First up: kitchen update — all of the chaotic electrical work is finished. And yes, the crew wrapped it up in just five hours. Hooray.
We’re in the cleanup phase now, taking photos, hunting for the right pendants, and planning a longer post for Monday that dives into the whole process. In the meantime, after Sherry shared “The Real $herdog” earlier this week, a lot of readers asked for a John version. I was surprised — I thought Burger and Clara would be called out before I would. Since Sherry doesn’t have a cooler pen name for me, she suggested “J-Boom.” It’s a little too close to a certain reality-TV personality for my taste, but I’ll roll with it for now. It’s definitely more exciting than my childhood nicknames like “JP” or “Petersik.” Sherry included a few shared facts about our marriage and our daughter in her post, so my list is a bit more random and personal. Here’s a little about me.
#1 – I don’t always love shopping and decorating. If our blog makes it seem like I’m the husband who happily tags along to every shopping trip, that’s not entirely true. I do take part in errands and sometimes enjoy the hunt, but I’m also guilty of groaning when told “we need to go look for pillows.” Home tasks aren’t always my favorite either. I don’t leap off the couch with joy every time we hang curtains or need to haul something out of the attic that “requires two people, one being the strong and helpful husband.” Still, I try to keep a sense of humor about being the tagalong — it makes the process better for both of us.
#2 – I’m the king of typos. My fingers and my brain don’t always cooperate, and my eyes aren’t great at catching everything before it goes live. Sherry has very little patience for this — she proofreads every post for a reason — and I’ve been known to drop whole words or rearrange sentences in ways that make readers scratch their heads. I once told someone I loved Sherry because “she fixes my tyops” during a local interview, and while it came across as endearing, the typo was completely accidental. It’s just one of those quirks I own up to.
#3 – I sometimes feel insecure about being a stay-at-home dad. I wrote about this in a BabyCenter post a few months back, and although “work-at-home dad” is a more accurate label for what I do, I still occasionally feel awkward not heading off to an office each morning. When Clara and I check out at the grocery store during the day, I sometimes catch that look from the cashier — the one that says “he must be unemployed.” Despite those moments, I try to embrace being home with Clara, and to be as good at it as I can. It’s meaningful work, even if it doesn’t always feel like the conventional kind.
#4 – I’m a sucker for new stuff. Maybe it’s the ex-advertising guy in me, but I’m irresistibly drawn to new products, fresh packaging, and seasonal flavors. They don’t even need to be groundbreaking — a redesigned cereal box or a limited-edition candy is enough to make me say “must try.” Sherry has learned to expect that when I go grocery shopping solo, I’ll come home with some oddball new flavor or novelty item. Guilty as charged.
#5 – I sing. A lot. And not very well. Both Sherry and I break into song frequently — from radio sing-alongs to improvised dittys that narrate whatever chore we’re tackling (“a grouting we will go…”). Our house often feels like a slightly off-key Disney musical, and Clara isn’t shy about joining in. We’re not professional singers by any means, but we can carry a tune sometimes and even manage the occasional on-purpose harmony. If we tried out for a talent show, we’d probably land in that middle group that’s memorable but not spectacular. You can catch a very brief clip of me singing in a mockumentary my college improv group made — I pop in for a short verse around 12:10 — but fair warning: it’s mostly entertaining to the folks who were part of it.
#6 – I don’t read every Young House Love post. Since Sherry proofreads everything we publish and handles most comment replies (questions like “where did you get that mirror?” tend to be her domain), it’s not practical for me to read every post and every comment. Between family life and work, I barely have time to read other blogs, let alone our own archive. If you ever mention something Sherry wrote and I seem blank, please don’t take it personally — I’ll usually smile and nod. Sometimes I feel guilty about it, but with the volume of content we manage, dividing responsibilities is just how we keep things running.
#7 – I can get frustrated during projects. I’m not immune to throwing a screwdriver (or, more accurately, lobing it toward the ground) when a DIY task goes sideways. Projects can test my patience, and I’m not always the calm, serene homeowner you might imagine. I do my best to rein it in, but sometimes you’ll overhear muttered expletives or teeth-gritted silence. The upside is that after we survive the challenge, it usually feels worth it — and that’s why I keep diving back into DIY projects again and again. Think less Russell Crowe in Gladiator and more regular-guy persistence.
So there you have it — a little less polished and a bit more honest than Sherry’s list, maybe. I don’t pretend to be the perfect husband or dad, but Clara seems to think I’m pretty great, and I don’t plan on ruining that illusion any time soon.
Pssst: We’re not famous, but we were invited to participate in the Richmond Comedy Coalition’s “Richmond Famous” series on Friday, Jan 27. We’ll share true stories from our lives and they’ll improvise scenes based on them. Sherry is understandably nervous about talking on stage; I’m hopeful and would love to see some of you there. Get more info here.
Psssst again: We announced this week’s giveaway winner — click here to find out if it’s you.