The Joy of a Street Corner

There are many ways to define the benefits of a new job; more pay, a promotion, the corner office or a fancy title. For people living in San Francisco and commuting down to the South Bay each and every day, putting up with a lot of traffic, crazy amount of traffic or 'it is Thursday and everyone heads out early to go to Lake Tahoe' traffic, a simple phrase explains it all; South of Market. 

Wait a minute Mr Daddy? Are you implying that you are changing job? Nope. Even better, my lovely wife is! I couldn't be happier for her! Happy because it is a great position at a great company. Happy because I know how hard she worked to get it. And more than anything, incredibly happy that she will now be working in the SoMa district, at Pinterest. 

Up! Up! And away!

There are some benefits working for a large Silicon Valley company like Yahoo!, and interestingly sometimes these benefits become mortal enemies. Let me explain, last August the food became free on campus. This means breakfast, lunch and even dinner if you for some reason happen to still be around. Free food is obviously great. Who would complain?

Well, obviously the Swede will. Because the food being free is great, don't get me wrong, however there are things that you should have to pay for to reduce the temptation for over-consumption. Yes, I am talking about those devilishly attractive chocolate bars, soft drinks and potato chips. Yes, potato chips! For free! I simply don't have the integrity to say 'no'.  

How Technology Makes You Old

Technology profoundly changes our lives and they way we communicate, which is probably why each generation will remind the upcoming one of the time before this incredible change when we lived in a cave with a rock to play with. My parents for example will go on and on about their first television, which was in black and white with only two channels AND no remote control. This is about the time I am rolling my eyes, again.

 

And as the law of nature state to assure the universe does not collapse, I will obviously do the same with my kids. I will ramble about the first time I used a computer which was a small green screen with only two lines and a small dot to play with. At this point, my children will be rolling their eyes, as they have grown up in a house with more computers than people living in it.

Happiness is a Box of Bear

Having children is by many considered a life changing event, and they are talking about it in a positive way. Not the 'lack-of-sleep-always-covered-in-bodily-fluids-I'm-getting-wrinkles' kind of way. And to me the impact of parenthood on our lives is really a re-focus. With children you remember a lot of things you had long forgotten. 

You remember the thrill of standing behind the door waiting for someone to find you. You recall the rush of adrenaline of running really, really, really fast. You all of a sudden remember that an eraser can be your most valuable asset as it smells so nice. And most of all; you remember to laugh because there is no reason not to.  

Look-Alikes

First a quick warning that the complaining in this blog post might be based on the simple lack of a perception skill on my part. My last eye exam showed no obvious signs of deterioration in eye sight, but who knows. Or maybe it is just me taking yet another step to becoming a grumpy old man. Yes, who knows. But here it goes; I am amazed by people that spot similarities in new borns. 

When you have a child, and they are only days old, people will let you know that they have the ear lobe of your great grand father, and the eye lashes of your grand mothers neighbor. I'm sorry, but I just don't see it. And it is my child! 

Part Two

Being the sequel to a successful blockbuster is quite the challenge. Applying the same plot with the twist that worked wonders in the first movie will be a yawn and a quiet 'seen that already' comment in the sequel. I am a sequel myself, with an older sister, so I know what awaits Mr Bear. Because let's be honest; we love our children with the same endless, unconditional love, but the amount of pictures and movies goes down drastically with the second child.

But even though the excitement of the first poop, burp, hick-up and fart might not be greeted with exactly the same amount of 'first-time parents excitement' the second time around, the sequels have the luck of more confident, relaxed and experienced parents. And let's not forget; the sequels have surprising tricks up their sleeves that you did not expect, like the 'Baby-Bear-Spin-Off' move. You did not see that one the first time around, now did you?!?

DJ Bear

To be honest, my one goal with my kids is for them to be good people. Honest, kind, compassionate and loving people that take decisions based on what they believe in, and not what their surrounding pressures them into. I don't really care about what path they choose professionally, what soccer team they decide to support or where they decide to live. I just want them to be good people. 

They can have the hobbies they want; I will not intervene but try to be supportive. Except to brainwash them to be music lovers of course. Maybe it is as simple as life has a lot of ups and downs, and you need a good soundtrack to go with it. When Miss Cupcake was around two she let me know that the Beatles was on the radio - very proud dad. And Mr Bear is not far behind... 

There are some similarities in technique with Miss Cupcake...