Na na na na na na na na, Na na na na na na na na....

MAN CAVE!

I was reading a friend's blog post the other day and he was talking about getting his own space back.  I wish him luck in this.  I'm one of the lucky guys, in that I have (finally) been granted a space where I can fully display my beer bottle collection, my old swords and knives and other various nick knacks (yes guys can have nick knacks).  The problem is I don't really take care of it the way it deserves.

The washer and drier are in the same space (although hidden behind a black curtain) and I let that fact spoil the awesomeness that could be my Man Cave.  But no more!  Sean has inspired me once again claim what was (so generously (love you Babe!)) given to me and let it be a glorious testament to one of my favorite vices.

Speaking of favorite vices.  Alabama has passed the Gourmet Beer Law (thanks to the good folks at Free the Hops) that allows the sale of beers with a higher alcohol content.  What that means is that I will finally have local access to some of the micro brews and European brews that were denied me because of silly post prohibition era hand wringing.  The beer bottle collection pictured above (behind the laundry basket) contains about a hundred unique bottles whose contents have all been personally consumed.  I plan on cataloging the collection and posting it here so all you good people in other parts of the world can see what I'm missing and fill in the holes.  Send me a beer!

On that happy note....Cheers!

-Jay

I want to be a better Dad...

Not that I think I'm a bad one now, but there is always room for improvement.  The trouble is, one way I want to improve my parenting is running headlong into not only conventional wisdom but the comfort level of my wife.

I came across a concept called Free Range Kids that perfectly articulates something I felt but didn't really have the education and awareness to implement.  The concept is that we, as parents, not only can but SHOULD let our kids have the same kinds of freedoms and responsibilities we had as children.  Not every stranger is a danger and not every risk needs to be avoided.  The benefit of this parenting style is two fold.  One, parents can relax a bit and not worry because you don't have eyes on your children every instant, thus gaining some time for themselves.  Two, and much more importantly, we teach our kids to rely on themselves, develop and trust their instincts and live a childhood full of adventure.

Here's the rub.  I've bought into this.  I want to give my kids these skills and let them practice them.  However, I'm running into resistance from The Mrs.  I know she wants the best for the kids and she gets plenty of ammunition for being worried from the news.  The Nancy Grace's of the world have poisoned her outlook into seeing every one as a potential abductor ready to snatch up the children as soon as they walk around the corner.

But I'm going to forge ahead anyhow.  Starting tomorrow the kids are going to get an education in how to handle themselves in the big wide world.  Knowing how to cross busy streets, making sure they know how to contact us, knowing who to go and ask for help if they get lost or feel uncomfortable.  I may not be able to let them be Free Range Kids, but I'll work toward Free-er Range Kids.

-Jay

Note: If you're a parent you really ought to check out the link and get to know Lenore Skenazy. 

Movin' on Up....

Toady my son is having his "Moving On" ceremony, a mini graduation complete with cap and gown from kindergarten.  Maybe I'm a curmudgeon, but doesn't this strike anyone else as a silly cheapening of a real and significant life event?  I mean by the time a kid gets to the real deal, he could have heard "Pomp & Circumstance" 3 or 4 times and might have a rack full of caps and gowns.

Don't get me wrong.  I am very proud of my son.  This has been a rough year and a rough adjustment for him (I think we are both glad to have it over).  I just don't think this kind of ceremony is the most appropriate way to express that pride.  Besides, I bet the kids enjoy the ice cream part afterward a lot more and it will mean more to them.

-Jay

That Didn't Take Long...

It didn't take very long to have a somewhat controversial topic to write a post about.  The California Supreme Court upheld Proposition 8 that defines marriage as between a man and a woman only.  While I disagree with the substance of the California constitutional amendment, I think their Supreme Court made the right decision.  It is not their place to decide if something right or wrong, it is their place to decide if it is constitutional.  It's pretty hard to argue that a constitutional amendment is unconstitutional.

I'm not sure, but I believe the argument made by opponents of Prop. 8 was that the process of amending the constitution was flawed.  Again, I don't think the judicial branch has the authority to change that.

The real target of those who want gay marriage in California needs to be the people of California.  Hopefully the 18,000 married gay couples living and working in California will dispel some of the ludicrous notions that gay marriage is a "threat" to traditional families.

So the short of it is: Kudos to the California Supreme Court for following the law.  And to those who want equal rights for all the citizens, you've got more work to do.  Put a smile on your face and get to it.  If you need my help, just ask.

-Jay

Plunging in Again

I should be working. It seems, however, the long weekend and the quiet on this side of the building have sapped what little enthusiasm I have for getting things off my desk.  So instead I've decided to carve out a little piece of cyberspace to call my own (again).  Although I'm calling this place "Rationally Right" (the name I used on a previous blog dealing with atheist topics), I'm not going to be particularly rigid with topic selection here.  I liked the name though and didn't want to give it up.

-Jay