tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-53181411254656448592012-01-12T15:52:27.783-05:00Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.comBlogger1921100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-23967978800853875502012-01-12T08:00:00.003-05:002012-01-12T08:00:09.662-05:00

NOTE:  I lost my mother to cancer in 2001.  My step-mother just finished a grueling chemo and radiation treatment, and while the tumor is gone, she is still fighting hard to recover from the battle.  When David reached out to me asking if I would be interested in hosting this guest post with advice on battling cancer, I was touched that someone is working so proactively to help reach out to

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-50623292418747018342012-01-05T13:51:00.000-05:002012-01-05T13:51:43.930-05:00

This is my review of 2012.  That is not a typo.  I am reviewing 2012.  Everyone else is doing 2011 reviews, but those are so last year.  I want to move forward, so I commandeered a time machine and I’m happy to report back to you the monthly highlights for the coming year: January- Some snow falls in the US.  This situation is used by many in the media as irrefutable proof that global warming is

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-67750371845673974932011-12-24T15:01:00.000-05:002011-12-24T15:01:17.364-05:00

I hope everyone is gearing up for a wonderful holiday celebration, whatever holiday you may be celebrating. I have a few simple wishes for Christmas this year.  I'm confident my kids will have a wonderful day tomorrow, as will my wife, and other than a whopper of a head cold that's sinking into my chest, I have nothing to complain about.  I am quite aware of how fortunate we are to have our home

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-65200700664644614362011-12-15T22:04:00.000-05:002011-12-15T22:04:09.420-05:00

The Problem A misplaced Nerf dart.  Not so bad, eh? The Location A light.  More specifically, the cup-shaped cover under one of many bulbs on a high hanging light. The Challenge The light is out of reach by hand, about four feet from the railing in the loft. The standing ladder is not tall enough to reach it from the floor.  There is an extendable feather duster, but it does not have a

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-67810902091306118072011-12-15T11:04:00.000-05:002011-12-15T11:04:45.849-05:00

Dear Wendy's Corporation, Your new burgers suck. It's a shame you went through all the time and expense of hiring a team of burger "experts" to travel the country and taste great burgers only to come back to home base and screw your own burgers up.  And some people wonder why consumers have lost faith in corporate leadership.  Thanks for being a case study. Wendy's was long my favorite burger

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-4102237770596902142011-12-12T10:27:00.000-05:002011-12-12T10:27:35.380-05:00

Thanks to Sheri Larsen for the great interview with Jason Hodgin, whose father found "The Man in the Cinder Clouds" in the ice at the North Pole. Check out Sheri's blog to find out what questions she had for Jason, and what his reaction was when he found out they had a book showing the true history of Kris Kringle and how he came to be known as Santa Claus.

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-21335391380396708412011-12-07T10:17:00.001-05:002011-12-07T10:18:23.098-05:00

'Tis the season for Christmas lists.  I have two boys, ages 10 and 7, and both of their lists have subtle surprises. My older son is a Lego aficionado.  No, that doesn't mean he completes Lego sets with a snifter of brandy and a fine Cuban cigar.  He can't get Cuban cigars because they are illegal and he's a Good Boy. His Lego enthusiasm makes him long for the biggest, most complex Lego sets

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-72393807277916935992011-12-06T10:13:00.000-05:002011-12-06T10:13:22.207-05:00

This is a big month for me.  I'm doing all I can to promote my new Christmas book, The Man in the Cinder Clouds (which is a great Christmas gift idea, hint hint).  Yesterday I met with a school librarian to prep for an author visit this Thursday, and later in the afternoon I visited a 4th grade class to read to the students and take them through a writing workshop on the elements of story telling

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-30510236500699570542011-12-05T16:03:00.000-05:002011-12-05T16:03:31.683-05:00

Sue Quinn was kind enough to host me on her blog again today, click here to find out why a took a dare with my new Christmas book. Sue has been a great help to The Man in the Cinder Clouds.  From excellent editorial feedback to thoughts on cover design to help promoting my origins-of-Santa story, she's been there.  Sue is also a great author in her own right.  I recently read her book, Open

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-67789322434493791392011-11-24T08:23:00.000-05:002011-11-24T08:23:31.806-05:00

Here are some things that I am thankful for: 1. Sarcasm.  No, seriously, I love sarcasm.  I mean it.  I am NOT being sarcastic right now.  It'd probably the first time in months, but I swear I'm not.  You know what?  This really isn't working.  I better just get started on my turkey. Happy Thanksgiving!!

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-72261401980908583022011-11-23T09:55:00.000-05:002011-11-23T09:55:03.617-05:00

If you're looking for a gift idea for your favorite reader for Christmas, young or old, click the link below and enter to win a signed copy of "The Man in the Cinder Clouds": http://sherahart.blogspot.com/2011/11/win-evidence-of-santa-clause-no-snow.html There's also an interview about my writing history and methods, with a nice teaser about the sequel to "The Man in the Cinder Clouds".

