Regular Dad

But Only Over Signal Text.  {Title and that sung to the tune of Do You Want to Build a Snowman} We had a lovely weekend with Hayley's brother and his wife.  Talked, played games, cooked meats, the works.   Once again, the Trump administration is caught operating outside of the rule of law.  And lying about it and making excuses for why it's not a big deal.  They just keep stacking up issue after i...

It was a mud bog of a week.  Just could never get any traction, never get momentum, constantly on my heels playing reactive.   But hey, March Madness has officially started madening.  And Purdue hasn't sh@t the bed yet!  Although because of the stupid week I can't use my not-so-clever jokes about perfect brackets.  Woodinville small batch is up for a review.  Pot still goodness?  Or hot garbage?  ...

It was a very enjoyable spring weekend here.  Watched some middle-school basketball in Villanova's arena followed by a grown-folks lunch at one of our favorite spots.   The dark clouds with Duncs weren't nearly as bad as feared.  Just a minor reoccurance of some lingering things.  Now we need to teach him to play the political game so he stops being the fall guy every time. Bardstown Bourbon Compa...

I'm getting re-focused this episode.  I feel like I've slipped from my 2025 mantra of better organization and less rambling.   Apparently the Philly Union will let anyone into a suite, cause that's where our whole family found ourselves Saturday night.  Not surprisingly this was a Hayley connection. My degenerate friends can't pull this level of perk.  Were Duncan and I on our behavior?  Did Myles...

We had a very enjoyable weekend extended of skiing and sports here.  Duncan is now really good at skiing, his lack of adrenaline-seeking is the only thing holding him back.   Myles...can really ski.  I mean, he can really shred it up.  Not so much on jumps, yet, but he's got time.  And Myles's BBall team had an epic comeback victory Monday night.  Really impressive stuff. How long has it been sinc...

Did something happen on Friday?  The 14th?  Seems like there was more pink and flowers and chocolate than normal.  Interesting.  Kidding, but it is my most ignored celebratory day of the year.   New Riff 6-year Malted Rye.  I mean, am I really going to pass on a cool New Riff project?  But is it up to par... How did I not discuss the SuperBowl Halftime show last episode?!  It kinda works out since...

The Eagles have completed their revenge tour and are once again Champions.  And boy was it definitive.  They did to the Chiefs what no one else has been able to do.  Straight domination.  How's my fitness journey going?  I'm glad you asked!  It's started about as quickly as an earth mover, but we're going to keep speeding up. While I'm had many batches of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof, this is the fir...

It was a long, busy, strange week.  I won't spoil the surprise, but it was pretty early on when I first said "whew, this is a long week".  New activites, days off, skiing, just non-stop things. But!  We had family movie night and watched one of my favorite movies.  The Replacements!  I'm going to have to find an excuse to watch this every year.  Maybe like the first week of the NFL season or somet...

Quick follow-up to the social mania segment from last time.  I'm healthier, which is good.  But I don't like where this segment is heading... Speaking Sports!  I've built up a bunch of sports topics.  Brady, rookie QBs, Bears, oh my! Penelope Estate Collection!  I got a bottle (or maybe 2) and I review it.  Did MGP turn over their rickhouse(s) to the right dudes?  And then an abbreviated Household...

Well it wasn't the weekend I expected, but it was a good weekend none the less.  Much less mentally and physically exhausting, but still busy.   It's been a hard couple of weeks on the ole Book of Faces.  I've finally come to some hard conclusions, ones that I really should have fully accepted long ago.  I guess sometimes I'm too optomistic.  But it's time to be realistic.  Cooper's Craft is up fo...

I'm ushering in a new era of RDP.  Dare I say this will be my Segments Era...  No, I don't dare.  That's dumb.  But I'm going to make this mess a bit more organized and structured.   Lucky Seven, The Frenchman, is up for a review this week.  I believe this is the first of the Chicago bottles to make an appearance.  No, it won't be the last.  You've got 1 day to evacuate your house and only what fi...

Well we got the first snow day of the year this week.  And Myles managed to lose 3 out of 4 sleds because he just couldn't be bothered to bring them home during their snack break.  Did I just buy 2 of those a few months back so we'd have plenty?  Yup.  Did I buy the other 2 last year after the kids both insisted we get this kind?  Yup.  Outstanding! Can an 8-year-old really have complex ulterior m...

