tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25085252284597923492024-03-05T12:10:08.736-08:00Oh Dad!A blog for dads and the eye-rolling kids who love them.Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-85560702948336260502014-05-16T16:17:00.001-07:002014-05-16T16:17:32.689-07:00Hummingbirds<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0in;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkbEcZKktG30PCNKJ_qCoTgdrbSFKZaXFKZesw6PP5HdXb2tifUwWFIGZdhoyEqFqSiK8fo3AFrLNpw2wGRjFgukGZizWlw5uDoBdzgUy_bpuxO_8T9Rc2w_zJKFmoNRwC3nXBtKRPFc/s1600/hummingbird.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZkbEcZKktG30PCNKJ_qCoTgdrbSFKZaXFKZesw6PP5HdXb2tifUwWFIGZdhoyEqFqSiK8fo3AFrLNpw2wGRjFgukGZizWlw5uDoBdzgUy_bpuxO_8T9Rc2w_zJKFmoNRwC3nXBtKRPFc/s1600/hummingbird.jpg" height="195" width="320" /></a><span style="background: white;">My eight-year-old
daughter, Anika, and I got a hummingbird feeder on Saturday and hung it up on
our patio. We’ve been talking about getting one for a long time. Hummingbirds
remind Anika of her Grandma, my mother, who passed<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span class="textexposedshow">away a couple years ago, just before Anika turned six. </span></div>
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<span class="textexposedshow">Anika’s memories of
Grandma are fading. But Grandma's hummingbirds she remembers clearly. Grandma
always had hummingbird feeders on her back porch, where Anika spent many summer
days rocking in rocking chairs, talking to her Grandma and watching
hummingbirds swarm in for sips of the sweet nectar Grandma made for them.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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<span class="textexposedshow">Hummingbirds are amazing creatures… they can flap
their wings up to 200 times per second … they’re the only birds that can fly
backwards.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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<span class="textexposedshow">The man at the bird store told us that we shouldn’t
have any trouble attracting hummingbirds. We have a half-dozen or so flowering
azalea bushes next to the patio and a patch of woods just past the back yard.
But, still, I was nervous. What if no hummingbirds came? I know my daughter
well enough to know that she would take it in stride. It was a fun afternoon
activity, after all. We tried.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
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<span class="textexposedshow">But I wanted hummingbirds. I know it sounds silly.
I also want there to be a rainbow after every thunderstorm and the goldfish to
live and to really be able to make boo boos go away with a kiss and to push the
clouds away… but sometimes I don’t know what I’m doing and I’ve lived in the
city for so long I can’t really claim to be a country boy anymore and what do I
know about birds any way and what do I know about raising a little girl….</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="textexposedshow">But, it didn’t take long after we mixed the
combination of sugar and water and hung the feeder on the ceiling of the patio
for the first hummingbird to come take a sip. Anika spotted him before I did.
Whew… what a relief. She and I did a little celebratory dance. In the few short
days since then, there have been several hummingbirds to come visit us.</span><span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><br />
<br />
<span class="textexposedshow">A part of me would like to believe that the
hummingbirds were sent down from Anika’s Grandma herself… as her way of saying
hello and to check in on her grandbaby.</span><br />
<br />
<span class="textexposedshow">And, just maybe, to remind her youngest boy that
he’s doing an okay job.</span></span></div>
Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-64959406256027036982014-04-04T07:08:00.000-07:002014-04-04T07:12:16.155-07:00Grampa's Jeep by John Andrucci is now available<br />
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<img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPQWSmDCRqhCp-5ct0LGaYNYGrKqnEe7DdPqfn3uKOgC6Y_LGgjVhHLymQBehgV11R73A4ty7Xq4kfGmyb5TDv390ZusNPNQXw_P-b3x6mENSkmEgHPfAAMHlw5UFyyAVqJeH8eXm-rSc/s1600/Grampas-Jeep-BookCoverFinal.jpg" height="301" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">GRAMPA'S JEEP is an adventurous tale about a young boys journey through time and space where two kids from different generations become best friends.... a fun, heartwarming story sure to be loved by kids of all ages... especially anyone who's ever had a special relationship with a grandparent... or a grandchild. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://www.createspace.com/4720876" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Click her to order a copy. </span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Written by John Andrucci. John was <span style="background-color: white; font-size: 10.5pt;">born in Brooklyn, raised on Long Island and started in film
and Television in the early 1980s. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 10.5pt;">His
career includes working for Learning Corporation of America, an educational
film distributor that produced After School Specials: SUMMER SWITCH, OUT OF
STEP, ONE TOO MANY, and others. He then went on to work for an animation
company that produced Saturday morning and afternoon cartoons: M.A.S.K.,
INSPECTOR GADGET, HULK HOGAN'S ROCK-N-WRESTLING, THE LITTLES, and the animated
feature film, RAINBOW BRITE AND THE STAR STEALER.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="background: white;">John is currently producing four feature films,
three that he wrote and one that he was asked to produce. Look for his name in
theaters soon.<span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">In
addition to GRAMPA'S JEEP, John's other tales: KARATE CHOP MOMS ,MERLIN'S
DAUGHTERS, and THE EMERSONS will be available through Raburn Publishing in the
coming months.<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;">The artwork for the cover of this book is
the creation (oil on canvas) of two amazing artists, </span><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 10.5pt;">Tomaso Baldassama & Dario Cavada, who live in and
work in Trento in the “Val di Fiemme” of Northern Italy.</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The duo’s adventure began
in 2010, when Tomaso, an illustrator who had already produced a series of
children’s books, and Dario, an engineer with the soul of a musician, first
met. The multi-media Merlino DreamLab brand was born. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 10.5pt;">Visit
Merlino DramLab @ </span><a href="http://www.merlino-dreamlab.com/" target="_blank"><span style="background-color: white; background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial; font-size: 10.5pt;">www.merlino-dreamlab.com</span></a><span style="font-size: 10.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<br />Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-63339712799792251902014-03-28T05:14:00.002-07:002014-03-28T05:14:28.199-07:00<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: #fc6000; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 22.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Family Time...</span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">is
a fun and humorous way of looking at life, mostly through the lens of a
young married man with children just trying to make ends meet and some
sense of this crazy thing called life. Its purpose is to offer wholesome
entertaining comics for the entire family to enjoy. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">The
comics’ creator, Justin Baglio, was raised in Concord, North Carolina, always
the kid in the back of his class doodling and drawing on any paper he could get
his hands on. He loved comic books and remembers countless hours sprawled on
the living room floor in his childhood home reading them.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Mr.
