My World is Shrinking

It's happening. I didn't want it to happen, but it is. I am becoming one of those people who lives his life through the little box on the desk.

Yes, it seems my friends, my social calendar, my contact with human beings outside of the home is all happening on the computer. I hate to admit it, but I start each day (usually at 5 a.m., before the bosses wake up) with a cup of coffee and a visit to my favourite internet communities, to find out who's done what, who has responded to my posts and how many people have read the blog.

I've been thinking a lot about this in the last week or so, while the wife's been away. Is it a bad thing? Is it just the best option for me right now?

I'm a stay-at-home dad, my closest family member is more than 1,000 miles away, I've just moved to a new town, I haven't had the time or opportunity to make friends, and I have two young charges that limit my social activity in a big way. I'm not complaining, understand, I'm just stating the obvious.

So why turn to the computer? Because there aren't too many folks like me within driving distance.

Stay-at-home dads are still a rare breed (but growing) and there are not as many SAHD groups as there are "mommy and me" groups. Yeah, I can and have attended those meetings. They're good to a point, but I'm not a mommy. I can't contribute to the discussions on birth and breast feeding, cosmetics and clothes. And although I can't speak to it personally, a number of the SAHDs I've spoken with have even been turned away at the door by some of the mommy's groups.

And so, to find folks like myself, I turn to the box on the desk. And here I found Dadstayshome.com. You'll see the link to the right of this text in the "My Blog List" section.

It is an active site run by, run for and used by stay-at-home dads. The guys, SAHD's from all over North America, feel like friends. At this site, I find guys who know what it's like to wait for mommy to get home from work, just so they can get a few things done. Guys who have advice for cleaning hardwood floors. Guys who have found a trick or two for feeding a fussy toddler and guys who just want to shoot the shit about sports, politics, plumbing, photography, brewing techniques, cars, news and the funny stuff kids do. These are guys, like me, who no longer know what it's like to eat, shower, shave or poop without an audience.

Yeah, we also swap recipes and bitch about our wives. I've even been virtual golfing (http://www.wgt.com/) with a threesome from the site, after the kids have gone to bed. More living in the box, but hey, I won.

If you happen to be a SAHD reading this, check it out. It might just keep you sane.

I also find myself turning to the box to maintain my writing skills. This is personal and important to me. I want to continue to amuse and piss off the world in my own special way. To that end, I try to write a daily blog and I have joined a dadblog web site. I can read other blogs, critique them and have my own critiqued. Again, contact with and feedback from a segment of society that is not readily available in Thompson.

As for news, I get it from a number of internet sources. Another throwback to the old days I suppose. Must know what's going on in the world and I just don't have the opportunity to buy a newspaper every day.

And yes, I have a Facebook account, but I don't spend a lot of time there. I check it every now and again to see pictures of old friends, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews. And I send virtual drinks. Why? Not sure.

Anyway, that's what's on my mind today. And writing about it helps me sort it all out. For those of you seeking humour today, I would suggest clicking here. This was a blog entry I discovered at the dadblog site. If you are easily offended by colourful language, don't go. But it's really funny, and appropriate for work. So enjoy. See you tomorrow.