daddy issues.

i just got off the phone with my dad.

he taught me to come home from work and commune with my landscaping everyday. so, imagine the alarm when i found gopher holes in the grass.

that qualified for a call to the expert.

an hour long conversation that started the same way every conversation starts with my dad:

"i'm checking on you, baby. what kind of fun things do you have lined up in your ratty little life?"

i report on my social life, or the lack thereof. he tells me about a "mid-singles" activity he's organizing for the san diego lds crew {dad = high councilman responsible for the single adults in the entire san diego region}... which is maybe the most depressing jolt of reality ever. my dad... just invited me into his special club... of older, unmarried mormons who live to dance awkwardly on friday night and attend firesides on sunday evenings, dodging the shameless and creepy all through the night.

am i lamenting? yes.

and as my all-time favorite blogger, busy bee lauren, would say - *facepalm*

am i lamenting even MORE that i just quoted bbl? YES.

but then we carried on with something more gratifying: a discussion of innovative construction techniques in the intermountain west. and then, the negative effects of bpa on male testosterone levels - and invariably associated that with the lack of bachelors among the 28 - 35 year old age group eligible for his successful, driven daughter {thanks, dad}. that evolved into the porn epidemic among that same age group - why WOULDN'T they be addicted to porn? which turned into a brainstorm of effective problem solving strategies in the work place, particular to sexual harassment among those you're supposed to respect {how awesome it is to be a woman}.

of course, no scott bennion conversation is complete without {a} semi-formed plans to travel to a far off place, {b}an all-out brag session about what a talented photographer he is and {c} what an incredible photoshopper he has become as transformed a fat, ugly cranky mother of the bride into a skinnier, prettier, happier shining beauty while we discussed such deep, exploratory issues.

point of all this?

i'm grateful i don't have daddy issues.

i imagine life is so much more complicated, sad, sheltered, lonely, boring, confusing, and painful without a dad.

there's a chance that everything that comes out of that man's mouth is a little bit made up and full-of-crap, but it's always what i need to hear and he always makes me happy.