Romilly made me a cake. Not just any cake, but a Fathers’ Day Cake. She chose the cake. She chose the icing. She chose the decorations. She helped bake the cake. She helped ice the cake. She single-handedly decorated the cake, taking over an hour to place each and every little jelly bean, mini-marshmallow and mini-m&m.

She also ensured that, along with some “monster hands”, I got plenty of chocolates. I understand that, had she been allowed to, I would have received at least half of the confectionery isle.

I’m a very proud, very lucky, and very sugar-filled father.

Today, while catching up with an old friend — that’s old as in someone I’ve known for a long time, not old as in creaking bones — I was asked if I had any side projects going. For the first time in years, I don’t. I’m not writing a single line of code in my spare time. My website layout isn’t even being worked on.

Sure, I’ve taken up brazilian jiu jitsu, spent more time with Romilly, and started taking a little pride in my garden, but does that really count? Are those things really keeping my geek credentials valid? Am I at risk of losing my right to babble incoherently in technical jargon and then roll my eyes dismissively at the general populace when they fail to understand?

I think it’s about time for me to get my act together and start doing something geeky. That’s right; I think it’s time for me to break something.