The End of an Era

Okay, so I just got back from a couple days in VA Beach for my old man's retirement party and here's what I figured out:

1. Bad things happen to me. Example; My return flight from Atlanta to Augusta was cancelled, with no re-scheduled flights until tomorrow, forcing me to land in ATL, rent a car for $200, drive 140 miles home and naturally I manage to get clipped doing 90 MPH in a 70 MPH zone. Total bullshit. This story is way more involved considering that my brother in law just made sergeant in the police force and supplied me with a new family member PBA card just two days ago that failed to work on the Good Old Georgia cop who flat out lied about my MPH. How do I know he lied? Because I was on cruise control at 80 for about 20 miles before he snagged me. Crooked cops.

2. My Dad apparently was quite the man at his work place for the last 37 years. The people who came out to honor his career said some incredibly nice things about him, not only in a speech setting, but to my face nowhere within earshot of the old man. He was responsible for advancing a lot of people's careers and there were a lot of grateful people there. I learned that I get a lot of my management style from the guy whether it be osmosis, genetics or his mentoring and I feel kind of validated to know he really was a vital part of his company's operations for oh, so many years.

3. While on the subject of dear, old Dad...he's incredibly unashamed at his love for Avril Lavigne. The man made me watch a DVD concert of hers from a few years back and I honestly felt odd watching it. Not as odd as having to watch this New Jersey chick Lisa Bouchelle that he adores play at his retirement bash in the flesh. My Dad was so well liked that his company paid this chick a couple grand to come sing for 30 people in a ballroom on the beach on a Monday night. It was cool for him since he is such a fan (his wallpaper on his cell phone is a picture that he snapped of her a couple months back), but it felt strange being in the same room as my Dad and his "celebrity" crush at the same time.

4. My sister loves the mall. Yesterday I spent hours and hours in the mall with my brother in law, my Dad and my sister wandering around looking for shoes that she just had to have. I will admit that I took the opportunity to buy some cheap clothes at Old Navy and this t-shirt place, I even bought a new book to read.

5. I love reading. I finished another book, one that I'm working on describing for you all in the form of a review, so stay tuned. Dealing with airports and air travel goes so much smoother when you have a book that you can get lost in.

6. My Dad's new apartment in a high rise down by the beach is incredibly nice. 16th floor, pool, steps from the ocean....you can bet if I were a shore guy I'd be there all summer long. Apparently the old man is doing well for himself, let's just hope now that he is retired he doesn't blow through my inheritance like a crack head looking for a rock.

Anyway, I just got back in town, my mail is like an overgrown lawn that needs addressing and I'm incredibly sore from sleeping on a futon for 3 nights and sitting in a car/plane all fucking day today. Just wanted to pepper in a little something about the weekend. And oh yeah, Glory Road was just okay. Remember the Titans with basketballs.