Father Faction: Music Mondays

"You know the family is the solution to the world's problems today
Now let's take a look at the family
In the family the father is like the head, the leader, the director
Not domineering, but showing love, guidance
For everyone else in the family
Now if we could get all the fathers of the world
To stand up and be fathers
That would be great..."

"...that is if we all come together no matter what color, race, creed
Because that's all in the head whether you wanna believe it or not
'Cause you'll bleed
Hoo...
Family, family reunion
It'll be nice, so nice, so nice"

Funny Guy Fact Fridays

A little light humor to start the weekend. Have a good one and I know someone can relate to this.

Robert Yaskovic, 20 Questions

Father Faction Co-Founder, Robert Yaskovic,

stalking winter trout on Big Flat Brook, self portrait with iPhone.

1. Who do you love? My smart, beautiful, talented, sexy wife Kate.

2. Kids? 3 Ages? Gwendolyn 8, Meredith 7, Jake 5.

3. Profession? Photographer

4. Favorite memory of being a dad? Sitting next to my wife during all three adoption hearings for my children. Yes, they are all adopted through DYFS!

5. Most important thing to teach your children?  That they are in charge of their happiness and their lives. Nothing in their past can prohibit them from their future. Everyone is capable of everything.

6. Favorite saying?  Because I said so.

7. Hobbies? My profession, photography, is also my hobby. As is fly fishing, i wish i was better at it though!

8. Last song you listened to? "Some red-handed slight of hand" Cursive

9. Favorite place in the world? Big Flat Brook

10. Where do you live? Branchville  NJ

11. Favorite drink? Coffee then Long Trail Ale closely in second.

12. What did you eat for breakfast? Scrambled eggs with potatoes, onions, cheddar cheese and hot sauce of course.

13. Dream car? 1964 Chevy Impala. but in Metallic Green!

14. Person you most admire? My wife Why? This is a woman who adopted a child on her own while attending law school! We got married then adopted two more children, all through DYFS, including getting Jake while she was taking the bar exam, which she passed. the whole time she also put up with me so that is pretty amazing in its own right.

15. Fantasy family vacation? First class flying for four months of world travel including Portugal, Italy, Greece, Ethiopia, India, Bhutan, Japan, Alaska, Mexico and Brazil. 

16. Favorite word one of your kids mis-pronounces? Jake used to call woodpeckers, "ha-neckers."

17. Weirdest thing you have found in your refrigerator? XBOX controller

18. Moment you knew, you were a "dad"? Catching vomit in your hands and not getting sick myself. Instead worrying about my daughter.

19. Favorite cartoon your kids watch that you can enjoy as well? Spongebob Squarepants

20. Kids and wife are out for the day, what do you do? Fish Big Flat Brook or Paulins Kill River for a while, stop by Andre's Restaurant for an early dinner, clean the house, then watch a movie on Netflix on demand with a couple of Long Trail Ale's and wait for them to come home.

Tips For Fathers to be Tuesdays

Ok Are you ready for this Gents....YOU"RE GONNA BE A FATHER! If you have already conceived then... YOU ARE ALREADY A FATHER. Here are some helpful tips to get you ready for your journey down father hood lane.

1. Get a tape, CD or mp3 of a screaming baby. Set an alarm to it and have it go off and play it periodically throughout the night and during the day when you are home. This will help you to desensitize to the newness of earpiercing unfamiliar noises.




2. When this sound goes off have a mantra that you say to yourself....like "I am the calmest coolest father ever and everyone sees it and knows it." This mantra programs you to go into father mode instantly to meet the needs of your baby. Even before the baby is born get in the habit of doing something baby related when you hear the cry.




3. HANG OUT WITH FATHERS WITH YOUNG CHILDREN. INTERVIEW THEM...SEE WHAT THEIR DAY IS LIKE....TALK TO THEIR WIVES....GATHER INTELLIGENCE FOR YOU PENDING MISSION!




