Writing as Programming

One of the reasons I always enjoyed programming was that by its nature, I could break a project apart into digestible chunks and attack each of them individually. One of the reasons I hated programming was that it was too heavy on the logic and too light on the room for creativity. With writing, it … Read more

One Year Into Fatherhood

(The actual date is this Sunday, but man, no one reads blogs on the weekend.) The hardest part of being a dad so far is that in dealing with Eddy, I need to remember that I am trying to handle what amounts to the purest embodiment of the id: an infant. As Kyle Reese said, … Read more

Thoughts on Aurora

Any time I hear a pro-gun person whining about how “they’re going to take away our guns” whenever something like Aurora or Columbine happens, two thoughts go through my head: First, instead of worrying about the Second Amendment right away, maybe you should take 5 minutes to reflect on what the victims and their families … Read more

Little Human

One of the coolest things about being a new dad is seeing all the little moments of discovery. With infants there’s this moment when “the lights come on” — for the first few weeks, you are in possession of a little lump of meat that eats, sleeps, and poops, and screams a lot while doing … Read more

Another Milestone

Five months ago, you decided to show up early, and holy crap, what a surprise you were. Two months early and tiny, but healthy. Thirty-five days in the NICU, then home. And what a ride it’s been since. Trying at times, sure, but I wouldn’t have it any other way. You’re a great kid, I’m … Read more

Random Ramblings

I have a headache that feels like someone dropped a box of loose hammers inside my skull and then shook me like a like an alcoholic waiting on payday. It ain’t pleasant and at the same time, I can’t really find any leftover fucks to give. The inner ear bullshit seems mostly resolved. Mostly. I … Read more

5 Things I’d Do If I Won the Lottery

Fully fund the most absolutely ridiculous Kickstarter projects I could find. I want to see socially awkward geeks on stage reading terrible poetry while swinging razor sharp swords to a smoke-and-lasers show.  Build a monument to Schadenfreude. This would probably be a beautifully ornate granite statue of a soaking-wet Goth falling down a flight of … Read more

A Lesson in Communication

Backstory: when I was a tiny Dan, I was living in West Berlin, Germany. Dad was in the army, mom was a stay-at-home mom. There wasn’t a “base” per se, we lived in apartments not far from the Berlin Wall, and as such, were exposed to German language and terms all the time, though almost … Read more