Taking on Tai Yuen (Toy) Street - Dadding with Distinction I'm a toys guy. Now, before that's taken the wrong way, let me explain what I mean. Growing up, toys were the vehicle to endless worlds of creative expression. Down in our always chaotic basement playroom, or across the carpeted expanses of our bedrooms, my... Continue Reading →
Dadtritus: On the Road and On My Wrist This blog has been on a bit of hiatus as work and family and, well, just life has conspired against my healthy outlet, ruminating on the perfectly grilled meal, ridding myself -- virtually -- of a stack or two of dadtritus, poking fun at myself for the... Continue Reading →
Throwback: Browns Football Misery is Timeless It's season-opening Sunday once again in the NFL, and that means a full slate of aerial battles, bone-jarring hits (as long as they're head's-up), ankle-breaking jukes and coaches popping a forehead-vein, usually in the postgame presser. Oh, and renewed heartbreak for Cleveland Browns fans. I am under few illusions... Continue Reading →
Dadding with Distinction - A Week at Scout Camp There's a quote above the basement fireplace hearth in the administration building at Many Point Scout Camp that's striking for its relative inaccessibility (in the basement, after all), and for how aptly it sums up the Boy Scouting experience for me. Aaaaaaand, the frustrating thing,... Continue Reading →
In Praise of the Golden Retriever, Best Dog of All When I was a young(er) man, I had a four-word concept of what a perfect life would be. Or, at least the end of a perfect day. (I also had the notion that my perfect house would start by building it around a hot tub.... Continue Reading →
Passing the Pigskin: 10 Lessons in Football from an Ohio Father to his Chicago-born Son It's been a bit of a long interval of work and travel and mad-late-summer-rushing, and more of an absence from this space than I'd wanted. But there's nothing like the rituals and rhythms of the coming Fall to put purpose... Continue Reading →
Do it Right: Bratwurst on the Grill Good recipes, like a marriage, take a lot of work. A bit of trial, a bit more of error, until you know enough to savor the sweet successes. My wife bought me my first full-sized Weber charcoal grill in the first year after we got hitched. Call it... Continue Reading →
Throwback to 2008: Steroid Report Brings Down Baseball Heroes Tonight is Major League Baseball's annual All-Star game. I haven't watched it in many years, and I won't be watching tonight. Baseball used to be a daily obsession for me, starting in my grade school years. From memorizing the names and stats of players, courtesy of... Continue Reading →
My Driving Sins: Three Irksome Habits If there's anything that tweaks the inner beast in me, it's the questionable and downright dumb behavior of my fellow drivers. Though I've gotta say -- seriously -- I think I've tempered my reactions the older I've gotten. Like a fine wine, I believe I've mellowed. I don't keep... Continue Reading →
Do it Right: Kids' Proper Cup Placement Sometimes it's hard for me to imagine that I'm actually a grownup. I mean, I can look at my feet and they don't seem like big, dumb, toy-stompers. The watch on my wrist doesn't appear to my eyes to be the 45-mm, monster dive watch that it looks... Continue Reading →
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