Shaving the Old Fashioned Way

Those who know me well, know that I have a rather old-fashioned morning ritual: vintage shaving with a badger hair brush, a puck of shaving soap and a vintage double-edged razor. Sometimes called wetshaving, this is the way my dad shaved. My grandfather shaved like that, too, except he used a straight (aka, "cutthroat") razor (and no, I'm not gutsy enough to try that).

How'd I get into it? About 10 years ago, I started getting a lot of skin irritation after shaving, and a friend suggested I get rid of the canned foam and try making my own lather with a shaving brush and soap. Oh yeah, I said to myself, just the way my dad used to do it. From there, I picked up a few double-edged (DE) safety razors, like the one I learned on back in the 60s, and an assortment of premium shaving soaps and creams in all sorts of nice scents like lime, almond and lavender. Over the years I've amassed a handful of shaving brushes, a whole bunch of DE razors and enough shave creams and soaps to last me years.

Do I get a better shave? Well, I don't have the skin problems I used to have, so yes. Is it closer than a modern multi-blade. No, but it's about equal if you do it right. But the quality of the shave is only one reason I enjoy it. It's also got a lot of retro appeal. All of that vintage shaving gear is just plain cool. And I like having a choice of lather. Lemon/lime or menthol for those hot summer days. Sandalwood or lavender for fall and winter.

What began as a way to reduce razor burn has become an enjoyable morning ritual. You've got to slow down a bit when you're whipping up your own shaving lather instead of squirting it out of a aerosol can. You also have to pay a little more attention using a DE razor than one of the new multi-blade razors. Given today's pace of life, slowing down and taking time for yourself is a good thing!

The Perfect Manhattan

Here's a pic of me at the Tubac resort with one of my favorite cocktails: a Manhattan. It's currently my profile pic. There are lots of variations on the Manhattan, and I figured I'd share my favorite recipe...

• 1-1/2 oz. Makers Mark bourbon
• 3/4 oz. "secret sauce" (3 parts Gallo sweet vermouth and 1 part grenadine)
• Dash (or two) of Angostura bitters

Put all ingredients into a martini shaker with plenty of ice. Shake well (I shake it 100 times to make it nice and icy), pour into a martini glass and garnish with a Maraschino cherry (or in my case 3 cherries).

Some guys don't like sweet Manhattans, so they leave out the grenadine. Your choice, but this is just how I like 'em.

Cheers!

Be Comfortable with the Chaos

As you may know, in May, Hewlett-Packard announced plans to acquire EDS, the huge technology services company. On August 26, after months of planning, the deal went through. EDS is now part of HP. Just as a company needs to communicate externally to the press and to Wall Street, it also needs to communicate with its own employees, so that they know what's going on, what they can expect, and what's expected of them. As one of HP's employee communication managers, I've been really busy in recent weeks. At times, things have been bordering on chaotic.

Which brings me to the title of this blog, which is a great bit of advice told to me by Katie Nutter early on in my career with HP. She had been the speech writer for former HP CEO John Young. I had been given a speech to write for the head of HP's consulting business. I'd gotten my inputs from the executive, and my head was spinning. I was new to that area of the business and really felt in over my head. The result: total writer's block. So I went to Katie and asked her if she'd ever felt this way when tackling one of Young's speeches, and she said, "All the time." "How did you handle it?" I asked. She told me, "You have to be comfortable with the chaos."

By that she meant that you have to not let yourself be overwhelmed when everything is swirling around you. Just get comfortable with it. The human mind is amazingly resourceful and will seek to make order out of chaos, if given the space to do so. I followed Katie's advice, and sure enough, pretty soon, all of the swirling ideas began to align and a structure emerged. I finished the speech on time and it seemed to hit the mark.

I've drawn on this bit of wisdom throughout the years. This week in particular, I've needed to remind myself several times to be comfortable with the chaos. And you know what? Things are working out.

Have a great week, everyone!

