Happy Genocide Of Indigenous People's Day

Sure, let's have a holiday to honor someone that was so lost, he thought he was in India, falsely claimed to have discovered this country, and started a 400 year campaign of enslavement and genocide.

On second thought, that sounds like the quintessential American hero...

If Shakespeare Were A Dad Act 1, Scene 1

"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo? Seriously, ROMEO?!?  Where the hell are you?  Stop hiding.  This isn't funny anymore."

- Romeo and Juliet Act 2, Scene 2

The Time Freddie Mercury And I Almost Killed My Daughter

To say that I haven't written lately would be an understatement.  It's been right at six weeks since my last post.  Having a newborn in the home sucks any time, energy, or motivation that you would otherwise have out of the room.

June Bug was born on July 9th.  A few days after birth, she developed a nasty case of jaundice.  All she wanted to do was sleep.  Had no interest in eating.  In a matter of a week, she lost 13.2% of her total body weight.  The last four weeks have been a constant cycle of high calorie feedings every two hours, and daily weigh ins at the pediatrician's office.  She finally caught up to her birth weight this week.  We aren't out of the woods, yet.  But, things are getting better.

In any event, I wanted to be able to share something on the site, so that, if nothing else, I wouldn't feel like I gave up on my blog.

This is a post I wrote on my other site, in September of 2009, about my first daughter.  She was a little over a year old at the time.  Thought this would make a great Throwback Thursday post.  Enjoy.

"The last few days, every time our daughter says "Mama", my wife and I both say, "Ooh ooh ooh ooh". We're hoping to have her know all the words to 'Bohemian Rhapsody' by the time she is two. We're sick like that.

Anyway, my wife was indisposed, and the baby had a poopy diaper. So, I picked up the baby and laid her down on her changing table to be changed. As I am changing her, I start singing 'Bohemian Rhapsody'. I'm doing the voices and everything. She's loving it.

I get to the "Galileo" part, and I'm zooming in and out in front of her face. She's cracking up. Her eyes are bigger than I have ever seen them. Her mouth is open wide and going back and forth between a smile and a big "O" shape.

By the time I'm singing "Let him go!", I've forgotten about putting the new diaper back on. She's hysterical. She has the hiccups from laughing so hard, and is clapping.

Then comes the greatest line of one of the most legendary rock songs ever written: "Beelzebub has a devil put a side for me...for meeee.....FOR MEEEEEEEEEE!!!!" Just as I hit the high note, my daughter's face goes from a look of pure joy to "I'm not so sure about this".

Suddenly, thick chunky dark green sludge launched about eight inches out of my daughter's mouth. It covers my arms, my hands, her stomach, shirt, face and hair. My first thought: "HOLY FUCK!". Second thought: "Jimi Hendrix, Jimi Hendrix". My daughter was still on her back and she was choking on her own vomit. I turned her over on her stomach, gave her a couple of good thwacks on the back until she started breathing OK, and stood her up.

I was as cool and as calm as could be, like I had done this a hundred times. Any other time, I would have been blowing chunks all over the bedroom, but I grabbed a handful of baby wipes, and started cleaning the little squirt down. This was the first time she had puked and was old enough to be aware of what was going on. I was cleaning her off. She looked at me, slowly looked down at herself, and yelled "Mama". And into the shower she went.

I was so proud of myself. I handled it like a pro. Almost more like a roadie than a dad. Let's put it this way...if I would have been on Janis Joplin's detail, she'd probably still be alive."

"I Learned It From Watching You!"

My kid drives me absolutely INSANE sometimes.

We're watching 'Modern Family', and every thirty seconds she's repeating a funny line from the show.  It's driving me nuts.  Then, about three minutes later, I catch myself doing the exact same thing.

Oh my god, I can't imagine how annoying I am to watch TV with.  And, my wife has been watching TV and movies with me for nine years.  And, she still slept with me!  Twice!!!

I guess you can say that my wife taught me a lesson in patience today.  Because, I would have dumped my annoying ass eight and a half years ago....

This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things

On Tuesday, buses of immigrant children were met by angry protesters, outside a DHS facility in Murietta, California. As you might expect, most of the crowd was comprised of folks that had a GED, rather than a Ph.D.