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-52941277381089443702011-11-03T20:40:00.000-04:002011-11-03T20:40:22.758-04:00

E-Books and self-publishing have an interesting history.  They have an even more interesting future. The first edition Kindle was released on November 19, 2007.  Other devices followed suit (e.g. Nook, Kobo, iPad, etc.).  Publishers and the buying public were slow to accept E-Readers, though.  And for good reason. In addition to the expenses (and bugs) associated with early-generation

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-22345919113279201562011-11-01T07:00:00.002-04:002011-11-01T07:00:02.732-04:00

I'm proud to share a guest post from a great writer and good friend, Sue Quinn.  Sue is also an excellent critique partner, with a very keen eye for character development.  So without further ado, here's Self-Published Books: The Perception of Quality by Susan Kaye Quinn, author of Open Minds (Book One of the Mindjack Trilogy) The question of quality in self-published books is a sticky subject,

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-15405292753665850402011-10-29T09:08:00.000-04:002011-10-29T09:08:49.619-04:00

So you know I like sand art.  I try my hand at it every year at the beach.  I'm getting better with each attempt, learning to sculpt with more detail and getting more creative with my subject matter, but this morning I saw a video that takes it to a whole different level.  I doubt I'll ever attempt this grand of a scale, but it's inspiring to see someone pull off a picture using such a large

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-63718636293828343192011-10-26T10:37:00.000-04:002011-10-26T10:37:12.713-04:00

WARNING: This post is not excessively adult-themed, as may be inferred from the title.  However, it is quite silly and immature, which can be ascribed to my general nature and should therefore be expected.  Please read on. My wife took my kids to the hobby store recently.  The kids brought their own money and made their own purchases.  (NOTE: They are both loaded.  I don't know where all the

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-15953027901233546882011-10-14T14:02:00.000-04:002011-10-14T14:02:15.755-04:00

No, it's not a '50s dance party.  It's a blog hop, and I'm in on the action.  There are a lot of great writers out there, and this is a good way to find a great many of them all at once.  More specifically, Matt and Alex are running a blogfest with more than 200 blogs linked together. As a participant, I'm supposed to recommend three blogs and why you should visit them: The Literary Lab: This

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-32070397401892697382011-10-09T15:17:00.000-04:002011-10-09T15:17:47.526-04:00

Before I had kids I used to think answering a child's questions was a wonderful way to help that child grow and become a better human being.  I was eager to respond to any child's general inquiries about life and the world, to have the opportunity to share my knowledge and help that child learn. Then I had kids, and that all changed.  I realized that the questions Just. Don't. Stop. I began to

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-5556332610785922192011-10-04T16:12:00.000-04:002011-10-04T16:12:43.085-04:00

On October 10 I turn 40.  Next Monday.  Over the Hill.  The Big 4-0.  How the &*^% did this happen? As far as I can remember I'm way too irresponsible to be this damn old. I have simple tastes.  I don't want a fancy sports car (however, if a Lamborghini ended up in my garage I would certainly drive it).  I don't need a 10,000 square-foot mansion on a hill (I would rather it be on a lake). I do

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-46154787794183936852011-09-23T16:24:00.001-04:002011-09-25T09:22:14.246-04:00

Since Blogger doesn't host audio files, I've been playing tech-sleuth in trying to figure out how to share this MP3 with you wonderful people. There is a 50/50 chance that this will work.  Of course, that leaves open a 50/50 chance that this will not work.  Such is life. The interview experience on The Biggs Show was great.  I am totally ready for Oprah now.  I think she need to start her show

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-70442218382867449952011-09-22T08:47:00.000-04:002011-09-22T08:47:18.017-04:00

My press release this week included an image of the book's cover.  Reuters news service displayed the image on their Times Square marquee, and also one in front of the mall on the Vegas strip.  I don't have a picture of the Vegas display, but here's a high-res photo of my book hovering over mid-town Manhattan.  Click for the big version:

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-13634096604522407912011-09-21T13:49:00.000-04:002011-09-21T13:49:40.514-04:00

The vast majority of the people who follow this blog are cyber-friends who know me only through this blog and my comments on other writing blogs.  To many I am a sun-glassed smart-ass who has a penchant for photos with water in the background.  But what do I look like without the glasses?  And what do I sound like?  Do have have a deep and sexy voice, or an accent?  Are my eyes lasers that will

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-12544148259331213002011-09-14T19:54:00.001-04:002011-09-14T19:55:15.735-04:00

One of the perks of my job is international travel.  I get to meet interesting people, learn about different businesses and industries, and immerse myself in new (well, actually old) cultures. One of the fallbacks of my job is international travel.  I have to stay up for days on end, eat the stuff they call “food” on airplanes, and hold my pee for inordinately long stretches of time thinking the

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-81426243255986165602011-09-07T11:04:00.000-04:002011-09-07T11:04:11.521-04:00

Kai Strand is helping to promote my origins-of-Santa Claus story "The Man in the Cinder Clouds" and she posted an interview on her blog(s): http://kaistrand.blogspot.com/2011/09/three-times-charm-with-rick-daley.html http://cleanwriter.livejournal.com/87925.html The same interview is on both blogs, so pick either one to find out what I have to say about writing and relaxing!

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-27489163600746982942011-08-25T08:00:00.005-04:002011-08-25T08:00:06.900-04:00

My wife and my younger son suffer from allergies.  We all get them to some degree, but they are your above-average sufferers. (NOTE: They are also above average in many other wonderful ways, and I'm not just saying that for brownie points because my wife reads this blog.  Really.) My wife has a sinus rinse bottle that you fill with a salt-water solution and squirt up your nose.  It all comes out

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-56266121740067960232011-08-24T10:38:00.000-04:002011-08-24T10:38:48.368-04:00

As a follow-up to My Path to Publication, I'd like to direct your attention to Sue Quinn's blog once more for an interview that goes behind the scenes of THE MAN IN THE CINDER CLOUDS and explores the origins of my origins-of-Santa Claus story. Sue also asked me some great questions about self-publishing, and I sure hope I gave good answers.  Click here to visit Sue's blog and read the interview.

