After I posted it, I was like, “Somebody else has probably already said this, dammit!” Relieved to find I was the first!

wait. Smithers is gay?

I feel like this would have gotten more stars if it wasn’t on a backpacking post.

I was on board until you said you weren’t trying to be smug and dismissive.

Lots of bullshit you’re getting here. Just wanted to say [as a creative myself who’s gotten lost in just living life], keep up the good work of creating. It is hard work but it’s good to see someone keeping at it.

As a lifelong Montana resident (a balmy -19 below yesterday morning), I hate the snow birds who come back for the summers, but flee in the winters and gloat about their Phoenix home and hot temperatures.

I knew my wife had another husband! Just knew it!

Right?! I work in tech and got my start without ANY experience except the ability to troubleshoot. It’s annoying, but it’s also job security.

I know! I really want to figure out how to change that. Maybe I can’t [attention spans and all that]. Sometimes I just want to live in the fricken woods without electricity or running water. That’ll teach ‘em. [Here’s your hoop and stick, kids. Have fun.]

I adopted this sort of idea when my kids continued to come to me with their technical problems [Animal Jam freezes, Daddy - come fix it!]. Instead of just fixing it, I try to explain to them what’s going on in a general sense and then lead them down a path of troubleshooting - what does the error message say? What are…

I can confirm it is as simple as this. Source: my own mother.

Michelle - you keep rocking these parenting posts! I love your thoughts - they’re encouraging and challenging. Keep up the good work!

That’s a great perspective and one I need to re-cling to - I hope you successfully continue forging that perspective and balance. As a dad of 3 (10, 8, and 3) the balance has slowly and steadily eroded without us realizing it. We’re working on restoring it but in the process of the last few years, we’ve let some bad…

I’ve been wondering about this in terms of what my kids are going to be like when they’re adults. My parents were quite conservative about alcohol - I didn’t see any alcohol in our house ever until I was 17 and it was boxed wine in the fridge in the garage. I probably saw my dad drink maybe six beers throughout my…

Love the name, Stugotz.

In my opinion, no - in my wife’s opinion, yes. I lost that battle. :) I will say it has been helpful when she’s at a friends house or roaming the neighborhood, but NEED? Not really. The only “upside” is she’s doing extra chores to help “pay” for the 15$/month for the extra line.

My oldest (10 years) has friends with iPhones (WTF Parents! Seriously. WTF.) There was no way I was going for that, even with the monthly charge. Got her a flip phone - sure she spends time on it and for the first two weeks wondered why I couldn’t get her games on it, but after that, it’s been a much better experience…

I don’t know what I was expecting, but I laughed at that guys reaction so much. Thanks for the laugh.

Toothpaste. In my carpet. Everywhere. Also, unrelatedly, how can I get my three year old son to not just throw everything everywhere all the time?

This was my childhood! I thought no one else knew about these games except for my brother, our cousins, and me! So happy to see this write-up (sorry for your trauma)!