Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Feb 9, 2012, 5:05 pm
People in my office walk way too fast. That is, when I’m in front of them. I admit I’m not the fastest guy in the world. I didn’t get schooled at some major university where I had to cross the campus in less than four minutes, nor did I ever excel in gym class by any stretch of the imagination...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Feb 1, 2012, 1:01 pm
Raising teenage girls is a lot like drinking molten steel. Except that with teenagers, the trauma is unrelenting. There’s no swift, merciful end; just a sustained, soul-searing affliction. And as a parent, it is expected that you transcend the rage of your teenage antagonist and soldier on, lovi...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 16, 2012, 12:11 pm
I often look forward to Mondays, oddly enough. Many weekends turn out to be anything but that much sought-after safe harbor of relaxation and stress relief. On these weekends, trouble comes in a continual flood, whether it be in the form of white-hot, soul-draining teenage angst, dealings with inc...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 9, 2012, 7:42 pm
We got a lot done this weekend, which always makes me feel wealthy. The Oregon weather was very accommodating for outside work, even in this traditionally dismal time of year. It was downright warm on Saturday, and though the skies presented an ever-impending threat of rain, it never came. I was ab...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 6, 2012, 9:24 pm
Michael has made me proud once again. I’ve mentioned his audio-abilities in times past, and he’s once again proven himself a chip off the old block. One of the things I like to bore my poor family with is the game “Where Have We Heard That Voice Before?” For example, pointing out the fact ...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 2, 2012, 11:31 pm
The thought of daddy coming home after a long day at work, for me, evokes the happy reverie of children running to the door in warm welcome, shouting “Daddy!” with wide grins as father sets down his briefcase and umbrella and scoops his adoring little rosy-cheeked cherubs into his loving embrace...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Dec 23, 2011, 11:47 am
It had been a typical long day at work. My wife was still at her job and wouldn’t be home for a couple more hours. I’d run the dishwasher, cleaned up the kitchen a smidge, decided I didn’t want to even attempt to clean up the Wii Rockband accessories littering the family room (the ones two te...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Dec 12, 2011, 2:12 pm
This weekend I was helping sister S prepare a stir-fry, one of the few dishes upon which we can all agree; it’s basically vegetarian, which sister S demands, but I can throw in optional meaty protein sources for the carnivores in the family. She had come home from her dad’s not too long ago chi...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Dec 7, 2011, 3:28 pm
Last weekend I completed a task that was years in the making. Something I dreaded doing, something that I may very well have lost some sleep over. I’m talking about hanging up Christmas lights. “Oh, come now!” you scoff. “What could be so dreadful about stringing up a few lights?” For t...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Nov 23, 2011, 5:33 pm
On a morning not long ago, I stood at the bus stop with Michael while we waited for his school bus to arrive. One of the other boys at the stop asked me if I noticed what was new. “Uh, let’s see… your jacket, and your socks!” “That’s right! Aren’t they awesome?” He yanked off a sh...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Nov 18, 2011, 5:32 pm
If I could just get one single concept through the skulls of teenagers, specifically the ones that are currently residing under my roof, it is this: There Is More To Learn. One of my kids is currently going through some troubles at school, in which she believes she is not doing well because A) The ...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Nov 11, 2011, 6:15 pm
I always call when I’m on my way home from work. I call it the “Protocall”, because it would be a serious breach of protocol should I not call (words are my playdoh). Wednesday night was no exception. But instead of a delighted spouse, I reached a frustrated wife. A wife who was on her last ...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Oct 27, 2011, 2:23 pm
About twelve seconds after I woke Michael up this morning, he burst into tears. He had asked me where his mommy was, and I had to explain that his mom had already left for work, and that meant he’d missed his morning drive. Michael likes to drive with his mom every morning. He’s been doing it ...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Oct 25, 2011, 1:38 pm
Monday night’s swimming lesson did not go well. Michael spent most of his time goofing off with his classmates and making some very bad choices, his antics ultimately escalating into downright bad behavior. I chided him after he toweled off and dressed. “Michael, I am very disappointed in your...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Oct 14, 2011, 1:55 pm
Tuesday was an eventful day. Michael was tested for a higher class level in his swimming lessons. During his normal class, the director (we kindly refer to her as “The Lunch Lady”* in regard to her booming voice, clipboard and constant patrolling around the edge of the pool during lessons) aske...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Oct 4, 2011, 10:53 am
“Mommy?” “Yes?” “Can I play with your iPod?” “Yes, but please be careful with it.” “I will.” “What are you going to do?” “I dunno, just stuff…”
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Sep 23, 2011, 12:41 pm
Not too long ago, at my place of employment, the powers that be decided that we shall all have new telephones. VOIP telephones. That is, phones that use the internet for transmission and reception of voice. The idea is that these new phones can do all sorts of things the old technology can’t do. ...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Sep 13, 2011, 12:34 pm
