gdp's Comments

Single Dad Laughing : Two Voices

Thu, 18 Aug 2011 22:41:55 +0000

Reading this reminds me of an old song from my high school days, a one hit wonder called "Voices Carry" by 'Til Tuesday. Great tune, but haunting, and the lyrics sound awfully close to what you just posted. If you've never heard it, you can probably find it on Youtube.

Single Dad Laughing : Worth a Thousand Words...

Tue, 16 Aug 2011 22:11:41 +0000

Well, it's still better than naming a seafood restaurant The Bearded Clam. (sorry, couldn't resist) :p My recent post The Defender

Single Dad Laughing : Disgustingly Delicious

Wed, 10 Aug 2011 15:10:12 +0000

Hmm... let's see... Liver and onions. Brussels sprouts (smothered with cheese, of course). Asparagus (especially grilled). Jalapenos on my pizza (never would've before the other night, but it was free and I was desperately hungry. Delicious!). To name a few. Oh, almost forgot - SUSHI!! My recent post Conversation last night…

Single Dad Laughing : People watching. The good. The bad. The awesome.

Tue, 9 Aug 2011 22:13:19 +0000

Made me happy: My 10-yo nephew telling me one of the reasons he likes being around me is because I'm like a counselor to him. Needs improvement: Snapping harshly at my almost 2-yo for turning off my computer while I was on it. Yes, it was annoying, but he's just being typical of his age and I need to be more patient. My recent post Conversation last night…

Single Dad Laughing : Hygiene & Camping

Sat, 6 Aug 2011 23:21:02 +0000

When I've camped, pretty much the group I'm with has eschewed all but the most basic hygiene, meaning sponge baths at the absolute most. Usually we find a nice cool lake or creek to take a dip in (depending on season) and call that a bath. Besides, I have issues with semi-public showers, much like public toilets. Now once everybody's home, all involved parties MUST fully shower and wash within two hours of returning else risk getting deemed a public health crisis and being doused with burning kerosene for the common good.

Single Dad Laughing : Why I Don\'t Hunt

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 18:49:20 +0000

Pretty much exactly how I feel about hunting. I don't have anything against it (though I'm a little cool at the thought of trophy hunting, but I can deal), but it's not something that ever really appealed to me unless I were in a survival situation or it was the only way I could feed my family. I'm no animal rights activist, and I do believe that to maintain nature's balance sometimes we need to cull the herds, but like you the thought of causing an animal pain and suffering would curb any enthusiasm about hunting in a heartbeat. Now, target shooting I do love. And when it involves sporting clays? That gets me as excited as a five year old on Christmas Eve. My recent post Another addition

Single Dad Laughing : Should you get divorced?

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:15:19 +0000

I don't think you said a single thing that I could disagree with. Marriage should be taken far more seriously than it often is in today's society, and I don't believe that divorce should be in every new couple's mind as a possible escape hatch in case things go south. But if there is any abuse going on (physical or verbal), or unhappiness permeates one or both partners, then maybe it's time to take a hard look at things and decide if the marriage is worth continuing, but not without exhausting all other options. Except of course abusive situations, one should waste no time escaping one of those. And sometimes it's better for the kids to deal with two divorced, but civil to each other parents than to live in a house with their constant unhappiness. My marriage has had it's share of rocks and shoals lately. But we're trying to commit to spending more quality time with each other (WITHOUT kids or anyone else) and when we are able to find the time or finances to, things go quite well. If we can continue that as a base for our marriage, then I think it'll serve us well down the road. My recent post Attention-deficit caregivers

Single Dad Laughing : Time vs. the Worthless Heart

Wed, 27 Jul 2011 15:02:47 +0000

Late to the party on this one as well, must've missed it while I was moving. I can see a great deal of myself in you, from the low self-image all the way down to the blogging just to figure myself out. I'm in the middle of my only marriage right now and, truth be told, there have been some rough times and there still may be in the future. Both my wife and I struggle to find each other sometimes through our own personal issues. We are both very imperfect, but I might hazard to say I'm a little more candid about admitting my faults. Trouble is, we've invested too much of our lives and memories in each other, not to mention we too are in the process of adopting an almost-2 year old boy. We were actually separated for a little over a year, mainly because I took a job in another state, but truth be told we sort of needed the separation. Living alone got old after about a month. I wouldn't like to be totally alone but it would take a great deal of fortuitous circumstances for me to find someone else (or allow someone else in) if I ever left my wife. So while I won't trot out the tired line "I know how you feel", I will say that you are describing familiar territory. Thanks for posting this, and all that you do post. It's refreshing to see that there are others out there that share a lot of your thoughts. My recent post Attention-deficit caregivers

Single Dad Laughing : Watch for Kitten Eating Bunnies

Mon, 25 Jul 2011 18:29:51 +0000

I lived in California (both LA and SF Bay Area) for 14 years. Yet I never got a chance to visit Yosemite Park, Death Valley, Alcatraz, or Vegas (though I have been to Reno and Laughlin). To name a few. My recent post Attention-deficit caregivers

Single Dad Laughing : A Peek at this Week

Sat, 23 Jul 2011 17:28:25 +0000

People who, even after reading your article, cannot distinguish between healthy, loving touch, and unhealthy, inappropriate touch of children have no business having or raising any, let alone finding fault with those who know how to love their kids. The cranial rectosis pic was a more than appropriate response. My recent post Chillaxin’

Single Dad Laughing : I Bet You Can\'t NOT Laugh When You Hear This

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 18:14:53 +0000

You ought to post a video of your funny faces. So we can learn them and maybe make OUR kids laugh hysterically... My recent post Chillaxin’

Single Dad Laughing : Real Dads Touch Their Kids

Mon, 18 Jul 2011 20:33:18 +0000

It's a sad world that we live in to where people can no longer distinguish between healthy and unhealthy touching of children, particularly their own. I cannot imagine how dreary, how bleak life would be if I could not touch, hug, tickle, or kiss my child. I would not want to be part of such a world. My recent post Chillaxin’

Single Dad Laughing : I swear I already wrote that

Fri, 15 Jul 2011 18:56:34 +0000

Happens to me all the time. I call it brain farts, or sometimes CRS (Can't Remember S***). I too find myself on occasion combing my archives seeing if I'm repeating myself again. My recent post Chillaxin’

Single Dad Laughing : Perfection, Dancing, and Boogers on the Bedpost.

