Posted in ...this is your father speaking, tagged Mommyblogs, Redneck Mommy, Sex on February 26, 2009| 1 Comment »
I was browsing my Mommyblogs as I am known to do. An interesting discussion on Redneck Mommy’s blog about the little tykes walking in during adult play time. It made me laugh. I’ll just tell Madelyn the truth:
“Mommy and me are making a bigger, faster, better, stronger version of YOU! We have the technology…”
Redneck Mommy: I’m A Supa-Staar
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, tagged Birthday, Madelyn, MGMT, Oranges, Picks @ 6, Save-On Foods, Time to Pretend on February 25, 2009| 1 Comment »
Our baby girl Madelyn turned one on Tuesday.
And because I yap on the radio for a living, I talked about oranges (and Madelyn). Dad better send one out to Maddy O on her birthday during the Picks @ 6!
Have a Listen: I am Happy For Two Reasons
***
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, neat-O gang, tagged All State Champion, Bash'd, Birthday, Capital Rock City, Carpenter, David Armano, Gay Rap, Madelyn on February 24, 2009| 6 Comments »
Lots of emails today.
Interviews being scheduled including this gem in march.
starring: FEMINEM & T-BAG
Yeah, pretty awesome.
***
Maddy O is one year old today! Huzzah! Coral and I managed to keep her alive, fed and in diapers for a whole year.
We had a big party with all our family and friends at Moxies on Sunday. Thank you to everyone that took some time on a Sunday afternoon to spend it with us.
***
The starter button on my scooter hasn’t worked in a couple months. I’ve had to kick start the beast everyday. Yesterday on my drive into the Zone, the scooter stalled out on Blanshard. Yikes! I was worried I’d have to get off my bike, put it up on the stand and kick start it right in the middle of traffic. How embarrassing! As a sign of desperation, I hit the starter button and eureka! it worked. Now it works again. funny little Honda, it fixed itself.
***
David Armano is my social media guru and he posted this very interesting paper about customer service.
If you work in the service industry (and most North American trades these days have a boat load of service involved) then you might want to read it.
***
That’s all I got for now, going to hop into the studio and try to get my Capital Rock City #46 done before 3PM! Its going to sound so good! Interview with Carpenter with a couple Carpenter tracks AND an older cut from All State Champion.
Go with yourself.
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, music, neat-O gang, tagged Becoming Batman, By A Thread, Carpenter, Chixdiggit, Feys and Hobbs, Gob, Last FM, Wedding on February 20, 2009| 1 Comment »
According to my Last FM page, here is what has been getting the most play at home over the past 7 days.
01) The National
02) Jimmy Eat World
03) Face to Face
04) By A Thread
05) Explosions in The Sky
06) Coheed and Cambria
07) Led Zeppelin
07) Braid
07) Fleet Foxes
10) The Frames
10) Grand Archives
That sounds about right. As you might notice, heavily influenced by the top 20n records thing I wrote the other day, revisiting some albums. And Explosions in the Sky get played all the time. They’d be higher on the list, but their songs are about 8 minutes each, so they get half the spins of say… Face to Face.
In car, its all the new Franz Ferdinand or even some Gaslight Anthem.
***
Madelyn turns one next Tuesday. The big birthday party in on Sunday, fun.
She almost walks, she almost talks… but almost doesn’t pay the bills! do better baby!
***
I was thinking about adding some work to make some more money. Before I even advertised that I was looking for work (kinda, there were some emails and some rejections or no replies…), two companies contacted me looking for my expertise. Neat. No deals closed so no job attained yet. But if it happens then I can’t wait to share some future projects on here.
The work will be welcome.
We decided to up our level of catering for the wedding a few notches (OK a bunch of notches!). Our good friend Alix works for a company called Feys and Hobbs and they do A-list event food. We had a fairly frugal budget but they asked to make a bid anyways. Sure enough, their price was above what we could pay but the quality is way above… so two things happened… we asked our friend Alix to get on her knees (as in begged, nothing sexual you filthies!) to her boss for us to get us a better price (achieved) and Coral’s father stepped up with a contribution for our catering. So Coral and I are basically back to our old financial commitment for the B-level food but we can deliver the A-level experience to our family and friends. Needless to say, Coral and I are very happy and grateful.
Thank you Alix and Rob and Roberta!
This generosity comes on top of money already contributed by my folks which (depending how much people drink) should cover the bar… so the next morning when you’re puking up my Feys and Hobbs in the toilet cuz you’re so hung over, you can cheers, Grandma Mom and Grandpa Jack!
