Archive for the ‘ personal ’ Category
Typical of many middle-aged men, I decided to start exercising after many years of not exercising…for health and fun. So over a year and half ago, my wife and I purchased a monthly membership to the local YMCA and I started swimming laps three mornings a week. My wife takes yoga classes and our kids [ READ MORE ]
Repeating yourself is something that becomes excruciatingly second nature when you’re a parent. Many is the time my wife and I have been flustered at something our children have not done. Not put on their shoes. Not put on their coat. Not brushed their teeth. Not gotten into the bath. Not eaten their meal. Not [ READ MORE ]
Years ago I was compelled to join LinkedIn, sometime before Facebook and sometime after MySpace. I never did join MySpace and, feeling like I shouldn’t miss out on the next Big Thing, I accepted a number of people’s connection requests on LinkedIn. I have never been an active user of the site. It seems like [ READ MORE ]
This is what I call an “elegant solution” to our flooring problem in the basement of our house. Over a year ago, we had water damage in our basement from a burst pipe, a pipe leading to one of our outdoor faucets. The old mangy brown carpet had to be ripped up along with the [ READ MORE ]
20 years ago today I took my last drink of alcohol. I was told it was a vodka martini. I have no recollection of anything occurring that night after the second or third one until I emerged from the blackout tethered via restraints to a hospital bed (still very drunk). My body soon started shaking [ READ MORE ]
One of the great things available for kids where we live is the MSU Community Music School. It’s run by the MSU Music Department and they have classes for people of all ages and abilities. Among their many programs are the ones for infants and toddlers, and pre-schoolers. It’s all about teaching the kids to [ READ MORE ]
I took a break from the Online Life (blogging, Facebook, Twitter) to get a few things done. Which I did. It was a productive break. I read a lot and wrote a lot, too. There will be a burst of blog posts for the next week then a short break until January when I will [ READ MORE ]
Summer in Michigan means it’s pie-making season. But in a stereotypically contrarian Slate piece a few weeks ago we are told that “Pie Sucks.” (I’m waiting for Slate to declare “Online News is Dead! Long Live Print!”) Who but a sadist would take a basket of ripe seasonal fruit and bake it into mush? Who [ READ MORE ]
Where we live here in Mid-Michigan there are a lot of hiking trails in the many parks run by the township and the county. With our youngest child now three and very active, I’ve made it my mission this summer to explore these trails. Walking the trails is fun. Walking the trails is interesting for [ READ MORE ]
I’ve been a stay-at-home dad for almost five years now. Sometimes I find it hard to believe that I’ve been doing this for so long. It’s been fun, aggravating, teeth-gnashing, illuminating, and above all, interesting. I’ve learned a lot these past few years. Here are ten things I’ve learned, sometimes easily, sometimes painfully. 10) You [ READ MORE ]
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