May 4, 1999
Today is my dad's birthday.
He taught me how to throw and catch and hit. I remember he used to go to his late bowling league on Monday nights and when he came home he always used to come up and tuck me in.
When I think about my dad, I think about sports because he spends a lot of time watching, coaching and playing sports. He's in multiple bowling and golf leagues. He's a softball umpire. In his life, he's coached football, basketball and golf that I remember. He does the play by play for my high school's football team. Sometimes, when they show football and basketball games on TV, he does the color commentary. During the summer, he works at the country club as a greenskeeper. Every Sunday morning, he plays golf. He has two TVs in the living room so he can watch multiple sporting events at a time.
When I was younger, my dad used to be the park supervisor during the summer, and he used to take me with him. I thought I was so cool because my dad was the "boss" of the park.
When my dad was the basketball coach, my mom used to take us to the games. After halftime, I would go up to my dad to say hi, and he would give me a stick of Juicy Fruit gum. I was so proud that my dad was the coach, and I wanted everyone to know that he was my dad.
My dad is an usher at church, and he used to let me sit back in the little usher box with him. Once I accidentally kicked the bells but my dad told me it was OK.
When I was little, everyone used to tell me I looked just like my dad, and I wanted to be just like him. I used to look for things we had in common to prove I was just like my dad. He likes chips and dip - I like chips and dip. He has skinny legs, I have skinny legs.
At my brother's wedding last summer, I danced with my dad and we both sang along to the music. Now I know where I got that from!
My dad has taught 7th grade history, at the same school, in the same classroom for 31 years. I can't imagine the kind of patience that requires. He's retiring this year, and I'm sure he will be missed.
Most of all, my dad sets a great example of the kind of person I want to be. He is honest, responsible and has a great deal of integrity. He always does the right thing, always. I have never known him to cheat, lie or steal, or suffer fools. He can talk to anyone and put them at ease. He's very smart, and he always inspired me to do well in school and be a good person, without putting any pressure on me. Although I tease him about being cheap, he taught me to be fiscally responsible, and the value of saving up for something you want to buy instead of using credit to buy it, and how to live within your means.
Today is my dad's birthday. I am lucky to have such a great dad, and I try every day to be the kind of daughter of which he can be proud. I look forward to helping my dad celebrate many more birthdays.
Happy Birthday, Dad. I love you.
Sars of TomatoNation linked to me. Thanks, Sars! Check out her brilliant essays. The one on dog etiquette is particularly hilarious.
I kept seeing commercials for Strangers With Candy on Comedy Central. I kind of had high hopes because it stars Amy Sedaris, sister of the brilliant David Sedaris and wearer of the fat suit in one of David's best essays. I watched it, and it wasn't that funny. I'm not sure what was bad about it exactly. But it was bad.
If you haven't heard, there was a riot Saturday night up on the Syracuse University campus. It's one thing to have an end-of-semester blow out. It's another thing to start gigantic bonfires in the street and throw bottles at cops. No matter how much you've had to drink, how could you think that would be a good idea? One of the funniest bits of video from the news: this girl is standing in front of a huge fire, dancing and jeering at the firemen. They turn on their hose and point it up in the air so the water is showering down on the fire and the girl. She keeps laughing and dancing like "Oooh, water!". They turn their hoses on her and she falls down. Not hard enough to hurt, but enough to crack me right up. I hope the people responsible go to jail. I'm sick of college being an excuse for completely irresponsible behavior with no consequences. I'm not saying I didn't do stupid things in college - but I had to deal with the consequences of my behavior, and I certainly never harmed anyone but possibly myself.