The other day I was getting my passport and of course I had to have my birth certificate.
I looked at it and there was my fathers age at the time of my birth and lo and behold he was a year younger than I am now. Got me to thinking…
Dad had six kids by the time he was my age.
Me, no kids at all
Dad 6 Me 0
Dad had lived and worked in several countries and states (he was in the Air Force)
Me lived in Two states really.
Dad 10 Me 2
I’m not sure but I bet I make more money than my dad. He was a Sargent in the USAF and I don’t think that pays all that great.
Dad 10 Me 3
Dad did not buy a home until 5 years after my birth. (dosen’t make sense when you are in the military and move every year) Me I’ll buy a house at about the same time as my dad.
Dad 10 Me 3
Dad had smoked at least 10,000 cigs by this point and I haven’t smoked at all.
Dad 10,0010 Me 3
Dad had only one wife in all his life. I’ve already at two! So who’s the slacker there?
By the time my mother was my age she had a husband, two kids way out of diapers, several dogs, smoked lots of tobacco (she quit), and had purchased two houses.
I don’t have any of those things.
But,
I’ve finished college, visited 5 foreign countries, lived on my own, smoked lots of dope (I quit), published several articles, and I make way more money than she does, maybe more than she and dad put together.
Whose life is better? I don’t know. Hers, I guess because she’s always got ways for me to improve my life and I don’t have nearly as many suggestions for her.
Education:
Me - bachelor’s at 21
Mom - bachelor’s at 48 (graduated same day as me, yay mom!)
Dad - no bachelor’s degree
Edge: me
Marriage:
Me - married at 23
Mom - married at 25, remarried at 51
Dad - married at 24, remarried at 45ish & 52
Edge: even steven, at least the 1st time around
Divorce:
Me - divorced at 25
Mom - divorced at 43
Dad - divorced at 42
Edge: depends on your perspective
Children:
Me - none, maybe never
Mom - me @ 26
Dad - me @ 25
Edge: even steven, since we’re all happy with our choices
Income:
Me - comfortable at an early age
Mom - about the same until about a year ago
Dad - probably about the same
Edge: even, although I have a higher earning potential at this point
General Health:
Me - healthy, fit
Mom - high blood pressure, overweight, stroke @ 43
Dad - slightly rotund, smoked for about 10 years until a year ago
Edge: me, so long as I keep it up
As for looks, those who know my mom say I look “just like her”. Those who know my dad say I look “just like him”. So although my lifestyle may not mimic theirs, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!
Dad: Graduated high school.
Me: Graduated college.
Dad: Married at 19.
Me: Not. Ever.
Dad: Divorced at 30-something.
Me: Not.
Dad: Smoked many cigarettes per day.
Me: Not. Ever.
Dad: Drank excessively (drink of choice was vodka).
Me: Not. Ever.
Dad: Spent many years in and out of jail.
Me: Not. Ever.
Dad: Never held a steady job for more than a few months.
Me: Been at the same job for the past three years. Been working within the current system for over 13 years.
Dad: Dead by mid-forties.
Me: Not dead yet by early 30’s.
