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Author Archives: Jeff Allanach
High school graduation, pandemic style
I remember little of my high school graduation. In fact, my sharpest memory of that June day 33 years ago is of a bug splatting all over my necktie as I drove to the ceremony. And it was no small … Continue reading
A whisper of hope falls silent
We last spoke on Father’s Day 2017. I delayed calling in part because I never made the effort to send your card, and a small part of me felt guilty. I didn’t want to explain myself to someone who wouldn’t … Continue reading
Farewell, ol’ friend
I learned on Friday that an old friend is about to die. She’s been sick for a long time, so her death comes as no surprise, but that doesn’t lift the veil of sadness when I think of her imminent … Continue reading
A Little League team cheated? I’m not surprised.
I wish I was surprised by the news that Little League® International stripped a Chicago-area youth baseball team of its 2014 World Series title after determining that the team included players who lived outside its boundaries. But I can’t even … Continue reading
Some guys yell at football, I yell during ‘Switched at Birth’
Like most American men, I’ve been known to yell at the TV. Some men scream at the quarterback for throwing an interception with two minutes left in the fourth while others passionately correct the cable-news talking heads with whom they … Continue reading
A father’s lessons from Bethany Beach
I tried not to learn anything during our week in Bethany Beach, Del. I tried to simply enjoy my time in the sun, relax, and enjoy some family time with Karen and the kids before the start of school today. … Continue reading
‘Dads Behaving Dadly’ dispels fatherhood myths
I don’t have to look far to find examples of, or read stories about, the absent or bumbling father. Whether it’s in my social media feeds, the TV commercials that interrupt my favorite shows, or the pages of my local … Continue reading
This Father’s Day, pinky swear to be there
“Field of Dreams” has to be one of my favorite movies of all time. It manages to combine seemingly disparate themes (baseball, faith, redemption, persistence) in a great narrative that speaks to me on many levels. I hadn’t thought of … Continue reading
Losing the race, but still having fun
One of the tougher challenges I face as a father is knowing when my children learn the lessons I teach or simply recite what I say so they can tell me what they think I want to hear. Take sportsmanship … Continue reading
What I learned chaperoning a middle school field trip
We all need to challenge ourselves. Some people learn a new language while others run a marathon. Some might learn to cook healthier while others set out to build their own deck or finish the basement on their own. The … Continue reading