Why a daughter needs a dad

A tribute to my husband, Tony, the greatest dad my girls could ever have.

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A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
so that she will have at least one hero who will not let her down.


A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
to learn that when he says it will be okay soon, it will.



A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
to teach her that her value as a person is more than the way she looks.


A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
to teach her that ignorance is not an excuse for anything.
to teach her not to let pride get in the way of discovering things.
to teach her to experiment for the sake of testing her own assumptions.
to teach her how to focus her mind in the midst of distraction.

A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
so that when no one else is there for her, she can close her eyes and see him.

A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
who will not punish her for her mistakes, but will help her learn from them.
to teach her to believe that she deserves to be treated well.
to teach her to weigh the consequences of her actions and make decisions accordingly.


A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
to be the standard against which she will judge all men.



A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
to teach her that family is more important than work.


A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
to be the safe spot she can always turn to.

A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
who will let her know that while she may not be the center of someone else’s world, she is the center of his.

A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
to teach her that she is equal to her husband.

A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
to help her take the risks that will build her confidence.

A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
to carry her just because she wants to be carried.

A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
who teaches her she is important by stopping what he is doing to watch her.

A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
to teach her the importance of being a lady.

A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
to show her how to fix things for herself.

A DAUGHTER NEEDS A DAD
to tell her all she needs to know about boys.
to show her that all boys are not like the ones who hurt her.
to teach her how to recognize a gentleman.
to stand with her on the day she marries the man she hopes will be just like her father.
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Excerpts from "Why a daughter needs a dad" (Gregory E. Lang)

My Atlanta friends will understand

This is for anyone who lives in Atlanta, Georgia, has ever lived in Atlanta, has ever visited Atlanta, ever plans to visit Atlanta, knows anyone who already lives in Atlanta or knows anyone who has ever heard of Atlanta.

Atlanta is composed mostly of one-way streets. The only way to get out of downtown Atlanta is to turn around and start over when you reach Greenville, South Carolina.

All directions start with "Go down Peachtree" and include the phrase, "When you see the Waffle House," except in Cobb County where all directions begin with "Go to the Big Chicken."

Peachtree Street has no beginning and no end and is not to be confused with:

Peachtree Circle
Peachtree Place
Peachtree Lane
Peachtree Road
Peachtree Parkway
Peachtree Run
Peachtree Terrace
Peachtree Avenue
Peachtree Commons
Peachtree Battle
Peachtree Corners
New Peachtree
Old Peachtree
West Peachtree
Peachtree-Dunwoody
Peachtree-Chamblee
Peachtree Industrial Boulevard

Atlantans only know their way to work and their way home. If you ask anyone for directions, they will always send you down Peachtree.

Atlanta is the home of Coca-Cola. Coke's all they drink there so don't ask for any other soft drink unless it's made by Coca-Cola. Even if you want something other than a Coca-Cola, it's still called Coke.

The gates at Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport are about 32 miles away from the main concourse, so wear sneakers and pack a lunch.

The 8 a.m. rush hour is from 6:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The 5 p.m. rush hour is from 3:00 p.m. to 7:30 PM. (Don’t forget the lunch time rush hour!) Friday's rush hour starts Thursday afternoon and lasts through 2 a.m. Saturday.

Only a native can pronounce Ponce De Leon Avenue, so do not attempt the Spanish pronunciation. People will simply tilt their heads to the right and stare at you. The Atlanta pronunciation is " pawntz duh LEE-awn."

And yes, they have a street named simply "Boulevard."

The falling of one raindrop causes all drivers to immediately forget all traffic rules. If a single snowflake falls, the city is paralyzed for three days and it's on all the channels as a news flash every fifteen minutes for a week. Overnight, all grocery stores will be sold out of milk, bread, bottled water, toilet paper and beer.

I-285, the loop that encircles Atlanta, has a posted speed limit of 55 mph. But you have to maintain 80 mph just to keep from getting run over, and this highway is known to truckers as "The Watermelon 500."

Don't believe the directional markers on highways: I-285 is marked "East" and "West," but you may be going North or South. The locals identify the direction by referring to the "Inner Loop" and the "Outer Loop."

If you travel on Hwy 92 North, you will actually be going southeast.

Never buy a ladder or mattress in Atlanta. Just go to one of the interstates, and you will soon find one in the middle of the road.

The last thing you want to do is give another driver the finger, unless your car is armored, your trigger finger is itchy and your AK-47 has a full clip.

Possums sleep in the middle of the road with their feet in the air.

There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 live in Georgia. There are 10,000 types of spiders. All 10,000 live in Georgia, plus a couple no one has seen before. If it grows, it sticks. If it crawls, it bites.

If you notice a vine trying to wrap itself around your leg, you have about 20 seconds to escape before you are completely captured and covered with Kudzu.

It's not a shopping cart; it's a buggy.

"Fixinto" is one word (I'm fixinto go to the store) - and can also be pronounced "Fixinta."

Sweet tea is appropriate for all meals, and you start drinking it when you're two years old.

"Jeet?" is actually a phrase meaning "Did you eat?"

"How's Momma-nem" means: "How's Mother and all of the other children and other members of the family doing?

And please, don't refer to Atlanta as Hotlanta, especially if you're a Bert Show fan. We've been trying to phase that name out for years.