We just got back from Portugal and it was fantastic. Lisbon, Porto, the hills, the pastéis de nata, the Super Bock — loved all of it. I dress for the weather. I dress for the walking.…
PetSafe Guardian GPS Connected Customizable Fence Review – Or: How I Accidentally Taught My Dog to Fear the Outdoors Rating: 2/5 StarsPurchased: September 18, 2023Price: $600Duration of Use: 2-3 months before abandoning in defeat Let me…
The Debt Trap Jason is a high school teacher in Arizona. He makes $48,000 a year, which is about what teachers make there. He’s 32, married, has a two-year-old daughter. His wife works part-time as a…
Some mistakes cost money. Some cost time. The chimney cost both, repeatedly, for years. If you’ve been following along, you know that this build had its share of “we didn’t know what we didn’t know” moments.…
I’m not a media analyst. Smarter people than me — like Evan Shapiro, who you should follow on LinkedIn immediately — dissect this industry for a living. But I spent years working inside broadcast television, and…
Let me set the scene. We’ve got a 2016 Audi Allroad that my wife loves — genuinely loves — and it’s somewhere north of 100,000 miles at this point, probably pushing 125k by the time we…
“Make America Great Again” is one of those phrases that feels like a statement of common sense. Who doesn’t want the country to be “great”? But MAGA isn’t just a campaign line. It’s a whole movement. People get labeled “MAGA”…
This is Part 3 in a series. Part 1 showed where America ranks among developed nations (spoiler: badly). Part 2 explained how language is weaponized to keep you from noticing. Now let’s follow the money and see exactly who’s picking your pocket while you…
This is Part 2 in a series. Part 1 showed where America actually ranks. Now, before we follow the money, we need to talk about why you’ve been trained to stop listening the moment certain words appear. How I Realized We…
We’ve gotten a little off track from what we normally write about here—our travel adventures, home projects where mistakes are inevitably made, and our odd obsessions. So I figured I should explain what happened. I’ve been concerned about the direction…
We’re #1!Are we though?Where Does America Actually Rank? The Complete Scoreboard America is the greatest country in the world. We hear it constantly. Politicians say it. We chant it at sporting events. We believe it. But what if we actually…
Spoiler: It’s probably not who you think—or at least not for the reasons you think In contemporary American politics, “patriot” has become perhaps the most weaponized word in our vocabulary. Politicians invoke it to rally supporters. Activists claim it to…
Some people say yes and some people say that’s ridiculous—opinions are pretty much split by political affiliation. So I wanted to do a test. I figured I would ask a large language model to provide a factual comparison based purely…
So here’s what I’m looking for: 100% cotton blue/grey chinos that can handle actual work. Not asking for much, right? Wrong. What I like to wear and find the most practical are 100% cotton chinos in blue/grey. Banana Republic and…
Look, I know what you’re thinking. “It’s just a hoodie. How complicated can this be?” Well, friend, let me tell you about my very specific requirements and the surprisingly difficult journey they’ve taken me on. Here’s what I need: heavy…
If you’re like me, you have very reasonable requirements for footwear: keep my feet dry when it’s below 60°F, survive the muddy gauntlet of youth sports sidelines, and maybe—just maybe—let me do something vaguely athletic while my kids are warming…
Let me start with the truth: I finally “finished” my concrete countertop drain board refurbish, and it’s blotchy as hell. But here’s the thing—the shape is perfect. It looks exactly like a drain board should look. It’s just that after…
Tesla Finally Fixed the Auto Headlight Issue, Sort of… In which I discover that even smart cars can have stupid issues – both with their drivers and their own dashboard. The Mysterious Case of the Missing Green Light Somewhere around…
When a simple countertop repair turns into a three-week saga involving four molds, toe-damaging weights, and enough failed attempts to question your life choices. The Origin Story: DIY Concrete Counters Circa 2010 Back in 2010, when YouTube had DIY videos…
Looking back at the jobs I’ve held, it’s less like a career path and more like a very weird, slightly embarrassing scavenger hunt. I’ve mowed lawns, stacked hay, flipped burgers, wrestled decks into submission, and even played an extra on…
The Original Energy Crisis Dad You know how every family has that relative who hoards plastic bags “just in case”? Well, my dad was the energy crisis version of that guy. The 1970s oil shortage hit him like a religious awakening, except…
Is this just me, or does going entirely EV seem short-sighted? (coming from an EV owner) And I’m not talking about the usual ICE vs. EV debate here. I’d say “can’t we all just get along,” but with the complexity…
This post started with my long, odd obsession (for an American, anyway) with station wagons. Why they got such a bad rap in the US, I’m not really sure. I don’t think they were ever considered cool, even before National…
A Scandinavian Adventure: When Grandparents Choose Sweden and Norway Delivers Magic When we asked Nonna and Grandpa Charles where they wanted to go for their big trip, we secretly hoped they’d pick somewhere warm. The kids had been lobbying hard…
Welcome to another installment of “things most people probably don’t overthink but I absolutely do.” Today’s obsession: staying dry when it’s raining out. Some of my most miserable times have been when I’ve gotten soaked and been extremely cold. The…
I have some different needs for work boots than people who are outside all the time. My requirements have shifted over the years as my lifestyle and living situation changed – and let me tell you, finding the perfect boot…
Let me be clear upfront: I’m a Red Wing fan. But like any long relationship with a brand, it’s complicated. I’ve been through multiple pairs of Red Wings over the years, and while they’ve never let me down completely, they…
