Regular Dad

All the stress, and activities, and not sleeping finally caught up with me.  My brain finally just gave up over the weekend.  It called slaughter rule and packed it in.  It happens.  And I need to talk about it.   The Cubbies were able to pull out a series win against the Padres.  On to face the Brewers in the NLDS.  I'm not super confident in this match-up, but anything can happen in the playoffs...

I try to keep it light and loose and humerous this week.  Things are just so dark in the world right now.  And...no whiskey review.  I had one recorded, but my palate was definitely not right and it wasn't a fair review.  So we've entered the era of...sometimes. Anyways, my MIL has a new thing: numerology.  Apparently seeing 11 everywhere means something.  Bad news for her, she opened the door to...

Little bit of a mental regression early this week.  Could be thanks to that f'n 50-mile bike ride through the hills, could be me just finally dealing with some realities.  But I righted the ship and come up with a clever analogy.  Win-win. In a truly shocking twist, the right is now all-in on cancel culture and the left is getting punished.  I never thought I'd see it.  Although we might be able t...

Well I did it.  I completely unrecognized both episode 100 AND the end of season 2.  I'm just really bad at acknowleding any milestones.  Ever.  In all facets of my life. Our country is once again facing a crisis.  A radical right-wing influencer/public persona was shot and killed in Utah.  No, cold-blooded murder is never acceptable.  Even when it's directed at a person like Mr. Kirk.   It was a...

Summer Vacation is over!!  But...was this a return to the disasterous last trip to OCMD, or have things improved.  Did we have a relaxing double-trip?  Did I continue my reign of terror on the minigolf pitch?  Is my wife "secretly" trying to off me and collect on my life insurance policy?   I have finally brought closure to the Pancake v waffle v french toast debate.  It's a simple question once y...

Another grind of a week, all of my own doing.  Almost screwed up a party pick-up, and just couldn't keep my focus all week.  Doesn't help having a middle schooler to shuttle around. This week has been giving fall.  Even though it's not fall.  False fall.  But it's got my chomping at the bit for some real football.   Barrell Seagrass.  Superb summer sipper?  Overhyped marketing gimmick?  Let's pop...

The minivan already didn't have a cool horn, didn't have a cool paint job, and now it's also NOT ramped over a flat-bed!  Could it BE any more lame? Thanks to my "friend" Bill, I got roiled into another debate over what is and isn't a sport.  But this actually brought some clarity to my stance.   Myles's Bar Mitzvah festivities are officially over.  We had a great night at the Union game.  Duncan...

Even though it turned out to be a very busy, almost chaotic, weekend, I'm oddly content right now.  Even today as I post this, I feel weirdly mentally and physically healthy.  Don't worry, I'll take care of at least 1 of those tonight... Barrell Bourbon is up for review.  Batch 37.  Some really old components in this blend.  Is it older and wiser, or should it be put out to pasture? Ah yes, the fu...

It's a somber day in Wrigleyville, as we learned of the passing of baseball legend Ryne Sandberg.  A consumate Cub and just great guy in general, he lost his battle with prostate cancer last week.   And since we're talking sports, I touch on a slightly older story; Scottie Schaeffler doesn't really get any joy from winning tournaments.  You know why?  Because golf isn't a sport and it's just anoth...

The kids hath returned from sleepaway camp.  And that was a pretty hard transition to go from 4 weeks of peace and freedom to immediately back into the mixer.  Might need to plan that better next year. I hate to say it, but I think more people need friends like mine.  Friends that love to challenge anything and everything and require proof before they'll believe something.   I'm sure it'll come as...

Our sleep-away camp experiece is down to its last week.  It's been a fun journey for everyone.  Which is great.   My favorite social media starlet had a book signing!  Dr. Karen Tang, OBGyn superstar, had her book published in paperback and did a little signing, Q&A session at a local bookstore.  Of all the parts of this new bill, I talked to someone who pulled a very odd choice to complain ab...

It turns out homeownership is just a game of discovering ever more circles of hell.  At least for those of us that don't just throw money at the problem and try to do the work ourselves.  You think there's only 7 circles?  Ha!!  I've found 7 in plumbing alone.  This week's installment is a little thing called Garage Door Maintenance.  I give it 2/10; don't recommend.  However what is predictable,...

Definitely not the proudest birthday for America this year, but it's a birthday none the less.  I'm still going to celebrate and keep my spirits and future optimism high.  Kids are loving sleep-away camp AND Duncan made the call to stay for the full 4 weeks!  Expected, but still great to confirm it.   For the first time in a great many years, Hayley came out to see me play real hockey.  Not just c...

