Internal thoughts of a DaddyYO

As a first time dad, I often question what I'm doing as a father when being a DaddyYO to littleYO. Am I being a good father? Am I doing the right things? It's my job to make his initial understanding of a place that is not so kind or forgiving a positive one. This will give LittleYO hope, hope gives rise to dreams and dreams is what life is all about.

This past weekend we went to the park, the beach and took hourly walks. When people see LittleYO they smile, wave and even sometimes stop to talk. I think this is the strangest thing in the world! Why? Because at some point in our lives we start walking by people and stop acknowledging anyone outside of work, friends and family. I'm guilty of this myself and long ago I stopped saying "hello" to anyone I didn't know, except a cute baby or old person.

Youth and old age are the ages that bookmark of our years on this planet. The years in between we spend caught up striving, hustling to make a living and providing for ourselves and families. The younger generations are caught up defining themselves, more than ever , in a world that that is much bigger and non comparable to earlier generations because of web and social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and blogs.

Than at some point again, as we get older, we stop caring about image and work and all other distracting things we spend years trying to understand. Maybe its something people can sense and its inviting and welcoming and people and are not afraid to say "hello" because their is no judgment or "threat" when speaking to a baby or someone that is old.

I only know this because I'm an observer constantly trying to make sense of everything around me, quietly in my mind. Now, I don't look like the "type" but who does? A degree in Psychology, I can not help but believe that there is always an answer for the way people are behaving and acting. The fun part is figuring out situations and why things are the way they are...right now.

This time at home has changed me forever and for the better. I look forward, more now than ever, to the present and the future; because of LittleYO.

Why? Advertisng. Why?

Ring Ring the phone sings, another head hunter. My day wouldn’t be complete until I receive ten more calls just like this one. It’s tough not to be callous and skeptical when most of these opportunities end up with me being more frustrated than where I began my day.

My current situation is a result of today’s economy. I now have to downplay my knowledge of advertising in my interviews, because of the “You’re over qualified” responses that I am receiving. This is scary and a very realistic strategy should I find a job sooner than later.

Being home, I’m not sitting around. I’m researching my advertising field, both online and offline and learning new ways to network and connect social platforms like Facebook and twitter with applications, Google and mobile. Figuring out new ways to improve media and build a stronger more streamlined process that will help advertisers. I will work again and when I do, I will be over qualified.

Advertising is something that has always made clear sense for me and I enjoy helping my clients understand this process. However, I find from my experiences that nobody likes anyone who is more knowledgeable of the advertising process and media than the people you may be working with and/or helping. These are the situations that make you question your ability, your knowledge and media process.

In this economy everyone is protecting themselves, their own positions and their corporate standing within the company. Not to say, this comes as a shock but this is the result as to why advertising media budgets have been cut and slashed by more than 50%; the inability of “higher up’s” to change with the evolution of media.

Usually “higher ups” are someone older and occupy the VP level and higher positions. Through no fault of their own, they simply can not understand media better than the younger teams they are directing and/or managing; a team that is full of youth, ideas and online media knowledge that is built into their DNA.

It’s like Michael Phelps managing a school of fish, telling them what they need to do to swim better and stronger. What might have worked in the past for these “Higher Ups” doesn’t work or apply to the younger generation they are managing/directing or their advertisers. It’s simply out-of -context managing that stunts the results of media advertising performance.

Do not question, or suggest new ideas and out-of-the box strategies, it’s a threat to all things “Higher Ups” value the most, their job. This has been my experience over the last 8 years working within many companies, some fortune 500 companies. Not until, this is dealt with will advertiser’s start to control their overall media success.

…and for those young fish in media who do play ball, and keep their ideas under “control” they will climb that corporate latter, very slowly and achieve the professional success we all strive to achieve every day by the age of 65.

Pick a team, choose a side. Are you a leader or a follower? This is one of the few decisions we, young fish, still have control over.

Good luck and God speed.