Baglio claims he had no ambitions of being a cartoonist himself or
even showing off what he thought were just restless doodles. Being a modest
individual, it wouldn’t be until 2008 that he would even show some to
co-workers. By 2012, Baglio’s cartoons were featured in three local newspapers
as part of his “No Ordinary Life” strip. And the rest, as they say, is history.</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">It
was Justin’s wife, Amber, who suggested I “like” his Facebook page. After
seeing just a few of his comics I was hooked. I knew I wanted to publish a
collection. I called Justin that same day and got things rolling. And
now I am thrilled to be able to share his comics with you!</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Justin
and Amber have been married for 13 years and have three wonderful children:
Savannah, 12, Jackson, 9 and Charleston, 7. All provide Mr. Baglio a
wealth of material and well-spring of inspiration for his comics. </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">I
think most of us can relate to most of the comics we picked out to include in this
collection. I hope you enjoy them as much as I do!</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="color: #fc6000; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 22.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">-Stephen Raburn,</span></i><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 9.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;"> </span><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #fc6000; font-family: "Comic Sans MS"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; padding: 0in;">Publisher</span><span style="color: white; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.5pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-79166701708637329872014-02-09T05:36:00.001-08:002014-04-04T07:20:15.100-07:00Delmo Hammontree Used to Turn Green in the Winter<div class="MsoNormal">
Delmo Hammontree used to turn green in the winter. </div>
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Not a bright green, more like a dull, mossy green, but
green, nevertheless. </div>
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“Hey look, it must me gettin’ close to Christmas. Delmo’s
turning green,” we’d say. </div>
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Nobody knew for sure why he turned green. Some people said
it was because of all the green apples he ate. I rarely saw him eat anything
else. Some people said that turning green ran in his family and that his
ancestors were even greener and were sometimes hired by frontiersmen to scare away
the Indians. </div>
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“Ok class, quit teasing Delmo. And stop drawing pictures of
him,” Ms. Harper would say. </div>
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But, truth be told, I think Delmo liked the attention. Plus,
for a few short months, he was the only boy in elementary school who could walk
fearless of the class bully, Cindy Little, who was just a little bit freaked
out by Delmo when he was green, although she never admitted it. </div>
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“I’ll whup him twice when he turns back to regular color,”
she’d say. And she always did.</div>
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Cindy Little was smart and pretty and the toughest person
I’ve ever known. I’d climb trees so high
my nose would bleed to avoid her on the playground. </div>
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Some parents thought Delmo’s condition might be contagious
and wouldn’t let their kids go near him when he was green, although mine always
told me to treat him just like I’d treat anybody else… that God’s children come
in all shapes and sizes and colors. Even green. I once even had Delmo over to spend
the night when he was green, but that didn’t go so well. Trixie, our
German Shepherd, surely didn’t know what to make of Delmo’s odd coloring and
howled at him half the night. Plus, Delmo seemed to glow brighter and brighter
as the night went on. I didn’t sleep a wink. </div>
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All in all, though, most of us got used to Delmo being green
and didn’t think much of it after a few days. He was a good short-stop and was
always one of the first kids picked when we chose teams for softball at recess,
whichever color he was at the time. </div>
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Delmo and his family moved to another town when we were in
junior high and I never saw him or heard from again. But I think about him
often, especially in early spring, as the birds start to chirp and the snow
melts. It was always about this time of the year when Delmo would return to his natural alabaster complexion, and life would get back to being normal. </div>
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I wonder if he has any children.Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-5060092058690136272013-12-10T03:48:00.000-08:002014-12-13T05:09:08.987-08:00My Christmas Story<div class="MsoNormal" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: 17.671875px;">
“You know Santa Claus isn’t real, don’t you?” my older brother asked me, somewhat exasperated at my naiveté.</div>
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“Yes,” I replied matter-of-factly, with my eyes rolling slightly.</div>
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In actuality, it was the first time I’d even considered the possibility. Now, I just felt stupid. Like I was the oldest kid in the world who still believed in Santa.</div>
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I asked my mama.</div>
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“Tommy said Santa Claus isn’t real. Is that true?”</div>
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“He’s real if you want him to be, son,” Mama said.</div>
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Maybe deep down I’d known for some time, but I wasn’t ready to let it go. Maybe I knew that, if I did, Christmas would never feel the same again and in the deep recesses of my mind I wanted to hold on to this little piece of childhood just a little while longer.</div>
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But things started to make better sense. Like when Mama told me not to expect too much for Christmas this year, times were tough. I knew times were tough but that didn’t really seem to matter when it came to being naughty or nice. Now I get it.</div>
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To say times were tough is an understatement.</div>
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The coal mine closed down and Daddy hadn’t worked in almost a year. We had food on the table but not much else. Daddy was gone a lot, I remember. It wasn’t until many years later that I came to learn that he spent most nights coon hunting and most days drinking moonshine from a still he had hidden in the woods behind the house. It’s hard on a man when he loses the only work he's ever known. I remember my mama crying a lot and being awakened in the middle of the night to the sounds of the two of them fighting.</div>
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Besides, it didn’t much feel like Christmas anyway. Most winters are mild in the deep south, but this year was even warmer than usual. All the trees were still covered with leaves until a vicious thunderstorm roared through and blew them all to the ground, just a couple days before Christmas. It hadn’t snowed in three or four years. I'd never experienced a white Christmas before and wanted one more than just about anything. Every night I prayed for snow. </div>
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I fell asleep early on Christmas Eve, but was jolted awake just after midnight when I heard loud clanking and banging coming from somewhere. I was thinking that maybe another storm had come through and blown tree limbs onto the tin roof. I got up to investigate and that’s when I saw him, standing in front of the Christmas tree beside the fireplace: a man with a flowing white beard and red coat and black boots. It was Santa Claus.</div>
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Santa glanced at me and smiled a smile that danced across his entire face and called me over to him to give me a big hug.</div>
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“You <i>are</i> real, Santa,” I said.</div>
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“Of course I am,” he said. “Now where are my cookies, boy? Every year you leave me oatmeal cookies and a tall glass of milk.”</div>
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I ran as fast as I could to the kitchen and came back with cookies and milk for Santa and some for me too. His crystal blue eyes lit up when he saw them.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuT7PSFDKr8CvEKzmParrupkIZPlofoq5UGhYpz-dktNE_RAQB0DGiMcQzG0nryMggAIc2kgWWnSOj_WCHIlOMXZQS5sqm-Syx92G7LzMYvIFjpOFTXkdPS6PaQt62szrM9gafeVXUYaUl/s1600/santa-and-his-bag-of-toys-christmas-santa-claus-wallpapers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; color: #3d81ee; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-decoration: none;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuT7PSFDKr8CvEKzmParrupkIZPlofoq5UGhYpz-dktNE_RAQB0DGiMcQzG0nryMggAIc2kgWWnSOj_WCHIlOMXZQS5sqm-Syx92G7LzMYvIFjpOFTXkdPS6PaQt62szrM9gafeVXUYaUl/s200/santa-and-his-bag-of-toys-christmas-santa-claus-wallpapers.jpg" height="240" style="border: 5px solid rgb(255, 255, 255);" width="320" /></a></div>
