Archive for March 2013
I was forced to parent like a lunatic for a night. It wasn’t pretty.
On Friday night we spent the night in New York City at a friend’s apartment. They are vacationing in Florida and were kind enough to let us stay at their place following a Moth StorySLAM. Clara slept in their son’s crib and Charlie slept in a crib in the bedroom where we were sleeping. As…
Read MoreMommy and Charlie clapping
It’s the simple things, like watching my son and wife clapping, that I will try to hold onto in my mind as long as I can.
Read MoreCompetitive, creative to-do listing: Which do you think is best?
I used to think that this to-do list was the best ever. In response to its greatness, I produced a series of my own creative to-do lists. The first one was good. The second was even better. Frankly, I thought both were spectacular. No one seemed to agree, and the idea fizzled. Or maybe I…
Read MoreThe birth of Something Missing: Aimee Mann’s theory on creativity matches my own perfectly
On a recent podcast, musician Aimee Mann said, “Being stuck in one place and bored out of your mind is the key to creativity.” I couldn’t agree more. My writing career only began because I was bored out of my mind as well. It was February of 2005. My wife and I were spending a…
Read MoreMultitasking gone bad
I play tag with my daughter almost every night. It’s her favorite game. And other than the fact that she still believes that the person who is “It” is the one who is being chased, she’s quite good at the game. She doesn’t quit, even when I’ve forced her to chase me around the house…
Read MoreThe Matthew Dicks Pre-Obituary Contest (including fabulous prizes for the winner)
Slate recently named the obituary of Harry Weathersby Stamps as their current leader for obituary of the year. Excerpts from this incredible obituary (though you really should read the obituary in its entirety) include: Harry Weathersby Stamps, ladies’ man, foodie, natty dresser, and accomplished traveler, died on Saturday, March 9, 2013. As a former government…
Read MoreThree-trick Charlie
My son now has three tricks in his repertoire of baby tricks. Each is quite possibly cuter than the next. My wife gets credit for all three. All I did was watch. As I’ve said many times, she’s an amazing teacher.
Read MoreFamily motto inspired and then rejected
When my daughter is upset, she’s been known to cry out, “Never stop the cuddles!” My wife and I loved the expression so much that we decided to make it our family motto. Ever since then, she has stopped saying it and rejects the notion entirely. She is so clearly (and sometimes tragically) her father’s…
Read MoreA weaponized TV capable of melting metal
Having just completed my annual science fair with my students, I find myself incredibly relieved that none of them discovered this video when deciding upon projects. This guy (who thankfully seems intelligent, reasonable and safe) has managed to create a laser from the parts of an old television and the power of the sun. The…
Read MoreThe definition of silly.
I found this hanging on the wall of my daughter’s preschool. Each child in her class was chosen to represent a specific emotion, and she was picked for silly. I’ve never actually seen her make this face before, which made the photo all the more surprising. What are my chances of getting this image into…
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