Pack Light

This was inspired by an experience I had on our first family trip to Hawaii...

Pack Light

Two weeks of vacation
The whole family is going to
Hawaii for the very first time

"Pack light" they told me
And so I did:
Swim trunks
Shorts
Sandals
A few T-shirts and tank tops
And a sport shirt and cotton slacks
Just in case

But I didn't realize that somewhere
In that little tote bag
Underneath that stuff
I had brought a whole lot of baggage:
Work agendas
Strategic plans
Action lists
And a bunch of bundled up feelings
Just waiting for a safe opportunity to unload

Adam fell in Paradise
And I carried on the grand tradition
With a critical heart
An authoritarian attitude
Harsh words
And a spirit that somewhere
Along my career path
had forgotten how to relax

Thank God I was given the chance to
Jettison the baggage overboard
In the depths of the sea where it belonged
And start over

Next time, I trust I've learned my lesson:
When traveling to Paradise
Pack light

A Belated 18th Birthday Present

I turned 56 yesterday. Let me tell you about a gift I got myself, sort of a belated 18th birthday present...

Back when I was a senior in high school, a friend brought her boyfriend to a football game. He'd just come back from a tour of duty in the South Pacific with the Seabees, the construction batallions of the US Navy. These bad boys are the heavy equipment operators who build bases, air strips, roads and bridges, sometimes under enemy fire. This guy looked like he could pull out trees with his bare hands. Then I noticed that he had ear rings - the Navy emblem - in both ears. Evidently this is not uncommon among Seabees serving in the South Pacific.

I thought that was the coolest look ever, and wanted to pierce my ear ever since. Of course, the times being what they were (almost no guys did that back in the 70's), I didn't. Even when times changed, I still held out. Ever the approval junkie, I was worried about what people would think. I used to tell my kids, "You'd worry a lot less about what other people think of you if you knew how seldom they do." I wish I'd taken my own advice a lot earlier.

So two weeks ago, at Claire's in Monterey, I gave myself an early birthday present and got my ear pierced. I like it. I like the way it looks, and more than that, I like how I feel about it.

Building a Treasure

Here's another free-verse poem inspired by one-on-one time with my daughters...

Building a Treasure

We drew up plans
My daughter and I
For a tea cup rack we saw in
A woodworking magazine

We would build it together
As a gift for her mother
We would make it out of solid cherry
And take no shortcuts in the construction
Because we wanted to give her more than a cup rack
We wanted to give her an heirloom

Slowly, meticulously
We transferred the plans to the wood
Made our cuts with saw and router
Assembled it with dowels
Sanded it, oiled it and rubbed out the finish

We stood back and admired our handiwork
We both agreed that you couldn't buy
A finer rack anywhere
I hugged her and she hugged me back
"Thank you, Daddy" she said

Looking back over the years
Only now do I fully realize
That two priceless treasures were made that day
One of wood and
One of clay

Changes That Heal

If you look at my profile, you'll see that one of my favorite books is Changes that Heal, by Dr. Henry Cloud. It's such a cliché to say that something changed your life, but this book has been truly transformational for me.

The subtitle of the book is "How to Understand Your Past to Ensure a Healthier Future," and that is a great way to sum up the book. A clinical psychologist and follower of Christ, Cloud brings both sound psychological principles and Biblical truths to bear in helping us understand the areas of brokenness from our past and develop ways to heal those areas and move beyond them. There are four sections:

• Bonding with others to form truly intimate relationships
• Separating from others and developing a sense of self
• Understanding the good and bad in yourself and others
• Grow emotionally and spiritually toward adulthood

I particularly benefited from the last section. According to Cloud, even though we live as adults, there can be areas of our personality that have not yet become fully adult. These can lead to all sorts of subtle but chronic problems. Approval addiction in adults, for example, could stem from a lack of affirmation as a child.

