Stay Positive

The lead story every day moving forward will be the number of confirmed cases. Each community will attempt to confirm or collect positivity without much connection. It is going to be difficult and unpredictable. I'll respond with predictable positivity. It might not be easy yet if there is anything I want to teach my kids it is this; every day, your lead story, can be gratitude. Choose to be grateful. 

I was in the middle of writing a blog related to all the positive experiences I have had recently in Johnstown when life began to change. My kids had a blast on Leap Day at the Heritage Discovery Center in Cambria City. That same night, my wife and I attended an annual tradition, Copernicus Day at the Boulevard Grill. Jacob plays an amazing accordion. Even if you are bunkered down in some basement, keep playing Jacob.  Our family attended Nature Works, an event where Bottleworks transforms into a maze of natural and recreational wonder. We had fun and observed - for the 3rd straight year - a community on the move. 

Now, we are quite still. It is weird. It is alarming. It is uneasy. Stackhouse Park remains my refuge. I have gone on many a March hike, listening to the birds chatter. One day, I walked snow covered trails in the morning only to walk green paths in the late afternoon. Talk about dramatic change. 

In the days and weeks ahead, individuals, families, small businesses, and big plans will be put to the test. Health, security, risks, and rewards will overwhelm our world. Point out the positive if the overwhelming is transforming to overpowering. 

My youngest daughter celebrated her 3rd birthday on this Saint Patrick's Day. She was healthy. She felt secure - two loving parents, a strong sister, and a Mr. Potato Head Hulk - yes, there is a Mr. Potato Head Hulk. If you have lost all hope, welcome back. There is a Mr. Potato Head Hulk. 

My daughter risked jumping off her bed and waiting until the last second to go pee. She played until she was overwhelmed by the need to nap. We have had three rewarding years of her. 

Here we go, Johnstown. Take care of yourself. Take care of each other. Support small businesses. See the bigger picture. Call upon Mr. Potato Head Hulk when you need him most. 

No matter what happens, be grateful. 

Dad Movie Review: Sonic the Hedgehog

Last Sunday I took my 2-year-old daughter to see Sonic the Hedgehog. She met a 3-year-old man at Westwood Plaza Theatre for a matinee. His father drove him to the cinemas. It was classified as a date and was chaperoned by two fathers from the Sega era. Please enjoy this review of the fuzzy blue hedgehog.

To begin, Sonic came into my world when I was about 7-years-old. When Sega Genesis unleashed this peculiar mammal to the video game universe, it provided immediate thrills. A few years later, in 1993, Ace Ventura: Pet Detective was released. Sonic and Jim Carey can credit the early 1990s for the height of their popularity. Sonic dominated the video game scene while Carey followed up Ace Ventura with The Mask and Dumb and Dumber in the same calendar year. Amazingly, two + decades later, Sonic and Jim share the big screen in an epic adventure.

My daughter did not care about that rich history paragraph. Any opportunity to go to the movies is fantastic. "Thanks Dad for the star-crossed storyline. Now, get on with the blog."

Legend has it that this film was delayed for quite some time because of how the blue hedgehog was going to come to life. Sonic had to be redesigned and there was outrage over his appearance. And let's face it, if we can't get a live-action Sonic right then there is no chance at world peace. Ultimately, I think they did a good job. He is brilliantly blue and blazes around for under two hours.

That is the first win - under two hours. It should be illegal to make a movie over two hours for a child audience. It is inhumane. Paramount Pictures gets a star simply for a 100 minute showtime.

Jim Carey acts as the villian doctor. His character is also insane, which might be more of a characteristic of the man, not the actor. He scared the date to some degree, but never enough to cause pure panic. And - spoiler alert - Sonic outruns Dr. Robotnik. And that really should not have spoiled much. If you had an inclination that Sonic would die during the movie, maybe you are insane.

The film takes place in the Pacific Northwest which had me daydreaming about adventuring in that part of the country. While I was lost in that daydream, I imagined climbing mountains and crossing streams. I imagined glorious sunrises and serene sunsets. I imagined my children chasing Sonic the Hedgehog somewhere on the other side of the Mississippi River far away from my wilderness conquests.

