OK this is a tricky subject to write about. You have to watch what you say these days when it comes to parenting philosophy. Luckily this is my blog so I'll say what I want.
Here are a couple Parenting things I saw recently that disturbed me.
Girl no more that 6 years old riding the subway with her Dad. Cute right, nope Dad was reading the WSJ and the girl had iPod on. Are you fucking kidding me. I would kill for extra time with my son. Actually I quit a job for it and this prick of a father is pretty much ignoring his daughter to catch up on the mornings financial news.
Father is at a dinner with his 3 year old son who is a little bit of a handful. It is clearly Daddy's weekend and it isn't going well. The son is talking loudly and playing with the silver wear and almost spills his drink a couple times. Really nothing that is that bad, normal stuff in our family these days. the problem is that the father is talking to the son like he is a work colleague. He is seriously saying things like "Come on Jordan, your acting childish" Seriously he said that and just FYI (childish: A adjective 1.childish, infantile,indicating a lack of maturity) Isn't that how he should be acting you dummy. This banter went on for about 15 minute with the father getting so worked up that he has to tell the waiter to wrap his dinner up and take it home. The real kicker was that the dinner is a well known kid friendly place and it was packed with kids so know one really cared. I felt like telling the Dad "yo Dad go get a bucket of KFC and go to the park across the street and let your kid run around and play" I didn't because D- wouldn't let me.
D- told me this one. this was a comment from a 4th grader to one of his classmates after he was invited to come over to the kids house. "I don't like going to your house because you don't have Grand Theft Auto" FYI that is a totally inappropriate video game for kids to play. this is a subject that really get my goat. I am totally against kids having video games period. I never had video games and when I went to my friends houses that had them I would have to watch them play for hours. When I would get my turn I would die after 15 seconds because I wasn't good and then have to watch them try to beat the level. I grew up playing outside in the woods or the street. Since I didn't have video games I became wicked good at sports and was able to play division 1 athletics. My best friend became a world famous rock climber and extreme skier and our other friend was playing scratch golf in High school, non of us had video games in our houses. So you know what... no video games are going to be in the P's house sorry Liam. You'll thank me later in life. I'm sure that I begged my parents but they refused and that is what I'll do. So when I tell other parents this and they say "we'll see when your kid is older if you keep that promise". I'm not that worried, I like playing with my kid and will make sure he has other things that interest him like playing sports of playing fun activities outside. The best video game of all is the human imagination and everything that our great earth has to offer. I haven't played a video game that gives you the taste of the ocean in your mouth when you fall of your surf board or the feeling of snow under your feet when you are sledding. What game lets you smell the sent of fallen leaves in the fall or fresh cut grass in the spring. None of them do so do you and your kids a favor say no to the video games and invest in their imagination. That's just my rant but Liam's future is to important to waste on a PS3.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Hot Diggity Dog
Last week a friend of mine recommended a local landmark eatery. This well known establishment just happened to be a Hot Dog stand. Know before we get into the dirty details I think that you should know a little history about me. I'm what you would call a Hot Dawgasouir. I have been to the promised land and have seen the light when it comes to the Frankfurter. It all started at an early age for me when my father magically convinced me that dogs were meant to be served burnt. Still loved 'um. My obsession blossomed when an old man with a push cart in Cape May NJ set up shop 2 blocks from our house. My taste quickly refined the older I got and in High school I discovered an eatery known for grilling and then deep frying their dogs. I've had dogs in every ball park you can think of and at every back yard cook out. I dare someone to step to my Dawgness.
Here are a couple things that makes it or breaks it for me in a Dog place.
1. the ambiance- must be a shit hole type of place (tables carved with initials, standing room only sort of thing)
2. family owned with college drop out son running the grill. No chains sorry Nathans, good history but you sold out to the man when you went global.
3. toasted bun, this is a commonly overlooked must have.
4. self serve condiments. Only I know how much ketchup I like and god forbid that D- doesn't have a strip of relish on both sides of the bun.
5. make a solid milk shake with real hard ice cream. Black and white for me.
6. salty fries.