This book really opened my eyes to a lot of the emotional baggage I've brought into adulthood. Seriously, it was like a light going on. Have I moved past all of my "stuff"? Well, no, but I have been able to name my issues – the all-important first step – and make some good progress towards healing.

You owe it to yourself to check out this book.

Much Assembly Required

The following is one of many free verse poems I've written about my experience raising kids.

Dave

Much Assembly Required

It's Christmas Eve
Half past midnight
The stockings are hung by the chimney with care
Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah

The wife's asleep and I'm playing Santa
Or maybe an elf
Crouched in the middle of the living room floor
With a bazillion nuts, bolts, washers and parts
That the instructions assure me will make a tricycle

"Some assembly required," the box says
Yeah, right
More like "Much assembly required"

I must have been crazy
Or blinded by love
Or both
To get myself into this

I'm way past tired, but a voice inside reminds me,
"Be patient. In the morning, it will be worth it.
Just wait and see."
I don't know exactly when I finished
But the little hand was on the three

Morning comes
And I see the smile on his face
And hear him ring the bell
And watch him pedal and become
Just a little bit older with each push

Thanks, God, for seeing me through
The fatigue and frustration
To the joy of this Christmas morning

Little boys and tricycles:
"Much assembly required"

When the going gets tough
And tempers run high
I sometimes think
I must have been crazy
Or blinded by love
Or both
To get myself into this

But God can see me through
The fatigue and frustration
To the joy that waits in the morning

My Latest Blues Finds

When I first got into the blues, I listened a lot to the old masters. Then I checked out a lot to contemporary blues artists, with an emphasis on harmonica players. After that, I listened to guitar greats like BB King, Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton. The cool thing about music is that there is always more to discover. Here are some of the things I've been listening to/watching lately. I encourage you to check them out.

Sessions for Robert J (Eric Clapton) – Following the success of Eric Clapton's "Me and Mr Johnson," a studio recording of songs by blues legend Robert Johnson, "Slowhand" and his bandmates gathered to record "Sessions for Robert J," a live DVD/CD of Johnson tunes. This isn't a concert performance; it's more like a series of jam sessions featuring "Sweet Home Chicago" and other Johnson standards. The DVD does a good job of capturing the joy of playing the blues. The CD is fantastic, too.

Son of Skip James (Dion DiMucci) – Remember Dion? With his band, the Belmonts, he topped the charts nearly 50 years ago with a string of hits including "Runaround Sue" and "The Wanderer." After a brief hiatus, he hit the charts again with the pop hit "Abraham, Martin and John." Now he's back with a blues record that is a real delight. A blues record?! The Bronx rock-and-roller, the former teen idol, sings the blues? Yes, and he plays a mean acoustic blues guitar, too. Turns out that Dion has been a huge fan of the blues since the 60s and use to play blues during concert sound checks. Dion is also a committed follower of Christ, and several of the songs reflect that faith. Dion doesn't hide behind an all-stay backing band. Nope. His guitar and vocals are backed only by two others, keys and percussion. Here's a review by the All Music Guide.

Arc Angels (The Arc Angels) – After the death of Stevie Ray Vaughan, his bandmates, Chris Layton (drums) and Tommy Shannon (bass) teamed up with Vaughan protégées Charlie Sexton and Doyle Bramhall II to form Arc Angels. Their self-titled debut album turned out to be their last as well; competition among Sexton and Bramhall, who shared lead vocal and guitar duties, was just too much. But it's a real winner, a great example of Texas blues at its grittiest. Check out http://www.half.com/ for great prices on used copies, and this review by the All Music Guide.

Crossroads Guitar Festival: 2007 (Eric Clapton and friends) – This DVD is just so much fun. It's an all-day charity concert for the Crossroads drug treatment center. The line-up is really tops: BB King, Stevie Winwood, Johnny Winter, Robert Cray, and a host of other blues greats. Check out Susan Tedeschi, a soulful, gritty blues talent who can really belt it out. It's available through Netflix.