Protesters appear to have stopped all buses trying to drop undocumented immigrants off in #Murietta. @myfoxla pic.twitter.com/4ziAbeJka0
— Tony Buttitta (@tonybuttitta) July 1, 2014

The vast majority of signs I've seen mention something about protecting our kids from diseases.  I can only imagine this is a result of the coverage from Fox News and Breitbart, who have accused these poor kids of carrying everything from chicken pox, to TB, to scabies.  In fact, if you Google "immigration scabies", you'll pull up a who's who of conservative blogs.  

You know, even if these children are infected with everything under the sun, you wouldn't have anything to worry about if you VACCINATED YOUR FUCKING KIDS.

But, then again, you can't even spell at a fourth grade level, so I'm guessing middle school biology isn't your strong suit.

You Wouldn't Want Your Kid To Find Your Dildo, So...

If your kid somehow finds your stash of sex toys, worst case scenario, you're in for a ton of embarrassment. If your kid finds your gun, the consequences can be much worse.  Kids will play with the things they find.  That is the message coming from Evolve, in a comical (and eye-opening) PSA.

Evolve is a non-profit organization that focuses on gun safety, rather than the Second Amendment/legislative aspect of the debate.  Instead of getting involved in the political side of the discussion, they like to point out that there are many, many deaths each year attributed to accidents with guns inside the home.  Just look at the recent story of the five-year-old Kentucky boy that accidentally shot and killed his two-year-old sister. Or, the Canadian five-year-old that nearly killed his sister after shooting through her bedroom door.  In that case, authorities later found five unsecured guns in the home, along with hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and an assortment of swords, crossbows, and arrows.

It's a simple message:  If you don't want your kids playing with it, you need to do a damn good job at hiding it.



And the message is being heard. Nearly 1.3 million views in less than 48 hours.  It's too bad you'll never see anything like this allowed on television.

Sometimes, Even Superheroes Need Help (Update)

Update:  Earilier this week, we got word that Oren has stopped his treatment.  There's nothing else doctors are able to do. He has entered hospice and is spending his final days with his family. He might have weeks.  It might be just days.  But the inevitable is coming. At this point, it's a matter of trying to keep him as comfortable as possible.

Obviously, those of us in the dad blogger community are devastated.  I think many of us are at a loss for words to express how we're feeling. I wouldn't say that we're necessarily grieving just yet. If I could name any emotion, I think it would overwhelmingly be anger. A lot of times, the worst things happen to the best people. And, Oren really is a good guy.  Even as he's literally dieing, he's regularly taking time out of his day to help others. I don't know how were going to be able to let him go.

It looks as though the Give Forward page listed below is still active. If you have a moment, stop by and do what you can to help out Beth, Liam, and Madeline. The family will need money to cover medical bills and funeral costs.  Thank you.




Our children think their dads are invincible.  We are their superheroes.

They think that, regardless of our real abilities, we are faster, smarter, and stronger than any dad in the world.  My six-year-old daughter honestly believes that I'm bigger than the wrestlers of the WWE (I might be), I'm stronger than them (definitely not), and that I can beat any one of them in the ring (no chance in hell).

With all of the pride and self esteem our children bring us, we sometimes forget that we're human.  There are times in our lives where we need to admit that we can't always be Superman.  Every now and then, even superheroes need help.

No matter how strong we are, no one can go it alone all of the time.  There were times when even Superman needed the Justice League.  Occasionally, Batman needed help from Robin.  The X-Men had Wolverine's back on many instances in the comics.  Heck, even the 'Blind Side' kid needed Sandra Bullock.  There's nothing shameful in admitting defeat, or being vulnerable from time to time.  We just have to be strong enough (and honest enough) to be able to ask for help.

That is essentially what this post is about - helping.

A few weeks back, I had the pleasure of meeting Oren Miller.  Two years ago, he founded a group for dad bloggers on Facebook, as a way to support and encourage the growing number of dad writers online.  Today, nearly 800 members use the group as a way to share resources and ideas, along with tips and tricks of the trade. In the few short weeks that I've known these other dads, I have become a better writer, and a better father.  I consider these men my friends.  We share a common bond - a common goal - that is unique to only them.  And, I will be eternally grateful.