7. relatively cheap
8. a line, if there is no line it ain't worth stopping(if construction workers are in line I stop even if I'm not hungry, those guys know good food)
9. no waitress, I'll never eat a dog that isn't handed to me with dirty cashier hand.
10. Solid Name (some of my favorites: Swanky Franks, Texas Tommy's, Art's Cart)
FYI. If you are going to recommend a place to me, make sure it has at least 5 of these things otherwise don't bother. If your thinking your local place has all 10 or more.....Prove it. Invite me to join you for a footlong, wiener, frank or what ever you call it. Just remember, I fly, you buy. Till next time.....Peace
Here are a couple things that makes it or breaks it for me in a Dog place.
1. the ambiance- must be a shit hole type of place (tables carved with initials, standing room only sort of thing)
2. family owned with college drop out son running the grill. No chains sorry Nathans, good history but you sold out to the man when you went global.
3. toasted bun, this is a commonly overlooked must have.
4. self serve condiments. Only I know how much ketchup I like and god forbid that D- doesn't have a strip of relish on both sides of the bun.
5. make a solid milk shake with real hard ice cream. Black and white for me.
6. salty fries.
7. relatively cheap
8. a line, if there is no line it ain't worth stopping(if construction workers are in line I stop even if I'm not hungry, those guys know good food)
9. no waitress, I'll never eat a dog that isn't handed to me with dirty cashier hand.
10. Solid Name (some of my favorites: Swanky Franks, Texas Tommy's, Art's Cart)
FYI. If you are going to recommend a place to me, make sure it has at least 5 of these things otherwise don't bother. If your thinking your local place has all 10 or more.....Prove it. Invite me to join you for a footlong, wiener, frank or what ever you call it. Just remember, I fly, you buy. Till next time.....Peace
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
I'm Back (V-Day)
It's been a while since I wrote and I let some other people guest blog on here but I thought it was about time I took the reins back. So here we go.
I thought it would be prudent to look back on a V-day date the I had blessed my wife with.
Here is what not to do.
The low point of my V-day dates was our 3rd or 4th year together. I decided to surprise her with a "special date". Note to guys, if you are going to surprise a woman with anything you should probably run the idea by another woman first to see if it is a good idea. That simple task would have saved me hours of "listening" later on and about 200 dollars. I was given many hints over the weeks leading up to the 14th that I should make a res. or pick out a place for us to go. I filed that task right behind the pile of laundry on my floor and the 3rd electric bill notice on my coffee table. V-day comes and I panic, nothing planned and no res. I call around to the usual restaurants and get the answer you would expect as well as some non solicited advice as to why procrastination is bad (thanks dick).
Plan B- I decide to make her dinner. I'm a fairly good cook, no really I'm pretty good around the kitchen so I'm not to worried about this part, but if I only have dinner she'll be like "thanks for the home cooked meal, where is my present". I'm now getting totally jammed up and starting to feel resentful, (this is where I make my fatal mistake) Fuck this. This day should be for both of us, not just the woman. Oh boy was I wrong and would learn that V-day is truly only for the woman. Anything that a man gets on V-day is buy product of what the woman wants. So in this angry stupor I call my boy who works the ticket window at the Philadelphia Spectrum (local sports arena). He hooks me up with tickets to tonight's one and only show. Ok we're set, this should be great.
Dinner- D comes home and asked where we are going, I tell her chez Prendergast. She shoots me a slightly disappointed look but plays along well. Dinner goes off without a hitch and she's loving it. I tell her that I have something special planned for the rest of the evening and she gets really excited. She says she loves surprises "what should I wear, a dress?" This is where I started to feel a little uneasy about my choice" I tell her know it is more of a casual event tonight. We get in the car and we start to drive to the Spectrum. As we are getting closer we are getting passed by very large pickup truck mostly with Delaware and Jersey plates. I shit you not one truck had a full rebel flag flying out the back. She starts to get suspicious and I am starting to feel like shit. This wasn't a good idea. She keeps asking if its a concert or show and I keep changing the subject. I just want to make it into the parking lot and into the arena before she finds out what I have done. As we turn the corner to pull in there on the huge jumbo tron monitor in neon green lights my genius pan is revealed to her. "MONSTER TRUCK JAM TONIGHT ONLY" OH shit, I'm screwed. She was pissed but taking it rather well all considering. We got out of the car and in a not so pleasant voice asked me if it was going to be loud. I said no (I didn't pay for the tickets so they were probably going to be pretty high up) not more than ten steps later we pass a guy on the street selling ear plugs which of course I had to buy her. We walk up to my boy at the ticket window and he hands me the tickets and says "I hooked you up". As we walk in we are ushered to our seats in the first fucking row, the trucks are literally in our face. Just as we sit down Grave digger starts its engine up and starts doing donuts in front of us. Darryl says "I want to go". Low and behold we stay for 45 minutes of ear piercing, dust filled, gas fumed filled V-Day fun. She was not impressed.
