RIP Dad

[Kapitan Kangaroo Kourt]

My father passed away, 12:52am  Aussie ET on Father's Day. 24 April 1934 - 6 September 2026. It's hard to even type this. He wasn't perfect but he was Dad.

[Ivan Betinov]

Remember the good things, forgive all else. Losing him will still hurt, but this will make it easier. Trust me, I know.

[Kapitan Kangaroo Kourt]

Remember the good things, forgive all else. Losing him will still hurt, but this will make it easier. Trust me, I know.

He was Dad. That's all that needs to be said. He was a great man, who did many great things. He was imperfect. But aren't we all? He was Dad. He was Dad.

[Ivan Betinov]

Tell me about him.

[Kapitan Kangaroo Kourt]

Tell me about him.

It's been tough for me,  since Dad passed. It's been tough watching it coming.. I've let myself go, in many ways. I feel kind of guilty but this is actually a relief. Judge me how you will. I was with him on his last day. The smartest man I ever knew was not conscious. He was terrible at family communication, but he did great things in missionary work  throughout the outback, the South Pacific and many other nations, surrounding the Indian Ocean. He followed what he believed what was his God inspired mission. He wasn't perfect. He was just Dad.

[Ivan Betinov]

My Dad was like a force of nature. He was a full-time farmer, full-time professor of economics at a university in Birmingham, and a full-time small business owner. When he left us, it was like gravity quit working, or the moon failed to rise. It left a huge hole in our lives, and for months afterward I'd think of something I wanted to ask him, pick up the phone and then realize he wasn't there to ask anymore.

It's been almost a decade now, and I still think of him just about every day. It has gotten easier with time, though. I hope it will for you as well.

[Kapitan Kangaroo Kourt]

My Dad was like a force of nature. He was a full-time farmer, full-time professor of economics at a university in Birmingham, and a full-time small business owner. When he left us, it was like gravity quit working, or the moon failed to rise. It left a huge hole in our lives, and for months afterward I'd think of something I wanted to ask him, pick up the phone and then realize he wasn't there to ask anymore.

It's been almost a decade now, and I still think of him just about every day. It has gotten easier with time, though. I hope it will for you as well.

"Pick up the phone." That's a phrase I haven't heard, in a long time. I'm old enough to remember rotary phones, and push-button phones being a miracle. How times have changed. Dad was terrible at remembering how to operate his smart phone. He was pretty good with his laptop, though. Go figure. I suppose, when it comes to technology, everyone is as competent as they need to be. I still don't know much of what my smart phone can do.
 

[Ivan Betinov]

Same here. I was born while JFK was still alive.

I am a technological Neanderthal. All I know about computers is that there is a small god that lives in the black box on my desk. I genuflect on its altar of strange black keys and it rewards me with pretty pictures.

I'd be happy if someone would put out a "slightly clever" phone, something that would let me make a call and bluetooth into my truck stereo so I can listen to an audiobook while driving...and nothing else.

[Kapitan Kangaroo Kourt]

Same here. I was born while JFK was still alive.

I am a technological Neanderthal. All I know about computers is that there is a small god that lives in the black box on my desk. I genuflect on its altar of strange black keys and it rewards me with pretty pictures.

I'd be happy if someone would put out a "slightly clever" phone, something that would let me make a call and bluetooth into my truck stereo so I can listen to an audiobook while driving...and nothing else.

Lol.  I feel you, bro.

[Kapitan Kangaroo Kourt]

This is a poem I wrote for my Dad, that I spoke, at his funeral, I couldn't get through it, without tears:

My Dad was a man of passion
Passion for the word of the Lord
And, boy, did he swing that passion.
Yeah, he swung it like a sword.
From the outback of Australia
To the South Pacific shores,
To the Indian Ocean nations
And European bores.
To the Americas,
Both north and south,
He preached the word of God
He gave it a mouth.
I'm not sure where he didn't go
When he was on a mission.
Perhaps Soviet Russia, Communist China,
Or an Antartica commission.
But he had passion for other things,
Especially for sports.
Footy, except for soccer,
In all it's sorts.
In Union, he loved Manly.
In League the Sea Eagles.
He loved the Wallabies and Kangaroos
Even when they lose.
And the Swanies were a new addition
They played a different game
But Sydney was his love
And they bore the Sydney name.
And cricket, oh yeah, cricket.
How he did love that game.
He did know every batter
Every bowler
Every name.
And his passion for history
To me, it would seem
He'll take some time in Heaven
To organize a team.
I loved you Dad. I loved you.
Much more than you ever knew.
But just like you, and we were too much alike,
I couldn't show it true.
I loved you Dad.
May you rest in peace.

Apparently, it affected a lot of people. That was not my goal. I was simply loving my Dad.

[Ivan Betinov]

Good Poem, honest words.

Fathers and sons often have a hard time expressing their love for each other. I was 22 years old and 3,000 miles away the first time I heard Dad tell me he loved me...but I had known it for years, even if unspoken. It still shocked the crap out of me to hear him actually say it, though.

[Kapitan Kangaroo Kourt]

Good Poem, honest words.

Fathers and sons often have a hard time expressing their love for each other. I was 22 years old and 3,000 miles away the first time I heard Dad tell me he loved me...but I had known it for years, even if unspoken. It still shocked the crap out of me to hear him actually say it, though.

Well, that was an achievement, of sorts. Mum is a little more forthcoming.