Late last month, Oren went to the ER, for back pain that he thought was a muscle spasm.  Instead, it turned out to be terminal cancer.  Doctors discovered Stage IV cancer in his lungs, kidneys, liver, lymph nodes, and his brain.  At best, he can expect to live another year.  He is currently undergoing radiation therapy, with the hope that he can at least slow the spread of cancer in his brain, long enough to be present and aware during the time spent with his family and friends.

A fundraising page was started, with the hopes of raising enough money to send Oren, his wife Beth, and their two children, Liam and Madeline, on a nice vacation.  As the fundraising progressed, it became apparent that funds would also be needed to pay for medical bills, and to help Beth and the kids in the weeks and months following Oren's death.

It's time to put on the cape and help another hero.

You can find Oren's fundraising page HERE.  Or, click the link on the right side of this page.

Please take a moment and donate to the fund.  You would be helping a man that helped so many other people. The dad blogging community and the Miller family thanks you.

Thank You, Dove Men+Care

BTW, this is NOT a sponsored post.  (Although, it would be nice to have a couple of sponsors around here.)

I generally can't relate to most Father's Day ads that I see.  I don't mow the lawn.  I DESPISE yard work.  I don't like sports.  With the exception of changing the occasional light bulb, I'm freaking clueless when it comes to fixing stuff around the house.  Heck, last time I tried to mount a shelf to the wall, it covered seven inches of the window next to it.

I don't own a tool set.  All the tools in our home were originally purchased by my wife.  Three Christmases ago, my in-laws got me a Dremel with a set of dozens of attachments.  I still haven't opened the box. I wouldn't know what to do in Sears. I feel more at home at a Cost Plus or Pier 1 Imports, than what I would at an "outdoor" store.

I don't wear ties.  I detest Dockers.  And, the only pair of shoes I own that isn't flip flops, is a pair of skate shoes.  Let's just say that when I see a commercial on television that is aimed at dads, I don't feel like they're speaking to me.  That's why I was blown away by Dove Men+Care.

On Monday, Dove Men+Care debuted a commercial on YouTube. I've seen it over a dozen times so far, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I've cried every single time.  Finally - FINALLY - someone has put out a Father's Day ad that shows us dads some genuine appreciation.

Too many times, dads are painted as the bumbling idiots that might not be capable of keeping the kid alive.  We're the babysitter (and the shitty one, at that).  We can only be trusted to grill burgers and kill spiders.  And for that, we get the big piece of chicken and the remote control.  The stereotype of the incompetent dad has been so overplayed, some companies are advertising directly to men while openly mocking them.  Take a look at this monstrosity that Bud Light aired a couple of months ago:



Dove's most recent ad treats dads as responsible and engaged, instead of the bumbling idiot that somehow has this little one with them.  It's quite refreshing to see.  Grab a tissue, and take a look at this wonderful advertisement:



I think I need to go buy some more body wash.

Is Disney Sexualizing Cinderella?

A couple of weeks ago, Disney revealed a poster and teaser trailer for their live-action Cinderella movie, coming in 2015.

My wife and I had the same reaction after seeing the trailer.  "When did Cinderella become a stripper?!?"

In fact, if you do a Google image search for "glass stripper shoe", not only will you get the above photo as a result, but you'll get a number of results of real world shoes that look very similar:

Now, if anyone is qualified to identify stripper shoes, it's me.  Before fatherhood, I made a living as a strip club DJ.  I have seen some of the most creative (and tacky) pairs of heels ever made. Oddly enough, I'm not the first to make the comparison.  The blog posts that I've read on the subject either blame Disney, or our society in general, for the gradual sexualization/pornification of everything under the sun.

Disney found themselves in hot water last year, when they released plans for a sexier Merida to be used in print.  After receiving thousands of complaints, they quietly removed the illustration from their sites.  The new and improved Merida had a lower cut dress, exposing her shoulders.  She also had wider hips.  Personally, I found the entire thing ironic, as her character in 'Brave' was one of the only Disney "princesses" that spent her time doing something other than swooning over a boy. In fact, Merida's character was so uninterested in the young men vying for her affection, that it created a massive online discussion over her sexual orientation.

