Daddy's Birthday and Cancer Survivor Day

Yesterday was my dad's 51st birthday, so for a gift I wrote him 51 reasons why I loved him. At first, I had thought I'd put it off too long (as I'd had the idea for a week), but it was incredibly easy to think of all the reasons. I've spent all my life with him, and we've accumulated a lot of memories, even if we haven't been close recently. 

I invited Faye over to the BBQ that'd serve as his party, and she came over early afternoon. We went to my grandparents house,  but they weren't ready, so we ditched them. We walked around and talked about our game, and we sat at a pretty church with Angel. After that, we went to Target, talked, had a sword fight in the isles, played inFamous on the PS3, and I bought my dad a birthday card. We finally came back around six or seven and everyone was there- we were late. There was a lot of food, and some people, and it was pretty cute. 

The most fun, though, was that we got Brad to play tag! At first he just walked around following us, Jason style, but he'd start running randomly and that lead to a lot of screaming and fun. It lasted for awhile, and I think that's the first time I played in a long, long while. It put us all in the mood to really enjoy the night. There was karaoke and I really sang, along with everyone else, and fairly loudly, too. The mood was light and there was laughter. My parents danced to one of the slower songs. It was, undoubtedly, one of the best parties my grandparents and mother had ever thrown there. 

Faye and I eventually went home and wandered around at night, as we seem wont to do lately, despite the fact that there were occasionally creepy incidents with cars, and we got into discussion about her dad. I never knew much about him. Apparently, he's a very tall guy, and very nice. He asked Faye's mother out even when she was pregnant (a frowned upon thing those days, and even now I'd think), and offered Roger and Jeremy his sword collection when he found out they liked them. He seemed like a good man, but Faye hadn't heard from him in eight years. I think seeing me giving my father such affection got her thinking about him. She said the last time she'd heard from him, he was in a hospital dealing with hepatitis and that the last time she'd tried to get into contact with him, there was no response. I hope that changes. I really, really do. 

It was a good night, though. A very good night. I tried to talk her into applying for law school, and at first she resisted (maybe because she thought she'd be stealing my thunder?), but she's so good at debate, she'd be a natural. So she eventually agreed to apply to vet and law school. Which is good for me, as well as her, as I told her. I get competitive, and someone to compete with academically would only strengthen my resolve. She told me she doesn't get competitive, she gives up, but I know that isn't true. I know that she'll probably fight back, and together we'll pull off some pretty amazing things. It'll be hard, very, very hard... but I know we can do it. 

But, today! Today was cancer survivor day at Wesley Long and, just like in every other volunteer event, my personality shifted amazingly. I spent the ride there detached, content and thoughtless but once I stepped into the ring I was all smiles, laughter, amiability, enthusiasm, and competence. It's the best Jekyll Hyde Effect ever. I worked as the Stamp Girl for Tai Chi and it really was a lot of fun. I spoke to some people and, I'll admit, I was a little surprised for a bad reason. They were mostly rural persons, your average joes I think, though I don't meet much of them, and I thought to myself, cancer doesn't discriminate. I thought this because when I think of a cancer survivor I think of someone who is deep, inspirational, and well spoken. Probably because this is how they're portrayed in the media, and they are the ones who usually speak at these events.

Near the end, I became the balloon girl. It was my job to get all the balloons (and there was a lot!) and give them to the children. I had dozens. It was, literally, a tower of helim and rubber. Pictures had a hard time capturing its height. It was fabulous! Probably my most favorite part of the day. We also met with Dr. Ballen and Naomi, and they imparted to us a story about their son, Andrew, who went to Chapel Hill to become a lawyer. Instead, he went to China to teach english, helped revolutionize a bar scene by incorporating hip hop, got his own radio show, his own TV show, and then finally got his own business as a tycoon. Nothing to scoff at. He was phenomenal, one of those who are naturally gifted. I'll have to work a lot harder; not everything comes easily to me.

However, I did stumble upon a book today, and I'm glad I bought it. It's called How to Win at College. It is, essentially, the exact goal I stated to myself not that long ago. I wanted to 'win' college. I want to accomplish. I want to be, in a word, phenomenal. This book is very helpful in that regard. Very inspirational. Cal Newport is a good man.