Monthly Archives: March 2012

My Little "Trayvon"
Mar 27 2012

#KONY2012 and #IAmTrayvon Illustrates a Generation in Need of a Soul


I just watched a trailer for a social documentary about the current generation of youth who have nothing to do with the world outside of what they can consume from popular culture.

These kids (I’m gonna pretend that I’m NOT included) consume food, gadgets, games, music, books, movies, merchandise, etc at an alarming rate.  They have forgotten the ancient art of small-talk and have replaced it with Tweets! We do not know our neighbors, but we FaceTime others miles away.  iTunes, WiFi, 4G, GPS, and Google Maps have eliminated the possibility of fore-planning or road trip hi-jinx.  Where is our… their adventure?!?!

Enter KONY2012!

This video spread like rumors in a middle school!  I had students who have never been outside of their ton asking me about this video about a guy kidnapping kids in Africa!  The amount of popularity this video and organization got should be an awakening to corporate Jack Donaghys… This Generation wants something to believe in, to get behind, and to fight for!   The hole that have subsequently been punched in the Invisible Children organization should not overshadow the fact that this generation is lacking a soul, and that they are longing to look evil in the eye, much like the WWII generation did, and kick its ass!

The Trayvon Tragedy!

The details of this horrible thing will come to light, and I;m not here to discuss them.  What is known, however, is that someone who was not in law enforcement, crossed a line a citizen should not cross.  Whether in self-defense or out of over-zealousness, that will come out in the future.  But this generation of youth have yest another piece of social justice to get behind.  This is NOT RIGHT!  Hoodies and racial prejudices are something that are in the hearts and minds of the youth.

My Little "Trayvon"

These young minds are eager and willing to take up a cause… a REAL one… one they can believe in.  They don’t want WMDs, or “terror”, or something that is a matter of “National Security”, but something that is a matter of HUMAN JUSTICE!!!  So, while adults and the media try to dilute the KONY message with this is not as noble as they claim, or they dispute the Trayvon murder with continuing investigation, the kids who see and talk about this want to know what WE are going to do about social injustice in our country, and human injustice in the world.

What we do will teach them how they should handle these situation in the future.

-JB

Thor_by_xiwik
Mar 26 2012

The DADvenger Initiative: #THOR


I am working out my GEEKels (Geek Kegels) as we approach the theatrical release of the Avengers movie! I already have a series called Modern Myths that talks about comic characters in popular.  This is an extension of that idea asking what if I had a dad with their traits, and am I that kind of dad?  It’s just another reason for me to Geek-Out on my blog, so enjoy and check back as I work through the roster!

THOR

If Thor was my dad!

Thor grew up as a golden boy!  Everything seemingly falls into place for him.  As a father-figure, he would seem wildly successful and difficult to live up to.  Pressure and expectations would not come from him, explicitly, but i would feel that they were implied.  He is the standard for what my life as his kid would have to be, and anything less would be considered a failure.

If I’m Thor to my kids!

I need to make sure they know that success did not come easy to me, and that I did make some wrong turns, but learned from them.  Communication, again, is key to making sure I can relate to my kids, and them to me.  Be sure t come along side of them as they get older as a guide, and not always a higher being they idolize.  The sooner they see my humanity, the easier it is to forgive me for my shortcomings that may not always be apparent.

The Wrap-Up!

What makes Thor so powerful in the Marvel universe comes from the lessons learned from his father and the rivalry of his stepbrother.  True, he is the God of Thunder, but he is humbled by the realization and experience of his own mortality; he comes by his honor and courage honestly.  Thor learns valuable lessons about life before being loosed upon it from under his father’s shadow.  He overcomes, endures, and perseveres, and it is because of that he has success.  What lessons do we need to be sure to pass on to our kids, and how do we make sure it sinks in?

 

 

 

-JB

hulk (3)
Mar 22 2012

The DADvenger Initiative: The HULK!


I am working out my GEEKels (Geek Kegels) as we approach the theatrical release of the Avengers movie! I already have a series called Modern Myths that talks about comic characters in popular.  This is an extension of that idea asking what if I had a dad with their traits, and am I that kind of dad?  It’s just another reason for me to Geek-Out on my blog, so enjoy and check back as I work through the roster!

The HULK

If the Hulk was my Dad!

Unless he turned green and huge when he got angry, I wouldn’t know which dad I was going to deal with from day to day.  If he was angry, I would hope that he was mad at someone or something else.  Even when in a good mood (Bruce Banner Dad) he would be haunted by the other side of himself.  He would try to comfort me by telling me that that other side is not who he really is, but it would be hard to believe him.

If I’m the Hulk to My Kids!