Let's be honest here.  Disney, either intentionally or inadvertently, has been making their teen-aged princesses "sexy" from day one.   If you have any doubts, try watching 'The Little Mermaid' now without feeling uncomfortable. Hell, look at the original Cinderella, which Disney made in 1950. Remember the scene where Cinderella changes?  Was that necessary for the plot?

More importantly, did you notice the feet?  Cinderella and her stepsisters, Drizella and Anastasia, were relatively the same height and build.  But when her stepsisters tried on the glass slipper, you would think that Shaquille O'Neal was sitting there in a dress.

However, when Cinderella went to try on the slipper:

Her feet were drawn unrealistically tiny.  They're so small, in fact, that they can fit into a single hand of the prince's servant.  It's no secret that men find small feet sexually attractive.  Chinese women figured that out in the 10th or 11th century, and spent the next thousand years binding their feet, to make them as small as possible.

Of course, it nearly impossible to point the finger at any one group or any company in particular.  As our society has focused more importance on our physical appearance - it practically determines your worth as a person - has Disney just followed the trend?  Or, are they a willing accomplice in creating such a shallow society?  After all, they have an eighty year history of creating protagonists that you would want to screw, and villains that remind you of your mother-in-law.

I can tell you one thing:  Little girls want to wear what their heroes are wearing.  They don't have the ability to process common sense at their age.  They're not going to look at that Cinderella poster and think, "Those heels look ridiculous.  No wonder she left one behind.  How are you even supposed to dance in those things?".  They're going to see those "slippers" and immediately say, "Daddy, I want high heels". (Which my six-year-old has already done.)

And, I'm not going to do anything that will encourage those thoughts.  Even if it means having my daughter miss out on watching a Cinderella movie.

Of Hamsters And Little Girls

Lennon and George were friends.

She named him George after watching the cartoon with the Abominable Snowman and Bugs Bunny.  "And I'll love him, and squeeze him, and call him George, and pat him on his little head."  I didn't even make the 'Of Mice and Men' connection (Lenny and George) until long after we got him.


George died last week.

I walked up to start cleaning his habitat, and saw him balled up in his giant ferris wheel.  I thought at first that he might be sleeping.  I moved the wheel around a bit, and he just tumbled around inside.

We had George exactly nine months.  When we got him, we were told that most dwarf hamsters live to be about two years old. George was attacked by another hamster at the pet store, so they weren't expecting him to live to his full life expectancy. We prepared her for his death from day one.  We explained that the smaller an animal is, the shorter their lives are.

Six-year-olds can't process grief.  Lennon paced around the living room for a few seconds, and said, "He was a good hamster".  Then, she cried for a total of maybe thirty seconds.  She wiped her eyes, and the only other mention of the subject was that we should throw him away, before he starts to smell.

Meanwhile, I found myself getting choked up quite a few times thinking about him.  And, I sobbed.  All the way to the trash can outside and back.  He was a neat little guy.  We enjoyed having him in our home.

I would like to think that my funeral is kinder than George's.  Then again, I hope that when I die, I'm not lodged inside a plastic tube, with no way to be fished out.

I'll have to remember that before getting on any water slides.

I'm Still Here......Barely

It's been a rough couple of weeks.

I'm having a flare up, either with my lupus or the Sjogren's, and it's kicking my ass.  I'm constantly in pain, and the brain fog is really messing with me.  Most times, I can't put a complete sentence together.  It's frustrating.

Add to that having our kindergarten graduate home for the summer.  I'm trying to be the best dad possible, and we're having a few little "field trips" per week.  Every Thursday morning, we're watching a movie at a local theater.  Tuesdays are library days.  Monday is museum day.

Then, to top it all of, I have been having so many problems with my laptop.  I was without it for two weeks, while it was getting repaired.  Had it home for two days, and it seems like the A/C connection isn't working.  Also, the computer isn't recognizing the battery.  This time around, I'm sending it in directly to HP for repairs.  I received the packaging today, to send the unit in.  They estimate it being back to me in 7-10 business days.  Another two weeks without this thing.  Blogger leaves you with some really shitty options to use if you're not around your computer.  Their Android and iPad apps suck.  They make it nearly impossible to post any video or photos.  And, let's face it, text only posts (like this one) are boring.  But hey, you work with what you've got.

