Daddy Dearest

The time I forgot my Dad's birthday will forever haunt me. I was a freshman in college, and had only been away from home for a few weeks (hence the reason I was so overly emotional). As I stood in line at a store writing the date on a check, I burst into tears realizing it was the day after my Dad's birthday and I had failed to call him. He was, of course, completely unfazed by my forgetfulness. His friends had thrown him a huge surprise party, and he was a happy guy.

So when I discovered he'd be alone for Father's Day this year (as my sister just moved to Seattle, and my Mom was traveling for work), he again brushed it off like no big deal. He knows he's loved. No need for any fuss. I did have plans to visit him a few days later, so we still got to celebrate together. But now, after the fact, I find we never did a post for our Dads on the big day. And that is just not okay!



I'd like to dedicate this awesomely creepy MGMT video to my Dad, as a belated Father's Day tribute. When I was young, and had nightmares of monsters and such, my Dad calmed my fears with a very simple solution: "Whenever you see a monster in your dreams, just focus really hard and turn him into a jelly bean. Then gobble him up!" And it totally worked every time :)


Love you Dada!

--Haley

p.s. My Dad wrote an account of his Father's Day on his blog. You can read it here.

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(my dad with his father, Nathan)

(2007)
I found out yesterday that my dad was named top Endodontist (dentist specializing in root canals) in New Jersey by New Jersey Monthly Magazine this month. Talk about a career to live up to!
The life he has built for himself and my family out of next to nothing has astounded me on a daily basis for as long as I can remember. I know that it's helped motivate me in my own life on more than one occasion. His logical and reasonable demeanor, a stable thing I've always been able to count on, has been invaluable. It's been a model for keeping my right-brained nuttiness in check with a nice splash of down-to-earth.
Now that he's a proud Godfather and soon-to-be uncle of two (hoo boy), I have no doubt these admirable qualities are going to continue to seep into the minds and hearts of the new generation.
Love you, Dad....

--Dara