The Multi-Talented Dad

Over the year and the past three months I have to say I have felt everything that Kristen had to go through the first six years of us being together and what it was like at home for her while I was working both ends of the candle in Minor League Baseball. She was basically a single parent from February-October for the first six years of being with me. Honestly the long hours started before February, but not as bad as once baseball season started and I was hardly at home during homestands. I have been very lucky here at Baylor for shorter hours (some what) and a nice summer of working 9-5 and getting days off. I can honestly say, it is amazing that Kristen held it together during those years, but we got stronger through it together.

Well the tables have turned over the past two years to where Kristen is busting her butt to get done with school. I have taken the reigns of being the single parent at times and to Kristen’s downfall the main parent at times to help mold our little Sloan. Yes, if that just kind of scared you, it does Kristen as well. Such as this past week, Sloan has been on a Beastie Boys kick, and as a good father should, I have obliged her passion for the Beastie Boys and let her listen to some of their work. (Censored of course) Kristen has learned that as of right now Sloan’s favorite song by AD Rock and company is “Brass Monkey”, she gives me the “Oh really” remark with the disapproving half-smile.

I can tell that as of right now our roles of parents are starting to take a course. Kristen is the girly stuff, art projects, cuddle time, loving mom. I am the movie taking, exploring music, rough housing, sports Dad. Which I am fine with, at times I have to be the multi-talented Dad that can give her a pony tail (only hair do I know), paint finger nails, do arts and crafts when needed, and always has time to cuddle. Of course Kristen isn’t amused when she comes in from school and I have taught Sloan to greet her with “What up Yo?” while chunking up the duce to her. Not what a Mom wants to hear and see after a long day of school and being at a hospital from her angel of a six year old. (Chalk that up to me thinking it was hilarious, and it wasn’t at the time.) There are many more things that I have taught Sloan that Kristen has advised her not to do outside of the house, but since Kristen reads this, I won’t go into detail.

I can tell that all three of us are starting to wear thin the past few months between me working, Kristen working and finishing up school, and Sloan going to school, in Girl Scouts, and staying on me to sign her back up for basketball. The other hidden talent that I have found out I have is I am the one that keeps all three of us grounded and pumps us up when we need it. The one thing that keeps me going is to know that we are about to hit one of our goals and that is getting Kristen through school without killing me or Sloan in the process. Trust me; I have been very close to not being here on probably a daily basis with Kristen and Sloan. I keep reminding them that Kristen did choose me, so my cute quirks and sense of humor is what her reward is. All in all, I have to keep myself amused through a six year old, I mean isn’t that the best part of being a parent? Just wait until she learns her first Beastie Boys song for Kristen to hear.

Music for this week:
I did warn everyone that my music tastes have been all over the place here lately. I have been listening to a lot of music lately. Most of the time at work to change everything up during the day. I am excited that it looks like MCA from the Beastie Boys is making a recovery and their new album and tour should kick off sometime next year. Still holding out hope that one day I will get to see them live, and yes I will probably act like a 13 year old boy that heard “License to Ill” for the first time. So here are my picks for this week.

Bell X1- Blue Lights on the Runway
I feel I have found my music tastes drifting over to Europe for the past few months. Not that it’s a bad thing, but it is working for me right now. For a while I have been wanting to check out Bell X1 and I don’t know why I have been waiting around to listen to them. This quartet from Ireland is really good, this is their fourth studio album. The first five songs of the album are awesome, not that the ones after them aren’t great, they are. I was actually a little upset at myself for not listening to Bell X1 before now. I am now a fan and need to check out their first three albums. Check out the songs The Ribs Of A Broken Umbrella and The Great Defector.

Dirty Projectors- Bitte Orca
This is their seventh album they have put out that has garnered a lot of critical acclaim (that’s one thing that puts me off half the time), and me being me, I have put off this album not giving in to the critical acclaim thing. I have a list I keep of albums I want to get and albums/bands that I want to check out. The Dirty Projectors have been on the second list for a while, and I finally gave in and gave them a chance. I have to say this is another great album (stupid critics), and I really wish I would have taken time out of seeing the Arctic Monkeys at ACL (gasp) and went to see Dirty Projectors. Check out Cannibal Resource and Stillness Is The Move.

Raekwon- Only Built 4 Cuban Linx, Pt. 2
So I have been hearing a lot about Raekwon’s new album, and how it’s a great album. I guess you can consider this a sequel to the 1995 album Only Built 4 Cuban Linx. I have to say (and this is hard for me to say this), but this might be better than Jay-Z’s album Th Blueprint 3 that was released this summer. Raekwon is keeping up the foundation built by the Wu-tang Clan. His lyrics are great and not to mention he gets some of his Wu-Tang boys to help out on some of the tracks. Check out House of Flying Daggers and Canal Street.

Jamie T- Kings and QueensOk, now it’s back over the Atlantic and time to head back to England. I can’t say I stumbled across Jamie T, I actually read about him last week in my favorite music blog by one Paul Shirley of ESPN (yes, I met him at ACL and it was awesome). I decided to give him a listen, and it was really good. He is a mix between a hip hop artist and the Arctic Monkeys. If you like hip-hop check Jamie T out, check out the songs 368 and Sticks ‘N’ Stones