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-62588525663580086252011-08-23T08:00:00.002-04:002011-08-23T09:09:27.790-04:00

Click here to read Part One.  Otherwise the leap right into Step 7 might be jarring. Step 7: Right after my agent started presenting RUDY TOOT-TOOT to editors I lost my job.  I'm pretty sure the two events are not related, but who knows, I love a good conspiracy theory. I took advantage of the two months between gainful employment opportunities to write the first draft of another book. 

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-90728757145887526272011-08-22T13:43:00.000-04:002011-08-22T13:43:08.527-04:00

As an interlude between parts One and Two of "My Path to Publication" I'd like to draw your attention to Sue Quinn's blog and a wonderful review of THE MAN IN THE CINDER CLOUDS. If you haven't ordered a copy, drop by Sue's blog and leave a comment today or tomorrow and you will have a chance to win a signed copy of the book.  Click here for more details, and thanks so much, Sue, for your kind

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-12993179640111996232011-08-19T19:29:00.001-04:002011-08-23T09:06:51.346-04:00

I published a book.  It’s a story-within-a-story (within a story) called THE MAN IN THE CINDER CLOUDS.  But despite all the things I’d like to share about the layered story-telling in my book, I have a different tale to tell you now: the story of how this book came to be. Rather than go with traditional publishing, I chose to self-publish.  It’s not a decision I made lightly.  I did many things

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-24286232948422554232011-08-14T20:40:00.000-04:002011-08-14T20:40:25.474-04:00

NOTE: This is a piece of satire.  Mostly.   But regardless, it's bound to offend some people.  If you think you will be offended, please don't read this post.  You have been warned.  If you have a sense of humor and/or you are also a jaded cynic who is fed up with the way religion has been distorted by our political system, by all means, read on and share your thoughts. I was reading political

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-38461890498459263042011-08-11T16:03:00.001-04:002011-08-11T16:03:42.515-04:00

More Piano Talk for this week! When the piano teacher was explaining sharps and flats to my younger son, he used a flat tire as an example: "...So a flat note is going down, like air going out of a tire.  Now what do you think sharp is?" To which my budding young Beethoven replied: "Putting air back in the tire?" #

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-49670057050171669142011-08-09T10:45:00.000-04:002011-08-09T10:45:11.539-04:00

Yesterday Nathan Bransford announced a contest on his blog (NOTE: Attention spell-checker- "Bransford" is legitimate word, add it to your damn dictionary already). The goal: Write a funny scene (in 350 words or less). Never one to shy away from the opportunity to make people laugh so hard the milk they are drinking shoots out their noses, I channeled my inner fat lady and submitted this entry:

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-50343293758612997092011-08-08T09:08:00.000-04:002011-08-08T09:08:00.852-04:00

I just bought a new e-book, written by my friend Anita Laydon Miller.  It's a middle-grade novel, and priced at just $0.99 how could I not add it to my Kindle library? (NOTE: Done.) It's called "A Scary Good Book" and based on the description it looks like an entertaining thriller for younger readers: Twelve-year-old Hannah Stone tells everyone she’s “okay,” but that’s a total lie. Two years

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-56958265847717888342011-08-05T08:35:00.002-04:002011-08-05T08:38:02.687-04:00

My book The Man in the Cinder Clouds is now available for the Nook at BarnesandNobel.com!  Nook and Kindle editions are only $4.99 and delivery is immediate.  Help spread the word! Get it in print. Get it on your Kindle. Get it on your Nook. Get it in your iWhatever (NOTE: this is really the Kindle version, you'll need the Kindle app on your iWhatever). Here are the reviews it's received so far

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-24273966328519677842011-08-04T08:57:00.000-04:002011-08-04T08:57:28.557-04:00

My book The Man in the Cinder Clouds is now available on Kindle!  It's only $4.99, if you've been waiting for the lower-priced eBook version, it's time to download... Many thanks to all who have already bought a copy of the print version.  The personal feedback I've received has been great, and there are 6 awesome reviews on Amazon!  Check out what readers have said so far. For those with iPads

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-90135863304691165012011-08-03T19:00:00.000-04:002011-08-02T19:51:08.958-04:00

The Problem: Six kids, one trampoline, and I want to drink my beer in peace. The Solution: A kitchen timer, 5-minute intervals, and 2-kid limits. Cheers!

