Yesterday, 9/11, I ran my 100th consecutive day of running.  To help me celebrate the occasion, three of my good running friends joined me in running 100 minutes or 10 miles.  We, actually, ran 10.7 miles in 105 minutes, but that was ok.  I hope Finn chooses to run, it would be fun to run with him.

During this run, Brian - former house mate of Ammon, mentioned that they were going to start calling me "Grandpa" or "Gramps" or something along those lines.  Ha, ha.  They all thought it cute.

When I think of "Grandpa" I think of my own Grandpa Gilbert with his white hair (which he still had), thick glasses and the continual request to repeat what had just been spoken, twice.  I don't see myself in that way.  My hair, though graying, is not white. My hearing is good, even though I have listened to Neil Young with the volume turned all the way to "11" and my glasses don't resemble the bottoms of pop bottles.

Hearing the term "Grandpa", which is most excepted in our culture, really doesn't fit for me, for those reasons above.  There is really nothing "bad" or "disrespectful" about the term, it's just not for me.  So, I have been thinking of what Finn, when he can, could refer to me as.

"Clark" doesn't seem to work.  Can you envision him, in the future, introducing Ammon and me as "This is my Dad and this is my Dad's dad, Clark".  Seems cumbersome to me.  And confusing.

"Pa Pa" is the term Ammon called me when he was little, until he went to public school and learned that "Dad" was more common.  I think "Pa Pa" should be reserved for Ammon.

"Dude" or "Grand Dude" has a nice ring to it, though I suppose some might find that strange, well at least until the teenage years when Finn might be calling everyone "Dude".  You really don't know how teenagers will talk.

The truth is, I really don't care what Mr. Finn decides to refer to me as.  I will let him come up with what works for him because I know whatever the term he uses will be extremely fulfilling to hear!

Hurry Finn!  We are all waiting for your arrival.