Flags of our Fathers

I'm a daddy's girl. Always have been. Always will be. Perhaps my singledom is somehow related to the fact that I wonder if another man will ever love me so unconditionally as the one who I made such a strong bond with as a 7 pound, 11 ounce bundle of new beginnings 30 years and 12 days ago.

I have more than a few favorite dad moments. I remember when I was learning to read he would let me sit on his lap and read him the comics. I can only imagine how unfunny Peanuts can be when every word is being sounded out and 5 frames take as many minutes to read.

Then there were the driving lessons. I got my license in Kentucky, which (no shocker here!) does not require professional drivers ed. So my dad and I would drive those country roads ad nauseum. I don't remember any white knuckles or disgruntled comments from the passenger seat. What I recall is how I kept making mistakes and saying "I'm sorry." My dad would always say, "Don't say I'm sorry, just don't do it again."

"Don't say I'm sorry, just don't do it again." What a great life lesson.

More recently, (well (5!) years ago next month (!)) I made the decision to move out west to San Diego. I had planned to drive out alone, but my dad asked me if he packed my car in a way that there was enough space for him could he ride along. We drove 20-something hours and my dad held his overnight bag on his lap because that's the only place it fit. I remember "Crazy in Love" being a huge hit around that time and explaining to my dad who "Beyonce" was. I remember our mutual excitement when George Strait's "Amarillo by Morning" came on the radio as we were driving in Amarillo. I remember talking about nothing and everything all at the same time, and enjoying the comfortable silences that filled the spaces in between. (Yes I can be silent!) But most of all, I remember the fear and the pride and the excitement in his face. I remember the supportive things he said - and still says. I remember wanting that drive to go on forever.

This isn't what I intended to blog about tonight (and I'll get into those things here in a bit). But I was reminded this weekend of a few things. How short life is. How we don't choose our parental situations, and that not everyone is as lucky as I am. How I hope and pray that when I have a daughter she's lucky enough to have a similar relationship with her dad.

I love you Dad. Happy Father's Day.

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Phew. So on to the other stuff...

I kicked off this weekend with a screening of the new James McAvoy - Angelina Jolie movie "Wanted." I had low expectations. I went in thinking this wasn't my type of movie and wondering why I was selected to cover it.

I came out in LOVE with it. I couldn't wait to talk to James McAvoy. OMG. The quote I gave to the studio was: "Jason Bourne meets The Matrix meets totally awesome." I also said "Like nothing I've ever seen before." Seriously. WHOA. I know Angelina has a lot of haters, but they just need to accept that she is good at what she does. She doesn't even need to speak, she has all these crazy looks that she gives. And McAvoy triumphes as an action star. No really.

I talked to him today about it at the junket. He's super nice. As is Common (yes the rapper/actor). I'll talk to them again Thursday on the red carpet when Wanted kicks off the LA Film Festival. (Obviously there was no Angelina at the junket, and will presumably be no AJ at the premiere because she's in the south of France about to have some more babies.)

I also continued my recent jet-setting ways this weekend with a 24-hour trip to NorCal for the wedding of my friend Chris (who I met in Paris). It was so great to see her again (after 2 years!!). We didn't have crazy amounts of time to reminisce about the City of Lights, but in the little time we did have, she reminded me of a hot makeout sesh with a Frenchman I had on the streets of my favorite city one night. How I let THAT slip my mind I'll never know. Ahh, I was so daring and carefree in my younger days. :) Thanks Chris for all the memories (we should have drank wine out of baby bottles for old times sake!) and inviting me to be a part of your day. You looked AMAZING!!!

I was gonna mix up my first batch of Kitchenaid cookies today, but instead (after I did the aforementioned junket), I laid out, read some Chuck Palahniuk, watched "I am Legend" (which I didn't really enjoy) and "The Monastery: Mr. Vig and the Nun" (which I did).