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-6381332280003411892011-08-02T18:28:00.000-04:002011-08-02T18:28:28.562-04:00

Our sons have piano lessons this evening, and the piano teacher said this: "Play an F and A." But they way I interpreted it, because I am immature and it is much more fun, is: "Play an effin' A." (The common substitute for a full blown F-bomb (In case you didn't know)).  "No, not the C.  Play the effin' A." Chuckles from the kitchen, and then an F and an A resonated through the house "

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-5521328912374010552011-07-31T13:00:00.001-04:002011-07-31T13:00:01.553-04:00

All of the other sand sculptures this week were practice sessions for my special The Man in the Cinder Clouds sculpture...it was Christmas in July on Hilton Head Island! Here we have Kris Kringle hanging out under the branches of an evergreen tree.  I wanted to add some other characters, but didn't have the time.  I also wanted to make a fireplace with his boots / legs in it, and an evergreen

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-78558817250826483742011-07-31T09:36:00.000-04:002011-07-31T09:36:34.208-04:00

Friday was the last day at the beach.  Yesterday we were up at 5:30 am, on the road by 6:45am, and thanks to loads of traffic that at one time required 90 minutes to move forward 10 miles, we made it home by 9:15pm. I made two sculptures on Friday.  First was an alligator, but it may really be a crocodile (NOTE: Crikey!) because I tried to show some teeth outside its mouth.  I think that's the

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-24952373025457680232011-07-27T18:04:00.000-04:002011-07-27T18:04:18.684-04:00

Today's art has meaning, a theme. It exists for a porpoise... I had to do this quickly, the tide was coming in.  It's still just a warm-up for the end of the week Cinder Clouds sculptures, which may not be posted if they totally suck. A porpoise surfaced at the beach Hey buddy, got any fish? Some other sand artist is at work today... And doing a damn good job!  This was there before I

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-9562066753422016512011-07-26T09:40:00.000-04:002011-07-26T09:40:13.109-04:00

Here are some pictures of my first sand sculpture: The Sphinx.  I'm warming up for a Cinder Clouds-themed sculpture later in the week.  I think a croc / alligator will invade the beach too.  The Sphinx lasted about an hour before we watched the tide destroy it, which of course is half the fun. After I had completed the Sphinx, my kids were helping me build the perimeter wall when several other

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-8911012904138386582011-07-21T19:40:00.000-04:002011-07-21T19:40:41.972-04:00

I'm going on vacation next week, and one thing I like to do at the beach is build sand sculptures.  I need suggestions for new things to build.  If you have any ideas, please leave a comment.  Here are a few examples from vacations past: Sand Shark Bugs Bunny Surf's Up Doc That's all, Folks!

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-76455188156760999442011-07-18T13:47:00.000-04:002011-07-18T13:47:28.445-04:00

The other day, we were all driving in the car and my younger son said, with absolute deadpan delivery: "I really enjoyed my past life as an alien." Tough not to burst into laughter at his matter-of-fact tone of voice, so of course that's what the rest of us did. "What? I did," he insisted. I am really enjoying this life as that boy's father ;-)

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-66788153172568499522011-07-13T13:58:00.000-04:002011-07-13T13:58:52.982-04:00

COLUMBUS, OH (July 2011)- A team of climatologists just reported a startling discovery: an ancient book of unknown origin was found embedded deep in an Arctic ice core.  The team immediately set out to excavate the rest of the book—the drill had only punched through its center—and spent days piecing it together before cracking the cover.  The text is in English, Spanish, and Japanese, and tells

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-76215862450948004562011-07-05T17:05:00.000-04:002011-07-05T17:05:56.207-04:00

Here's a fun endeavor for our more adventurous parents.  This is a step-by-step guide to sure-fire laughter and joy: Step 1: Invite friends over for a cookout and margaritas. Step 2: While the food is cooking, use a small bottle of Patron Silver to make several rounds of margaritas. Step 3: Observe a nine-year-old boy playing with the now-empty bottle, which has a cool shape and a convenient

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-85733566911180234492011-06-25T14:09:00.000-04:002011-06-25T14:09:12.340-04:00

For this installment in our Family Adventure series, we’re going camping. That’s right: camping. Our style is to rough it to the hilt, as you will soon see. We are Expert Campers. That’s right: Expert First-Time Campers. Sure my wife and I have camped before, growing up. We even camped together. Once. And we pitched the tent with our kids in a friend’s backyard a time or two (NOTE: That doesn’t

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-70979411521871162802011-05-18T20:28:00.000-04:002011-05-18T20:28:13.004-04:00

"Victor," I called. "Yeah?" he replied. "Where are you?" "In the bedroom." "What are you doing?" "Hiding from you." "Okay."  A pause.  "Do you want me to come and find you?"  No answer.  He's getting better.  "I take that as a yes," I said as I climbed the stairs... 

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-56287998155250215182011-04-20T07:54:00.001-04:002011-04-20T07:56:18.159-04:00

We were sitting at the kitchen table playing Apples to Apples with some friends when my 6-year-old son came in with a special announcement and follow-up question. The announcement: “We found a bunny in the yard!” The follow-up question: “Can we catch him?” We took a moment to visualize a pack of jubilant children being quickly outrun by a frantic hare before offering responses, which ranged

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-20027999970585024982011-03-04T02:36:00.000-05:002011-03-04T02:36:42.786-05:00

I'd heard many things about Amsterdam before I got here, so naturally the first thing I did was [REDACTED]. After that, what else could I do but [REDACTED]?  So that's what I did. I was surprised the [REDACTED] was so [REDACTED].  But that's the way things roll in a foreign land, you know? I want to come back here someday so I can [REDACTED] again.

