man who gave the world Star Wars and it's alternative universe, has a very serious desire for the film. Here's to sticking to projects for the long haul. Red Tails, in theaters everywhere, January 20, 2012. Thanks for reading! To learn more about me, you can read my story.
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A Blogger and a Father
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Thanks*, Philips!
24 Jan 2012 | 3:02 pmBeforeAfter First, to put it in context, here are the two posts I wrote about Philips ignoring dads:1. Philips Norelco: Parenting is No Place for Men2. Philips Norelco 2: Now With More Offensive Marketing!!!Thanks to everyone who shared these posts on Facebook and on Twitter, and especially to Zach from 8bitdad for emailing Philips and tweeting its PR account. I don't know who or what eventually made Philips change their website (they didn't let me know about the changes), but I'm glad it happened. Today, Philips deserves my gratitude*.* It's a small victory for fathers and for parents in… -
Sad Photos
21 Jan 2012 | 2:02 pmMy favorite photo from my childhood is one where my older sister and I are crying in the back seat of our dad's car. Actually, we're not even crying by then--we're at the stage of post-tears sadness, probably can't remember what we were sad about, but still filled with sadness that feels like it would never end.I can't tell for sure what makes it my favorite photo. Maybe it's because unlike all the staged photos we had, when this one was taken we weren't told to smile for the camera. It was genuine, and it probably shows our true childhood more than any other photo.Not that we were sad kids. -
Nathan and Matt
17 Jan 2012 | 10:24 pmDadWagonThere are two types of blogs I try to feature here. One is blogs I feel I'm introducing. They have great writing but not enough people know them. I hope I can get a couple of new visitors or subscribers to their blogs and get some more voices of fathers into the conversation.Then there's blogs like DadWagon, which have been around for a while and which I commented on many times. These fall into the distinguished "I haven't written about this blog yet???" category.The blog, written by two New York dads (although the About page mentions a third who must have been absent for a while), is… -
Philips Norelco 2: Now With More Offensive Marketing!!!
10 Jan 2012 | 2:44 pmA week ago, after a month-long wait for a Philips rep to call or email me (as promised by another Philip representative), I went ahead and published my post about the ignorant way Philips markets their kids' hair clipper as "Made for Moms." That post showed Philips' previous cooperation with blogging dads for the cynical marketing ploy that it was--an attempt to gain publicity in a niche market, rather than a sincere attempt to as much as acknowledge fatherhood.During this past week, I've also found a link to some of the top people at Philips, and sent them an email, reminding them of their… -
Philips Norelco: Parenting is No Place for Men
3 Jan 2012 | 2:39 pmI have recently come across this product:It's a Philips Norelco hair clipper for kids. Since it might be difficult for kids to use it by themselves, they need their parents to do it for them. By parents, Philips mean mothers.Last month, Philips Norelco matched up donations to a Movember group of blogging dads, including How to be a Dad. Philips is not the first company that donates to charity in exchange for a product review, and they must be commanded for this cynical but ultimately worthy type of marketing.By connecting to blogging dads, Philips made a pro-fatherhood statement.
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Pacing The Panic Room
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Bikes & Boots
26 Jan 2012 | 7:46 amThese particular boots were a gift from Mr Jason Hudson when he came to visit us before our trip to Alt Summit.I have been watching all these photo of the day challenges unfolding online, and on instagram focusing on daily themes and assignments, and it inspired me a little to try and assign myself a theme to start shooting more again around the house. So I wanted to try and document what everyone is into lately around here. I look back on old photos of me as a child and sometimes catch a glimpse of toys and books in the background and focus in and try and remember all the time I spent… -
Our First Family Photos
23 Jan 2012 | 7:54 amI am sitting here in Salt Lake City next to Cole, it just started to snow, and I mean really, REALLY snow, great big fluffy sticky flakes, it feels perfect right now because we are so insanely tired from this last week at Alt Summit that all I want to do is sit here and watch this snow pile up, trap us inside for hours. Be still. This morning I taught my workshop with the mega talented and always fancy Mr. Jason Hudson to an alert and eager class of participants. If you haven't been reading here, Jason and I taught a super basic intro to studio lighting workshop just to get people to stop… -
Full Circle
17 Jan 2012 | 6:26 amI have made reference a few times around here to a project I was in the midst of that was eating up a ton of my time. A project that took me to New York City a few times last year, and a project that taught me a lot about how much I can do on my own. I was nervous about posting the final result here, because I always get the feeling that people are like... who cares!!! Hurry up and get Cole pregnant again, geez! But Cole knows how much this video means to me, and she said, "you better put that up on your blog and stop worrying about what other people think!" And so I listened. I don't know if… -
A Link List Of Exciting Things I Am Excited About
13 Jan 2012 | 8:20 amCole and Tessa make guest appearances on Oh Chloe today, with adorable scenes from their trip to NYC. Chloe was one of the very first people to come and stay with us when Tessa was born and they hadn't seen one another since. She is so lucky to have a crazy aunt Chloe who lives in the Big City. I can't believe I am going to be going HERE in less than a month to shoot a book trailer for such a rad book. If anyone has any travel advice for me. I am all ears. THIS guy is coming to stay with us for a couple few days before we leave for Alt Summit to take pictures of our little family. The first… -
Still Previews
11 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amI haven't had the chance to run around and just shoot still photos in a good long while, but I always try and stop and take at least a couple while I am doing video shoots. As great as the video work has been to have, and as much fun as it is to make short films, I still love framing up a still shot. So I posted the above three stills that represent some upcoming video projects that I will be sharing here soon. I am on my last day of Vegas before I head home, and of course as excited as I am to get home and see Cole and the kiddos, when I get there, I will have to stay disciplined and stay…
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Natural Papa
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Ditch the Disposable Bags with a Reusable Shopping Bag
27 Jan 2012 | 1:52 pmPlastic shopping bags are a plague on our planet. Everywhere we turn, we’re offered yet another disposable plastic bag, and for the most part, they end up going home with us, where we then need to deal with them. And the numbers are staggering: An estimated 102 billion plastic bags were used in 2009 in... -
Hank D and the Bee: Help Create a New Cartoon Character
26 Jan 2012 | 7:13 amHey Hankheads! I need your help. Can you suggest a new character for Hank D and the Bee? It can be an animal, a person, an insect, or anything your creative little brains come up with! Just leave your suggestions in the comment section of this cartoon, or (if you’re reading this on NaturalPapa, EcoChildsPlay,... -
Matters of the Heart: Women and Heart Disease
25 Jan 2012 | 9:48 amFebruary 1-7, 2012 is National Women’s Heart Week There is emerging awareness and concern today, as more women now die from coronary disease in this country each year than do men. In fact, when women show up with their first heart attack, 52 percent of them die from sudden cardiac death. Men, 42 percent. This... -
How TV Changes Our Kid’s Brains
24 Jan 2012 | 10:21 amWe have a TV-free house, and that’s kind of a rare thing in modern America. But children are exposed to dubious messages and marketing ploys at a very early age these days, and we don’t think that’s appropriate for our kids – there’s time enough later in their lives to adopt television if they so... -
What it Takes to Be a ‘Real Man’
20 Jan 2012 | 10:31 amIn today’s society, outdated and out of touch definitions of manliness are everywhere. From commercials about game day tail-gating to presumptions of Friday night beer drinking, strip clubs and late night poker, our culture is in the business of telling men what they should consume and what they should act like while they’re doing it....
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Single Parent Dad
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Perhaps I should lay off the jokes
24 Jan 2012 | 2:45 pmI went swimming earliertoday, and surely never has a blog post opened with a lessinteresting statement.When prompted for mythree quid to have a blast in the pool I reached for my wallet.The receptionist issurely used to hesitation from me at this juncture, but today I had alegitimate reason. The £100 I thought I had in it (and believe me IKNOW when there's that much wonga in my possession) had gone.I spluttered out “Isit okay to pay with a card?”And she replied “Ofcourse.” In her best 'I hate people that do that' tone.This meant I spent my64 lengths of the pool (that's a mile don't… -
Being ready to love again
17 Jan 2012 | 8:41 amThe very night before my wonderful wife passed away she toldme:“If I die, I don’t want you to be on your own. I’d want you to be with someone else.”It seemed ridiculous and completely irrelevant that sheshould make such an admission. Wewere on holiday, and she was without so much as a sign of ill health, but yet onlya few hours later, I was indeed left to face a life without her.When she’d made this statement, I’d expressed not wanting tobe with anyone else, and probably made a big joke of the potential ball-ache oftrying to find another marvellous woman whose only… -
Time to get smart with our utilities
12 Jan 2012 | 7:09 amI’ve a sister that works for thegas board, do you want to meet her?That was always one of myfavourite daft jokes, but perhaps it now needs updating to:I’ve a sister that works for thegas board, I only let the smart meet her.Or maybe, just maybe, I shoulddrop it all together.Anyway, back to why I’m writingthis post.Since being a homeowner - overten years now - I’ve always been very pedantic with my utility suppliers. Very anal about getting the best annualdeal for my money that I possibly could.However in recent times I’veactually concerned myself more with my actual usage, and… -
Thank you note genius
10 Jan 2012 | 6:13 amAnd modesty failure.My child is a little reluctant to write thank you notes, infact he is a tad reluctant to write anything. Last summer I even had to write a thank you for my son’steacher myself.As my boy has a birthday only a few days short of Christmashe is inundated with brilliant gifts from friends and family at this time ofyear.Which in turn means he is somewhat obligated to show hisappreciate of the generosity shown by these lovely people.I like to believe he is genuinely thankful for what he hasbeen given, but working on his grateful is an ongoing project.However reminded of… -
Will you be putting yourself first in 2012?
5 Jan 2012 | 10:25 amIn the aftermath of my wife dying in August 2005, one of thethings I struggled with enormously was thinking of the future.While we were together discussing our future was somethingwe would do regularly.We would discuss personal hopes, aims, dreams andaspirations, as well as where we thought we may live, and how our lives woulddiffer as we all got older.Nothing was set in stone, but we had something of aspiritual rudder directing our collective ship toward shared ideals.Then she died.For a good while I could not think any further than my son’snext feed, or what activity we’d get up to…
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GummyLump.com Blog
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5 Fun Ways for Kids to Play with Stuffed Animals
27 Jan 2012 | 11:06 am1. Throw a Party Have your child gather up all of the same kind of animal (teddy bears, for example) and create a pretend birthday or tea party! 2. Go on Safari Have a sibling or parent hide some jungle stuffed animals in one area of the house. Give the child a list (in pictures or words) of animals to find. The child then checks off each animal on the list as it's found. Dressing up like an explorer and wearing binoculars adds even more fun to this pretend play game. 3. Play School Get your stuffed animals seated and… -
10 Fun Ways for Toddlers & Preschoolers to Play with Snow Inside!
21 Jan 2012 | 12:30 pmBring the Joy of Snow Indoors for Toddlers & Preschoolers! Supplies Needed: Snow, Towel(s), Plastic Container (a cookie sheet will work in some cases). Everything else is optional (You may want to put gloves or mittens on their hands). 10 Fun Ways for Toddlers & Preschoolers to Play with Snow Inside!Ice cream shop Fill a large plastic container with snow. Add an ice cream scoop, some spoons, and plastic or paper bowls. Use paper cups as "cones". Sprinkles can be coffee or sensory rice Make "snow" cones Fill a few small plastic container with snow. Add a different color food… -
Shop Our Biggest Holiday Sale Ever: Up to 50% off Site Wide!
6 Dec 2011 | 10:36 amShop Our Biggest Holiday Sale Ever: Up to 50% off Site Wide! Gift WizardUse our gift wizard to help you find the perfect holiday gift for any child on your list! Stocking StuffersToys Under $5 that will fit into a Christmas Stocking are waiting for you! Our stocking stuffer toys are the perfect something extra for that special child on your Christmas Gift List! Toys Under $10Our Toys Under $10 section offers you a super selection of hundreds of QUALITY toys for ten dollars or less! When you need a great toy at a great price, this is the stop where 10 bucks shops! Wooden Toys from… -
Sensory Bin in Holiday Colors!
2 Dec 2011 | 5:32 amSensory Bin from dried beans: cool, smooth feeling running through your hands! Very relaxing! for Ages 3 years and Up with Adult Participation and Supervision Supplies Needed:Large Shoe/Boot Box OR Large Plastic Tub/Bin Bags of Dried Beans (we picked based on color: tans, greens, and dark reds) Various measuring, scooping and storing containers Play figures: bugs, dinosaurs etc. Time Needed: 5 Minutes to set up What To Do: Open each bag of beans and pour into box/bin. Add measuring, scooping and storing containers. Add play figures: bugs, dinosaurs etc. This has been one of the… -
Turkey Craft for Kids from Toilet Tissue Tube: Thanksgiving Kids Craft
15 Nov 2011 | 9:05 amTurkey Craft for Kids from Toilet Tissue Tube: Thanksgiving Kids Craft Supplies Needed:1 Toilet Tissue Tube for Each Turkey Construction Paper 2 Googly Eyes for Each Turkey Child Safe Scissors Glue Time Needed: 20-30 Minutes What To Do: CAUTION: When cutting with scissors is required a parent or adult must supervise. If the cutting is too intricate the adult can do it for the child Cut out a square of construction paper about 8" x 8" My kids chose their favorite colors for this project. Use whatever color(s) they like! Fold square in half diagonally so it looks like a triangle.
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thedaddycast.com
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Don’t forget to Catch the Baby!
17 Jan 2012 | 9:39 pmAs soon as they can maintain the neck strength to support their smiling heads, babies and parents enjoy the act of tossing the little ones up in the air and catching them. The babies run the range of emotions from the freedom of flying, the fear of falling and the reassurance of being caught. Not to mention the tickle in their tummy. Parents get a chance to express their feeling of responsibility (what goes up must come down, gently) and also a chance to experience developing the bonds that are crucial and enjoyable. This opportunity for bonding doesn’t end when the babies become too… -
DaddyCast 211 – The Podcast Returns
4 Jan 2012 | 9:18 pmThe DaddyCast Episode 211 A Podcast for Parenting from the Hip! It has been a while and for some reason I decided to take what could be considered a controversial stance on a few topics. The National Transportation Safety Board wants to block cell phones in cars (see the CNN Article) - what is next, ban kids in cars because they cause a distraction? Support the show, support the sponsors- check out an offer for PetMeds and save. California mandates car seats for kids up to 8 years old (from the old requirement of 6 years old, see the ABC Coverage), at least they consider height and not just… -
Finish what you started
20 Dec 2011 | 7:02 pmIf you have followed the blog for a while you will recall the trials and tribulations of our (mine with the boys) Tae Kwon Do experience. The boys started and I made a bet that if they hung in there, I would join them. That was four and a half years ago. Finally, one of my goals has been met. One December 10, 2011, I tested for my Black Belt. I passed the test for our local school and await the official decision by the international body that regulates Tae Kwon Do from Korea but expect that my local Master’s approval will hold. It is quite exciting and a feeling of great accomplishment. -
He Gets It!!