I’m a little confused by the over-exuberant Tesla love and all the raves about the technology. I. just. don’t. get. it. Don’t get me wrong—I’ve had my 2023 7-seat Long Range Model Y for about seven months now, and there…
Let’s talk about chore boots – those unsung heroes of real life. You know, the boots that get you through morning chicken feeding, midnight dog emergencies, and that delightful moment when you realize the basement is flooding. Again. If you…
The search for the perfect chore coat has taken me far and wide, all stemming from my love affair with my first Carhartt C01 Chore Coat purchased at Dave’s on 6th Avenue in NYC back in the…
Just discovered this lovely surprise today – something decided my mobile connector cable looked like a tasty treat. Woke up to find it chewed through with the wires exposed. Not sure if it was a squirrel, rat, rabbit, or some…
After bringing home my Tesla Model Y 7-seater, I quickly realized something every Tesla owner discovers: this is just the beginning of your spending journey. Unlike traditional vehicles that come fully equipped, Teslas seem to require a slew of…
A real parent’s guide to surviving New York City with tweens (and actually having fun) A Tale of Tiny Hotel Rooms, Subway Meltdowns, and Why Your Kids Will Remember the Pizza Forever The Setup: When “Staycation” Means Taking the Train…
Tesla’s latest update supposedly fixed the automatic light adjustment… except now mine seems completely broken? The release notes claimed this was fixed? It wouldn’t be so frustrating if they put actual physical controls in the vehicle for when something breaks,…
Tesla Model Y LR 7-Seat: The Four-Month Reality Check After four months and about 6,000 miles with my first EV—a used 2023 7-seat Model Y Long Range with acceleration boost—I’m ready to share my unfiltered thoughts. Surprisingly, despite the cons…
The Search Begins I had a 2019 Honda Ridgeline which I really liked, but we decided we needed something with a 3rd row so we could transport occasional extra kids or take one vehicle when going out with the grandparents.…
In recent months, Tesla owners across the country have reported an unfortunate trend: vehicles being vandalized seemingly based on opinions about the company’s controversial CEO. These incidents have left many Tesla drivers looking for ways to protect their investments while…
Or: How I Became a Digital Detective in the War Against YouTube. Let’s be honest—peer pressure around getting phones for kids, tweens, and teens is absolutely intense. If your child already struggles to fit in, not having a device can…
The Hunt for a Second-Floor-Friendly Washer Look, I’ll be honest—I had Electrolux earmarked as our next washer practically since we bought our LG back in 2010. Why? Because our LG, while generally reliable, shook our entire house like we were…
When You’re Forced Into A Matching Set Let’s talk about being backed into an appliance corner. With limited laundry room space, we needed to stack our washer and dryer. And because stacking kits apparently cannot be universal (heaven forbid!), we…
November 4-7, 2023 | Kids ages 10 and 9 Sometimes you want to feel like you’ve traveled to Europe without actually crossing an ocean. Enter Montreal – our perfect solution for a long weekend that would give us that “foreign…
After three years of chilly spring break destinations (Ireland, Iceland, and Germany), we decided it was time for some sunshine and warmth! Our family of four, including our 10 and 11-year-old boys, set off for a week-long adventure in beautiful…
I spent a good part of my teenage and college winters going skiing and had always wanted to share that with our kids. But here’s the thing: skiing (or snowboarding) is now REALLY expensive. Rentals, helmets, tickets, clothing—it adds up…
October 2-9, 2022 After the COVID lockdown lifted, we decided it was time for a real adventure. With Play Airlines now flying out of our regional airport, Iceland felt like the perfect destination for our family of four (kids aged…
When Your Kitchen Aid Gives Up the Ghost There comes a time in every appliance’s life when it decides it’s had enough of keeping your food cold and calls it quits. Such was the fate of our Kitchen Aid refrigerator,…
Originally planned for spring break 2022, postponed by COVID, transformed into a memorial trip for my mother – our family’s unforgettable adventure through Germany with kids (11 & 10) and grandparents (70s). The Journey That Almost Wasn’t Our German adventure…
December 2021 – When pandemic fatigue meets family wanderlust Between Christmas and New Year’s 2021, we decided to escape the Hudson Valley winter doldrums and take our boys (ages 9 and 7) on their first real DC adventure. Because nothing…
When I purchased my Ridgeline in 2019, Honda sent me a few surveys. Since I did a pretty detailed job on the first one, they ended up sending me a second, more comprehensive survey. I think I gave them a…
Beyond great Woom kids’ bikes, the best thing I purchased for riding with young children was the Follow Me Tandem Bike trailer. This has to be the best bike accessory ever invented for family cycling! The genius of the @FollowMeTandem…
When I was looking to get our kids bikes to get them started riding, I did a lot of research. I found that training wheels were a bad idea and that a balance bike was the way to start them…
April 14-19, 2019 | Kids: Ages 6 and 7 The Great Musket Obsession (And Other Colonial Williamsburg Truths) Let me start with the most important piece of advice I can give you about Colonial Williamsburg with kids: Every single child will…
Ireland Travel Adventure: March 22-31, 2018 Disclaimer: I’m writing about this trip 7+ years after the fact, so I may not be remembering things exactly as they happened. But hey, that’s what makes family stories better, right? Time has a…
January 2017 – Ages 5 and 4 Sometimes the best family vacations are the ones that teach you the most about your kids (and yourself). Our January 2017 trip to Tulum, Mexico was exactly that kind of adventure – equal…
Even that's Odd 