Letter to DtL readers: 40 years ain't nothing to sneeze at

It will be 40 years to the day this Saturday, October 9, that two kids (I mean, dontcha just wanna pinch those baby faces!) who immigrated to the U.S. from the Philippines came together in holy matrimony and began their journey together as husband and wife.

They also happen to be my mom + dad.

This young couple, pictured here on that momentous day in 1970, pursued the American dream with fervor and vigor but never without strong discipline. My dad may have learned that skill as a proud member of the U.S. Navy for 30 years while my mom, who was herself the daughter of a Navy man, worked full-time and somehow managed to keep our lives organized and under control. It couldn't have been easy for her to raise three boys while my dad was away at sea, sometimes for 6 months or longer. In fact, he was away for most of my mom's pregnancy with me and only flew in for my birth before having to take off again (that might explain A LOT and, no, it's not your fault dad.) But they did the best they could under the circumstances and I couldn't be more proud to call them my parents. Happy 40th Anniversary Mom + Dad!

Kalil + I will be traveling to Florida on Wednesday in preparation for their big anniversary celebration. I'll be following the tennis happenings while I'm away and will post if, and when, I can get to my laptop. No guarantees, though. I plan on being very happy and very happily drunk during the lead up to and at the actual event in honor of my parents. It's the least I can do! Regular posting will most likely resume on Monday, October 11.

On an entirely different note, I've noticed some of you guys have been submitting comments ANONYMOUSLY. These comments get flagged and don't get published. If you'd like to leave a comment but you're not registered or have an OpenID, please use the 'Name/URL' option. You're required to use a name (any of your choosing) but not required to submit a URL.

That is all. Enjoy the rest of your week!