16 Dec 2011 | 8:59 pmToday was the last day of school for the boys before the Christmas break. They each were looking forward to the day as they were having their Christmas parties and probably looking at a pretty easy day. My youngest’s class was having gift exchange so he was extra excited about taking in a gift and participating in the exchange. When I picked the boys up after school I asked them how their day went and they both said it was fine. They said they had fun at their parties. I asked my youngest how the gift exchange went. He said it was fine and told me that they each got a gift but then… -
Old School
10 Oct 2011 | 8:51 amLast Friday night my oldest (10 yrs old) and I were sitting in traffic. There was an accident up ahead and that combined with the Friday night football traffic gave us time to talk on several different topics. One of them had me laughing and realizing that yes indeed, times have changed. We were sitting in our newest vehicle, the 2011 Chevy Camaro I purchased last November. While discussing the various features of the car, my son asked what was different between the 2011 Camaro and my first car, a 1977 Camaro. We talked about engines and exhaust, which is how the topic started, by…
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Digital Dads
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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Pro Bowl = Lame
26 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amThe pro bowl, who cares?I always have trouble filling this space in the week before the Superbowl. Recently though, the NFL moved the Pro Bowl from the week after the Superbowl (where no one gave a shit about it) to the week before the Superbowl (where no one gives a shit about it). First off, the Pro Bowl selections are made before the season is even over. What the fuck is up with that? The best players haven’t even had a full season to shine? That just proves that it’s nothing more than a bullshit popularity contest. Then, consider that many players that deserve to be in the Pro… -
Reviewing the Nissan Quest
23 Jan 2012 | 12:35 pmIf you remember, last month just before the holidays I mentioned that I was taking part in a review of a Nissan Quest. We had the car for the last two weeks of the year and I used it for pretty much of all of my driving during that time. We even used it to drive up to my parents house on Christmas day with the kids, dog and everything else so that we could fully give it a test drive. It is a great minivan for sure. We forgot how much room you actually get in a car of this size. If you have kids and need a lot of room you can’t go wrong with a minivan. We had one for a number of years,… -
What Paula Dean Did Wrong: Feeding America A Line of Bull
20 Jan 2012 | 8:12 amPaula Deen is a hero to millions. With restaurants, books, magazines, TV shows and more, Deen is both an icon and an industry. So many people really seem to love her, understandably. She is lively, gregarious, charming and fun. And she cooks the kind of Southern fried favorites that people dream of, doing it with joy in her heart. But hers is also the kind of food that can bring you some trouble over the long term if you eat too much of it too often. As evidenced now by Paula Deen herself. Hey, I like fried chicken as much as the next guy, but I don’t make a steady diet of it. So when… -
Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Championship Weekend
19 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amNiners vs. Giants. Should be a new classic. I’m not going to bore you with mindless statistics and blather. The fact is that last week was a tough week to pick and statistics did not lie. 75% of the home teams won, but not the 75% I picked. By the time the Giants v Packers game started, three home teams had won. So I loudly declared to pretty much one person that the Giants were going to win the game. They did, and the Packers, who had a monumental season all for naught, are done. Now we have four teams left and picking the winners is toughest it’s been all season. That being… -
ableGiving – A Promotion to Help Massachusetts Nonprofits
17 Jan 2012 | 1:04 pmNonprofits are always looking for more money. It is a constant struggle to raise the money they need to stay in business. I’m on a board of a couple of organizations so I know about this struggle first hand. At the end of the year, we all see tons of asks for money. It is good for the charities because everyone is in a giving spirit and it is good for the individual because donating gives you a tax write off. It is a win win situation. But, this also means that January is the hardest month on nonprofits as giving dives to a yearly low as people dig out from holiday shopping debt.
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Coupon Dad
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Walgreens Coupon Match Ups Week of 01-29-12
28 Jan 2012 | 8:28 amWalgreens Coupon Match Ups Week of 01-29-12Good morning everyone! This weeks Walgreens coupon matchups and deals are posted for the week…..4 FREE items…..!Also here is Walgreen’s official coupon policy online. Suggest printing it and keeping it in your coupon book. Walgreens Coupon PolicyAs always some prices and deals may vary slightly by area of the country but should all be very close.Don’t forget to check out our new feature too….! HUGE list of available coupons – Free Coupon ListThanks to Passion for Savings for putting this together for us!- This… -
Dulce de Leche Cheerios Coupons 2012
28 Jan 2012 | 1:15 amDulce de Leche Cheerios Coupons 2012Awesome coupon for General Mills Cereal…These won’t last long at all!Save $1.50 on one boxCheerios cereal couponYou can print two and the expiration date is 30 days after print!Enjoy! -
Bealls Printable Coupon January 2012 – 40% Off
27 Jan 2012 | 2:34 pmBealls Printable Coupon January 2012 – 40% OffHere is a great Bealls printable coupon to use through the end of the month. This coupon will save you an EXTRA 40% off any single item…….SWEET savings right?Bealls couponThis coupon is valid in-store only.Use between January 27th and 31st at your local Bealls department store. Always can score some great deals with these coupons. -
Valentine Cookie Coupons 2012
27 Jan 2012 | 1:16 pmValentine Cookie Coupons 2012Grab these while you can !Save $1.10 on any one package on Pillsbury Valentine Cookies..These WILL NOT last long at all, so snag yours now!Valentines cookies couponsBricks, so print it twice, The expiration date is 30 days from print!Enjoy! -
Eddie Bauer Code & Free Shipping 2012
27 Jan 2012 | 1:06 pmEddie Bauer Code & Free Shipping 2012We have an AWESOME code to get 25% off your purchase of $99 or more PLUS FREE Shipping at eddiebauer.com that is good through February 12th 2012…!Eddie Bauer couponClick on either of he links above and enter coupon code: SPRING12 at checkout to get 25% off & Free Shipping.We love just about everything at Eddie Bauer….the quality is always very good and we love how they stand behind their product. Anytime we have had an issue they replace the item no questions asked.You can even buy online and return to the store.Enjoy your online…
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DadCAMP
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11 Things You Need To Know About Kids
25 Jan 2012 | 8:25 amRemember back before you had kids, and you were always JUDGING other parents for how they handled theirs? Then once you had kids, you wanted to murder anyone who judged YOU? Welcome to the parent hood, my friend. Redbook magazine asked parents to name the number one thing they WISH other people knew about their kids. Here are the top responses. Sometimes my kids are loud and obnoxious and it’s not because I’m a bad parent. Boys are naturally curious and don’t always sit still with their hands in their laps. Just because my house is messy doesn’t mean I don’t… -
Don’t Sweat It
23 Jan 2012 | 4:01 pmI’ve had more than a few tshirts ruined with yellow armpit stains. My kids will snuggle in at night for a book and pinch their nose with a “You stink, Daddy.” Excessive armpit sweating is called hyperhydrosis, and while I didn’t think I was a victim of this, I do find myself drenched in night sweats. My son will also soak a sheet in sweat soon after going to bed. There are times when I’ll drip when I’m all in on a bluff at the poker table. Why does that happen and how can you stop excessive sweating? Here’s an infographic to help you identify… -
Doodle 4 Google
19 Jan 2012 | 12:35 pmMy 4 year old is practicing his letters, and while he’s getting good and writing his own name, other words aren’t as comfortable for him. So we practiced some other letters today. Specifically G, O, L and E. Google is once again holding a contest where K-12 students in the US can Doodle 4 Google and have their drawing appear on the search engine home page. Winners also win a scholarship for themselves and a grant for their school. Here are the details from the Google blog: The theme for this year’s contest is “If I could travel in time, I’d visit…”. That could mean… -
Thudguard: Helmets for Toddlers
16 Jan 2012 | 9:44 pmThe Thudguard is a soft helmet for toddling babies who can bonk their head a bit. When I was almost consumed by The Cult of Mom at Lynn Valley Library last week, one of the toddlers had a wicked skid on his melon after slipping on some patio pavers. Had he had a Thudguard, he might have avoided that skid. Over 500,000 children’s head injuries are recorded each year! The Thudguard hat is a revolutionary product from United Kingdom; an infant safety hat designed to help absorb and reduce the impact of falls from a child’s own height and lessen the chance of head injury. It is suitable for… -
The Prisoner’s Dilemma For Working Parents
16 Jan 2012 | 9:26 pmDaycare or Nanny? Which will you choose as your maternity leave comes to an end and you have to head back into the rat race to put food on the table, cars in the driveway and plants in the garden. Some of my friends have opted out of this prisoner’s dilemma, and have just sacrificed to keep a parent home. Jen and I’s situation doesnt afford that “luxury” just yet. We opted for daycare and week 1 has come to an end. That’s a pretty eventful 5 days of extra-parental care. We knew there would be a learning curve for both us, and the daycare staff, but neither of us could have imagined…
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Random Thoughts- Do They Have Meaning?
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Your Songwriter
26 Jan 2012 | 1:59 amDear woman, That is sort of a nondescript way of addressing you now isn't it. I could be far more direct and make it clear to all who read this exactly who it is I am speaking to, because I am most certainly speaking. You may be reading these words but I know you inside out and even after all of this time I know that when you read my words you hear my voice. You hear my voice and feel my presence and it makes you feel warm, loved and confused. The logic and reason with which you want to view the world won't work here. I know because I ask for them to do so too. I look at math and science and… -
He Tried To Forget Her
24 Jan 2012 | 9:18 amShe was the one who came unsought and unseen into his life and turned it upside down. She was ready but he wasn't and then he was ready and she wasn't. It was an awkward dance of ups and downs and uncertainties. It was a time of change in many things and many places and it was never clear what was really going on. And so they took a step back to look at their lives and to review what it was and what it was not. A seesaw is a great place for a child but not always as much fun for an adult and so it seemed that if they could not be then the best thing to do would be to walk away. To walk away… -
What You Should Be Reading
18 Jan 2012 | 6:37 pmThe Day I Had Lunch With Bruce Springsteen & J.R.R. Tolkien How To Save The Internet- Stop SOPA And PIPA There Is A Cop At The Door How 3,000 Sycophants Made One Man A Better Blogger What Is Your Blog About? The Speech That Martin Luther King Jr. Never Wrote She Still Dances -
Just Write Boychik
17 Jan 2012 | 1:33 amIt is pushing midnight but I am still awake. Still here at my keyboard searching for the keystrokes that will bring you closer to where I am and where we were. Unsure and uncertain of how to find them I go back in time to the songs we listened to and hope that music helps to reconnect and recreate the magic of the day and the music of the night. I do it because I promised to be your hero. I took the vow and swore the oath that will not let me rest. I fight the battles and go to war each day because there are no alternatives for me. It is not hype nor melodrama. I feel and hear the sound of… -
It is A Constant Source of Amusement
14 Jan 2012 | 2:14 pmI am a big fan of Letters of Note. It is a constant source of amusement. I loved the response that Saroyan got about wanting to become an editor: I note what you say about your aspiration to edit a magazine. I am sending you by this mail a six-chambered revolver. Load it and fire every one into your head. Classic.
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smonk you: the best freaking daddy blog ever
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Inaugural Edition of First Gen Dads: Smonk You
28 Jan 2012 | 12:19 amPreamble: I've Back in June I wrote a post called First Generation Dad that touched on how I feel to be a dad when I didn't really have a good father figure of my own. And I got an idea but didn't have time to flesh it out... Six months later and I finally had the time. I'm starting what I hope to be a new feature and calling it First Gen Dads. The idea is I'll invite other dads who, for whatever reason, didn't have a father around when they grew up. Stealing some words from my first guest (coming up next month) it's an important topic. I think it's one that's not thought about much. One… -
His Last Free Ride... Unless He Becomes A Pilot... Or Wins A Trip... Or Needs To Travel For Business... Or... Part Two
24 Jan 2012 | 11:24 pmIf you missed part one of my two part series on our trip to Mexico you really missed nothing. Something I forgot to mention that happened day two was that I bought my first can of Axe body spray. I forgot deodorant and everything I found had anti-perspirant in it and I don't know all the facts but I know that if you use you get a phone call right after then you die seven days later... The only non-anti-perspirant stuff was a lonely can of Axe. So I tried it... And I can tell you the commercials lie. Not one angel fell from the sky. Also I should mention that there was a ton of pool… -
Two
22 Jan 2012 | 11:59 pm -
His Last Free Ride... Unless He Becomes A Pilot... Or Wins A Trip... Or Needs To Travel For Business... Or... Part One
18 Jan 2012 | 10:54 pmI think in my head I wrote a post that will be better than this one but I forgot it... Also I really know how to get people to read further. But I've learned that if I don't write stuff down immediately it's lost.. But I've also learned that when I don't write stuff down, but have an idea, my words come out best the second time. Which is really the first time... So join me on the journey to discover if this post will suck... And join me on a journey to Mexico too. They day after our Jewy Christmas we hopped on a plane to Isla Mujeres. Actually we hopped in a car to the airport, on a plane to… -
The $157 lunch -or- The Open Letter I'd Love To Write But Probably Shouldn't
15 Jan 2012 | 10:45 pmOfficer: Do you know how fast you were going? Me (with a cute little shrug): 35 Officer: You were going 44 Me: Hmm Officer: Do you know the speed limit? Me: 30 Officer: License and registration please Me: Here's my license. My registration is in this pile (showing the contents of my glove box). Officer: I'll start things and come back for that Me: Do you mind if I text my wife and tell her that I'll be late in bringing lunch to my sick little boy who's right down this street? Officer: Go ahead Moral of the story: I should have shown him my boobs. This should be a VapoRub VapoDad post because…
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creativecommons.org
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Review: Anorak, The Happy Mag For Kids
20 Jan 2012 | 9:11 pmAbout Anorak: Anorak is a kids magazine for boys and girls between the ages of 5-12 years old. Anorak is packed with stories, games, things to make and places to visit. My take on the magazine: As a kid one of my favorite things was receiving mail and I had a few magazines that come to me as a kid (Highlights and Ranger Rick are just two I distinctly remember). Even my daughter (approaching her 3rd birthday in April) loves getting mail from her grandmother and her own little Baby Animals magazine. If Anorak was around when I was a kid, I would love getting a magazine like this in the mail. -
Review: Up, Up and Away
20 Jan 2012 | 1:24 amUp, Up and Away by Scot Ritchie Review by Chris Singer About the author: Scot Ritchie is an award-winning illustrator of more than 30 books for children including Why? by Catherine Ripley and Let’s Go! by Lizann Flatt. He loves to travel and his work has taken him to London, Berlin, and Hawaii. He lives in Vancouver. About the book: Six lucky children have won first prize in a geography competition: an amazing trip around the world by hot-air balloon. Lake Titicaca in Bolivia, a huge shopping mall in the United States, a bustling Beijing market, a Bollywood film set — each stop is an… -
An interview with Taye Diggs about his new book, “Chocolate Me”
18 Jan 2012 | 2:35 amLast week, I was asked, along with four other bloggers, to take part in a phone interview with Taye Diggs about his new children’s book called Chocolate Me! Before we dig into the interview, let’s take a quick look at what Taye’s new book is all about: Chocolate Me! is a children’s book based on Taye Diggs’ experiences of feeling different and trying to fit in as a kid. Originally written in college as a poem about his difficulties understanding his looks and differences as a child, Chocolate Me! was transformed into a children’s book after teaming up with… -
MrsP.com Announces Winners of 3rd Annual National Kids’ Writing Contest
16 Jan 2012 | 11:00 amYoung authors from Alabama and Washington chosen over writers from 27 states MrsP.com announced today the names of the two Grand Prize winners in its third annual “Be a Famous Writer” contest, a nationwide creative-writing competition for children held every September. Sara Smale Sarah Smale, age 8, from Washington State, won top honors in the 4-to-8 year-old category for The Treasure Decision, an adventure story featuring a mysterious treasure, pirates and an unusual bookstore. Emma Stowe, age 12, from Alabama, won in the 9-13 age group for Thinking Cap, a compelling and amusing… -
World Read Aloud Day is back and bigger than ever
15 Jan 2012 | 2:40 pm793 million adults worldwide lack basic reading and writing skills. This World Read Aloud Day, the globe will connect like never before. Let us together read and share to advocate for the power of words and stories. Be sure to register at litworld.org and check out our Activity Page where you can download our WRAD badge, flyers, worksheets, recommendations, certificates, and more to help spark your World Read Aloud Day preparations and celebrations! Upcoming events: * LitWorld Presents: WRADvocate Ambassadors - Read about the people who will publicize WRAD locally in their area, and act…
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Dad's Guide to Twins
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Tips for Naming Your Twins – Dad’s Guide to Twins Podcast Episode 1
27 Jan 2012 | 2:24 pmThis is the first episode of the Dad’s Guide to Twins podcast. I’m excited to bring you tips and tricks on having and raising twins via a new podcast. In this inaugural episode, I discuss essential tips for naming your twins. This podcast was inspired by my blog post on how to name your twins. Listen to the podcast to hear important tips for naming your twins, including: The long term implications of your twins’ names Valuing each of your twins as unique individuals Naming patterns to avoid with your twins Where to seek inspiration for twin names The ultimate twin name check… -
Twinproofing Your Home
25 Jan 2012 | 10:01 amThe safety of your twins should be one of your top priorities. As such, twinproofing your home is something you need to do. What is Twinproofing? Twinproofing is how you childproof your home when you have twins. Having twins in your home requires special safety considerations. You Need Basic Childproofing for Twins Too The classic tips on how to childproof your home also apply with twins. As a basic strategy, try to prevent your twins from accessing, reaching, touching, or discovering anything that can do them harm. Expand your mind as you look at your home. Get down on your hands and knees… -
Car Seats for Twins
18 Jan 2012 | 11:47 amShopping for car seats for twins can be a challenge. Car seats are one of the most important things you need to buy for your babies. In fact, the medical staff won’t let you leave the hospital without car seats for your twins. Find a Car Seat You Love, Then Buy Two Unlike strollers, or even baby carriers, there aren’t car seats made specifically for twins. Do your research and find a car seat you like, then buy two. One advantage of buying two of the same car seat is that you can interchange babies or positions in the car without having to remember the nuances of each particular… -
How to Get Twins to Sleep Through the Night
11 Jan 2012 | 10:01 amYour twins will wake up in the middle of the night for various different reasons. They may be hungry, fussy, need a diaper change, or just hit the end of a sleep cycle. Regardless of the reason for waking up, you need to train them to sleep through the night. Your goal is to get them back to sleep as quickly as possible. The sooner they sleep, the sooner you will sleep. Examine Your Routine Think about how you interact with your twins when they wake up in the middle of the night. Do you turn on the light and greet them with excitement just like it was play time? If this is the case, your… -
Where to Shop Online for Twin Related Products
4 Jan 2012 | 10:01 amAs a parent of twins, you’ll likely want to purchase twin related products like books, clothes, gifts, etc. for both your twins and yourself. Here’s a list of several online stores that offer products specifically for twins and parents of twins: Just Multiples Double Blessings Double Up Books Trends In Twos Twinz Gear Just 4 Twins Do you have a favorite site you’d like to see added to this list? Please let me know.
