Post 42:08 I’m clean!

May 16, 2008 in Sport, staycooldad

In the last few weeks, I have made some big declarations.
To become a junior soccer team manager, I have had to sign my life away as never, ever, ever having anything to do with child sex offences, offenders, offers or anything. Otherwise I can be carted off to chokey for so much as showing up [...]

Post 34:08 The difference between boys and girls

April 9, 2008 in Random, kids and media, staycooldad

My three year old daughter, who is in pre-school, amazed me this morning.
I was eating toast and she paused her usual doodling and said “Daddy, I have spelled toast.”
And indeed she had: “ToST,” which is pretty damn good for someone her age.
When she showed this to her mother later in the morning, my six year [...]

Post 33:08 A long incoherent ramble about Rock and Roll

April 6, 2008 in Age, Music, kids and media, staycooldad

Warning: This post is long, illogical, self-indulgent and lacks narrative.
I cannot remember where I heard this piece of dialog, but it haunts me. It went a little something like this:
(Sounds of ‘Hotel California’ in the background)
Dad: I grew up with The Eagles.
Son: So I grew up with The Eagles too.

Dad: So when The Eagles came [...]

Post 31:08 Feeling apprehensive about my first ever greatest hits show

March 31, 2008 in Age, Music, staycooldad

For ages I have resisted the idea of going to concerts at which (often reformed) bands I grew up with play their greatest hits on their Superannuation Tours, to audiences comprised largely of forty-somethings trying to remember what it was like to be a teenager. I generally try to look forward, so have shunned this [...]

Post 07:08 Celebrities are real, not just TV

January 22, 2008 in kids and media, staycooldad

My son is going to a sports camp this week, along with the children of a PlaySchool presenter/rather famous entertainer.
We were discussing his presence around the dinner table this evening when my daughter said she has heard of the entertainer in question and declared:
“They have one of him on Play School. He is real.”
Yes, dear. [...]

Post 03:08 Computer games and why I want my kids to play a lot of them

January 15, 2008 in kids and media, staycooldad

For Christmas we bought the boy Super Mario Galaxy for the Wii.
It is the first modern computer game we’ve had for a while. Our last console was the PS1 and although we have had the Wii for a few months, we persevered with Wii sports.
Now I’m starting to appreciate just what astounding creations modern games [...]