The other night, Metrodad, Laid-off Dad and I headed out for some drinks and burgers, our first face-to-face meeting, actually, and it was a lot of fun. It was also interesting to see how our own blogging activities fit differently into our offline/realworld lives.
It got me to thinking that blogging about dad-related stuff is a way for me to make sense of my own life and the changes that come with becoming a dad. There's a lot of re-ordering, re-thinking, and constant shuffling, as I try to reconcile the realities and responsibilities of my life today with the person I was--and the life I had--before the kid showed up.
To the extent that can be useful and interesting to other guys in similar situtations, that's great, but working on Daddy Types still often feels like it's the way I capture and process the weirdness, wonder, mysteries, tedium, challenges, thrills, oddities, memories, and future memories of my World w/Kid.
Then this morning, I saw Brian Dillon's lucid essay on what makes a great magazine. And I thought he really captured the feelings I have sometimes about Daddy Types.
Every once in a while, I get these waves of guilt and wonder if I shouldn't be publishing this or that hyper-practical guide of "15 Must-Have Whatevers!" or to celebrity parent gossip instead of rummaging around for old toys on eBay--or linking to random 300-yo clothes.
But after reading Dillon's paean to unpredictability and the idea that "expectations are there to be confounded," and after getting a little bit of insight into two fellow dadbloggers who I admire and who do things quite differently themselves, I figure DT will just keep making stuff up as it goes along. And if you have any better ideas, hey, start a blog. And send me the link.
Dear Reader... [frieze.com, itself an awesome magazine started, coincidentally, by friends I admire. via kottke]
nice one! wish I could have joined you three.
hopefully getting a papa party started here at my farmhouse, every last sunday of the month. so... if you ever just happen to be wandering around the south sound around one of those fortuitous times, please do drop in. i make all visitors bring wine.
Hey, Sky - is that an open invite? I'd love to get some green parenting tips. We're always trying to do a little more at a time.
Greg - *sigh* darned article, killing our dreams of the daddytypes magazine ;)
Greg, I've been reading your blog for what seems like almost two years now (the twins are 16 months) and have to say that it's been nice to have you go beyond the Bugaboos and the Princes of Norway and the youtubes into yet unrealized realms. You keep us all on our toes and still manage to point us to new stylish modern stuff that we can't afford to buy.
Way to go!
I still think that Metrodad's BlogHim idea with beer and pizza would be fun. but i guess you have to have a blog, not just be a reader, right? ah well...
Geoff
The Yalta Conference of dadbloggers.
There are plenty of blogs with lists of tips and "necessary info" for parents but DT feels much more relevant to our family. And it's funnier. And less pastel-colored.
I enjoy reading this blog, because of all the interesting finds (I'm still not sure how you have the time to find this stuff?)
But I also really like MetroDad's, Cynical, Dad Gone Mad, etc. because it's all about everyday Fatherhood life. In my own blog, I've taken the same direction. It's easier to write about my own adventure in Dadhood-
Am I overgeneralizing when I say it seems it's harder for dads to get together and hash through the unending challenges of parenthood? To share ideas and (hmmm, not "bitch"...) kvetch a little when things are hard?
Blogging seems like an ideal fix for that--if I'm on to anything at all. Sounds like it's helpful for you, and if it's helpful or entertaining to others along the way, then all the better.
I've noticed my husband has no problem "talking kids" with other dads whenever he gets the chance. Wish he were more of a blog reader.
- L
I agree, I am expecting a child in about a week, and I have found that blogging really helps me put it all in perspective...
newdaddy.blogspot.com.
BudDaddy
Yalta? Awesome. I call Churchill.
[wait, I thought you *were* Churchill. -ed.]