Patria Potestas (Daddy Power!)

When I first started this blog, I never really believed that anyone would be interested in hearing a guy blather on about fatherhood.

After all, let's face it. We still live in a world where men are not really encouraged to discuss their inner feelings. Most of us just don't want to hear about it.

If society has taught us anything, it's that there's a fine line between being a strong, confident man who is in touch with his feelings and being a giant wuss who cries at every father-daughter dance, likes to bake banana bread, and loves Jane Campion movies. Iron Man meet Iron John.

So yeah, really, who the fuck would want to listen to some random NYC Asian-American dude talk about being a dad?

But four years, ten pounds, and two colonoscopies later here I am. Still standing.

In fact, this is my 337th post. It's hard to believe. 337 times I've released my mental diarrhea out into the public arena. Who knew I even had that much to say?

Since its inception, this blog has been my own personal soapbox. It not only serves as a place for me to transcribe my personal journey into fatherhood but also lets me vent about the truly important issues of the day that seriously affect all of us.

Like sitting at the pediatrician's office yesterday, I jotted down an observation. Look, I wrote it on this napkin. It says: DO SOMETHING FUNNY ABOUT BABY DROOL. You see, that's the joy in writing this blog. Taking on the big guys.

Anyway, four years ago when I started this site, there weren't really any dad bloggers around. In fact, as far as I knew, it was just me, Greg, LOD and a small handful of others.

Then, along came Dutch, Danny, and Matthew. Pretty soon, more and more dads started entering the blogosphere. It's almost as if they started springing up in waves. I loved it. I've always enjoyed reading new dad blogs and wanted to give all of them as much attention as I possibly could. In fact, whenever I had free time, I'd do various write-ups introducing all the new dad blogs as they came online.

As I've said many times before, mommy blogs are like the giant 800-lb gorilla of the parenting blogosphere. They are an amazing revolutionary force of sheer will, spirit, and determination. They're fantastic and I love all of them. (Don't forget I was always on your side, ladies, 'cause I don't want to get hurt in the coming revolution. And by the way, don't you all look sexy today! Did you lose some weight? Is that a new haircut?)

What the hell was I talking about again? Ah yes, mommy blogs as 800-lb gorillas. Well, if that's the case,  then daddy blogs are like the tiny gnat on the gorilla’s ass. Although our numbers are growing larger by the day, in all honesty, most people don’t even know we exist.

That's why I was so surprised to learn that Guy Kawasaki's amazing new site aggregator, ALLTOP, now has a channel featuring just Dads!

Alltop is an amazing, new kind of site. If you are interested in celeb gossip or politics or gaming or fashion or geeky stuff, the top posts in a wide variety of different genres are covered all in one place, without you having to load anything into a feed reader. It's absolutely brilliant.

The fact that there are now enough dad bloggers out there to justify their own channel on Alltop is amazing to me and warms the cockles of my soul. At last count, Alltop listed 81 different daddy blogs! How cool is that? I can't wait to see more and more added to the list.

Thanks to Guy and AllTop for recognizing the growing popularity of Dad bloggers. Now, go check them out here.

And if any of you know some other dad bloggers out there who either aren't on the list or I've never mentioned before, leave their URLs in the comments below.

Speaking of fathers...Al Copeland (the mack daddy of fried chicken and legendary founder of the Popeyes restaurant chain) passed away this week. I was so upset that I poured out some cajun gravy and dirty rice for my homie last night. Rest in peace, Al. Thanks for making the world a better place than it was before you entered it.

Comments

[Mary]

Why, Yes I did lose some weight but no, the hair cut isn't new. I washed it this morning though. =P

[bradley]

I've always appreciated it when you've introduced new daddy bloggers on your site. Glad to see that there are so many now, all aggregated in one place!

[Childsplayx2]

This is truly awesome. Now, if I could only get on it...

(And it's nice to recognized as someone who helped start the revolution! Viva Los Padres!)

[JJ Daddy's Baby Momma]

Happy bloggin' anniversary, and welcome new dads.

Mommy blogs didn't do much for me but raise my blood pressure, so daddy blogs have kept me sane and made me laugh till I snort during my parallel journey through parenthood.

[sugarplumsmom]

That's awesome! I really enjoy reading the Daddy blogs. I like to see the parenting perspective from the other side of the gender debate just because I *do* think there are some fundamental differences in how women and men tend to approach parenting.

