Wipeout!

My son  plowed into my daughter. Oops!

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Sledding!

So we finally went sledding today at the community college. The kids had a blast. We need to start out earlier though next time. It's quite a metaphor, sledding. You climb up the hill, you get on the sled, you come down the hill on the sled. Sometimes you fall off. So you get up, brush yourself off, turn around, and either get back on or go back uphill and do it again. Sometimes you realize that your sled sucks and it's time to get a new one. Yeah, you can learn a lot from sledding. Sometimes you just need to lean a different way to get to where you want to go. For me, it's time for a new sled. It's time to start leaning in a different direction. Thanks kids for helping me to put things in a fresh perspective!

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Time to return to Zen...

It really is. I mean, I've never been a real practicing Zennist, but man when I align myself most closely with the philosophy,  and practice meditation, shit just goes right for me. So, it's time for a change. Time to take some time for me again. Time to clear my mind and just be.

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Blizzard Pics

A photo blog of the Post Christmas Blizzard in the making.

The first time I measured.

I couldn't let the dog outside  Sunday night!

The poor dog just wouldn't go. I even dug her out a spot to use, and she wouldn't go. 2 days later, she finally pooped.  Otherwise, she only urinated!

This is the ground level door to the back yard Sunday night.

The view from the ground level door to the back yard.

The DPW finally plowed our street after 3 days... about an hour ago! Time to go replenish our fridge and cupboard!

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Pitchfork: Decemberists Cover Grateful Dead on New Single

How cool is this? They're already one hell of a band, but now they're covering my favorite band of all time? It doesn't get much better folks!
Pitchfork: Decemberists Cover Grateful Dead on New Single

Unemployed Dad!

Okay, so the original title of this blog is Working Class Dad. If I was working, that would be correct. But I am not, like so much of the so-called working class.  I was laid off indefinitely at the end of October, with 3 days left of insurance, and thankfully on pay-day.  The dick told me I cost him too much money.  After knowing the guy for 15 years, he just gives me the boot. Knowing full well that my wife doesn't work and that I have 3 kids to feed; not to mention that I just moved into a new house that has way more expenses than I've ever had before.

Fast forward to Christmas-time.  Still haven't found a job, and not for a lack of trying.  Apparently, I made too much money at my last job. For real, for real!  I applied for similar positions at bigger, and supposedly better places, and they want to pay me half of what I was making.  So, I continue to collect unemployment, which is more lucrative than taking a low-paying job.  I am currently up for a sales job that may or may not be almost entirely commission based. Big risk. Whilst looking for myself, my wife managed to send several resumes out, get an interview and a job offer. She starts in a week. I am supposed to go over my offered package this week for the sales position. It's anyone's game at this point.  It may make more sense for me to stay home with the kids for a couple of months, and write while I'm home. Hell,  it makes sense.

Let's see, I have been unemployed for 61 days. This is the first day I've sat down to blog. I put the app on my HTC Droid Incredible so that I can blog on the go. Tried it out. But again, it's been two months, and I've scribbled a little bit, but haven't really written a damned thing. I did open my works-in-progress folder to look at it.  I'm re-committing (again!) to The Project that I've been working on for hmm, lets see, about 10 years now.  I think it's time to finish it and put it to bed.

At least if I commit to blogging, and writing a little every day on the script, then I know I'm being professionally productive. I have to admit: I have some pretty good excuses not to write.  I am an expert procrastinator. And I have a love/hate relationship with writers block.  This has been a great exercise. Well, we'll see how being Mr. Mom works out, balancing the writing, the housework and the kids.

Merry Christmas

Well, it's been a hell of a past few months. After all of the bullshit at work, the dick lays me off indefinitely two days before Halloween. It's been an interesting few months. Christmas came and went, and thanks to unemployment and a little bit of luck, it was a good one... And then came the snow. Pics to follow.

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Funny thing about working for a lunatic...

I haven't had time to blog since I quit my job.  All because I started back at the same job exactly 24 hours after I quit. Apparently, I needed to blow off some steam that had been building up pressure for 2 years! Overworked and under-compensated definitely described my disgruntled ass.  Now, I'm just overworked and exhausted.  In a new house, trying to decide what to renovate first...


Oh and on a side note, the Gathering of the Vibes Festival (GOTV) was awesome! We all had a blast. The drive up sucked, the drive back sucked, but the vibes were flowing freely at the festival. I'm glad our first family festival was the GOTV check it out here http://www.gatheringofthevibes.com/Home.  We went on Friday, missed Jackie Greene (very bummed about that) because we were stuck in traffic in Brooklyn. But we got to see Robert Randolph and the Family Band , Steve Kimock, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, and the best part of the day was of course, Furthur!

Furthur was awesome! Just like being at a Grateful Dead show, without Jerry of course. But the dude who sang and played Jerry's parts, herein referred to as Fake Jerry, was a worthy stand-in. Just looked it up, he's actually from Dark Star Orchestra, guitarist John Kadlecik.  They played some of my favorite Dead tunes. I'll post the set list below.

07/30/10 (Fri)  Gathering of the Vibes @ Seaside Park (Main Stage) - Bridgeport, CT

Set 1: The Golden Road, Jack Straw, Ramble On Rose, Dupree's Diamond Blues, Friend of The Devil, Estimated Prophet > Eyes of The World > Not Fade Away Set 2: Playing In The Band, Althea, Wharf Rat > He's Gone > Scarlet Begonias > The Wheel, Standing On The Moon, Help On The Way > Slipknot! > Franklin's Tower, E: Terrapin Station Suite

It was sweet!

