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About me - Patrick Caneday

Patrick Caneday is a freelance writer living and working in the suburbs of Los Angeles, California. He works full time in the entertainment industry, but his passion is in writing about everyday life.

Patrick's highly regarded weekly lifestyle column is published

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Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Children are a blessing: 2 of 16

"Daddy, today I am going to try buttons," my 6 year old announced to me some months ago. She then proceeded to take the rest of the day to do just that and discover that she can indeed button her own pants, shirts and sweaters. Having children is both the greatest gift and greatest punishment we receive in life. It is the gr...
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Memories of my grandmother: 7 of 53

"Grace like rain falling down on me," the song goes. And yes, sometimes it is like that. But, being a thickheaded and clueless man (common side effects of my breed), most often God's method of choice with me is "grace like a baseball thrown at the back of my head." Case in point, my almost 100-year-old grandmother. She's bee...
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Unfortunate events: 2 of 8

I can do pony tails, but my braids are painful and sloppy. I have 2 daughters whom I love and adore more than it is possible to describe. Sometimes I can pass as a parent. Sometimes my efforts are like my braids. The day started like any other Sunday. Wake up, watch TV, Fruity Pebbles, Cartoons. "What are we going to do toda...
Parenting & Pregnancy > Parenting Tips Developing compassion as a way of life for you and your children: 31 of 111

It's Sunday, we're home from church, and the neighbor kid my girls usually play with is out of town. The wife needs to study for the state nursing exams. The kids are so wound up their heads are about to pop off like those helicopter toys when you pull the cord. And I am stuck on 43 Across of the Sunday crossword puzzle. It ...
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Motherhood: 20 of 64

While I'd love to tell the story of your mother today, I don't know her. So, let me tell you about mine. She's a pretty typical mom. Darlene is a wife, a career educator, a retiree, a volunteer and the epitome of a grandmother amongst many other things. But most of all, she is a mother. A "mom" in the truest sense of the wor...
Creative Writing > Memoirs Memoirs: Growing up with an absent father: 8 of 24

I was two when he left. When I became a father and my daughter turned two, I looked at her and tried to imagine how it would feel to walk away from her. The thought made me shudder, wanting to wake myself from a bad dream. The childhood memories I have of my father are a patchwork of contractually obligated visits - one week...
Religion & Spirituality > Religious Concepts (Other) Why prayers are necessary for everyone: 3 of 6

I pray. There, I said it. I pray. I am not a good pray-er by any means. In fact, I am rather bad at it. No, I am not going to rally City Hall to make your kids take five minutes each day to pray in school; nor am I going to knock on your door and ask if you'd like to come to church with me. I am not here to write another col...
Creative Writing > Reflections Reflections: Christian men's retreat: 1 of 1

I heard my 12 year old neighbor call something spicy the other day. I think it was a necklace or a pair of sunglasses. Apparently for those of us who remember when the original Star Wars movies came out, a time before cell phones, iPods, text messaging and MySpace, spicy is the new cool. Spicy is good. Keep that in mind and ...
Religion & Spirituality > Setting Life Goals How clear perception is critical to your happiness: 2 of 2

As with most things in my life, I was a mediocre Scout. That is, until my older brother retired from the ranks. No, his departure did not cause me to step out from his shadow and rise to new heights of public service. He was a mediocre Scout as well. But his retirement left a uniform filled with badges, beads and buttons, un...