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Beta Dad
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How to Turn a 4-Mile Bike Ride into an X-Treme Full-Body Workout
26 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amI've been pretty good about exercising lately. Really good, actually. I've worked out at the gym almost every day for the last six weeks. This is made possible in part by my finally allowing someone else (gym daycare--worthy of its own post) to take care of my kids for an hour or so at a stretch. I still can't run because of my herniated disc that refuses to heal, but I've been doing some cardio on the machines at the gym while listening to endless episodes of the WTF podcast. (I've never seen anyone else at the gym laughing out loud by themselves. I think a lot of people use headphones… -
Latest Dread: School Days
11 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amAs soon as we walk in, I get the familiar pang. It's the smell, I'm pretty sure. A mixture of linoleum, crayons, pencil shavings, industrial disinfectant, construction paper, musty books, and public restroom funk. It's the same spasm I get with the first chill of autumn, or when I feel the days getting shorter.There are kids all over the place. Pushing scooters on the rooftop playground; cutting, pasting, coloring; marching from classroom to classroom under the supervision of their kindly-looking female teachers. This school isn't much like the ones I… -
Me at DadCentric: Trifling
5 Jan 2012 | 10:56 amThey look nice enoughI never thought it would happen to me; but my kids have arrived at that age.They used to call it the "Terrible Twos," but I've read a lot of literature (okay, blogs) arguing that three is worse, and four is even...um, more worse. In any case, my formerly angelic 2.5-year-old twins have crossed the threshold. They've always had the capacity to be fussy, of course; but now, with their enhanced cognitive and language skills, they can do so with much greater focus and intention.Some days are better than others; and even on their worst days, I forgive them by the… -
Deep, Deep Inside
29 Dec 2011 | 8:00 amChristmas was swell. I'll probably post some cute pictures pretty soon, and maybe write some words. I kvetch about the accumulation of toys in an upcoming Aiming Low post, but other than my usual grumpiness about TOO MUCH STUFF, it was a very pleasant celebration of Jesus' and my wife's birthdays.These kids of mine and their shenanigans, though. Sheesh. They're getting really hilarious and frustrating. They're already way smarter than my dog in most ways, which makes me disappointed in Stella, who is much older than them. She'll do something like get… -
Bouncy Bouncy
16 Dec 2011 | 3:51 amThe kids have been doing their fair share of driving me nuts lately, in the classic ways two-year-olds do: freaking out over inconsequential things, impeding progress of any activity with their dawdling, being fussy, being stubborn, refusing to sleep, refusing to eat, fighting with each other, whining, and so on.But about half the time, they're doing stuff like this, so I can handle their cussedness. Transcript of Video (I wanted to do subtitles, but that's hard.)Both: [jumping on bed] Wild wild West, wild wild West [song from an Elmo video]Butterbean: That's fun...that's fun...Cobra:…
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STATS DAD
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Youth Basketball: Do you have to be a star player to be great?
24 Jan 2012 | 8:00 pmAlan Stein, social media influencer and basketball strength / conditioning guru, has a great post on his blog that every youth sports parents should read. The post is call Specialist. In the post, Alan proves that an basketball player doesn't have to have superior skills and athletic ability in all facets of a game to be great. A player just needs to do at least one facet of the game great to be -
Youth Basketball Routs: How Big a Win is too Big?
18 Jan 2012 | 5:04 amLast night, the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Women's Basketball team beat Pitt 120 to 44. If you have never seen Skylar Diggins play ball you need to. Last night in men's college hoops, the West Carolina Catamounts beat the Toccoa Falls Eagles of the National Christian College Athletic Association by 102 points (141-39). Big wins like these on the youth sports scene really upset people. Big -
Youth Sports: How to Leave a Close Knit Team
17 Jan 2012 | 11:57 amGroup hug after winning a tournament A team that works hard and plays hard together can become a family of sorts. Both the kids and the parents form bonds during the season(s). This is especially true for travel teams. The kids build relationships on the field, at team parties, in the hotel pools, lobbies and elevators during overnight trips. (I'm not sure why kids love elevators so much.) -
Youth Sports: This Parent Needs a Hug
14 Jan 2012 | 5:50 amYes At the end of almost every youth sports season, most coaches give a speech about the team. Invariably during the speech, the coach will instruct the young athletes to give their parents a hug and ask them to thank mom and dad for all the time they sacrificed to allow them to play. Well, the season has just started and I need a hug. Last week, I missed my beloved NY Giants play so that I -
Youth Sports: Tips for Athletes to Get Good Grades
11 Jan 2012 | 8:16 pmMy daughter, CC, will school you with a cross over dribble move. My daughter will teach you a lesson if you attack her goal on a 1v1, My daughter will give you an education on physics (ballistics) with her volleyball serve. I am very proud of her, but I am more proud when I see her report cards. In 2011, CC played in 156 games (Elite Level Soccer, CYO and AAU Basketball and CYO
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DaDa Rocks!
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Colief & Big City Moms presents Dr. Robert W. Sears at J&R Jr. discussing Babies First Weeks live
26 Jan 2012 | 7:10 amDr. Robert W. Sears, MD, is a Board-Certified Pediatrician and nationally recognized co-author in the Sears Parenting Library. Dr. Sears will be joining us live from J&R jr. on Thursday, January 26th at 11:30am where he will discuss Babies First Weeks, Sleep Habits, Colic vs. Reflux, Lactose Intolerance, Feeding, and more. His written works include Happy Baby: The Organic Guide to Baby’s First 24 Months, Father’s First Steps: 25 Things Every New Dad Should Know, and The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child (Sears Parenting Library). Thanks to Colief and Big City… -
The Clicker – The must have for remote for any sports fan
25 Jan 2012 | 10:50 pmGotta love the simple things in life… like enjoying the game or enjoying a brew while enjoying the game. Issue when you’re enjoying the game and forgot the opener to enjoy the brew. Solution The Clicker the universal remote that has a bottle opener. Whats next toilets with TVs? ehh.. The basics it works with a good long lists of devices – like programmed with over 800 factory pre-sets and works with almost all major cable and satellite dish boxes - it has a good amount of typical universal remote functions. Supports twin view and Picture-in-Picture functions for multiple… -
Happy Holidays from my family to yours and a few last minute gift ideas to make wives happy
22 Dec 2011 | 10:36 amSince the holidays its time for my family to extend the warmest wishes to you and your family. Its been a crazy year when you think about it… lots of mixed emotions of highs and lows and I know that we all share these same trials in our lives. The most recent trial has to be the stress of getting a good gift for my wife for the holidays. Like a typical wife – she tells me not to worry it doesnt matter – yahhh theres a bear trap in there. Here my short list of springing your self from that trap and hopefully not end up giving her a vacuum cleaner (although I hear the… -
Forgot a gift? E-Gift Cards to the Rescue
21 Dec 2011 | 10:44 pmNo more excuses people – the concept of I left the gift at home doesnt work… just sneak off to the bathroom use your smartphone and order an e-gift card – have it dropped right into their email inbox. Even on Christmas day or while spinning the dreidel, you can literally order an online E-Gift Card and have it delivered within an hour!! Or perhaps you really just don’t know what to get your step-dad who has everything (and I do mean everything), just get him an e-gift card and your done. Sears E- Gift Cards can be delivered via email, printed out, or mailed the old… -
Last Minute Shopping Ideas: Brookstone gifts for everyone!
20 Dec 2011 | 10:14 pmWhen you start running out of time – you start thinking of places where you can cross of the most amount of people at one time… Brookstone is pretty awesome at doing just that. For Kids: Rover App-Controlled Spy Tank with Night Vision The Rover Spy Tank is App-Controlled by your iPod touch (2nd, 3rd and 4th generation), iPhone device, or iPad tablet. It generates its own Wi-Fi wireless connection for your smart device (no frequency interference!). The impressive wireless range lets it travel up to 200 ft. unobstructed, up to 100 ft. around walls into other rooms. Navigate it with…
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sexandthesingledad.com
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Cruising on a Friday
27 Jan 2012 | 7:18 pmIn her defense, it was black and one could make the argument it was hard to see. My teenage Drama Queen’s first semester of high school was officially over Thursday and the students had a day off on Friday. With … Continue reading → -
I’m a big loser
26 Jan 2012 | 2:42 amI was going to give myself a virtual high five for the catchy title, but the more I thought about it, a fifth grader could have come up with it. My apologies. This is my … Continue reading → -
A teenage life lesson
19 Jan 2012 | 1:40 amI need to go find a way to accomplish that. Somehow. Yes. That’s me in 1984. I’m not sure where to start mocking myself. Is it the hair? The glasses? How about that shitty wanna be porn ‘stache I was … Continue reading → -
Somewhere Over The Rainbow
16 Jan 2012 | 12:49 amAnd the dreams that you dreamed of Once in a lullaby Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo’ole (Hawaiian pronunciation: [ka-maka-iwo'ole] If someone told me I would be quoting lyrics from the High Holy Diva of homosexual men (Judy Garland) … Continue reading → -
How many balls are too many?
5 Jan 2012 | 6:56 pm…the more balls the better. First off, this is NOT a post about balls. I swear. I’m a guy and when the opportunity to make a ball joke pops up, I have to roll with it. Ya know? So if … Continue reading →
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FatherMag.com Home Page
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Father's World
27 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmOf all the objects of my childhood, these are the ones that represent my dearest childhood memories of spending time with my father.
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Man of the House
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Know How: Planning Meals
27 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmFifteen minutes a day is all you need to stay on top of dinner duty.When dinner time rolls around do you find yourself scratching your head wondering what to make? When you finally decide, do you realize you don't have all the ingredients? You move to plan B or plan C…or pizza. If you've been in this situation more than a few times, it's time for prep school.Read more… -
The Weekly Buzz: Diaper Parties
26 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmHave you thrown your first diaper party yet? They're a hot trend for new dads and probably aren't what…A lot of new dads are enjoying diaper parties these days. Doesn't sound like your kind of thing? Well, a diaper party is sort of a hybrid of the classic bachelor party and a baby shower. LIke a baby shower, they acknowledge a pending birth with gifts for the new parent, and like a bachelor party they're usually a 'guys only' get together with pretty typical guy activities.Read more… -
Buying Gourmet Coffee Online
26 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmFollow these tips for buying fresh coffee beans online.Technology has made choosing among flavors and brands of coffee beans easier than it's ever been before. Multiple websites now offer coffee lovers the convenience of buying coffee beans online and having the beans delivered to their homes, without the hassles of searching local roasters or shops in search of that favorite flavor or blend.Read more… -
Zombies vs. Vampires: The Great Debate
25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmAlthough perhaps not as controversial as ninjas vs. pirates, zombies and vampires have taken a spotlight…In this country is a great divide. It is not classist, nor is it the widening schism separating us based on political affiliations. This ideological split transcends any conscious decision an American can make.Read more… -
The Most Common Financial Mistake People Make
25 Jan 2012 | 11:00 pmMost people are doing nothing at all, they’re simply not planning to retire. When evaluating the most common financial mistakes people make, a very simple yet common pattern emerges: Most people are doing nothing at all as far as planning to retire. Moreover, the most common mistakes are mental. If I had to guess, most dads spend more time watching the NFL on any given Sunday than they do on planning for retirement in a year. Most dads my age that I know haven't saved a dime and have never invested in their lives.Read more…
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Dazed Dad
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Caleb Elijah • 12/30/11 • 8lbs 4oz
7 Jan 2012 | 4:44 pmAt this point, many of you probably know that Caleb entered our lives 8 days ago, on December 30, 2011. Apparently he instinctually knew that his parents could use the tax credit for 2011, and was gracious enough to join us just over a week ahead of his January 8 due date. I will share a more detailed version of our birth story in a few weeks (or whenever I get more than about 30 minutes to sit down at the computer), but it was pretty amazing. We arrived at the hospital 7cm dilated, so labor progressed pretty quickly. Sarah ended up pushing for over 2 and a half hours, and then we finally got… -
We’re Ready – Now It’s Up to Caleb
21 Dec 2011 | 9:00 amWell, we went to the doctor on Monday for a check-up, and the doctor confirmed that these Braxton Hicks contractions have in fact been doing something. Sarah is currently 3 cm dilated and 80% effaced. Apparently, I made quite the face when he said that, because Sarah just started laughing. I looked at the doctor and said, “Well, wait a second. I’m confused. Don’t…people normally go to the hospital when they’re 3 cm dilated?” His response: “Yup – and we send them home.” So, he didn’t seem to think that it was going to… -
What They Don’t Talk about at Birthing Classes
9 Dec 2011 | 1:00 pmAs many of you know, last weekend we were at birthing classes all weekend at the hospital where we will be having Caleb sometime in the next four weeks(!). They were helpful, we saw a lot of videos of births and learned about some possible situations that folks might not be expecting (e.g. emergency c-section). But, for anyone who has experienced a miscarriage, infant loss or stillbirth, there’s an obvious elephant in the room: your baby could die. I apologize for the Debbie Downer vibe of this post, but that’s the reality that we don’t talk about. Life is incredibly… -
9 Months: Another Big Milestone
4 Dec 2011 | 1:00 pmI suppose it’s fitting that when you read this post, Sarah and I will be in the middle of Day 2 of our Birthing Class in Medford at the Rogue Valley Medical Center, the hospital where Caleb will be born. And today is the day of another big milestone: we’ve hit the 9 month mark. I must say that it feels pretty amazing to be at this stage, although I’m pretty sure that Sarah might describe the way it feels using some other choice language at this point. 36 weeks. And everything is going along just as it should for little Caleb Elijah. Yesterday’s birthing class involved… -
Baby Registry for Caleb Elijah Walker Cleaveland
19 Nov 2011 | 1:30 pmA few weeks ago, Sarah texted me and said that her belly-button seems to have “popped” and she was wondering if that meant that Caleb was ready to come out. I know that she’s getting to the point in pregnancy where she would love for Caleb to come any day now. And I’m pretty excited about that too – but I also realize how much preparation we still have to do before that can happen! We’ve been in Ashland, Oregon for about a week and a half now. Sarah’s parents are coming tonight or tomorrow, and they’re going to help us get the rest of our house…
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SHAKE YOUR FOUNDATION
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Working From Home?
