Happy Birthday to an Ol' Kansas Boy!!!

Today is my dad's Birthday!!!!

Some people know him as a very serious and professional grown-up...



But once upon a time he was just your regular ol' Kansas boy...

33 years ago...Uncle Dale, Grandpa Boob and Your's Truly in front of Dad's old VW van

It is always hard to find unique, meaningful birthday presents for Dad...but this year the Kansas State University Orchestra solved my problem!

Growing up, we loved getting into Mom and Dad's music collection and playing record after record on their old stereo in the basement. Mom had her Beatles albums and Dad...well, he was more of a Rock & Roll/blues guy. We would spend hours jamming out to the likes of The Allman Brothers, Marshall Tucker Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Kansas, The Grateful Dead, The Doors, Janis Joplin and Iron Butterfly.

When it was announced this summer that the University Orchestra would be performing with Kansas the day after Dad's birthday I knew I had found his present...I immediately called Mom so she could clear the date on their calendar and minutes later I was on the phone with the ticket office.  Fortunately for him, Dad is still too young to qualify for their Senior Discount ;-)



Kansas with the University of Alabama Orchestra, September 2010

Something tells me the atmosphere of this show will be a tad different than the concerts Mom & Dad used to attend in Denver forty years ago...if anything, Dad won't be rocking his long hair and beard at this show...or pulling up in his VW van!

Happy Birthday to the best Kansas boy--and best Dad--ever!!!!!!!!!!  If anyone gives you heck about turning another year older, just remind them that "61 ain't dust in the wind YET"!

Now, time to rock out!