Dad, if you could see me now.

Most guys grow up with fathers who share more “typical” masculine interests. I’ve had at least a dozen roommates since I’ve moved out of the house years ago. Each of the guys I live with does things like watch baseball, go camping, or build things with wood. That wasn’t the case in my home.

My dad is a ex-rock DJ from South Dakota. He moved to Nashville to take a DJ job out there before he married my mom. Eventually, he got a job in Hollywood as a voice actor and met my mother. He never let go though.

He loves rock. He loves it probably more than I do. He knows everything you ever need to know. He’d invite me to ride with him in his car more than he invited me into the garage. At the time I didn’t know why. I learned to realize that sharing his love for music with me was special to him. In the car we had a stereo and each other. We both loved rock.

Truthfully, as any kid does, I rebelled against the music he shared with me when I was young. He thought the music I listened to was full of talentless musicians… he was right.

I’m sitting here on a Saturday night. I have my massive $100 headphones suctioned to my head. I have my MOG page opened and I just wrote a few reviews on some songs, knowing that no one will read them. If just a couple of people do, I’ll be happy to know they may learn to love the music that moves me. My Rhapsody is open and I have more music in my playlist than I have hours in the day to listen to them. Most songs I’ll only get 45 seconds with. After that I’ll move on. Even if they leave an impression on me, I can’t stop there because there’s so much to hear. I’m about as happy as I could be.

I’ve learned that my dad has loved rock for so long that he knows a thing or two. We don’t sit down and talk about the things that typical fathers and sons talk about, but it’s perfect for us. I’d like to think that one day, I’ll have as much to share with my boys as my dad did with me. I don’t think I’ll ever know as much as he does, but I can try to be like him, right?

Dad, somewhere I have to think that you’d be proud to see me right now. I love you.

listening to right now: Doves – Pounding, Andrew Bird – Heretics