***
It has been a challenging month for me but is now looking up. The Clubhouse had a great crowd on Tuesday which I hope is the start of some momentum heading into Spring. I have some stellar ideas and some contacts to try and make those ideas reality and finally a couple promising leads on some more work so I can pays me bills and save for our wedding. Actually last night I started sketching out a game changer concept for wi-fi radio! whoa, blew my own mind last night. Bad cuz I didn’t get much sleep, good because… well its a good idea.
Next week, an interview with the local author of the book “Becoming Batman,” Dr. Paul Zehr. Capital Rock City has an interview with Carpenter, in town Friday to open for Gob @ Lucky Bar. I am working on interviews with Chixdiggit and John Franco of By A Thread.
Go with yourself.
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, tagged Baby Rampage on February 10, 2009| Leave a Comment »
It is still early. I am plugging away at my work station reading my gossips and browsing the news. I glance over and… BABY RAMPAGE.
The song jamming out in the background.
Posted in ...this is your father speaking on February 8, 2009| Leave a Comment »
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, history 101, tagged Baby Story, Birth Story, Madelyn on February 7, 2009| 3 Comments »
Whoa, yesterday I got so sick. I was in the studio in the afternoon getting my weekend shows produced (countdown, Event calendars…) and I got very achy and had a hard time looking at the screen. Headaches followed.
By the time I hit my show, I was feeling very sore.
I came home and a fever rocked me. Chills, shakes… woke up today… feel pretty good.
Weird. I have gotten sick like that a few times in my life before. so its not new. It sucks, but I finished my day of work and I think if you were listening last night you wouldn’t have noticed. yeah, weird.
The 25 Things About You phenom spread around Facebook like a deadly SARS virus. That was fun. Time to move on to the next one? This is a Mommy Survey that I stole off Jen’s facebook. I’ll answer it as a Dad as best I can (I might have to ask Coral for help).
***
Here you go mommies – a different kind of survey for a change – it’s all about your first born! Just copy and paste it in a new note for yourself! Then tag 10 of your mommy friends!
Let’s see how much you remember!
1. WAS YOUR FIRST PREGNANCY PLANNED? Nope. Coral and I had talked about how we wanted a family and that maybe in a year or two would be ideal. Then like seriously days later, Coral says… “funny story…”
2. WERE YOU MARRIED AT THE TIME? No, Madelyn was an immaculate conception.
3. WHAT WERE YOUR REACTIONS? Oddly, serene.
4. WAS ABORTION AN OPTION FOR YOU? I wouldn’t say that it was completely off the table at the time. I never advocated for it. It wasn’t a serious discussion between us outside of me saying on the day I found out, “do you want to keep it?” and Coral said, “yes.” and I said, “gold, we’re having a baby!” I think she would write that she battled with the decision privately until the first ultrasound. Then after the first ultrasound it became real and it was all systems go for take off.
5. HOW OLD WERE YOU? I was 27 when Coral told me and 28 when Madelyn was born.
6. HOW DID YOU FIND OUT YOU WERE PREGNANT? MONSTER TRUCKS! I was hosting some Zoners in the Zone’s luxury suite at the Arena for the Monster Truck Spectacular. After my show I grabbed the Zone car and drove to pick up Coral. She was waiting for me on Yates Street outside our old apartment. She climbed in the passenger seat and just started crying… I was like “what’s up?”
“I’m pregnant.”
“Do you want to keep it?”
“Yes.”
“Gold, we’re having a baby.”
Then I was, like get yourself together dude (because I call Coral dude all the time like Justin Bobby in The Hills) we got some Monster Trucks to get up in. We got to the arena and there were so many beers. Coral said, “I don’t think I am supposed to drink any beer now that I am pregnant… like I’m no doctor or anything, but I think I saw a Degrassi on fetal alcohol syndrome.”
Me, being the rational one said… “look sweetheart, this is a celebration… and like any celebration we should be drinking. Besides, what if you took your pregnancy test tomorrow? Then you *could* drink… soooooo.”
She replied, “GAWD man! you’re bad father already!”
So we sat in the Zone suite and we couldn’t tell anyone why Coral wasn’t drinking and made up something about like driving or some PC bullshit like that. It was hard, cuz when you have such huge news, you want to share it!
7. WHO DID YOU TELL FIRST? hmmm. My Mom. I remember telling Sara P and Rick Lee one day at breakfast fairly early. I think they were the first of my friends to know outside of family.
8. DID YOU WANT TO FIND OUT THE SEX? Yes. I understand people that want to wait. But it was our first and I wanted to have things planned out and the appropriate cloths and stuff ready for day one. Besides, its a surprise the day they tell you the sex… so you get a surprise.
