Because I’m Your Father

Father. Husband. Blessed. These three words quite succinctly summarize who I am. But they also serve as simple, important reminders of my primary responsibilities in this life.

I am a father to the best kid a dad could ever ask for. A little boy who will many times a day, very matter-of-factly, tell me that he loves me and smile. A boy who will stop playing with his cars or trains, just to appease his old man with a kiss on the cheek. A boy who joyfully says hello to every passer by, and offers stories of his wonderful life to all who will listen. He is unconditional love personified.

It pains me deeply to know that he will slowly grow out of this beautiful innocence as the curtains of life draw back. I know that as they do, it is my duty to teach him right from wrong, to treat others as he would want to be treated, and to love his neighbors. But, as an old friend of mine liked to say, “innocence is the last rebellion.” And he couldn’t have been more profoundly right. So I will do everything in my power to protect that part of him, to shelter him from the noise that surrounds us, to keep him from growing up too fast, and try and instill in him a joy for life and love that stays with him always.

I am a husband to the best wife a man could ever ask for. She’s an incredibly patient woman who, for some reason, continues to stick by me through the thick and thin of careers, marriage, parenthood, and family life. She’s a passionate, supportive and encouraging woman who has always wanted the most and the best for me our son, and for everyone around her. And she’s a loving wife and mother, who unconditionally gives of herself for her family. So it is my duty then, to give her as much of myself, my patience, passion, support, encouragement and love as I possibly can.

I am blessed because God loves me, and has seen fit to grant me the best life that any man could ever ask for. He has blessed me with the most amazing kid, and a beautiful, loving wife. He has blessed me with great parents, who by their own example, taught me how to be a good father, and a good husband. I am blessed because I was born into a country whose founders, and generations of their children, have sacrificed, and worked hard to try and keep the curtains closed, so that their children could live lives without worry, full of wonder and love. And so I owe it to HIM and them, to be the best dad, the best husband, and the best servant that a son or wife or Holy Father could ever ask for.

# # #

Finally, I’d like to ask all who read this to say a special Father’s Day prayer for the father of Neda, the young Iranian woman whose gut-wrenching death has been shown ad nauseam on cable news over the last few days. I can not fathom the kind of sorrow her father must have felt as he watched his daughter die. I can only hope that somewhere in the midst of that immense pain, was a comfort that he could be with her as she left this life, and pray that he is able to tempter his sadness with the happy memories of their life together.

Woweewow.  What a mess this lil dumposphere is. Blogwebs all over the freggin place.  I clearly have lots of late spring cleaning to do around here.

Yeah, I’m back. Yeah, I’ve said it before. Yeah, I’ll probably disappear again. But it’s Father’s Day Weekend, and I’m inspired. So shut it.

The boy has been way too cute and funny lately, and I kick myself in the nards every time I forget to write down something he says or document the perfectness that is his daily life.  And with all the technology and simpatico between phones and WordPress and Facebook and Twitter and everyothersocialnetworkingpluginordevice these days, there really is no excuse.   So here we go.

Where have I been? Oh I started a new job. Working for myself. In the worst economy since, well, the last really crappy economy. Yes, I’m the genius that gives up a solid paycheck to start my own small company in the age of Obamanomics.  But I’m happy I did it.  Might not be when I make a bunch of money and Prezz-O comes to take it away from me for the ruling class.  But we’ll leave personal politics out of it for now.

I actually have a couple different companies.  ASK4 Entertainment (www.ask4entertainment.com) is my primary company, which will focus on event production and management.  I’m running a charity golf tournament and a charity poker tournament, and about to launch another charity event (hopefully) later this year.  More on all that later.  I’ve also started a music cruise called ShipRocked (www.getshiprocked.com) which will sail this November.  It’s a bit like the last one I managed for my previous employer – only this time I get all the money for doing all the work!  And circling back to the personal politics briefly, I’m partnering on another theme cruise next year called The Liberty Ship (www.thelibertyship.com).

So, back to the boy and this blog.  I’m really looking forward to getting back into it. When I’m old and losing my mind (say, tomorrow), I want to be able to remember all the great stuff he said and did during these oh-so-cute toddler/oh-my-god-he’s-a-little-boy years.

Oh yeah…THIS place!  

For the 8-10 of you that still bother, a Happy Mother’s Day to you.  Hope it was a good one.  Mine was spent taking care of the boy, and actually messing around with the blog (gasp).  I upgraded to the latest WordPress, which is really pretty cool, and I put a few new widgets over there on the right (go buy stuff so Amazon will send me money).  Oh, and I uploaded a few old BIYFilms… enjoy.

I’m not going to say I’ll effort to post more, because much like the bullies in kindergarten who mocked my very 70s-plaid pants (thanks mom!), you’ll just laugh and point.  But don’t be surprised if things start to pick up a bit around here in the coming weeks.  You see, BIYM and I were trying to recall something funny that Albert had done the other day. When we came to the sad realization that we’d completely forgotten, I decided to try and do better, to try and keep a better record of the funny stories, quotes and moments together.    I owe it to myself, BIYM and the boy to remember.  

Finally, to my baby-momma… I love you.  Thank you for all that you do, and all that you are.  You’re an amazing wife, and one hell of a mom…  Albert and I are lucky dudes.