In the Shadows

When you find something that works, stick with that. That philosophy doesn't always work with entertainment because the same old thing can get old quickly. But in the instance of…

Quoteable

Parents can often feel pride about the accomplishments of their children. Maybe they bring home a perfect report card or score the winning goal or have an excellent performance on stage.

But sometimes they make us beam for other reasons. Sometimes your child takes great pleasure in pointing out when people use unnecessary quotes.

As my daughter approaches her teenage years (way too fast for my liking, but that’s another story), she has started to develop the kind of observation-based sense of humor I love.

One day she was talking about her day and told us about a sign she saw somewhere. When she told us about it, she used air quotes when she said one word. I had to stop and question her for a second.

Once I received her answers, I realized I had the double whammy of sarcastic Daddy pride. She understood that the quotes were completely unnecessary and showed us via air quotes with a small eye roll thrown in for good measure.

Morning Dilemma

Even though I embrace change, I sometimes worry about unnecessarily upsetting my routine.

In order to make things run smoothly around the house, I have adopted a fairly regular morning ritual. I need to leave the house by a specific time in order to avoid certain hassles on my commute.

This means I have planned out the proper wakeup time and do as many things as possible the night before. If I have to load my iPod or make my lunch in the morning, I run the risk of throwing everything else off kilter.

But I have one change which could make or break everything. I could significantly improve my morning experience or make my ride to work intolerable.

I think I need a new travel mug.

Don’t Cross Off “The Exes”

When TV Land started airing original programming a few years ago, I didn't quote know how to react. They premiered "Hot in Cleveland" right as Betty White was everywhere you…

Late to the Game

I don't know why I never watched Friday Night Lights. When I look back at the 2006-07 television schedule, I see that it didn't conflict with anything else I watched…

Happy Enough

I think my 11-year-old daughter said it best as we left Happy Feet 2 - "Well, that occupied us for two hours." Considering she wanted to see the movie, I…

To Tux or Not to Tux

I felt a little nervous as I studied my computer screen. I really hoped no one would see the image which had my attention.

First off, if the guys from IT at work found out, I might get in trouble. Secondly, my wife would certainly have a problem with me if I clicked the button which had my complete attention.

We all have our weak moments. I didn’t sleep well the night before. I felt a little alone in my cubicle at work. I had a million excuses for what I planned to do.

In the end, common sense won out. Fear played a part in the decision. I didn’t want to walk around with that stain on my reputation for the rest of my life.

Even with that sense of relief, part of me still wishes I had bought that tuxedo I saw for sale on Cyber Monday.