The family hamster died over the weekend.  I'd like to write about him while I can still remember the little guy.  Ha ha ha.  That sounds pathetic.

Such is my life....

The Chronicles Of Ridiculousness

Six years ago, I was sitting in an uncomfortable rocking chair, trying my best to fit my 6'4" frame into a piece of furniture meant for someone much smaller.  My wife, Jessi, was laying in the bed next to me.  She had been lying there for three days, on a mattress no thicker than a phone book.  

We checked into the hospital on Thursday at 10PM.  They started to induce her right away. Over the course of the next three days, the midwives had attached every possible wire and cable to my wife. Even if she wasn't wired up like a home theater system, her epidural limited Jessi to her hospital bed, and by extension, me to my fragile wooden chair. 

At one in the morning, there isn't anything entertaining on basic cable.  It's amazing how many episodes of 'The X Files' you can watch, when your only other option is infomercials. And, when they stop showing 'The X Files', you find yourself voluntarily watching 'The Chronicles of Riddick' for the third time in 48 hours.  

Movies don't accurately prepare you for childbirth.  They don't show you the kinds of complications that you'll experience.  They don't prepare you for the incessant waiting. 

They don't tell you that your wife might have a panic attack.  Or two.  And, they don't tell you about the blood. So much blood.

I didn't enjoy Jessi's pregnancy the first time around. In fact, I was a complete mess. I worried myself sick, unsure of myself and my abilities as a father.  I was terrified that I wouldn't know what to do. That I would repeat the mistakes that my father had made.  I had always been around children, but was uncomfortable with the idea of being responsible for one.

Then, as they were weighing my screaming newborn daughter, I leaned over her and said, "It's okay baby girl.  Daddy's here."  She instantly went silent, turned towards me, and I swore she smiled. In that moment, everything changed.  I went from panicked and afraid, to confident and secure. I had this. I was a father. And, I was going to be the best damn father on the block.

Happy birthday to my AMAZING little girl. And, happy Mother's Day to the remarkable woman that brought her into my world.

I'll See Your Uneducated Wife, And Raise You My Four-Year-Old

I was looking through some old cell phone videos, and found one that I took of Lennon, asking her the mph question.  In December of 2011, Travis Chambers uploaded a video of him asking his wife Chelsea a fairly simple math question.  She failed miserably.  The video went on to receive nearly 10 million views.



In April of 2013, a month before my daughter's fifth birthday, I asked her a similar question.  And, the little booger got it right.



In all fairness, I realized later that I asked her a different question than the one in the original video.  I asked, "If the car is going 65 mph, how far will the car go in one hour?"  He asked, "If you are traveling 80 mph, how long does it take you to go 80 miles?"

When I asked the question today with the same wording that Chambers used in his video, Lennon said, "Two minutes."  So, technically speaking, my daughter isn't smarter than some lady on the internet.  When it comes to this particular subject, at least.  But, she's four.  FOUR.

I say we give her another six months.

Happy Easter

How Far Are They Going?

Every Wednesday, I get an email from BabyCenter, giving me an update as to how big Miss Ruby June is getting.  I get a kick out of the little paragraphs.  "She is the size of a kumquat."  "She is the size of a rutabaga."  None of these size comparisons are especially helpful, seeing that I usually have to Google the fruits and vegetables they're listing.

Today, Ruby is 26 weeks along.  She's the size of a scallion.  (See.  Couldn't they give me something that I use on a daily basis?  I'm not exactly Gordon Ramsey.)  About 14 inches long, and weighing about a pound and 2/3.

For some reason (I don't know why) the last part of the message cracked me up:

 "If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take two to three days."                   

A trip?!?!

I have so many questions, now.  Did they plan ahead and pack a lunch?  Does one of the testicles have to call shotgun?  Do you think one of them made a mix tape to listen to on the way?  What happens if they pick up a hitchhiker?

Seriously?  Two to three days?!  I've had trips to Vegas that haven't been that long.

