Dad's Day

Greetings readers,

Today is Father's Day. I hope everyone is celebrating their fathers today. Here in Richmond's Don McBride Stadium, the dads were tossing to their children for a special event. The RiverRats even pulled a walk-off win against the West Virginia Miners with a ballpark-clearing home run. This post is about my dad.

I absolutely wouldn't be the man I am today without my dad. My dad's always been there.

While my dad couldn't make it to today's game, at least I still have him to talk to. We talk almost every day, unless I'm coming home from a baseball game late in the day on either side of West Alexandria.

My dad is an amazing man. He still puts in ludicrous hours from early-morning at work to late-evenings fixing stuff around the house.

He's been putting in the same hours since I was conceived, and even sooner than that actually (1987 I believe is when dad started working at the Mound, owned by Monsanto at the time.) The companies have changed from Monsanto to EG&G (which I still remember fondly calling it "EGG!" as Bill Nye or some other science show was ready to air on PBS.) EG&G then dumped the Mound, which started shutting operations down and cleaning up that entire lot in Miamisburg. Dad's been at that site for a good long time.

He used to help farm a bunch when Nana and Pop were still alive and we had the farmhouse nearby Gratis. He's now helping out with the two cows we kept and moved behind our house.

He can do it all. Which is why I feel like I fall short of him. Well short.

You see, I often think I have worked hard to pick up dad's work ethic skills. I work at my broadcast resume and you might be able to argue and cheer me up saying I've hauled ass as I try to land a job. Some days, I'll agree. On others, I'll argue to say that if I did things a bit different, I'd be healthily employed full-time broadcasting by now. I still think I fall short of my dad.

My dad is awesome. He taught me to catch with those velcro pads (remember the purple, neon-green, neon-pink ones?) He taught me what to do when an automobile fails. He taught he how to shave. Hee taught me how to think critically and consider all my options. He taught me to be a responsible human being.

That's why I want to make my parents proud. I hope my dad knows this.

Thank you dad for everything. Happy Father's Day.

Until next time,

-Lee