Father's Day: My Dad is A Good Man

My Dad

I think my dad is one of the most wonderful men I've had the opportunity to get to know.  I didn't always think this.  I didn't even think that on Father's Day when I was younger.  I honestly thought, this was a man that was at least trying... I mean, that's all the credit I gave my dad for a very long time.  It's been in the last handful of years that I have had a deeper appreciation for who he is as a person.

I was a lucky girl growing up in that I never felt unloved, but I didn't grow up thinking things were necessarily safe around me- you could say that there was a lot of "dysfunction" going on.  I grew up in a crazy paradoxical context where I knew I was loved, but I also thought that being loved couldn't protect me- as I believed was proven to me at the time.  From a young age, I was quite the paranoid hyper-vigilant girl that had a grasp on the reality of mortality.  I was both sheltered and over-exposed to things I had no business trying to understand and manage at a young age, unfortunately.

So, over the years on Father's Day, I would look for the card that spoke to that feeling, "You're really not the best dad because you haven't done enough to keep me safe but you give it go and that's what counts."  Now, having grown up some and my dad having grown up some and us being a little different than when we first started this father-daughter journey together, I do see the man that I couldn't see before- A Good Man.  In fact, my dad is pretty amazing even though he has rough edges, can be harsh, and can be hard to love at times. Yes, but he is also very funny, endearing, and loves his wife (my mom) and his three daughters to death.

On Sunday, June 19th, 2011, we spent Father's Day, having a quick dinner in the city and enjoying  Cirque du Soleil's Zarkana! And the best part was that it was his idea!  This is a man that usually says he wants to do nothing!!  Even better, this might mark the beginning of more nuclear family bonding via excursions! 

I am so grateful for having him in my life and I love that we can continue sharing this journey together.


Love you, Daddy.


Your Daughter,


Vicky

Maybe, It's Time I Actually Tried For A Conference...

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  Mini Conference: 2011 New Scholars Workshop at the International Association of Relationship Research, October 21, 20 @ Tucson, AZ‏

Attention early career people who are teaching, researching, writing grants, or hoping to secure tenure status or a professional appointment! The 2011 New Scholars Workshop at the International Association of Relationship Research mini-conference will give you an excellent opportunity to discuss important topics with established scholars and teachers. We have gathered an amazing group of mentors from several disciplines with expertise in the following areas: health, personal relationships, emotion, attachment, nonverbal communication, personality, affection, stress, friendship, family bonds, relationship dissolution, conflict, family interaction, physiology, and more! The workshop takes place October 21, 2011, in beautiful Tucson, AZ, and registration is just $50 (includes 2 meals, exciting roundtable-style discussions, and an optional poster session where you can receive one-on-one feedback about your projects!), with your conference registration. This workshop is perfect for graduate students, pre-tenured faculty, postdocs, new professionals, and anyone working on a research project that would benefit from the personalized feedback of a small poster session. Check out the website for workshop schedule, mentor bios, and registration details: http://sfcs.cals.arizona.edu/iarr/new_scholars_workshop

Register and submit your poster abstract today!

And then maybe I can publish here as per the email I got--->
Couple and Family Psychology: Research and Practice


With wishes of patience and stick-to-it-ness,
Vicky