Live at the El Mocambo (Stevie Ray Vaughan and Double Trouble) – The El Mocambo is a small blues club, and this DVD gives you a closer-than-front-row seat. Not only does the late and truly great Stevie Ray Vaughan tear it up, but his backing band, Double Trouble – Chris Layton on drums and Tommy Shannon on bass – is locked and loaded. Check Netflix.

Walkin' Blues

"My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning?" - Psalm 22:1

I remember when I first discovered the blues. It was in the mid 1990s, and someone had turned me on to playing the blues harmonica. I began to steep myself in the blues, particularly the blues harp masters: Little Walter, Big Walter, Paul Butterfield, Sonny Boy Williamson II, Charlie Musselwhite and others.

I was enjoying learning about and listening to the blues, but I began to wonder whether, as a person of faith, I should be listening so much to music that was, well, pretty "raw." Many blues songs deal with the seamier side of life: drinking, fighting... pick your vice.

While many blues songs are indeed of the down-and-out variety, many celebrate the good things in life, like time spent with good friends, or the love of a fine woman or man. Blues deals honestly with both the bright and the dark sides of life, and there's something tremendously freeing in that. Listening to – and in my case playing – the blues is an uplifting experience, no matter the topic. If the singer is pouring out his/her heart about life's troubles, we nod our heads with empathy and affirmation. If the singer is jumping for joy over his/her good fortune, we grin and say "Amen!" Ask just about anybody who loves the blues and they'll tell you that listening blues music always makes them feel better.

In my view, there's a strong connection between the blues and faith. Take a look at the Bible itself. It covers the whole spectrum of human experience and emotion, from abject sorrow to unspeakable joy. One of the best examples I know of is book of Psalms. Check out Psalm 22, which begins "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" If that's not the blues, I don't know what is.

Like the blues, the book of Psalms tells it like it is. King David and the other writers of the Psalms pour out their hearts openly and honestly, both the good and the bad, as they pursue a life of authentic faith. God invites all of us to that kind of walk, and I for one am signing up.

And if you have any issues with all of the sex talk in blues music, read the Bible's Song of Solomon. I rest my case.

Dave's Guide to the Perfect Turkey

As I mentioned in my previous post, rotisserie cooking is a real tradition in my family. We rotisserie cook a turkey every Thanksgiving and often several times during the year. I learned the craft from my father-in-law and have passed it on to my kids. Here's what we do...

Step 1: Brining - We brine our turkey overnight in a seasoned brine using Alton Brown's recipe (though we don't add the allspice or candied ginger). I was initially skeptical whether brining really makes a difference. Does it make the turkey taste salty? No. Does it really work? Yes. As I understand it, the seasoned brine first permeates the cells of the meat, then seals them, helping to lock in the juices as the bird cooks. The result: the turkey meat is more moist and tasty, and doesn't dry out as quickly on the platter.

Step 2: Seasoning - Remove the turkey from the brine and pat the exterior dry. Then give it a rubdown with liquid smoke seasoning. I prefer Werther's Liquid Smoke, a hickory seasoning available at many grocery stores. Season the cavity with a drizzle of liquid smoke and several shakes of garlic salt. Shake garlic salt on the outside as well (you may wish to wait until the bird is on the barbecue).

Step 3: Tying - It's important to tie the turkey securely, because the turkey is not only turning around on the rotisserie for a couple of hours; it's shrinking a bit as it cooks, and you don't want the turkey flopping around on the spit. Using thick cotton twine (never nylon), tie the ankles together. Then run some twine around the bird about "hip high" to secure the thighs and legs, and also around the breast to secure the wings. You may also wish to run some twine diagonally. Better to secure the bird too much than too little.

Step 4: Skewering - Next, insert the spit through the turkey, press the forks into the meat and lock them down. It is very important to get the bird balanced on the spit. Turkeys are very breast-heavy, and if the weight is not evenly distributed, the motor will lug as it turns the bird, and could overheat. To check, once the bird is locked onto the spit, grasp the spit loosely on both ends and raise it up (as if it were on the barbecue). If one side of the turkey rotates too quickly to the bottom, adjust until it's fairly balanced. Note: It really helps for the rotisserie to have a counterbalance. That will let you fine tune the balance once you put the turkey on the barbecue.

