What I did was send you my e-mail address so that if you wished to, we could converse without the whole DA listening in. This way is fine too, but I was thinking about your sensibilities re your dad.
My bucket list listed always carried the fact that I'd never learned to play an instrument, so yesterday while waiting to get a haircut I wandered over to this fantastic place called the Guitar Center. Besides drums, amps, keyboards they have the most amazing variety of acoustic and electric guitars; any price from $100 to $30,000. Now I can't say that I satisfied my musical yearning by buying a $30,000 guitar, but I did buy a low-end Yamaha and a lesson book. Then I had to run back and put it in the car so I didn't lose my place in line for the haircut. I haven't broken it out in the house yet because I know the response that I'm gonna get from my wife....."What the heck did you buy THAT for???? Yada yada, yada". (That's a famous line from Seinfeld, a hilarious 1/2 show that lasted for, I think, 8 years in the US). Basically it means, etc etc etc until your eyes glaze over. She's taking a nap right now, so I'm gonna sneak it out and start lesson 1 after I learn to tune it. If she hears it and comes in, it'll mean that I took the cowards way out and the issue has been blown into the open and I can breathe again. Wish me luck.