My wife went back to work today. Since her surgery in June, she’s been out on disability. Tearing into someone’s chest cavity to work on their heart is pretty traumatic to their muscles and bones, which need time to heal. She’s been doing physical therapy, walking every day, going to a spec...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Aug 31, 2011, 12:33 pm
I have mentioned before that I really hate plumbing. In particular, I detest toilets. Of course, I’d never suggest doing without. It isn’t the utility of the toilet I dislike, it’s that they fail. They fail in varied, annoying and often expensive ways. It was the failure of Breezy (for tho...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Aug 8, 2011, 1:11 pm
Raising children is not for the timid. I don’t think any parent would dispute that. It is also not for those who are unwilling to learn and grow in order to be a better parent. As a dad, I know that I have a lot of room for improvement, and Michael is giving me plenty of opportunity for that. In...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jul 28, 2011, 7:47 pm
Tuesday, heading home from Michael’s summer “day camp” (read: place where Michael can go play with friends while daddy is at work during the day and thus allow his mother to properly heal from her recent surgery). We’re driving along the busy street, cars close by in front and behind. Out o...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jul 25, 2011, 2:36 pm
Summer. For children, that delicious stretch of endless sunny days filled with adventure and glee. Okay, maybe not all the time. Most of the time it seems to be ceaseless ennui smeared with thick clots of slack-jawed television viewing. One of the teenagers has practically worn her favorite spot o...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jul 20, 2011, 11:02 am
Now entering the painful phase of the big job. It must be done. For all involved. The wrongs of the past cannot be fixed per se, but at least we can make things right going forward.
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jun 21, 2011, 1:29 pm
I just found out that my wife’s surgery went through without a hitch. She’ll be in the hospital for a few days still. The real healing will be in the days, weeks and months that follow as she and I commit to the lifestyle changes we’ve only toyed with until now. I refuse to lose her, or eve...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jun 21, 2011, 12:02 am
Tomorrow my wife has her surgery. I don’t think either one of us will sleep a wink tonight. One thing that is really encouraging is to know how many people are praying for us, who care, who are sending their thoughts and wishes for a successful procedure and a speedy recovery. We now have a Ca...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jun 15, 2011, 2:32 pm
When I was 20 or so, I had a blurry, abstract vision of what marriage was like: husband relaxing in leather chair reading paper in one room, children playing noisily in another room, wife in yet another room cheerfully going about her business. Everyone content, everyone occupied. And everyone keepi...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - May 20, 2011, 3:28 pm
Michael came into the kitchen where I was cooking breakfast. He noticed that his stuffed “Angry Bird” was no longer on top of the refrigerator, where it had been incarcerated for the duration of Michael’s penance (for having, the night previous, recklessly and unabashedly launched it onto a ki...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Apr 27, 2011, 2:06 pm
If ever there was time to break back in to post, it’s now. Here we see the classic toothless grin every kid gets to enjoy once, for a very short time in his life. Not only is this little face just too cute for words, it’s fun to hear him say things like “Cereal” and “SpongeBob” and “...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Mar 24, 2011, 1:54 pm
There comes a time when a man knows it’s time to put on his work boots, roll up his sleeves and get to work. What’s gotta get done, has gotta get done, pleasant or not. There’s no real rest until the work is complete. But after it’s done… then that rest is sweet and good.
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Mar 17, 2011, 12:06 pm
Years ago, when I was a technician at a well-known electronics component manufacturer, we did an experiment to demonstrate the benefits of using our products. We used a thermal imaging camera to take a snapshot of a working computer circuit board: one with our components, and one with the competito...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Mar 10, 2011, 12:14 pm
How To Get Dressed In The Morning in thirty easy steps!   Step 1: Notice that your mom has brought your clothes downstairs and put them directly in front of you. Step 2: Draw a smiley face on your Magna-Doodle. Step 3: fling your stuffed dolphin into the air five or six times. build nest for do...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Mar 7, 2011, 5:12 pm
Spring is here. Okay, not quite. But I’m ready for it anyway. And with it comes a fresh format. The old, dark, treehouse background was growing mildew; I’ve been getting tired of looking at it, to be honest. That, and the family is transitioning. The girls are teenagers (Lord help me) and are...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Mar 2, 2011, 12:04 pm
Last night Michael and his sister S decided upon watching an old episode of Scooby Doo while waiting for dinner to be ready. She was glad to see it was an original episode from 1970, and not one of the “cheap imitations they make now.” It makes me proud to know she appreciates the classics. As ...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Mar 1, 2011, 1:02 pm
“Thanking the universe for your blessings is like thanking the walls of the restaurant for your meal.” – Me.
