My 100th post - break out the beer!!!

What Now?

Here it is. The wait is over. The time has come. You are one of the 5 to 7 people reading the 100th post of my blog "What Now?" It is also number 10 on the WND Top Ten list I have had going for the last couple of weeks. Pretty big stuff, eh? What started as random ramblings from a new dad blogger has turned into random ramblings of a dad blogger with 100 posts. Wow, the feelings I am feeling are...well, hmmmmm. Not much different, but I have to kinda make a big deal out of it, right? I mean, when a TV show hits 100 episodes they all eat cake after taping. When someone turns 100 years old the Today Show wheels out good ol' Willard to slap a Smuckers logo on their face. Elementary schools always make a bid deal out of the 1ooth day of school (usually that means my kids bring home 100 pieces of garbage I have to secretly throw away after they go do bed).

So what should be done to commemorate this dad's 100th blog post. I have a few ideas that I'd like to share with you...come and enjoy:

1. Maybe 73 other bloggers can become official "followers" of my blog are bring me to 100 total. I can't tell you how excited I get now when just one more person becomes a follower of my blog.....my kids call it "Daddy giving seconds of desert night!"

2. My boss could get me a more comfortable chair at work so when I write my blog posts (you know, the real important work) I can do it without jerking around like a fish out of water. I don't know what it is, but I can't sit still for more than 2 minuets these days. I'm like Kramer's girlfriend who had the "jimmy legs".

3. Getting a personal "congrats" message from the President, or at least my favorite blogger currently, Jason Mayo of Out Numbered. Here is a guy I can really relate too. He is the only male in his house....so am I. He writes a blog about him and his family....so do I. He is devilishly handsome...so am I (Thanks Madonna for helping me with this little tribute).

4. I could be wearing my most comfortable t-shirt and jeans sipping on a ice chilled glass of my favorite beer, Pipeline Porter, while my wife, wearing her sexy camisole and boy shorts, pops peanut butter filled pretzels into my mouth with Jimmy Buffett or Dean Martin playing in the background. Oh wait, that's heaven I'm talking about.

5. Maybe my sweet, darling daughters will, for just a little while, get along, clean their room, eat their dinner, brush their teeth, make their bed, do their homework, feed the dog, set the table, not watch T.V., get themselves dressed, stay in bed and everything else my wife and I ask them to do without saying "why?" afterwards. Oh wait, this is reality I'm talking about.

Instead of holding my breath for any of these things to happen, I'll just pat myself on the back, pack up for the day and go pick up my girls from school. To my 5 to 7 faithful fans, I hope you have enjoyed reading my first 100 posts as much as I have enjoyed writing them. Until number 101....

PEACE OUT DADS!

WND Top Ten - Back to high school

What Now?

Almost there..the end of my WND Top Ten list and my 100th blog post. So, number 9 on the list got a lot of reaction when I first posted it back in July. It goes into my feelings about my 20th high school reunion and I think there are two sides of this issue for most folks my age. The first side can't wait for the reunion and to catch up with old friends. The other side would rather shove a hot poker up their ass before they would go. This has a lot to do with the kind of experience you have in high school. I myself had a great one, and I looked forward to the event and when it was all said and done I had a great time. I was lucky enough to attend my wife's 20th as well a month later. I think she actually fell somewhere in the middle....kind of wanting to attend but not super excited about it. I told her we should go, she would have a good time.....and about an hour into the first event I thought she was going to kill me. From a weirdo ex-boyfriend type trying to pawn his daughter on us to the snobby bitch breaking into every conversation like we wanted her there it was bad. The food kinda sucked too so there went my enjoyment! Fortunately she rallied and it ended up being a great time. The jury is still out on if we'll make her 30th or not.