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“I’m sorry for all the commotion. The reindeer got a little reckless landing on your roof tonight.” We both laughed.</div>
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Santa asked me if I could hold the bag open for him while he got out the presents, which were many more than I could have ever dreamed of – a bicycle for me, a basketball for my brother, a radio for my sister, a coat for Daddy and gloves for Mama... and so much more. The presents just kept coming until they were spilling out from under the tree and into the dining room.</div>
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Finally, after all the presents were put out and all the cookies eaten, Santa told me it was time for me to go back to bed and time for him to head to the next house, as he caressed my face with his gloved hand.</div>
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“But I have one more present for you,” he said. “Go look out the window.”</div>
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From the window, I watched Santa and his sleigh disappear into the black winter sky then noticed the first flakes of snow begin to fall. It snowed the rest of the night and all of Christmas Day and most of the days leading up to New Years Eve. There’s no telling how many snowmen my brothers and sisters and I built or how many snowball fights we had in our back yard. We’d never laughed so hard in our entire lives.</div>
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The next spring my daddy got a job in another town and we moved away. Mama and Daddy quit fighting and life got back to being normal. Many Christmas’s have come and gone since then, but that's the one I remember the most. I guess you can say it’s the best Christmas I ever had. It’s the one and only time I ever saw Santa Claus, but I’ve never since questioned his existence.</div>
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Now, when my children ask me if Santa Claus is really real, I always say “Yes, he is.”</div>
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He’s real if you want him to be.</div>
Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-35625698690106242742013-10-25T04:11:00.002-07:002013-10-25T04:11:24.998-07:00Family Time"Family Time," a collection of more than 100 fun, funny, poignant comics by "No Ordinary Life" comic Justin Baglio is now available through Raburn Publishing. To order a copy, <a href="https://www.createspace.com/4454969" target="_blank">click here.</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwkN1ueFtEdyjHEL7jGwHTRLjz-f81612El9N76IQkaqQmGkDvqQ51UR2rLLTlZ_yISwDFEB0_YNoCwG5LQ_r690qqM9NA1EkVQUjTGwddv-FqSp5YWLEECCj7HvsY0r36mK-O7aipgM/s1600/FamilyTimecover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiwkN1ueFtEdyjHEL7jGwHTRLjz-f81612El9N76IQkaqQmGkDvqQ51UR2rLLTlZ_yISwDFEB0_YNoCwG5LQ_r690qqM9NA1EkVQUjTGwddv-FqSp5YWLEECCj7HvsY0r36mK-O7aipgM/s640/FamilyTimecover.jpg" width="512" /></a></div>
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<br />Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-30589811982312842002013-10-17T12:28:00.001-07:002013-10-19T08:26:29.428-07:00Tips to Keep Children Safe and Happy on Halloween<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBx9p6JJa1_7tZPkMkDIUP-xY__5b7HMkAwmvMKkUoR3sYTVj5dJ9mzAmz167goNoAGp5w-ubHW35kRkqFz8PF5a0t-5U-BviQpMtfavZM9v4K9nEnlXNueyMvzY8J5w0C8ExVkie0Bs/s1600/halloween.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghBx9p6JJa1_7tZPkMkDIUP-xY__5b7HMkAwmvMKkUoR3sYTVj5dJ9mzAmz167goNoAGp5w-ubHW35kRkqFz8PF5a0t-5U-BviQpMtfavZM9v4K9nEnlXNueyMvzY8J5w0C8ExVkie0Bs/s1600/halloween.jpg" /></a><span style="font-family: inherit;">‘Tis the season for frolicking fun, festive parties, dressing up
in ghoulish costumes, trick-or-tricking and, of course, lots of yummy sweet
treats. It can also be dangerous. Each year accidents and injuries ruin Halloween for hundreds of children across the U.S.
<span style="font-size: small;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Droves of children will be out and about on Halloween night, which
ups the odds for all sorts of accidents, including being hit by a car. A study
by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates deaths
among pedestrians aged 5-14 is four times higher on Halloween than any other
evening of the year.<span style="color: #333333;"> </span>Remember, this is a festive
occasion for grownups too and some of them may not be on their best driving
behavior.<span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And it’s not just cars our kiddos have to worry about. Danger
lurks everywhere.<span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Below are some tips to keep in mind to make sure this Halloween is
a fun, safe one for your family. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pedestrian Safety<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">When romping around the ‘hood on Halloween night, make sure your
kids wear brightly colored costumes and/or reflective tape on costumes and
bags. Have them take a flashlight, too – not just so <i>they</i> can see better, but for drivers to see <i>them</i> better too. Make sure kids walk in groups, in well-lit neighborhoods, and on streets with which they are familiar.
Remind them to use sidewalks and crosswalks and cross streets together as a
pack. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Pumpkin-Carving<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Picking out a pumpkin at your favorite pumpkin patch is a fun
family tradition for many. Carving the pumpkin can be dangerous, though.
Pumpkin exteriors can be oh so tough which means you need a sharp knife to cut
through them. Sharp knives and kids is a bad combination.
Suggestion: let the kids draw the design on the pumpkin with a marker and have
the adult do all the cutting. Or, skip the carving part altogether and decorate
the pumpkin with paint or sharpies or glitter glue. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Masks<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-size: small;">Whether home-made or store bought, it’s important that whatever
mask your child wears fits properly so that it </span>doesn't<span style="font-size: small;"> obstruct her vision.
Chances are your child will be climbing up and down doorsteps, most of the time
in front of houses dimly lit for an extra spooky effect, with lots of distractions
and excitement all around. That’s tricky enough. If her eye-holes are too small
for her eyes or are somewhere over her ear and nose, her vision will be
impaired and her chances of tumbling down the steps greatly increased - spewing Skittles and candy corn as she goes. Not that I remember something like that
actually happening to me or anything.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Remember, you can always cut the eye-holes to make them bigger and
enhance your child’s peripheral vision. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
Oh, and make sure your child can
breathe well under that mask. Breathing is important.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Candy Safety<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It’s the one night of the year when the “never take candy from a
stranger" rule is suspended. You still need to be cautious, though. Make sure
your child knows that no candy should be eaten before a parent properly
examines it. Avoid eating home-made treats handed out by strangers (no matter
how yummy it looks), unwrapped candy, or any treat that just looks odd or
suspicious for some reason. There will be enough perfectly safe candy to last for
weeks. No need to risk your health by eating something funky. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Houses to Avoid<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Not everyone celebrates Halloween. Heck, not everyone even likes
kids. Avoid those people. It’s pretty easy to determine who in the neighborhood
is in the Halloween spirit. Avoid the houses with no lights on and not even a smidgen
of Halloween decoration on the porch or windows. They’re either not home or they do not want little Zombie ringing the door bell. Also, NEVER enter the house of someone you do not
know. Adults know the protocol: kid in costume rings doorbell, adult answers
door, child screams "Trick or Treat," bemused grownup says something along the lines of “…well, aren’t you just the most
darling Fairy Princess” then hands kid Snicker’s bar, child says "thank you" and promptly proceeds to the next house. That’s the way it’s always been done. No
reason to go inside. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Beware the Shenanigans<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Remember, there will be a lot of shenanigans and mischief-making
on Halloween night, most of which is fun-spirited, but some of it could get out
of hand. Be sure to warn your child about pranksters and also remind him that
Halloween doesn’t give him an excuse to vandalize property or play mean tricks
on people. Rolling yards with toilet paper or tossing eggs at cars may seem
like a harmless prank, but it could land your child in serious trouble. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">Check in<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">If you allow your older child to go out trick-or-treating in a
group without adult supervision, which I don’t advise, be sure that she
or someone in the group has a cell phone and reports in at designated times,
makes regular stops back home to check in, and is clear about a definitive
curfew. Stress to your child that she should NEVER accept a ride in a car from
an older kid or stranger. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Spaghetti Effect<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Finally, if you don’t want your child to consume huge amounts of
