Philosophical Differences

So it is abundantly clear that my father is firmly against a wedding.  He believes that money spent on one day is a waste, however he can see justification in paying monthly cable that sucks not only money but hours and hours of your life into things like food tv, the golf channel, and monster garage.  These are about the only shows he watches with the exception of Fox News.  Fox News is like the Choose the Right ring for the mormons.  Although he's a closet Catholic, he could wear a CTR ring and get away with it just fine.

I've been home sick the past few days. Yesterday my mom came by to keep me company while the plumber was here (long story, needs separate entry) and advised me to take my father to lunch to discuss weddings.

The last time I attempted a Daddy-Daughter heart to heart I was 20 and was moving in with my boyfriend for the first time.  It wasn't a discussion.  It was us meeting at Chop Suey Louie's on campus while he let me know under no certain terms that I was, in fact, throwing my life away.  It was more of a Dictator-Daughter stab your heart kind of a deal.  You can imagine that my mom suggesting I have a go at round 2 wasn't appealing.

Today I got an email from my future mother-in-law.  A little bird told her that my mom and I had ventured off to the bridal shows this weekend and she wanted to know ALL ABOUT IT.  Ok, not so subtle.  I'm guessing that she does not have secret spies but that her little bird might live in Indy.  I haven't written her back.  What do I say?

"Gee, I found a bunch of great ideas but they aren't going to happen because my father thinks this is a waste, he's broke, and he thinks that since I'm 30 and didn't jump on the first guy I saw when I was 19 he doesn't owe me anything.  He thinks its just too bad I waited until I was mature to get my life in order.  Apparently I missed out on the clause that if I went to graduate school and became a sucess then I forfited his assistance with a  wedding.  Missed that small print there." 

In his opinion and my mothers anthropology background, weddings are there to get the couple set up in a household with the showers etc.  In my opinion its a celebration of the merging of families.  He'll show up to the sucker; he'll even walk me down the aisle, but the only thing he'll be giving away is his opinion that the whole deal is a waste.