And that my friends is the magic of the movies. Sonic gets "2 Paws Up" from me because hedgehogs have paws. My 2-year-old had a civil date with her 3-year-old prince. Two Dads had some level of matinee peace, which does not solve the world's problems, but it is a step in the right direction.

Johnstown, let's all race to personal greatness. Lead by example. Make your own unique magic.

Godspeed.

Heritage Discovery Center Top 10

Our family invested in a family pass for the Heritage Discovery Center this year and it is paying big dividends. This Johnstown museum and interactive play space has become a communal explosion of exploration. Here is the first Top 10 of 2020:

#10: Put on your Hard Hat

There is plenty for children to conquer at this Broad Street bonanza. And for courageous adults, there is opportunity to turn back the clock and celebrate the splendor of youth. Inside the Discovery Center, you can be a pediatrician, a train conductor, and an executive chef. You can own a grocery store or plan a fashion show. You can be anything you want to be.

Many would say, I am not built for the coal mines. Physically, yes, I am built for mine life. I am short and shifty; however, I am quite incompetent in various forms of manual labor. I'm also a fierce opponent of occupations significantly above or below sea level.  I never in my life wanted to be an astronaut or operate a submarine. I like Earth's air.

So, when I started navigating the coal mine fun zone with my daughters, I had some trepidation. Quickly, and with short and shifty vigor, I got into a mining groove. I was role playing. I was referencing the seven dwarfs. I was a Discovery Dad.

And then, I banged my head off of a pipe. More specifically, off a screw on the pipe. My 5-year-old, playing the role of mining doctor, assessed my injury. She reported it was safe for me to go down the slide despite the blood. So, I held on tight, to my head, and made my way down the dark slide and into the light of other parents. I played it coal mining cool and headed to the bathroom.

Upon looking into the mirror and taking a good hard look at my life, there was only one thing I could do. I, a boy, emerged from the Boy's Room and asked an employee for a band-aid.

Today, there is a purple foam protector covering that screw. It is a tribute to my bravery.

#9:  Arts and Crafts

This is more my speed. Coloring a miner is much more gratifying than mining. I have established a reputation as an Arts and Crafts guru. This was after I established a reputation as an idiot in the coal mine.

#8:  Immigration

On the first floor, you can pretend to be an immigrant. The last time we were there we did something that was quite common when people immigrated to America - we lost track of someone. Our 2-year-old was M.I.A. for a brief interval. We were leading this wolfpack of parents and wolves and we lost track of our second born.

Long story short, we found her and she earned her citizenship. We love her more every day.

We never lost our first born.

We do not plan on having a third.

#7:  Hot Dam

A kiddo favorite is the exhibit where you can build a dam and see if it can withstand a force of water. It is an excellent opportunity in engineering and psychology. You discover which kids are going to make positive contributions to society and which kids will intentionally flood a town and laugh at catastrophe.

#6: Super Market Sweep

My daughters love creating their own Aldi. The super market gives children the opportunity to shop, run a register, and run into each other. Typically, my 5-year-old charges $1.00 for every item. Jug of milk? $1.00. Eggplant? $1.00. Single egg? $1.00. My 2-year-old does not indicate pricing. She slashes prices completely. She just stands behind the register and moves money and vegetables around. Sometimes you get a bag of squash and cash. Sometimes you get squat.

#5: Train Sweeping By

If you are lucky, a real-life train will go by while you are at the Discovery Center. At least one parent has to announce that a real-life train is in eyesight. Without any words being exchanged, every parent thinks the same thing: "One of us has to declare that a train is out there. Someone do it for the kids."

I've been that parent. I think I have actually whispered it. "There is a train".  It is usually when I am coloring by myself.

#4: Inclined Plane

A real good arm workout is turning a wheel to move the Inclined Plane replica. I used to belong to a gym and do a range of free weight exercises. Now, I operate a toy and tell other Dads it is a good workout. I actually said that the last time we were there. "It is a good workout".

I am probably starting to scare some kids, "Mom, why is that man spinning that wheel so hard? Is he sweating?  Is that the same guy who had a band-aid on his head last Saturday?"

