Even that's Odd

Odds & Events

  • Tesla Finally Fixed the Auto Headlight Issue, Sort of…

    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 March (I think), I noticed something odd with my Tesla’s high beam indicator. The blue…

  • The Great Concrete Drain Board Debacle: A DIY Odyssey

    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 but nothing like today’s endless stream of concrete countertop influencers, my wife and I decided…

  • Every Job I’ve Ever Had (Or At Least the Ones That Paid Me)

    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 a Greek island. Somewhere in there, I got a finance degree, which mostly came in…

  • What’s Old is New: My Dad Was Basically Elon Musk (Just 40 Years Too Early)

    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 instead of finding Jesus, he found electricity. And boy, did he commit to the bit.…

  • What’s the Future of EVs/ICE? Why Aren’t We Talking About Onboard Generators?

    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 of internal combustion engines and everything that comes with that complexity, ICE just feels very…

  • My C and D Pillar Design Rules: Why Car Pillars Can Drive Me Crazy

    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 Lampoon’s Family Vacation sealed their fate as the ultimate uncool family hauler. The Europeans figured…

  • Cinnamon Roll

    A Scandinavian Family Adventure

    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 for Italy or Japan, but Charles’s Swedish heritage won out – Sweden it was, with…

  • Stutterhein Stockholm Lightweight Zip

    Does the Perfect Raincoat Exist?

    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 two combined are the worst for me—part of why I really dislike cold water swimming.…

  • Is There a Perfect Light Duty Leather Work Boot?

    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 is like searching for the Holy Grail, except with more blisters and buyer’s remorse. The…

  • Red Wing Boots: My Go-To Brand (With Some Constructive Criticism)

    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 haven’t quite given me everything I need either. Consider this my honest assessment with a…

  • Tesla Confusion: An Honest Review

    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 are definitely some good things about it. Some are even great! But my list of…

  • Muck Chore Boot

    The Great Chore Boot Hunt: Finding Footwear That Actually Works

    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 live somewhere that actually has winter (sorry, Florida), regular rubber boots just won’t cut it.…

  • The Perfect Chore Coat: A Personal Journey

          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 mid-90s when I first moved to the city. Love at Second Sight I wasn’t immediately…

  • Wildlife 1, Mobile Connector 0: Something decided my charging cable was a snack

    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 other critter with a taste for expensive EV accessories. Anyone else had wildlife go after…

  • 2023 Tesla Model Y: What I’ve Added So Far (a.k.a. The Tesla Tax)

      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 aftermarket accessories to reach their full potential. Here’s my experience with the “Tesla tax” –…

  • The Dryer Saga: My Electrolux Gas Dryer vs. Physics, Common Sense, and My Old LG

    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 were forced to get an Electrolux dryer to match our new washer. Enter the Electrolux…

  • Follow Me Tandem: The Ultimate Family Cycling Solution

    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 system is that your child can ride solo until they get tired, and then you…

  • Woom Bikes: The Ultimate Kids Bike Brand

    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 off. After a balance bike, the most important thing was weight and the ergonomics that…

  • NYC

    NYC Family Staycation

    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 to Chaos With our 11 and 12-year-olds on spring break and a big Scandinavia trip…

  • Did Tesla’s “Fixes” Break My Lights?

    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, but everything is engineered with the assumption things will “just work” – which happens few…

  • Tesla Model Y LR 7-Seat: The Four-Month Reality Check

    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 I’m about to list, I’d probably still make the same decision today—though not without some…

  • Model Y Wagon

    How We Came To Purchase A Tesla Model Y LR 7-Seater

    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. With two boys (12 and 11), we started looking at hybrid models as our first…

  • Protect Your Tesla with Elongplant Stickers: A Humorous Defense Strategy

    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 maintaining their sense of humor. The Tesla Owner’s Dilemma Let’s be honest—most Tesla owners didn’t…

  • Screen Time

    The Great Tween Phone Battle: A Parent’s Journey Through Screen Time Hell

    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 make them feel even worse. But here’s the cruel irony: giving them a device might…

  • Montreal with Kids: A Long Weekend Adventure That Felt Like Europe (With All the Real-Life Plot Twists)

    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 land” experience while keeping the drive time reasonable (well, mostly reasonable) from the Hudson Valley.…

  • Jungle to Beach: Our Spring Break Family Adventure in Belize

    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 Belize. Here’s our experience splitting time between the lush jungle and pristine beaches of this…

  • The Great Washer Swap: Electrolux vs. Our Old LG

    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 experiencing a minor earthquake whenever it hit the spin cycle. When you’ve got laundry on…

  • A Family Learning to Snowboard. What Could Go Wrong?

    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 to more than $1,000 for a family of four. All for an outing that our…

  • 6 Days in Iceland with Kids: A Family Adventure

    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 10 and 8). Since Jennifer didn’t feel like planning another elaborate trip and I admittedly…

  • Café GE Refrigerator: The Good, The Bad, and The “Did Anyone Actually Test This Thing?”

    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, which prompted our foray into the brave new world of refrigerator shopping. Having survived the…

  • A Memorial Journey Through Germany: Adventure, Mishaps, and Memories

    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 had more plot twists than a soap opera. First planned for spring 2022 to visit…

  • DC with Kids: A Winter Break Adventure (Ages 7 & 9)

    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 says “relaxing holiday break” like navigating the nation’s capital with two energetic kids, right? The…

  • Better Late Than Never: 2019 Honda Ridgeline Black Edition Review

    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 thorough review, but it was in their format, so I never had a copy. I…

  • Our Williamsburg Adventure: A Family Trip with Two Elementary Schoolers

    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 be running around with toy muskets. I’m talking about a full-blown colonial arms race in miniature.…

  • Ireland with Kids and Family: A Comedy of Errors and Emerald Isle Magic

    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 way of turning disasters into comedy gold. The Cast of Characters When Norwegian Air started…

  • Tulum with Toddlers: A Family Adventure in Learning

    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 parts paradise and parenting reality check, with a healthy dose of “what were we thinking?”…