Urban Daddy Exclusive: Father’s Day Giveaway

I’ve never done this before and I’m really excited to have my first every giveaway just in time for Father’s Day and this giveaway is actually something that if I got for father’s day, I would be pretty excited about.

2010 marked the 100th anniversary of Mark Twain‘s death and in celebration of this important milestone and in honor of the cherished tradition of publishing Mark Twain’s works, UC Press published the Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 1.  This book represents the first of a projected three-volume edition of the complete, uncensored autobiography.

To the surprise of many–but not us dads–the book became an immediate bestseller and was hailed as the capstone of the life’s work of America’s favorite author.

In its original form, the book could viewed as a bit “intimidating” for some readers, containing over 700 pages, significant scholarly notations, and weighs in at just over four pounds in weight!

So with the 100th anniversary just passing and in response to well-received feedback – just in time for Father’s Day - the publisher has released AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MARK TWAIN, VOLUME 1, READER’S EDITION (UC Press, March 2012) which provides the bestselling text in a form that is convenient for the general reader.

Here is what Dads will love about the new Reader’s Edition:

. It’s portable
. It is a paperback
. It is written in larger type
. It is without any editorial explanations
. Includes an exclusive excerpt from Volume 2

Even with all these slimming changes, there is no downsizing in content. In addition to the full, uncensored biography, READER’S EDITION features a brief introduction describing the evolution of Mark Twain’s ideas about writing his autobiography, a chronology of his life, and brief family biographies.

Readers will also get an exclusive look at what is to come with an excerpt from the highly anticipated Autobiography of Mark Twain, Volume 2-a controversial but characteristically humorous attack on Christian doctrine.

This updated major literary event brings to readers, admirers, and scholars the first of three volumes and presents Mark Twain’s authentic and unsuppressed voice, brimming with humor, ideas, and opinions, and speaking clearly from the grave as he intended.

Here is what Esquire had to say about this book; “So the Autobiography of Mark Twain, what with being The Dad Book of the Year and all, is apparently flying off the shelves faster than bookstores can stock it.”

I have a copy of the MARK TWAIN, VOLUME 1, READER’S EDITION, for one lucky reader and all you have to do if jump through a ring of fire and walk across a tightrope over an active volcano.

No seriously…  All you need to do is comment as to why you would like the copy I received  to giveaway and then either go to twitter and re-tweet this post or like my Facebook page.  If you don’t have twitter of Facebook that’s okay too.  My Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/pages/Urban-Daddy/109554365740659?sk=messages_inbox&action=read&tid=id.247493495355537#!/pages/Urban-Daddy/109554365740659 and there is a link to it on the right side of my blog.  My twitter account is @urbandaddyblog.

I’m going to be diving into my copy soon and hopefully I can get the copy off to the winner on this weekend, so please if you are interested, let me know on this blog post by midnight Saturday night, June 9th, 2012.  I will put all those interested into a hat and have one of my kids pull out the winner so it will be totally random, then I will reach out to that winner for their address.

Good luck to all.

Come follow my 4-year-old son on Twitter

Come follow my 4-year-old boy on Twitter @littleboypurple

He only has 7 tweets (he talks, we type) but he comes in to our room in the morning (2:30am this morning) and he’s usually ready to provide a message to the world.

It’s too hard for me to remember all the clever / crazy / funny / inquisitive stuff that comes out of his mouth so my wife opened the account for him.

Our 6-year-old wanted to know why he doesn’t have a Twitter account – and when prompted for something to say to the world, he responded with “Fou Fou Banana”… Nuff said.

So please sign in and follow the little (not so little) guy.

And if you have a twitter account or know some good ones, post them here and I’ll make sure to follow you from my account @urbandaddyblog

Thanks!

… and also check out my wife, @naomicatgirl

Happy 5th Birthday Twitter

Hey, Twitter is 5 years old today.

What do you get for a social networking program, in 140 word or less, that has absolutely everything?

Really?  I do not know.

Will there be cake?

But seriously, Twitter, in the 2 years I’ve known you, you have allowed some 725 people to read my nonsensical ramblings, my “tweets” about life, tax, sports and general random thoughts about nothing.  You have taught me about the correct use of a “#” sign and the “@” sign.  You show up on the right column of this blog and you post each and every blog post I write. 

We’ve bonded.

I’m still not sure what you’re all about, and why 140 characters?  Why not 141?  Or 139? 

And why again do I care what Tom Cruise, Ashton Kutcher or Lindsay Lohan are doing at any point in the day?  You’ve got that edgy, digital voyeurism aspect that kind of creeps me out but kind of keeps me coming back for more. 