Step 5: Cooking - If your barbecue has a special element at the back for rotisserie cooking, so much the better. If not, be sure to use indirect heat. I keep the temperature at around 350 degrees. I used to cook it hotter, which made for crispy skin, but it also cooked it too fast, which can sometimes result in a dryer bird. Be sure to have a drip pan underneath the turkey. I fashion mine out of heavy-duty foil. I put a half inch of water or white wine in the drip pan. This does two things: first, it helps the juices from sizzling away when they hit the hot drip pan. Second, it reduces the risk of of flare-ups, should the grease spatter.

Step 6: Monitoring - Check the turkey occasionally as it's cooking, basting periodically from the drip pan. Watch the rotisserie forks, to make sure they don't come loose. Cooking time can vary, because it's harder to maintain a steady temperature with a barbecue vs. an oven. I think 9 or 10 minutes per pound should be about right. When the skin darkens and the bird begins to get that rotisseried look, check the internal temperature with a meat termometer. When it reaches reaches 160 degrees, remove the turkey and let it sit for 15 minutes before carving, to let the juices settle.

That's it! If you have any questions, leave a comment.

Barbecues and Bonding

There are a lot of ways guys bond. Fixing up an old car. Watching a baseball game. Working in the wood shop. I even recall a few years back when ritual drumming was in the press. Guys would gather in tribal fashion around a fire, and through drumming and chanting, connect with their inner male and with each other.

In my family, we men have our own fire ritual. But this one takes place on a backyard patio around the open flames of a propane barbecue. That's right, we're into ritual grilling. Not as tribal as drumming, but equally effective... and delicious, too.

It was handed down to me by my father-in-law. His favorite thing was to rotisserie a whole turkey. First, like a boxing trainer, he'd give the bird a rubdown with Werther's liquid smoke. Then with surgical precision, he'd tie the thing up with cotton twine, crossways and diagonally, to keep it securely in place. He would then inserted the spit and set the forks in place. This was the most critical part, because a turkey is breast-heavy, and if the thing isn't balanced perfectly on the spit, the motor would work too hard and could burn out. Then he'd place it in his old-style "Big Boy" charcoal barbecue and flip the switch.

For the next few hours, we'd sit out on the patio, talk about life, drink beer and eat Doritos as the turkey went around. Every so often, my BBQ sensei would ask rhetorically, "Well, Dave. Whaddya think? Should we add another briquette or two?" Ever the willing student, I would answer, "Yep. Looks like it's about time." Every now and then, grease would drip on one of the briquettes and start flaming. It was my job to be ready with a squirt bottle to put the fire out. Eventually I got deadly accurate. I could snuff out a flaming briquette with a single squirt from 10 feet away.

My father-in-law passed away in 1980. Our patio sessions are among my fondest memories of him. Thankfully, I've been able share this manly ritual with my sons-in-law. Last year, Jorge and Dana moved to Houston and bought a house. One of their first outdoor purchases was a barbecue grill... with a rotisserie, or course! Here we are last Thanksgiving. The bird's in place and we're about to flip the switch. I'm telling you, there's nothing finer than a turkey cooked on the spit.

We rotisserie a turkey every Thanksgiving, and several other times throughout the year. I'll share our secrets with you soon.

Everything I Needed to Know About Raising Daughters I Learned from the Grail Knight

If you've seen the movie "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade," you know the Grail Knight. According to the story, he was one of three brothers who discovered the Holy Grail – the cup that Jesus Christ used at the Last Supper – said to possess supernatural powers, including the ability to heal and grant eternal life. Deemed the most worthy of the three, the Grail Knight was chosen to guard the cup throughout the ages.