Parents Magazine Cover Photo Contest

Vote once per pic. Best vote is 5 STARS!

CLICK HERE: Parents Magazine Photo Contest

Please RETWEET ! Please vote !

$500 off my HP dv7t customizable Notebook - incentive code inside #fb

Instant discounts you received:
$500.00 Coupon NB4327
Use code NB4327 to save $500 off $1399.00+ on HP notebook

I looked online for 2 hours and found this code. Hope it works for you! If not, here is a link for more current codes http://hpwebpromotions.com/

Was $1407 got it for $907 plus free S&H!

HP Pavilion Entertainment dv7t customizable Notebook PC

• • Espresso Black
• • Genuine Windows Vista Home Premium with Service Pack 1 (64-bit)
• • Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo Processor P8600 (2.4 GHz)
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• • FREE Upgrade to 320GB 5400RPM SATA Hard Drive with HP ProtectSmart Hard Drive Protection
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• • Wireless-G Card with Bluetooth
• • No TV Tuner w/remote control
• • HP Color Matching Keyboard
• • 8 Cell Lithium Ion Battery
• • No Modem
• • Microsoft(R) Works 9.0
• • Norton Internet Security(TM) 2009 - 15 Month Subscription
• • Adobe(R) PhotoShop(R) Elements 7.0
• • HP Home & Home Office Store in-box envelope

"Fixit" DaddyYO helpful or not? #fb

What I have been able to do during this economy downturn with no job is continue to spend money. However, I find there is less money for other things like landscaping ($125/week...C'mon!) and repairs around the house. I know I'm not alone when I say I don't want to look stupid and ask someone how to change an outlet box. My next step is usually to "Youtube it" and hope there is an instructional video showing me the step-by-step- process on how its done and in a way a 3-year girl could understand.

Now, after 2 hours of online research I'm usually left with no answer and have reached a new level of frustration. I start thinking about how I'm unemployed and on top of all this I don't know how to change an outlet! Swear words to follow, possibly throw something of no value against the wall followed by a shit and a smoke to calm me down. Then, I ask someone. If you have never felt like this before you're a liar and your probably ugly.

Nobody wants to look stupid or ugly. Lets face it, its inevitable for everyone when it comes to fixing new things around the house to get frustrated.. There's no more shame in my game! I need help and I'm sure I'm not alone. We all have some Fix it questions and need a place to go to in real time.

"FixIT" DaddyYO to our rescue...a father and contractor, has agreed to join the crew should there be interest, answer questions for other DaddyYO's and possibly do a video once a month for the most inquired about project on our blog. Make Sense?

We have a lot people reading our blog and should you feel, now or later, that Fixit DaddyYO could be helpful to you, let him know.

hole in one? doesnt get any closer #fb

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Gorgeous day!

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Too Many Dicks on the Dancefloor...Flight of the Concords!

Sample recording from the show last night. Good times...The quality of the recording was better than I thought. Blackberry bold is an amazing piece of equipment. Anyway, I included the video for those DaddyYO's and MommyYO's who have never see or heard of the show; which is highly unlikely. To experience the high quality sound and visuals, some call hallucinogenic, click on the youtube video.

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Commute into a city, they call New York. Nothing new about this place.

A Queens boy now a Burb boy...I never realized what it was like to DRIVE into the city. As bad as public transportation is, I could always catch a few winks on a ride on the subway. I think I avoided enough of accidents just today, to be fine with never driving into the city again. However, today is "Date Night" with MommyYo who bought tickets for me for Valentines Days to see Flight of the Concords at Radio City. Very Cool!

I got here a bit early and I'm sitting at Langan's bar enjoying, more celebrating, my safe arrival into a city. Stella please...

I always wondered what people were typing on their phones at a bar. Now, I'm one of "those" people. I'm better off. There is a conversation about a dog to the left of me and another conversation to the right of a women sleeping with her boss. I image the chatter and hummm of bar conversation to be the physical sound of people twittering online. This blog has become a slight addiction.

