Tag Archives: Dude

The Dude and The Brain.

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Here’s a pretty groovy – and free, I might add – tool to help you organize every thought in your head. As simple as packing for a vacation or as complicated as planning world domination.

The Brain.

Great name. Very intuitive. And the free version is all you’ll need.

Watch the 10 minute video tour, and you’ll be ready to roll.

I just set up the Dude’s Brain the other night, and I think I’m in love. The setup was quick, and, surprisingly enjoyable, because thoughts were being organized.

I realized I have all sorts of tangents going on in the Dude’s world; lots of hobbies, ideas, explorations. All underway, none with a strict path or point of closure. And The Brain helped me organize some of the tangents.

The Dude’s Flow. Family + the Dude’s crazy ideas = The Dude’s Flow

I considered starting a second blog to discuss ideas that didn’t fit into the Dude Knows Best mold; gardening, health, DIY projects, science, education, play. The Flow keeps growing all the time.

But an expansion seems more fitting. Well, easier. So, I’m going to expand some of the topics covered on DKB.

Still the core focus on family life, but let’s incorporate more of the full Flow. Perfect, almost no definition. Let’s see where DKB takes us.

Here’s a glance at the upper level of the Dude’s Brain. Groovy tools, man.

Dude's Brain

Dude's Brain

 

Have You Seen the New Google Glasses?! Data, Dude, Data.

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Check this out. Google’s new glasses are wild. Plastering data everywhere. Amazing. And scary at the same time.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9c6W4CCU9M4&list=UUK8sQmJBp8GCxrOtXWBpyEA&feature=plcp[/youtube]

While we’re on the subject of data, how about a New York Times story about a former Google employee that is now building the “one of the world’s largest and most accurate repositories of facts.” Factual.

  • If you buy a used car, your best bet is an orange one.

And there’s a good reason. Vital information. Data is amazing.

Little Dude Knows His Name! And he’s a thief…who can’t keep a secret.

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Little Dude...Dudin'

Little Dude...Dudin'

The Little Man picked himself out in a picture tonight and said his name. First time we’ve heard him say his name. Soooo cool.

Mrs. Dude was rolling through some pictures on the phone and asking who was in them. We’ve done this many times. But tonight was new. After pointing out Mama and Dada, he called out his own name. He understands who he is!

Such a small element of life. Yet, such a big element of life. Very rad to see a little mind grasping the concept of self.

Of course, life balances itself out. To keep the Dude and the Mrs. grounded, he also hijacked a matchbox car on a play date and told me it’s “Awstn’s” all night.

Although, Austin is going to have to pry it from Little Dude’s sleeping hands if he wants it back.

A thief that can’t keep a secret, the worst kind. But, I guess that’s a good thing.

Stay focused on talking rather than thiefing L.D.

Welcome to the Dude’s Breakfast Table

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Dude's Breakfast Table

Dude's Breakfast Table

“There’s something sacred about reading a blog post on someone else’s site. It’s like visiting a friend’s house for a quick meal ’round the breakfast table. It’s personal — you’re in their space, and the environment is uniquely suited for idea exchange and uninterrupted conversation. In many ways, we should be treating our blogs like our breakfast tables. Be welcoming & gracious when you host, and kind & respectful when visiting.” – Trent Walton (Gracias SwissMiss)

A breakfast table. A fantastic way to describe a blog. Relaxed. But open. A great environment for sharing ideas. But also an opportunity to practice our manners.

Welcome to the Dude’s breakfast table. Happy to have you.

I had no idea who this Trent Walton dude was before reading this quote; so as we all do these days, I hit Google. Turns out he is pretty rad. I don’t know much beyond he’s a web designer who lives in Texas and digs farming, but he has a blog, and the most recent post that I read sold me immediately.

“Into the Woods” is a great short story with a strong lesson at the end. Explore new paths. be daring. Embrace the play of childhood. Very Dude-like.

Looking forward to visiting your breakfast table Trent.

 

Check this dude out…The Mimic Octopus!

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Mimic Octopus

Mimic Octopus

A while back I posted a link to this article about the high intelligence of the octopus. I mentioned…

“Octopus are amazing. I never realized how amazing. They always seemed pretty cool in a deep down beneath the sea kind of the way, but WOW super cool.”

That article dives deep (like that pun?) into the high intelligence of the octopi. It is well worth the read. I predict amazement.

Inside that squishy body is an intelligence that we barely know. And here’s a video – from The Kid – that backs up the high intelligence theory.

