Thing to Remember When Your Kids Are Driving You Frickin’ Insane

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photo by lobstar

Watching a small child slowly grow into an actual, real-live person is an interesting thing. They watch you so intently when you speak, drinking it all in. This gives way to imitation as they take on your specific habits and behaviors (which they’ll then mold to fit their own personalities and such). There are times when I’m blown away by how much my son acts like me, enunciates words as I do, even the slightest mannerisms look like mirror images of myself. It’s one of the first times as a parent that you truly realize how heavily you influence your kids, down to their very essence as people.

Now, all that touchy-feely crap aside, there are times when the whole “learning everything” bit can get a little exhausting. The most common example is the “Why?” phase that hits right around 3 years old (I’m hip-deep in it as I write this). Just for those of you who either don’t have kids or have forgotten how this tends to go, I’ll give you a short example of the kind of thing I mean:

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June 24, 2008 | Filed Under Hacking Life, Parenting, Practical |  

I Have a Ton of Beta Invitations - Want One?

As I’ve said time and time again, I spend a ridiculous amount of time in front of a computer. I’m also a huge “tinkerer” when it comes to new applications and services, so I’m always curious to see what the next big thing will be, particularly in the social media and productivity arenas.

This type of curiosity means I get me some beta invitations. Lots of them. And, most of the time, when you sign up for a private beta of an app or site, you’ll eventually be given a handful of invitations to share with your friends. Well, today I will disperse my beta invitation inventory to you, my loyal readers and friends.

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June 17, 2008 | Filed Under Free Software, Productivity Pr0n, Technology |  

The Secret to Mastering the iPhone Keyboard

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I won’t bore with another diatribe about how amazing the iPhone is - the product speaks for itself. I will, however, address one of the more common complaints about the device: the keyboard. For the most part, naysayers seem to prefer the tactile response of a hardware, Blackberry-style keyboard. I can absolutely sympathize with this, as I owned a T-Mobile Sidekick before my iPhone, which also had the hardware keyboard. The iPhone keyboard definitely took some getting used to, but I think I’ve got a handle on the single best advice to offer somebody having trouble acclimating to the touchscreen keyboard. Ready?

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June 12, 2008 | Filed Under Productivity Pr0n, Technology, The Phone |  

Parents: You are Their Best Friend

Holden conducts business

As many of you know, my wife and I have two wonderful kids. Our oldest will be 3 years old next month, which is crazy. And as most parents of toddlers will tell you, they can be a bit of a challenge (to say the least). They can be defiant and stubborn, and the word “no” will escape their lips way more often than you think. Love them like we do, toddlers can be a great deal of work.

Another thing most parents will be able to tell you is just how tiring this parenting business can be. By the time the late afternoon rolls around, it’s not uncommon to be completely devoid of energy. This lack of energy can lead to crankiness and a “short fuse” on the part of the parent, which can then lead to snapping at your kids or not wanting to really get involved in spending quality time with them.

My wife was telling me about a quote she read in a book on disciplining children, which said something to this effect:

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June 4, 2008 | Filed Under Hacking Life, Parenting |