The time has finally arrived!  For at least the next 1.5 weeks, we're temporary empty nesters!  And maybe for a full almost 4 weeks.  It's a weird feeling.  Editing and getting this pushed out on a weeknight?  That never happens!  I have like, 2 extra hours on a work day to accomplish things.  I got so rambly last week in the Bar Mitzvah talk that I forgot to mention a couple thoughts about our Te...

Myles is officially an adult in the eyes of Judaism.  So that means I can hold him to a higher standard at home, right?  Getting a job, paying bills, making pastrami, stuff like that.   But really, that first full day of summer vacation hit like it was a holding a roll of quarters.  I'm here trying to work while also running an Uber service.  Really glad sleep-away camp is right around the corner....

Well, my insides got a good once-over and I'm as healthy as I need to be.  I'm sure everyone is super relieved to hear that.   And since I'm already on the topic of medical stuff, why not just go all-in and keep on talking.  Like how Hayley spends more energy than she should trying to keep certain people from making irrational decisions.  I might be one of those... Good ole' Four Roses Small Batch...

Looking back, I really should have had some juice before I recorded this.  I felt WAY better right afterwards when I did.  Probably would have made me less chaotic and able to focus.  But what fun is that?! Got some really good work done on the garage and the yard.  And I got to play with my chainsaw.  Which was long overdue.  A Sagamore distillery exclusive finished in mead casks?  Is this just a...

Memorial Day Weekend!  Lots of grilled and smoked meats, birthday sleepovers, car projects, yard work...'Merica!! Not much more to say on that.  The long weekend did feel incredibly long, but also kind of a blur.  I guess that's good.   Green River Full Proof.  Is it good?  As good as the wheated?  A waste of $50?  Only one way to know for sure... As often happens, I ran into a random occurrance t...

Holy Magical Motivation Batman, it almost appears as if my podcast is slowly gaining some small amount of momentum.  I may have to actually take this more serious now.  Duncan's birthday weekend!  We had an amazing time at the Phillies game, he got some great gifts, really made some lasting memories.  At least, I hope so.   If you're stupid and continue to mess with poison ivy, scratch your arm.  ...

My back is finally coming around and I'm nearly back (no pun intended) to what used to be my 100%.  From there, I need to push further and set a NEW 100%.  More mobility, more strength, more resilence.   Happy Mother's Day!!  I hope everyone did something nice for their moms as well as their baby mommas.  I did, although I mostly let Hayley plan her own event.  It's just so much easier for everyon...

I know it's been awhile since we had any beef with the kids to unpack.  Luckily (for content) they can't go that long without doing something I have no answers for.  Well...no good answers.  I always have bad answers.   RFK Jr.  {heavy sigh}  I'll give him props on using a solid trick to ban vaccines.  But it's a frigging joke what's going on right now.  Don't disregard existing science but then d...

Another weekend, another full slate of activities.  At least this round left a paper bag of soon-to-be-stale bagels behind.  But it was fun seeing some far-off in-laws for a few hours.  And now I can say a professional from the ice cream industry has tried, and liked, my blueberry pie frozen custard. I got to run down to Baltimore to do an in-person barrel pick!  A local whiskey-tuber was doing a...

Well, it was a busy week with just as many Ls as Ws.  Split series some would say.  A lot of good news-bad news-neutral news.  And do I spend too much time talking about one of those?  Maaaaaayyyyybe.   Sports Report!  Kids, pros, whatever it takes.  But guess what?  The Cubs are on fire again!!  I don't remember the last almost May I was still super excited about the Cubs.  Such a great feeling. ...

My lower back, which is made of a very stout graham cracker, has failed me yet again.  Crappy AirBnb bed + Hockey = herniated disc.  But on the spectrum of all the times I've done it, it's not that bad.  Very managable.   Wanna hear a secret?  I LOVE me some blankets.  One of the few downsides to even the highest-class travel is that no road bed will ever match my home setup.  HOF level blanket se...

We hath returned safely from Italy!  And except for a few minor speed bumps (one being on Myles's face), the trip went shockingly well.   Rome was, well Rome.  It was pretty similar to how I remember it being 20 years ago.  Very different set of activities than last time, but the kids aren't really down for just sitting in a piazza sipping wine for an hour or two.   Pompeii is incredible.  Especia...