#3: Feed Me

In the play kitchen, there is a table set for four. If you play your menu right, you can sit at the table and kids will feed you pretend food. They bring over terrible combinations of grub. Taco with a donut? Perfect. Corn on the cob with ketchup? Thank you.

The best part about it - you do not have to clean up. You just walk away. And for whatever reason, the kids often clean up themselves and ENJOY it. They work together. They take pride in keeping a clean kitchen.

It will never happen in real life.

#2: The Making of Steel

The grand finale of all our Discovery trips is watching this documentary in the theatre. My kids love it and they love taking new buddies to this cinematic wonder. They promote the steel out of the movie, which you would think would be a hard sell. But, my daughters project this genuine grandeur that excites the crowd every time.

Critics say it will "Steel your heart" (Dad joke).

#1: Families

The best part of the Discovery Center is the family-friendly and educational atmosphere. Whether you are a parent or a kid, it is always nice to learn in your community. Being together as a family is a blessing. Being together with other families is a blessing too.

I hope to see you at the Discovery Center some time soon.

All aboard!!!!!!!!!!

Basketball Dads

On Saturday, I competed in an intense Best of 3 basketball series. A 2-on-2 game that meant nothing yet in that gym we left it all on the floor. I talked to my wife about it at the dinner table that night. Basketball has filled my life with so many smiles.

The next morning, basketball legend Kobe Bryant died in a helicopter crash. He died with one of his daughters and left behind three more. I keep thinking about his wife. Thinking about a dinner table without a Dad. It is a devastating thought.

Watching Kobe play was often devastating. I always have loved basketball and I never loved Kobe. He was cocky. He was relentless. He was often the hardwood villain in Hollywood purple. I grew up in the basketball era that he shaped. He inspired others to play harder and he made it easy to root against him.

All of that is meaningless now.

His life and his legacy will be discussed at great Laker length. Our culture is consumed by tributes after tragedy. The mass media will create a cyclone of file footage, testimonials, and reactions to what no one could have predicted or planned for. And all I can think about is that empty dining room chair.

Kobe was a competitor and a Dad. That is meaningful now. When I received a text from my brother about Kobe, I was immediately stunned and surprisingly shook. My brother and I used to play 1-on-1 in our parents' driveway as if it were the NBA finals. Now, we are both Dads who visit that same house we grew up in. Our Dad has been elevated to Granddude, the proud grandfather to three little girls. The basketball hoop is no longer up, but the memories will forever be on that lane toward the garage door.

Basketball will be fine without Kobe. The game also will survive even if my brother and I never lace it up again on that hoop dream driveway. In a fast-paced world where my daughters are growing up faster, the news of Kobe's death gave me pause. The unimaginable nature of his passing is countered by an imaginable future - for his family and for mine.

Johnstown is a long way away from Los Angeles - in probably every imaginable way. Yet, for basketball Dads, maybe tonight you feel a weird closeness to Kobe. To be a Dad is to be flawed, to be part superhero and super duper vulnerable. In Positive Johnstown, Positive L.A., Positive Wherever You Are spirit, the tragic loss of a superstar is an opportunity to put on that superhero cape.

I am grateful for all the basketball games I have played. I look forward to the next time I step on the court.

But most importantly, I look forward to that next dinner with my wife and daughters.

Dad Review: Disney World

The World Wide Web is rich in Disney World reviews. This is just another Dad making a magical mark on summarizing the beauty and the beast that is The Magic Kingdom. Without further ado, here is my Top 10 after one glorious day in the kingdom:

#10  Rescue Ranger

The last time I was in Disney was 1986. My parents drove from Johnstown to Orlando. The airplane had been invented yet my father decided that automobiling would be more thrilling. I bet it was. Unfortunately or fortunately I have no review of my first Disney experience. I was a 2-year-old and my brain does not have the capacity to recall 1986. This is not an indictment on my brain functioning; it is how the human mind works, Peter Pan.

The mind of a child is quite comparable to the thinking cap of the chipmunk. Thus, I brought a Dale hand puppet for this adventure. This Rescue Ranger is from my wife's youth and he brings an unparalleled pleasure to my 2-year-old. Plus, chipmunks fly free on Southwest.