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Feb 23, 2011, 7:01 pm
The Portland area forecast is for rain/snow mix, and lots of it. They’ve been talking about it for days. I’ve already assured my wife I’ll be bringing my laptop home from work in case we get snowed in. She’s requested that I put her snow tires on in case it’s really bad. I drove to work ...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Feb 19, 2011, 4:00 pm
On Thursday, Michael and I happened to be watching the news while he was finishing up breakfast. On comes a commercial for an upcoming Oprah show. It shows a video recording of a little boy storming around a house in a screaming rage, while Oprah’s voice intones ominously: “…seven years old,...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Feb 14, 2011, 11:20 pm
Daddy: “Michael, I need you to put your jammies on. It’s almost bedtime.” Michael: “All right, all right. I’ll listen to your words and do it.” Daddy: “I’m really glad to hear you say that. That makes me happy to know you’re listening.” Michael: “…because you’re the boss...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Feb 11, 2011, 12:21 pm
There’s stuff you can write about, and there is stuff you can’t. Sometimes it seems like the “can’t say” stuff is just too much. You have to deal with them pretty much every day in some way or another; you have to shoulder weighty burdens that have no short-term resolution, if any… “...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Feb 9, 2011, 4:56 pm
…the Top 40 chart leader was that Nancy Sinatra song: “These Boots Are Made For Walkin’”. As I recall, the lyrics were: “blah blah blah blah blah ONE OF THESE DAYS THESE BOOTS ARE GOING TO WALK ALL OVER YOU.” And in my tiny, pre-school, everything-is-literal brain, I believed the song w...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Feb 7, 2011, 12:07 pm
After a week of keeping traps out and baited, we have caught no skunk. But we have trapped opossums six times. I don’t know if there are six possums living under the deck or if there are just two really stupid ones that don’t seem to learn from past mistakes. Either way, I’ve called the trapp...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Feb 4, 2011, 9:17 am
“Honey? The refrigerator is leaking.” “What? Where?” “From the water dispenser.” “Oh.” (pause) “It’s really bad.” “How bad?” “Like, a big puddle on the floor.” “Oh.” (pause) “It’s going to ruin the floor.” “That’s true.” “Well, aren’t you...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 30, 2011, 2:15 pm
I mentioned recently that Michael’s taking swimming lessons. Because the lessons are at 6:30 and are about 20 minutes from home, it throws our evening schedule into a frenzy. Dinner becomes a side thought as finding a towel and swim trunks and getting into the car quickly become the main goal of...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 27, 2011, 5:41 pm
It’s back. We thought we’d dispensed with it three years ago. Remember? No? Read about it here, here, here and here. Okay, so maybe this skunk is just a distant relative. Either way, a few day ago this little bugger must have found cousin Pepe’s former apartment, moved in and got right dow...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 24, 2011, 4:44 pm
Michael’s just started taking swimming lessons at an indoor pool, one he isn’t used to. The locker room was full of kids getting ready for lessons, and just as full of grown men toweling off and dressing back into street clothes. I could tell he was a little anxious being around so many strang...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 23, 2011, 4:16 pm
We’re watching the playoff today, Green Bay at Chicago. We want the Bears to win of course, since the Seahawks couldn’t bring it last week. And if we’re going to cheer on Da Bears, there’s protocol involved: Thanks to Melisalw for spurring me on to show the proof!
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 20, 2011, 6:09 pm
Things that make me feel wealthy, in no particular order: A drawer full of clean, matched socks. A clean kitchen. Being married to Michael’s Mommy. A house full of happy, helpful, interested children. Dining Al Fresco (out in back, in the summertime). Both cars parked in the garage. A fire in the...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 19, 2011, 1:42 pm
While brushing Michael’s teeth last night, I became acutely aware of a foreign object in his mouth; one I think he’d been hoping I wouldn’t notice. I set the brush down and leaned in for a closer look, to see a wad of indiscernible foodstuff that had been masticated beyond all hope of recognit...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 14, 2011, 4:26 pm
Toilets are evil. At least, the ones in our house are. I’m convinced they’re sentient and angry about something, and have for some reason selected me as the target for expressing their resentment. We have three bathrooms in our house, each with a toilet having its own personality. Upstairs in t...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 10, 2011, 12:23 pm
Not long ago, I posted an update on our continuing efforts to help Michael succeed, socially and academically. You can read about that here. I am very happy to report that after five weeks, we’ve seen a marked improvement in Michael’s behavior at school. Before, I would get a phone call from t...
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Tom B. posted an article on Being Michael's Daddy - Jan 3, 2011, 12:36 pm
This is a phrase I use a lot, usually at the close of an email to a friend or relative whom I know is going through a struggle: “Hang in there.” My wife wrote me an email this morning, telling of struggles going on at work, predicting that her workday would be difficult. I responded with my usu...
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