As a single mom of a 2 year old, a 4 year degree was a long road to self-sufficiency, so last summer Megan took it upon herself to enroll in cosmetology school. Every day she got up early to prepare twin blondes, dropped one at day-care and then commuted 40 minutes to school. By early this year, she passed her boards, floated a new resume and landed a gig at Jathar, an upscale salon in Waltham. There was a period between finishing school and getting the job where she did… well, I’m not really sure what she did, but that’s not important right now…

I know my girl was nervous about telling me her plan last year. She knows I’m an education snob and she thought I’d be disappointed that she wasn’t pursuing a more, I don’t know, academic curriculum. I wasn’t. She has a little blond priority and her decision was based on that and I believe a real passion for the work. At the time I remember identifying her intelligence, personality and creativity as attributes that would take her far in whatever vocation she chose. The fact she’s gorgeous and a very hard worker aren’t hurting either…

This weekend there were graduations in the area. On Friday night, Kyle attended his high schools event to watch some of his classmates graduate, and yesterday, Joyce wrestled 18 years of memories while watching her son Nick hobble (soccer injury) across his stage wearing the badge of the National Honor Society. These events reminded this absent minded dad that I’d done nothing to note the achievement of my own daughter. I needed a plan.

Megan had made a few noises about an iPad, so yesterday Kyle, “Babycakes” and I… Wait, let me clarify… At some point yesterday, I called Maddy “baby cakes,” which caused her to giggle like a pre-school girl and then refuse to answer to any other name… “No, Papa. I’m baby cakes!” OK then. Anyway, the big 3 took small bites of back roads to a mall in NH till we reached the core of the Apple… store. I wonder if Apple keeps numbers on how many potential iPad customers end up buying MacBooks because, um, THEY DON’T HAVE ANY FREAKIN IPADS!

Sure, Megan can use the laptop and it actually wasn’t much more than an iPad, but I really only needed it as a communication device for my plot. While Megan told Joyce the wonderful news about her accelerating career opportunities, I sent Megan an email she could open once she opened the Mac. Megan was already gushing about how it was the best day of her life (as a PITA dad, I had to remind her of Maddy’s birthday…), when I said, “See if your email works.”  “Oh my god. Oh my god… What is this? OH MY GOD!!! I got Lady Gaga tickets!!!”

Reading Facebook this morning, I think Megan slept with her computer… She must love it.

Megan: “ Unreal. It’s been over a month & we can’t cap this? We can split atoms & land on the moon but we can’t cap an oil spill? Late night research. Must go to sleep.”
Stacy : “get a life aside from the laptizzzzop, i know your excited buuuut NERD alert 🙂 🙂 its 3am”
Megan: “Lol I love this thing I can’t get off of it!”