Anyway, my bed's calling my name...

Gathering of the Vibes!!!

Well, everyone is blogging now. My wife is blogging. My sister-in-law has a blog with followers. WTF?! I blog occasionally.  Extremely occasionally.  Working Class Dad. That's what I called this one. I have two blogs. This one I haven't touched since my son Gabe was born, about 4 months ago.  Too busy. Working a lot.  Bennies are here, 60 hours a week, not a lot of time dedicated to writing.  That's right, the creative side falls to the wayside. The cool thing is though, I'm taking the family on a mini-vacation.  We're going to a hippie music festival, the Gathering of the Vibes Festival in Bridgeport, Connecticut.  I'm psyched. The kids are psyched. I think my wife is excited just to get out of the house, let alone the state!  It will be our first family trip (as a family of 5 that is).  It should be pretty interesting, considering the kids attention spans, and the fact that we'll be on the road for 3 1/2 hours and then be at the festival ALL DAY! I think they'll dig it, the music, the scene... After all, they are my kids!!!

What to do When You Work for a Bi-polar Psychotic Megalomaniac

I'm thinking I may have a lot more time to blog now that I'm probably quitting my current job. Yes, that's right, that's what you do when you realize that your Bi-Polar Megalomaniac boss is never going to change. You weigh you options. Come up with a contingency plan. Have your leverage in your pocket, and when your leverage isn't quite enough, fall back on your contingency plan. I sure am glad I don't burn my bridges, and can always rely on my excellent work ethic and reputation to give me a paycheck. Well, tomorrow will be a day to decide my future at Klein's.  I'm thinking it's not going to end well... For Klein's that is. We'll see.

New addition

My wrist is adorned with a new piece of jewelry: a bracelet. It connects me to something, or rather someone, who has recently become a major source of anxiety, stress, and joy.  My newborn son Gabriel has a matching bracelet and anklet. He was born at 8:07am Friday, weighing a whopping 10 lbs 1 oz and measuring 21.5" in length! He is a handsomely cherubic version of Alfred Hitchcock. And he's been confined to the special nursery, tucked away and isolated from his mother who has desperately wanted to hold and nurse him for the past 5 days, but couldn't. Wednesday, she got the chance to do both for the first time! It was a true mother and child reunion. Friday, we got to take him home! It's been a few days now, and our little family is perfectly dysfunctional!

My new toy

I just got a new toy. I can't put it down. I can use it to blog with... That's right, I got a new smart phone. Replaced my not-so-smart-anymore T-Mobile Wing with the Samsung Behold II.  This is my first Android phone, and I don't have any real complaints.  I will probably mod it once I figure out what the hell I'm doing... Looks like I have to learn Linux so I don't brick the damn thing. The only things it doesn't have, but I'm sure I'll find an app for, are a good voice recorder and word processing app. Well, we'll see. Just picked up a new book, a novel by Stieg Larsson called The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. It promises to be a good read, I'll come back to review it after I finish it.  I've also been listening to a lot of new music and some that's been around a while, namely The Xx, Temper Trap, Beach House, Collie Buddz, Cold Cave, Neon Indian, The Doves new album Kingdom of Rust, Kings of Leon, Band of Horses, Javelin, The Big Pink, Jackie Greene, Derek Trucks, Moe. and of course, the Grateful Dead! And it all sounds great on my Ipod and my Behold II!

Rambling/What happens to our brains?

My wife was yelling at Olivia on the television before.  I walk around with songs like Riding the Range and the theme from Yo Gabba Gabba in my head. My brain sometimes turns to mush at work because I'm preoccupied with wondering about how my wife is doing at home (5 more weeks 'til C-day) with our 3 year old, and how our 6 year old is at school (behavior at home suggests he might have Oppositional Defiance Disorder--but I am NOT a doctor!).  So yeah, my brain turns to mush. Oh, and that script and short story I'm supposed to be finishing... I recently got a new smart phone, so that's a distraction--or is it merely an excuse for procrastination?  I don't know. But something's gotta give. I'm becoming more and more disillusioned at work, trying to make the transition to working from home as a writer instead of slaving 60 hours a week in the summer and getting cut down to 30 in the off-season. Oh and it's time to get our shit together and get what we need for when we bring the new baby home... My head hurts!

Introduction/First Post

Becoming a Dad was the scariest thing that I've ever done. It's full of it's ups and downs, it's happy and sad moments.  Not having kids as a newlywed couple, my wife and I had the freedom to do anything and go anywhere. Half a second later, I have two kids a dog, and another child making his/her entrance in a few weeks.  I wouldn't change any of it. Not for one minute.  Do I yearn for the old days sometimes? Yes. But I couldn't go back having experienced the birth of two children.  The first smile. The first words.  The first teeth.  The first steps. The first day of school. I think that is one of the most wonderful parts of being a dad.  Experiencing all of the firsts. Savoring all of the tiny miracles, bittersweet moments, happy (and sad) accidents; just being there as a dad. 

They say that Anyone can be a father, but not everyone can be a dad. This is why I chose to write this blog.  To share my experiences and thoughts on being a dad. And to try and be the best Dad I can, even after I come home from a long day at work and just want to relax or pass out. Making time to be Dad no matter what.