Posts Tagged ‘writing’
Another Skeptical Parent Crossing
So you didn’t get enough of the great skeptical parenting writing the first time around. You’re in luck. The skeptic dad is on deck for round two of the Skeptical Parent Crossing.
FALL IN LINE, CADETS! SOME OF YOU VOLUNTEERED, SOME OF YOU WERE RECRUITED, BUT WHILE YOU’RE IN MY PARENTING BOOT CAMP, YOU WILL ANSWER ME WITH “YES, DRILL SERGEANT” WHEN I SPEAK TO YOU. IS THAT CLEAR, MAGGOTS?
Sir! Yes, SIR!
You can examine my contribution by simply scrolling down a little further on this blog to the first entry in my (perhaps to be) series called “Skepdad on Sex” and the — what was I THINKING — eloquently named “Friday Fizzicle” topic. Enjoy.
Additionally, Skepdad will be hosting the Skeptical Parent Crossing in January. Stay tuned. And check out the BLOG CARNIVAL for how you can join in this particular circus.
Skeptical Parent Crossing #1
When I started the SkepDad Blog there wasn’t really much information out there on this particular topic. Now, look how far we have come. I’m proud to (re)announce that Blake at the domestic father blog writes:
Welcome to the first edition of Skeptical Parent Crossing, the blog carnival about skepticism, critical thinking, and parenting. There are many aspects to being a skeptical parent, and as your Crossing Guard this month, I’m pleased to present 12 articles covering a few of them.
The SkepDad blog is happy to participate in this new blog carnival and will be hosting it in a few months. Check out some of the great new writing on skeptical parenting, and check back each month for a new round of articles. Great job, Blake, on getting this up and running!
Wednesday Wild Card: 2D Characters
Wednesdays? Whatever. Whatever!
One of the other hats I wear is that of a semi-professional writer. Some of the stream-of-consciousness blather that gets posted here might cause readers to doubt that assertion, but nevertheless I do get part of my paycheque from mashing words into paragraphs. Of course one rarely falls into that kind of role if one does not have “the itch” — that nagging, yearning, urge that any artist will quickly tell anyone within earshot is the driving force behind his work — for which neither salve nor ointment can sooth the need to share one’s gift (whatever that may be) with an audience that is often silent and unseen. I write what I need to write — and I get paid. I write what I want to write — and blogs are brimming with opinion, notebooks are overflowing with fanciful descriptions, and ideas are etched out in countless word processor files — yet not a dime ever arrives. In sharing this I’m not trying to offer some round-about guilt-trip for reading these words. Rather, I’m attempting to introduce my motivation (as a passionate writer) in elaborating on a recent podcast discussion (from The Skeptic’s Guide to the Universe) about stereotyped characters in children’s media, particularly with regard to so-called “nerds” and “geeks.”
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Monday Meta: A Little More Focus
Mondays? Filling in the Blogging and Communication Gaps.
I gotta send thanks out to any of you who have been hanging on during these moments of Skepdad confusion and transition. The whole idea of the Skepdad Blog has been to explore some issues around (a) skepticism, (b) skeptical parenting, and (c) grasping onto an understanding of what do with this little version of me who is growing up in a culture and community rife with superstition and pseudoscientific messages. My objective is and was to do a lot of thinking and writing on the topic — non-expert that I am — and hopefully cobble together a better understanding of the issues. I aimed for that goal for a number of months then came to the frustrating conclusion that I was aiming at a goal that was beyond the scope of either me or a blog like this. I’ll leave you to figure that out.
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I just wanna be…
… the dad who can lay back on the summer grass with his starry-eyed kid and not just answer her questions about the planets, galaxies, and random mysteries of quantum physics, but who can also inspire an persistent and probing curiosity about the universe in a young mind.
… the dad who knows why bugs have six legs and spiders have eight, and encourages his kids to come home with a jar full of crawlies so he can explain the local ecosystem and why we need to set the bugs free when we’re done.
… the dad who can build a mean snow fort.
… the dad who doesn’t buy his kids ’stuff’ to make-up, replace, or apologize for anything, but rather comes home with a sheath of paper and a rainbow of coloured pencils to spend a Saturday afternoon side-by-side laying on the living room floor tracing random shapes and abstract arts onto a hundred sheets of paper.
… the dad who avoids the easy-route of plugging in a head-rest DVD, and instead sings ridiculous songs in the car, negotiates the countryside with observational narratives, and carves away hours with dozens of meandering games that point out the colour of the passing vehicles or silly words extracted from the letters of license plates.
… the dad who knows the lyrics to all the crazy kid’s songs.
