For a creative boost, take a saunter!

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Is being creative on a regular basis part of your job description? Yes? Sucks to be you. Don't get me wrong. There's no greater joy — to me, anyway — than creating something today that wasn't there yesterday, whether it's a song, a…

My Top 8 Reasons Why Clark Griswold is the Quintessential Doofus Dad

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As is tradition — mine and everyone else’s — I recently watched “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” again for the 1,824th time. Watching a movie or TV show repeatedly like that has its pros and cons. The main con is that you…

Readers of the lost art

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The 12-year-old who is grounded from his iPad: I'm bored. There’s literally nothing to do. Me: There’s a hundred great books in this house. Pick one. The 12-year-old: But, Dad, reading isn’t any fun. I have to read in school; why…

11 awesome reasons why you should embark on an adventure travel trip as soon as possible

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The concept of "adventure travel" is a relatively recent trend that is gaining in popularity among Americans. It is loosely defined as a trip to an exotic locale where at least part of your agenda involves physical activity like hiking, climbing,…

You’re gonna screw up. It’s OK.

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I originally wrote this for a professional association I'm a member of, but I think you'll like it, too. Modified slightly.   You dread it. You do everything possible to avoid it, take every precaution and all the right steps. But…

A Walmart horror story

The man felt weak. Exhausted. Artificial light radiated down from twenty feet above, sucking his life force away and dispersing it harmlessly among the dusty rafters of the enormous building. He propped his forearms on the curved handle of…

My Top 10 Dad Tips for Incoming College Freshmen

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In a few short weeks, our youngest son, Pete, will be heading off to college. It’s one of those huge milestones in the life of both child and parent, and everybody is just a little freaked out. My do-gooder wife, Holly, is freaked out over…

Surviving the ‘House on the Rock’

What is the single weirdest location you’ve ever visited? I mean, flat out bizarre? For me, that question is easily answered. “The House on the Rock” in Spring Green, Wisconsin. Nothing else even comes close. In June 2003, I was…

Doofus Dad’s Foolproof Guide to Setting Up a Home Office

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Some types of jobs lend themselves to home-based offices while others do not. For example, if your goal is to make your living as a copywriter or an e-marketer, home-based work is a great option. All you need is a laptop computer, an empty lap,…

The Top 10 Awkward Pre-School Moments for Dads

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Fatherhood is a lot easier in theory than in practice. Prior to actually meeting and interacting with their first kid, most first-time fathers imagine themselves as a combination of Sheriff Andy Taylor from “The Andy Griffith Show” and…