Win!

.CraigCardilino

Let me set the stage for you.  I am losing at Candyland for the 15^th straight time to my 3 year old daughter.  I dislike losing – and I tried really hard to mask the emotion on my face – but the 10th time she pulled a double move card in a row I just couldn’t help myself.  “C’mon! Are you serious how is it even possible…”  She stared at me with pure joy in her eyes and said, “Daddy, I love this game.”

Of course she loves this game – apparently she can’t be beaten.  How annoying.  If it wasn’t my job to teach her how quitting is never acceptable, I WOULD SO QUIT RIGHT NOW.  I never said I was a graceful loser.  I’m a terrible loser.  Even in a game of Candyland with my 3 year old daughter.  I completely realize how pathetic this is. 

Olympics!

My wife has had a rough week.  She has been doing everything around the house, taking care of the kids all day and all night and getting almost zero help from her significant other.  I’m not on a business trip.  I’m not at some retreat somewhere or volunteering all my time to help some poor humans who really need it.

My wife has been doing all the work because I have been sitting on the couch.  Watching the Olympics.

My wife likes Gymnastics and was intrigued with the first couple times she saw swimming finals, but other than that she is completely baffled on why someone would feel the need to sit on the couch and watch 12+ hours of this stuff a day.  If you or someone you know is asking this same thing – please read on.  I hope to help you completely understand.

Pants on Fire

.Craig Cardilino

Today I had a realization.  I was speaking with someone and realized that a lot of what I was saying was complete lies.  I’m sure you know the lies I am talking about – the ones where you say something to be polite or because a specific answer to a question is just expected.  “How are you doing?”  “I’m fine, how are you?”  The conversation I was having seemed to be filled with these types of lies and it got me to thinking… How often do I do this on a daily basis without even thinking about it?  What are some other things I am lying about?  Well for anyone who reads this and also has the pleasure of talking with me at some point – here are the things that I am undoubtedly lying to you about, and what I would say to you if I wasn’t such a huge liar.

@MotherGoose

.Craig Cardilino


Last night I was reading my kids a Mother Goose/Nursery Rhyme book.  They thoroughly enjoyed it, obviously, but I was really disappointed in the subject matter of all these nursery rhymes.  Tuffets?  Curds and Whey?  People jumping over candlesticks?  I think it’s time for an update Mother Goose.  So, without further ado – Mother Goose meets 2012.

Back in my Day

.Craig Cardilino

I have had a few “back in my day” conversations lately and it got me to thinking.  I remember hearing stories from my parents’ childhood and grandparents’ childhood and thinking “How did they live like that?”  No offense, but no TV?  Ugh.

This led me to thinking what stories I will tell my children about my childhood that will inevitably lead them to thinking “How did you live like that?”  So this one is for them.  Kids, this is how I used to live.

Don't Quote Me on That

.Craig Cardilino

I love quotes.  What’s not to love?  Things that other people have said that sometimes relate to your life in a way that makes you feel, “Hey, I’m not some weirdly defective person who can’t relate to other people in any manner.  This person felt the same way. ”

Imagine

by Rob Lohr

I’m one of the lucky ones.

I attended a Lutheran school from 3rd grade all the way through graduation. I was confirmed, helped out in church services as an acolyte, went to Monday night bible studies in high school, actively participated in our church’s youth group including going on several mission trips, and I even helped teach confirmation as a senior. In fact some of my fondest memories of high school came from the church; from traveling to Juarez Mexico to San Francisco to a Blackfoot indian reservation outside of Glacier National Park.Though I’m far from perfect (which anyone that knows me can attest to) church and religion set up a foundation for who I am today.

Now I’m 27 years old, almost a decade out of highschool. For the last nine years I haven’t attended a single church service that wasn’t either on Christmas, Easter, a wedding or a funeral; nor would I even come close to identifying myself as Lutheran. “Christian” would even be a stretch.

Yet still I consider myself one of the lucky ones.

I should probably explain.

"Your Problems are Shit"

by Craig Cardilino

I have a stressful life.  

Work is demanding, home is demanding.  Quite regularly things go horribly wrong and must be addressed.  I have little money and lots of bills and I can go on for days complaining about my life and the things I wish would be different.  Then – a day like today arrives.  June 6^th.  68 years after THE June 6^th that would forever shape history and the world as we knew it.  The day that forever puts me in my place with a smack across the face and a yell, “Your problems are shit.”