Archive for February 2012

A Suburban Dad's Guest Blog: My So-Called Fictional Life

By Rick Kaempfer In my day job, I’m the publisher of a boutique Chicago publishing company named Eckhartz Press. Our company has been readying our next book for publication. It’s called “Down at the Golden Coin” and it’s written by the author of this blog, City Mom herself, Kim Strickland. Tomorrow is the big day.... Read more »
By asuburbandad,
February 29, 2012 at 1:14 pm • 

How Old is Your Sports Bra?

How Old is Your Sports Bra?
How Old is Your Sports Bra? I got an email with this as the subject line recently. Granted it was from Fleet Feet, a running gear store, but still. A little invasive if you ask me. My initial reaction was to yell, “None of your damn business!” at my computer, but then, I opened the... Read more »
By Kim Strickland,
February 23, 2012 at 11:59 am • 

A Suburban Dad's Guest Blog: Comedy Guide for Boys

By Rick Kaempfer Comedy is really my only parenting tool. Over my sixteen years as a father, I’ve used it to great effect to diffuse tense situations, to foster strong relationships, and to teach my boys one of the most necessary life skills. If you’re laughing, life is going to be just fine. Unfortunately, a... Read more »
By asuburbandad,
February 22, 2012 at 8:29 am • 
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My Rube Goldberg Nightmare

It wasn’t just like a Rube Goldberg project, it was a Rube Goldberg project and when I found out about it, it was due the next day. Today. For Science class. I received an email yesterday from my daughter’s Science teacher, saying “Tonya” (sic) didn’t turn in her project last Friday.” But, she’d been given... Read more »
By Kim Strickland,
February 17, 2012 at 8:51 am • 

Because Paris = Baseball

Because Paris = Baseball
I guess with Spring Training just a couple of weeks away, baseball is on everyone’s mind. Apparently, even the Parisians. So, what do you tell your family, friends or sweetheart when you bring them a gift from France that’s not perfume, or wine, or an Hermes scarf? “Doesn’t everyone equate Paris with baseball?” Thank you... Read more »
By Kim Strickland,
February 16, 2012 at 1:30 pm • 

A Valentine you can feel good about: give to Donna's Good Things and St. Baldrick's

A Valentine you can feel good about: give to Donna's Good Things and St. Baldrick's
On Valentine’s Day, no one wants to think about cancer. But thinking and reading about cancer today may be just one notch better than actually eating one of those awful candy hearts. I jest. It’s what I do here as a writer, but it’s also what I do when I get uncomfortable. And kids’ cancer... Read more »
By Kim Strickland,
February 14, 2012 at 8:30 am • 
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Love is a verb: one reason you can't act like a chump all year and expect to make up for it on Valentine's Day

When I told my husband about the gist of my Boycott the Valentine’s Day Shenanigans blog on Thursday (He was driving home from work and hadn’t read it yet. Unlike a lot of people on the Kennedy, he doesn’t simultaneously read and drive.) this is what he said. Love is a verb. It’s what you... Read more »
By Kim Strickland,
February 12, 2012 at 5:40 pm • 

Just Boycott the Valentine's Day Shenanigans

Just Boycott the Valentine's Day Shenanigans
We boycott Valentine’s Day, my husband and I. We really don’t have anything against the holiday, outside of the fact it was invented by Hallmark in order to sell cards (at least that’s the rumor and as a lover of all things conspiracy theory,I’m all over this one), and also, quite possibly, to make eighth... Read more »
By Kim Strickland,
February 9, 2012 at 12:02 pm • 

A Suburban Dad's Guest Blog: Yet Another Reason I'm Not on the Short List for Father of the Year

By Rick Kaempfer Like most parents, I have a morning routine. I wake up the boys, make them breakfast, and then take them to school. The problem is that the boys wake up and go to school in shifts. They are attending three different schools right now and those schools start at three different times.... Read more »
By asuburbandad,
February 8, 2012 at 9:20 am • 
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A Suburban Dad's Guest Blog: It's Pinewood Derby Time

By Rick Kaempfer When our first boy Tommy was born, we were still in the delivery room when a vision flashed through my mind. I was picturing my father, the engineer, painstakingly designing, weighing, and painting my Cub Scout Pinewood Derby car. Whenever I came near the car during his two week construction project, I... Read more »
By asuburbandad,
February 1, 2012 at 10:03 am •