Delays my Father would be Proud of [Free Share]

So the month of August has been a traumatic one. My father spent most of it in the Hospital. Things were more Go than Touch and there was some hope for a recovery although it would have been a very hard road with Dialysis and Physical Therapy, and my dad didn't do hard roads. He checked out on September 1st as I returned from SoCal Canjam.

He was not the best man or father or chef or lead female vocalist but he was an inspiration of sorts. He didn't take anything too seriously and he avoided responsibility whenever possible, he took on WAY too many projects that I don't think he was ever equipped to handle. He kinda sucked as a provider but my mother more than made up for all those things (but she doesn't sing either).

The one things he excelled at was talking, he could tell you about his dreams for 3 hours in excruciating detail and did this often and loudly. I was fascinated about whatever he had to say no matter how bat-shit it was. He could lock people in conversations against their wills and when he was done he usually had made a new friend.

He was also a big fan of eating, although he didn't explore much food culture outside of what the Bronx had raised him on. He loved animals and cared for many, too many. He also introduced me to his favorite music. Pink Floyd, The Doors, The Who, Beegees. Loved movies, at least when they were on Laserdisc or he could record PPV onto VHS. The Lost Boys and Hook and I remember him taking me to see The Matrix. Ten years later I took him to see Watchmen. We hung out and both built a speaker out of some old Radio Shack stuff he use to have in a car we trashed. We both designed one side and used the same drivers. Hard to say who won but he got me into audio.

Now that he is gone I find myself in awe/dread of how much like him I am. I try to throw away the bad bits or at least work on them harder than he did but Genetics be wild. Who would have thought bullshitting about audio would be both our hobby and eventual careers (He worked at Nobody Beats the Wiz for a while, Installed Car audio, did a few bowling alley sound systems with me). His Hair-brain schemes and terrible time sinks certainly live on at my house. An unhealthy passion for eating certainly got passed down although I can cook! My father once tried to make a Canned ham IN THE CAN.. My Italian Grandma would not approve, maybe it skips a generation. He was a Chevy Guy so I became a Chevy Guy. He liked the Yankees so I liked the Yankees. We disagreed on very few topics and only years later would I look back and realize I probably should have argued with him MORE.

No matter how you cut this cake he did keep a family together, Never smoked or drank or beat my ass, made it to every family get-together (albeit LATE) and laughed and made inappropriate jokes the whole time. Raised 3 kids that were inspired to be like him or NOT like him (still a good thing) How he didn't die from my mother smashing in his head with a frying pan I will never know. Enough sad stuff. My dad hated sad stuff. Don't worry about condolences, instead go have a good Meal, make a few crude jokes, meet some new friends and listen to Dark Side of the Moon. The world around you will be better for it.