A Cultural Education

My wife, Trisha and I, feel it is very important that Otto understands where he comes from. That is why, yesterday, on his first venture outside our house, Otto's first exposure was an ultimate testament to the culture in which he will be raised.

Of course, that culture is caucasian yuppiedom. It was an embarrassingly white kind of day, with boring, upper middle class plastered all over it.

We loaded up into our Volkswagon station wagon and headed to Osbourne Village (Winnipeggers will understand). We listened to an educated mix of Northern European post-punk synth bands on our way. Fever Ray and the like. You know, the usual.

Our first stop was Starbucks for a decaf, half-sweet white chocolate mocha and just a simple bold coffee for me...oh, what's that? Yukon blend? No, thanks, too nutty I think. We'll just go with the Pike Place....I guess. (eye roll).

From there we strolled over to American Apparel. Picked out some matching grey cardigans for the family. Strolling back towards the car, passed a record store. New Wilco album, huh? Very interesting. Have to remember to check that out on iTunes (You know, instead of just going into the store and buying it there.)

No time to doddle (that's right, I said doddle). Got to get home to our designer lap dog, Ralph. Half boston-terrier, half pug. Very cute but very hyper. We think it might have something to do with his medication*.

On the way home we discuss the trouble we've been having with Ralph's daycare. (You heard me). Monday's are getting too full and they've asked us to move to another day, but Peanut the Yorkie goes to Monday class and Ralph just won't manage without Peanut. Plus Sasha is so attached to Ralph, we won't be able to make a decision until we discuss it with her owners. (first world problems).

Yikes.

*(That was a joke. He's not on medication. It didn't agree with his stomach.)

Why blog?

I've never really followed a blog.  Except failblog, but that doesn't really count.  Everyone followed failblog at some point.  But things have changed quite a bit for me recently, so I decided maybe I should give it a shot.

This has been (and will continue to be) a big year.  My wife and I both turned 30.  A week ago we had our first child (Otto is his name and he is kind of awesome).  In less than a year I will complete 25 years of education and will be a non-student for the first time ever.  There are a lot of 'firsts' going on all around me and I'm just beginning to realize, I can't really remember many of the 'firsts' that have already past.

So that's my rational reason for blogging, I guess.  The reason I can bring up at a dinner party and not sound vane or pretentious.  Consider it a diary, if you will, documenting the milestones in my life and effectively sharing them with the world around me.

Of course, humans aren't rational.  And if I expect anyone to ever read this, it better be honest.  I want to entertain.  And I love to tell stories about myself and my job and my awesome family.  And I can sense half my Facebook friends getting sick of pictures of my kid or my dog or my kid and my dog.  

So the other half of my Facebook friends (the ones that realize how great my kid and my dog are) they can get there fix here.  And maybe I can tell a funny med school story or two.  Or maybe a funny Winnipeg story.  Who knows?

And for any non-Facebook friends, if your looking for a glimpse into the exotic world of a Canadian, two income, middle-class family with one kid and one dog, look no further.  It's going to be a wild ride.

See?!  Awesome!