4. Know that your wife is walking around with two heads, two brains, and two sets of everything when she is pregnant. This fact will set up or next blog posts concerning Pregnant Wives

MAN UP!

Isatu KaIgziabiher, 20 Questions

Father Faction Founder, Isatu Kalgziabiher.

1. Who do you love? Myself first because then it can trickle down to everyone else. You can't love anyone unless you love yourself...no offense Honey :)



2. Kids? Sure do Ages? 7, 4 and 1 ....all boys



3. Profession? Limo driver, hairstylist, crochet artist of exclusive caps, gotta stay flexible in this economy!



4. Favorite memory of being a dad? I don't have one. I have a bunch. I caught two of my boys at home, myself, so not too many things stick out more than that. I would have to say though my favorite memory including all of my children happens every time I come in from work. They all come over to me and greet me with hugs and the crafts they did for the day.



5. Most important thing to teach your children? The most important thing I could teach them is that they are responsible for everything that happens to them in their life and that they can change anything with focus and SMART work.



6. Favorite saying? It would have to be MAN UP!!!!



7. Hobbies? I live my life like one big hobby.



8. Last song you listened to? A joint by Fela Kuti...the father of African Jazz Rhythms.



9. Favorite place in the world? Ethiopia



10. Where do you live? Englewood NJ



11. Favorite drink? Frozen banana, peanut butter, chocolate almond milk, turbinado sugar soy protein powder smoothie.



12. What did you eat for breakfast? I had the answer to question number 11 or a 7 grain porridge.



13. Dream car? Army certified Hum V



14. Person you most admire? My grandfather Why? I admired him because my father tells me that he only remembers my grandfather getting upset with him one time and that was when he was about 20. I want to emulate that but I definitely fall short most times. To raise children in the south like he did and maintain a legendary calmness and innate wit is amazing. My grandfather worked hard and actually had a few inventions to his credit that were used to streamline various aspects of farm life in the town.



15. Fantasy family vacation? Leave Teterboro airport, fly in a G6 to anywhere with warm weather, fruit trees, natural rivers, hot springs and mountains. Live like it was the garden of Eden but with clothes on.

16. Favorite word one of your kids mis-pronounces? My four year old used to try to say soy sausage and most of the time it would sound like he was saying Roy Rogers then it evolved into something that sounded like Bob Marley.


17. Weirdest thing you have found in your refrigerator? a non-descript molded vegetable under the crisper drawer; a straight science project.


18. Moment you knew, you were a "dad"? That took a little while I think. When my third son was born I think it really kicked in. I looked at my sons and said wow I have three sons. It really hit me that I had three little responsibilities that shared my DNA.



19. Favorite cartoon your kids watch that you can enjoy as well? Avatar



20. Kids and wife are out for the day, what do you do? Dang when does that ever happen?! No wait...it has happened once or twice. I layed with my back flat on the bed, arms at my sides and stayed perfectly still in an attempt to astral project consciously. I actually ended up going to sleep. When I woke up they still weren't home so I got up and made dinner for when they did come home. I am big on O.B.E's and intend to have a conscious one soon. WEIRDO ALERT!!!!

This just In Tuesdays

OH SNAP!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Knicks could be a legitimate contender?!!!!!! As Sam Cooke would say..."It's been a looooonnnnggg, a long time coming but I knoooow change gonna come, oh yes it will! You can check out more commentary on sbnation.com

Make it Count Mondays

Part of guiding our children is having those few brief moments when you drop a jewel of information and life lessons on their brain stem. It is important that we as fathers study ourselves and as much life experiences as possible to see whether we are dishing out the right information. The worst thing you could say to a child is "I did the best with what I had to give." It's an excuse to excuse our lack of progression as fathers. This won't wash with a child who has been crying out (through actions in school etc.) for more. They are requiring more than the best of what we think we can give them. We must recognize these little cries and if we aren't able to accomodate based on our current level of understanding....then we must find someone or something that can accomodate.

This is one strong jewel that will definitely stick with any child for life. Make your words counts and make your actions count even more. MAN UP!