This is the last time I will use the word "free" in reference to the Disney trip.

#9  Buzz Off

Our brigade was 6 deep - myself, my wife, my in-laws, and my two daughters. You would be Goofy to believe anything other than a 2-to-1 adult to child ratio is smart in order to withstand Walt's empire. The scale of Disney is breathtaking, heart pounding, and feet pounding - a lot of mileage in the magic.

Our first ride was the Toy Story spinning craze of color, noise, and toys. We were firing a weapon to infinity and beyond while accruing points in an unexplainable war zone competition. My kids loved it.

When they asked to do it again at the end of the day, the collective sentiment was "No, space ranger". I would rather have a snake in my boot than wait two hours to do that again.

#8 Big Mermaid

The Little Mermaid ride was a big production and the one I found the most visually impressive. Even the line was fun. That's the real magic @ Disney - you start appreciating the geography of the line. "This has a nice scenic zig and zag, great design". "Didn't see that turn coming! Deceiving!"

The Little Mermaid line winded through a cavern and led us to a shell of a good time under the sea.

#7 Mickey Mouse Doughnut

Just before meeting Alice (Wonderland fame), we shared a team doughnut shaped in the form of Mickey Mouse's skull. It was pink frosted, sprinkled, and full of gluten. Alice did not seem to judge us as we devoured the pastry. She shouldn't. None of us fell down a rabbit hole.

#6 Alice's Tea Cups

Just before eating the doughnut and meeting Alice, we spun violently in one of her tea cups. If we would have done this in the reverse order, I would have thrown up in a rabbit hole.

#5 Parade Pass Out

At 3:00 PM, my 4-year-old slept through an incredible parade. I was on the pavement sitting criss-cross applesauce with her body extended over me. People were stepping on my hands. My wife was holding my 2-year-old and my 2-year-old was inadvertently kicking me in the neck. At one point, my wife dropped her phone on my head. Despite all this, I fell asleep for a solid minute. I had my sunglasses on, but beneath the shade was a stealthy Dad getting a quick snooze.

When the parade started, we tried to wake up my eldest, but that did not work and was a risky attempt. She is known to go Mad Hatter when wakened from a nap. You would think a parade literally a few feet away would wake our Sleeping Beauty, but her slumber is unrivaled.

So, I sat with other children and was wowed by this parade. It was the Hall of Fame of Disney on the move. At one point, a live-action Tinkerbell made eye contact with me and gave me a fairy wave. I captured this on my cell phone. After looking at the photo, I could not determine what was more creepy; the look Tinkerbell is giving me or the fact that I was criss-cross applesauce and took the picture. Also, I had my daughter's crown on my head, which I totally forgot about. It was on top of my baseball hat.

I did not realize this until another princess looked me in the eyes and said, "I love your crown!". I wish someone would have taken a picture of my face in that moment. Confused. Shocked. Embarrassed. Disney.

#4 Dynamite Dumbo

Dumbo is the only ride we did twice and it was because of the line. Not because the line was short (there are no "short lines" in Disney, Donald Duck). It was because the line had a circus gym mid-line to crawl and climb through. Genius? Dangerous? Both?

The only reason we got back in line the second time was because both our girls wanted to smile, climb and fall all over the big top. Two ears up to the Dumbo diversion!

#3 The Astro Orbiter

My 2-year-old screamed magic murder the entire time we were on this ride. She sat with her Pap. And by sat, I mean attempted to throw herself out of a spaceship. Despite the audible horror, I enjoyed the sky high view from my spacecraft. I sat with my wife. Her eyes were closed the entire time due to the revolutions...or maybe the romance. I had my arm around her as I overlooked the kingdom and listened to my second born beg for mercy.

No one wanted to do this ride a second time.

#2 Pluto on Earth

When leaving the park after the sun set, there was a bombastic block party led by Mickey. Humans and mascot animals were dancing to a high-octane sing-a-long, surrounded by floats and flashes of light. My 2-year-old spotted a pulse-pumping Pluto, who was dancing as if it was his last dance as a dog. She slowly walked up, inches away from his paws, and stared at him. No dance. All judgement of a crazed canine. In this magical moment, my daughter looked like the lunatic.