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-21839806504471799592011-03-01T08:00:00.001-05:002011-03-01T08:00:23.716-05:00

One of the interesting things about my job is the travel.  In 2008 I flew home from Germany on my birthday. It was my birthday for 30 hours that day. Longest birthday of my life. This week I'm off to the Netherlands.  I'll spend my time in two cities.  Because this is a family-oriented blog, I'm going to call them Amsterdarn and Rotterdarn.  Going to Europe is great, because a day-and-a-half

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-83001705524968530112011-02-28T16:46:00.000-05:002011-02-28T16:46:12.020-05:00

Alarming title for the post, I know. Rest assured, faithful readers, that I survived my close brush with certain death. But it was a harrowing experience to say the least. It started innocently enough with the purchase of a new sofa. But with the pending delivery of said sofa, weeks ahead of schedule, we were pressed for a solution to rid ourselves of the old sofa. And some tables, while we were

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-12413353389612348222011-02-16T09:15:00.000-05:002011-02-16T09:15:53.533-05:00

I was at basketball practice with my nine-year old son the other day, and my wife was home with my six-year old, cuddled up on the couch watching a movie.  Very tender moment.  She hugged him tight.  "I love you," she said. "I love you too," he said.  "Now let's get back to the movie."

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-7756526999297682382011-02-02T14:37:00.000-05:002011-02-02T14:37:31.976-05:00

Funny thing happened at the airport this morning.  (NOTE: We all know airports are hotbeds for humor.)  So there I was, sitting on my seat in the plane, all settled, ready to push back from the gate and begin my journey home.  I powered down my phone and my iPod* and reached to my laptop bag to dig out the book I am reading.  I checked the back pocket, where I always keep my books when I travel.

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-56477641803093323182011-01-21T11:34:00.000-05:002011-01-21T11:34:46.539-05:00

I can't take it.  The high-pitched screams.  The pounding.  The inability to speak.  Of course I'm talking about the new season of American Idol. It was awful.  Randy had no viable input.  He's the show veteran, but he seemed more interested in watching his new judges react than judging an audition himself.  His motto seemed to be, "Whatever you two think, I guess." For several candidates,

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-41878496443569177992011-01-16T13:33:00.000-05:002011-01-16T13:33:45.625-05:00

I have wasted hours of my life that I will never get back trying to accomplish a seemingly simple task: sync my wife's iPod iTouch to her new PC. Perhaps my expectations are unrealistic.  I admit, I am a dreamer.  My dream (in this isolated case) would be to connect the iPod to the new PC, authorize the new PC to the iTunes account, and then have them sync up so I could use the new PC in the

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-54530632541462509932011-01-04T08:07:00.001-05:002011-01-04T12:54:02.128-05:00

An inquisitive journalist wonders: "What Caused Thousands Of Dead Birds To Fall From The Sky?" The short answer: Gravity. You see, suspending dead birds in the sky is rather difficult, since dead birds can't flap their wings (NOTE: flapping is a very important part of flying, so I am told.).  So when there are thousands of dead birds in the sky, they will fall like Newton's apple. It's like

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-47570634120830594182010-12-24T10:07:00.000-05:002010-12-24T10:07:27.781-05:00

Yesterday my wife and I were getting a gift package ready for some friends, and one of the presents was a wine journal.  We wanted to write a nice quote about wine and friendship, and while Google provided ample results to our search, none sufficed, so I made up several of my own:  The vine begets the grape The grape begets the wine Our friends be gettin’ glasses And I be fillin’ mine # With

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-56486587334599879092010-11-29T19:16:00.000-05:002010-11-29T19:16:28.027-05:00

I've decided to grow a beard.  Like many of the finer endeavors of my life, it was my wife's encouraging that spurred this decision.  It was not taken lightly.  For me, growing a beard is wrought with challenges. First is the general patchiness of my facial hair.  That's why my first shot at facial hair was limited to a mustache and goatee.  I'm proud to say that over many years, this

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-54737589738816887132010-10-13T21:08:00.002-04:002010-10-13T21:11:22.662-04:00

Last week my older son came home from school and told me his teacher wanted me to email her.  Fearing the worst, I pressed for clarification. "I told her you write books and she said you can come and read one to us," he said.  Interesting.  Not knowing what he really told her, or what she really said, I took it upon myself to email his teacher and clarify my status as "someone who writes books

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com27tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-37052650794579098032010-09-29T14:41:00.001-04:002010-10-06T06:49:15.523-04:00

We bought our bikes soon after my first son was born.  My wife and I got matching Giant cross-road bikes, ones that would be comfortable for a long ride down a paved path, but could also bounce along off-road.  We also bought a co-pilot seat and helmet for our son, and a rack for the mini-van.  (NOTE:  Dude seriously, a mini-van?  You are soo cool.) When we got home I attached a wire frame to

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-2464670524600608202010-09-24T15:22:00.000-04:002010-09-24T15:22:26.795-04:00

Abbott recalls baby formula. Help! Everything's gone Helter Skelter. Imagine, a Beatle in the formula. Yesterday was just A Day in the Life for Abbott, but now the have to Carry That Weight, the media just won't Let It Be. Infants can't quit formula Cold Turkey, you know, we would see babies detoxing Here, There, and Everywhere. We need to Come Together and find a solution, not start a

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-20553973754358309672010-09-14T17:10:00.000-04:002010-09-14T17:10:31.616-04:00

Yesterday morning my phone rang with bad news: my friend Mark passed away over the weekend. I knew someday I would get this call.  I haven't spoken with Mark directly for many years, and the recent news I heard of him was rarely positive.  Back in the days at OSU, we all partied pretty hard.  Mark never stopped.  In recent years he accelerated. Mark had been a roommate, a co-worker, and a good

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-80515907450013972442010-09-02T07:59:00.000-04:002010-09-02T07:59:15.757-04:00

Thought at 10:30 pm: Why certainly I would like another glass of wine. Thought at 6:00 am: Please stop thinking at 10:30 pm.