Long story short the next weekend I take her to an expensive dinner and give here the necklace to make up for my mistake. V-day is and will forever be for the woman in the Prendergast house hold. Choose wisely this year men.
I thought it would be prudent to look back on a V-day date the I had blessed my wife with.
Here is what not to do.
The low point of my V-day dates was our 3rd or 4th year together. I decided to surprise her with a "special date". Note to guys, if you are going to surprise a woman with anything you should probably run the idea by another woman first to see if it is a good idea. That simple task would have saved me hours of "listening" later on and about 200 dollars. I was given many hints over the weeks leading up to the 14th that I should make a res. or pick out a place for us to go. I filed that task right behind the pile of laundry on my floor and the 3rd electric bill notice on my coffee table. V-day comes and I panic, nothing planned and no res. I call around to the usual restaurants and get the answer you would expect as well as some non solicited advice as to why procrastination is bad (thanks dick).
Plan B- I decide to make her dinner. I'm a fairly good cook, no really I'm pretty good around the kitchen so I'm not to worried about this part, but if I only have dinner she'll be like "thanks for the home cooked meal, where is my present". I'm now getting totally jammed up and starting to feel resentful, (this is where I make my fatal mistake) Fuck this. This day should be for both of us, not just the woman. Oh boy was I wrong and would learn that V-day is truly only for the woman. Anything that a man gets on V-day is buy product of what the woman wants. So in this angry stupor I call my boy who works the ticket window at the Philadelphia Spectrum (local sports arena). He hooks me up with tickets to tonight's one and only show. Ok we're set, this should be great.
Dinner- D comes home and asked where we are going, I tell her chez Prendergast. She shoots me a slightly disappointed look but plays along well. Dinner goes off without a hitch and she's loving it. I tell her that I have something special planned for the rest of the evening and she gets really excited. She says she loves surprises "what should I wear, a dress?" This is where I started to feel a little uneasy about my choice" I tell her know it is more of a casual event tonight. We get in the car and we start to drive to the Spectrum. As we are getting closer we are getting passed by very large pickup truck mostly with Delaware and Jersey plates. I shit you not one truck had a full rebel flag flying out the back. She starts to get suspicious and I am starting to feel like shit. This wasn't a good idea. She keeps asking if its a concert or show and I keep changing the subject. I just want to make it into the parking lot and into the arena before she finds out what I have done. As we turn the corner to pull in there on the huge jumbo tron monitor in neon green lights my genius pan is revealed to her. "MONSTER TRUCK JAM TONIGHT ONLY" OH shit, I'm screwed. She was pissed but taking it rather well all considering. We got out of the car and in a not so pleasant voice asked me if it was going to be loud. I said no (I didn't pay for the tickets so they were probably going to be pretty high up) not more than ten steps later we pass a guy on the street selling ear plugs which of course I had to buy her. We walk up to my boy at the ticket window and he hands me the tickets and says "I hooked you up". As we walk in we are ushered to our seats in the first fucking row, the trucks are literally in our face. Just as we sit down Grave digger starts its engine up and starts doing donuts in front of us. Darryl says "I want to go". Low and behold we stay for 45 minutes of ear piercing, dust filled, gas fumed filled V-Day fun. She was not impressed.
Long story short the next weekend I take her to an expensive dinner and give here the necklace to make up for my mistake. V-day is and will forever be for the woman in the Prendergast house hold. Choose wisely this year men.
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