I'm off to Del Friscos with a steak with my name on...with a very hot, hot...hot chick we call MommyYO. These nights are far and few in between, how did I ever do this every night of the week!

How times have changed, all for the good. Today is a new day, a good day for DaddyYO!

My diapers.com order arrived day and half later!

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Father's Day Poll - ToungeNCheek!!! #fb

I completely understand how inappropriate this post is. I might even be judged by some new twitter/Facebook followers. Possibly some folks I might have interviewed with, in the last few weeks, researching my background to fill a position. I say this "I must maintain the promise I made to myself and to all other DaddyYO's who have joined me on this blog. That promise was to keep this forum true to which it was intended and to not compensate my male perspective for anything but the DaddyYO truth”

Father's day is less than two months away and lets not skirt any topics here. What does DAD WANT FOR FATHER"S DAY? Honestly, there is 1 of 4 possibilities, none of which include a tie, car wash, socks, picnic with the family and/or key chain.




Be sure to RETWEET this post. I will keep everyone updated on results. The more numbers we get, the more serious this poll with be taken by everyone. With 2 weeks to go, let's go get our Father’s Day surprise!

DaddyYO's Diapers.com Discounts #fb

I was on Diapers.com buying stuff! I was actually on a lot of sites trying to find the best incentives codes to apply to my purchase. I ended up on Diapers.com. I got $40 off my purchase with the following discount codes below. I was also able to personalize a code for all us DaddyYO's, which is cool.

Unique Code: DaddyY0 - This Code gets $10 off your purchase on diapers.com

Unique Code:10Percent – This gets 10% off all items, except pampers and wipes.

...and you get free shipping.

Sweet Tweet alert: This is how I saved $41+ beans:

1. Buy pampers and wipes or whatever, apply the "DaddyYO" $10 discount code.
2. Buy something expensive, I bought the Maclaren techno XT stroller. I got it for $269 - with the "10percent" code saved $29.00. You will not find this stroller any cheaper online or off!!!! MommyYO wanted this and other sites didn’t even compare at $299 and up.
3. Than I got a random $1 off on something, I don’t even know.

If you sign up for yourself, you can customize your own code and pass it on to your DaddyYO friends.

Hope this helps!

Dr. Visit Part 1- "Man Bag"

..so no luck yet on the job front. My search continues and until than I enjoy every single moment I can with my son. What else could I do? However, this past week “LittleYO” got sick so it hasn't been that much fun. A sick baby is a first for me as a Dad and another first is having to take him to the Dr. It truly is amazing how much everything can happen, all at once.

Cough, cough gets worse, cough is talked about with wifey than the cough is bad enough to call the doctor. Of course, the appointment is at 11 am when MommyYO is at work. It’s an intense moment when MommyYO walks out that front door for work that morning. Suddenly, I realize the responsibility I have as a DaddyYO and looking at littleYO staring at me, I believe he also knows also knows our predicament.

Whatever can happen, will happen…spit up, poop, crying, restlessness, another poop, new stain on the couch (that really bothered me) the phone rings and it’s the Dr. Office. “Mr. DaddyYO, Can you make it in by 9am instead of 11am? I looked at my watch, I got 25 min “Sure” I said. My response was a reflex, not realizing what I said until after I hung up the phone.

Flustered, scattered I was definitely not myself. I called “it in” to MommyYO for some air support. I hung up and realized it was time for the “Man bag”, my first step in gaining control of the situation.

You never now when you have to fly out that door. Now as a DaddyYO it’s a little different from before with no kids and your mnemonic checklist of things to remember no longer applies. “Spectacles, testicles, wallet, watch, keys, ring (phone), metro card”...there is now a ton of other stuff we NEED to remember or our next trip could be a tough one!

This is part one of two of my Dr. Visit with Little YO. For all you new and old ( if you haven’t figured this part out yet) DaddyYO’s out there on twitter, Facebook and the rest of the www I say this “ get your MAN BAGS “Locked and loaded” as if your life depends on it, because it will.”

