My dad of course like a lot of Asian parents wanted me to be an engineer or doctor and never could understand why I would want to be a lawyer. And then when I first said I wanted to run for office he thought that was absolutely insane.
Parents don't understand kids and kids don't understand parents. My parents were divorced when I was really young and I went to live with my dad.
OK so my parents were married in 1955 and my mom knew my dad was gay and my dad knew he was gay and so I was like 'Why in the heck did you get married?' Like what was going on? What was that time? It's like this crazy paradox that my whole life is based on or my family's based on. So I spent a lot of time trying to understand '55.
My mom was a professional. My dad and mom met each other in a movie called 'New Faces of 1937.' My mom went under the name Thelma Leeds and she did a few movies and she was really a great singer and when she married my dad and started to have a family she sang at parties.
The founder of the Mona Foundation actually knew my dad for years and the more I learned about it the more I realized I really found the perfect charity. It sponsors schools and educational initiatives all over the planet.
I say this as a young dad seeing children going into primary school: I don't think we should underestimate the formative effect on a child of those first years in primary school.
My dad got me a huge board when I was little. He loves to surf. He suited me up and sent me out on this huge wave. I went under and when I came out and the board hit me in the face. So I said I never wanted to do this again. I stayed away until I was 13.
You know my dad served in the President's Cabinet after his time as a governor. He told me he enjoyed being governor a lot more. Now I understand why. If I do my job well I can make a difference in people's lives and I can help our children realize their dreams.
When I was a kid I used to imagine animals running under my bed. I told my dad and he solved the problem quickly. He cut the legs off the bed.
I just wish I could understand my father.