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What a crazy year it's been, and it is only the 31st of January.
When my work schedule calmed down in the end of December I was anticipating with great excitement a relaxed entrance into 2012. Instead, I seem to have hit it full bore. A number of factors contribute to this:
1) My first child is expected within the next two weeks. This is both exciting and daunting (though more exciting) as I don't really make enough to support my household as it is. I've been getting my house ready by moving things around, building closets and fixing some damaged areas (my wife tells me that this is necessary but I don't really understand how it relates to babies). Needless to say, I've very excited that I will soon have a baby girl I can begin to indoctr....educate in the glory of esports.
2) Speaking of esports, about this time last year I wrote a blog talking about how excited I was about the concept (largely because Day9 is the best motivational speaker ever) and about how I wanted to be involved in whatever way I could. To date that has largely meant subscribing to a couple different streamers and being as avid a consumer of esports as I can afford to be. I also have a "show" that was very consistent until my work schedule would no longer permit me. I'm hoping to start it back up in a couple weeks after the baby comes.
In conjunction with that show, I am SUPER excited to announce that a business idea I've been trying to start up for the last year will (hopefully) be going live at the end of February. This is a small first step in an overly ambitious dream of mine, but none the less, it is a step. I'm a little sad because TL said they are not interested in letting me advertise with them at this time, but that's okay (due to this I will not be mentioning what I'm doing or linking it). I'll have to figure out another way to spread the word.
I would like to reiterate that I am more excited about this opportunity then you can imagine. Not only because it fills my drive to work for myself, but because the idea that I might be able to give more to the esports community is sweeter than chocolate frosted sugar bombs.
+ Show Spoiler +
3) This brings us to responsibility. Because this has already gone on too long I'll keep it short.
Growing up sucks.
/END
IVFearless
 
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I think I played you in a Funday Monday FFA :D <-- Morte
GL-- I'm sure you'll be a great parent 
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I thought this was going to be about destiny lol.
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Remember that your daughter will grown into a person in her own right -- you can't choose what she is going to be interested in, and trying to force her to be more like yourself will only end poorly. You should let her discover her own interests. That said, you can of course expose her to eSports, but if she doesn't become interested, you can't force her to mirror your POV.
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@JDub, right you are. In fact, I think that is the thing I am most looking forward to about having a child; watching as they grow into a unique individual. Though I will be sad if she doesn't have at least a passing interest in esports.
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Make sure to spend time with your child and help your wife... My son is almost 3 months old and I went from having like 30-40 hours of free time per week to do whatever I want (computer shit) to like 2-5 hours... per WEEK. My wife does the MAJORITY of the work with our son, but there are simply times that you are not going to be able to do what you want to be doing. That is what we call growing up.
PLEASE don't be a deadbeat dad and sit on the computer all day with pipe-dreams of opening some successful business out of nowhere. Your daughter is going to require 24/7 attention, and your wife isn't always going to be able to do it. She's going to need to take naps and rest at some points, and it is YOUR duty as a man and a father to make sure you step in and be there for your daughter.
I never imagined how big of a change becoming a father would be, but trust me when I say that your free time is about to be essentially reduced to 5% of what it used to be (if you care about being helpful to your family, at all)...
That being said, I'm not pointing fingers at you or blaming you or ANY of that... I'm just warning you, that you shouldn't be so focused on these "big esports dreams"... and should instead be focusing on what is REALLY important in your LIFE, your daughter. Hell, this time last year I'd of said some of the same things you're saying... but after becoming a father, things simply change. The first time you hold your newborn, you literally see the future flash before your eyes. You will gain an entirely new perspective on what is important. That moment for me was the most surreal experience I've ever had in my entire life. In an instant, it changed who I am and who I want to be.
Honestly, all I'm trying to say is congratulations... and don't mess it up. Fatherhood is the best thing a man can do in his entire life... so don't spend it on the computer making your wife do all the work, it will end badly...
OH and one more thing before I go:
If you are having a natural birth... Don't listen to them when they tell you it wont be gorey... It's going to be a fucking bloody massacre. Wear clothes that you don't mind throwing away afterwards, because... There will be blood. Lots of blood. o.O
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On February 01 2012 04:24 PR4Y wrote:
PLEASE don't be a deadbeat dad and sit on the computer all day with pipe-dreams of opening some successful business out of nowhere.
Yes sir. I'll do my best. 
I appreciate honest advice given with the best intentions. I can't say I really understand what it will be like because I haven't been a parent before, but I have been doing what I can to prepare appropriately. And don't worry, if I ever turn into a deadbeat I know six people off-hand who will stab me with jagged pieces of wood until I shape up.
If this last year of my life has taught me anything its that pipe-dreams are a total waste of time. You either do or you don't.
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When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.
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Congrats on your child!!!
just some personal (to be taken with a grain of salt) advice.. i'm still young so yeah..
get her reading early
read to her at bedtime to get them interested in reading
curb her computer time/luxury time so that she is used to hard work
involve them in discussions between you and your wife, be it financial or philosophical, keep her head in the discussions!
involve her in activities (soccer, karate, cheerleading, gymnastics)
love her!!
good luck!
oh and edit ~ give her the calvin and hobbes anthology because it's a fantastic source of satire mixed with childish humor that your daughter will love!
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also, i forgot to mention... not sure if you're still following this, but the #1 thing I could advise you and your wife to do:
invest in the baby sign-language DVD's... it is the single most important thing that you can do for your child. it's not sign language as in how deaf people communicate, but it's a unique language that infant's can pick up 5-8 months before they ever speak their first word!
for instance, by 10 months your daughter will be telling you that she is hungy, has a dirty diaper, is tired, doesn't feel good, wants more (food / drink), and SO MUCH MORE...
the dvd itself is a reasonable price and you can find it online for probably cheaper then you would in a department / childrens store... You'll be thanking me when your daughter is 8-10 months old and doesn't feel good and instead of just sitting their crying / screaming because she doesn't know how to communicate to you, she'll tell you she doesn't feel good with SIGN LANGUAGE and you can give her infant tylenol / whatever.
you'll be receiving TONS of advice from EVERYONE and they will ALL think they know what is best for you and your child... trust me. I just wanted to tell you this, because it's the only advice I was ever given that I actually appreciated and benefit from.
GOOD LUCK!
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Thanks PR4Y.
I'll do that. It sounds really useful.
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EPT![[image loading]](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_CXhZq5GDGH4/S8U768-CnfI/AAAAAAAAALA/wmgwv7ssVPs/s640/Sugar+Bombs.gif)
