Regular Dad

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...

My wife is totally going to have a sit-down with me after this, but I really get into our kids' toxic relationship and how it makes me feel as a parent.  You know, cause I raised these 2 and much of what's going on is influenced by my skills (or lack thereof) as a parental unit.  TLDR, I don't give myself a solid B-. Then we review a Willett rye!  From Christmas in Chicago!  Yelling! Do you own a...

Well, both football teams went out and failed me.  One in an embarassing failure on every level imaginable; one just not living up to the potential we wrongly assumed they had.   Who has a bad haircut?  In a shocking twist that was easily predictable, this guy.  Just history repeating itself.   Did I finally get a bottle of that Nulu Black Currant Brandy finish?  You bet your sweet bippy I did! An...

I had another tough week of my own mental doing.  And we discuss it, because that's the only reason this exists!  We talk about problems through gritted teeth and then try to be better.  And fail at it.   But I got out of the house for 1.5 days!  To go to Atlantic City and see Jane's Addiction!  Somehow Hayley let me just go to multiple casinos with my degenerate friends.  And I came back! Review...

Season 2!  Who thought this would really happen?  Not me!  But it's happening.  Like when someone was dog-sitting Bob Kelly's dogs, had to crap REALLY bad, but Bob Kelly's bathroom's down 1 flight of stairs, and they shat their pants on the way down.  That's the only story I hear in my head when someone says "this is happening". Anyways...summer vacation's over and it was good.  Just like me; flat...

I messed up the exact timing, but I found a loophole.  So we're calling this the official end of season one.  I can't believe I did this for an entire year.  It's both shocking that I did it 55 straight weeks, but also feels like the start was 1000 weeks ago.   Hopefully we can turn season 2 into more engaging content.  But I'll have to figure that out while I'm laying on a rocky beach, day drinki...

It was the last full BBQ weekend of the summer.  The remaining weekends are partially taken up by summer vacation, so it was time to get outside and cook up some delicious smoked meats.   But then it was kinda a tough week.  Work was frustrating and busy and stupid.  The dog gave herself pink eye and took up a morning at the vet.  And then I'm back to being frustrated by the MIL situation.  That b...

Another trip to the Finger Lakes in the books.  This time for a newphew-in-law's brides's bridal shower.  Did I say that right?  Great custard, squishing coins on train tracks, jet skis, tropical depressions, long walks along state highways.  And of course some struggles in my interactions with Hayley's mom.  Just wasn't a great setup for success and I didn't do anything to improve that situation....

My lower back, which is made of a very robust form of graham cracker, has gone to crap once again.  For the first time in a couple years, which is actually unusual.  So it's been a long week of trying to rest and heal, while also acting like I'm in no discomfort and doing normal things.  Summer Olympics!!  I definitely enjoy the summer olympics more than winter.  So many events that I really enjoy...

We kick it off with an oddly long recap of the weekend.  Pretty much how I decided to day drink outside all day on Sunday and paid for it.  At least all my outdoor cooking aparati are clean.   Then we review one of the few bottles I'll actively chase every year.  Is it worth it?  It is to me, and that's all that matters.  Remember when I mentioned that Duncan had a little trouble at camp?  Me neit...

I finally tell the tale of my worst night to date.  Yeah, even worse than when my dog died while on a walk with our family during COVID.  It's the weekend of our remembrance of that night, so it feels appropriate to record it.   Fittingly, I review a bourbon that is tied to the person said night revolves around.  I brand that I really only drink on this one night a year.   Then I recap the weekend...

Bunch of random topics today, starting with the 19th (non pandemic) annual guys baseball weekend.  San Fransisco, baby.  No rice-a-roni, or Ghirardelli, but we ate lots of Japanese food and crossed the Golden Gate. My take on what I'm sure many comedians (and dads) have joked about; a transfer portal or free-agency type deal for dad/husbands.  You only get a piece of what I dreamed up here, as it...

We had a very successful 4th of July.  Many meats were cooked, including that full packer brisket, and everything was delicious.  And no one was injured in any fireworks related incident!!   Then I discuss my thoughts on why we need to get back to a culture where it's acceptable to tease and be teased.  In comedies and in life.  It's a learned skill that we're 'safe spacing' out of society.   Revi...

The a/c is officially working like normal again!  Oh happy day.  And as of now it was free, since I haven't received an invoice for the job yet.   And I don't know why it never clicked before, but I've been mistaking some of my MIL's behaviors as a symptom and not a cause.  And it really does filter out into a great many things.  I really making progress here.  More psychology on me, especially as...

Lots of little topics this week.  But we start with animatronic Alanis Morriset.  That's...about...as...nicely as I can put it.  And game 7 of the Stanley Cup featuring McJesus.   And surprise surprise there were some misfortunes!  Who could have guessed?!  But we perservere.  Fight the good fight.  Solder on.   A shorter than normal whiskey review of 1792 Full Proof.  I guess I just prattled less...

Happy (belated) Father's Day to all the dads out there!  Over here, I had to shift it to consume part of Saturday, because Sunday afternoon/evening was taken up by something else.  But many meats were cooked, drinks were drunk, merriment was merried.   Not only do I review Penelope Architect (build 9), but I came up with a great idea that I need to get Skup to execute for me.  Obviously 'great' wi...