Man, this is a sad little blog these days

Yeah, yeah. I know, I know. I've promised several times to update this damned thing more often. But then it falls through the cracks.

So what have I been doing besides updating my blog?

Riding my bike again - Originally, the plan was to commute to the radio show. Like updating the blog, that hasn't happened yet. But I have been going on regular rides. According to MapMyRide.com, I've put in more than 100 miles in the past month. This past Sunday, I did 16.4 miles at Ben Geren. I'm riding my old Diamondback mountain bike, which I bought probably 15 years ago. It's heavy and doesn't have a front suspension. I'd like to get a road bike, but those things are ex-freakin-pensive. Thanks to the bike and watching what I eat, I've lost 18.5 pounds in the past two months or so. I'd like to drop another 20. I just have to figure out what to do when the days get shorter and I can't go for a ride at 7 p.m. after work.

Tweeting - Yeah, I know. Some of you Luddites still aren't even on Facebook (Hi Craig!). But I'm enjoying Twitter much more than I thought I would. I use it basically as an RSS feed. Right now, I'm getting bombarded with Steelers info thanks to following five different Pittsburgh area reporters. Plus, I figure it's a good thing to be promoting my brand online given the current nature of journalism.

Bransoning - We met Jen's family up there for a mini-reunion. I was dreading it. Visions of the Baldknobbers and Shoji Tabuchi danced in my head. But Branson has grown so much in the years since I last went. Branson Landing is incredible. It's a pedestrian mall alongside Lake Tanneycomo. High-end shopping, restaurants and bars on the street level, with condos above that. Combined with Table Rock Lake for boating, Tanneycomo for cold-water trout fishing and the outlet mall, I could see the Party Squad having a grand old time in Branson.

Being Mr. Mom - It was only three days, but good gosh I liked it. I've always enjoyed my mornings with Paige. But I was a little nervous about having her all day. But that was a silly worry. I just wish the Martins lived here, so Craig could have brought Trevor to the mall one day to meet us. There were plenty of moms pushing strollers that day I went, but I was the only dad pushing one. As I walked around the mall, I got tickled at the idea of Craig and I pushing our kids through the mall arguing about some sports topic while we got odd looks from the moms who were there.

Not getting a haircut -



(No, I don't leave the house like that. Yes, I use hair product to make it look somewhat better.)

Random Thoughts

• The Fort Smith Classic was last weekend. As usual, the whispers are "That's it, that's the last one." Given this was the worst-attended tournament in the 12-year history, I think they might be right. It's sad more people haven't gotten on the bandwagon for the tournament. I admit, I thought it was ridiculous when they started. But now I realize we don't have anything else in Fort Smith that could attract national attention. It's a shame First National Bank, Arkansas Best or even Choctaw Casino hasn't taken over sponsorship rights to this thing. Fort Smith needs something to feel good about, and the tournament could be it.

• Speaking of the golf tournament, it ended on Father's Day. So my first one, I only saw Paige about an hour total all day. That kind of sucked. One of my gifts was "Home Game" by Michael Lewis, author of "The Blind Side," "Liar's Poker" and "Moneyball." He's married to former MTV personality Tabitha Soren. They have three kids. The book is about his adjustment to fatherhood. I give it two thumbs up. It's hilarious, non-Dads would probably enjoy it too.

• Speaking of books, "Idiot America" by Charles Pierce is on my wishlist. It's about how populism is actually a major dumbing down of our national intelligence. And before "Home Game," I finished "The Year of Living Biblically" by AJ Jacobs. It was a good skewering of the people who claim to follow the Bible word-for-word. Given there are 800-plus rules, laws and suggestions in the Bible, Jacobs shows it's impossible to do. Every denomination picks and chooses what they want, but most won't admit it.

• I still haven't gotten a haircut. This is the longest my hair has been since I had the 'fro. Only now I'm using product to tame it. At some point, I'll have to decide if I'm going to let it keep growing or make time to get it cut.

• Dad had knee replacement surgery earlier this week. I'm thinking that's a medical procedure I'd like to avoid, based on how much pain he's been in the past couple of days.

• The baby is whining in her crib, just waking up from nap. Jen's napping too. Got to go.