[kyle]

Honestly I had no idea there were so many daddy blogs. I only read you and Greg. Thanks for providing links to others. I can't wait to check them out.

[bill]

This daddyblogger Just found this blog, and the resources Metrodad mentions. Good to meet you all.

Untie! I mean... Unite!

Father of 3 under 3.5

[janet b.]

I love reading daddy blogs. The mommy ones are a little too cliquish for me. Besides, it's always refreshing hearing the opposite sex's take on parenting.

[Jeremy Neal]

Great post! I love the lead up and Alltop is definitely a blessing for us all. Congrats on sticking with the blog for so long, it's definitely inspirational to hear it. -Jeremy @ Discovering Dad

[Malcolm]

Congrats on being the #1 dad blog on AllTop, MD. Well deserved honor. Meanwhile, I've been checking out that site all afternoon. The aggregator is a great idea. Surprised nobody thought of it earlier.

[Lunasea]

I think you know this guy from Rice Daddies, but my favorite local guy is F-Bomb (http://www.fbomb.us/).

[Jo]

Go Dads!

[Justin]

I've tried to penetrate mom blogs clique now for a year, even been kicked out of one. Glad to see dad blogs getting some respect! Thanks for teh find and congrats on the blogiversary.

[Mama Nabi]

What do you mean, I look sexy today? Are you being sarcastic? What haircut? Now you're just mocking me, aren't you? OH, the weight loss... yeah, that's it. Hmmm, still not convinced... you ARE mocking me...
I do love daddy blogs. I remember when I first discovered this blog and Daddy in a Strange Land, I was so excited to have found role models, great ones!, for PN and encouraged him to check you guys out. Funny story - one of the posts that made me laugh out loud was the one in which you talked about feeding Peanut out of MetroDog's bowl... PN didn't get it and was quite sure HE was a better dad for condemning the act of feeding one's child out of the canine family member's bowl. Oh, the irony.
Thank goodness daddy bloggers are sticking around... otherwise I may still be clueless about the good dads out there!

[Tim]

It's nice to see a Dad blog out here! I'm new to the blog thing, but not new to the dad thing. I've just started my blog and am still trying to get the hang of it. It's kinda hard to know what to write when nobody vists. Anyway, thank you for allowing my url. Please feel free to give advice.
Thanks

[Tim]

As I said, I'm new. Here's my url:
http://mrmomsunite.blogspot.com

[SciFi Dad]

Well, since you asked, you've never mentioned me before...

http://talesfromthedadside.blogspot.com/

I actually went through the list, and it's pretty good, except that it's got (what I consider at least) some pretty obscure ones and is missing Chag (Cynical Dad) and William (Poop and Boogies).

I already emailed them about those two; you can't have a list of dad blogs without them, IMHO.

[Backpacking Dad]

because you asked...

http://backpackingdad.blogspot.com

[Sandy]

One of my fav daddy blogs is http://www.poopandboogies.blogspot.com/

Congrats on post #337!

[NG]

My current obsession is Jeff Vogel, who creates video games and maintains this website on which he devotes a portion of the space to chronicling his fatherhood experiences.

www.ironycentral.com

Check out links to "The Story About the Baby" and "The Story About the Toddler."

Maybe if enough of us start writing him, we can convince him to get an rss feed!

[Whit]

When I started 3 years ago I thought I was the only one. It took me a year to realize that I wasn't. That's how long it took someone to find me I guess.

Hey, I was one of a handful of people that contacted Guy prior to the dad listing to get one started. You're welcome.

I love Popeye's biscuits.

[misfithausfrau]

Congrats on your posts! I have really appreciated reading a father's point of view as my husband is typical in his inability to express himself. You even noticed that I've lost 10 pounds AND got my haircut on Tuesday. My husband has not. Well done, MetroDad. Well done.

[MetroDude]

I met Guy Kawasaki at a conference in Cabo a few years ago. Great guy. Very approachable. Let him tell you the story about how he turned down the offer to be the CEO of Yahoo because it was an hour drive each way from his house.

He says it's the "second billion dollars" he missed that really pisses him off though.

If he likes you - you're definitely in. Nicely done, MD.

[Mei]

I'm finally delurking to say Bravo Good Job. Yours was the first daddy blog I read & still do. You're one funny dude.

Here's to another 337 entries...and more...

[ka_jun]

MD, you're definitely the Manny Pacquiao of the daddy blogging world, a compliment I don't drop lightly.