I really do have a genuine fondness for children, and, at times, it kind of surprises me. It certainly was not always the case with me, as I was very self-centered throughout my teen years, and through my 20s. This is really indicative of most people from my generation.
The selfishness of people I know between the ages of 25 and 40 may be a result of the influx of technology absorbing their attention away from a family mentality, and also the need to stay focused on careers for much longer. …

It is much easier and enjoyable to write about the great times I have with my two-year-old daughter as a stay-at-home father rather than the rough times. Usually, that is at the forefront of my daily experiences.
But not every day is a simple, successful and fun stroll through a summer day. With the events of last night and this morning still fresh in my mind, I’ll list everything that went awry prior to nap time.
I do want to preface this blog post by saying I do my best to stay …

There are certain things only another parent can relate to. Such as the fact that my day yesterday started off very rough, yet was instantly saved thanks to my daughter peeing in the toilet!
This is not a typical week for my family. My daughter just began going to a child care center a few mornings a week; a place that functions more like a preschool than day care. It has been going great, but they are closed all of this week. So my daughter is home with me full time …

I love to play basketball. I always have, yet there have been a few incredible gaps in my lifetime where I simply did not include basketball in my life. From my early college years to a couple of years into my career as a sportswriter, I did not play much at all. Upon further reflection, this is no surprise since physical fitness had zero priority in my life for that five- or six-year period.
Taking care of obtaining my degree from the University of Missouri and working my way through school …

There are countless moments of every day, week, month, year, decade and lifetimes where one experiences some sort of a definable crossroads. This is inevitable, and is merely amplified by increased awareness of this occurrence. Dealing with these intersections is part of a typical existence, but what I find very challenging is when multiple junctions overlap and cross into your daily pattern of concern.
This is where I currently find myself, as thoughts center on some very relevant issues. My freelance work and new radio show are going well, so that …

This past Thursday was a solid example of one of those days when events take a very sudden turn for the worse at the most inopportune time, causing major parent panic. It was not an overly serious circumstance, relative to genuine emergency. But just as I was experiencing a fatherly zenith while enjoying a gorgeous evening at the park, my little girl starting throwing up all over the park playground. Not good times.
I certainly realize now that each day as a parent of a baby or toddler brings with it …

In six hours, I will be on my way to the KK Ranch, a place that is held sacred among many of my friends. I agree with their sentiment. It is really an idealistic way for us to gather and enjoy time outdoors and together in a perfect setting.
Located out in the country not far from I-70, the KK is only 90 minutes from most points in St. Louis. It features an old-school bunk house that conjures imagery of 1970s Americana, a real outhouse (though it actually is relatively nice), …

I was just reflecting on last week’s St. Patrick’s Day St. Louis celebration in Dogtown. What a day! Since I am looking for work and in the very beginning stages of helping to prepare our house for market, I was conflicted last Wednesday morning. Our daughter goes to daycare on Wednesdays, and so the idea is for me to scramble as best I can to be extra productive. Not party all day.
But … this day only comes once per year. And it was sunny … and I really wanted to …

Few things within the realm of common occurrence is as painful as gout. If anything. Waking up to a throbbing, swollen and painful big toe sounds awful to most, but unless you’ve experienced gout for yourself it is difficult to comprehend. I woke up to another bout of gout this morning, but it is not nearly as intolerable as a truly chronic outbreak. But it still hurts a lot. The explanation I use when talking to others about this condition is to imagine having a big toe that is throbbing …

I was just adding some links to my Portfolio page when I heard a loud thump from upstairs. Immediately, I knew that the noise was our daughter. This time, however, our fear was very minimal because she had fallen asleep earlier on the couch cushion right below her crib, just a foot or so above her floor. No, this was not a serendipitous moment where luck meets well-placed clutter. She had decided to move from her crib to this cushion, where we have been strategically placing it for this exact …