Summer Lovin'

It's that time of year again, summer. Summer brings hot weather, sun, water, and other summer related stuff for most people. For me, it brings something else; love. It's love like all of my "loves" are love. But the summer loves are always just a little different. First thing about them is they are usually brought by someone else; when it was Lost my mom brought it, when it was Spring Awakening my sister brought it, and like that. They are also (obviously) during the summer, when I am at a lack of real guys to occupy myself with. And the other thing, the best thing, about the summer loves were that while the people themselves (Dominic Monaghan, John Gallagher Jr) were temporary, the broader picture was permanent. I stayed in love with Lost and Spring Awakening.

Who knew this love would be brought on by my dad, funnier even was that he brought it to me last summer! I was just preoccupied. I didn't realize that he had thrown a love into my lap until a couple of weeks ago. I mean, I knew I liked Nascar when I watched my first race, it was addictive and interesting. And by the way, this Saturday is the anniversary of my first race, I remember what I saw of it really well; Mark Martin was in first, Jeff Gordon was 2nd. And my second race; it was the same day that I was seeing Spring Awakening for the first time, but of course I had time to watch a bunch of circles. I remember Montoya in first for a lot of the time and then I went to take a shower and when I came back Johnson was in first and went on to win it. Not bad, not bad.

When did it happen? When did I finally realize I was in love? I have no idea. All I remember is a few races ago I didn't want to miss it. Maybe it was Pocono? Ah, who know. But now I'm kind of hooked.

After Saturday's totally epic race, I was telling my friend Rebecca about it. She asks me "Was Jimmie Johnson in it?" I was stunned "How do you know who he is?" She looked at me and laughed "He's been your gmail status for a month!" and of course I told her yes, and about the crash and Kurt Busch and Kyle Busch and so on.

When I was at Eclipse on Saturday the only part I liked (other than the part where the car goes fast and makes a very happy sound) was the whole "puppet" thing. Because in a way I'm kind of my dad's puppet. When I was watching the race I didn't know why I didn't like Kyle Busch. But when I got home from the beach we went out to dinner (minus Rachel) and my dad's talking about him and just he really doesn't like the guy. He actually made a little bit of a dig when he was talking about his own racing! But the funny thing is when we were watching the commentary, interviews, and stuff, they ran the interview and I'm torn on it. What was he even getting at? I have to side with the analyst who said it is hard to tell what's sarcasm and what's sincerity.

And apparently he also seriously dislikes Harvick. We were watching a Nascar show when Jeopardy came on and he was switching back during commercials. But during one commercial he saw Harvick, so he kept flipping. And then he went back, still Harvick, so he flipped to something else.

Speaking of puppets, I made Vivian into a Nascar fan. But to be honest, I'm a little upset. I don't mind her going crazy for the sport, but it's too much too soon.

This sport makes me crazy. The worst part is that I'm a little jealous of it. You know how in Nothing Suits Me Like a Suit, Barney says suits are the perfect way to get a girl with daddy issues? He's totally right, but if he's trying to get me, he might want to try a fire suit instead. My dad devotes more time of his life to racing than he does to me. He talks about racing more than he talks to me, unless it's racing related in which case he won't stop talking. I think he might have laughed more at Logano's dig at Harvick than he's laughed at something I've said in a really long time. He probably doesn't even remember the song that my dance recital was to, but he'll remember that line. And it's like what the hell am I supposed to do? I've tried dealing with it, I've tried bonding with him over it. My best fixes are to get back at him by either sleeping with a racer or becoming a racer. Neither seem very likely.

So I guess I want to believe that I have a future with this new love. I do, because love is always good.