candy on Halloween night, one trick is to make sure she eats a filling dinner
before trick-or-treating. This will result in either one of two outcomes: she
won’t eat so much candy; or, she’ll still eat too much candy and there will be
a large pile of spaghetti in the lawn of someone in the neighborhood. Your
call. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-42858752254459337422013-10-06T06:23:00.002-07:002013-10-08T05:06:48.304-07:00Amazon Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7oMMOxPRUa5DxLgiPSDVkIxKd_0_apaJPfS92i3NycSLV4pL_IBQfh1NiL3yO1oy-jHw2jm4H7k7VNjDTpq8_rImvFa6R4MOiNOVfiHHCBBeuksqrAmNkpY_4OI8Q9SaK3I7Kgq8xs0/s1600/amazon_logo_a_l.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="112" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf7oMMOxPRUa5DxLgiPSDVkIxKd_0_apaJPfS92i3NycSLV4pL_IBQfh1NiL3yO1oy-jHw2jm4H7k7VNjDTpq8_rImvFa6R4MOiNOVfiHHCBBeuksqrAmNkpY_4OI8Q9SaK3I7Kgq8xs0/s200/amazon_logo_a_l.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">A recent review of “There’s a Bully on the Playground” on Amazon. com: </span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">“Like the author, I have two kids in elementary school. Bullying has been a problem the past couple years and nobody seems to be doing much about it. This book is pack</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">ed with useful info not only for parents like me as I try to help my kids deal with the issue, but also for kids themselves (whether they're being bullied, bystanders to bullying or the bully themselves) and for teachers and principals too. I highly recommend it. It's a combination of sophisticated researched-based info and common sense advice based on the authors own experiences. Quick, easy read packed with helpful info and ideas.” -Daddio</span>Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-6150591267539773142013-10-06T06:13:00.001-07:002013-12-10T03:59:35.710-08:00Would You Let Your Child Play Football?<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Would you let
your child play football?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">That’s a hot
question these days as information about long-term medical problems among
former players in the National Football League (NFL) continues to be
revealed. The NFL recently settled a lawsuit for $765 million
involving thousands of its former players. The players claim that the league
knew of the potential risk of brain damage due to repetitive concussions, but
did little to educate them or prevent the injuries from occurring.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Some former
players link their current medical conditions such as Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s,
Amyotrophic <span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">Lateral Sclerosis (ALS),</span> and
other <span style="background-position: initial initial; background-repeat: initial initial;">neurodegenerative diseases</span> to
their football playing days. A recent study suggests that professional football
players are three times more likely to have such conditions than the general
population. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">The study,
which was published September 5, 2012 in the medical journal </span><a href="http://www.neurology.org/content/early/2012/09/05/WNL.0b013e31826daf50.abstract"><span style="color: #3d81ee; text-decoration: none;">Neurology</span></a><span style="color: #333333;">, surveyed nearly 3,500 retired NFL players who
were in the league between 1959 and 1988.</span><span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span>
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">
The NFL has taken major steps in recent years to make the game safer for its
players, both in terms of equipment and protocol. In the past, though, whenever
a player got his “bell rung” and wobbled to the sideline, he was sent right
back into the game as soon as possible, exposing the player to further head
injuries.</span></span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2v4bBPnj5li4fOe6BKlK3D9dQQ7ieujFulr7wgtzX294aEFdtuaeRBxp3ucg0pw3nnx0V1zK-EmE9OysFEuZWRYuUnWjgq7Ne2gB__0uqKqRYXwNPbr6oooqf_BXEpb4TPfHjzC2C5U/s1600/little+league+football+player.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgc2v4bBPnj5li4fOe6BKlK3D9dQQ7ieujFulr7wgtzX294aEFdtuaeRBxp3ucg0pw3nnx0V1zK-EmE9OysFEuZWRYuUnWjgq7Ne2gB__0uqKqRYXwNPbr6oooqf_BXEpb4TPfHjzC2C5U/s320/little+league+football+player.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 14.25pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Obviously,
there’s a big difference between Little League and the NFL. The massive size,
speed and power of players competing at the highest level is in no way
comparable to young kids just picking up the sport in elementary school. You
won’t see the kind of violent collisions in Pee Wee games that you do on Monday
Night Football.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On the other
hand, there’s also a big difference in the quality of protective equipment used
by pros versus youngsters. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And, whereas qualified medical staff is always on
the sidelines at practices and games for college and pro teams, that’s not the
case for younger players.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 13.25pt;">The barrage
of recent media coverage regarding the NFL lawsuit is shining a light on the
dangers of the sport and making parents across the country wonder whether the
risks are worth it.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Undeniably,
football at any level is violent. Toughness is rewarded. To “shake off” an
injury and get back in the game is seen as admirable. That’s just part of
the culture of the sport and true whether it’s the New York Jets or some Pop
Warner team in Chapel Hill. Taping an ankle and limping back to the gridiron to
the applause of the fans in the stands is one thing; returning to the line of
fire once you’ve “shaken the cobwebs” after a blow to the head is an entirely
different matter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">It’s hard for
a parent to draw the line. Maybe youth leagues are safe but reservations start
to creep in along about the junior high or high school level as the size, speed
and power of its participants increase. Regardless of the dangers, the sport
remains a very popular activity among young people. It is estimated that 3.5
million kids play in youth leagues and one million play in high school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Most
youngsters who play football don’t sustain serious injuries, although almost
everyone who plays long enough will get a little banged up from time to time, a
twisted ankle or bruised knee here and there. Head injuries, however,
aren’t as easy to detect as a twisted ankle and a bruised brain poses a much
greater risk for problems down the road.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;">But how risky
is it? A group of researchers in North Carolina and Virginia is hoping to shed
some light on the subject, according to an </span><a href="http://www.technologyreview.com/news/519061/brain-injury-study-tracks-footballs-youngest-players/"><span style="color: #3d81ee; text-decoration: none;">article in Technology Review</span></a><span style="color: #333333;">. The
researchers worked with two youth teams and one high school team, representing
children aged 6-18, during the 2012-2013 football season. With helmets equipped
with accelerometers, more than 16,000 head impacts were recorded and measured
over the course of that season. Players were given neurological tests and brain
scans using magnetic resonance imaging and magnetoencephalography to look for
changes in the brain before and after the season. Results are still being
analyzed.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The
researchers hope to develop tools to identify when a player has been hit hard
enough, or repeatedly enough, to risk a concussion or other brain injury.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The decision
can be a tough one for parents. Most of us want our kids involved in extracurricular
activities and believe participating on an athletic team builds confidence and
discipline. We may wonder whether football is really more dangerous than soccer
or skateboarding or surfing or driving a car or other activities in which we allow
our child to participate. Many of us have fond memories of Friday nights under
the lights and feel like a hypocrite denying the same experience to our
children.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: 13.25pt;">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 13.25pt;">Still,
keeping our children safe is a fundamental task as a parent. Each family must
consider the pros and cons and make a decision that’s right for their
child. </span>Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-58676647464788238242013-10-06T06:08:00.002-07:002013-10-06T06:14:37.888-07:00Family Time<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Raburn Publishing is just a few days away from the release of "Family Time" a collection of more than 100 awesome, funny, poignant, quirky comics from the brilliant (and kinda strange) mind of "No Ordinary Life" artist Justin Baglio. We're in the final stage of layout... Melanie's crossing t's and dotting i's. Check back for updates.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEv-XXSAq_2Tr7HZNCEcX2znkegnsOK0jQ5Rkfsj8iUER93QfA164qMgROaGRPtOg8-bnKYWjGj7tLd7XJSin6oIbMYXGbRSpXANdbIOQw5QoHNaVPxFlIy0yemuaj6NneHkXp8xTnRts/s1600/Famil+Time+-+front+cover+art.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEv-XXSAq_2Tr7HZNCEcX2znkegnsOK0jQ5Rkfsj8iUER93QfA164qMgROaGRPtOg8-bnKYWjGj7tLd7XJSin6oIbMYXGbRSpXANdbIOQw5QoHNaVPxFlIy0yemuaj6NneHkXp8xTnRts/s640/Famil+Time+-+front+cover+art.jpg" width="505" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-12000158113420820682013-08-06T11:57:00.002-07:002013-08-06T12:01:34.704-07:00There's a Bully on the Playground<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">An excerpt from the Introduction to "There's a Bully on the Playground," written by Stephen Raburn:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">However
