green Necco wafers taste like Pine-Sol smells

the next time i visit home, i will try not to hit 4 cities that are at least 2 hour drives from one another. i was so freakin exhausted when i got back to my apartment, i just checked my mail yesterday. that is pathetic.

but while i was home i remembered just how great everyone was: when you're away from those people that know you best for long periods of time and you're surrounded by people that still inhabit the, "if i say this, will this person think I'm _________?" zone of friendship, it gets tiring. it was great to remember that there are some people around that will always get it. they will always think you're funny, they won't make you feel self-conscious or a terrible person for being a DEMOCRAT, and they will love you in the silences.

one person i didn't see enough of was my dad, good ole steve-o. because he was shuttling between new orleans and d.c., all i saw him was for andy's commencement in idaho (what a terribly boring and painful situation) and it was then that i remembered just how goofy (read: awesome) he is.

number 1: he dozed off at least 7 times during graduation with the same look he has when the sermon has gone on for 20 minutes too long. he folds his hands in his lap as his body language says he's listening...but the eyes are closed. like i said to him, "another graduation, another nap."

number 2: he and i both hate the same public speakers. the commencement speaker, representative walt minnick, started off talking about the state of idaho and veered quickly onto nuclear weapons (both iran and n.korea were name-dropped) and then continued to randomly add famous people into the speech, as if that was going to make it any less painful. every time another random person was mentioned (ex: Jonas Salk) dad would quip, "ah-- another idahoan." classic steve-o. pop also mentioned that although nuclear weapons were mentioned, the Boogeyman that naturally follows the nuclear arms talk was merely implied.

(note-- as the whole family is aware, i, along with all friends, was very hungover at the ceremony. when i get hungover i laugh at the drop of a hat and am not able to control the tears of laughter that come streaming down my face. just seeing my dad in all his ridiculous glory made me convulse and smear my makeup).

but i digress. number 3: my dad busted out a roll of Necco wafers he bought in Dusty specifically for this event. i am pretty positive he is still the only person who eats this particular candy, and he FREAKIN LOVES THEM. i was telling my uncle greg about this, and he had no idea what they were. point proven.

number 3a: while eating the Necco wafers, he offered some to both myself and alyssa, and did the typical hand the pack/quickly draw it back move common with grandpas. although he is not yet a grandpa, the sheer fact he does this AND eats Necco wafers is proof that he will be an awesome one. thus began my makeup smearing. i also predict that he will be the old guy at church that goes up to little kids and says, "i got your nose." it's only a matter of time-- and i am waiting with bated breath for it.