No Shame in the DaddyYO game...and YES, that is a Disco ball in my Kitchen!

I can't make this sh*t up! - Potty Train - #fb

We've been potty training my son for what seems like forever. About a year ago, he actually went #1 and #2, then totally regressed. Now he's been more open to the idea of not crapping in his diapers. So, finally, about a week ago he went in his potty. Hurrray. I got a call at work, "Daddy I went to the potty!" I was very happy an told him I was proud. That's not the end of it. My son was so happy, in fact, that he wanted to keep the turd in the potty exactly the way it was until I got home. So I could see it. Obviously, mommy was not too eager to keep smelly crap in the potty all day and was about to flush it down the toilet. But my son had a shit fit (pun intended). So after thinking about it a bit, what did mommy do? Well, she convinced my son that taking a picture and giving it to me when I got home was the next best thing. So that's what I got. A happy little boy bum rushing me, with a picture of shit in a potty, when I got home. You can't make this shit up!

"FIVESIES"- While MommyYO is at work, get your kid to sleep! #fb

I’ve been putting my kid to sleep, by myself during the day while Mom is at work. This is different for me and a solution to his crying must be figured out.

A few weeks back, I saw this blind guy with a stick, tap tapping away on streets of 5th Ave. He was about to cross the street and I asked him if he wanted a piggy back. He laughed. I said I'd lend him a hand or an eye. We got to other side of the street, safely. Before I left, I asked him about the tapping of his stick on the ground what “that” was all about. He told me he can hear objects in front of him. Basically, the echo from the tapping bounces off objects in front of him and he can hear those objects. He also has a pretty good idea of the size of the obstruction he walking up to.

Over the sirens, car horns and the other city sounds. I said “WHATTTTTTT...over all these sounds, you can hear that?” He simply said “Yes”.

What he shared with me is something I applied to putting my son to sleep. People who are blind have a heightened sense of smell and sound. People who are deaf have a heightened sense of smell and sight. The reason is the mind compensates for that loss, by heightening the other working senses. That is awesome and not much different from what our babaies are doing with us with thier crying. Everybody parent already know this...

So staring at my son crying in his crib, I say ‘What is wrong” What can I do” a tone you do not want to speak to any baby while they are lying in the crib. I’m trying so hard to understand him. Until one day, I realized he might be trying to understand me. I know when my son is crying for food. I know when my son is tired or has a dump in his diaper and needs to be changed because of the his different cries. It's his way of communicating with me and his minds way of compensationing for not being able to speak. My Kid is so friggin SMART!

So like my blind buddy on 5th Ave, I figured even if my son doesn’t understand a lick of what I’m talking about, he can understand the tone of my voice. I started concentrating on not what I was saying but how I was saying it. I changed my tone for playtime and for bedtime. Doing it often enough, he can now tell the difference and knows what’s up when I put him down in his crib. Becaus eof my tone, he’s not left hanging in a dark room, in a crib all by himself not knowing "the deal". Thinking about, I would cry too if someone I do not understand for no reason just threw me in jail.

The last thing we need to do is something only a DaddyYO can do; put him in the crib and no matter how hard they cry, wait it out for 5 min. Wating for 5 min and listening to you kid cry is not easy and not something in the MommyYO DNA. This is specific to DADDYYO's. However, if you go in before the 5 min, start the 5 min clock all over.

Now, If your buddies can respect “FIVESIES” when we get up off the couch, we DaddyYO's need to respect the 5 min our kid needs to settle down. The sooner you and your kid can establish this understanding, a much happier DaddyYO and hero to MommyYO you will be.

Watching this video, I was laughing because the music was Not playing when he was trying to get to sleep, its background music. That would have been funny.

Father-Son Opening day!

Monday's has always been the Week’s red-headed step-child. Nobody likes Monday's. This Monday is different, it’s OPENING DAY.