The 20th Reunion

This post is number 80 for me and my little blog. To be honest I started this blog with no real idea of where to take it or what I wanted it to accomplish. There were time early on that I just about walked away. But, thanks to the encouragement of my wife, the computer dork and currently my sugar mama, I continued. And I am very glad I did. Being a part-time-stay-at-home dad does have it's many adventures, and what a great outlet to talk about them. I have met some other great dad (and mom) bloggers out there in the interweb and have become a big fan of their blogs. This technology really is amazing. As a good friend of mine said recently "I think this Internet thing just might catch on!"So, to mark this mini-milestone I thought I would talk a little bit today about another milestone in my life, my 20th high school reunion. My god, how could this be happening now? It seems like not too long ago I was going to my 10th. Since that time I have moved back to my home town, changed jobs twice, had two kids, lost about 30 pounds and settled into my new role as PTSAH dad. The only thing that is the same is my marriage to the most wonderful woman on earth (I love ya crouton!).I have talked to several people much, much older than me about the big 20th reunion and they all say it will be so much better than the 10th. No one will showing off, name dropping, job bragging, big timing like at the 10th. People are more real, they have families, they really are there to see old friends and tell old stories. To be honest I really enjoyed my 10th and have been looking forward to the 20th. There is however some nervousness I am feeling the day before I see people I haven't seen in over a decade.I am terrible with names. I can meet someone for the first time and forget their name 5 seconds later. How the hell am I going to do with people I haven't seen for years? How many "Hey buddy, hey champ, hey dude, hey lady" intros will I be able to get away with before I just freeze? I dug out my yearbook to try and cramp for this reunion exam, but that will only help if everyone looks the same as they did 20 years ago...fat chance. I can hold out hope for big ass name tags I guess, but if they don't have those I am screwed.I really should be no big deal. My wife thinks I'm a total dork for even worrying about it. She is my ultimate back-up plan for social events like this, introducing herself to everyone right away to get a name. It works pretty well, unless she forgets...then I really look like a fuck up. "Uhhh, Mrs. Whatnowdad, this is....uhhh, O shit...there is so-and-so, please excuse me!"What I am really excited about is the family picnic. Here I will get to see what the offspring look like, and try to imagine if they are anything like their parents were back in the day. Will the nerds have nerdy kids? Will the alternative/punk/goth parents dress their kids up in black? Will the hicks ride in with their kids on horseback. Will the jocks be tossing the old pig skin around with there kids? Will that one really hot chick from 3rd period science have a really hot 21 year old daughter and will they be wearing matching bikinis? Is that last one pretty sick? Probably...but you gotta wonder, right?And what will everyone think of my kids? Do they at all resemble what I was like as a kid, or are they more like me now? Maybe a good cross of both.After the weekend I'll give a full report on all the activities as I'm sure there should be some nuggets of entertainment to share.Until then....

PEACE OUT DADS!

WND Top Ten

What Now?

This post is #90 for my little blog. Not much of a milestone number I realize, but it does mean that I am only 10 posts away from hitting number 100, which in just about any setting is big. Right now however I don't feel super creative and/or inspired to come up with new, awesome, funny, insightful posts. So, here is what I came up with.

THE WHAT NOW DAD TOP TEN POSTS OF THIS BLOG FROM IT'S START UP UNTIL NOW.....

Here is what I figure. When I started this blog nobody knew me, nobody read it, and it was pretty much something I did to kill a little time. In the 90 posts since I have actually followers, people are commenting and I have been introduced to a blogging world I never really new existed. The 10 posts I pick will help catch people up on who I am and what I am about...so, at number 10 is my very first post dated February 10, 2009.

Welcome to the start of what I am hoping is a well written, well received, daily journal of one man's life from this point forward. I am joining the world wide phenomenon of blogging in an attempt to release some creative energy and maybe, just maybe, create something that becomes bigger than I can possibly imagine.For my first blog I thought I would list 25 things about myself that will help you, the reader, find out where I have come from and where I am at now so that you will come back to see where I end up going. So, without further ado...

1. I am married to the most wonderful woman on the planet. I could use this whole list to talk about her and at the same time know I don't need to.

