My condolences go out to RichRocket and his family. 85 years old is well past the average age of passing on and I hope your father had a full life. I can only wish that I would live that long. However, Parkinson's must have made it very difficult on your father. I'm sorry to hear about your loss. My own father just turned 64 years old. I was asking him if he felt old. He basically said sometimes he wakes up and has some aches/pains of which he is not sure where they came from or why. It could be just being kind of out of shape. My father is a stubborn, outspoken fellow who is not afraid to say what's on his mind and tell us kids what to do and when to do it. On the one hand, I hate having my father state the obvious like I don't know any better(I am 30 years old mind you) as he tends to do. On the other hand, these traits are what makes him who he is. I guess being a father means you always have to talk down to your kids because it's part of your responsibility...even when your kid grows up and moves on. Sometimes, he can come across as a bit of a hard ass like if we go out to eat...he never seems to say thank you to anyone under any circumstances...like to the waiter/waitress. I always give him a hard time for not being more appreciative to others who may be waiting on him or whatever. However, it is these very traits which carried him far at NASA in his multiple jobs there...whether it be working communications on the early Apollo missions, training shuttle astronauts, and/or working in top management on some highly touted space-oriented projects. I have always had a deep respect for all that my father has accomplished in his life and his NASA career. He has some great stories about some very famous people. I love the guy even if we don't have the sort of father/son relationship where we express our feelings all that much. Hell, we don't even really hug...just one of those manly handshakes and then we cough....and....later dude. I can't imagine what your feeling because I still have my parents. But, it will be a destructive feeling if and when I have to experience such a loss. To this day, I have not even been to a funeral. I'm not sure I can take it. That would be one of the if not most difficult things to endure in life. Anyways....sorry for your incredible loss. Surf ------------------
Thanks for your contributions. Even if it's hard to do, appreciate your parents while you have them. I'm off to Houston today to spend a week with my Mom. Later. Go do it! If anyone is so inclined, you can make a donation to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research, Grand Central Station, PO Box 4777, New York, NY, 10163. We are now facing my mother-in-law's battle with the disease. ------------------ "How far you go in life depends on you being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving and tolerant of the weak. Because someday you will have been all of these." [This message has been edited by RichRocket (edited July 13, 2001).]
My condolensces Rich... Let me just say, that all of you with father's should enjoy them and not take either of your parents for granted. I unfortunately never really knew my father, he passed away when I was three. I have pictures but no real memories. rH ------------------ INSERT NAIL HERE >> X << FOR NEW MONITOR join the club! Rockets Psychedelic Groove House Club on Yahoo! Stop annoying X10 ads!