20 Jan 2012 | 9:50 amPhoto by F Pamplona I’m an animal in a cage. In addition to the foot of snow we’ve had in Seattle, we were hit with a charming “ice storm” today which has enabled me to work from home this week with three kids and one very large dog who excel in creating mayhem. It peaks when a wrestling match breaks out just as you’re talking to a group of 24 on a conference call. Makes a guy long for a cubicle. I’m easily distracted as it is, but honestly – there are at least 24 distractions an hour with this crew. And when there isn’t a distraction, I think… -
Are You Consumed By Fear?
6 Jan 2012 | 9:36 am(This post originally appeared over at The Good Men Project) Fear and Men If we let things terrify us, life will not be worth living. – SENECA It starts when we’re kids. While still young, we stop trusting our gut and attacking the world as we learn about all the scary things that will stand in our way. We start the life-long journey of fearing things that we will never see. As we get older, we fear things that seem inconsequential to adults, but as teenagers they’re life or death. Getting good grades, hoping that one girl will like us, praying no one will notice the missing Jack… -
Here’s What Happens When Santa Doesn’t Deliver
24 Dec 2011 | 10:09 amI was trying to teach him a lesson. Boy #1 is a pretty easy kid. He’s always in a good mood, up for anything, does what he’s told (most of the time), loves people, and is a joy to be around. A couple Christmases ago he asked Santa for a Nintendo DS and was really hoping the fat man would deliver. Like most families, my kids have way too much stuff. The big concern is that they’re going to get to the point where they’re never satisfied with anything because all the crap that ends up in our house. They may not have as much as a few of their friends, but they want for nothing. My big…
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Dad Does
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The Best Children’s Books Ever?: Our Top 10 List of Newbery Medal Winners of All Time
27 Jan 2012 | 8:28 amBy Noelle, Librarian Extraordinaire Whether you know about it or not, the Newbery and Caldecott Awards are the prime achievements for authors and illustrators of children’s literature in America. Every January, a committee for each medal gets together and announces the winners they have been mulling over throughout the previous year. With this year’s award upon us, it felt like a good time to highlight once more these great titles. The Newbery Medal is named for John Newbery and has been awarded since 1922, its focus is for the best writing for children by an American author of the… -
Review: Beyblade Triple Battle Set, Two Tops Enter, One Survives
25 Jan 2012 | 9:54 pmI have a developed a foolproof test to determine if you have 7-10 year old boys in your house. Take a look at these terms… Face bolt, Battle Core, Spin Track, Meteo L-Drago, Let It Rip If you actually understand those terms, you have a 7-10 year old boy in your house! For those of you not in the know, we are of course talking about Beyblades -- the performance spinning tops that 7 year old boys must collect or the world will end. As I have a 7 year old boy, I didn’t really have a choice when Hasbro asked if we wanted to review the Beyblade Metal Masters Triple Battle Set. If… -
Review: 60Beat GamePad Controller, Will This Put An End to iPad Fondling?
24 Jan 2012 | 6:50 amTake a look at that photo above. It looks like your standard console video game controller -- really nothing too exciting. On the other hand, looks can be deceiving. The photo above is the 60Beat GamePad ($49.95), a game controller that uses no batteries, connects to your iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch via the headphone jack and turns your iOS device into a console level video game system. Doesn’t seem that “standard” anymore, does it? Amazing Things Happen When You Take Your Thumbs Off Your iPad Yes, iOS devices are phones, music players and cameras…but… -
Review: Electric Snow Joe Ultra Snow Thrower, Your Back’s New Best Friend
23 Jan 2012 | 8:56 amIsn’t snow great? As snow starts to fall, my kids immediately start thinking about a snow day, sledding and building snow forts. My wife checks if the cross country ski trails are open. I put the chiropractor’s number on speed dial as I start stressing about how my back will hold up to the shoveling! Every winter I think about going with a snow blower, but I just can’t deal with another gas powered device in my shed. Keeping track of what uses pure gas vs a gas-oil mix, and then making sure I have the right combustible cocktail on hand when the snow comes, is just… -
The Dad Does Top Health and Fitness Gadgets From CES 2012
18 Jan 2012 | 9:28 pmFrom the pain in my right calf, I am pretty sure I walked all 1.6 million square feet of show space at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES 2012). Of course, if I was wearing a FitBit, MotoActv or Basis Watch there would be no guess work involved. I could share all my health status from CES with you via an online site – see how many steps I took, when I hit peak heart rate, what music got me going and the exact moment when I turned into an over-stimulated zombie. Perhaps that last one is not available yet, but pretty much all your health and fitness information can now be tracked…
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Just Add Father
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So many words, so little time
25 Jan 2012 | 3:48 amOl’ man river, dat ol’ man river He mus’ know sumpin’, but don’t say nuthin’ He jes’ keeps rollin’ He keeps on rollin’ along — Jerome Kern/ Oscar Hammerstein A When I was in college I thought I was pretty smart. Actually, I thought I knew everything. That was how scared of the world I [...] -
Why my son is smarter than me
20 Jan 2012 | 3:02 amI’ve been wondering when I got so stupid. It goes like this: Nick got a new scooter the other day. He took it to a play over at his friend Indar’s. On the way to picking Nick up, I had stopped by the market and loaded a couple of grocery bags into the trunk. “I [...] -
A person is a person
15 Jan 2012 | 3:11 amWhen I started this blog I swore that I would tell stories about my son and keep my opinions to myself. But that was before I had the opinion that a corporation is not a person. There, I’ve said it. I am of the opinion that a corporation is not a person. A person is [...] -
Bedtime story
10 Jan 2012 | 3:10 amAnd honored among wagons, I was prince of the apple towns. — Dylan Thomas I find him on the stairs. “I can’t sleep, dada.” It’s late, and I walk him back to his room. The faint music that sings his rest every night has stopped. “What’s the matter, boo?” I tuck him in. “I’m too [...] -
News of Darko
5 Jan 2012 | 3:58 amI also run a website called penny arcade. It’s kinda popular. — Mike Krahulik Love penny Arcade !! — Ocean Marketing I’m glad you like it! You will be on it tomorrow. — Mike Krahulik Followers of this blog will no doubt remember an ungodly number of posts I did last month under the heading [...]
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matt, liz and madeline
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it finally happened…
25 Jan 2012 | 3:04 pmi feared it from the moment i found out we were having a daughter… i wondered if i would ever have to deal with it when she looked like this: but as she got older and her hair got longer, the day would come that i would have to braid her hair. “a braid? what’s the big deal?” so many have said, but i have no idea how to braid hair. and i’m the only person in the world who, despite years of practice, can’t tie an effective fisherman’s knot (an absolute sin in my family). i’ve lost more lures than any one can count, and i’ve blamed the fish… -
questions (for maddy).
12 Jan 2012 | 1:46 pmquestions. they came today, a torrent of them, an attempt to make sense of your little world, combining the things we talk about every day in an (almost) 4 year old’s level of comprehension. while digging your spoon into a bowl of (what i learned from grandpa tom g. a few nights ago) was your mom’s favorite cereal. “daddy, why did mommy want to buy this house?” i was surprised. this is not a question you’ve asked before. “she wanted you to have a yard to play in and she loved all of the trees and plants. especially the lemon and grapefruit trees.”… -
holidays.
29 Dec 2011 | 4:55 pmafter a year of near constant travel, it was decided that we should take a break from airplanes and celebrate christmas at home in los angeles. that meant that for the second time in my life, (and the first for maddy and brooke) i spent a christmas away from minnesota. even though i dislike the holiday, i really do like being around friends and family during the holidays and it was going to be tough for all of us to be away. so we made sure we kept ourselves very busy. we played with my records we made cookies for santa, went on a hunt for tamales finally finding them, and buying them out of… -
someone went to see santa…
9 Dec 2011 | 6:55 amshe was pretty excited this year. then santa asked madeline what she wanted him to bring to her… you can see maddy’s enthusiasm as she tells santa, “i want a baby dragon and a slingshot.” santa laughed (and looked more than a little surprised). the photographer looked at me and said, “that’s pretty cool. i hear ipad or video games from most kids.” the slingshot is wrapped (it’s one that fires soft foam balls ’cause i’m not ready to dodge rocks or any other hard projectiles) and now i just need to find a baby dragon… -
the last couple of weeks…
8 Dec 2011 | 12:59 pma few weeks ago we went from doing this in los angeles: to doing this in minnesota: maddy and i left california before brooke (who had to work) so we could attend maddy’s cousin weston’s first birthday party along with all of her other cousins. a good time was had by all, but as you may expect in the chaotic environment that is an indoor play area in minnesota during a much colder than normal day, there were a few injuries… maddy’s cousin ava fractured a finger, and maddy herself took an errant four-square ball to the face. (ouch). but i’m happy to say that i…
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Dad Street
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Why Men Get So Pissed Off When Our Teams Lose!
23 Jan 2012 | 5:42 pmYesterday afternoon, men all across the country (I’m sure the world) were engulfed with the very thing so many of us have trouble explaining…feelings. I know I speak from experience when I say that I was so anxious, scared, happy, pissed off, shocked, and disappointed as I watched “My Baltimore Ravens” GIVE the game away. In fairness, even if we made that very routine field goal in the end it wasn’t a guaranteed win but damn, did we play an amazing game! Something occurred to me this morning though. I thought about all those emotions that go along with supporting our favorite sports… -
@Chevrolet and @DadStreet Have Fun With A Corvette #Chevy100
20 Jan 2012 | 3:40 pmAlthough the word “Street” is in the title of my blog I don’t often have the opportunity to talk about one of my passions…cars. About a month ago I was approached by Chevrolet to take some pictures. The pictures were to be used for a new online campaign called, “Road We’re On”. I was excited for a couple of reasons. First, I love taking pictures and it’s a big hobby of mine. If you follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, or Instagram you’ll quickly discover I’m not afraid to post a shot or two. The second reason I was stoked was that I was able to combine… -
You Have the Greatest Impact On The Future of Your Children!
