Here I go again. Learning something new. I have made a video and uploaded it on to YouTube. So modern am I–next thing you know I’ll get an 8 Track player and a Pet Rock.
Anyway. Last summer I made a video of myself reading a chapter from my book while we were in Colorado. Because I get distracted, I have just now, nine months later, uploaded the video and posted it for you. It’s a chapter where my father meets his first grandchild for the first time. Hope you like it.
I promised myself I’d blog 3 times this week. This is #2; blogging cuz I said I would.
It’s spring break at UCLA where I work, so it’s empty and silent on campus this week. When I was an undergrad at Texas A&M in the Corps of Cadets, we always had to stay a couple of extra days after finals ended before marching in Final Review. It always amazed me how different a campus is when it’s empty.
I’ve gotten caught up on a lot of work this week. But, the more I do, the more I realized there is to do, so it is kind of never-ending.
Daddy Muscles, my book, is on sale again. 20% off until March 31.
http://www.lulu.com/product/14300125 The Coupon Code is MARCHSPECIAL305
I’m only about a million sales shy of being a million-selling author. Ha! But, having written the book is still one of the coolest experiences ever.
Yesterday I got business cards for Daddy Muscles. My friend Andy, the same man who designed the cover, designed the business cards. They’re awesome. Look out world. You don’t get to meet me anymore without getting my card handed to you.
That’s it for today. World’s least profound blog entry ever. I gotta go exercise. Also cuz I said I would…
Posted in Daddy Muscles Excerpts, Dylan's Diaries | Tags: Corps of Cadets, daddy diary, Daddy Muscles, family, fatherhood, life on life's terms, Texas A&M, UCLA, writing
Ahh Stephen King, my old rascally friend. You took me out last night. You kept me up way past my bedtime, as you’ve been doing since we first met back in 1984 when I had mono in 10th grade and spent weeks at home reading paperbacks of Cujo, and Firestarter, and The Shining-with the purple lady in the bathtub.
I started a new story of yours at 10pm last night. My wife was studying for grad school and I told myself I’d just read 30 minutes. Marisa wrapped up her studies and went to bed about 10:45. I gave her a kiss and said, “I’m just going to read 10 more pages.”
I thought 10 pages would get me to about 11pm, but I looked up and it was 11:10, and then I told myself, “OK, I’ll put the book down at 11:30.”
11:30 came and went. The last half of my two hours out with Stephen I didn’t even look at the clock. 12:15, that was when my head finally lifted from the pages, coming back from a very different world, coming back to my regular life and now officially wondering, “Am I going to be tired tomorrow because of this?”
It’s Monday morning and I’m awake. I set my alarm for 6, and I’m on my second cup of coffee. I’ve read my prayers, meditated and made a gratitude list this morning. I’m getting my spiritual foundation installed to build this day, to make today my masterpiece.
It rained all weekend in Los Angeles. The air is cool and clean. I’m out here on the back porch and I’ve been listening to the sound of dripping water my whole morning. This week will be shortened because of Cesar Chavez Day Friday. If Stephen has made me tired, maybe it won’t be so bad because the week will be shorter than normal.
Today’s my day to be a husband, father and worker-among-workers. Just for today, I’m choosing to be happy, because as Abraham Lincoln said, “Most folks are as happy as they make up their minds to be.”
It’s shower time. Then breakfast with Jack. Then up the 405, the clean and washed off 405. If I’m lucky the mountains will be visible behind downtown. They’ll be covered with snow, like we’re not in Los Angeles, but somewhere else entirely.
Posted in Acceptance, Appreciation, Dylan's Diaries, Writing | Tags: children, daddy diary, Dylan Stafford, family, fatherhood, gratitude, life on life's terms, marriage, Stephen King, writing
Dylan Stafford 
thanks for reading