My wife dislikes you, unless she is using you as evidence as to what time I am going to bed.  Hard to deny a 2:25am tweet.  I tell her you are misunderstood, but we all know that’s a lie.  I still like Facebook more, but you’re good in a pinch.

Well happy birthday anyways… I’m off to play Cityville or Jedi Vs Sith on Facebook.

How to keep in touch with this urban daddy’s blog

I recommend subscribing to this blog.

Why?

That way you get an email or notification whenever something changes around here.  When a new blog post hits, an older post is re-posted or edited, or when a comment prompts me to post a disclaimer at the bottom of the post, maybe with some comments.

To be honest, since I do most of my posting for the week late at night, subscribing allows you to see my posts once I’ve had a chance to run the spell checker and check the grammar.

As well, if you have not already done this, you should go to Facebook and type in urbandaddy, find the trademark yucky stuffed offwhite kitty (that’s Linus’ “friend” Zoey) and “like” this blog. I foresee in the future posting there only, and not on my regular facebook page.

Right now people who “like” urban daddy and are friends with me get the posts twice.

You can also follow me on twitter @urbandaddyblog

So many choices!!!

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Urban-Daddy/109554365740659?ref=ts

Thank you readers for a record month!

Thank you for making January (with one day left) the best month for this blog… EVER.

Hits this month were a quarter more than my previous best month, which was December, and comments this month were a staggering 65% more than my previous best.

I really appreciate each time someone takes the time to read, or comment on something I have written. 

Whether you are reading it directly at www.urbandaddy.wordpress.com, or on Facebook under my profile, or my urbandaddy page (come “like” me), or on Twitter @urbandaddyblog. You have taken the time to click through and I appreciate it.

Let’s have a kick-ass February!

Sincerely,

This urban daddy

National Delurking Day 2011.

In the blogging world a tradition started a couple years ago, and it looks like today is that day where you, my faithful readers actually take the time to post a comment, no matter how big or small.   

Today is National Delurking Day. 

So please post a comment.  Happy delurking!

Update:  In the 12 hours since this post has been up, 90 people have come and visited, and only one delurked… Come on people.  Don’t be shy.

Some blog updates

I’ve made some blog updates while taking a break from all the taxation work I’ve been doing night and day since December 1st.

Slowly but surely I have updated all my blogroll so if you are looking for a good read, check out any of the links. They are all great.

I’ve changed my layout, so for those of you who read me in a blog reader or through Facebook, come on by the URL and see the changes.

In this period of lack of creativity, you may want to check out my twitter feed which is on this blog on the right side, or you can follow me @urbandaddyblog

Also this time of year I tend to spend more time on my tax blog; http://www.intaxicating.wordpress.com / http://www.intaxicating.ca as I spend a lot of time, this time of year, answering technical tax questions and in researching the answers, I put all that information on up on my blog for future reference.

So if you think of any other blogs that I might be interested in, please post a comment with that information and thank you again for dropping by.

Reader Input Required. Current Events Challenge.

Happy December everyone!

As the holidays roll nearer and nearer, and people tend to be nicer to each other, I think it’s time to open up this post to reader insight, since you’ll all be in a good mood and participate…

Now I know how many of you read my blog – I have a hit counter – but I don’t know who reads it and that’s not important.  What I can tell, however, is that my hits have more than tripled in the past 4 months, so thank you very much for taking the time to stop by on twitter, on wordpress and through subscriptions to read my crap.

Today I thought I would post some current events happening in the world and allow you to tell me, and the many readers of this blog which one(s) means the most to you and why.  Which piss you off and which make you happy.  Interact.  Have fun.

Here is your list to choose from:

