Fathers... who knew right?

In case you didn't get that reference in my title, it's from "Tangled". That was a great movie. Anyway, I digress.

For some reason or another, my dad has been on my mind lately. I was just thinking about all the great battles of wit we have. All the hilarious things he says to me. Seriously, the man in a perfectly timed humor clock.

For example, when we saw "Taken" for the first time (Liam Neeson is AMAZING, by the way), my dad had this conversation with me as we left the theater.

Dad: Hey.

Me: Yeah?

Dad: If you ever to go Europe, don't get taken. I don't have any special skills to come save you.

Me: Oh gee thanks, Dad. I'll just have to ninja chop my own way out.

And then there was that time when I told him I was switching from a chemistry major to an english major.

Dad: So what are you switching to?

Me: English.

Dad: Why don't you get a useful degree?

Me: Don't even start with me, computer man!

Also, Dad likes to pretend he doesn't mind having me away at school. But I know better. When my brothers went back to school he gave them this speech:

Dad: Listen up. This is not your home anymore. You don't live here anymore. We don't want to see you every weekend. Neither to R and J. You will go to school and you will start your own life.

I didn't get one of those speeches. Just half-hearted attempts at humor as I finished moving all of my stuff into my dorm. And I get huge hugs every time I go home (which is more frequently than I'd care to admit). That's the great thing about going to school here: I'm far enough away to be on my own, but close enough to home to retreat there when I feel the need.

A while back, Mom got her knees replaced. She was doing physical therapy, and was a bit slower than she used to be due to the pain. Dad's encouragement went a little like this:

Mom: (Stood up to go get something from her room).

Dad: Wait, I'll time the race! Let me get my calendar out!

For those of you who don't get the joke, replace "calendar" with "stopwatch".

He's just an all-around funny guy. Dads usually are. But I like to think that even though it took me ten years to get a real relationship with mine, he's the best one out there. Lots little girls think that about their dads, I guess. I wouldn't trade mine for anything.