Techie Dad Hosts an Exchange Student

The Speck CandyShell is some of the best iPhone protection products I have seen. Hear me now and believe me later- And then hear me later because after my phone has exceeded the escape velocity of my hand, crashing to the unforgiving asphalt of my suburban surroundings I’ll still be able to place that phone call unless for some odd reason it lands roughly on a very sharp pointy rock onto the screen surface or drowns in a vat of deep fried chicken fat. Then I’m not so sure.

The CandyShell is aptly named. It has a hard exterior and a soft, gooey (hopefully shock absorbent) interior.

Still, it was a million times better than this horrible rubberized cover I got at BestBuy. I got a pink one cause all the many covers were taken. It was hard tot get in and out of my pocket, and eventually it tore after only a few months use. This CandyShell will take many licks I hope before I get to that soft center.

Check it out at http://www.speckproducts.com/products/candyshell/iphone-3g/162

They also make a tough skin that is the most testosterone-driven cover of all time.

I don’t know how Wizards of the Coast expects to comepte in a digital market using the same old books as a model for delivering content. Everythying ‘new’ they’ve tried up til now has been either half-hearted (as in the case of D&D 4th edition) or the ultimate in VaporWare (as with NeverWinter Nights, promising to be an online campaign delivery mechanism). And let us not forget those DM tools that were promised in 3rd edition, sourced out and played out to the max, the software title Temple of Elemental Evil which was riddled with errors, or the MMORPG which receieved lukewarm reviews at best.

From Ars Technica: Wizards of the Coast fails saving throw against pirates
http://arstechnica.com/gaming/news/2009/04/wizards-of-the-coast-fails-saving-throw-against-pirates.ars

I’ve learned a whole lot- The last three months have been challenging, fascinating, and tiring. My little guy smiles at me a lot now- as long as he’s not in need of food, sleep or a diaper change- he is discovering the world and so am I.

So I haven’t been using this ‘Baby Blog’ as a baby blog. Hopefully this will change because I have a few insights that might help other new fathers, particularly when it comes the practicalities of fathering. My wife works part time again as a rehab nurse- and so I am responsible for his care when she goes to work. This is an interesting juggling act.

OK- so nothing is new under the sun and dads have been taking care of kids a lot longer than I’ve been around. However, there are some things I want to address:

1. Diapering: Cloth versus Disposable
2. Meal times: Feeding the kid with Momma’s milk
3. Crying and how to help the kid calm down
4. The most fun
5. Peoples’ reactions in public
6. How to multitask with the baby on board
7. Attachment centered parenting
8. How to get over yourself to be a better parent
9. Technology to the rescue

If I can cover half these topics in the next few weeks I shall claim victory.

Also I’m playing around with things on the sidebar- ads and videos. I know this is annoying and it probably wont make me any money, so I will probably do away with them or at least peddle things only that I’ve personally used like babybjorn which I’ve found just awesome.