… the dad who can invent elaborate and entertaining fictions from the lives of his kids, mixing, blending, and extrapolating elements of their personalities and realities into playful narratives to be enjoyed under the safety of their blankets and explored as they drift off to sleep.
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Future skep/dad Topics, Perhaps?
I’ve not had much time to sit down and write this week. Truth is, I scraped together some cash and bought myself a new notebook that has been occupying too much of my attention whilst I try out the many new features. That said, the plan in buying the new notebook was to give me more time and convenience in writing for this project (as well as a few others). Convenience? Well, it’s a notebook, so I can sit on the couch, put on some tunes, and type. Time? A rare commodity as a parent, but the new computer is, admittedly, a Mac so (as promised by the onslaught of advertising) its been running all weekend trouble free right out of the box. No more precious hours shared between changing diapers, reading aloud, and wireless connectivity maintenance. Of course, this gives me reason to pause and consider what I should write.
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On Writing a Blog Like This…
I’ll admit it. I started this thing with grand delusions of peppering a skep-themed domain with well thought-out essays and articles on raising critically thinking kids. It’s not that such a blog is a bad idea — it’s still a great idea — but the concept of finding the time to do so AND still be a good dad is nearly contradictory. Besides, I’m no expert.
I’ve been slow in posting much since my initial few shots at writing, and that has been both deliberate and circumstantial; I’ve been busy raising a daughter, a task that allows little time for reflective writing but much for contemplative thinking. As a result, I’m going to take this blog in a very different stylistic direction from now on, and into the new year. And, seeing as I have a readership that could be counted on one hand, I don’t think that will be upsetting to too many people.
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i, skep/dad
This is a brand new blog. When I get more information here I will stuff this post into the deepest of darkest archives, but until then this is it and you’ll need to wait. For more details on me or my purpose here, try reading the About page. This may provide more info on what is coming, but only in the sense of themes and topics.
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THE SKEPDAD BLOG is a place for rational, science-minded fathers to express their thoughts, opinions, and ideas about bringing up kids to be critical thinking adults in a world filled with superstition, mysticism, and pseudoscience.
- MINIBLOG: Obama Trend - What does the election of Barack Obama mean for the course of science and science education in the US in the coming four years? How will this impact internationally? Discuss.
COMMENTS: Multiple. Add something! - MINIBLOG: Purity - We watched a documentary last night on TLC about the Purity Movement. Nothing like a good old fashioned biblical excuse to wrap one’s daughter in a bubble of ignorance and second class gender roles like a “sign this contract with your dad re: sex” to set society back a couple centuries. It’s as if they’re [...]
COMMENTS: None. First Post? - MINIBLOG: Brain Games - I’m researching. (Or that’s what I’m calling it.) I picked up one of those “intelligence” and “brain training” games for my PSP last week. How smart will I become thanks to this five dollar exercise? Look out world: I’m about to release unlimited potential of my hitherto confined mind. *sigh*
COMMENTS: Multiple. Add something! - MINIBLOG: Drinking Skeptically, October 22 - If you haven’t made plans to attend the Edmonton Skeptics’ Pub Night tonight, there’s still time. See you there.
COMMENTS: None. First Post? - TWITTER: skepdad thinks you should check out the second edition of the Skeptical Parent Crossing, Blog Carnival... >>
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- Another Skeptical Parent Crossing
- Wednesday Wild Card: Twin Troubles
- Obama Trend
- Purity
- Friday Fizzicle: Skepdad on Sex, Part 1 COMMENT: Hugo: The anti-gay bills may have passed but the anti abortion bills got shot down and while I sympathize with the GLBT community and would like to see a world where everyone is really... COMMENT: Brad: Yes, very sad about all the successful initiatives. I didn’t see much news coverage for that where I was watching. Telling? Still, a small step left trumps a small step right.... COMMENT: Ian: He may have won, but every anti-gay marriage/adoption bill passed (including California!), showing that the Right is still strong. Over 45% of Americans still voted for McCain/Palin.... COMMENT: Brad: You’re spot on with the first comment. Funny that. As for our own hang ups, I think that goes with a lot of what we’ve been taught about “touchy” subjects:... COMMENT: Jess: I think the quote “adolescents who say that their families understand them, pay attention to their concerns, and have fun with them are more likely to…” can be...
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Brad adds: As of October 2007, I'm soliciting interest for skeptics in the Edmonton, Alberta, Canada area who are interested in forming a skeptical society to contact me. Please do so through this blog or via Facebook (through the Edmonton Skeptical Society Group).
Or visit our new website: www.edmontonskeptics.org - The man of science has learned to believe in justification, not by faith, but by verification.- Thomas H. Huxley
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- James Randi Educational Foundation
- Skeptical Surfer
- Skeptical Mom
- The Blogfathers
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- Claire’s Booklist
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