else one may choose to label me, “Dad” is the one that matters most. I have
been blessed with two absolutely amazing elementary-school age daughters. Every
second I get to spend with them is an honor and a privilege. They are the
center of my universe and the idea of anyone bullying either one of them keeps
me<b> </b></span></span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">up at night. So, I decided to write a book.</span><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdsD7L-UKHLYsGtIE_DUrjS0OD4GZOWm4LTnh31kovuS2-e24_T0GSNtUmGLDHqL8rPuUbzJLVEHaui5Yeah8aJdD-NsFK1og1ap1DkXralQp3RonKwLOLODTcD5lHMt7HnKQ8-cu3F8/s1600/bully2+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpdsD7L-UKHLYsGtIE_DUrjS0OD4GZOWm4LTnh31kovuS2-e24_T0GSNtUmGLDHqL8rPuUbzJLVEHaui5Yeah8aJdD-NsFK1og1ap1DkXralQp3RonKwLOLODTcD5lHMt7HnKQ8-cu3F8/s320/bully2+(1).jpg" width="200" /></a><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bullying is a topic that has been in the news a lot lately. In some ways, nothing’s really changed since we were kids and desperately trying to dodge the bully on the playground. But some things are different, like cyberbullying – the use of technology to spread rumors and damage reputations in a matter of moments.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">I’m not an expert on the topic. I’</span><span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit;">m just a dad trying to help his daughters get
through another school year. What I think I’ve been able to accomplish with the
book, though, is to gather valuable information from a ton of legitimate
sources and arrange it in a way that makes sense.</span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“There’s
a Bully on the Playground” is written from the perspective of Dad (with hints
of child counselor seeping out every now and then), but is certainly suitable
for moms or teachers or anyone else who cares about children. I hope readers
use it as a resource. Tuck it away and pull it out as needed. I also hope that
it spurs conversation and provides framework and context whenever some child
important to you hints around about the bully on the playground.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"There’s
a bully on the playground."</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Every dad dreads hearing those words from his son or
daughter.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Whether
or not your child has uttered those words to you, chances are there IS a bully
on the playground. So, this is as good a time as any to get a game plan in
place. Maybe even be proactive and initiate the conversation.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Unfortunately,
bullying is widespread in playgrounds across the country, as well as in the
cafeteria, on the bus, and even in the hallways and classrooms; at times it
blatantly occurs for all to see and at times it goes sneakily undetected right
under the nose of the teacher.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bullying
certainly is not new. But the topic of bullying has received a tremendous
amount of attention in the media during the past few years because of some of
the tragic consequences resulting from it, including successful suicide
attempts among children as young as 11 years old. The Internet has created a
new wave of bullying behaviors that require us to revisit our anti-bullying
strategies. Even tech-savvy parents may have difficulty understanding what it’s
like for kids to go through childhood with social media looming as such a large
presence in their lives. This new terrain can be pretty scary for dads to
navigate.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Bullying,
in the myriad ways it rears its ugly head, is very real, and it’s not a subject
about which we dads have the luxury of burying our heads in the sandbox.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
good news about bullying is that you and I are not the only ones thinking about
the topic today. As of this writing, 49 of 50 states have enacted anti-bullying
laws (Montana, you’ll have to answer for yourself.) Many schools have personnel
dedicated to creating anti-bullying policies and handling complaints. In some
schools, administrators and teachers work to change the culture for our
children through anti-bullying programs that are emphasized and repeated in the
classroom every day. But even if your child’s school is ahead of the curve when
it comes to bullying prevention, it’s still an issue that needs to be addressed
at home, too. There’s no good reason to avoid it.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">“There’s
a bully on the playground, Dad."<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So,
what do you do when your child comes home with this announcement?<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="color: #444444;">Well,
start by being thankful! The fact that your child is sharing this info with you
means two things. First, she trusts that you’re not going to freak out. Second,
she’s asking YOU for help instead of someone else. Don’t blow it by
over-reacting to the situation. Or by minimizing it. Remember: </span><span style="color: #444444;">Every
time your child approaches you with an issue that’s important to her, it
presents a test for you. Pass the test and she’ll be more likely to continue to
come to you as issues arise; fail the test and she’ll be more likely to bypass
you and rely on the advice of her peers instead.</span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The
key is to gain your child’s trust when she is conflicted and unsure what to do,
whom to turn to. This is especially difficult during adolescence when she’s
more inclined to shut you out anyway and turn to her friends – just as she’s
dealing with more sophisticated issues and she needs your guidance most.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like
most issues our kids are sure to encounter during the turbulence of childhood,
most of us dealt with some variation of bullying when we were younger. Your own
experiences with bullying as a child will color your instinctive reaction to
the topic when approached by your son or daughter. It’s sometimes difficult as
a parent to separate our own experiences from our children’s experiences.<o:p></o:p></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">If
you still have pent up anger over Cindy Little–the bully on the playground in
third grade who dared the boys to make fun of her name and had half the school
hiding atop the tallest trees at recess–you might be inclined to overreact and
head straight to the school to give a certain little somebody a piece of your
mind. <i>Note: </i>nothing is more embarrassing to a child than his parent causing a
ruckus at school. Bad move.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On
the other hand, if you look back at school through rose-colored nostalgic
glasses and consider bullying to be just another charming part of the good old
days, you might be inclined to ignore it. “Hey, kids will be kids, they’ll work
it out. I got bullied when I was a kid, and I made it out just fine.” That may
be true, but it’s a different era. The tactics bullies use these days go beyond
suggesting their playground nemesis has cooties and an occasional skirmish
under the monkey bars. Left unattended, the results of bullying can wreak havoc
on your child’s still-developing and fragile psyche and sense of self-worth and
demonstrate to your child that you just don’t understand what she’s going
through. If you’re just going to dismiss it, why bother telling you anything in
the future?<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Dads
risk embarrassing their children if they storm to school and they risk
alienating their children if they don’t take bullying seriously. It’s
complicated. The answer lies somewhere in the middle.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Of
course, no dad has all the right answers; certainly, that includes me. It’s a
tricky balance to strike, for sure. Your raging Papa Bear instincts may ignite
when you learn your little cub is being picked on, but it’s important that you
remain calm and think clearly. How do you teach your child to stand up for
himself without putting him in harm’s way? How do you teach him to turn the
other cheek without reinforcing the bully and unwittingly increase the
likelihood that the bullying will continue? What about if it’s your child who’s
doing the bullying? Did I mention that it’s tricky?<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">What’s
critically important is for your child to understand that you’re on his side
and that you are here for him, that you take this issue seriously and that,
with your help and the help of other important adults in his life, he’ll get
through this situation just fine. And don’t go to the playground and start
yelling at Cindy Little.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span><br />
<b><span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></b>
<br />