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 02:22:47 +0000

First of all, Happy Blogiversarry! Second, I don't really remember how I got here, other than following a link from someplace (might've been a comment of yours from elsewhere). Saw the title "Single Dad Laughing", thought it sounded cool, started reading, and have been stopping by ever since. Third, I like your essays that make people think, the ones that hit a nerve. The one that really touched me was the one about breaking children, I think I actually left a link on my blog to it. Being a part of an extended family where I have seen some of the children being broken, that really reached out to me and made me want to reach out to them, as well as vow never to do such a thing to the most recent addition to my family. Finally, I never thought you were lacking in compassion. Sometimes the truth has to be spoken, even when it's an ugly truth, and we have to be adult enough to see that as a challenge to better ourselves, not to wallow in self-pity and be paralyzed by our failures. My recent post Miscarriage of justice?

Single Dad Laughing : Real Dads Treat Women Right

Wed, 6 Jul 2011 17:47:58 +0000

That is something that I'll always appreciate my parents, particularly my dad. Never after their divorce did they utter a single harsh word about one another in front of us kids. If there was any animosity between them, it was kept out of our sight. The result was that years later after both had moved on with their lives they could still both attend family functions without any problems. When my dad passed away, my mother was not only welcomed to the funeral but allowed to stay at my stepmother's house. That kind of civility seems rare these days. My recent post Heartbreak

Single Dad Laughing : The Search Party

Sat, 2 Jul 2011 23:10:07 +0000

Bad moment hiking? I was once that leader with the missing kid. One of my charges had fallen and hit his head, and while I was tending to him, another decided to go look for help. Turned out he didn't go very far, but the father, upon discovering his absence and my inability to account for him, proceeded to give me a profanity-laced earful right in front of God and everybody. And I could do nothing but stand there and take it, for I was responsible for all of them, not just the hurt one. Definitely not a good day to remember. But as far as your case went, I would've slowed the pace of the entire troop to keep up with you, and would've likely detailed you a buddy or a leader (likely myself) to keep an eye on you and give you some encouragement. That leader was inexcusably negligent, and should've received double the dressing down that I did for my mistake, not to mention a serious reevaluation by his superiors as to his fitness as a Boy Scout leader. Funny moment? I once slipped on a banana peel. Yes, you heard that right. Even though I twisted my knee, I was laughing at the absurdity of the moment. For I discovered it wasn't anything like the cartoons. Banana peels are even more slippery in real life than depicted in any Looney Toons cartoon. And poop disasters? I once walked home from high school halfway through the day after I had a shart moment. Y'know, when you have to fart and you discover too late that Surprise! It was one of those wet ones. Nobody else found out, but you still have to face yourself in the mirror afterwards. My recent post Today’s gross news

Single Dad Laughing : Thick Skin Schmick Schmin

Fri, 1 Jul 2011 18:17:29 +0000

Coming from another with less-than-thick skin who only pretends not to care what others think about him (most of the time), I think the issue is feelings vs. reactions. We really can't help how we feel, no matter what anyone says, but we can control our reactions and hide those feelings from those who try to hurt us. Of course, some are better at hiding their feelings than others, but it goes without saying that reacting or overreacting to trolls just encourages them. Witty or snappy comebacks are often helpful, and can alleviate the hurt by turning the tables on said attacker. As far as being highly visible or in the public eye, part of the price for visibility is having a big target on your back, so learning how to deal with criticism and trolls comes with the territory. Sometimes it's going to hurt, but how you deal with that hurt makes a difference. Just don't surrender to the haters and take down your blog or quit sounding off about the subjects that matter to you, that's handing them an unqualified win. My recent post Today’s gross news

Single Dad Laughing : Real Dads Have to Decide Some Things

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 22:44:53 +0000

I'd like to add that a Real Dad is also an ever-evolving creature. The most successful ones are always learning, tweaking their Dad routine as the kids get older, from baby to toddler to little kid to preteen to adolescence to teenager. They know they will never achieve perfection, but strive for it as close as they can get. Where they start falling down is when they think they know everything, that they don't need to change or adjust their Dad routine, or learn anything different, or don't see their kids as unique individuals that don't necessarily respond to a one-size-fits-all method of parenting. Real Dads aren't inflexible in their parenting styles or methods, except during moments when they have to be for the betterment of the child. My recent post Celebrity TMI

Single Dad Laughing : \"Murder\" in the Dark?

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 21:49:04 +0000

Didn't the late George Carlin suggest this very thing in one of his stand-up routines? Of course, he suggested a common, shorter substitute for "fornicate". "We're going to **** you, sheriff. But we're going to **** you slow..." My recent post Celebrity TMI

Single Dad Laughing : Early Birds Gets the Boot in the Face

Sat, 18 Jun 2011 23:57:22 +0000

Let's just say that bad things could happen to rude, inconsiderate campers that upset their campmates. Very, very bad things. After all, he's got to sleep sometime... *humming banjo theme. Yes, that banjo theme* Actually I've been known to wake up early and enjoy the morning sunrise while camping. But I don't require that everyone else around me have to. My recent post And now- a modern history lesson