I had to work late last night and I did something that made me a little proud: I successfully avoided human contact and (most) technology for 4 hours while my TiVo at home recorded Game 6 of the Stanley Cup between the Los Angeles Kings and the New Jersey Devils.

It’s surprisingly difficult to temporarily disconnect when you’re “connected” like I am. I had my iPhone on and willingly continued to receive normal push notifications via ESPN, Facebook, Twitter and text messages. I would glance at my phone when I would receive a text message, fearing there would be a list of sports updates on the lock screen as well.

I got home without my wife or anyone telling me the outcome, unlike Seinfeld, and watched (teared up slightly) the L.A. Kings win the Stanley Cup for the first time in franchise history.

During the game, I noticed some awesome moments of fatherhood.

I needed to do this, for my 19-month-old daughter. I needed to know the answers before she begins to ask the question, “Why?”. I needed to know what it’s like now, as an adult and as a father.

My family visited the L.A. Zoo this past Saturday. My wife, an animal rights advocate, painfully went along with my plan after some time of convincing. The plan was to visit my father, who was doing a remote broadcast for the radio station he works for in the Los Angeles area. I wanted to show our support for him and expose our daughter to some extremely unfamiliar sights and sounds: the people of Los Angeles.

I woke up this past Saturday in a warm house, surrounded by snow capped mountains as Friday’s storm dumped rain on L.A.’s suburban west valley. It was a beautiful, crisp morning as I headed out the door at 7:30AM to drive 50 miles towards East L.A. so I could support Caine’s Arcade.

I exited Mission Rd. and immediately found myself in what looked like another country. The graffiti-lined industrial road was packed with auto body shops. There was dude after dude standing outside in the street, trying to get me and other passing cars into their shop like they were competing parking lots on Sunset Blvd. It was extremely humbling.

“Most of our business has gone online because we really don’t get the walk up traffic like we used to. So Caine’s chances of getting one customer is pretty hard,” said Caine’s father, George.

I arrived shortly after 8:20AM where only a few people gathered in front of Smart Parts Aftermarket. I initially drove past the shop, expecting to get a cue from a giant crowd out front. I had navigation in my car and still managed to pass the shop (that’s how many auto body shops there are on this street). I turned around and found a spot down the street, said “goodbye” to my car, and walked towards Caine’s Arcade.

A candlelight vigil was held last night for a father who was shot earlier this week protecting his 8 year old son from gunfire.

The shooting happened in Inglewood, California on Tuesday evening, when two suspects walked up toward 28 year old Frederick Martin and his son in their own driveway and began shooting. Martin shoved his son to the ground and was shot in the stomach and chest in the process. Martin’s son escaped with a minor wound to the leg and is expected to make a full recovery.

Family and friends held the candlelight vigil last night, holding hands and taking a moment of silence to remember Martin.

There is no known motivation for the shooting, and no reports of suspects being apprehended. And to make matters worse, Martin’s grandmother is criticizing the police for physically restraining Martin’s mother as if she were a suspect; police reportedly had Martin’s mother on the ground with a knee in her back.

Keep it classy, LAPD.

Well, not quite. Los Angeles beach goers were igniting picket signs from bonfires on the beach Thursday (actually just on the internet, because anonymity is TOTALLY awesome) after news hit that L.A. County had reportedly approved a $1,000 fine for throwing footballs and frisbees on beaches. This brought about concerns from parents where their kids playing on the beach and digging holes deeper than 18 inches could cost them a Benjamin or ten.

Turns out KCBS/KCAL had initially incorrectly reported on the story followed by even more media outlets world-wide, hitting as far as London, in this rampant game of ‘telephone’, alternatively called Chinese whispers – whose name sounds pretty racist.

I digress.

Typically on the streets of Los Angeles, you’ll see…well, alcohol and television show ads. But from time to time, you’ll also see a parenting ad on a bus stop. Los Angeles-based Pop Luck Club wants to make sure that you know that the face of fatherhood is changing – and their “Raise a Child” campaign posted on local bus stops is a great start.

Founded in 1998, the Pop Luck Club has grown to over 500 members, and facilitates monthly pot lucks, support groups, discussions and play dates.

“Growing up, many of us felt sadness that coming out as gay would end our dreams of parenting,” says Pop Luck board member, John Ireland. Co-president Richard Valenza of the organization wants to bring that dream back to gay fathers. “We make lunches for our kids, get them to music and karate lessons… just like every family,” Valenza says. “With this campaign, we are putting a real face on gay parenting.”

Regardless of sexual orientation, great fathers are desperately needed and undeniably appreciated. I can’t help but feel, however, like that kid in the poster is 5 seconds away from doing a header off his dads’ shoulders. It should be noted that I’m the ass that added the jerkoff flying into the pic.

Sauce: PRWeb