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-35750617517542066692010-08-20T10:24:00.000-04:002010-08-20T10:24:35.044-04:00

My artwork from yesterday's trip to the beach. 

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-80774851208357951242010-08-17T09:37:00.000-04:002010-08-17T09:37:20.989-04:00

I was at the beach yesterday, standing waist-deep in the water and watching the surf roll in.  I had my eyes trained a hundred yards out, reading the waves and waiting for the best one so I could body-surf back to shore. As each wave approached I evaluated it.  How big was it?  When was it going to break?  These were my two most important criteria.  If it broke too early, it would be ideal for

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-87403768701535323652010-08-05T17:05:00.000-04:002010-08-05T17:05:53.388-04:00

The two Ghost Hunters went down to the basement with a flashlight and a voice recorder.  The flashlight was a big industrial job, the kind with the large square battery that, being a guy, I should probably be able to describe in more detail.  The voice recorder came from a Hot Wheels playset.  After a couple minutes they came back upstairs and called out to their younger siblings, who came

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-11591808338984754392010-07-26T22:21:00.001-04:002010-07-26T22:22:20.758-04:00

Carpe diem means "seize the day."  (NOTE: thanks, Dead Poet's Society!).  Carpe diem represents the winner in you, the fighting spirit that propels you through tough times and keeps great opportunities from slipping away.  Seize the day! Did I mention you can pay a price for seizing the day?  A bill, so to speak.  It's your carpe-ment diem. Unlike other bills that exact their tolls in the form

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-30715096287549027882010-07-20T15:09:00.000-04:002010-07-20T15:09:04.257-04:00

My son turns six today!  On Sunday we had a birthday party for him at Gym Extreme, and I took this snapshot.  I had no idea it would turn out all cool-like with him hovering silhouetted against the open door.  Click on the picture for a larger version: He landed in the foam pit without issue.  Looked so fun I had to try.  I hope to follow this post up later this week with a more in-depth

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-12433406252005849992010-06-24T17:11:00.000-04:002010-06-24T17:11:26.216-04:00

Oh, the joys of business travel.  As I write this I’m sitting in LaGuardia airport, on my way back home from a trip to Maine.  The trip started at 5:30 am on Monday.  When I looked out the bathroom window on my way to the shower I saw the eastern sky glowing, the sun approaching the horizon but not yet within its reach. (NOTE: this is foreshadowing.) On my way to the airport, I usually take a

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-77824733213317292842010-06-09T20:28:00.000-04:002010-06-09T20:28:35.897-04:00

I just finished the first draft of my next book, THE CHRONICLES OF CHRISTMAS.  It's the reason I haven't been blogging much lately. Now I get to revise it, then have people critique it, then revise it again, and then I'll send it to my agent.  Here's the single-sentence pitch: A team of scientists taking ice core samples at the North Pole finds a book buried deep in the ice; a book that tells

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-41297096039990313712010-05-10T21:38:00.000-04:002010-05-10T21:38:02.418-04:00

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-27902388916761474752010-05-05T15:29:00.001-04:002010-05-05T15:53:08.412-04:00

Last weekend my wife and I celebrated our 11th anniversary in a cabin in the Smokey Mountains.  Well, actually we spent the days leading up to our 11th anniversary in a cabin in the Smokey Mountains.  We spent the majority of our anniversary driving home in the rain.  More on that later.  But first: bears. Before we set off on our hike, we stopped by the visitor center to talk to a Ranger about

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-74218432876277902982010-04-16T09:36:00.001-04:002010-04-16T09:37:40.236-04:00

Something you may not know about me: I love to cook. I worked in restaurants for nearly a decade, and while I never attended culinary school, I can whip up many a gourmet dish.  While it has been more than a dozen years since I worked in a kitchen, I am not shy to make the most of this latent talent.  The first time I met my mother-in-law, I cooked Chicken Cordon Bleu for her, and I am pretty

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-88235949695803699752010-04-01T19:53:00.000-04:002010-04-01T19:53:07.649-04:00

Vacations.  What can I say about them that was not already covered by Chevy Chase and crew? Sometimes there is a profound joy in being someplace else.  Like when a friend texts you and says there was a late spring snow and two inches of snow fell back home.  And you are getting ready to go to the beach.  That's the kind of joy I'm talking about. Thankfully, the nice weather followed us home. 

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-52630312794786292582010-03-15T21:48:00.001-04:002010-03-15T21:56:13.920-04:00

Earlier this evening, my 8-year old son asked me for help. "With what?" I asked.  There was a hesitancy to my voice; not all tasks the kids request are feasible and/or interesting. "I need to make a trap." I thought about it.  Both feasible and interesting.  "Okay," I said.  "For what?" "A Leprechaun." So much for feasible. "But you can't do all the fake stuff," he said.  Apparently he had

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-53666047027773854122010-03-11T08:00:00.000-05:002010-03-11T08:00:36.088-05:00

Kids have a funny sense of humor.  As infants, anything from jingling car keys to tapping a soda can on the counter can elicit full-blown belly laughs.  Then they grow up and start to hear jokes.  They laugh when adults laugh, or when their siblings laugh.  They know the words were funny, but don't always understand why. This is most apparent when they try to make up jokes on their own. This