The Mimic Octopus. This dude copies other sea creatures!

Changes shapes and acts like other creatures. An octopus acting like a snake! At one point in the video it is running – yes running – on the sea floor.

Octopi, super rad. My new favorite cephalopod mollusc Enjoy…

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-LTWFnGmeg[/youtube]

Life Lessons from Jack Kerouac. An Original Dude.

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On the Road - Jack Kerouac

On the Road - Jack Kerouac

Did I just coin an awesome phrase? Original Dude – O.D. Like O.G. – Original Gangsta? No, reminds you of overdose?

Jack Kerouac’s On the Road and The Dharma Bums are two of the Dude’s favorite reads. Jack was on original dude. I’m sure the Big Labowski had Kerouac on his shelf.

So I was psyched when I saw this list of 30 Beliefs and Techniques for Prose and Life by Mr. Kerouac on Brain Pickings. And the list does not disappoint. Great life lessons and classic Jack.

A few of my fav’s:

  • Scribbled secret notebooks, and wild typewritten pages, for yr own joy
  • Submissive to everything, open, listening
  • Try never get drunk outside yr own house
  • Be in love with yr life
  • Something that you feel will find its own form
  • Accept loss forever
  • Struggle to sketch the flow that already exists intact in mind
  • Keep track of every day the date emblazoned in yr morning
  • No fear or shame in the dignity of yr experience, language & knowledge
  • Write for the world to read and see yr exact pictures of it
  • Composing wild, undisciplined, pure, coming in from under, crazier the better
  • You’re a Genius all the time

Dude’s Way of the Peaceful Parent

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Peaceful Parenting

Peaceful Parenting

Here’s a tip o’ the hat to a new blog resource here on the Dude; Zen Habits.

This dude Leo Babauta has built a blog empire in a short few years. 240,000 subscribed followers! Dang!

He’s done an amazing job of leveraging the power of a blog to build himself a nice writing career. Yes, blogging is now a career path…if you can do it right. And Leo has.

If you haven’t checked out ZenHabits.net, it’s worth a visit. I snag some good info from there from time to time. More originals than curration, and as the name indicates the topics tend to be focused on life skills built on simplicity – a Zen-like mentality.

The blog is groovy, but what I find most amazing about Leo is that he has six kids. Yes, 6 kids! That’s a full-time job in itself.

So when I saw his recent post “The Way of the Peaceful Parent,” I was immediately intrigued. I like to think the Dude’s parenting philosophies fit nicely into the peaceful parenting mold, but I needed to see what a dude with 6 kids had to say about it.

And I was not disappointed. Leo made some great points. So I figured I’d cherry-pick some of the steps on the Peaceful Parent path that fit nicely into the Dude’s world. Here’s a good start to a loose definition of the Dude’s Way of the Peaceful Parent – courtesy of Zen Habits…with some added commentary from the Dude. 🙂

  • Greet your child each morning with a smile, a hug, and a loving Good Morning!
    • Dude: Not always easy if you don’t consider yourself a “morning person” – whatever that means – but this is a MUST. We all deserve to get our day off on the right foot.
  • Read to them often. It’s a wonderful way to bond, to educate, to explore imaginary worlds.
    • Dude: It’s easy to find reasons not to. We’re all busy. But the end result is awesome. Quiet hugs while we build imagination and precious reading habits. Well worth the effort.
  • Build forts with them. Play hide and seek. Shoot each other with Nerf dart guns. Have tea together. Squeeze lemons and make lemonade. Play, often, as play is the essence of childhood.
    • Dude: I’d take this a step further. Play is the essence of life, not just childhood. We all need to play. Free the kiddos, and ourselves, for as much play as possible.
  • When your child asks for your attention, grant it.
    • Dude: Definitely. Kids need our attention. Parent’s attention will build confidence and develop a strong loving bond. Lavish the kids with attention. At some point, they will stop looking for attention, and hearts will break.
  • Model the behavior you want your child to learn. Be calm, smile, be kind, go outdoors and be active.
    • Dude: Heck yeah. The kids will become what they see everyday. And parents are what they see. Be the person you want your kids to be. Easier said than done, but a must. “Be calm, smile, be kind, go outdoors and be active.” Perfect.
  • Remember that your child is a gift. She won’t be a child for long, and so your time with her is fleeting. Every moment you can spend with her is a miracle, and you should savor it. Enjoy it to the fullest, and be grateful for that moment.
  • Let your child share your interests. Bake cookies together. Sew together. Exercise together. Read together. Work on a website together. Write a blog together.
    • Dude: Little helpers are awesome, and we’re building skills along the way.
  • Patiently teach your child the boundaries of behavior. There should be boundaries — what’s acceptable and what’s not. [H]ave patience, but set the boundaries. Within those boundaries, allow lots of freedom.
    • Dude: Modeling behavior is a great way to instill boundaries naturally, but  inevitably, there are times when we will need to say “no.” Set boundaries and keep moving.
  • Sing and dance together.
    • Dude: Life is short. Have fun. And make sure the kids are having fun.
  • Take every opportunity to teach kindness and love. It’s the best lesson.
  • Kiss your child goodnight. And give thanks for another amazing day with your beautiful, unique, crazy child.
    • Dude: Amen. Start the day with a kiss and an “I love you,” and end it the same way. The world may seem crazy, but we are amazingly lucky to be where we are and have the gifts that we have. Have gratitude.