9. DUE DATE? February 20th, 2008 (I had to double check with Corj)
10. DID YOU HAVE MORNING SICKNESS? Yes,like everyday I feel sick… oh you mean Coral? She didn’t have to much of the cliched puking all the time thing. (a little I guess). But she did have wicked heartburn for almost the entire pregnancy which was very uncomfortabl for her. And she had to go easy on a lot of her favourite foods. So no beer or hot wings. sadness. Madelyn will owe her big.
11. What did you crave? I craved sex. I think Coral craved me leaving her alone. She LOVED the baked potato type thing they make at Moxies.
12. WHO/WHAT IRRITATED YOU THE MOST? Like Jen, it drove Coral mental when people rubbed her belly. Close family and friends was alright… but people do that all the time to pregnant ladies. Its like, you wouldn’t just rub a woman’s belly on the street normally unless you look forward to a face full of pepper spray, why would you do it to a pregnant lady. That said, its pretty wonderful to see a pregnant belly, so for you belly touchers, I get it. Just ask first.
13. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST CHILD’S SEX? Girl
14. DID YOU WISH YOU HAD THE OPPOSITE SEX OF WHAT YOU WERE GETTING? I always thought I’d be into a girl. But then when Coral got pregnant I started being into the idea of a boy because of the all fun things we could get up when he’s older. But then I remembered it was the year 2009 and since I no longer have to trade my female children to wealthy landowners for goats, we could get up to all the fun things I could do with a boy. Coral is still not too jazzed on Mads playing hockey, but I’ll break her down over the next four years.
15. HOW MANY POUNDS DID YOU GAIN THROUGHOUT THE PREGNANCY? I think I lost weight and looked pretty hot IMHO.
16. DID YOU HAVE A BABY SHOWER? Coral did and it was pretty fun. Actually she had two! spoiled much.
17. WAS IT A SURPRISE OR DID YOU KNOW? She knew about them. I think she might have also planned them? with help?
18. DID YOU HAVE ANY COMPLICATIONS DURING YOUR PREGNANCY? Coral got gestational diabetes. Not the end of the world, but she had to monitor her food, and go to the hospital more often.
20. HOW MANY HOURS WERE YOU IN LABOR? hmmm, 12ish from beginning to end. Coral woke me up at about what? 1AMish… we drove to the hospital. The nurses took one look at her and said, yup, its go time. Around noon the next day it was battle time. The forces of good lined up on the ridge. Braveheart yelled “Freedom.” there was blood. and at 1 something, Madelyn was alive.
It was funny. All night, you hang out with one nurse. Then when it gets real serious, a bunch of nurses are there. Your doctor… and sure, maybe its Greys Anatomy day so an entire class of doctors. A couple cocktails and it would have been an honest to god bar mitzvah.
21. WHO DROVE YOU TO THE HOSPITAL? I drove. I was all, “Coral I ALWAYS drive… its YOUR baby, you drive.” But then she roundhoused me to the jaw bone and with that, argument over.
22. WHO WATCHED YOU GIVE BIRTH? A small crowd. Many bands in Victoria wish they could have as many people at their show as we had in the birthing room. Coral (obvs). Nana, me. Nurse lady. Doctor. Another nurse. Child doctor (gestational diabetes and meconium meant there needed to be a specialist on hand), A gaggle of wide eyed newbie doctors. Good times.
23. WAS IT NATURAL OR C-SECTION? Natural.
24. DID YOU TAKE MEDICINE TO EASE THE PAIN? Coral did every drug they’d give her. At one point I think I saw her free basing cocaine with a janitor.
27. HOW MUCH DID YOUR CHILD WEIGH? 7lbs 13oz.
28. WHEN WAS YOUR CHILD ACTUALLY BORN ? February 24th, 2008 @ 1PM (it was one something but I can’t remember exactly)
30. WHAT DID YOU NAME HIM/HER? Madelyn Olivia
31. HOW OLD IS YOUR FIRST BORN TODAY? almost a year!
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, tagged Criminal Minds, critters, Gruffalo, Hockey, parenting on January 15, 2009| 4 Comments »
Day Eight was a suburb day. It began with a busy work schedule, but after the show I bought some groceries and picked Mads up from Nana’s cottage type house. She has four teeth now! um, all on the bottom. I hope four grow on the top in the next few days before Coral gets home, or I’ll be totally embarrassed.
We came home and played. The I cleaned up her RAMPAGE while she was still up and exploring. That was a bad idea. As a toured around the room putting things away, Mads followed destroying my order. That baby anarchist.
We read the “Gruffalo” book which is something that Coral normally reads her then she was ready to KO. I took her to her room and whoa, the smell. It is like a racoon stumbled in through a window and died. I guess I got to deal with the diaper genie. Its not even full! The diaper genie is a chore I despise. Its like taking out the garbage but with 157,732,734,87y,821 more steps.
