u/Less_Than_Average1

I’ve taken my 10yo son fishing to Busse, Skokie Lagoons, other places. We rent kayaks and I’ve told him how I grew up fishing and told him a legendary of me catching an 8 pound bass when I was younger. We’ve been skunked so many times fishing that he has started to question my ability as a fisherman to the degree that when I talk about the bass I caught I’m met with “yeah sure Dad.”

Needless to say, I’ve been out to prove to him that we can catch fish. We booked a family trip to the chain of lakes in NE Indiana. I bought lures to replenish my tackle box. I ordered a small case of Senkos and got some Ned Rigs.

I thought for sure I’d get them on the Ned. He chose the Senkos with a hook in the middle and fished wacky worms.

He destroyed me 17-4.

I caught one dink on the Ned.

Then I finally switched to a craw crank bait and caught a few smallies. I had a giant bass on last night with a Texas Rig / powerbait. Got it to the boat and it spit out the worm. It was a monster and I wish I would’ve landed it - but my 10yo son was smack talking because his record this week for the largest fish was intact.

All this to say, it was a great bonding trip and he’s finally into fishing the way I hoped he’d be.

I’m headed to Starved Rock to camp and fish on the IL river. I’ve mostly fished inland lakes, and have done little river fishing. Has anyone fished this area before? Any tips?

There’s alley work happening behind my house. They removed the old cement, replaced utilities, laid rock down, and are getting ready to pour concrete. The vibratory roller used put cracks in my garage floor. It shook my house pretty violently. There’s 4-5 cracks in my garage floor that spiderwebbed. The floor was replaced new in 2019. Do I call the Village for something like this? Any idea on how to handle?

I was divorced in 2019. Have 2 kids with my ex.

I haven’t told my ex that we’re expecting yet.

We have a decent co-parenting relationship; but not by any means perfect. She tends to hover and try to oversee rules in my house, etc. Some will probably say it’s because I lack discipline or my house is the “fun house” - and sure, the kids and I have a great time; but I do keep a level of rules and structure. It’s more about control on her part.
If you remarried and had another child, how did you best communicate with your ex?

I (M46) was remarried in November. Found out my wife is pregnant. Tonight, we found out it’s going to be a boy... I have 2 kids ages 12 and 10 from a previous marriage. My wife is 38 and has always wanted kids.

I feel like I was put on the Earth to be a Dad. I absolutely love it. But, goddamn if it doesn’t scare me shitless of having a kid this late in life. This year, age hit me hard. 2 years ago, I was in the best shape of my life. I bought a house, got remarried, elevated career, and to top it all off - my kids are busier than ever with sports. I coach and and attend as many sporting games as I can - even when the kids are with their mom (50/50 custody)…

So my workouts fell off.

Woke up this AM and decided to get back into working out. Started military boot camp style workouts. Good community of guys, which is what I need.

But my damn back hurts and my hips hurt, and I’m tired.

Good news is I have experience and know what to do. It won’t be much of an adjustment once I get through the sleepless nights. I’m suddenly just hyper focused on my health. I just want to be able to play catch with him when he gets older.

This year, I suddenly feel mortal - and at the same time, I feel pressure to live longer. I never thought about life like that before.

What I do in the next 5-10 years health wise will define the rest of my life.

Here’s to getting my ass moving again and cheers to the colonoscopy that I’ll be doing in the next few months. Double cheers for this little baby boy that’s coming in January. 🍻

Just saw an article about a man who stole a tank and went on a rampage in 1995 and it got me thinking about wild 90’s moments.

Here’s a list I put together. If this is the A-side of the cassette tape; what’s the B-side?

OJ Simpson arrest
LA Riots (still remember watching the police footage)
Kurt Cobain
Oklahoma City Bombing
Desert Storm
Uni-bomber
Princess Di
Michael Jackson dangling a kid out the window
90’s Bulls - 72 win season / Jordan’s return / Dennis Rodman / Madonna / Carmen Electra
Bill Clinton / Lewinsky
Mike Tyson - biting Evander Holyfield’s ear off
Waco Texas
Columbine
Y2K
Tupac and Biggie deaths
Jeffery Dahmer

I’ve fished Busse Woods for several years now and the weeds and over growth are getting to be too much. I’ve taken my 10year old son a few times now because we can rent kayaks; but he’s getting discouraged because we aren’t catching anything. I think I may need to switch spots altogether. Combing through some of the posts on here; I may take him to fish the Fox River, but I’ve always fished lakes and never done any river fishing. Any tips? I may try and get him out again next weekend.

Yesterday was my birthday.

I was given up at birth, lived in a home for 6 months before being adopted.

For context, my bios on Ancestry a few years back, but have little interaction.

By all accounts, I’m super happy in life.

My (adopted) Mom died some years back and my Dad decided he didn’t want a relationship - so I’m sort of on my own when it comes to parents. Fine. I’m an adult, am self made - by all standards, I’m successful - proud I’ve made something out of myself.

Here’s where it gets tricky. I hate my birthday. It brings up many feelings in me, that I only think about once a year.

Why was I given a chance, when so many aren’t? Why didn’t my bios want me in the first place? Why did my Dad leave - maybe I don’t deserve parents. Am I doing enough in life so that my bio parents would be proud of me? Why doesn’t my bio mom want a relationship?

It all just swirls around on my birthday and quite honestly, the day gets ruined. Now, I pack it all up and move on from it and wait until the tsunami happens again next May 19.

Does anyone else get these feelings or something similar on your birthday? I swear it’s terrible.

No one seems to understand, and I just sort of want to be left alone - but I have a wife and kids who want to celebrate and then get disappointed when I’m not audibly excited. I’m just quiet. I don’t know I just feel like I let everyone down yesterday because I don’t want to celebrate.

Thank god for May 20 and it being over haha.