SINGLE DADS BLOG

(My dad said “Get Out There and Vote Today”)

Single dads, hopefully you voted yesterday, and explained the importance of it to your children! Here are a few questions children might ask, and as a dad, you might decide to discuss with your kids:

Why should you vote?

Why is this such an important day?

How do you decide who to vote for?

Now for a little trivial pursuit (for you diehards, who know much about history or want to learn) while we consider the pursuit of our happiness, on this historic Election Day November 6, 2012. I used to play Trivial Pursuit with my Dads and ask them lots of history questions, not just on Election Day. They always seemed to know the answers and if not…read on, and see what they taught me!

Did you know….? …. and, hard for me to believe.

“This was the most expensive presidential race in American history.” (Source: The New York Times)

As you watch and listen to the results of Election Day be recapped and reviewed today, here are some Election Day Trivial Pursuit questions for you to have fun with as well: 

1. What is the significance of February 4, 1789? 

2. In what year was the first census passed which determined how many delegates each state would have in the house?

3. Who wrote the first bill of rights? (Hint: A Virginia Statesman)

4. Who said this: “I live a dull life here. I never go into any public place. Indeed I am more like a state prisoner than anything else… And I cannot do as I like, I am obstinante and stay home a great deal.” ?

5. What does E Pluribus Unum mean and where can it be found? 

For the answers, just ask me in the comments.

And… Let’s not forget a lesson from my dads today (besides his advice, which is the title of this post):

Single Dad Lesson #4: “Don’t look like a smarty pants. If you don’t know the answer, look it up.”

I am guilty of not always following either of their advice or this rule. Both dad’s called me “the storyteller.” I was notorious for always having an answer, but not always the correct answer.

The truth is, truth does matter.

Sandy F. was a tyrant when it came to lying. He would charge me money every time I was wrong, and it cost me a lot of hard earned money–and it was literally a pain in the butt (when I was little). I always thought my answers were logical and creative. According to Sandy F. so were his punishments: Spending the day sitting in the bathtub (with no water) and also the taste of ivory soap on my breath.

So I became a truth teller. Maybe too much so!

I would say to Sandy F. when I got a little older, “Dad Don’t forget the 8th Amendment.” So I guess as a little girl I learned a little something about my constitutional rights (smile.) However, looking back, I was a pretty brazen little girl. I would say to one or the other dad, when they were not paying attention. ” I’m going to ask my other Dad.” That usually got some kind of response!

Oh boy… what a handful… and actually… I still am!

As I grew up, I was given several nickname – one called me  SAJB and the other BM. I’m not going to tell everyone what that stood for, but try me in the comment’s section :-).

Single Dad Lesson # 5:  Don’t Lie (that goes for parents too) 

COMING UP: Why politics matter to single dads

With that in mind, I  would like your feedback:  If you are a single dad, how do you see politics as a way of bringing you closer to your kids and your kids closer to you?

COMING UP SOON: a story about my political grand mother, the mother of one of my single dads, with excerpts from an interview after she served as an ambassador for the United States.

I wonder who my grandmother would have voted for ?

As a little girl, I was pretty shy (boy, have I changed).  And, I was often scared,so I acted tough.

My Dads were not around much, but I was always wishing they were when a storm was forecasted. Children like their Dads  around when a storm  is coming.

I learned at a very early age about men’s weather obsession, because being informed and talking about the weather conditions, was something both Sandys had in common.

When the hurricane hit NYC, the night of October 29th, I started going online and watching closely all of the news and weather channels. I could recall conversations I had with both dads about the weather, wind chill factor, high vs low tide, barometric pressure, and so on.

So, I kept track of Sandy.

Storm Stats for NYC: a full moon, winds in Central Park were approx. 58 mph and reached 90 mph in the surrounding area, the water surged up to almost 14 feet(in Battery Park), the Barometric Pressure dropped to 945, and the storm extended 1000 miles in diameter. As per Reuters, 42 people died in the NY surrounding area, 34 in NYC.

NYU Hospital Medical Langone Center was evacuated. This is the hospital I associate with the end of the line. NYU hospital was punished by Storm Sandy, not just because the backup generators went down, but 3 floors of windows blew out. I believe the 15th-17th floors. And, that is also the floor where my dad spent some of his time before he “checked out.”

On the morning of October 30th, a pink rose budded from the “Knockout” rosebush that I gave to Sandy’s niece and nephew, Ellen and John, on their wedding anniversary, in memory of Sandy. A text was sent to me Tuesday morning by their daughter, Sarah, “Cindy’s rose in memory of Sandy blooms – a good omen.”

Sandy, the Friendly Ghost was smiling down on me after the storm roared through.

Suffice it to say, Sandy was the largest storm on earth, according to the news reports. However, the damage could have been a lot worse. I remember going to help in New Orleans after Katrina, and nothing could have compared to that. But, my dads taught me you step up, wherever and whenever you can. Now it was time to help repair the damage.

The next few days, I got to work and did what I could to help those in need. NYC still has little power downtown (below 30th), food an issue and getting gas is a serious problem. Because of  downed lines, there is little if any reception.

I went online to donate (see below), and made calls and sent emails to see who needed a place to stay. I brought a carload of food,water, flashlights and batteries to a shelter yesterday. Today we went to one of the Lower East Side projects. Neither had water or electricity.

I want to thank my new friend Cyrus for helping me today (btw, a single-dad) and thank Julie Menin for organizing this effort. I also want to thank my good friend David, for without his kind support, guidance and enthusiasm this project would only have been a great idea–not something real! Also: he is a Super Single Dad!

Click here to see a list of organizations you may give to

Huffington Post gives a neighborhood take on  how you can help.

COMING UP: Sandy Single Dad Lesson # 3: Be fiercely independent & count on yourself