2. I have two smart, beautiful girls that are the center of my universe. I can't imagine life without them.

3. I live in the same town I grew up in and love it. I spent 7 years in bigger cities and maybe someday I'll live in one again, but for now I am a small town boy and loving it.

4. My parents still live in my hometown and having them so close so my family can see them as often as we do means more to me than they can possibly know.

5. I am the oldest of three kids with a younger sister and brother. I could not be more proud of the adults they have grown up to be and while we don't talk as much as some siblings, I love them to death.

6. I have 5 nephews and two nieces. All of which hopefully consider me one of their favorite uncles.

7. I could not have hand picked better in-laws.

8. I am currently in a career that is deeply effected by the current economic crisis, thus the part of my blog description "part time stay at home dad."

9. Before I started my current job I worked in sports marketing for several teams including several in semi-pro leagues, one from the NHL and a collegiate athletic department.

10. I grew up loving sports and competing in many, including running hurdles for my college track and field team.

11. I have lived in 4 states and traveled to many other, and hands down I think Idaho is the best in the US.

12. I have had several pets in my lifetime and I think my cat Muffin from childhood is my favorite.

13. I currently have a 10 year old Australian Shepard mix named Maggie. This dog has frayed every nerve I have and then some and I always think back to how my lovely wife tricked me to get her.

14. While always maintaining a decent level of fitness since college, I have recently jumped started things and will be running my first marathon this May.

15. Did I mention how awesome my wife is, and that she inspires me everyday to be the best I can be.

16. My girls, let's call them K and R, provide me with a lifetime of entertainment every day.

17. The house we currently live in is about 50% updated. I look forward to doing the other 50% while at the same time wishing fairies would come and do it for me in the middle of the night.

18. I have attended several PGA tournaments with my father and brother including the Phoenix Open, The Masters, The PGA Championship, The Ryder Cup and last year the US Open (the one that Tiger won on a bum knee). We plan to seeing the British Open as well so we have a clean sweep of all the majors.

19. Last year I rode the Seattle to Portland cycling classic with my Dad. 200 miles in 2 days. He kicked butt on a bike that is almost as old as I am.

20. When it comes to music I like just about everything but have a special place in my heart for hard rock (especially from the 80's!).

21. I also love just about all movies, but nothing beats the Star Wars saga.

22. I have my girls hooked on Star Wars as well....HECK TO THE YEAH!

23. I raced Dan O'Brien in the hurdles back in college. Guess who won?

24. I have many, many friends. Some I don't stay in touch with as much as I would like, but when we do talk it's like we never missed a beat.

25. I look forward to seeing where this thing takes me...hopefully you will too.

PEACE OUT DADS!

80th post - 20th reunion

WHAT NOW?

This post is number 80 for me and my little blog. To be honest I started this blog with no real idea of where to take it or what I wanted it to accomplish. There were time early on that I just about walked away. But, thanks to the encouragement of my wife, the computer dork and currently my sugar mama, I continued. And I am very glad I did. Being a part-time-stay-at-home dad does have it's many adventures, and what a great outlet to talk about them. I have met some other great dad (and mom) bloggers out there in the interweb and have become a big fan of their blogs. This technology really is amazing. As a good friend of mine said recently "I think this Internet thing just might catch on!"

So, to mark this mini-milestone I thought I would talk a little bit today about another milestone in my life, my 20th high school reunion. My god, how could this be happening now? It seems like not too long ago I was going to my 10th. Since that time I have moved back to my home town, changed jobs twice, had two kids, lost about 30 pounds and settled into my new role as PTSAH dad. The only thing that is the same is my marriage to the most wonderful woman on earth (I love ya crouton!).

I have talked to several people much, much older than me about the big 20th reunion and they all say it will be so much better than the 10th. No one will showing off, name dropping, job bragging, big timing like at the 10th. People are more real, they have families, they really are there to see old friends and tell old stories. To be honest I really enjoyed my 10th and have been looking forward to the 20th. There is however some nervousness I am feeling the day before I see people I haven't seen in over a decade.