19 Jan 2012 | 1:44 pmMy last post was about how we as adults have paradigm shifts early on in life. I spoke about how we begin to give ourselves false beliefs, essentially lying to ourselves about who we are. Those paradigm shifts started taking place at a very young age. It’s become clear to me that the reason we made that paradigm shift was out of self defense and preservation. As children we were abused on one level or another to the point of having to protect ourselves. This abuse could have come in many different forms. Again, it’s not about what form the actual abuse was in but rather how it impacted us… -
Stop Lying To Yourself And Start Believing Again
17 Jan 2012 | 5:12 pmEver tell yourself you’re ugly? How about tell yourself you’re stupid? Not good enough? Maybe you tell yourself you’re a screw up? It’s not uncommon for us, at different times in our lives, to talk to ourselves like this. We often complain about how others talk to us but sometimes we’re our worst critic. Even worse than being critical about ourselves, we outright lie. The truth of the matter is we’re not ugly, we’re not stupid, and we’re not screw ups. We all live according to paradigms or maps. These paradigms are the lenses with which we view the world around us. Everything… -
Finding Ways To Culture Our Children
6 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amOver the holiday we had an opportunity to have a unique experience with the kids. We were in the Los Angeles area visiting with my in-laws. My sister-in-law suggested we take the kids to Olvera Street in LA. Olvera Street is a well known street in downtown Los Angeles. It’s a (closed to traffic) street that is boasting with arts, crafts, entertainment, and food from Mexico. O and Jake have been fortunate to have some unique experiences in their young ages. They’ve visited Israel last April, been on many road trips to Southern California and several plane trips across the…
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The Exceptional Man, Chicago
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Men as Caricatures
26 Jan 2012 | 6:19 amGuys, I get it. I really do. You’ve been taught all your life to avoid “girly” things. People have told you to be “be a man,” and possibly made fun of you for doing something that appears feminine. You’ve been given an innate fear of weakness, beauty, and other qualities that have somehow become only associated with the fairer sex. Maybe this led you to play a sport you didn’t really care about. Or pretend to like an action movie you thought was actually poorly produced. Or hide your love of things like poetry, or the “Real Housewives of Orange… -
Penetrable Happiness
24 Jan 2012 | 6:26 amOn an average day, the busyness is palpable. Hours are filled with obligations, to one party or another or your offspring. The sun rises and sets, and you try to get through it – from one point to another – while trying to find little moments of respite. You count the little victories, and if it’s a special day, you have to use two hands. Usually one will do. “The last year in the mountains new people came deep into our lives and nothing was ever the same again. The winter of the avalanches was like a happy and innocent winter in childhood compared to that winter and… -
Insta-Week
20 Jan 2012 | 6:12 amThe story behind this week’s photos: 1 & 4 - Winter has officially arrived in Chicago, but I’m not complaining since it was so mild up until now. Give me a few weeks… 2 & 5 - I picked up guitar last weekend again for the first time in a while. It felt good – although my fingertips were not happy with me. When Miles saw me doing it, he wanted to get out his little guitar that his grandparents gave him and play along with me. His imitating of me is always fun, but also kind of scary, since it’s only going to grow. 3 - Our new floor at Edelman continues… -
Pickin’ & Trimmin’
19 Jan 2012 | 5:48 amIf you don’t have yourself a barber, get one. I’m pretty loyal to mine. That’s one reason I love this video. The other is that it reminds me of people I grew up with. Plus it got nominated for an Emmy. Score. [via Devour] -
Wildlife
17 Jan 2012 | 6:21 amOne of the benefits of escaping big city life to visit my parents in Oklahoma is the wildlife. Adjacent to my hometown is a big refuge and mountain range, filled with buffalo, longhorns, and other endangered species. We also have a few friends with farms, so the last two holiday seasons we’ve taken Miles to see some horses. He’s going through a big animals phase right now. All of his favorite books to read are animal-related, and his favorite toys are little animal figurines. We try to satisfy his cravings for all-things wildlife here in Chicago to the best of our abilities, like…
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Daddy 365
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Griffin iMarker – Crayola ColorStudio HD for iPad
1 Jan 2012 | 10:57 pmFor Christmas our son received a Crayola ColorStudio Griffin iMarker pen to use with our iPad. This pen works with the Crayola ColorStudio iPad app and is basically a stylus that allows your child to color more naturally on an iPad versus just using your finger. The idea is great but the execution is rather poor, at least I was a little disappointed in how the pen works. When you turn the pen on there is a constant whirring sound that comes from the pen, at least you know bits and pieces inside the pen are working but when you actually use the pen on an iPad we ended up with mixed results. A… -
Learn How to Swaddle Your Baby
5 Mar 2011 | 3:43 pmIf you can wrap your own fajitas you’re already a step ahead in learning how to swaddle your baby. Swaddling is a comfort mechanism for your baby to feel secure, keep warm and it might give you some extra sleep time during the nights. Swaddling takes around 4 folds and wraps your baby up in a cocoon-like state. WIth our first child swaddling helped with naps but didn’t do anything in helping him asleep at night. With our second child, swaddling didn’t help at night since she had some Houdini-like moves in that she always managed to either kick her way free or would wiggle… -
Registering Your Child’s Name Online
21 Feb 2011 | 8:37 pmThere are several things I’ve done for my kids when they were born and each revolves around me being a web geek. I’ve only done three out of the four listed but each basically falls in the same category of acquiring and holding something for use by your child, when they come of age. Buy Your Child’s Domain Name Let’s be honest, almost everyone nowadays has some sort of online presence. In 20 years this number will have risen by an indefinite amount and by that time there’s a very good chance that your son or daughter will never be able to purchase their First… -
Baby First TV Mobile App
25 Jan 2011 | 11:10 pmWe used to subscribe to Baby First TV for our first child. It was a channel that was available via our Dish Network service at a premium price. We tried out the channel for some time and decided to keep it as it was good additional tool in helping to learn about animals, sounds, colors and ABCs. At the time the channel was relatively new so you would come across the same episodes from time to time but overall I think it helped to teach our son a few things. This past week I stumbled upon the Baby First TV Mobile iPhone app. The app gives you access to 12 different shows with 4 small clips of… -
Buy a Diaper Genie
18 Jan 2011 | 8:04 pmWhen we first went to Babies”R”Us I had no clue what a Diaper Genie was. When we left the store all I knew was that it would hold dirty diapers but it didn’t really make any sense since that’s what the garbage bin did. Once our little baby started to dish out the dirty diapers, it all made sense. You’d be surprised about how many dirty diapers a baby can produce in one day. Even more amazing is the color and smell that comes out of your child. Essentially a Diaper Genie holds and traps your dirty diapers in a waist high bullet-like container. The diapers go into…
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Short Order Dad
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How To Titillate Your Tuna
27 Jan 2012 | 11:17 amTuna. It conjures up any number of images. Doesn’t it? There’s the kind you eat raw at the sushi bar. Particularly sublime is the fatty variety that comes from the belly – the otoro. But you can feed a family of four for what a single piece of that costs. Then there’s seared tuna, nicely charred and peppery on the outside, often still pretty rare on the inside. “Black & blue” the chefs call it. Delightful. Of course the most popular is canned tuna, blended with mayo and whatever else, generally served in a sandwich or scooped over salad. This is the… -
Killer Cabbage Soup
16 Jan 2012 | 5:46 pmCabbage Soup is not a sexy name. It just isn’t. But something about the recipe struck me, as did the fact that it came from one of the country’s great Italian chefs, Cesare Casella, via famed restaurant critic Gael Greene. As they say, all good. So I shopped it, and made it. Even better. A glorious tasting construction, loaded with flavor, and super healthy. Can that be? Yes. It’ll take you a good half hour to construct, but my vote is yes. Do it! Recipe is here. [I added crushed garlic, btw.] It's good. -
Potato Latkes – Two Ways
20 Dec 2011 | 3:44 pmPotato pancakes, known as “latkes“, are one of the world’s great eating pleasures. They are not too complicated to make either. You can watch this short Video to see how my friend and master chef Bill Telepan makes them. OR, you can opt for the healthier option, as detailed by my friend Missy Chase Lapine, the NY Times bestselling author known as “The Sneaky Chef.” Either way, you’re in for a treat. Recipe here. By the way, apple sauce and sour cream are both commonly used accompaniments to enhance the latke eating experience. On the other hand, we dipped… -
Clams Portuguese Style
8 Dec 2011 | 4:56 pmThe beauty of clams is great flavor coupled with little fat, and they’re easy to make. This Portuguese recipe from Chef Franciso Rosa of Alfama (via The Village Voice) looks might fine to me. Double up the ingredients as necessary for more people. Serve with a crusty baguette and a young Portuguese wine (vinho verde.) Serves: 1 Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil 1 tablespoon diced garlic 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro 3 tablespoons dry white wine 15 littleneck clams, cleaned Lemon segments (to supreme the lemons, cut lengthwise, remove the peel, pith, and membranes and use only… -
Cool Gift Ideas
6 Dec 2011 | 3:11 pmSomething for everyone and almost all available online… Leather goods, wallets, flasks, etc. – LINK For globetrotters – LINK Slate cheese boards - LINK Subway “cuffs” – LINK Cool kitchen whisk - LINK For movie geeks – LINK General cool stuff -LINK For the girls – LINK Weird stuff - LINK Under $21 – LINK Custom Labeled Wines – LINK
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The Committed Parent
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Modeling The Uncommon Power of Intelligent Gossip
21 Jan 2012 | 9:56 pmI love gossip. And my best friends love it as well. I love watching Entertainment Tonight and Access Hollywood. I flip through all the gossip magazines at the grocery checkout, I keep up with the Kardashians; I felt excited when Beyoncé gave birth to Lucifer’s Daughter, and had a horse fly named after her all in the first month of this new year. And I was sad to hear about Kobe and Vanessa, and Will and Jada, and Heidi and Seal all biting the dust. As it is so skillful in doing, each of their Wild Storytelling Brains apparently successfully seduced them into believing their own… -
How Violence Begets Violence: Two Personal Recollections
14 Jan 2012 | 9:16 pmThere have only been two times in my adult life when I’ve been physically violent in the presence of women. I have never been deliberately violent with them, but I have been out-of-control angry in their presence. The first incident occurred in my early thirties, shortly after I discovered the woman I was in a long term committed relationship with in bed with another man. I’ve written here about that painful episode and the learning and healing I ultimately took away from it. Shortly after that discovery, not unexpectedly, Darika and I got into a seriously heated argument in my front… -
Correcting Attribution Errors of the Heart
7 Jan 2012 | 10:18 pmIt wasn’t until my early thirties, after my brain (according to neuroscientists) had supposedly maxed out its neuron count, that I met the first real love of my life, my soul mate, the woman I just knew would mother my children and I would be spending the rest of my life with. Every moment after meeting her was glorious. Big Magic flowed through every dimension of our lives. Miraculous healings took place; strangers smiled at me on the street; children crowded around us in the shopping malls; every song on the radio was “our song;” when I was away from her I could hear her heart… -
How to Child Abuse a 40 Year Old Mother
1 Jan 2012 | 6:06 amThis week’s piece comes from a very good friend of mine. She’s offered to share her story publicly for the first time, under a pseudonym for obvious reasons. I’m proud of her and inspired by her courage. May her story serve to hearten and help heal the more than 1 billion women on the planet who have suffered similarly … How to Child Abuse a 40 Year Old Mother by Jenny A. In the 1970’s, sexual abuse was not something people talked about much. Perhaps the subject occasionally crossed my parents’ minds, but not enough for them to stop me from playing at the house of… -
Six Challenges for Repairing Betrayals of Trust
24 Dec 2011 | 5:36 pmWhen my daughter was around two years old, her mother and I simultaneously surfaced the fear-based thought that it was time to wean her from her “pavrer,” her pacifier. We decided on a ritual to both mark and honor what we felt was a necessary transition (necessary for whom? for what?). So one summer Sunday we packed up the car and headed out to the beach. With us we brought a special dissoluble bottle and some paper and crayons. At the beach we explained that we were going to have a “Farewell Party” and that we would be saying goodbye to her pavrer. Amanda was really excited. She…
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Geekasms
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The Avengers New Roundup – Including New Hi-Res Stills and Twitter Campaign
27 Jan 2012 | 11:36 pmBefore we get to the new HQ stills from The Avengers, featuring Nick Fury’s eye patch and scar, there has been an official press release from Marvel Studios, announcing that they will be holding a Twitter Chat for The Avengers that will include Joss Whedon, Tom Hiddleston and Clark Gregg. On top of that, it will include a 10-second preview of the Super Bowl spot. Here is the full Press Release. Marvel Studios announced today that they will be sponsoring a Global Twitter Chat on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 2 pm ET/11 am PST with cast members and the director of their highly anticipated… -
Sony Goes Viral for The Amazing Spider-Man with The Untold Story
27 Jan 2012 | 11:15 pmSony Pictures has started up a small viral campaign for The Amazing Spider-Man, leading up to a sneak people on Monday, February 6th in selected cities. The campaign started in London with a somewhat new logo being projected on buildings giving the date of February 6th, and pointing to a web address. The URL for London is TheUntoldStoryBegins.co.uk and for the US its TheUntoldStoryBegins.com. Below is a screenshot of the site that loads, once you select your city (notice that the cities are global, including Rome and Tokyo) you’re taken to another site where you can register, for what… -
Another Death in The Walking Dead Foretold?
26 Jan 2012 | 11:03 pmCould another death be looming in the world of The Walking Dead? WARNING: Below could contain spoilers to not only The Walking Dead television show, but the comic book as well. You’ve been warned. It was reported this past weekend that Jon Bernthal, who plays Shane on the show, is in talks to star in L.A. Noir, a time period crime drama for TNT, which is being developed by Frank Darabont. For those not in the know, Frank Darabont was suddenly fired from The Walking Dead back last fall. Although the show has continued to separate itself from the comic book, Shane has way outlived is… -
The Walking Dead – New Midseason Trailer
26 Jan 2012 | 10:02 pmHave to say I’ve missed my zombie apocalypse, I was starting to have withdrawals. Lucky for me, AMC was feeling my pain and has been kind enough to release this midseason trailer for when the show returns on Sunday, Feb. 12. -
Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock Trailer
26 Jan 2012 | 12:27 amHere is your first trailer for Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock, introducing you to the villains of the game. While the graphics and side scrolling action might turn some off, you need to remember this is a downloadable game. In that sense, this looks like its going to rock! I’m just disappointed with the news coming out about the Vita, as I don’t own a PS3, looks like I’ll have to wait until this comes out on the PC later on. Related articles The first images from Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock (geekasms.com) Doctor Who: The Eternity Clock – The Game Franchise Begins Here…
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BecomingMortal
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Anticipation
2 Jan 2012 | 6:44 amWell another year behind, one more to look forward to, hoping it doesn’t end… err. So what was your New Year’s resolution? Mine from last year was to never make any more New Year’s resolution and I’m sticking to it (or would that be in a resolution itself, contradicting my previous resolution… my world might just implode…) It’s either the anticipation of the new year, or my boundless energy I seem to have as late, as I woke up bright and early at 4am. Judging from the absence of other tracks in the snow, I’m the only fool walking… -
Thanksgiving
24 Nov 2011 | 1:10 pmGetting ready to sit down with the family and celebrate… although that in itself is partly a contradiction. Thoughts go to what ifs and buts, but that doesn’t really help anyone, does it? So, fewer place settings. Less food to make. A little less quiet. A little more reflective. I’m still surrounded by my family, and those who love me. And really, that’s all that matters. I hope G is having his fill today… Vis ta vie, elle est si belle Vis ta vie, c’est la tienne Vis ta vie, sans mensonge Vis ta vie, comme tu veux For now, we celebrate. -
Curious morning
20 Nov 2011 | 6:16 am…that it has been. Woke up just a few minutes ago from a dream, with such a sense of euphoria. Senses of love, hope and promise that I may have recently forgotten. It is, a welcomed changed from the moody dreams as of late that I have been having. In fact, I can’t remember the last time my dream wasn’t in darkness. The watch tells me I was only asleep for a mere three hours…. Liar. What is time in a dream? It felt like a whole lifetime went by. I now only have fading glimpses of faces… sensations… nostalgia that will be gone once the day is fully… -
Love & Hate
6 Nov 2011 | 9:23 amSo I’ve found myself smoking more these past few weeks. I decided to change brands, turn the activity into something less desirable. I’ve had problems with the patch before, and meds are quite costly. With development of the next project, I can only sense how much more stressful things will get (and how much worse my habit will become). Perhaps it will be easier to quit if I don’t enjoy it as much. I wonder if this is the same path people take when they decide to break up. Hmm. -
Onward
6 Nov 2011 | 8:38 amSo I’ve been debating what to do with this blog… With G returning a couple of months from now, I can take a short hiatus. It’s been suggested that I make the blog more about “me” and my life, talk about relationships, talk this, that… In the end, I’ll let it take on its own life, like I do with most things. Watch it grow. Hopefully for the stronger. It’s odd, but many people I know, seem to have succumb to breakups recently. Even celebrities for that matter. In that sense, I feel some odd contradictory sense of security. In other…
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The DAD-vocate Project
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The DADvocate Cigar Review – Padron 1964 Anniversary Series No 653274
14 Jan 2012 | 9:18 amIt was a beautiful night here in Ga to continue The DADvocate Cigar Review. If you remember last week I smoked the Alec Bradley Prensado and really enjoyed Cigar Aficionado’s cigar of the year for 2011. Tonight while beautiful was quite cold and I thought about forgoing the cigar, but it’s been a long week with little sleep, lots of work, and my wife has been sick all week to top it off and I needed a little vacation so I decided to pick up a cigar I had smoked before and remember really enjoying. It also happens to be #5 on Cigar Aficionado’s top 25 list of 2011. -
The DADvocate Cigar Review – Alec Bradley Prensado
6 Jan 2012 | 11:28 pmI enjoy smoking a good cigar. This past year I’ve started to pay more attention to the types, variety and flavors of cigars. Last week on New Year’s Eve I smoked a Macanudo for the first time in quite a while and was surprised by how my pallet had changed from when I first started smoking cigars. I told my friend whom I was hanging out with that I would try and educate him a bit about cigars, since he is always schooling me on bourbons. We agreed that I would bring him one to two Cigars a month to try and I decided that I would review the cigars first. Tonight I smoked my first… -
2010 -2011 DADvocate Project Survey Results – Who are Today’s DADvocate Part 1
28 Dec 2011 | 1:21 pmThe questions on the DADvocate survey looked at how dads spend their time, how they are involved with their family, significant other and children, how they spend time in the community, what are their physical and religious commitments, do they do the household budgeting and how much do they spend. All these questions and many more are answered in the following statistics and this chapter provides an overview of today’s DADvocate Revolutionary. Profile The average age of the DADvocate Revolutionary is 39.2. 52% of DADvocates have used drugs but 75% do not have a tattoo. 63% of dads do… -
DADvocate Project Results
6 Dec 2011 | 10:07 amAbout the Revolution: How do you know a revolution is happening? All revolutions start with a movement. The movement is Dad bloggers. It’s interesting to see comments on dad blogs talking about the revolution in Fatherhood. You occasionally will see a guy pop in and say why don’t you just shut-up and do your job as a father like all of us have done before you or something of that nature. That guy is right about one thing Fathers have been doing this job since the beginning of the animal kingdom. What that guy is missing is an understanding of the value of sharing the stories of… -
Samsung Galaxy Tablet Review
16 Nov 2011 | 10:57 pmNote to reader: I’m wrote most of this post on my iPad 1 running iOS 4 and I have iOS 5 on my phone I also use iMac’s in the house. We recently received the Samsung Galaxy 7 inch tablet. This was purchased for my daughter instead of an iTouch since it is bigger and easier to see than an iTouch is. Here is a brief review of the tablet from my perspective. Things I love about the galaxy tablet 7 inch. 1) It’s size – 7 inches is great for a portable tablet. It is easy to see and I personally like the fact that I can hold it in one hand. If i’m give the choice in…
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DaddybyDefault.com - A Dad Blog with articles, apps for kids, videos, and humor
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Five Tips for Going Back to School as a Parent
25 Jan 2012 | 2:15 pmThis is a guest post from Lori Hutchison, who teaches high school English and owns the site Masters in Teaching. In her spare time, she enjoys writing on various topics of interest; especially teaching! It’s a common thing these days; more people than ever are taking classes while also taking care of their children. Going to school is not easy, and doing it as a parent is even more difficult. Still, if you have your sights set on that dream job which required more schooling, nothing should impede you from obtaining that goal. Let’s face it, though. Back-to-school parents are not typical… -
Introduce Your Kids To Sports by Watching Television?