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://www.raburnpublishing.com/" target="_blank">Click here to order the book. </a></span></span>Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-65792534558743614102013-07-23T17:52:00.001-07:002013-10-06T06:18:01.763-07:00No Ordinary Life<span style="font-family: inherit;">Coming Soon to Raburn Publishing: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A collection of 100 or so uproariously funny and poignant comics by "No Ordinary Life" artist Justin Baglio. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A father of three (ages 11, 8 and 7), Justin describes his comics as "an optimists way of looking at the world and laughing at everything in it," further proof that parenting requires a good attitude and a sense of humor. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Targeting early Fall for release.</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's a sample: </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-57348756942840429872013-06-19T05:21:00.000-07:002013-06-19T05:23:44.073-07:00There's a Bully on the Playground<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_rMaujoA_Bn9l77bvHZ62eyEPTlApxZJkzF3aqPvE9U9pf98uf4lKVUVmGlFgvWcoTZBJ0Y72qYaPN3-WR3sDG8W3CfYscdbc3PdiUmYPYZ1u9fjmL0nI9tkLiWHAdidkVXZczzeIWE/s1600/bully2+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ_rMaujoA_Bn9l77bvHZ62eyEPTlApxZJkzF3aqPvE9U9pf98uf4lKVUVmGlFgvWcoTZBJ0Y72qYaPN3-WR3sDG8W3CfYscdbc3PdiUmYPYZ1u9fjmL0nI9tkLiWHAdidkVXZczzeIWE/s640/bully2+(1).jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Check out the cover idea for "There's a Bully on the Playground," designed by awesome artist, Melanie Bourgeois.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">We're putting finishing editing touches on the book and expect it to completed and available for purchase by July 1.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="font_8" style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.3em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">"There's a Bully on the Playground" is a resource-rich guidebook on the important and timely topic of bullying. Written from the perspective of a dad, but moms will find </span><span class="font_8" style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.3em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">the </span><span class="font_8" style="border: 0px; line-height: 1.3em; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">book helpful too, as well as anyone who cares about children. "There's a Bully on the Playground" explores prevalence, </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em;">causes, underlying issues, cyber-bullying and much more. Almost half the book is devoted to tips for parents. </span></span>Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-22482662326223600312013-05-02T05:04:00.000-07:002013-05-02T05:05:04.166-07:00Let's Build Something Dad<span style="font-family: inherit;">New Release: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Let's Build Something, Dad: Thirty Fun Projects for Dads and Kids</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Click here to <a href="https://www.createspace.com/3807735">Order a copy</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Written by engineer and dad Peter Hill, illustrated by artist extraordinaire Melanie Bourgeois. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">When it comes to building things, many dads are all thumbs. But that doesn't stop the kids from begging us to help them make stuff. Well, help is on the way thanks to Peter Hill's book "Let's Build Something, Dad."</span><br style="background-color: white;" /><br style="background-color: white;" /><span style="background-color: white;">As a long-time engineer and father of four, Mr. Hill definitely has the skills and experience to help dads go from bumbling buffoon trying to figure out what a socket wrench might look like to superhero able to build tree houses and bird feeders in a single bound. The book includes 30 fun step-by-step building projects. Think squirrel feeder, bat house, bird feeder, club house and much more. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-66053552249970791892013-04-10T07:12:00.003-07:002013-04-10T07:12:57.207-07:00Professor Jaffer on board to author Science Project series<br />
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Coming Soon...<span class="apple-converted-space"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">If
you’re a parent of a child in school, seems like it’s always Science Project
time. And, th</span></span><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">ere are only so many times you can build a
volcano, right? Short on bright ideas? Help is on the way. Next up in the Oh Dad!
line is a three-part series: “It’s Science Project Time Again Already?” (for
elementary, middle and high school mad scientist wannabes). <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Written by Karim Jaffer, a Physics professor and
admitted geeky dad to two young children, the book includes a list of unique, simple
and inexpensive A+ science project ideas, with supply lists and step-by-step
instructions.<span class="apple-converted-space"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Look
for all three “It’s Science Project Time Again Already?” books to be released by late
Summer (in plenty of time for next Fall’s Science Fair). <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: "Tahoma","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt;">Welcome
aboard, Professor!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-39568011468539054912013-03-23T10:32:00.000-07:002013-03-30T10:34:33.115-07:00What I want for my daughters• To be bold and adventurous and zealous, but not careless (take
risks but not dumb ones – with your body or heart or psyche);<br />
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• be confident and sure of yourself, but not arrogant (feel good
about who you are, but not by looking down on others);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• be kind, gentle, compassionate, empathic, idealistic and
positive, but not naïve (give someone the shirt off your back but don’t let
anyone walk all over you);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• travel the world, but come home often;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• be a fierce competitor, but not at all costs (sometimes you
lose but if you tried hard that’s ok; some days you may not even feel like
trying hard, that’s ok, too – there’s always tomorrow; sometimes it’s alright
if the other guy wins);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• pursue intellectualism, but don’t sacrifice good common sense
in the process (sometimes your innate wisdom will be a better guide than all
the reference books in the world);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• have depth, without becoming heavy-hearted;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• be dutiful, but not burdened;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• see the good in people, but keep an eye out for the wicked
ways of the world;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• hold true to your values, but don’t be self-righteous;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• be sure of your convictions, but not judgmental of others who
disagree with you;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• know what makes you happy, but don’t be afraid to try new
things;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• have high expectations for yourself, but forgive yourself when
you don’t meet some of them;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• enjoy all life has to offer, but know that resources are
limited (share when you can, and turn the light off when you leave the room);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• feel like you belong, but be wary of unfettered loyalties and
blind allegiances (to a person or a religion or a nation);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• respect authority, but question it (and challenge it when you
think it’s wrong);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• laugh a lot, but don’t ridicule;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• be courageous, but not a martyr;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• be principled, but not dogmatic;<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• feel free to express yourself, but choose your words carefully
(words can do a lot of damage, and you can never truly take them back once
you’ve said them);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• take care of yourself: eat well (but bring on the fudge
brownies sometimes), get plenty of rest (but stay up all night giggling with
your best friend sometimes) and get plenty of exercise (but take a day off and
snooze in front of the television sometimes);<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="color: #333333; font-family: inherit; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">• be strong, but don’t ever think you can be totally independent
(the world is inter-connected in ways we can’t fully understand; it’s been said
that a butterfly flapping its wings in China affects the weather in the US… I
don’t know about that, but I do know that we’re all in this together and the
best we can hope for is to be inter-dependent).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">And remember.... all things in moderation (including moderation); it's all about balance. Life is good. It’s a little scary sometimes, but good,
nevertheless. Dangerous? It can be, but most times it’s safe (just look both
ways, buckle-up, scrub your fruits and vegetables and keep plugging along).