I am terrible with names. I can meet someone for the first time and forget their name 5 seconds later. How the hell am I going to do with people I haven't seen for years? How many "Hey buddy, hey champ, hey dude, hey lady" intros will I be able to get away with before I just freeze? I dug out my yearbook to try and cramp for this reunion exam, but that will only help if everyone looks the same as they did 20 years ago...fat chance. I can hold out hope for big ass name tags I guess, but if they don't have those I am screwed.

I really should be no big deal. My wife thinks I'm a total dork for even worrying about it. She is my ultimate back-up plan for social events like this, introducing herself to everyone right away to get a name. It works pretty well, unless she forgets...then I really look like a fuck up. "Uhhh, Mrs. Whatnowdad, this is....uhhh, O shit...there is so-and-so, please excuse me!"

What I am really excited about is the family picnic. Here I will get to see what the offspring look like, and try to imagine if they are anything like their parents were back in the day. Will the nerds have nerdy kids? Will the alternative/punk/goth parents dress their kids up in black? Will the hicks ride in with their kids on horseback. Will the jocks be tossing the old pig skin around with there kids? Will that one really hot chick from 3rd period science have a really hot 21 year old daughter and will they be wearing matching bikinis? Is that last one pretty sick? Probably...but you gotta wonder, right?

And what will everyone think of my kids? Do they at all resemble what I was like as a kid, or are they more like me now? Maybe a good cross of both.

After the weekend I'll give a full report on all the activities as I'm sure there should be some nuggets of entertainment to share.

Until then....

PEACE OUT DADS!

Does my butt look big in this?

WHAT NOW...

How come every time I hear this question from my wife I want to scream? Not because I am worried how she will react to my answer, or because my wife's butt looks big in everything she wears and there is no way I can pretend it doesn't, or because I don't love to discuss the really important issues with my wife. It's because her butt is not big, and does not look big to me, and when I tell her this it gets as far as her ear then drops out of sight. Does she not believe me when I say this? Would she rather I tell her "yes honey, you have a massive amount of junk in your trunk"? Does she really not want an answer because she has already made up her mind and she is really just talking to herself. Who knows??? I have been with my wife the better part of 2o years, and her body has gone through many, many changes...like all people that walk the earth. It would be impossible to think that a 30something woman will look the same as she did in college, especially after having two kids. I know all you see in the media is how super star so-and-so got her body back in shape only 5 hours after delivering her child. What they don't tell you is that she either a) really didn't have a child and did it just because it's all the rage in Hollywood, or b) she didn't eat anything during pregnancy and after birth the first two people to visit her where the plastic surgeon and the personal trainer. I understand the pressure that women feel to look their best, stay in shape, never ever age...but in my messed up male head if your significant other tells you that in his eyes you are the best looking, most in shape, hottest babe on the planet then that should be enough, right? WRONG!!! Thanks for playing. You may pick up your participation gift at the back door before you leave. If I could invent anything it would be a mirror that let women see themselves the way the men in their lives see them. Even though my wife and I have been together a long time I still will sneak peaks at her coming out of the shower. I still ogle her like I did back in college. I still think, no matter how many times she asks me that silly question, that she has the sweetest tush around! I also know that she will still ask, I will still answer, and I will still want to scream.

PEACE OUT DADS!!!

How ya like me now baby?

This is an attempt to make my blog entries more visually interesting. It was BROUGHT to my attention that I should make my entries shorter with paragraph breaks

and different looking fonts. This advise comes from the two people in my life that probably know the most about blogs and blogging, my wife and mother. My father can't understand the appeal of blogs and why anyone would waste their time writing or reading them. This is close to the same position I held not too long ago. I did tell him the "mom blogger who makes $40k a month" story and that just made him hold he position even stronger! I am a convert (shhhhhh), and this blog will become something important in my life someday, I think...maybe. We'll just have to wait and see.

So....how's it looking?

PEACE OUT DADS!!!