So begins the year of 30: a decade of blogging like a madman.

It dawned on me way to late in the evening on New Year's Eve to make a big deal. But once I realized the insanity of it all, I think I kind of just sat and stared into the distance for a while.

My mind was attempting to bend and flip over the fact that this year marks a huge turning point in my life. Even now I am not quite sure how to properly celebrate 2014.

You see, 2014 marks an incredibly big year for me and my family:

My youngest brother is playing in the Big 10.
My middle brother is getting married.
My daughter turns One.
My wife and I will celebrate our second anniversary.
I even turn 30 this year.

But all of that does not quite hold a candle to the fact that...

The Wednesday Weekly turns 10 this year.

Holy. Hell. Batman!

That means that I have been sipping whiskey and banging out some truly awful writing for you bastards for 10 years. Some of you have even been around since the beginning as you came slogging along with me on some incredible adventures.

It all started one evening in the basement apartment in Columbia, Missouri, where a small undetected gas leak would keep me and my roommate a little loopy all summer. That might explain why I started the blog. It might also explain why gas stoves terrify me to this day. Of course, after 10 years, you would think I would be able to maintain this place a little better. Back then I thought this blog would be something like a rogue news site for all the news that never made it into the weekly paper I working for at the time.

After that it just became kind of an online journal for one college kid who had no idea what he was doing. Then a travel blog, then photo blog, then a space for wedding updates, home hunting, the birth of my daughter and now... well, if I give it another 10 years I might finally figure out what the hell I'm doing here.

A decade, people!

My old journalism roommate used to say, "Real writers only get to use an exclamation point three times in their lives."

Well, Andy, here goes all three.

10 years old!

I have been blogging for more than a decade in this spot and while I might take some time off here and there, I have no intention of ever stopping. I just renewed the Wednesday Weekly domain for another year and hopefully we will keep renewing it for another decade or so.

Happy Halloween from the Cubicle Farm

When The Empire has a casual dress policy, this Storm Trooper takes it seriously...

"Droids? Let me tell you a story about some droids I was looking for once..."

You're still here?

Oh, hey. I did not know anyone had stuck around. I guess I kind of left you all in a lurch seeing as my last post was just a giant GIF vomit before we headed to the hospital.

Yep. The Librarian and I had a baby. And she is most awesome thing ever.

Notice how she radiated awesome from Day One.

The photo of me holding my daughter in the hospital seems like an eternity ago, but it just happened back in August. Now two-and-half months into this whole Fatherhood gambit and I feel like we are starting to get into a rhythm.

Granted, I keep saying that and then my daughter will throw us a curveball that makes The Librarian and I question everything we have been doing as parents.

Still, like everything else in my life, I am perfectly comfortable just blundering my way through parenthood making things up as I go and pretending that all the good things that happen are planned that way.

At least this is what I will tell my daughter when she gets older.

IT'S GO TIME!!!!!!!!

#BabyEkey is on the move!

#BABYEKEY!

MCC: leading the community college revolution.

MCC this was not so much a marketing department idea. Rather, this was conceived and written by MCC-Penn Valley student Bro.

It really drives home the well-worn idea that success is not something that is won by a single action or single person. Success is won by entire cities, families and people who are committed to the idea that education is the key to lifting any community.

The newest Lee's Summit Arts Council member

That's right, cats and kittens!

Lee's Summit Mayor Randy Rhodes and the City Council appointed me to the Lee's Summit Arts Council. Above, you can see Rob The Lobster—one of my many artistic talents.

All joking aside, I am honored and excited to work with this group. It is my first big step into working with Lee's Summit and City Hall. In talking with my friend who helped me submit my name for consideration, he says this council is incredibly diverse and very active in the activities and programs they oversee throughout the city. In working with MCC I have seen the council's work first-hand as they have been long-time supporters of the MCC-Longview Kite Festival, Longview Arts Festival and Longview Literary Festival.

Along with many sponsored events, the council also works with artists and art organizations to advocate for their work in the many different venues around Lee's Summit.

This week I will be sitting down with Parks and Rec. folks to get my official orientation into my first major board appointment and what my one-year term will entail.

Aug. 13 is our first meeting and hopefully, if we are sans baby, I will be able to make the meeting and start working with this group.

GAH! We are getting so freaking close.

At this point, the doctor says it's all about waiting for the baby.

Let's get this show on the road!

Testing the Ergobaby

Cat tested. Father approved.

Swayer seemed to enjoy the perch and only jumped out when the dog started getting jealous and whining.

I'm 6'4" and nearly 300 lbs. and the Ergobaby fits nicely around my body. Even with the cat I felt pretty secure and he did not move at all.

Fezzes and Fedoras are cool.

My cousin's kid decided that he wanted to have a Doctor Who-themed birthday party. Of course, I had to come dressed as one of my favorite Doctors. Even though he and his younger brother were the only ones who recognized who I was supposed to be, it was still a great time.

This was also a prime example of how my family will plan theme parties and invite everyone to dress up and then I end up arriving as the only adult in costume.

Epic Fail, family... Epic...Fail...

With two Doctors at one party, things got a little wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey...

Dog Days of Summer

The summer means playing in the sprinkler in the backyard.