Video of the Week …
Don’t have an hour to spend hearing my entire “Use All The Crayons!” keynote? Here’s a 12-minute highlight revue … click here
Today’s theme: Dad
Colorful Living Tip of the Day …
• It’s okay to have a massive ego. That means if your teenager is silently texting in the car you’re driving, go right ahead and think she’s informing friends, “My Daddy is the greatest!”
Relateds …
• Many dads are criticized for being helicopter parents, always hovering. Understand, it’s okay to every once in a while be something of a sidecar parent, just along for the ride.
• Understand, the name causes some confusion among those casual about Egyptian folklore, but most mummies were daddies.
• Remember to write a Father’s Day card each year to Jack Somoano, the patron saint of Mr. Moms. When his wife delivered quintuplets in 2000, he agreed to stay home to raise the bawling sprawl while wife Kathy brought home the bacon.
• Wonder if Jesus and God do anything special for Father’s Day.
• I’m like most dads in that I'm not without my faults. I make mistakes. I screw up. I'm a flawther.
• Told daughter she's growing up too fast and wish she'd just stay 7. She said, "Dad, I'm 9." I told her she's such a disappointment.
• Told daughter if she thinks I look embarrassing in my dad jeans I'll just next time pick her up at school wearing my dad Speedo.
• Not sure if it makes me a bad dad or an efficient communicator, but I didn't engage in attentive fathering until my kids were old enough to get the jokes.
• I admit to feelings of wistfulness over not having sired a son. These feelings pass when I realize a son would by now be asking me, "Daddy, would you help me secure my man bun?" And to my everlasting shame I'd feel obliged to assist.
Zeitgust Word of the Week (a word I made up with the goal of getting it into an actual dictionary) …
Mamish: Any group of mother figures who refuse to let their children play with electronic devices until they’ve done all their homework..
Related blog post, “Why Father’s Day Always Makes Me Blue …”
I’m not sure why Father’s Day always makes me blue. A writer’s website asked me to compose a short piece about Father’s Day. I know I’m destined to disappoint them. I think they’d like me to write a literary cheerleader about how much I love the day when I can bask in the affections of my daughters and how that one day keystones the central role of my existence.
When Men Tell Other Men They’re About to Become Fathers …”
I was privileged to take part in a sacred ceremony last night. Matt told me he and his wife are having a baby. Their first. I was the first person outside of his parents he’d told. He’s a former student of mine and it’s fair to say I’m a sort of mentor to him. He tells me he’d like to be just like me. And he’s not at all referring to frequent episodes of drunken revelry, ample hammock time and an apparent ability to skate through life with no visible means of support. He wants to be a writer like me.
From Back A Ways …
“What happened when I spent 72 hours handcuffed to Val …”
I’m always appreciative when natural human curiosity overcomes professional reserve when I hand someone an offbeat story clip. That’s what happened with Michael the other day at the FedEx store where I went to get an 18-year-old National Enquirer story laminated. I hadn’t seen it for 5 years, hadn’t read it for 10 and now I wanted it preserved forever.
Concluding words …
I’m like most fathers in that I tell kids, "I'd do anything for you." I differ in that I always add, "'cept get a real job.”