Although a minor character in the movie, this noble fellow has major wisdom for every dad, especially those of us with daughters. What I learned from him, I pass on to you:

• I'm watching over a priceless treasure – My daughters were created by God in his image with an immortal soul and an eternal destiny. They were fully known and fully loved by him from the beginning of time. There are all sorts of formulas for calculating how much it costs to raise a child to adulthood, but God has written on the initial sales tag: "Priceless!"
• I'm the guardian, not the owner – It's natural for us fathers to think of our children as "our children" – well, except maybe when they're misbehaving, in which case they're my wife's children! But because God made my daughters, they really belong to him. He has given me the awesome privilege and responsibility of protecting, providing for, instructing and guiding them to adulthood.
• It is a holy calling – Because I'm fulfilling God's assignment with God's property, whenever I deal with my daughters, I'm on holy ground. Fathering requires confidence and strength, but also humility and reverence.
• I need to seek God's guidance – When Indiana Jones first encounters the Grail Knight, he's kneeling in prayer before the Scriptures. As a father, that's a good place for me to be, both in terms of guiding my own walk of faith, but also in gaining the knowledge and perspective for raising children. Books on parenting, advice from friends, input from doctors and other experts are also essential.
• I must prove myself worthy – The Grail Knight was chosen from among his brothers because he was the most worthy, the one whose character was equal to the calling. It's the same with us fathers, especially when raising daughters. Evidence shows that girls will grow up and seek men like their father, for better or for worse. If you've been distant, uncaring or abusive, they'll look for a guy like that, hoping to fix with that relationship what they were unable to fix with you. If you've been a man of integrity, loving and kind-hearted, they will seek out a man like that.
• I have to stand my post – This sounds ridiculously simply, but it's true: You cannot fulfill your role as provider/protector unless you're there. Truth is, a lot of fathering is simply showing up, physically, mentally and emotionally.
• My stewardship is only for a season – Ultimately, our daughters will grow up and be on their own. As fathers, we need to know when and how to gracefully step aside. And for many of us, another man will come along and vie for the right to take on the role of provider/protector. When the Grail Knight saw Indy, he remarked, "Knew you'd come." So be vigilant and defend against the pretenders, but like our noble friend, have the wisdom to recognize the one when he arrives, and the grace to pass the torch to him.

Some closing thoughts...

Unfortunately, unlike a character in a movie, we will not always live up to God's standard. Speaking for myself, I've blown it more times than I can count, sometimes very badly. When those times come – and they will come – don't be too proud or afraid to say "I'm sorry." Those simple words will speak healing into your child's life and yours.

Finally, remember these three phrases: "I love you," "I believe in you," and "I'm sorry." They are among the most powerful words a father can ever say, and most of us don't say them nearly enough. Tender words are not signs of weakness or vulnerability. On the contrary, they show a father's true strength.

To all of the fathers out there, Godspeed!

Old Dogs and New Tricks - Part 2

In "Old Dogs and New Tricks" I talked about learning new things as a way to stay young at heart. My wife Trudi took up drawing and painting. For me it's the electric bass...

I've played acoustic guitar since the mid-60s. Mostly folk, country and pop. About 10 years ago, three of us were leading music for the children's program at church, all on six-string acoustic guitar. We agreed that we could take the music and the energy up a notch if we created a band. I volunteered to learn bass, and it's been a great journey of discovery for me.

One thing that's cool about learning a new instrument is that you get to re-listen to all of your favorite music with a fresh perspective. I rediscovered bass players like Paul McCartney and James Jamerson. Paul's bass lines are wonderfully inventive but always work. Check out his playing on "Something." James Jamerson played bass on virtually every Motown hit and helped create the Motown sound. He, too, was known for his creative bass lines. Listen to Marvin Gaye's and Gladys Knight's versions of "Heard It Through the Grapevine." That's Jamerson on both songs, and the bass lines are like night and day.

