Since becoming a Dad... actually, since starting The Rock Father two years ago, a lot of people send me books about being a Dad. At this point, it's not often that I seek out a "Dad Book" on my own, but when I heard that Ahmet Zappa (a certified "Rock Father" himself) had written a new book called BECAUSE I'M YOUR DAD, I had to reach out to Disney-Hyperion to get a copy. While my intention was to save my review for Father's Day (and my full review is being saved for that occasion), here I am talking a bit about it now, because I've been presented with an opportunity to give a copy to one of you (with a bonus!) to share with a special Dad in your life. I hate to spill the beans before my formal review, but BECAUSE I'M YOUR DAD just may be my favorite book that celebrates Fatherhood. 

Nearly 14 months have passed since I last mentioned him on The Rock Father, but as of today... our little friend from Tatooine has returned to the Garden here at Rock Father HQ.  The Ceremonial Placement of the Garden JAWA has once again taken place, kicking off the "official" official start of the 2013 Gardening Season for us,  later than last year (which had record heat) as we're still going hot/cold here in Northern Illinois. Our little scavenger is ready to rock and roll, with his garden tools tucked firmly into his bandolier strap, and his hose ready to soak the earth. Even better? Not once has he tried to sell me a stolen droid. "Utini!"

In this digital world in which we live, it's... strange... to deal with the flesh-and-blood loss of human beings with whom you've only connected through an endless series of zeroes and ones. Sadly, I've experienced this awkwardly hollow feeling more than a few times over the past decade or so, and even more troubling is the fact that my online acquaintances that have died, have not done so by accident or "natural causes," but by their own hand.

Mr. Steve (aka Steve Roslonek of SteveSongs fame) has long been a staple of PBS KIDS, so it was no surprise that he made an appearance at the 2013 PBS Annual Meeting at the Fontainebleau Miami Beach last week. What was a surprise, however, is that he performed a special song that incorporated the names of blogs written by the PBS KIDS VIP (Very Involved Parent) Ambassadors - which I, The Rock Father, am a part of. Check out the informal video below, along with lyrics that I've hopefully transcribed correctly.

I was just a month out from my seventh birthday when HUEY LEWIS & THE NEWS released their album, SPORTS in September of 1983. As a kid growing up on this new thing called "MTV" (Music Television), a cable network that had just hit the two-year mark a month prior, Huey Lewis & The News became my first rock band. At the same time my young mind was absorbing the sonic stylings and visual accompaniments of artists like Michael Jackson and Duran Duran, Lewis and his crew became my gateway drug into a larger world filled with "The Heart of Rock & Roll" - guitar, drums, bass...

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!

As The Rock Father, it's my wife... the mother of my two daughters... that is truly the backbone of this family. I've noted this before, but I could never do what she does. She works full-time outside of the home to support our lifestyle, to provide for our children, and to support my crazy adventures. She's a great Mom, and while our little ones might not fully appreciate just how much she does (yet), the smiles on their faces each night solidify the fact that all is right.