Seriously though.  April is Testicular Cancer Awareness Month.  Don't forget to do a self exam.  Get that shit checked out.

Life Lessons From 'How I Met Your Mother'

(Don't worry.  No spoilers.)

Last night, 'How I Met Your Mother' came to an end after nine seasons.  The final episode seems to have given many fans mixed feelings about the story's end.  Personally, I thought they did a very good job at wrapping things up.  The writers answered a number of our unresolved questions.  Though the show never really jumped the shark, it did have a couple of mediocre periods during it's nine year run.  It was great to see the show end with such a phenomenal episode....even though they never did get to explaining the "pineapple incident".

Over the course of 208 episodes of any show, it ought to be easy to come away with at least a couple of morals from the story.  After watching every single episode of HIMYM since early 2005, I can think of at least a dozen lessons I could jot down from the series.  I'll do my best to limit it to five or six.

1.) Take Chances/Accept Challenges

"It works two out of three times, every time."

Let's face it.  'How I Met Your Mother' would not have been worth watching had the characters not taken any chances.  Whether it be "The Naked Man" or a blue french horn, opportunities will present themselves to take your life into a direction that you haven't previously planned for.  Don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, and zig where you would normally zag.  Just don't do anything that could potentially get you arrested and/or have your name put on the sex offender registry, okay? 

2.) Know Your Murtaugh List (Accept Your Limitations)

The "Murtaugh List" was featured in season four.  It was named after the character Danny Glover played in Lethal Weapon, and the resulting catchphrase from the movie:

Ted created a "Murtaugh List", a list of activities he thought he was too old to do anymore.  Over the course of the episode, Barney attempts to complete every activity on Ted's list, with horrifying (and comical) results.

I have many things on my Murtaugh List.  I'll be 39 in two months, and there are many things that I did in my twenties that I wouldn't be able to physically attempt today.  Like, staying up for 72 hours straight at Coachella.  Or, buying general admission tickets for a punk show.  Or, let's say, anything involving a rave. (Do they even have raves anymore?)

There's no shame in knowing your limitations.  Doing so prevents massive hangovers and emergency room bills.   

3.)  Never Settle

Over the course of nine seasons, Ted had been with 40+ women, with varying degrees of commitment.  A couple were simply casual sexual encounters, and some were serious long term relationships.  There were at least four or five women that could have very easily become his wife.  But, they didn't.  They weren't "the one".

There are times in life, especially when it comes to relationships, when you start to think to yourself that you're never going to find that perfect outcome.  Sure, you may find yourself in a situation where you find some of the things you're looking for.  You think that "good enough" is better than nothing.  But, "good enough" isn't a dream come true, and it will always disappoint you in the end.

4.) Marry Your Best Friend

Lily and Marshall are the best example (on television) of a successful marriage.  They were together for more than 20 years, and in the end, were still buddies.  That was the key to their success.  They were the best of friends.  Most relationships tend to get rocky when two people spend too much time with each other.  Marshall and Lily's marriage suffered when they weren't around each other 24/7.

Over the course of the series, their open communication and trust in each other (with a couple of exceptions) set the bar for how married couples are depicted on television.  When you think about it, they were the one great story that came out of the series.  In the end, they had everything they could have ever possibly wanted.  Sure, there were times when their relationship took a step or two back.  But, they were always making progress.  No one was rooting for them to stay together.  No one had to.  No matter how much crap the world threw at them, we all knew they would come out on top, because they had an advantage that no other couple on the show had.  They were partners, lovers, and most of all, the best of friends.

5.)  Life Sucks Sometimes

I'm going to do my best not to allude to any spoilers here.

Sometimes, life has a habit of screwing up your plans.  And, it seems that bad things only happen to good people.  Your reaction to those bad things will determine whether your story ends in tragedy or in a "happily ever after".  

You're lucky if you ever find the love of your life.  Some people are lucky enough to find them twice in a lifetime.  It's all a matter of perspective.

6.) It's Totally Okay For A 38-Year-Old, 6'4", 320 lb Man To Cry Watching Television

That's all I'm going to say on that topic.....