Yes, there are some downright awful people in the world, but the nice ones
outnumber them a thousand to one. See the beauty in everyday things, see the
glass half-full, stop and smell the roses, value the simple things in life: the
birth of a butterfly is magic and an afternoon looking for four-leaf clovers is
a perfect antidote for that dreadful math quiz.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Mostly remember this: in this life, there is a constant tug and
pull between good and evil, love and hate. But in the end, good wins out. Love
prevails.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Book Antiqua', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-27787864961061270142013-03-22T07:44:00.004-07:002013-04-16T15:40:45.601-07:00Build Something<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnEikMAH98AwtJOxRyANOdMPcQWlJA_vEI0NLl4JelHHExNQexBt2XH6cWkTvBBl4bz2zmxC6-daOp2QaVKQUgOtCBjX0Cq1KtVe11MgeVfTUCduW27ZLv4m-SBIABuWaYPXjv-1gnDY/s1600/build_cover2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVnEikMAH98AwtJOxRyANOdMPcQWlJA_vEI0NLl4JelHHExNQexBt2XH6cWkTvBBl4bz2zmxC6-daOp2QaVKQUgOtCBjX0Cq1KtVe11MgeVfTUCduW27ZLv4m-SBIABuWaYPXjv-1gnDY/s320/build_cover2.jpg" width="256" /></a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Coming Soon:</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">"Let’s Build Something, Dad - Thirty Fun Step-by-Step Backyard Building Projects" written by Peter Hill</span><br />
<br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;" />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">When it comes to building things, I’m all thumbs. But that doesn’t stop my girls from begging me to help them make stuff</span><span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">, even though I always insist that it would be something their mom could do better. I need help. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">I’m guessing there are plenty of other dads out there who could use some help too. And that’s exactly what Peter Hill provides in “Let’s Build Something, Dad.”</span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">As a long-time engineer and father of four, Mr. Hill definitely has the skills and experience to help dads like me go from bumbling buffoon trying to figure out what a socket wrench might look like to superhero able to build tree houses and bird feeders in a single bound. </span><br />
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><br /></span>
<span class="text_exposed_show" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; display: inline; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;">Thanks Pete. Look for the release of "Let's Build Something, Dad" in April.</span>Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-82398009572811180992013-03-20T08:53:00.000-07:002013-03-20T09:17:39.057-07:00What's For Breakfast, Dad? is now availalbe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeXVpKCt3b2YAT11MyTRIikG2r6VhUIYD-h3xFuo4e2sQq6PN5Q-OsHBIT7BNOeUyDme5V4F7lJ30hX7wRQvhNQlYATzy7OMu2RTOw3vyNE5dzBLTid3_FbgAJRTwyp_evj5zfGiXoi0/s1600/whatsforbreakfastcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJeXVpKCt3b2YAT11MyTRIikG2r6VhUIYD-h3xFuo4e2sQq6PN5Q-OsHBIT7BNOeUyDme5V4F7lJ30hX7wRQvhNQlYATzy7OMu2RTOw3vyNE5dzBLTid3_FbgAJRTwyp_evj5zfGiXoi0/s320/whatsforbreakfastcover.jpg" width="256" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">What's For Breakfast, Dad? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Written by Sarah Spigelman</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Illustrated by Mike Thompson </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Edited by Melanie Bourgeois</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now available. </span><a href="https://www.createspace.com/3763912"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Order a copy today!</span></a><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Come on Dads. You don't still think the kitchen is scary, do you? Inside these pages you'll discover the magic of cooking with the kids. Part intro to the kitchen, part fun and funky cook book (think candy bacon and waffle-wiches). </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">Saturday mornings will never be the same! Written by acclaimed New York City food writer Sarah Spigelman. We intend to get you Dads and kiddos in the kitchen, even if we have to drag you there!</span></span><b style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></b><br />
<b style="font-family: inherit;">About the Author: </b><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">Sarah Spigelman is a writer, editor and food lover from birth. Her writing has been featured on The Huffington Post, The Daily Meal and many nationally distributed magazines. She lives in NYC where she splits her time between seeing Broadway shows and eating food so spicy that it makes her nose run. She chronicles her NYC eating adventures on her personal website www.fritosandfoiegras.com and blogs about food for the food site of Today Show. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;">"What's for Breakfast, Dad?" is part of the Oh Dad! line of books for active dads and the eye-rolling kids who love them, a division of Raburn Publishing.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span>
<a href="https://www.createspace.com/3763912"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Order a copy today!</span></a><br />
<div>
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span>Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-3020467238786391632013-02-15T08:22:00.003-08:002013-03-02T14:16:20.845-08:00Tooth Fairy Dilemma <br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m conflicted about the Tooth Fairy. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As the father of two elementary school aged daughters, teeth
are flying left and right. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
One problem is that their grandma set a precedent of $10 per
tooth a while back. If you’re anywhere near my age, that’s shocking. We got
dimes and nickels. Even when adjusted for inflation, ten bucks is still an outrageous
rate. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRh73cdrdGulndKx387mszbMmxw0mgHNvJjtlW4zyU_VjyMEsXJYfDmb7ngzznyzyaPfXzm9UP8kGn6wgBFfBrxUf0mUpcnsPzilFRi2uGbU-ki187nx6TTP4FC91z31cjd_oZnEiz1VY/s1600/The-Tooth-Fairy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRh73cdrdGulndKx387mszbMmxw0mgHNvJjtlW4zyU_VjyMEsXJYfDmb7ngzznyzyaPfXzm9UP8kGn6wgBFfBrxUf0mUpcnsPzilFRi2uGbU-ki187nx6TTP4FC91z31cjd_oZnEiz1VY/s320/The-Tooth-Fairy.jpg" width="259" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
And it’s not like I can always predict when the Tooth Fairy’s
services will be needed. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Spoiler alert: I’m the Tooth Fairy. Well, not THE Tooth
Fairy, but I am the Tooth Fairy in my household. And when not in character, I
pay bills on-line and I use plastic cards for most other purchases. I don’t
always have cash lying around the house every time said Tooth Fairy’s services
are unexpectedly needed. I don’t need that kind of stress in my life.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But, it’s not just about the money. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It’s getting harder and harder for me to perpetuate such an
outlandish ruse. While teaching my children the scientific method and to be
reasonable and logical, at the same time I’m also encouraging them to believe a
fairy comes down from somewhere and swaps out a bloody tooth for dough while
they sleep. Really? </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I lose all credibility when I then try to convince them that
it’s absurd to think an ogre lives in the woods behind the house. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
For some reason, I’m ok with Santa Claus. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Santa represents joy and goodness and magic and we know a
lot about him from all the TV shows he’s in every year.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
“He’s real if you want him to be” is what my mom told me
when I asked her about jolly ol’ Saint Nick when I was a kid; that works for me
still. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Plus, the old “…he knows if you’ve been good or bad, so be
good for goodness sake” routine gets me at least a few months of excellent
behavior.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
When my girls confront me someday about all the lies, I
think I’ll be able to spin Santa. But the Tooth Fairy? My 6-year-old asks what
the Tooth Fairy does with all those teeth and I got nothing. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I can’t even conjure a consistent image in my mind of what
the Tooth Fairy looks like. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But here’s the thing: I love the unadulterated joy and
silliness and wild-eyed wonder of my girls at this age. Childhood is fleeting. The
day is soon coming when they no longer jump in every mud puddle or think of me
as a super hero. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sparkle in their eyes when they see the first star
bright to wish upon at dusk or sheer delight in catching lightning bugs in the
back yard is always tonic aplenty for whatever might be ailing this tired old
soul. I know it won’t be long before cynicism will creep into their lives and more
grown-up realities will take hold. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So, conflicted as I may be, I guess the Tooth Fairy can be
real if they want her to be for a little while longer. Good thing there’s an ATM close by.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But don’t get me started on the Easter Bunny. </div>
Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2508525228459792349.post-35639364177216199872013-02-15T07:07:00.002-08:002013-03-21T03:53:52.508-07:00The Transformation of Lunu<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
The Raburns would like to announce the latest addition to
the family: Lunu, the Luna moth, born February 2, 2013. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
This is the true story of Lunu. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sometime in early September, under a giant tree on the
playground at Club Blvd. Elem. School, Xia and Anika and their classmates noticed
dozens of large florescent green caterpillars, the likes of which we had never
seen. Of course we brought one home with us. We made a nice little home for her
in a plastic Tupperware container and filled it grass, dirt, leaves, berries
and an abandoned bird nest. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We did a little research that night and found out that this
particular type of caterpillar would become a Luna moth. We named her Lunu.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Vx7u3IHzPGij5GrgqCVJnbe929BlHuU5SlwVG0CWxw2Ma5ntFE-iNHKHWyacoUn1sq53MURjldxu9J1AmiFaV5cWKwAkTSDpEC73bBFtpafVSJvpr1dbKIwUJCmXsRHBAaLRK1GaY9Q/s1600/luna+moth+caterpillar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7Vx7u3IHzPGij5GrgqCVJnbe929BlHuU5SlwVG0CWxw2Ma5ntFE-iNHKHWyacoUn1sq53MURjldxu9J1AmiFaV5cWKwAkTSDpEC73bBFtpafVSJvpr1dbKIwUJCmXsRHBAaLRK1GaY9Q/s320/luna+moth+caterpillar.jpg" width="318" /></a>The first day we had her, the caterpillar explored her new
home and got out of her container several times. We would find her crawling
near the sofa or near the TV and promptly put her back in her home. That night she
began spinning a cocoon, and by morning was morphing into a pupa state. By the
end of the second day with us, she had completely transitioned from a juicy
green caterpillar to a dull brown, lifeless, motionless pupa. According to our
research, it would take from two weeks to several weeks for her to become a
Luna moth.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Remember, this was in early September. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We anxiously awaited her transformation. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Nothing happened. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Then we got cats. So, we stuck Lunu in a closet to be safe.
