Ari on the web

If you stand at the right Canberra street corner on a Wednesday or Thursday morning you might just catch me as I make my transition. That’s the transition from Goofy Hands-On Dad to Serious Salaryman that is a regular part of my morning routine as I venture the half-kilometre or so from where I drop off my 11-month-old daughter at childcare to the corporate office where I ply my trade. The day starts pleasantly enough on these days. After the usual morning activities at home, my daughter and I jump on the suburban bus that putters down our street. I carry my daughter on board – no room for a pram on a peak-hour service, anyhow – and position her on my lap so we can both sit comfortably. No doubt to the annoyance of many of our fellow passengers I can’t help but play up each little thing that happens as I whisper in my daughter’s ear. “We’re going around a cornerrrrrr,” I say, swaying sharply to one side far beyond anything justified by centrifugal force. “Look, there’s a man o