Sunday, June 18, 2006

Happy Father's Day!

This the goodbye offererd by our office, I don't even know what to call her - secretary (for kindness' sake), to the mailwoman!

Now that just gets me all steamed up! Is the mailwoman a father? Does she even like her father? Is her father serving time upstate? Is he dead? The list could go on and on. Perhaps she's married, but if so, it is her husband's Father's Day, technically. Then again, perhaps she's not married. This has been building up since May when I read a post in Courting Destiny (can't seem to get the link, but you can link from my sidebar, it's the 5/18/06 post) in which Pia discussed her outrage at a comment by a columnist in California stating that our legacy is how our children turn out. Well, I'll opt out of that one. One of my dearest friends is neither a mother, nor still has her's here on earth, so my agitation is triggered by the thoughtlesness or plain stupidity of some people in offering these greetings. I think Dear Secretary X means well, but really she should just master transferring calls to voicemail and skip the greetings.

The point is I can't say these things aloud and I am ever so nice as I try to teach the woman what skills she hasn't seen fit to acquire in her 30 plus years of employement, so I must bash her in print. I am sure I will pay in karma (if I am not already in too deep) if I recount the thought I had when she mentioned some health difficulties she had had in the past which included that of being in a coma; so in that interest, I will not print them. Suffice it to say, all this tongue biting must come out one way or another. Let me not get started on the corporations who decide shuffling dead wood is better than just setting it adrift.

Look, if you're looking for Hallmark sentiments, click on next blog. This is not to say that I don't think my husband is the best father there could be to our children.

"It is a wise father that knows his own children." William Shaekespeare

This is one of the things that I love about Adrian - he knows his children and deals with anyone in a no nonsense way who would indicate otherwise. Case in point: seems there was some sort of "altercation" in the lunchroom involving our dear daughter. As luck would have it Adrian was picking her up from school when the School Misguidance Counselor came running up to him to tell him of what Tali had purportedly done. He listened for a moment and said "Something's wrong - that doesn't sound like my daughter. Why don't you investigate a little further". Truth is, Daddy-O was right. The boy eventually confessed with a little pressure. But believe me when Tali does something wrong, he already knows it.

We are both, thankfully, the same when it comes to celebrating these days - low key. Kids make us cards and some little hand made gift. If I happen to see something that is so fitting as I did recently for him - an audio book entitled, Born to Kvetch, appreciating the Yiddish language, then I pick it up for him. Otherwise, I will make Sunday breakfast (since he makes it every other Sunday of the year) and he will be free to watch World Cup games until his voice is hoarse from yelling, GOOOOOAAAALLLLLASSSO!

To all who celebrate - Happy Father's Day, especially those who cannot be with their children today. And to all - have a good day.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Excellent venting! Completely understand the corporate "deadwood" shuffle...easier to simply transfer around the company than deal with the intanglements of separation - hate it! We too low key the "manufactured holidays" in our house...it just seems right. Heard the author of "Born to Kvetch" on NPR not long ago...sounded like a great book!

Am I first?

Anonymous said...

first to comment --first in my heart, honey! (sorry G, you weren't supposed to hear that!)

great post! great venting! and, might i add, karma will surely not bite you in the ass for yipping a bit about a stupid, greeting-challenged assistant... not when you've *also* included so many lovely words about your husband AND fixed him *breakfast*! trust me, you're golden!

oh, and so much for the "oh...poor me... i got nuthin' to write... i'm gonna stop blogging... nobody cares... i'm gonna eat worms.... boo hoo hoo...

this was most EXCELLENT!! (just sayin'...) xoxo

G said...

Ooh, too bad you two don't live next door, we could just sit outside and bitch about this stuff. Joel, it's enough to make a sane person, well blog. Gotta love NPR!

Neva - so cute you two and I am going to stop blogging...when I have nothing to vent about :) You both are a tonic - thanks!

Have a good night! See you in the park?

G said...

Just a blink in the blogosphere. Funny guy, Brian - now get out of my office.

Doug The Una said...

Thanks, G. Low key is good on every holiday. Father's Day, I'm convinced no one believes in except as a justification for Mother's Day.

G said...

Doug - With you on that one Brother!

Briiaaan: What can I say - it's contagious! Now for the last time, a closed door means Do Not Disturbo! But, thanks for stopping by just the same - and you forgot the card.

Anonymous said...

Understand totally!

Kyahgirl said...

Hi g, Adrian does indeed sound like a great dad.

I tend to agree with Doug on the Father's day thing.
How about Grandparents day and Secretaries day. Here, we have whole Secretaries week!!

You would not believe how many people asked me last week 'what are you doing for Father's day?' or 'what did you get Ron?' I'm baffled and annoyed by this. And they are baffled ( and probably annoyed ) by my curt irreverence for these important occasions

Here's concept: 'be loving and respectful to the important people in your life, every day'

oh crap, I gotta run, the Hallmark posse is coming....see ya!

Miz BoheMia said...

Ooooh! Venting is right up my alley fo' sho' and to it all I say right on sistah! We keep such things so low key we don't celebrate them... setting aside a day to celebrate each other (mother's day, father's day, valentine's day and the like) seems just ridiculous... if others like it then great but otherwise, we simply don't and would rather be attentive and celebratory of each other as a rule...

And hey, don't know what else to say after Neva's and Joel's fab comments so I will ditto them... DITTO I SAY!

Great post Lady G!

G said...

Brian: look at you, bunny on the spot.
Pia: I knew that you would.
Kyah: He is - ever the protective papa. Sometimes I think he's got it more together than me in certain aspects of parenting.
MizM: But nobody vents quite like you. I think yours is a good rule. I used to hate that in my old office "so what did you get for Mother's Day" How about laid? Or when someone would get a gift certificate? What's up with that?

Thanks for venting along - hasta luego.

FirstNations said...

oh goodness, how many murders have been prevented because folks could blog that stuff? crap, ive worked with that woman. and i wished the same thing.
yay for good dads! my husband is one. happy belated to yours!
or not, if youd rather......

Mistress Anna said...

I am so with Doug on that one.

Anonymous said...

BORN TO KVETCH brought a smile. I hope they have that priceless picture on the audio version.

G said...

FN: And to your hubby too - I'm not radical about it...yet.
Mistress: He makes a very compelling point.
Weirsdo: It does.