40 Awesome Things About Andy Herald
It’s not often you get to meet people who are that rare combination of funny and smart. They’re like some kind of misunderstood unicorn. It makes you wonder how they managed juggling both traits, which inevitably makes you some form of envious or angry because you’re not quite either of them, and definitely not both. […]
Villains and Vitality
I don’t really know what to say. We lose people every day, but it’s always a shock to lose people we all know. We collectively gasp and sigh over them. You’d think decades of people dying would train us to understand that it happens, no matter how sudden, but it doesn’t. Not really. Alan Rickman […]
Morning Swell
A photo posted by Charlie Capen (@charliecapen) on Jan 8, 2016 at 11:51am PST For distinct periods of time as a boy, I can remember my father waking up before dawn, and sometimes his very presence would urge me out of bed. I don’t exactly remember why I knew I had to wake up, or […]
Flowers & Guns
In the past week, we’ve seen conversation vary in color, pitch and tone. Humanity has learned, once again, what it means to mourn online. There’s a brackish tide of emotions washing over all of us from all sides. The seas smack against the rocks. Hate spreads and burns us up. Sadness blankets our thoughts. But […]
Phantom Feelings
My older son, Finn, toddles down the stairs at 9:30pm. He’s only been asleep for a couple of hours, but his 6-year-old body is troubling him. “My neck hurts.” He’s in pain, crying. I go to him, confused and sort of surprised, but I’m not sure what the deal is. He’s in pain, and children […]
10 Reasons ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ Is The Movie For Parents
If you’re alive and a hardcore Star Wars geek, you probably have a pretty intense nerdgasm hangover right now after watching the trailer for the new Star Wars. But if you’re not familiar with Star Wars, you need to know one thing: “Star Wars: Force Awakens” is the movie we’ve all been waiting for. But […]
Jumping For Joy
It's a 'Finn's favorite things' mashup masterpiece by @blue_cupcake. He's gonna lose his mind. A photo posted by Charlie N Andy HowToBeADad.com (@howtobeadad) on Oct 10, 2015 at 11:02am PDT Last weekend, we celebrated Finn’s sixth birthday. My lucky number, six. When I started writing on this digital notebook, he wasn’t yet two-years-old. That’s some […]
See How a Kid So Easily Out-Humans His Doctor
You’ve probably seen a post by Humans of New York before. It’s a remarkable Facebook Page, created by Brandon Stanton, with the snapshots he takes of people lives, photos and mini stories of the strangers he encounters and makes genuine connections with in New York City. This photo was posted by Humans of New York, […]
My Son’s Receding Hairline
Of my many faults, some stand out more than others in my day-to-day activities. Being born to Irish descent, I contend with more than a few stereotypical issues I feared my first son would inherit, namely: bad teeth, skin and devout stubbornness. I am piously pigheaded. When my first son was born with a pretty […]
Little Girl Gets A Rad Helping Hand!
It occurs to me occasionally that I’m complaining endlessly about nothing. I have a lot to be thankful for. This thought is usually dashed by something new to complain about, or something that hasn’t gone my way. But you know what? There are certain things in life I’ve never had to worry or wonder about. […]
