Because I Love My Dad...

...lets talk about him!!




He lives in Australia and I haven't seen him for the longest time - but that doesn't stop us from talking like two times a day.

If you know anything about me - please know that I love my dad. He is definitely the number one man in This One's life!!

Here is what we talked about last night:

him - "You are going to hate me for what I am about to tell you but you need to hear it. Now, don't say anything until I frickin' finish. You need to hear this and you never listen to me when I tell you this. Last time we talked about this you just didn't listen and someone needs to whack this into your head!!!"

SIDE NOTE: I hated whatever he was going to say before he even said it.

me (annoyed at this point) - "okay... what?"

him (still ranting and raving) - "You need to stop saying "like" all the time. You sound like a stupid valley girl..." (I don't really know what he said after this - I stopped listening. Let him ramble for a few minutes. and thought about something else.)

SIDE NOTE: I do say "like" a lot and I really do need to work on this. Point taken.

me - "Hey dad, I got your point and agree with you. Ill work on that. But can I tell you something? There would have been an awesome way for you to tell me this. All you'd have to say is...

"You are an awesome daughter and you make me so proud. You have done so much in your life and I am just amazed by you. But you should stop saying "like" so much
because it takes away from who you are and makes you sound not as smart as you
are."

But instead, I didn't take your point but moved my thoughts to thinking about how mean you just were to me."

him- "This is why you are so amazing. You really are right. This is something that I need to work on. How do you suggest I do this? I am serious. How can I change that about myself?"

me - "Dad, to tell you the truth I got it from writing emails. I have to write people emails all day and I always want to write short-to-the-point emails but then I think about the recipient on the other end. 'How will they take this?' "

...blah...blah...blah

me (summing it up) major points of the conversation on how to communicate well with others (and I may not be an expert but I try to exercises these everyday)

1 - always try to compliment people (but make them sincere too)
2 - when correcting someone, get on the same level with them - build them up or make yourself a little vunerable so they feel comfortable
3 - add a little fluff but not too much (I hate it when people send me emails like:

Hey,

How are you? I hope you had an amazing weekend. You should come over and
use our pool. It's so nice. We love laying out there on the weekends. We really
would love to have you.

Oh, can we have your first born child.

Let me know.

***because - no one likes to feel used.

4 - know that sometimes people don't want to hear what you have to say. This makes me think of the "He's Just Not That Into You" episode of Sex and the City - when Miranda goes to tell those young girls that maybe the guy they are going after is just not that into them. They didn't want to hear it. (and yes, I did try and explain SATC to my dad. tyvm!)

me - "So, like, this was a great, like, conversation that I had with you, dad. And, like, I really learned a lot about what you were, like, saying."