Speech for my Grandfather's 75th Birthday

My Grandfather is quite possibly one of the most important people in my life. I was not blessed with a plethora of good positive male role models in my youth. My Grandfather has always been a rock of truth and virtue. While some of the lessons that I have learned from him have been verbal and some have been through his actions, all of them have stuck with me. My Grandfather has a P.H.D. in common sense. Many of the things that I have learned from him are things that you would just imagine everyone knows. It becomes clear once you go out and start living your life that this is not the case.
I remember when I got one of my first jobs at a CD store. I would come home from school, lounge around for a while and then leave for work with just barely enough time to make it there for my scheduled shift. One time my Grandfather said to me “Showing up late or right on time shows that you don’t care about your job. If you really care you should be getting there early. You probably won’t have it for very long.” I was fired that week.
I used to think that the best way to sell something was to put it up for a price that was over what you wanted and then bargain with people so that they feel like they got a good deal. I remember my Grandpa questioning my need to “play games” with people. He said I should just put items up for sale for a fair price and I would get it. He has always been right. I can not even count how many times people have told me that they respect the way I do business when I am selling items to them.
I remember one time asking my Grandfather how he knew that he was in love with my Grandmother. He told me that you will know when you are in love because you won’t ever feel the need to question whether or not you are in love. I never knew what that meant until I met my wife Julie. Some people may go their entire life without knowing true love. Not my Grandparents though. They are one of the lucky ones and it shows. On the lighter side of love, when I was really young, I remember asking my Grandfather how you “get a girl to be interested in you.” His answer was simple yet so true. He said “Just be good at something.” Never has more sage advice been given.
I had a job that I absolutely hated when I was a teenager. I remember talking about it with my Grandfather. He gave me some of the best advice I think I have ever heard regarding a career decision. He told me “You are always to young to stay at a job that you hate.” In other words, it is never to late to start over. Let me be the first to say that I have applied this philosophy many times in my personal life and it has led me to a job that I absolutely love.
My Grandfather is a strong man, a loving husband to my Grandmother and just an overall good human being. My Grandfather believes that family comes first and will do everything in his power and more in order to help his family be safe and successful. Recently I was involved in an accident that nearly ended my life. My Grandfather made the difficult decision to not come to see me in the hospital because he was sick at the time and didn’t want to risk giving it to me. When I saw him for the first time a few months later he started crying as he gave me a hug. I always knew that my Grandfather loved me, but this was the first time that I understood the depth.
My Grandfather does not just have this intense love for me but he has it for his entire family. If ever anyone in our family is ever in doubt that they are thought about and loved then they only need to look at the pillar of this family to see that their doubts carry no weight. People like to look to movie stars and athletes to find their heroes. I have had to look no further than the home of my Grandfather who has forever had the greatest influence on the person that I am today.

How come punk rockers are smarter than you?

You're wrong by NOFX

You're wrong about virtues of Christianity
You're wrong if you agree with Sean Hannity
If you think that pride is about nationality, you're wrong
You're wrong when you imprison people turning tricks
And you're wrong about trickle down economics
If you think that punk rock doesn't mix with politics, you're wrong
You're wrong for hating queers and eating steers
If you kill for the thrill of the hunt
You're wrong 'bout wearing fur and not hating Ann CoulterCause
she's a cunted cunt
You're wrong if you celebrate Columbus Day
You're wrong if you think there will be a Judgement Day
If you're a charter member of the NRA, you're wrong
You're wrong if you support capital punishmen
You're wrong if you don't question your government
If you think her reproductive rights are inconsequent, you're wrong
You're wrong fighting Jihad, your blind faith in God
Your religions are all flawed
You're wrong about drug use, when its not abuse
I hope you never reproduce
You're getting high on the downlowA victim of Cointelpro
You're wrong and will probably never know