Because trouble comes in all sizes.
Vincent Daly 
Disney-Pixar’s eagerly anticipated release of Cars 3 arrived last weekend. Much like Toys 3 emphasized the passage of of time, so too does this feature film. Lightning McQueen, race car extraordinaire, finds himself facing obsolescence. Audiences expecting a feel-good comeback story might be surprised.
Being a Dad requires the assembly of assorted parts both figurative and literal. Relatively speaking, the procreation aspect happens naturally on the path to becoming a father. The transformation from independent man to Dad employs a radically different set of tools. Oddly enough, your own children hold the key to unlocking your heart and mind. There’s no manual available to guide your way. Your journey encompasses the unknown. Yet despite the encroaching fear, an expected truth emerges. We have an innate capacity for love.
The major players at the 2017 E3 have made their announcements. It looks the Nintendo Switch has emerged a clear favorite with Xbox offering up an upgraded console this Fall and Sony promising exclusive titles for 2018. We’ve got the low down of what Nintendo has in store for gamers.
In this episode of the CuteMonster Show I spoke with Hip Hop Music and Spoken Word artist Beleaf about his new album “In Fatherhood” as well as his thoughts about being a stay-at-home Dad. Beleaf also discussed his ambition to change society’s misconception of what it means to be a Black father. His wildly popular YouTube series titled Beleaf in Fatherhood takes us on genuine Black Family’s journey living in the United States in the 21st century.
Sometimes a first look is all you need to be enamored with cutting edge technology gear. The initial impression often transcends and negates even the most practical minds. Our emotions hold court as our desire to obtain the latest object of fascination takes over. Such is the case for a couple of products I stumbled upon recently. The first is the Air Lamp – a levitating portable lamp courtesy of Levof Technologies. The second is from LIttleBits. They’ve just released a code kit that will appeal to educators and kids alike.
The whole superhero genre owes much to writer and director M. Night Shyamalan’s 2000 haunting sleeper hit Unbreakable. It took the premise of the superhero/villain origin story and injected it with a realistic approach rather than a typical flight of fancy. More of a mystery drama than action-packed extravaganza, audiences will find themselves engaged in a complex story with subtle nuances.
If you’ve got kids that are in elementary school then you’ve heard of fidget spinners. The upside of this latest fad seems to be the decrease in bottle flipping. I for one welcome the change. Plus now there’s a fun DIY project via Frugal Fun for Boys and Girls to build your own fidget spinner using LEGOS.
My first introduction to artificial intelligence was courtesy of The Jetsons. Rosy the robot, a wise-cracking maid and babysitter, brought humor, empathy and joy to her wacky human family. The comedic droids in Star Wars reinforced the idea of artificial intelligence equating to sidekicks rather than adversaries. Indeed, C-3PO and R2-D2 played a central role in the success of the rebellion. Yet science fiction movies such as 2001, The Terminator, and The Matrix foretold of a different reality. They envision a world where sentient machines threaten the very existence of humanity. A time in which AI supersedes the intelligence of humans.
When I partnered with Beautyrest to try out their Beautyrest Sleeptracker monitor, I leapt at the opportunity. As a Dad, sleep has been elusive. Yet I’ve known the value of a good night’s rest since I was a child. Growing up, I felt more complete with the proper nutrition and sleep routine. Life has a way of getting us off the rails though. We take on new responsibilities such as work and family. Stress factors in heavily. Bad habits form over time undermining our health and well-being. Honestly, the arrival of the Beautyrest Sleeptracker monitor couldn’t have arrived at a more relevant time.