#1 Memory Bank

Years from now, who knows what any of us will remember. Memory is unpredictable and precious. I cannot conclude that Disney is the happiest place on earth, but nothing makes me happier than being with my family - in the orbits, through the lines, and to that finish line none of us can accurately predict.

Disney is all about waiting, wondering, and wandering. Sounds a lot like life itself, for people and for those chipmunks out there just trying to find the next nut.

Thank you, Walt Disney. Thank you, family. Thank you, Dale.

The magic is not in the kingdom. The magic is in the characters that make up your cast.

Good night, Johnstown.

A Decade In Review

With 2020 fast approaching, this shall be my final blog of 2019 and the final blog in a decade in which I moved back to Johnstown, got engaged, wed, and had two kids. I am currently working on a project called "happily ever after".

When the decade started, I was not a blogger. I'm not exactly sure what I was. I know I was not whatever I am today. Today, I am a blogger, jogger, and mind boggler often jumbling together writing, exercise, ambition, and adventure. Of course, marriage and daughters have been critical to my jumble, my bumble, and those girls wrestle like it is a royal rumble.

Rhyming and alliteration often are a part of my prose process. And as I write this sentence, my two-year-old is climbing all over me from cranium to clavicle like a crazed creature. I write for pleasure even if finishing a paragraph can be painful. Alas, this decade is almost done.

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Who knows when I will blog again, but I am sure I'll be back on the bombarded keyboard some time soon.

Stay positive Johnstown.

See you in 2020.

Dad Movie Review: Frozen 2

When Frozen hit theatres in 2013, I was introduced to Elsa and Anna. That was the year my wife and I tied the knot. Now, Frozen 2 is upon us. Elsa, the oldest sister, has striking blonde hair and immense power. Our oldest daughter has striking blonde hair and she can be a power hungry 4-year-old. Anna, Elsa's younger sister, is silly yet brave with strawberry blonde hair. Our 2-year-old is a silly, brave redhead. Thankfully, that's where the similarities end. If my wife and I were like Elsa and Anna's parents, we would have died a horrific death in the open seas (spoiler alert).

And that's where my movie review begins - with Disney's ability to create captivating family films that do not shy away from tragedy. Bambi's mother? Shot and killed. Simba's Dad? Stampede survivor then thrown over a cliff. Elsa and Anna's parents? Drowned. Disney digs at our core. Yes, it is the most magical place on Earth, but at any moment, it could be your final magical moment on Earth.

In Frozen 2, the shipwreck that left Elsa and Anna to rule the kingdom is once again a critical part of the plot. While Frozen had a kingdom of isolation in the mountains, Frozen 2 takes us to a mysterious forest. Once in the woods, there is a lot of music, drama, and comedic timing from a talking snowman.

Olaf is a carrot-nosed joy. He once again is a scene stealer with rapid-fire observations and ideas. Without Olaf, the Frozen franchise would rely too much on a sibling saga and flashing lights. A bumbling snowman balances out the intensity of the adventure.

Sterling K. Brown plays the role of Lieutenant Destin Mattias. Brown is best known as Randall on This Is Us, the show that has become synonymous with crying. There is nothing like watching This Is Us after a long day of work and parenting. You dedicate your free time by watching actors go through a long day of work and parenting. Ultimately, you cry, unsure as to whether you are crying for Randall or for yourself. Entertainment and psychology at their finest. Lieutenant Destin Mattias did not make me cry; however, he is absolutley intertwined in the emotional thread that is Frozen 2.

Frozen 2 gets 2 thumbs up from me, or if you are a snowman, two sticks up. The music once again runs the gauntlet from empowering to somber to triumphant.  The animation is terrific, particularly an underwater sequence that stars Elsa and a clydesdale. The ending, like all sequel endings, makes you wander, will there be a Frozen 3?

If Frozen 3 is released in 2025, will my 10-year-old and 8-year-old daughters still go to the movies with me? I will be in my 40s. I will need some Olaf at that point. Oh dear. I'm starting to overheat.

Well, this blog is over. Time to go watch This Is Us.