I need to reconcile the “me” I think I am to the “other side” of me, and realize that both side are, in fact, the same person.  I need to stop making excuses for my actions when I’m upset, under an influence, or overly reactionary.  I need to learn, possibly through counseling or through some form of support, that it is okay to be angry as long as I direct it a what I truly angry at… even if it’s myself.

The Wrap-Up!

The Hulk is one of my favorite characters in comics.  There are the obvious correlations to Frankenstein’s Monster, but beyond that, he is the unadulterated power that we all hold within ourselves.  This internal power can scare some when we don’t recognize it as ourselves.  When I was holding onto anger (not a very long time ago), I walked around worried that the wrong person would say or do the wrong thing at the wrong time and they would get the beat-down of a lifetime that was reserved for someone else.  The Hulk is a man who is unstoppable when he lets go and accepts all of who he is.

-JB-

CaptainAmericaWallpaper9
Mar 16 2012

The DADvenger Initiative: 1st #Avenger Captain America


I am working out my GEEKels (Geek Kegels) as we approach the theatrical release of the Avengers movie! I already have a series called Modern Myths that talks about comic characters in popular.  This is an extension of that idea asking what if I had a dad with their traits, and am I that kind of dad?  It’s just another reason for me to Geek-Out on my blog, so enjoy and check back as I work through the roster!

Captain America

If Cap was my Dad? 

If I had the incorruptible man as my father-figure, I’d be horribly intimidated and under an enormous amount of self-inflicted pressure to live up to him!  Every mistake would feel highlighted and compared to him.  There is a bar set that I don’t think I can live up to.

If I am Cap to my kids?

I need to learn how to relate to them.  I want to make sure my kids know that they can trust me enough to talk with me about what’s on their minds.  If they are so consumed with being like me and living up to my reputation, they are not taking any time to discover who they are.

The Wrap-Up!

Cap is the perfect example of how a dad can lead my example.  Make the decisions you want your kids to make someday, but be available and open to talk them through, and guide them through their own struggles.  Understand that your kids will make mistakes, and when they learn from mistakes, they are less likely to make them again.

-JB

Ben H
Mar 11 2012

Come Meet Ben of @MyRadDad [dotcom]


The life expectancy of a man with all daughters drops by 15% with each daughter where there’s no son to offset. There may not be some fancy research to backup my opinionated fact, but stress is known to shave years off your life, and the more women you have in your life (moms, sisters, wife’s, daughters, or nieces) the more stress a man has.

I have one daughter and one son. I feel obnoxiously fortunate and blessed to have been given these two kids. But with every year that goes by is one year closer to my daughter becoming a creature I no longer understand: A WOMAN. It has been a lot of work for me with my Neanderthal brain to build a functional understanding with my wife; I’m like the guy that can change a tire and check his oil, but I don’t really know what a wrench is. In a few short years, my daughter will be beyond the Cooties stage and in the “OMG Becky, look at her butt!” stage. She will deal with jealous mean girls, oblivious boys she has crushes on, nice guys who have crushes on her, older boys, friend’s brothers, etc.  These years , that start around the age of 7 now become very stressful for a father of a girl.  It is quite likely that I will choke a HS kid sometime in the future.

Imagine having several girls.  I do not envy any man with all girls, but I do respect him. I know he has a long road ahead to raise girls with self-worth, with bright minds, and with strong faiths. I know of one man who has done that, and a couple who are on that same path. Ben is one of them. I know he wants a boy to share in his love of killing and eating animals, of sports,  of outdoor living, and of male bonding.  I also know he LOVES his daughters. It takes a real manly man to raise  daughters,  and an elite few are given the opportunity to raise only daughters.  I have known Ben since we were in little league baseball, and he’s one of those guys.

It is sad that since he has all girls, though I am older, I will outlive him. That’s just the way of things.

So go by and get to know Ben either on Twitter or on his Blog Page!

-JB

Mar 10 2012
Aside

If we say that X and Y are different because they behave differently, then we aren’t looking deep enough!

Untitiled

o-face
Mar 10 2012

Women Workout Their #Kegels, and Us Techies Workout Our #GEEKels!


I am one of the few Male Special Education Teachers who is able to work with a male assistant!  The level of testosterone overflow is the subject of probably my NEXT post.  However, my assistant and I have a sarcastic, alpha-male, movie referencing, word-nerding, banter that we do ALL DAY LONG!

We were talking about the new iPad reveal on March 7th, and I was I mentioned how I am keeping track of the live blogs during the event, but I had to do it so I wasn’t giving away what I was doing.  I told him I was working out my GEEKels… incognito.

Between Avenger and Amazing Spider-Man trailers and TDKR, the new iPad, and all the other Geektacular things going on these days, it’s hard to keep my inner geek on the inside.

What’s got you working out your GEEKels?

-JB

By JoeB • Posted in Fun
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