She was mostly out of sight and out of mind. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Weeks passed. Months passed. We checked on her occasionally,
whenever we even remembered she was in the closet. Several times we just assumed
she didn’t make it and considered tossing her out. But every now and then, when
we held the little pupa in our hands, we could feel movement. As time passed,
the movements became more frequent and more vigorous, like she was doing the
twist. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTNY2kZiOIq5OuEJuoYFnGGHmZWGtxT4lm2Mn4rewm2giGHZCaZF7oOkpwM3dTe-2WQOIuRVQRZUFqhiP6bgQVoBpnc3L1KwTJisIMIiF87j8MIUpepoCynpsnaGVVadsSbozknA2ZEg/s1600/luna+moth.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCTNY2kZiOIq5OuEJuoYFnGGHmZWGtxT4lm2Mn4rewm2giGHZCaZF7oOkpwM3dTe-2WQOIuRVQRZUFqhiP6bgQVoBpnc3L1KwTJisIMIiF87j8MIUpepoCynpsnaGVVadsSbozknA2ZEg/s320/luna+moth.jpg" width="320" /></a>Finally, this morning when I opened the closet to find my
wool socks, there she was: a beautiful Luna moth, proudly perched on the side
of the plastic container, some five months after we brought her home from the
playground. Welcome to your new life, Lunu! Those wings look marvelous on you!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
From what I understand, she’ll need a few hours for her
wings to harden and dry for her to be able to fly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Tomorrow will be a nice, sunny day, a little warmer. I
expect that we’ll find a nice place along the wooded hiking trail nearby and
release her. The closet is no home for a
Luna moth, after all. We’ll send her on her way and wish her well and be
thankful for the few months we had together. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Lessons: take time to notice the miracles that happen every
day all around us; delicate things require patience and nurturance; and, from
humble beginnings magnificent things can evolve. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To your journey, Lunu!<br />
<br />
<span class="post-author vcard" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 1em;">Posted by <span class="fn" itemprop="author" itemscope="itemscope" itemtype="http://schema.org/Person"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531" rel="author" style="color: #29aae1;" title="author profile"><span itemprop="name">Stephen Raburn</span> </a></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="post-comment-link" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-right: 1em;"><a class="comment-link" href="http://www.raburnpublishing.blogspot.com/2013/02/tooth-fairy-dilemma.html#comment-form" style="color: #015782; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;">No comments: </a></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"></span><span class="post-icons" style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="item-control blog-admin pid-815873373" style="display: inline;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=2508525228459792349&postID=302046723878639163&from=pencil" style="color: #015782; text-decoration: none;" title="Edit Post"><img alt="" class="icon-action" height="18" src="http://img2.blogblog.com/img/icon18_edit_allbkg.gif" style="border: none !important; margin: 0px 0px 0px 0.5em !important; position: relative; vertical-align: middle;" width="18" /></a></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20px;"></span><br />
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<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="color: #444444; font-family: inherit; font-size: x-large;"><b>Intro to OH DAD!</b></span><br />
<div>
<br />
"Oh Dad!"</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
If I had a quarter for every time I’ve heard those words!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
As an active father of two amazing little girls and admittedly a little on the goofy side, “Oh Dad!” is indeed a frequently spoken phrase in my house… accompanied by obligatory eye-rolling and (usually) uproarious laughter as well. It was the obvious name for a line of books I’ve been looking to create.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07BvBLZ1tfUd6BauWeTU8H_wR3ubztLlcQWIUvDafgakXYei2rJtRINE2opuDtccnCqutKXgaLejs32WFZZEWhQEZ3xodicpPqXLYRse6yTLYcqSYyFewgm5ptRCR6CxQwINYWD9U_E0/s1600/sxadollys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg07BvBLZ1tfUd6BauWeTU8H_wR3ubztLlcQWIUvDafgakXYei2rJtRINE2opuDtccnCqutKXgaLejs32WFZZEWhQEZ3xodicpPqXLYRse6yTLYcqSYyFewgm5ptRCR6CxQwINYWD9U_E0/s320/sxadollys.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Truth of the matter is that I love every second of being “Dad.”</div>
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In many ways, I’m typical of a growing subgroup of dads. Generally speaking, fathers today are more actively involved in the everyday care and decision-making of children than those of previous generations. That’s partly due to the natural evolution of parenting, I think. And partly due to economics. More dads are able to work from home or have flexible work schedules than in the past. And women are earning more, so dads aren’t necessarily the automatic breadwinner for the family these days. That’s the good news. The bad news: there are an awful lot of unemployed dads out there too.</div>
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Whatever the reason, there’s a bunch of us spending a lot of time with our children. And that’s got to be a good thing.</div>
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But the publishing biz has been slow to catch on. With most magazines and books, “Parenting” is code for “Mom,” it seems. In my experience, there’s a dearth of resources for dads.</div>
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Oh Dad! is a line of books created to fill that void: fodder for those of us who aspire to be greatest dad in the world (but need a little help).</div>
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The first book is scheduled to hit the market in March, 2013. I lucked out and landed foodie Sarah Spigelman who wrote “What’s for Breakfast, Dad?” for us.</div>
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Ms. Spigelman is a renowned Manhattan food critic, blogger and connoisseur of edible delights. “What’s for Breakfast, Dad?” is in equal parts intro to the kitchen and awesome cook book. Sarah gently leads us into the kitchen and shows us that it’s not such a scary place after all – once you know a few basic rules and techniques. The recipes? Think bacon candy and waffle-wiches.</div>
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“What’s for Breakfast, Dad?” is a perfect example of what Oh Dad! is hoping to provide: fun, quirky, insightful, useful books for devoted dads and the eye-rolling kids who love them.</div>
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Next up: “Let’s Build Something, Dad” written by retired engineer and father of four, Peter Hill. It includes step-by-step instructions for 30 fun backyard building projects.</div>
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There are many more titles percolating.</div>
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I started this blog as a companion to the publishing company. I’ll post updates on books as we go along and also share my thoughts on the joys and challenges of being Dad.</div>
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Your input is appreciated!</div>
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Stephen Raburn </div>
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Publisher</div>
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Oh Dad!</div>
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A Division of Raburn Publishing</div>
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Stephen Raburnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14999493579608446531noreply@blogger.com0