Me and My Dad (Video) - Episode 8 #NobodysPerfect

Today is my dads birthday and I wanted to wish him and my baby sister a very happy birthday.. yea they share the same birthday. How's that for a birthday gift, am I right?

My dad lived a rough life.. I mean very rough. My grandmother is a drunk who never really gave a dam about others. My aunt practically raised my dad and they are very close to this day. My grandmother turned into this bitter old woman who now expects for her children to take care of her as if she broke her back to do so.

I'm not close to her at all and probably never will be. Maybe it's because I compare her to my mom's parents, who always spoiled me rotten. However it may be, my dad was the milkmans baby and because of that... he got the short end of the stick.

^{My brother, sister and me}

I'm the oldest of 3 and according to my mom and dad.. it made me the "Mr Trial & Error" baby. They learned valuable lessons that were applied to when my baby brother and sister came around. Looking back at it from a parents perspective, I finally understand what they mean which now, makes it very funny.

We all grew up actively playing sports.. I was big in baseball and basketball while my brother embraced the power he felt on the football field. This may have brought him and my Pops closer together becuase any interest I had in football went out the window around the time of the Oilers left Houston for Tennesse.

My baby brother and Pops get like this when the Texans play

According to my mom, I used to be very close to my dad and I wanted to go everywhere with him. I don't remember this at all but apparently we were unseperable and what I do remember feels quite opposite of that. I learned to hate the game of football because the level of anger, rage and dissapointment my dad would showcase every Sunday and Monday night. He screams at the tv as if he's coaching from the couch and spits out an unreasonable amount of expletives as if his job or life was on the line.

This even carried over to when he started coaching me in little league baseball... of course, he learned to cut out the language but he never lowered that intensity. I'm unsure if that's what made me a better baseball player but I always tried to shine so I wouldn't dissapoint him and especially to avoid hearing him scream at me from the dug out, like he screamed at the tv.

^{about as close as we are now}

I made a promise to myself to never put my son through that amount of stress and anxiety if and when he gets into sports. Even when it comes to watching my Rockets and Astros games.. I won't allow myself to be so emotionally invested in a ballgame that that I blow up. Honestly, I don't understand how people reach that point and when I see fans going ape shit over a game, I cringe at the level of tension as it reminds me of my dad. I love him with all my heart but I just don't understand this part about him. I've somewhat learned to either tune it out or avoid being around during football season but more importantly finally found the humor in it.

Every so often I get a good chuckle... I'm talking about a badass game either the Rockets or Astros played the night before and his immediate response is literally, word for word, "I don't understand how you can watch those games because they are too stressful..."

I came to the conclusion that the level of intensity my dad shows for the Houston Texans is only a fraction of the rage he has nesting.. I've accepted the fact that I will never be able to enjoy watching sports with him under the assumption he will go super saiyan at any given moment.

Because we're both bipolar, we tend to butt heads a lot. We let our emotions get the best of us and many times, found ourselves testing each others patience even further then before. It wasn't until I watched the movie, Silver Linings Playbook, that I finally had an example of how retarded me and him can get.. This movie had me feeling dejavu as I watched because of so many similarities in the relationship between the father and son. Even funnier when Robert De Niro, who is my favorite actor by the way... exudes the same energy and habits as my dad, when it comes to football.

Don't believe me? Watch the video

some notable similarities

My dad never had a father... doesn't know who he is, nor does my grandma... My dad didn't know how to express his love for me and I fully understand why. I don't question his love.. I know it's there but very hard to decode. What I do know is whatever I feel like my dad never gave me... I make dam sure my son get's a bazillion times more. Kisses, hugs & "I love you, Son" are given probably too many times for my sons liking but I can careless if that is the case... cause I got an infinite supply to unload on him. My dad never felt comfortable saying, I love you... Once you hear all the crazy ass stories and experiences... I don't blame him.

I just hope that one day... maybe, just one day... we can share a moment like below... and enjoy a game together...

Till Next Time... Adios Amigos