This past Sunday, I went out to Citi field in Queens to check out the New METS Stadium. For the first time in 6 years, I came to terms with not being able to go to Opening Day this year. So, I went the more efficient route and went to an open practice.

No doubt the stadium is nice. I like it. It’s a deep, high fly ball from what Shea ever was and taking the time yesterday to walk around instead rushing to find my seat, made for an interesting day. As I walked around scoping out location of bathrooms and beer taps, I though of my son and how this is going to be his stadium, like Shea was mine and Ebbets was my father’s.

“They say” CITI field is reminiscent of Ebbets field and if I hear that one more time, I might puke in my mouth. Ebbets field 1952 the ticket price was A DOLLAR!!! Just ONE DOLLAR! I remember hearing stories from my dad when he was kid how he and his buddies would sneak into Ebbets field to watch the Dodger’s game. Ahh…the good ol’ days… It was a different time that allowed kids to sneak into games and the affordable price of a ticket allowed for both the working and non working fan the ability to sneak away for a “day at the park”. It’s what made baseball, America’s game. The only thing similar about that time and today is our economy and war. I tried to get an opening day ticket and it would of cost me $800 -$1200 for a Opening Day seat (1 seat, not plural).

Yesterday at Citi field, I sat in the outfield waiting for a ball to come my direction, scouting new talent and mostly making fun of Oliver Perez ½ inning performance the other day. It wasn’t a game, it was just a practice and I had a lot of fun. Sitting in the sun, smile on my face it dawned on me that this season will be different and most likely I won’t make it to many home games. The price of seats is just too expensive as the old raspy voice echoes over the loud speaker, in a tone reminiscent of 1950’s, “Bring Your kid to the Game”. It was perfect timing to my internal thoughts and I nodded in disgust, as I didn’t even start to think about what it could possibly cost to bring my son to a game next year when he is old enough. For the first time, I looked around as a father noticing other father and son’s and how much of a big deal today’s PRACTICE could of been for these kids and how likely this practice was the only “day at the park” they will see all year.

Hearing stories from my dad about Pee Wee Reese, Duke Snider and Roy Campanella hitting 140 of his 242 career home runs at Ebbets and telling me “I was there!” Someday I’ll tell my son about the “The CATCH”, the 2000 National League Championship and how “I was there!” These are the moments in baseball history that generations of Father-Son conversations are built on and it’s no surprise the stories we pass on from one generation to the next has taken us from field seats to “nose bleeds”. Sitting in this new stadium, I promised myself that I will do everything I can to keep my sons memories and his future “I was there” stories alive, from inside the park.

At 1pm today, my 5 month son and I will be watching baseball’s Opening day for the first time together. A place I’ve been before and remember all too well with my dad. Despite this economy, not having a job and baseball tickets prices there is nothing that can break the father-son baseball spirit. We’ll get through this time and someday my son will look back and say “I was there, with my dad”.

Mommy is home today!

I know I promised the FIVESIES Video, but mommy is home today. We all need to take advantage of Days when Mom aka "The less fun one" is home. I will try and get the video up later today, probably Monday. Happy Hour starts in just a few hours!

Also, nothing beats going to Carters, a baby clothing store. My Son is 5 months and wearing 12 month cloths. I keep telling him Daddy does not have a job, but he just keeps growing and eating. Anyway, I rather go to the store on a weekday, where there is less of a crowd. I hate crowds! I still cant believe I'm shopping for baby cloths. Who am I!?

I'll also share with all the Daddy YO' a potential BIG diaper savings. I found it online and it gives us a legit savings on diapers, doing the math now, its like over $1000/year. I'm trying it for myself before I share with everyone. So far, so good and doesnt look like a scam. Stay Tuned!

Please be sure to click on "Follow" on the top of our blog. You're able to sign in with your gmail/AOL/Yahoo account ID. There is no need to create new credentials just for this blog.

