A Dad vs. Zombies in the Dead Island Trailer

[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZqrG1bdGtg]

I'm a sucker for zombie stuff (is that weird to say?) and I'm also a fan of video games. But as a father, the trailer for the upcoming Dead Island (releasing on September 6) kind of got to me. Even though it's kind of a cliché (even in the world of zombies), and even though it uses some tried-and-true techniques to draw the viewer in (reverse time, slow motion) it's still the best trailer I've ever seen for a video game. And I say that because it's the only trailer I thought about the next day completely unprompted.

I don't know if that's because I'm a Dad or not, but it's worth watching I think. Just don't watch it with your kids. Now I'm wondering if the game can possibly be as good as the trailer. Which is what they want I guess.

(And if you haven't figured out what's going on after two times through, you can check out a re-edit in chronological order here.)

Dead Island on XBOX 360, $59.99 at Amazon.com

The Best Diaper Bags for Dads - An Update

One of the more popular topics on Modern Day Dad has been diaper bags for Dads. There are a lot of Dads (or Dads-to-be) that want to find a diaper bag that does the job while still looking like it belonged on a man. Actually it was one of the reasons I started writing about being a Dad in the first place. But even though my kids are beyond diapers now (thankfully), I realized I haven't done an update in a while so I wrote one up for Man of the House.

Unfortunately, the bag I used for years and still love the "Dad Field Bag" from Jack Spade is no longer being made. However I was able to find some good alternatives, from the venerable Diaper Dude, to the innovative Dad Gear to the still-awesome Skip Hop. I also found a beautiful leather option from Petunia Pickle Bottom (or "PPB" as they say when taking about men's bags). Just don't try to right-click an image on their site however, because that's been "disabled to protect brand integrity."

Duh.

Cool Diaper Bags for Dads, [Man of the House]

Stay-At-Home Dads Going Back To Work in the Wall Street Journal

There's a good article in today's Wall Street Journal about At-Home Dads trying to get back into the work force. There are as many different reasons for staying at home or going back to work as there are At-Home Dads, but the article does a good job of illustrating a few different situations. Whether Dads decide to go back to school to give them a competitive edge or keep themselves in their industry with freelance work, the smart Dads play the hiring/interview game without discounting their time as primary caregivers.

In a world that pays a lot of lip service to those who "think outside of the box," I can't think of anything in my life that has made me do so more than staying at home with my kids. As featured father David Hallowes says, the "challenges and self-reflection of the past 2 1/2 years will make him a better manager."

Daunting Task for Mr. Mom: Get a Job - WSJ.com

[And for the record, shame on whomever wrote the lazy "Mr. Mom" headline.]

Diaper bags for dads.

2/21/2011 UPDATE! If you're looking for info on the best diaper bags for Dads, this post has old information. Check out my updated post on Modern Day Dad:

The Best Diaper Bags for Dads - An Update

So like I mentioned in my first post, the first dad-related thing I ever looked to purchase was a diaper bag that I could wear proudly. I’m going to be the one wearing it, not my child, so I definitely wanted something without ducks and bunnies and something that wasn’t made specifically for moms (or was from a woman’s bag designer). This wasn’t such an easy task – even the “daddy bags” at diaperbags.com (of course there’s a diaperbags.com) are more like mom bags that aren’t overtly feminine. The one I found that I liked the most is the Dad Field Bag from Jack Spade. It’s basically a large messenger bag, with insides designed for baby stuff (pockets for bottles and diapers, a changing pad etc.) and dad stuff (ipod, sunglasses, headphones). It comes in lots of color combinations (I chose grey/orange) and it works great.

Since then I’ve found two others that could work.

One is the Skip Hop (available at Amazon for $50.00), a diaper bag that’s designed for over-the-shoulder or over-the-stroller use. It’s not specific for dads or moms, but looks O.K. enough to wear for a dad (clean lines, solid colors). There’s also the Diaper Dude bag (available for $54.00 at Amazon), which is another messenger type bag, a little smaller than the Jack Spade bag which is actually kind of good. And both of these bags come in camo for those still celebrating the camouflage revolution. I was able to check out both of them this past weekend at Nordstrom’s, and I definitely liked the Diaper Dude bag the best. The Skip Hop was OK, but it didn’t attach to my Bugaboo Frog particularly well (I guess it’s made for lesser strollers).

Also on Modern Day Dad:
The Best Diaper Bags for Dads - An Update (2-22-2011)