Every month, I gather up some share-worthy content from around the web and share it with you here with the What’s Up Wednesdays series. I originally wanted to say “from around the blogosphere,” but I stopped myself for two reasons. First, I feel like I’d be dating myself. (Do people still talk about a blogosphere?) Second, these round-ups don’t have to be just blog posts…. though that’s what happening today. Sort of. Anyway, let’s get down with some shocking truths and food for thought.

Greg Halter from Year of the Dad kicks things off with, you guessed it, shocking truths. More specifically, he lists off a few things that parents don’t tell their kids about adulting. On some level, we’re sheltering them, protecting them, giving them the life we never had. On the other hand, are we doing them a disservice by not telling them that cleaning never ends? And yes, bills and taxes are unavoidable and sometimes overwhelming.

Jim Lin tackles a timely but difficult topic on Golin. He recounts an experience when his sixth grade teacher told him to “go back to Shanghai.” Yes, his teacher. Not some schoolyard bully. And to top it all off, Lin was born in the United States. I can certainly relate. Growing up, I never felt like I was Canadian enough to be accepted as “just a Canadian.” At the same time, I wasn’t Asian enough either. Like Lin, I too looked up to Michael Chang and Connie Chung (and more locally, Mi-Jung Lee). Progress is slow, but I hope we’re moving toward greater acceptance and mainstream representation.

Roberto Santiago from An Interdisciplinary Life reminds us of the deep-rooted complexity in the matter of representation, though. In an adaptation from a paper for an Asian American Studies class, he talks about Asian people in media and how we’re seen as the perpetual other. Even in science fiction. Take Sulu from Star Trek, for example. It’s great to see an Asian character on screen, but he also fulfills the model minority stereotype: “he is smart, subordinate. a good worker, and a-sexual.” And let’s not forget the Yellow Peril and the Geisha stereotypes in Star Wars too.

Shifting gears, Art Eddy from The Art of Fatherhood reflects on the ticking clock. Time marches on, whether we’re ready for it or not. How much time is left on your parenting timer? As cliche as it sounds, kids grow up so quickly. “Blink and you’ll miss it,” as they say. Time is relative and we all experience it differently. For me, it feels like fatherhood is such a central part of who I am, like I’ve been living this role for so long. And yet, it also feels like only yesterday I held my newborn daughter in my arms for the first time. That was almost 7 years ago.

And finally, my good friend James Smith from SocialDad has rounded up what he calls the ultimate Father’s Day gift list. In particular, he’s eyeing folks like me. The “dad bloggers” and “dadfluencers” in the crowd. We like to create content, we like to consume content, and we want to be comfortable while doing it. From comfy shorts to vlogging cameras, James has you covered. I wouldn’t mind a weekend in that VW Westfalia myself.

Can you believe Father’s Day is only a little over three weeks away? What’s on your list?