At home with Sarah & Brendan

My wife Sarah and I had a baby November 23rd. His name is Brendan. I've been able to stay home with them for a few weeks, just going back to work half-time this week. It's been great to be able to stay home and help Sarah and just get to know our little guy. It's weird to me in some ways to know that I am now responsible for raising someone and taking care of him. We've had to learn a lot in the past few months to get ready for him, but nothing can quite prepare you for the experience. It has been overwhelming at times, and very tiring, but it has all been worth it. From the first moment I saw him, I felt an overwhelming love like nothing I've ever felt. I've always heard this would happen, but feeling it is really something else.

A Little About Me

My name is Sean Cook, and I am 36, married and live in State College, PA. I work for Penn State University, where I am one of the assistant directors of Residence Life.

I am originally from Clemson, SC, another university town. So I guess I have always pretty much lived in college towns and I think they are really great places to live.

My wife Sarah and I just had our first son, Brendan. He was born on November 23rd, 2005. So I am walking even further into adulthood, which is kind of scary for a guy who has resisted growing up as long as he could. I am a rebel and a dreamer at heart, and I've always had a love/hate (mostly hate) relationship with responsibility and conformity. Which is funny, since my job as a college administrator makes me the very kind of authority I spent most of my time in college rebelling against.

I'm really into indie music, especially alt-country and folk-rock. I was a music writer in college and still maintain friendly relationships with some of the musicians I met back then. I love to write, especially poetry, and I am a now-and-then photographer.

I am very liberal in my politics and getting more and more interested in, and involved in politics. I also take part in community service, mainly through my church and my involvement with the State Theatre in downtown State College.

I hope that people who bother to read this blog will find it at least occasionally enlightening or entertaining. Sorry if this first post isn't exactly captivating. more to come.