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-24120602816696331582010-03-02T21:18:00.000-05:002010-03-02T21:18:49.530-05:00

One evening last week my wife met a girlfriend for a drink on her way home from work.  I was at home getting dinner ready for the kids.  Sounds like a role reversal from 1950, doesn't it?  She assured me it would only be one drink, and she wouldn't be late.  I told her to take her time, knowing she would do that anyway so it may as well be with my blessing.  "Where's mom?" my younger son asked

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-10643545060192089852010-02-22T22:09:00.000-05:002010-02-22T22:09:41.388-05:00

Insanity is a path all parents walk down from time to time.  We are led there by periods of totally irrational behavior in our children.  Kids do crazy things, and it makes parents crazy.  It's like reverse heredity, if you think about it. You may be thinking that something happened in my house tonight to inspire this post, and you would be right.  I'm not going to get into the details, because

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-55358274102531023012010-02-16T21:22:00.000-05:002010-02-16T21:22:51.149-05:00

Three weeks ago, it snowed.  A lot.  Eight inches of wet, heavy, heart-attack snow.  The kind that you can’t just push off the driveway with the shovel…this was the scoop-carry-dump kind of snow. The piles along the side of the driveway were deep enough to tunnel through.  We also dug an igloo in the pile at the corner of the driveway.  By we, of course, I mean me.  The kids helped me along with

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-70122251382863334872010-02-10T09:33:00.002-05:002010-02-10T09:33:50.686-05:00

In my head, that's where.  I've been in Chicago for work for the past few days, so I haven't had time to tell you about the snow we've been getting, or about the earthquake I felt last night.  But I will....Eventually. 

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-65283858028061970102010-02-04T16:08:00.000-05:002010-02-04T16:08:57.989-05:00

I wasn't planning on posting again this week, but this is just too good... Last night I was sitting on the couch watching a DVR recording of America's Funniest Home Videos with my five-year-old son.  Or rather, I was watching AFV while my son bounced around the couch like a jumping bean.  A very loud jumping bean. "Wow, you're wound up," I said, checking the clock.  It was around 8pm, edging

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-34224073651891974742010-02-01T18:40:00.000-05:002010-02-01T18:40:35.021-05:00

The author of today's guest post is my eight-year old son.   He's in second grade, and part of his homework is to write 10 sentences using 10 vocabulary words.  Today's words were: Yelling Sit Passing Running Pick Jumping Picking Sitting Jump Resting And here's his contribution to this blog, via his homework.  Feel free to psychoanalyze us in the comments: Stop yelling.  Stop yelling at me

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-12752063706612896822010-01-26T06:48:00.000-05:002010-01-26T06:48:38.520-05:00

My son, and we are very proud of him.  Now if we could find out what the contest was all about we'd be even more proud.  Unfortunately, getting your kids to provide details about school can be as eventful as asking your fish to describe the taste of water. So here's what happened: I was a guest reader for my son's kindergarten class last week.  I brought DON'T LET THE PIGEON DRIVE THE BUS from

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-11766929965953851422010-01-18T21:53:00.000-05:002010-01-18T21:53:35.638-05:00

Let’s talk about bubbles.  Did you ever blow bubbles as a kid? Well he’s back in town and he wants your new number (sorry, couldn’t resist). But really, I have a point to make today about The Next Bubble.  Before I get to it, however, I think we should review Bubbles Past… The Dot.com Bubble rose in the late 90’s, when everyone with the foresight to incorporate, get a website, and write a

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-62872338659298212332010-01-12T14:29:00.001-05:002010-01-12T14:29:40.318-05:00

Once again my children have stepped to the plate at the last minute to contribute fodder for this blog.  Their youthful innocence brings marvel and wonder to life's most minor aspects, and I am proud to share them with you.  Of course, I'm referring to the phenomenon of "pee shivers" or, as Wikipedia puts it, post-micturition convulsion syndrome.  But for the purposes of this post, I'm going with

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-72118088345261147992010-01-07T20:52:00.004-05:002010-01-07T21:08:54.515-05:00

Sometimes things happen around the house and I have to run and jot them down so I remember to write about them. Earlier tonight was one of those times.We were eating dinner and my older son asked, "What does miscellaneous mean?""It means a lot of different things," I told him."How many things?" he asked."No, it means a lot of different things," I changed the inflection so he would understand

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-78777689682697834802010-01-04T06:48:00.002-05:002010-01-04T07:13:30.856-05:00

The holidays are over, and I can sum it up in one word:Crap.I'm rolling off the end of a two-week vacation. Six use-it-or-lose-it days, nestled among holidays. Sure, I had a few conference calls to attend from Ye Olde Home Office, some email trickled through, but for the most part I was offline and enjoying the holidays with my friends and family.Today is a day for alarm clocks, showering

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-75402035670982715012009-12-19T10:29:00.004-05:002009-12-19T10:33:09.949-05:00

I submitted my essay on the elves to The Columbus Dispatch and they published it!Click here to read it. Not much changed from the version posted on this blog, but there's a nice picture of me in a suit. Well, not really a full suit. Actually, just a coat and tie. When my wife took that picture I had on a pair of running shorts. I only needed the head shot and I hate getting dressed up.