1. Monday was Cyber Monday which was pretty much Black Friday, but online.  There were supposed to have been plenty of deals to be had and over 100 million shoppers expected from the US alone.  My wife, at home on Monday - credit card memorized was ready to click send on her shopping cart and bring home a deal.  Her question to me as I left the house Monday morning was, “Is there anything you need?”…  By Monday night we had found nothing to buy.  In the end we bought some customized metal water bottles for the kids and a new shower curtain and bathroom set for the kids bathroom.  What, if anything, did you find interesting and buy this Cyber Monday?
2. Leslie Nielson died on Sunday – of the Naked Gun fame…  A very funny Canadian. 
3. The Montreal Alouettes won the Grey Cup and right after the game their Quarterback Anthony Calvillo announced he is scheduled for cancer surgery after a spot was found on his lymph node, detected in August… He didn’t tell a sole, played out the season, won the Grey Cup and now is going under the knife. WOW.
4. The CRTC has given a 5 year license to SunTV to create a “right-wing” news station… All I can say is it is about time! I can’t wait for it to come on air. I’m just tired of having all the news presented to me with that left-wing / anti-right-wing slant…
5. North Korea vs South Korea… WTF is NK doing? And another WTF to Sarah Palin who said we “need to stand behind our North Korea allies”… Huh?  I know there is tension there, but seriously folks… Let’s watch the North Koreans like we do the Iranians… That’s working!  Not!
6. What are your thoughts on the WikiLeaks? Are they going to cause problems for the US government?  Should the person / people who leaked the documents be charged with treason?  I heard on the radio that informants are less likely to tell secrets to the US for fear that they will come out in the public a few months later.
7. Are you fed up with the world’s response to Iran building nuclear weapons and threatening the world with them? Well apparently so are Iranians. Turns out 2 academics were attacked in Iran Monday, one of them identified as a scientist involved in nuclear or ballistic missile activities. Iran blames Israel and the US, of course… In a country that “has no homosexuals” should we expect anything else?
8. And what are your thoughts on a news story that broke this weekend whereby the Toronto Hydro tipped off police that someone was using an above average amount of power at all hours of the day, prompting police to locate a grow op and arrest and charge the man. Is this information private or should the cops be receiving calls from hydro in cases like these?

 

No pressure now!  Do the best you can.

My Daughter is 1! Happy First Birthday Berry!!!

Has it been one year already?

Yes it has.

It seems like so much longer. I can’t believe how much she has grown in the past few weeks. Aside from her regular vocabulary, Berry has added the following gems;

She says, “yeah” now. Me: “Berry, do you want to eat?” Berry: “Eat… Yeah!”.
Me: “Berry, do you want more?” Berry: “Mowr… Yeah”.
Me: “Berry, do you want a kick in the head?” Berry: “Yeah!”

She calls all stuffed animals, “bear”.
She calls all dolls, “Dawl”

She looks to her big brothers for their feedback and will continue to act in a certain way depending on them, for example, when she was smacking herself in the head, they laughed, she continued…

When she doesn’t want to eat anymore, she shakes her head no.

She has become very loud… Not surprising as she has to keep up with the boys.

She has developed a fondness for the rubber duckies in the bath tub and treats them the same way little girls react to Justin Beiber… Shrieks of adoration.

She has crazy hair that comes down past her nose in the front and she can often be found pulling at her hair, usually with hands full of yogurt or oatmeal… UGH.

She has a boyfriend – let’s call him Neeson – who is a few months older than her.

And she learned to shake her head in the “no” manner but doesn’t know the world “no”… yet.  She actually makes herself dizzy and laughs while she’s doing it… She’s crazy like her big brother.

Happy 1st Birthday, Berry!

Random Thoughts in Rainy Toronto. Post #600.

• Still wondering what I might have done differently upon seeing that mom feeding her 1-year-old Coke Zero instead of glaring at her in disgust the other day @ Costco…  What would you have done?
• On Wednesday I was sick.  Stomach flu.  The 24 hour variety that required vomiting.  I was back to work on Thursday with 200+ new emails.

Thursday Stewie had it.

Saturday Urban Mummy, then Linus…

Monday the baby got hit…

Got to love those “relaxing” weekends after a long week @ the office.  With no sleep and a ton of stuff to get done right now, I already can’t wait for the weekend. 

• I have 480 “followers” on Twitter… Truth be told, I’m not really sure why people want to follow me, so I just tweeted that and lost 5 followers.  LOL.  Those were the smart 5.  They just got their 4.2 seconds back they would be wasting reading my drivel.  I’m following 900 people, a lot of them are spam, but some are cool local folk who chat every now and then.   You can follow me too if you want @urbandaddyblog
• What does Twitter-etiquite say about removing people who follow you?  On Facebook if you remove people you face criticism.
• Sunday was the Santa Claus parade in Richmond Hill and in Maple.  So this is where Santa is this time of year!  Shouldn’t he be making toys or something like that?  Or is EVERYTHING made in China these days…
• The Toronto Argonauts beat the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Eastern conference semi-final on Sunday.  YAY!  and whew!
• I need to tweet @Ellismate, Jason Ellis and ask him what the heck is a “Red Dragon”?
• Missed 2 birthday party’s, and 2 meals this past weekend!  Sucks!
• Berry’s first birthday is coming up in a couple weeks.  WOW.  Where did the time go, and wow, where did my hair go?
• Maybe coming to a TV near you soon… This urban daddy…
• On Friday I held a BBQ for the around 75 people in my office.  organized it and cooked the food.  What a blast!  I got to eat everything I dropped which meant 2 hot dogs, one European sausage and a sirloin burger that I put aside but burned.  Then I had 4 interviews to conduct while smelling like a BBQ.  OY.