On The Passing Of Fred Phelps

(Shared post with Bl4ck D4ys)

When I had read that Fred Phelps was on his deathbed, I'll be honest, a smile came across my face.

Phelps was the founder of one of the most vile organizations the United States had ever seen.  The Westboro Baptist Church made many Evangelical Christian congregations look tame in comparison.  They had a single message:  Their god was not a god of love, but of hate.  And that, to win his favor, you must hate the world as well.  And, boy did Fred Phelps hate the world.

Phelps and his congregation came into notoriety in the late '90s, after protesting the funeral of murdered gay teen Matthew Shepard.  They proudly stood outside the service, holding signs declaring "GOD HATES FAGS".  In future years, Westboro went on to picket in response to the Columbia disaster, and outside the funerals of fallen soldiers and celebrities.  Their hate was palpable.  Media coverage of their protests would literally put a foul taste in your mouth.  But, for all of the horrible things Phelps had done in his life, he surprisingly accomplished a lot of good.

Fred Phelps changed the way that the world looked at the LGBT community.  Over the last two decades, his actions showed us how ugly it was to be homophobic.  He gave us an example of how we didn't want to be.

Phelps inadvertently created millions of straight allies.  He brought together soccer moms and Hells Angels, anti-war activists and veterans, to work toward a common goal.  He created an environment that made it easier to come out to your friends and family.  Who would have thought that so much hate could create so much compassion.

Shortly before his death, word came that he had been excommunicated by the WBC last August.  The reason for his removal?  Advocating that church members be kinder to one another.  Ironic isn't it?

I would like to think that in his final days, Phelps was remorseful for the pain he had inflicted on so many families over the years. That maybe he had realized that he could have done things differently.  Probably not.  But, if you really think about it, the world is a better place because of Fred Phelps.  And, I'm thankful for that.

When my children are old enough, I'll tell them about Fred and his family.  I'll explain to them how, because one man was so mean to everyone else, he showed the rest of us how to really treat each other.  I think there's a very valuable lesson to be learned in that.  And, it's one that I'll never forget.

I hope your soul finally found peace, Fred.

5 Things You Probably Didn't Know About 'Frozen'

'Frozen' is the most successful animated film of all time.  In late January, it passed the previous title holder, 'Finding Nemo's' $339 million in domestic ticket sales. And, as of today, it stands at just over a billion dollars in worldwide sales. Tomorrow's scheduled DVD/Blu-ray release is only going to add the the fortune Disney has amassed from the movie.  If you have a daughter, you probably already know all the lyrics to 'Let it Go'.  If not, congratulations.  You'll have plenty of time to learn the words, the next 647 times you watch the movie.

Here are a few little tidbits about the movie that you can use to impress your kids, or your significant other:

1.)  Google "of course".

If you go to Google and type in "of course", it will auto-populate with "Of course I want to build a snowman".  Yes, 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman?' has become THAT popular.  In the event that you are unfamiliar with 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman' (I apologize in advance for the poor quality.):

2.) Rapunzel and Flynn Rider make a cameo in 'Frozen'.

If you watch closely during 'For the First Time in Forever', you will see Rapunzel and Eugene come into the frame from the left.  It's immediately after the gates are opened, and just as Anna is starting the first chorus of the song.

 

3.) Keep an eye out for the disclaimer at the end of the credits.

All men do it.  Even princes.  :)

4.) The writers were obviously fans of 'Arrested Development'.

Used in 'Love is an Open Door'. (Again, sorry for the poor quality.):

The Duke of Weselton even does the Chicken Dance:

5.) Robert Lopez, co-writer of 'Let it Go', is only the 12th person to win the EGOT.

EGOT is an acronym for Emmy, GRAMMY, Oscar, Tony.  It's the grand slam of songwriting.  Lopez won a Daytime Emmy for music written for 'The Wonder Pets'.  He won both the GRAMMY and the Tony for songs written for 'The Book of Mormon'. He won another Tony for work on Avenue Q.  And, most recently, the Oscar for Frozen's 'Let it Go'.

 Bonus:

There is a parody of 'Do You Want to Build a Snowman?', called 'Will You Help Me Hide a Body?'...and it is GLORIOUS.  Hopefully this will get you through marathon binge watching sessions.