I did not mean to blow your mind.

Now I know why parents embarrass us so much.  They don't mean to, most of the time, it's just a product of practice.  Apparently, both of you girls like hearing me hum Europe's Final Countdown.  In a falsetto.  Turned up to 11.  (Oh how that synthesizer makes the jean vest jump out of my closet. Yes it's there.)  You were both eating tonight, and somehow that song rocked my mind.  So, being the good father I am, I rocked your dinner with it, and other various 80's rock moves designed to blow your mind.

It hit me later that I've indoctrinated myself into embarrassment insensitivity.  It starts small.  Maybe Air Supply's All Out of Love came on hair nation and I didn't realize the window was down while we were driving by the drill instructors practicing at DI school.  I thought I sounded pretty good.  Maybe later I was practicing air guitar in the hallway with the front door open as the mail lady came to the door to deliver a package too big for the mailbox.  What does she know about good air riffs anyway?  Who really knows how it comes about, but eventually we, as parents, become unable to sense our own embarrassment.

So now I understand.  Parents can't help it.  It's a natural progression of life, adulthood, and parenthood.  We stop being preoccupied with what others think of us.  While we shouldn't turn this self-consciousness off completely, it probably shouldn't be turned up to 11 either.  Sometimes turning it up too high holds us back and we don't realize our true potential.  So if I continue to embarrass you, especially starting in about 10 years, I'm sorry.  I'll try to keep it turned only to 4 or 5.