Ideally, I like to start getting some legit PRIZES and GIVEAWAYS to make this blog more interesting to us DAD's. To do that we need more BLOG "DaddyYO" followers. Because if I go to LOWES corporate, TGIF's, DICKS Sporting goods corporate, and try to get gift certificates for Blog giveaways, it will require more DaddyYO followers. I know people are reading our blog because site traffic is through the roof- So Do it. Please!

With the weekend and Mommy being home. I'm sure I will have tons of good stuff for us on Monday.

Also for anyone interested in writing for our blog, let me know.

Dads Strolling in Public

Originally from Queens, I'm still getting used to the BURBS and when it comes to walking the streets in the middle of the day while pushing a stroller two words come to mind "weird and unemployed and people think I'm gay and I'm the women role in the gay relationship that has to take the baby for a walk everyday".

I'm sure I'm being just paranoid like a lot of Daddy Yo's, who whould agree that strolling in public does feel a bit emasculating. It does take some time getting used too. After all, its not the weekend and its the middle of the day. I usually don't have a problem strolling in public on the weekends, because that's what Dads do, on the WEEKENDS; Not at 1pm on Thursday, so it's different!

I did pass some "stroller mommies" out on the same walk as team DaddyYO. We almost got roped into a conversation. For me, a conversation is anything more then two sentences of which I wish I wasn't speaking. Now when you pass a "Stroller Mommy" strolling the same street, when you pass them we remain firm and confident. We are the Jets, they are the sharks! We can still claim our manhood, without hanging our junk out. We are confident, we're unemployed we are proud to be a Daddy Yo.

It was beautiful day, I had a fantastic time chilling out with my son. I couldn't of asked for anything more and I'm thankful for the time I was able to spend with him. I'm looking forward to our next walk.

Stroll on Daddy Yo's, stroll away!

Job Search DAY...sucks

So today, I'm spending more time looking for a job than being a good dad. I've been out of work since November, and if your a dad like me, it's an emotional roller coaster. Ive come to terms in this economy that finding a GOOD job will take some time.

Its real hard and I'm really sick and tired of talking to head hunters! Seriously, I really wish there was a law against these people "faking the funk" posting bogus job listings on Monster and HotJobs just so they can acquire your personal information attached in your resume. I'd say more than 65% of job site listing are not even real. Which makes our job search even more fun! Sure, there are other sites we can look and honestly, If we know about them, so do the head hunters and these websites have already been shazammed.

Ive been on over 75 interviews since November and I will not go work for a company I don't like OR Do I just take the job to have a job? The million dollar question. Truth is that I'm unable to do later, its not me. I'm smarter than that and the companies that are offering jobs, know people, especially dad's who were in good positions, making good money and have a history of success they (the hiring company) thinks they can now get us for 50% off our desired salary price.

I say that we don't fall for this trickery. We'll be smarter than that and figure something out. Maybe the rat race is not a race we want to be in after all. Maybe this time at home is showing us the importance of something greater and much bigger then ourselves. For the very first time in my life, I'm happier than I have ever been! I don't think I'm ready to cash in on this happiness for a job and a position I don't want.

For now, I continue to look, continue to reinvent myself and continue to be a good stay at home dad.

I'm taking my kid for a walk around the block today! Because I can...

Blog 2.0 with Video

Its only been three days and Ive been talking to some dads. The Blog is cool...but the addition of video would be cooler. Right now, we have 2 dads posting blogs, myself with a 5 month year old son and another dad with a 1 year daughter and 3 year old son . We will be adding other dads to our team to add to add posts and perspective later on in the month.

Right now, the video we plan on creating will be 3 min in length and provides a Dads perspective into the different things we do has fathers; from a Dad's point of view. From changing diapers, balancing dad time with work time, how to shop and how to not lose your cool and punch some random person in the face! All the things we do now, that we thought we never be doing.

So Stay tuned...and join our crew. All you need is a gmail/aol/yahoo username and password to log in. If you like to post to this blog, let us know, and I can add you.