"30 days of livejournal" : DAY 03 – Your parents, in great detail

Will this meme ever ask for mediocre detail, or would that be too amusing?

I guess individually, then together?

My MOM!

My mom is 58 years old. She was born March 11th, in San Diego, California. My grandfather was a pilot in the navy, which means she lived in something like 13 states as she grew up. She has two brothers, and as I understand it was something of a tom-boy. She started college at the Shenandoah Conservatory of Music. She did not finish there, and moved to Guilford with her folks, where, after attending dog grooming school in New York City, she opened up a pet grooming business in the basement of my grandfather's pet store in my hometown. This store is called Peppers. This is where she and my dad met, in fact. More on that later.

My mom is an amazing French Horn player, as well as essentially every instrument, and she wanted to be a teacher. She lived at home while I was growing up and in the younger grades, but when I entered 4th or 5th grade she started working at the local middle school, first as a para, but then as an assistant music teacher. She then began the process of finishing her bachelors degree, and succeeded in 2000, making her the first in her family to do so. She got a job teaching band, chorus, and general music, not to mention doing the music aspects of the musical at a middle school in New Haven, Connecticut. She's been teaching there since, and got her and has also since worked for and received her masters! My mom is frigging awesome, eh?

My mom is a big influence in me creatively and musically. Music is a really really big part of my life, and my mother played a huge role in the development of that. I can remember driving around singing in the car to musicals, the beach boys, and a variety of oldies. She brought me to my first play audition, and all the rehearsals. Also, honor band, and before-school band. My mom and I shared our work commute for a long time, and we'd talk and sing. I gain a lot of my most basic interaction skills from my mom, and my sentimentality. I've learned patience, ethics, caring, and hard work from her. We have a ton of personal jokes, and I talk to her at least once a week. I am definetly a momma's boy, and that's just fine.

My DAD!

My dad is 59. He was born in my hometown, Guilford, Connecticut! He grew up on the farm my grandparents owned, and was the son of a former marine, and my grandmother. One of 6 siblings, he grew up working at the family hardware store. He played trombone in school, just like me! My dad has always been a hardworking, concientious person, and it shows even in letters and school work from his formative years. He went to college at Nichols, in Massachussets, and after completing, returned to Guilford where he took over the family hardware store.

My dad successfully ran the hardware store until a few years ago when he sold it to my cousin Andrew. He now works there 5 days a week on his own hours. He's a staple in the community in my hometown, and you'd be hard-pressed to find a resident that doesn't know him. He was in the Volunteer Fire Department for a number of years, and he has been on the committee for a parade that occurs over fair weekend in my hometown for years. When I began doing marching band in high school, my dad became obsessed with football. He is now also obsessed with basketball, especially at URI where my folks now have a house. In case it wasn't clear, my dad is a kick-ass dude.

My dad has, among other things, taught me the importance of hard work, honesty, and focusing on the details. He's taught me the importance of respect, and enforcing good habits. He's also taught me about not getting caught up in the small things that make you anxious, and everything I know about grilling. The man grills 365 days a year. A habit I have happily taken up, which my roommates are well pleased about. I don't think he's ever forgotten a birthday, and he has happily mailed me the sunday funnies, along with a smattering of other goodies from home ever since I started college. My dad consistently reminds me to enjoy life, while staying focused on goals. He would remind me to enjoy college beyond simply studying, and not to get *TOO* worked up about my GPA. I've learned more than I can explain from my father, a lot of which is honestly just how to be a good person and use common sense. I don't always succeed at using the lesson, but I try.

My PARENTS!
My dad brought his dog to be groomed. The girl that was grooming his dog was cute. He brought his dog in again, for the sole purpose of asking said girl out. This is the story as I remember it. My folks are great. Obviously we've had our disagreements, being human beings, and given that I was at some point in my life a teenager, even if it wasn't always when I was actually a teenager. They were great to my sister and I. We have a great relationship now. We had rocky periods, but now we have a rock-solid relationship. It's great.

As a couple they balance well. Both are good natured and with a good sense of humor. The areas of life that my mom is generally chill about are the ones that my dad is generally obsessive about, and the ones my dad is pretty chill with are the ones my mom is usually obsessive about. They share a ton, too. I feel really fortunate to have had my folks, and to have had them stay together. That was something I was really concious of in high school.

Also, they're total goof balls, and I totally love them.

[hi guys.]

[Full list of questions]