David Eleanor and I hit the ice to play some puck with Razer so Lindsay was kind enough to monitor the baby’s lifeforce. I was a little worried, not in Lindsay’s skill at operating 911 in the event the baby turned blue, but rather something far more sinister. That’s what I get for watching Criminal Minds (no worries Coral, I recorded it for you, it was new, and soooooooooo good).
Day Eight
Baby is alive.
Dad: 08
A vicious tribe of marauding Racoons: 00
***
Go with yourself.
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, tagged Single Dad on January 14, 2009| 5 Comments »
Today is Day Eight, but I did not update Day Seven. Day Seven was pretty easy for me as single dadness goes. I dropped Mads off with Nana in the morning and went about crafting a Capital Rock City and getting ready for the show. After work, some American Idol and dinner with my brother and Caitlin then DJing at the Clubhouse.
Not a whole heck of a lot of parenting there. So from what I’ve heard, and it could be an elaborate smokescreen, but Madelyn is still alive.
Day 07
Dad: 07
New Jersey Devils: 00
The test will be tonight when once again, I pick up the reins and steer my daughters development. I hope I make no mistakes that could jeopardize her future as a Doctor on a Spaceship.
She does have a new tooth! that brings her total amount of teeth to three. huzzah to chompers! huzzah!
Posted in ...this is your father speaking, Capital Rock City, music, tagged Acres of Lions, Capital Rock City, Coquitlam, Glasvegas, Love is Strange, Mickey and Sylvia, Sam Roberts on January 12, 2009| 6 Comments »
Huzzah birthday cake!
What day am I on? I am losing track… six? Friday was three so this must be six.
The weekend was spent in Coquitlam which was a sea of work to pull off. My girl is a trillion miles away drinking 3 euro bottles of wine in Paris and I was left to fend for myself. Saturday was my 29th birthday. I decided to spend it in Coquitlam with Grandma Mom and Grandpa Jack (who wants to be referred to as the Father of the Father or Faf? SWA?). It was an early morning for Mads and I. Thankfully I had packed the night before so we got up and hit the road first thing.
My buddy Bob came over Saturdat night with his girl Jen and they had a present for Madelyn.
Yeah, they brought her an Oiler’s track suit. Bob was like, “she could walk into the arena with Ethan Moreau and people would think she was on the team.” ha, too funny (and adorable).
Jen drove Bob and I downtown to catch the Sam Roberts show. Randomly we bumped into Marisa who we went to high school with.
The show was pretty rad. Sam brings the noise. After the set, some pints in Yaletown and then a late night dash to reach skytrain before the last train.
Sunday, my brother Matt and I rolled into the Glasvegas show at Richards. They are moving the club to the old A&B Sound on Seymour which is neat but sad. I walking around that part of town with Matt telling him what used to be where back in my day. I am not even that old but the physical geography of Vancouver has changed so much.
Glasvegas was an interesting juxtaposition of sounds and style. Matt and I sensed something was up when the we walked in and some dude that thought he was a a cotton picker from the 1930s Deep South was jamming away at the guitar and singing about “pain.”
After his set, the music they played was 1950’s Dirty Dancing type music. like this song from 1957.
The boys (and girl) in Glasvegas took the stage and they didn’t look at all like my preconception. I was expecting an Interpol-y / Franz Ferindand-esque group of hipsters, but what I got was some Rockabilly looking Scottish dudes. They were very striking on stage. Their music is epic and grandiose. Richards was full and the band elicits a passionate fan. Many times I heard the audience sing with group. They added to the whole experience for me as I really only know the song we play on the Zone, “Geraldine.”
They got to “Geraldine” about half way through the set and the song lit the club up. The next song after the radio hit was maybe the band’s weakest song, so they let me down a bit. Their drummer is also very awkward. The guitar player and bassist however bring some energy. They whirl around the stage banging and attacking their instruments or barking and howling their harmonies.
The lights added to their mystique. They had bright yellow flood lights behind them that made the stage look like there were shadow puppets on stage performing.
The music sounded like a mix of 50’s pop songs and Interpol. Unique and interesting.
***
Six or so hours after Matt and I got back from Richards, Madelyn and I were up and battling Vancouver traffic to the ferry. By the end of the weekend, I was a veteran of ferry travel with Mads. We worked it with the old ladies, played with the kids and devoured some ferry breakfast (mmm eggs scooped from a warm vat).
Day Six
Baby is still alive
Dad: 06
Davey Jone’s Locker: 00
***
I sat down with Tyson, Lewis and Dan this evening. Their band, Acres of Lions, has a new record out in February. They brought an advanced copy and we played three new songs on Capital Rock City. Episode #40 will be posted tomorrow.
Go with yourself.
The Morning After 