 

Automatic Drawing Machines. Who Knew They Were So Cool?

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Two of my favorite blogs (Kottke.org & TheKidShouldSeeThis.com) put out a post with the below video of an automatic drawing machine yesterday. About an hour apart.

Think they read each other? They must right? Are they going to start reading the Dude? What’s up Kottke and The Kid? The Dudes are big fans. 🙂

But back to the automatic drawing machine. I would have cruised right by their posts if it didn’t show up on both blogs at relatively the same time. An automatic drawing machine just would not have grabbed my attention. Seems basic. Boring.

I was way off. The machines are basic, yes. But the results are far from boring. The automatic drawings are amazingly mesmerizing. As Kottke mentioned, the video seems too short. I could get sucked in for much longer than 1:45.

Automatic drawing machines. Who knew they were so cool?

Enjoy. It’s worth 1:45 of your life.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/31933085[/vimeo]

As a bonus, here’s another automatic drawing machine from The Kid.

[vimeo]http://vimeo.com/21999779[/vimeo]

The Origin of Freestyle Skateboarding. Pay Attention Little Dude.

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Check out this amazing video from 1983 – ridiculous freestyle skateboarding…before most people knew what skateboarding was. (Tip o’ the hat to Kottke.org for another great link.)

The Dude has never really been a skateboarder. I adore surfing, and I’ve snowboarded for years, but skating alluded me. I was a bit too early for the super rad skate parks that have popped up in every town and I didn’t have a skate mentor…plus no internet (how did we survive?!), so skate was always just out of reach. I’ve owned skateboards and wanted to figure it out, but never got hooked.

I think Little Dude may have the skate bug. He can operate a scooter, we have skate parks in town, and he loves being dangerous. Seems like the perfect fit…when the waves are flat.

Beyond just an amazing retro video – anything 80’s is awesome – this early generation skating is amazing. But even better than just an awesome retro video, is the fact that we get to enjoy commentary by a couple amazing skaters to help us understand just how ridonkulus this skating actually is.

This also makes you appreciate how much amazing skating can be done on flat surfaces at low speed. Crazy.

Love the tiny boards. Love the short shorts. Love the whole 80’s feel. Great video.

Little Dude, pay attention.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkpzWKp7SqA[/youtube]

 

Programming for the Kids

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Computer Programming

Computer Programming

The Dude is going to start dropping some links on the reg.

For those of us over 30, that means I’m going to begin sharing a variety of website links on a regular basis.

The internet is full of ridiculously awesome information. The amazing info is coming at me fast and furious, and I’m falling behind on Dude’s News; so I figure I might as well start sharing the amazingness the interwebs send my way continually, rather than falling behind.

Curration is the best way to describe it. (A few Dude favorite curration blogs are: Brain Pickings, Kottke, The Kid Should See This.) I’m collecting awesomeness across the intertubes and passing it on to you.

Really, I’m creating a catalog of awesomeness for myself, but I’m happy to share it with you too.

Let’s start with this super rad article from Wired Magazine about teaching kids how to program software. As in start teaching kids as young as 5 years old how to program computer software!

Insane. Awesome. Amazing.

It’s like learning a language, so kids are actually very open to it. Kidddos are at a perfect stage to start understanding and assimilating computer programming.

Super rad, and it just so happens that Papa, aka Little Bill, aka the Dude’s Dad, is a computer programming professor at the collegiate level.

Let’s get these kids programming.

Papa, what do you think, make sense? Are you available for online courses? 🙂

Wired Magazine: Teach a Kid to Program