Well, 2024 is done and dusted.  In the rearview.  Not a whole lot I feel needs to be said about it.  I made some great strides and really am in a better place than 12 months ago.   Christmas in Chicago was a huge success.  And with my expectations set correctly, it was more enjoyable.  Kids had fun, adults had fun, travel was completed with only a near-miss in disaster.   Got my hands on Barrell B...

For the 2nd annual Whiskey Spectacular we're trying something new; a special guest!  My friend Steve has been asking when he gets to be on the podcast, and since he's one of my few friends that's really into whiskey it only made sense.   Yes, my interview skills need work, but we had fun talking fatherhood and whiskey.  And yeah, it's a long one.  And this is editted!  I meant to get it out prior...

Coming down the (mountain \m/) home-stretch!  I procrastinated way too many things to the literal last day, but that's what makes this engine run.  Fire up the stress and get ready for over-night trek to Chicago! Me and the boys got out for the first day of skiing this year.  Last minute, no less.  Was it stress and complication free?  Ha!  But did we pull it off and everyone have fun?  Yes.  Most...

I've finally been publicy vindacated on something!  Better yet, something that Hayley totally didn't get when I mentioned it.  (Spoiler alert, maybe I should stop being completely honest with her about everything...) And I have proof that I'm getting mentally healthier!  Seems stupid, but it was a nice bellweather for me to see real progress and change.  Another Smooth Ambler is up for review.  Co...

It's already December.  Somehow, someway.  I know a lot of people are saying it, and I say it every year, but I have no idea where the year went.   2 Thanksgivings in the book.  4 turkeys, 4 pies, 2 batches of gravy, 2 pans of stuffing, 2 custards, 2 cranberry sauces.  And it was all great.  Thanksgiving itself was very chill and uneventful.  And we won't talk about the hours of 12:30-4.   Party T...

I try to summarize my likely-rambling soliloquy about the election and where the democrats are going, but probably just do more damage.  And make things more unintentionally offensive.  If I ever run for public office, someone burn all of these recordings... It's Thanksgiving week!!  One of the greatest weeks in the history of weeks!  I've got all my turkeys, I've got my cooking plans, all my ingr...

Turns out it's possible for my football teams to disappoint and hurt me even further.  I don't know what else to say that I haven't tearfully muttered into my pillow at night. But we start a whiskey review theme and drink on some Russell's Reserve 10yr.  Such a classic bottle and a necessary inclusion in a collection.   Boy do I have some thoughts on the election.  And I'm sure it all spills out w...

Well, both my football teams officially stink.  Badly.  Like week-old sushi left on the counter.  Purdue will likely go 1-11 this year.  1-11!!  Yeah, that's going to win us some recruits and keep existing talent from hopping into the portal.  And the Bears...just when you think maybe it won't be a dumpster fire, they find a way.  So we're back to chaos and coaching changes and player grumblings a...

Democracy hath spoken, and the democrats took this one on the chin.  Lost every swing state, saw their percentages shrink everywhere, and lost the popular vote for the first time since 2004 and only second time since 1992.  Really disapponting showing. But I rage-bought a delicious whiskey for drinking during Bears games.  Redwood Empire Grizzly Beast.  Does it help the Bears win? Nope.  But it's...

Just as I was feeling really good about the Bears and the direction they were going, they have to go and rip my heart out and remind me that sometimes nothing changes.  That was a rough way to head into dinnertime.   But I picked up a bottle of 2XO American Oak for a review.  Does it live up to Dixon's lofty reputation?  Or just another bottle of generic double-oaked sourced whiskey?   Oh yeah, Du...

I'm a tux-owning son of a biscuit!  Cause no, this is probably not the last time my wife or her fancy-ass associates are going to have a black tie event.  The wedding was actually very nice.  Except for the open bar selection.  Would it have killed them to have 1 good whiskey back there?!   And it was my wife's birthday!  Who is second only to my father on the list of people impossible to buy gift...

We had some really tough news in the local community recently.  Another of the 3rd grade dads was killed in a car accident.  So it's been a tough week and change dealing with the shock, consoling his closer friends, fully gasping the effects on the kids, and everything else.   And of course there was another...issue...with me handling a situation with the kids.  This time over dinner again, which...

Yup, the Chiefs just keep rolling.  And maybe I (via Chris Canty) identified why there's so much hate on them.  And it's probably not what you think.  Unless you also listen to Unsportsmanlike and/or think like we do.   Hayley's mom got back in the hosting of holiday dinners with a Rosh Hashanah dinner at her new house.  And it went pretty much the way I thought it would.  But that's okay; I go in...