UnKnow

Man, my dad was awesome today.

I don't think I've ever said that before.

He wasn't around most of the day (which helps a lot), and there wasn't a lot of gray area on any decisions that were actually made. So he really didn't need to do much to avoid a problem. But when he was around he sort of just stayed out of the way, did what he had to do when he had to do it, and otherwise left well enough alone. When he was uncertain of something he asked questions, and then he actually listened to the answers. When I tried to tell him something I only had to repeat myself once or twice to make sure he was with me. Not the normal three or four times. I made a suggestion that I thought was a pretty good idea...and he actually considered it. Truth is most of the time it doesn't matter if he agrees with me, I know how to choose my battles and I'm the one actually executing most ideas so things get done either way. But this morning I mentioned something to him, and seven hours later he came back into the office having clearly given what I said a great deal of thought, and actually discussed it with me. He didn't try and take credit for the idea, didn't blow me off and then bring it up three weeks later like it was something totally new. He actually came back into the office and asked questions, and listened to my answers, and went over in a fair amount of detail quite a few options.

Do you have any idea how huge that is?

It's never happened before.

Ever.

I do what I'm going to do. If it works out he ignores it. If it doesn't he yells about it. But never...ever does he actually discuss something like he did today.

Now this idea we discussed, never going to happen. It's not something either of us really want. It's not something I'm all that willing to do. I was just making a point, giving us an option to deal with a pretty big problem. It was me proving that there is an alternative to a bad idea that's been floating around. So the entire discussion is almost a moot point. But the fact that the discussion actually took place? Huge. Like you wouldn't believe.

I was two minutes in to a detailed explanation of the topic when I suddenly realized that he was looking right at me. I actually paused and said, "Holy shit. Are you actually listening to me?" And we both sort of seem surprised that he was.

Now it could have to do with the fact that he may (or may not) have screwed something up huge today. Could have something to do with the fact that he's been exceptionally miserable and nasty the past week or so and he sort of feels bad about it. Could have something to do with the accountant's being here today and me being able to put a piece of paper in front of him with a very large seven digit number on it and just casually clear my throat as I did this. Could have something to do with a lot of things. But it doesn't really matter why. I'll take days with him like this however I can get them. It seems like everyone I know had a rough week last week, and very few of them even hold a candle to mine. So maybe I was just due to catch a break. I don't know.

Now as for the rest of the day? Holy shit. Got creamed on what should have been a real good bid this morning. My numbers were spot on, but sometimes you just get undercut in a way that makes it not even worth doing the work. Today was that kind of day. Lots of people calling out, lots of work having to be covered, breakdowns and headaches and all kinds of things not going the way they were supposed to. Tim was out of the office most of the day because he got stuck working the night shift at the other job (much respect to him for doing the right thing and covering even though I'm sure he'd rather not) and my father was gone most of the day looking at houses. The accountants were in all morning and my computer crashed in the early afternoon so there was a whole lot of shit that got pushed back into a very short period of time this afternoon. Made for a bit of excess craziness.

But I handled it, despite being tired, and hungry, and in a pretty raw mood.

I handled it.

So you know, I guess I was pretty awesome today too.

Not bad for a Tuesday. Not bad at all.