19 Jan 2012 | 9:53 pmLike most guys, I love sports. Like most guys who love sports and who are also parents, I hope my child takes an interest in, and one day appreciates, sports as much as I do. I’m not one of those dads who will insist my daughter play a sport, let alone that she play the same sport I did. Of course, in my case that would be tough. I wrestled in high school and college, and while that sport is available for women, I would not wish that path for her. My wife, on the other hand, swam in both high school and college, and all early indications from my daughter show an affinity toward the… -
Go Politico With Google Elections
9 Jan 2012 | 8:08 amSome say it’s too early to start thinking about politics and the upcoming 2012 election, and others say it’s never too soon to get involved. No matter when you choose to do your civic duty, you can rest assured Google will have you covered with the newly launched Google Elections. Support him or not, you have to agree that President Obama’s 2008 grass roots organization redefined the way political campaigns look and operate. They didn’t rely on stodgy old political tools or gimmicks for fundraising, advertising, or volunteer coordination. They ran a tigh ship geared… -
3 Simple Rules to Live by in 2012
6 Jan 2012 | 10:04 amDon’t you just get tired hearing about your coworkers New Years resolutions? Do you actually know anyone who sticks to the promises they make to themselves with the turn of each new January calendar page? I don’t. In my experience, New Years resolutions are just about as realistic as the diet we all plan to start…tomorrow, or the deck us dads plan to build off the back of our house…when the weather gets nice. It’s all a load of crap and you know it, because at one time or another we’ve all said those same words, and we didn’t even believe them when… -
It Snowed – Christmas CD Review and Giveaway
16 Dec 2011 | 12:47 pmIf you read my last post, you know how crazy I am about Christmas music – and that’s why I’m so excited about this post., which is a long one, but totally worth it. First, I’m going to review a brand new Christmas CD from an amazing musical talent, Meaghan Smith. And then, I’m going to give away two copies of that CD – just in time for Christmas festivities. If you want to skip the editorial you can go directly to The Giveaway. I won’t think any less of you, but I will take you off my Christmas card list for next year. So there. The Background…
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The JackB
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The Best Way To Blog Is…Your Way
26 Jan 2012 | 9:54 pmlisten to ‘The Best Way To Blog Is…Your Way’ on Audioboo Related posts: When I AM King Of The World…. “Happy Flu” meme Woman Stuffs Snake Down Pants Related posts: When I AM King Of The World…. “Happy Flu” meme Woman Stuffs Snake Down Pants -
This Was Our Song
26 Jan 2012 | 7:06 pmI have that crazy feeling inside my head now. It is an itch I can’t scratch and an ache that won’t go away. It is you. You are to blame. You are thinking about me or thinking about us. Don’t know exactly what you are thinking. Can’t say whether it is positive or negative. Can’t... Related posts: When I AM King Of The World…. “Happy Flu” meme ONE LOVE – Song Around LA -
When I AM King Of The World….
26 Jan 2012 | 12:14 pmlisten to ‘When I AM King Of The World….’ on Audioboo Related posts: “Happy Flu” meme Woman Stuffs Snake Down Pants Pali MP Dahlan: Arafat Deceived World When Condemning Terror Related posts: “Happy Flu” meme Woman Stuffs Snake Down Pants Pali MP Dahlan: Arafat Deceived World When Condemning Terror -
Pray For Him
25 Jan 2012 | 5:14 pmShe looked at me with tears in her eyes and in a soft voice asked me what we were going to do. I kissed her and said that we weren’t going to do anything because there was no reason to be upset. Flames shot out of her nostrils and lightning burst from her fingertips. I... Related posts: Why Do You Pray Pray To Gods- Wiccan Wins -
What Songs Inspire You?
25 Jan 2012 | 1:59 pmHere are some of the songs that I use to inspire and motivate me to keep writing. There isn’t any particular order here, just sort of including them as I find them. It is a partial list. I may adjust it later or I might not. Related posts: “Happy Flu” meme Sunday Songs Some Songs... Related posts: “Happy Flu” meme Sunday Songs Some Songs That I Have Been Thinking About
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A Family Runs Through It
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When the Kids are Asleep
25 Jan 2012 | 12:44 amShhh. Do you hear that? It’s a quiet house. Teeth have been brushed, books have been read, glasses of water have been requested. And now the kids are finally asleep! Which means it’s time for the parents to sneak away for a little adult fun. You know what I’m talking about. Breaking Bad, The Walking Dead, Dexter, Homeland, Spartacus. The kind of TV shows you told your kids they couldn’t watch until they’re 35. They are some of the best series on TV right now, and they are definitely not for children. Speaking of Spartacus, the second season of this Starz series… -
Big Decision
20 Jan 2012 | 4:15 amWe’ve been homeschoolers for over five years now. It seems like forever, and I can barely even remember when my kids were in a brick and mortar school. My kids have thrived at home, learning and growing at a rate beyond my expectations. It’s a real pleasure, and kind of fun as well, to guide them through the education they’ll need to find success as adults. And yet, despite all of that, I’ve never truly accepted the idea of homeschooling. Not completely, anyway. I left the door open. The possibility of my kids returning to public school was always there. For years,… -
Warming Up with Subway
13 Jan 2012 | 4:22 amEver since a new Subway opened up just down the street from our house, my kids have been asking for that when we need a break from the usual lunchtime PB&Js or mac ‘n’ cheese. Fast food, to my kids, is no longer defined as burgers and fries. And thank goodness for that. They are perfectly happy with a turkey sub on whole wheat bread, stuffed with spinach, tomatoes, and olives. A much healthier alternative. I’ve never had a bad meal at Subway. Whether it was a Chicken Teriyaki picked up in Forks, Washington, or a Spicy Italian that filled my famished tummy in Carlisle,… -
Saying Goodbye
4 Jan 2012 | 3:42 amBasil, 1996-2011 Three months ago I wrote about our old cat, Basil, and his paralyzed back legs. He had made an amazing comeback, but never regained control of his bowels and bladder. Just before New Year’s, his condition was worsening, so we made the very tough decision to say goodbye to him. It’s the end of an era for me. Sixteen years ago, my wife and I adopted two kittens from the local shelter. Basil was mine. We didn’t have kids yet, so he was sort of my practice son. Version 1.0, you could say. Two years later we would welcome my son into the world, but Basil never… -
Love/Hate Christmas
22 Dec 2011 | 1:20 amI love setting up the Christmas tree, lights, and assorted decorations. I hate taking them down just because they never seem to fit back in the boxes I took them out of! I love looking out at the snow. I hate driving in the snow. I love giving fun toys and games to my kids. I hate that nobody ever gives ME fun toys and games anymore. I love listening to Christmas music. I hate listening to Christmas music, ’round about midnight of December 25th. I love the looks on my kids’ faces when they open their presents. I hate having to figure out where to put all this new stuff they’re getting.
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The Daddy Files » The Daddy Files-
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Explaining Death to Your Kids
24 Jan 2012 | 9:08 pmThe Daddy Files household lost one of its own this week. Red Death was our betta fish MJ brought home this summer. Will had been asking for a fish for awhile and MJ finally caved. His name—now eerily apropos—is from the movie How to Train Your Dragon because Will loves the mean dragon at the end named, wait for it, Red Death. He had a bowl, some glass marble thingies, a fake plant and a little ship. Other than that I didn’t know much about him. He was fairly quiet and we stayed out of each other’s way. But Will loved him. Once he got past the stage of wanting to… -
I Am an Overbearing Sports Parent
19 Jan 2012 | 8:51 amIt was a little slip of paper tucked in amongst some other stuff Will brought home from preschool. Truth be told, I almost missed it entirely. But when my eyes scanned the words on the page, I was suddenly flooded with tidal waves of excitement. And trepidation. Followed by shame for acts I haven’t even committed yet. “Four-Year-Old Wiffleball Sign-Ups” There’s a league for 4-year-olds that starts in April and runs to the end of May. Every Saturday Will is going to play Wiffleball with a bunch of other kids and learn the fundamentals of the game. Well, technically… -
Dinner is Ruined
16 Jan 2012 | 9:47 pmKids make a lot of things really great. Will has blessed us in so many ways I could never list them all here. Kids really are the best and I’m so lucky to have him. But kids also wreck some shit you used to really like. MJ and I celebrated our sixth wedding anniversary on Friday night. My parents volunteered to watch Will which meant we had a night all to ourselves. And we planned to spend it doing the things we loved to do before kids—the old dinner & a movie. Our dinner reservations were at a very upscale restaurant for 7:30 p.m., followed by a 9:40 p.m. showing of Sherlock… -
Droid Razr by Motorola is the Best Phone I’ve Ever Owned
10 Jan 2012 | 9:38 pmYeah. The title of this post says it all. The Droid Razr by Motorola is hands-down, beyond a shadow of a doubt, the best phone I’ve ever owned. And it’s not even close. Motorola tapped me to become a Motorola Insider a couple of months ago and gave me a Razr shortly after it came out. I have to admit, my technological knowledge is pretty sparse. Which is why I was snickering to myself that Motorola was giving a free phone to a person who can barely manage to set his phone to vibrate. Which is exactly why I’m not going to drone on and on about the Razr’s lightning fast… -
“Daddy, Why Do You Have to Go to Work?”
4 Jan 2012 | 9:34 pm“Dada, I don’t want you to go back to work. I want you to be here with me.” That’s what Will said to me last week in the middle of a rare 11-day vacation during which I got to spend a bunch of time with him. It was really fun being there when he wakes up in the morning, cuddling with him, sleeping in and then watching movies and playing games all day. For more than a week we didn’t have a care in the world as we went out to breakfast, took the train into Boston and had ourselves a great time. But justifiably, a 3.5-year-old’s mind wants to know why it…
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CuteMonster.com
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CLICK, CLACK, MOO: Cows That Type
27 Jan 2012 | 2:02 pmReview of children's book CLICK, CLACK, MOO : Cows That Type. -
Dinosaur vs. The Potty
23 Jan 2012 | 9:34 amReview of children's book Dinosaur vs. The Potty by Bob Shea. -
Technology Changes but Capturing Memories Remains the Same
17 Jan 2012 | 10:20 amThe way we take family photos continues to change as time passes, but the value of capturing memories remains the same. -
Tray Chaney talks about Fatherhood
13 Jan 2012 | 9:58 amActor, author and Hip Hop artist Tray Chaney discusses the impact of his music video "Fatherhood". -
Wishing is for Suckers
9 Jan 2012 | 12:48 pmWhy teaching a child to make wishes may end up hurting him more than helping him.
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Mad Dadz Blog
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Lemmy
28 Jan 2012 | 12:59 amI’m not a big heavy metal fan. However, I am a fan of VH-1’s “Behind the Music” series as well as any other documentary which shows the drugs, crimes and illicit behavior of celebrities. If I can’t have their money or popularity, I at least want to know that they’re psychologically damaged and/or headed for [...] -
The Good Ol’ Days
27 Jan 2012 | 12:59 amDuring today’s 6 am walk with my dogs, my left hamstring exploded. Seriously, I thought Hiroshima was going off in my sweatpants. However, while that would normally provide grist for another blog about how old, fat and pathetic I am, I’m a little tired of whining about my present day self. So, for one day, [...] -
Lea’s New Book
25 Jan 2012 | 11:12 pmOK, look, I recognize that I’m a bitter, cynical monster whose lack of virtually any compassion or joy renders me more animal than human. Nevertheless, every once in a while, some little event with my kids triggers an iota of elation from deep within the recesses of my amygdala. Tonight, it happened again and left [...]
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Fashion Dad
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Smoothie Wednesdays – Week 3
26 Jan 2012 | 1:10 pmLast night I wrapped up week three of #SmoothieWednesdays and I have to say, my son Oliver is really getting into it! I can’t think of a better way to get a two and a half year old to eat spinach, can you? -
Lifetime Collective – Fall/Winter 2012
19 Jan 2012 | 1:13 pmI love Lifetime. Found mostly in smaller boutique stores, this little apparel company isn’t so little anymore! Check out this lovely video, shot on location in Iceland: The story takes place a thousand (or so) miles from home, in Iceland, land of the never-ending night sky. A couple searches for warmth and light on an endless journey through a city and it’s countryside. Driving tirelessly through darkness in search of perfect daylight, only to watch it fade to orange and slip away again. We searched and discovered new ways to befriend this wonderful place, danced blind and drunk… -
Smoothie Wednesdays
12 Jan 2012 | 5:18 pmSo, I’m not one for committing to New Year’s Resolutions that I know I’m not going to stick to. For example, I’m not going to begin a 2 week, smoothie-only diet because I know full well I won’t be able to do it. Do I have a defeatist attitude? No. I’m just plain realistic. This attitude however has sparked an easy diet challenge that I’m going to follow for 10 weeks so that I can get used to smoothies for actual meals. The challenge? 10 weeks, every Wednesday night, blend my own smoothie and call that dinner. Smoothie Wednesdays from Eric Burgess on… -
Fashion Dad’s Top 10 New Year’s Fashion Resolutions
4 Jan 2012 | 12:26 pmResearch shows that only 12% of those who make New Year’s Resolutions actually achieve their goals (Wikipedia). That’spretty crazy when you think about it, I mean, why even bother setting out to loose that weight or work out more when you likely won’t be still working towards those goals in February? Well men, I have another set of New Year’s Resolutions for you all to set and agree to for 2012. Call it a fashion resolution. Trust me guys- it’s a good list. Your wife or girlfriend will definitely be stoked. 1. Clean out the closet Anything you haven’t worn in the past year, needs… -
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
25 Dec 2011 | 1:42 pmMerry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone. Just a quick post here to wish everyone the best in 2012! I’ve got a ton of content ideas for the coming year to keep you all engaged on Fashion Dad.
