About

Father Shock and the Author

Hello, my name is Erik and on July 18^th, 2009 I became a father. My wife and I were married a little over five years ago. We live in the place we grew up in, just outside of Portland, Oregon. She is a teacher and I work for a construction company. We have a small home close to our families and enjoy many relationships with friends who are sharing similar experiences.

I hope this blog accomplishes two things. I would like to share my struggles and excitement with others. There are so many fathers or mothers out there who are living what I am living or have experienced it already. I hope to be a part of some conversations; exchanges of information, opinion and advice.

Also, I want to create a record of my experiences for my son to look back on. This is an interesting way to create that record, because not only will my thoughts be present, but also the input of others will be represented as well.

I’ve often tried capturing my favorite moments with a camera, but in a way the act of taking a picture draws me away from the very moment I treasure so much. In making that record I become a spectator and it interrupts my connection to the experience.

Writing seems different to me. I feel like I can enjoy reliving experiences and isolate the bits that make them so important to me. It takes time. I can snap a photo instantaneously and then easily lose it in a junk drawer or closet. When I think about my story and put it into words I often make realizations that are more permanent than those pictures and they help me make intentional decisions about who I want to be and how I want to live.

Setting the dramatics aside, I love being a dad and I also like to write… so there it is… I hope you find something entertaining or useful.

Thanks for reading,

-Erik