"And all of our parents, they're getting older. I wonder if they wished for anything better, while in their memories tiny tragedies."
- John Mayer, No Such Thing, Room For Squares

This isn't a pity party, or I'm trying to not turn it into one. But one thing I realized about John chasing his dream is: his parents were both holding down stable jobs and he could afford to go out and pursue his music.

Unfortunately, I don't have that luxury. Both my parents work, but my dad is a selfish douchebag who spends every dime on himself. He hasn't paid rent in years; he's essentially a squatter. Meanwhile, I've had to give approximately $12,000 to my mom over the last four years to help keep my family afloat. My sisters help out, too.

I don't mind helping my mom out, but there's so much I could have done with that extra $12,000. More gear, maybe a car so I can do gigs. 

And the most fucked up thing is my dad doesn't give a shit. He wants me to support his own bullshit karaoke dreams and couldn't give two figs about my guitar playing or songwriting. 

One of the reasons why I don't believe in justice or a god? People like Stevie Ray Vaughan, Duane Allman, Michael Jackson, Marvin Gaye and Jimi Hendrix who had so much more to give to the music world died too early, while people like my dad who have virtually nothing to contribute to society are still breathing.