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Daddy on the Edge
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Daddy on the Edge of a Tagalong
22 Jan 2012 | 9:13 amHappy New Year! Have a cookie.I know, I know - lots of people make New Years Resolutions to lose weight, and my demand that you eat more cookies surely flies in the face of that...but you must. You simply must. Not just any cookies, mind you - I'm asking that you consume mass quantities of Girl Scout Cookies. Why?Because there's a terribly misguided little girl in California who wants you to boycott Girl Scout cookies. She wants you to punish the organization for trying to be progressive, for trying to be fair - she wants to hurt The Girl Scouts for acknowledging and accepting that girls come… -
Daddy on the Edge of the End of Bliss
7 Dec 2011 | 4:00 pmI knew someone, years back, that wouldn't watch Braveheart. Too much violence. There were a whole host of movies - great movies, epic films, that were never to be viewed in her presence... because people got hurt in them. It upset her tender sensibilities to be exposed to such brutality, so she chose the path of blissful ignorance; the art of happily willful unknowing. Barbara Bush, former first lady, said of her sons impending war in Iraq; "But why should we hear about body bags and deaths, and how many, what day it's gonna happen, and how many this or that or what do you suppose? Or, I… -
Transgender Day of Remembrance - 2011
20 Nov 2011 | 11:00 amNovember 20th, 2011 marks the 13th Annual Transgender Day of Remembrance. For those that are not familiar, this is the day when people worldwide take a moment to remember their transgendered brothers and sisters, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, lovers and friends whose lives have been suddenly terminated through acts of violence.Watch;The following was not written by me. It was written by a transgendered person who needs to be heard; who needs to be acknowledged. A person who is not wrong, but is instead all too right. Please...read on;clamavi ad teWritten by little light"Nearly half… -
Daddy on the Edge of Celluloid Heroes
5 Nov 2011 | 10:59 pmIt's the movies that have really been running things in America ever since they were invented. They show you what to do, how to do it, when to do it, how to feel about it, and how to look how you feel about it. ~Andy WarholIn the film "Grand Canyon", Steve Martin says to Kevin Kline; “That’s part of your problem, you haven’t seen enough movies. All of life’s riddles are answered in the movies.”True Dat.They say that those who don't remember the past are doomed to repeat it. As we watch the world teeter over the third rail of a worldwide Depression, Daddy can't help but agree with… -
Daddy on the Edge of "Like"
25 Sep 2011 | 9:09 amOkay, this will have to be a quick post. Daddy has decreed that the bedrooms of Daddy's daughters have reached Defcon 2 in terms of their complete disorganization and just plain mess, and therefore must be thoroughly sorted and sterilized. This means, of course, that the act of "helping them", my sudden damsels in distress, will take up most of my day, but I wanted to say something before I go, and that is this; The new facebook is not the Devil.Here are a few possible candidates for the devil;Any of these guys - you want to tell me they got triple 6's etched in their skulls, I'm with you. I…
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Fatherhood Channel
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The Priceless Gift of Fatherhood
1 Jan 2012 | 6:36 amWithout a doubt, the greatest gift of 2011 has been the gift of each other – loved ones who cheer, support, encourage, and bring out the best in each other through good times and challenging ones too. -
Rest in Peace, Milton Eisenberg
23 Dec 2011 | 5:18 amMilton Eisenberg, a highly respected Washington, D.C. attorney who helped build the litigation department for the Fried Frank law firm, died yesterday at his home in Washington, D.C. A son says goodbye to his father and longtime hopes for the conversations they never had. -
DelGandio to Lead Initiative for Veteran Families
6 Oct 2011 | 6:26 amLauren DelGandio will serve as Program Director for Operation Sacred Trust, OST, a $1 million grant project funded by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Supportive Services for Veteran Families Initiative, to help end homelessness among Veteran families in South Florida. -
New Paradigm Emerging for Helping Veterans Heal
4 Oct 2011 | 7:36 amStrong marriages and families may be the most effective tool for helping Veterans overcome visible and invisible wounds of war. The Veterans Administration is investing millions in new approaches that help loved ones help each other. -
Initiative Aims to End Homelessness for Veterans
4 Aug 2011 | 7:04 amFour of South Florida’s leading nonprofits with a long track record of service to Veterans were awarded $1 million by the Veterans Administration last week to implement “Operation Sacred Trust.” The initiative aims to provide a model of community collaboration, innovative services, and access to affordable housing to end homelessness among Veteran families.
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DadBlast
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My son can’t love me – when his Mom is around
7 Jan 2012 | 7:51 amGus can’t love us both at once. His squishy young brain isn’t wired that way. I’ve long accepted that his mom is the sun around which he orbits, as is the natural order of things. When I’m in the same room as Gus and my wife, I have to scrap for crumbs of my son’s attention. My wife leaves the room and Gus throws himself to the floor and wails as if informed that all the miniature cars and buses in the world had been destroyed by me. I grit my teeth and wait until Bixie comes back or Gus stops crying, whichever comes first. It’s not something I’m accustomed to: a human being… -
Working mother’s blues: guilt and a few guffaws
14 Dec 2011 | 5:52 amMy lovely bride wrote this post. Enjoy! These days, leaving the house for work makes me feel slightly schizophrenic, particularly on Mondays. The working mother’s blues. After a weekend of “togetherness” Gus, our 2 year old, has a *really* hard time accepting the fact that it’s Monday and I’m going off to work again. Monday mornings typically involve him sitting in his high chair and, over waffles, looking up at me and saying something like: “Mom is NOT going to work today. Right, Mom?” There’s not much worse than that – except for when I answer that I AM, in fact, going… -
Do you forget this?
27 Sep 2011 | 9:31 pmA little while back Gus, our two-year-old, was acting up worse than ever before. Tell him to do something and he’d first ignore it, then test you, and then completely lose his wits when you performed your parental duty and enforced your instructions. He was a red-faced, tear-streaked, stomping and wailing horror show to be around. Weekends were beginning to feel like we were trapped in the presence of a two-foot-tall heretic with curly hair and blood-like pasta sauce on its cheeks. You try to do what you can to remain calm in the face of an angry little creature, like walking out of the… -
When whispers are the loudest words.
31 Aug 2011 | 6:27 pmMy sweet bride takes the wheel for this post. Off she goes: The other night Parry put a fire in the fireplace after Ozzie went to bed. Gus, Parry and I just laid on the floor in front of the fire talking and playing. There were actually a few minutes of complete silence, which doesn’t come easy in our household these days – at least in the waking hours. When I told Gus it was time for bed he, predictably, started crying. We are on this kick where we ask him to “use his words”– so after he calmed down he said “Sit by the fire for two minutes with the mom?” Now, we all know I’m… -
Bats, bugs and boys. Life at the farmhouse.
11 Aug 2011 | 9:02 pmWe’re settling in. Tonight I hold Gus’ hand as we walk up to the tall picket fence at the back of the property. He’s barefoot, the ankle-deep summer grass sweet in the evening air. Gus knows about a pile of sticks off to the right, where the compost pile slowly digests the yard trimmings of seasons past. I know he’s going to ask about the sticks, so I tell him I want to see how fast he can run back toward the house. He takes off running, his arms flopping around in an uncoordinated fashion. He’s laughing, I’m laughing, and the comedy of the moment causes him to tumble into the…
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Daddy Dazed » Dad Blog Parenting Fatherhood
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Flying cars and Family cars
27 Jan 2012 | 10:14 amWhat ever happened to flying cars? When I was at school, I remember seeing pictures of the future and they always had flying cars in them. But where are they? All right I know we have got other things I could never dream of as a kid like mobile phones and the internet and endless animal videos on tap. But Its 2012, the future is now. So where are all the flying autos? Sometimes life can really disappoint. I mean we don’t even have ones that hover. Let alone whizz round the tops of skyscrapers. I Read more [...] -
Eye Candy for Pregnant Ladies
24 Jan 2012 | 5:19 amAs we all know, unless you are an expecting dad in which case you are about to find this out very soon, women go a bit weird when they are pregnant. To me these images perfectly sum up the pregnant woman condition. Created by a Canadian graphic designer and mother. She made them so that pregnant ladies could have their very own eye candy to look at. Read more [...] -
Baby M eats solids for the very first time
13 Jan 2012 | 10:46 amCan you remember the first time you ever ate solid food? The very first time you were introduced to a culinary world that consisted of something more than milk? As you were likely to have been under one years old at the time the answer is likely to be no, but i wonder when you did, whether you made a face like this? I'm not the kind of daddy blogger who posts endless pictures and videos of their kids, exclaiming how cute they are. But this video of my daughter trying to work out how to chew Read more [...] -
How much electricity does my baby consume?
12 Jan 2012 | 1:31 pmThis is a sponsored post on behalf of British Gas. How much does baby cost in electricity? This is the question I have been pondering this week. According to our British Gas electricity bill our usage has quadrupled in a year. We have a gas cooker and gas central hating. So the increase in electricity I reckon must be down to the washing machine and the extra washing of baby’s clothes. But can that really lead to a 4x increase? Wifey has another theory - she says it’s because I am working Read more [...] -
The Longest Day – Potty Training
10 Jan 2012 | 11:20 amFor years I’ve wanted a child. It took over 5 years and a lot of struggles and heartache to make our daughter. But on Saturday when wifey announced that she was going to a day spa and “don’t you remember you agreed to look after baby for the day”, my first reaction was fear, closely followed by horror. She told me weeks ago. I vaguely remember wifey saying she wanted a day off but I was watching football at the time and didn’t pay full attention. She is cunning one wifey. She Read more [...]
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DadRevolution
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Cutting Through the Cute
25 Jan 2012 | 7:15 amMy precious daughter has me wrapped so tight around her finger that it is absolutely ridiculous. I mean, cut off the circulation, makes your fingernail turn a funky purple/blue color before just dropping off like a melting icecicle. I’ve heard it said very often that most little girls become daddy’s girls. And that dads are just powerless against the awe that comes to them when becoming the dad of a daughter. I know, it’s such a sweet sentiment to adore my daughter so much that I have gone to work with painted toenails (pink and green) because we had to paint daddy’s… -
Why Do They Like Me?
23 Jan 2012 | 6:25 pmThere are times when I honestly can’t figure out why my kids like me. Sometimes, when I reflect back on the day, it seems like all I did was tell them what to do and then punish them if it wasn’t done. When I try to look at myself through their eyes, all I see is a 15 foot tall, yelling monster. When I think about that, it’s impossible to like myself, much less see how anyone else could. I hate punishing the kids, but I don’t shy away from it. I would love to be their best friend. Since I’m in the Navy and tend to spend large chunks of time away from home, I… -
Luckiest Man Alive
17 Jan 2012 | 2:18 pmAs I have said before, I am finding out quickly that being a stay at home parent is not as easy as it had seemed before I started spending more time at home. There is so much than can happen in the course of one day, and very rarely will a day go the way I hope it will. Sure, we plan out a nice evening walk before bath and bedtime. But we don’t plan the trip off of the curb, the busted knee, the sudden rain, or running from the homeless dog. We plan to have a bed jumping competition, but we don’t plan on the tantrum that ends the competition before it even begins. I plan to get… -
Let the Kids Help
10 Jan 2012 | 12:16 pmMy biggest shortcoming as a Naval officer is definitely my ability (or lack thereof) to delegate. I would much rather just do the job myself and make sure it’s done correctly than take the time to train someone else and then check their work afterwards. This is something that I try to work on, but (as with anything worth doing), it’s not easy. As I gain rank and responsibility, however, it’s going to become critical for my sanity. I sincerely wished that this fault only extended towards my career. Unfortunately, it seems to apply to the kids as well. If I can get the dishes… -
One day, there will be no surprises.
6 Jan 2012 | 10:17 pmIt happens almost every single day. I even ask them, just to double check and possibly prevent it from happening. The kids disappear for awhile, sometimes announcing what they are doing, sometimes secretly and privately. They are only off of the grid for a minute, before Marley asks for a book and a cover, or Gavin just yells throughout the house what his status is. That’s right, it’s potty time. Not just any potty time, but good-ol, hunkered down, gonna be here a minute potty time. That’s not what gets me. I understand the digestive system very well. I have changed hundreds…
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About.com Fatherhood
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The Promise of Wholeness
26 Jan 2012 | 10:18 amThe last of the four promises of successful fathers series is about the promise of wholeness. Wholeness is about taking the time and effort to be the best man you can and bringing that to the role of fatherhood. It is about being a complete and balanced man with emotional, spiritual, physical and mental strength. And it is all about bringing all you are and have to your family....Read Full Post -
The Promise of Loyalty
24 Jan 2012 | 2:10 amMy continuing series about the promises made and kept by successful fathers offers the next installment. This one deals with the promise of loyalty. Perhaps there is no action more devastating to any relationship than disloyalty. Marriages and families are devastated by infidelity and organizations can be rocked to their core by employees who engage in sabotage or divulge confidences or sell trade secrets. A father who is loyal to his partner, to his children and to his principles is a father who has a good foundation for success....Read Full Post -
About.com Readers' Choice Awards
22 Jan 2012 | 2:03 amEvery year, About.com has a Readers' Choice Awards program that recognizes winners in various categories. This year, we are offering three Readers' Choice Award categories for the Fatherhood site. These include:...Read Full Post -
The Promise to Love
20 Jan 2012 | 12:30 amThe second in my series on the promises made by effective fathers is about love. It is kind of an overwhelming feeling when a dad first holds his own child in his arms. It seems that emotions like awe, responsibility, fear and love are all rolled up into one. And yet at times, the promise we make at that special moment to love this child always can be tough to keep when there are sleepless nights, discipline issues, and other challenges in parenting. But keeping the promise we make to love is one of the most important things a father can do....Read Full Post -
Courageous Out on DVD
16 Jan 2012 | 12:22 pmLast week, one of my favorite fatherhood movies ever, Courageous, was released on DVD and BluRay. This film debuted in theaters in the Fall of 2011 and was a real hit....Read Full Post
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Digital Dads
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Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Pro Bowl = Lame
26 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amThe pro bowl, who cares?I always have trouble filling this space in the week before the Superbowl. Recently though, the NFL moved the Pro Bowl from the week after the Superbowl (where no one gave a shit about it) to the week before the Superbowl (where no one gives a shit about it). First off, the Pro Bowl selections are made before the season is even over. What the fuck is up with that? The best players haven’t even had a full season to shine? That just proves that it’s nothing more than a bullshit popularity contest. Then, consider that many players that deserve to be in the Pro… -
Reviewing the Nissan Quest
23 Jan 2012 | 12:35 pmIf you remember, last month just before the holidays I mentioned that I was taking part in a review of a Nissan Quest. We had the car for the last two weeks of the year and I used it for pretty much of all of my driving during that time. We even used it to drive up to my parents house on Christmas day with the kids, dog and everything else so that we could fully give it a test drive. It is a great minivan for sure. We forgot how much room you actually get in a car of this size. If you have kids and need a lot of room you can’t go wrong with a minivan. We had one for a number of years,… -
What Paula Dean Did Wrong: Feeding America A Line of Bull
20 Jan 2012 | 8:12 amPaula Deen is a hero to millions. With restaurants, books, magazines, TV shows and more, Deen is both an icon and an industry. So many people really seem to love her, understandably. She is lively, gregarious, charming and fun. And she cooks the kind of Southern fried favorites that people dream of, doing it with joy in her heart. But hers is also the kind of food that can bring you some trouble over the long term if you eat too much of it too often. As evidenced now by Paula Deen herself. Hey, I like fried chicken as much as the next guy, but I don’t make a steady diet of it. So when… -
Digital Dads NFL Pre-Game: Championship Weekend
19 Jan 2012 | 8:00 amNiners vs. Giants. Should be a new classic. I’m not going to bore you with mindless statistics and blather. The fact is that last week was a tough week to pick and statistics did not lie. 75% of the home teams won, but not the 75% I picked. By the time the Giants v Packers game started, three home teams had won. So I loudly declared to pretty much one person that the Giants were going to win the game. They did, and the Packers, who had a monumental season all for naught, are done. Now we have four teams left and picking the winners is toughest it’s been all season. That being… -
ableGiving – A Promotion to Help Massachusetts Nonprofits
17 Jan 2012 | 1:04 pmNonprofits are always looking for more money. It is a constant struggle to raise the money they need to stay in business. I’m on a board of a couple of organizations so I know about this struggle first hand. At the end of the year, we all see tons of asks for money. It is good for the charities because everyone is in a giving spirit and it is good for the individual because donating gives you a tax write off. It is a win win situation. But, this also means that January is the hardest month on nonprofits as giving dives to a yearly low as people dig out from holiday shopping debt.