Bass also gave me the chance to explore new areas of music. For example, I'd never listened to much jazz. Thanks in large part to my good friend, Kent Reed, I got exposed to a lot of great jazz music, and steeped myself in the playing of bass greats like Jaco Pastorius and Marcus Miller. Can I play like any of my bass heroes? Oh, not even close. But they inspire me in countless ways.

For me, bass is a really good fit in every respect. I've never been a virtuoso on the guitar. Never could solo. But I've always had a good sense of rhythm, and could set the feel or groove of a song. And bass is all about groove. Musically, it's both a tonal instrument (like guitar and piano) and a rhythm instrument (like drums and percussion). It's part of a band's "rhythm section" and occupies a unique musical space between the drums and the other instruments. The bass's role as a supporting instrument perfectly suits where I'm at these days. I've done my share of up-front song leading. Right now, I like nothing better than being at the back, where I can lock in with the drummer and just groove for days.

I've been pleased with the progress I've made, particularly in the last few years. But there's still so much to learn. And that's a good thing!

Old Dogs and New Tricks

You know the saying: "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." People say it with a kind of resignation, because it's true. We had an old dog... and we couldn't.

So what's this mean for you and me? If you're old, don't bother trying to learn any new tricks? No. It means keep learning new tricks and you won't become an old dog.

There's a lot of medical evidence to support that, and plenty of examples I can cite, including one in my own home...

As many of you know, Trudi and I are empty nesters. A visit to a Monet exhibit inspired Trudi to take up drawing and painting. So in January 2007, she started taking art courses at the College of San Mateo in a variety of media: charcoal, pastels and oils. She met some teachers and friends who taught and inspired her, and was soon turning out some fine work. Here are just a few examples:

In my totally biased opinion, this is some pretty great stuff. But far more important than the art itself is what it does for Trudi. She's discovering new things about herself, learning to see the world around her in fresh ways, and making new friends. And that's a great formula for staying young.

Next time, I'll share some thoughts about my "new trick" - electric bass.

Hey Grandpa!

Trudi and I were excited when we heard the news that Dana and Jorge were expecting a baby. As word got out, friends would ask me, "How's it feel to be a grandfather?" Well, to be honest, I didn't know. In all of my roles in life, I'd always been able to see myself in the next one. As a married guy, I could imagine being a dad. As a father, I could picture myself as a father-in-law. But a grandfather? I had no idea.

That all changed on April 24, 2008, the day Loretta Joy "Lori" Hernandez was born. Jorge called me (Trudi was en route to Houston; she missed the birth by 30 minutes!) and gave me the good news. The next day, I flew out to meet Lori myself. When I entered the hospital room and saw her for the first time, I did a double take. At 4 pounds, 14 ounces, she was a tiny thing. The nurses called her "peanut," and I think the nickname may stick.

When I held her, that's when being a grandfather became real for me. I wasn't just a grandfather, I was her grandfather. It wasn't about a new role for me, it was about a new life that I'd been given to love and who would love me. Since then we've been blessed with a week-long visit from the amazing Lori (who was thoughtful enough to bring her parents along to care for her). She's a total joy (pun intended), strong and spunky, and cute as all get-out. You can follow her adventures on the His and Hernandez blog.

And there's a whole 'nother blessing in store for me. Megan and Ryan Smith are expecting their first child in February 2009. Grandpa times two. How cool is that? Check out the Ryan & Megan Smith blog for the latest on this new life.

Welcome!

Why am I starting a blog? A couple of reasons. First, it's a good way to keep my friends up to date on what's going on in my life... and believe me, there's plenty going on! Second, while I communicate for a living and am pretty disciplined at work, it's been hard to apply the same discipline to my personal or creative writing. Hopefully this blog will provide some structure for that.

What can you expect? Everything from brief updates on family happenings to my personal reflections on various topics. No negative stuff, and hopefully no soapbox speeches. Just honest, straight-from-the-heart talk.

Cheers,
Dave