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-65147893756327843072009-12-10T17:56:00.006-05:002009-12-11T08:09:07.178-05:00

Last year two elves visited our house for the Christmas season. They came in early December, and they had a note asking our kids to name them and make them beds so they could live with us until Christmas. The kids named them after their best friends that year, Ian and David.Ian and David were mischievous little elves. They would move around, and un-spin rolls of toilet paper, and take clothes

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-54106054333817095362009-12-09T10:02:00.003-05:002009-12-09T10:15:11.752-05:00

Matt Delman tagged me with a question and answer game about writing and I could not help but play along. It is worth noting that I am easily flattered. I'm not going to tag others, but if you want to play along you can pretend I just tagged everyone following this blog. It is also worth noting that I am lazy and easily distracted.If anyone has additional questions and you are curious to see

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-44147510518974404892009-12-06T20:03:00.003-05:002009-12-06T20:06:59.301-05:00

"I need something to keep my legs warm because this toilet is freaking cold."- My 5-year old son.Should I be concerned?At least he said "freaking." That's a reflection of my wife and me and the admirable restraint we show in our own language around the house. Kids say what they hear, you know.

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-70788642494827429292009-11-24T22:29:00.003-05:002009-11-25T13:08:08.231-05:00

I love that title. Replace the “I” with “Ross” or “Joey” and it could very well be an episode of Friends.Last week my son said "I mean, I might want to do it...but it's still crazy!" and it made me think about the time I went skydiving.Skydiving is a perfectly fine activity for many insane human beings. You have to a certain type of crazy, though. Your average garden-variety lunatic would not

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com26tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-75961166759178175812009-11-16T20:31:00.005-05:002009-11-24T22:38:55.897-05:00

Over the weekend my wife and I joined some friends for a day of tailgating when the Buckeyes played Iowa. I'm glad the Buckeyes won, but the game shouldn't have been so close. That's all I'm going to say about it. I'm not going to go into a long-winded post-game summary, because I have a different story to tell. And besides, I'm about as qualified to talk about football as a penguin is to

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-6155922279212842042009-11-10T21:17:00.003-05:002009-12-10T20:06:31.152-05:00

We were eating dinner last night and my wife noticed something."Max, look at me," she said to our 8-year old son. "Smile."He gave her a tight lipped grin."Open your mouth," she commanded. He did, opening wide and trying to keep his lips over his teeth. We could still see it. Or rather, we couldn't see it."Did your tooth fall out today?" she asked. He's had a very loose top front tooth for a

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-67503330042729102212009-11-02T17:00:00.006-05:002009-11-04T07:50:08.243-05:00

I'm disappointed in my kids. They totally missed their candy quota this year. Socialism be damned, we distribute that kind of wealth in this family and now I'm in the poorhouse.I'm not sure what led to the downturn in productivity. We went a half-mile down the road and then came back down the other side of the street. You would think a mile's worth of candy would be a good amount. I should

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com28tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-34154025285752243982009-10-30T15:56:00.003-04:002009-10-30T16:53:26.917-04:00

A couple weeks back I read about many people lamenting the new FTC rules regarding disclosure on blogs. For those in the publishing industry, this may have a big impact on book reviewers who have received a free copy of a book, agents promoting their clients' works, etc.Today I saw a great example of why this rule is needed, although I agree that it was implemented on too broad a manner.It

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-21503338141039631442009-10-26T21:46:00.002-04:002009-10-26T21:54:14.110-04:00

You may have heard tale of a Northwest Airlines flight that missed its destination airport by 150 miles. Today the news said the pilots were lost and using their laptops, presumably either for blogging and/or for Google Maps. That's what I'd be doing. Or checking to see if Amazon.com sold parachutes (albeit too late, and knowing me I'd cheap out and get a used one).Laptops. Lost. That's what

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com23tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-51394592136763267922009-10-21T06:44:00.004-04:002009-10-21T07:18:04.542-04:00

Yesterday was warm, we had the back door open. My son went to it and stuck his head out."Oh, no. This is so bad," he said. "I still hear the bus sound."Curious, I walked to the door and stuck my head out. "Do you hear it?" he asked me."You mean that whoop-whoop-whoop?""Yes," he said."That's the alarm on the neighbor's house" I told him. He had gone over a few minutes before to play with his

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-53881909252870921392009-10-18T11:25:00.007-04:002009-10-18T11:42:43.031-04:00

This is a wide view of one of the corners. It doesn't look bad from a distance. A darkened distance is the recommended viewing setting.A closer-up look reveals some slight imperfections. I don't think blogger will show this in full resolution, which also works to my advantage.The place where to pieces meet in the middle of a long run (as opposed to a corner) is called a scarf joint. This one

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-59460895414715817672009-10-13T22:02:00.006-04:002009-10-13T22:38:49.330-04:00

I recently finished a home improvement project: I installed crown molding in our dining room.Before I go on, let me tell you a little about my infatuation with "do it yourself" projects. I have no delusions of grandeur regarding my ability to take on complex tasks. I always overlook something important, and without fail the tasks take longer than expected. For some reason this does not stop me (

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5318141125465644859.post-37794919149719329182009-10-08T09:33:00.001-04:002009-10-08T09:37:02.682-04:00

"Inoculated"By Rick DaleyThe scientist slaved away in his laboratory, fueled as much by his ego as his will to survive. He teetered on the cusp of a breakthrough. He knew how to isolate the virus; he just lacked the tools to do it efficiently.He peered into his microscope. He watched the red blood cells change as the infection took root. He couldn’t see the virus itself without a more

Rick Daleyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05173516899130463413noreply@blogger.com12