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Memoirs of a Single Dad
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Calling All Eligible Bachelors – Casting Call for “The One” on NBC
27 Jan 2012 | 7:00 amI receive some very interesting emails because of my site. Sometimes, by ‘interesting’ I mean crazy, but in this case I genuinely mean INTERESTING. I checked my email late last week and I had an inquiry from a casting agent from Los Angeles by the name of Sara. At first glance, I figured, “Yeah right, [...] -
Budget Travel for the Single Parent
26 Jan 2012 | 7:00 amIt’s no secret that being a single mom is hard work – basically a full-time job in addition to my job as a nutritionist and personal trainer. That’s why it’s important for me to set aside time for relaxation so that I can avoid getting caught up in the grind of life. I try to [...] -
A Memoirs Dating Game – Share YOUR Best (or Worst) Date Story for a Chance at Over $500 in Prizes!
25 Jan 2012 | 6:00 amLove is in the air in February and some extra bling could be in YOUR pocket! Memoirs of a Single Dad is hosting our second-ever contest. We all know February is the month of love – you know, with Valentine’s Day and all. What better month to host a contest about love, dating and relationships [...] -
Dear PR Professional Type Person: Write Better Emails Love, Bloggers
23 Jan 2012 | 9:00 amBack in August of 2011, I wrote a post titled, Bloggers and PR Requests – The Good, Bad & Annoying. At the time, I was frustrated with all of the absolute garbage Email I was receiving from PR firms. These PR professionals didn’t seem to be conducting themselves professionally, and if you read the comments [...] -
Memoirs of a Dating Dad Book Signed Copies Now Available
22 Jan 2012 | 7:00 amHey everyone – I hope you’re having a good week so far! I just wanted to let everyone know that I’m now offering limited edition signed copies of the book Memoirs of a Dating Dad for purchase directly from this site. The book will be shipped to me, I’ll sign it and include a nice [...]
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An Ordinary Dad
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Saturday Trains
26 Jan 2012 | 10:48 pmI spent Saturday morning on the floor. Erica and Ella were out together which left just us boys at home. My two year and five month old boy played quietly in the living room while I relaxed at the dining room table with my coffee and the day’s news. I couldn’t see him around the corner, but I heard the gentle rattle of his trains and the rhythmic clickety-clack they made as he rolled them back and forth across the wood floor. He was so quiet, I almost felt guilty, like he was all alone and bored, but I knew that was just the way he liked to be. He spends hours playing… -
The Family I’ve Always Wanted
5 Jan 2012 | 11:11 pmWhat kind of family do I want to have? Don’t we as parents dream of having a family that is always close? The kind of close that makes the millions of miles that may separate us insignificant? It’s the family we all want to be. When the kids are all grown up and out of the house, we want get togethers to be spontaneous and fun. We want our children to laugh together around the dinner table while we can hear the grandkids being silly in the other room. We want conversations that last into the night about faith and love and what this life is all about. Don’t we all…
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How To Be A Dad
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Your Heart Will Throw up in Your Brain
27 Jan 2012 | 3:35 amSometimes things are captured on video that make your heart throw up inside your brain. It makes you wonder how humanity has survived as long as it has. We posted this to our Facebook Page the other day, thinking people would be screaming, “what horrible parents that kid must have.” And then the comments took some interesting turns. We know people lose track of their kids. We know there isn’t such a thing as perfect parenting. But allowing your kid to almost ride the escalator in the sky? Then, deep down or plain as day, we all know we’ve failed or at least rubbed… -
Breastfeeding: Suck It
26 Jan 2012 | 2:10 amThere has been a lot of controversy around breastfeeding lately. Retail stores have told people they couldn’t do it within their walls. Formula companies implied that formula was a better route. It’s like breastfeeding is being silently marketed as obscene or something. With all the swirling hatred on the topic, I thought my son and I should share our thoughts… BREASTFEEDING: GOT A PROBLEM? SUCK IT. For those who have trouble producing milk or choose not to breastfeed, this isn’t directed at you. This is for the idiots who have a “problem” with… -
My Wife Just Said… #44
25 Jan 2012 | 2:05 am“I’m going to go change my tampon and then I’ll feel a bit better about life.” -Avara -
Facebook Fist Bump (FBFB)
24 Jan 2012 | 2:15 amYou may feel foolish at first, but you’ll probably smile or burst out laughing. You’ll see. YOU’RE FIST BUMPING US (or each other) THROUGH THE INTERNET! And we think that’s almost as rad as teleportation. Except not as useful, probably. The Fist Bump Click to enlarge It’s easy. The FBFB can be done on any screen, so you really don’t have any excuse not do it! (But be gentle!) Whatever your thoughts are about this interactive gesture, it’s undeniable that it’s here to stay. Until it gets old and dated and is then replaced with something… -
Gimme My Boobies Back!
23 Jan 2012 | 2:27 amThe Boob Decision Moms tend to be beautiful, near-magical creatures. But when it comes down to a heated breastfeeding debate, sometimes we’re left with just the creature part. But this isn’t about that, we’ll leave that one to better writers who are actually women. Mothering.com ran a design contest for a universally recognizable symbol for breastfeeding to replace the controversial icon of a bottle. Above is the winning design in use, plus some funny submissions. Click to enlarge. The Promise Pregnant with Lucas, Lizzie decided she was going to “give him the…
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The Dad Thing
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How a really bad day gave me hope for a better world
18 Jan 2012 | 1:10 pmMonday, as a few of you read, I was pretty down on this state as a whole. I was reminded of every reason I wanted to leave this state. Which for the record is a fairly extensive list. Then yesterday I was reminded of one of the things that makes this area great. Don’t get me wrong, yesterday was a bad day. It was a bad day on top of a bad week on top of a bad month. In fact I pretty much hate 2012 so far, I do not think I’ve seen one thing go right. So I needed a little unexpected pick me up. I was on my way to a meeting and as soon as I turned on Cantrell I heard a small pop. -
I am a bad parent
17 Jan 2012 | 10:00 amIt was inevitable. With all of the moving and bouncing around the girl does it was only a matter of time before she hit something. I was just desperately hoping it was not on my watch that she did it. There have been a few times when she has fallen back too hard and bumped the back of her head or rolled off the side of something. Those mostly startle her more than anything. There was this one incident with her crawling off the edge of the bed while the Mom was suppose to be watching her, but I am not allowed to talk about that or I give up the rights to actually sleep in said bed. This one… -
Why this is not the world I want my daughter to know
16 Jan 2012 | 3:50 pmToday was a day, like many days here lately, I had just one blog post in mind. I sat down and posted a blog post that I wrote last night and decided to write my typical dry humor account of something that happen last night shortly after that post was written. This is not that post. I assure you there is no humor to the following words. As I was relaxing with the house to myself all day, something that has not happen in quite a while, I stumbled across something that made me sick at my stomach. A local television station, KATV, posted the question on their facebook page “What does Dr. Martin… -
A little less pink in my life
16 Jan 2012 | 9:30 amI am certainly not the one to start any interior decorating or remodling blog. I’ll return to my normal absurdness and cute daughter posting after this brief intermission. But I am sort of proud of my new bathroom. Mostly because it does not look like a Pepto Bismol bottle threw up all over it. Several months back I introduced you all to Little Rock’s ugliest bathroom. That bathroom is no more thank goodness. This weekend we were able to put the finishing touches on the new bathroom. I know several of you have asked, and no I did not do the work myself. It was way beyond my handy… -
Why I beat my wife
13 Jan 2012 | 3:06 pmNow most of the time I am a fairly passive guy. My girls do pretty much whatever they want within reason. I am outnumbered now, so it really is just easier that way. They control the temperature, television, meals, bed times and a whole list of other things. Occasionally however things get a little out of hand. When that happens the only real option is to beat my wife. Now I am not one of those guys who take pride in beating my wife. It is a necessary evil. Some guys like to come home every night and beat their wives. That is a little out of control and they should get that checked out with a…
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DadsOnTech
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Waiting for the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920
27 Jan 2012 | 8:26 amA few days ago Zev Green tells me about this new webcam that we must review on DadsOnTech. I took a quick look at it and said, “So let’s get a review unit from Logitech.” The company was more than happy to send over the Logitech HD Pro Webcam C920. Here are some specs: Carl Zeiss lens with autofocus (makers of NASA lenses) Full HD video (records full-HD 1080p) Stereo audio (dual mics) Logitech Fluid Crystal Technology (smoother video motion) The World Wide Web is allowing us to — quickly and easily — stay connected with loved ones. The popularity of services… -
Getting Ready for Our Test Drive of the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox
26 Jan 2012 | 12:57 pmSo I am a little over 2 weeks away from test driving the 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. I was just contacted by Chevrolet to confirm delivery — yep I am all set. So what will I do when I get the Equinox, you ask? Well, what I normally do is go on a road trip with the family. Last year when I reviewed OnStar’s FMV (For My Vehicle) we headed up to Sleepy Hollow. The trip was fun and the FMV did a rather nice job in getting us around. So I have been speaking to my wife and we are just trying to narrow it down. I am excited to take the Equinox for a ride. The crossover looks very nice… -
NFL Super Bowl XLVI to Stream Live via Verizon
24 Jan 2012 | 7:55 amUnfortunately, I am not a big football fan. I mean, I will watch a game if there is nothing else better to watch. Yep, I know I am in the minority, on this one. But I do have a bit of exciting news to share about football – Super Bowl XLVI will be streamed live. Yes, you read that correctly — for the first time ever the Super Bowl will be streamed live. Unfortunately, the streaming content will not be available to just anyone — only to smartphones on the Verizon Wireless network. To have access to Super Bowl XLVI you must download the Verizon NFL Mobile app. I am told… -
Reviewing the iPhone App, Photo Ninja
20 Jan 2012 | 2:10 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=76EZWp58cIs Zev and I are talking about the PhotoNinja iOS app. This is simply a family friendly – party friendly app. It’s costs only a few bucks you should check it out. Price: $.99 ESRB/iTunes Rating: +4 iTunes: No additional information from ESRB: EC (Early Childhood) …have content that may be suitable for ages 3 and older… Description: What would you or your friends look like as a pirate? A ninja? Using this app, take a group photo and instantly make everyone into pirates, ninjas, or both! Stats: One-touch, automatic… -
Tweason’ale a Gluten-free Dogfish Head Beer
19 Jan 2012 | 7:55 amhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i9Nw2n5Zyq8 So I have a number of friends that have gluten sensitivity. According to Wikipedia: Gluten sensitivity is thought to affect approximately 6% of the general population. Symptoms of gluten sensitivity include bloating, abdominal discomfort, pain or diarrhea; or it may present with a variety of extraintestinal symptoms including headaches and migraines, lethargy and tiredness, attention-deficit disorder and hyperactivity, autism and schizophrenia, muscular disturbances as well as bone and joint pain. So this non-allergic disorder is a problem for…
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Simply Noir
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Fathers Are Primary Parents!
23 Jan 2012 | 11:56 pmby Patty Wipfler Children love their Daddies! Your children love to hear your voice, to see you come in the door, to sit next to you at the table, and to play with you as long as you can possibly play. One father I know told me that his fifteen-month-old climbed up on his and his wife's bed at six a.m. one morning, crawled over, peered in his face, and gently put her finger up his nostril! Your children want contact with you—all of you! Dads get a raw deal, however. The pressure to earn a living often has a desperate thread woven through it: there's a sense that if you don't provide, dire… -
Guest Posting - An Open Invitation
19 Jan 2012 | 8:30 pmValued readers Thank you for visiting Simply Noir. We appreciate your readership and support. Open Invitation Today we extend this open invitation to write guest posts for Simply Noir and our other blogs. Do you feel you can help contribute the growth of our site? If so, please consider writing for us. Guidelines Guest posting on Simply Noir is subject to guidelines below: 1. Articles must be relevant to Parenting, Relationship, Travel and Tutorial already found on our blogs, Simply Noir : DIY Travel Guide : Tutorial and Technology. 2. Articles must be original, unique and should not… -
Date Nights For Parents
15 Jan 2012 | 8:30 pmA reader asks, 'We cannot afford a maid. We are not well-off. We are tired of just cuddling after the kids are asleep. How and what can we do to go on date nights?' Trust me, I know what it means to have date nights. To keep a marriage 'fresh', date nights are indeed important. No one should be deprived of this wonderful concept. Finding Help Maids and babysitters do not come cheap. What can you do? Get help from friends and relatives or even trusted neighbours or members of your support group. Make them understand how important date nights are to you. I am pretty sure some… -
Money Savvy Parenting
12 Jan 2012 | 8:30 pmAre you one of those parents who had to explain about spending cuts? Do you find difficulty making your children understand your current financial situation? Establishing early lessons on financial control can avoid this. Some parents do not realise the influence they have with their children. They do not tap the children's ability to be responsible with money. They think being money savvy is only for parents. Common Scenarios Neglecting the importance of guiding children to manage money This often happens when parents are financially comfortable. It is common to see children… -
Why Some Women Scare Men Away
8 Jan 2012 | 8:30 pmSome women scare men away. The average person or rather a normal person would have broken some hearts. A normal person would also have his/her heart broken. Many relationships fail. Some for obvious reasons, some just left you wondering why! Here are some reasons why some women scare men away. The men I interviewed have this to say when asked about breaking up. Frequent Outbursts Of Jealousy Some jealousy can bring you closer to your man. However, an overdose of jealousy gives the impression of distrust and dominance. You may look domineering. Your man will feel he is being caged.
