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June 14, 2007

A Father’s Day

Student with three jobs says his most important one is being a father

Story by: Cassie Smith

The Shorthorn staff

The Shorthorn: Mykah Wright

Anthony Gordon, broadcast communication senior, is a full-time dad and student at UTA and works at the university’s radio station, CBS-TV and deejays on the weekend.

Anthony Gordon can’t remember his father ever attending even one of his athletic events throughout high school.

He and his father weren’t close, and Gordon jokes that on Father’s Day, he would always buy his mother a gift.

The ideals and standards that shape the way Gordon approaches being a father have stemmed from his own relationship with his father.

“Knowing the affect of my father’s relationship and mine as a child has created this over-the-top relationship with my daughter,” Gordon said. “I want to make sure I can do all I can do now for my daughter. I don’t want to regret anything.”

Today, Gordon and his father are closer. He said it took him reaching that adult stage for his father to bond with him. Gordon said he can tell his father regrets missing so much of his childhood and is constantly trying to make up for lost time.

Part of the standards Gordon has set for himself include getting a college degree while fully supporting his wife and 18-month-old daughter, Shawn. The broadcast communication senior has a full class load and works part time at CBS-TV as a cameraman, part time at UTA Radio, and on the weekends disc jockeys for local parties.

“It’s really hard,” Gordon said. “Sometimes I swear I’m like a zombie. It’s a balancing act. I wouldn’t trade this for the world, though. Shawn is so worth it.”

A typical day for Gordon includes getting up at 6:30 a.m., getting Shawn and himself dressed and fed, getting Shawn to her baby sitter, and getting himself to class by 8 a.m. After his morning class, he drives to his 11 a.m. Tarrant County College class. Then he returns to work for UTA Radio until he has to be at the CBS station at 5:30 p.m.. At 9:30 p.m. he is ready to go home, where he either attempts to find some study time, tries to go to bed early, or, if Shawn is still awake waiting for her daddy to come home, he plays with her.

“A kid doesn’t understand a parent being tired,” Gordon said. “All this, it’s something I love, so it makes it a lot easier. It’s not even like work to me.”

Gordon and his wife, Chanell, a school teacher, have been married two-and-a-half years. Gordon said his wife practically has two full-time jobs between teaching and raising Shawn while he is at work.

Courtesy of Anthony Gordon

Anthony Gordon and his 18-month-old daughter Shawn both enjoy watching sports games together on television.

“I give my wife a lot of credit,” he said. “People who are single parents, I don’t know how they do it.”

Gordon said he takes any spare time to study. Whether it’s an hour between classes or downtime at work, he can’t always plan to study at home because it might be a night Shawn can’t fall asleep or wakes up at 2 a.m. from a nightmare.

“I think having her makes it a lot easier,” Gordon said. “She forces [me] to learn to balance things. Honestly, school is the hardest thing I do. It’s mentally draining. You have so much to think about between projects and papers. You have to be always thinking and planning ahead.”

Gordon said he has become “that old guy” in class, at 30 years old, yet he admits he still finds fun on campus and attends every basketball game.

“I’ve done the whole college thing,” he said. “I’ve got all that out of the way. I just want to finish now. I can’t afford

distractions.”

Gordon is eager to have another child after graduation. Growing up with five sisters and two brothers, he always wanted a big family of his own. It took some convincing of his wife, who is an only child.

“Every guy wants a son,” he said. “As long as the

baby’s healthy, it doesn’t matter though.”

When Gordon can find free time, he said his favorite hobbies revolve around sports and music. But he doesn’t take that free time to be alone.

“In my free time, I like to spend it with her,” he said. “So, a lot of my hobbies involve things she likes as well.”

Gordon said that many times while watching a sports game on television, Shawn will sit attentively at his side, and when he’s practicing on his DJ equipment she will dance excitedly beside him.

Chanell said Anthony and Shawn watch basketball together in their matching jerseys and tennis shoes.

“When he buys himself something, he always buys her something,” Chanell said. “He’s a good daddy. He loves to spend time with Shawn.”

Chanell said she and her husband devote weekends to spending time together.

“It’s hard. He’s going all day long,” she said. “If [Shawn’s] up when he gets home, she won’t lay down. She has to sit in his lap and fall asleep with her daddy.”

Gordon doesn’t know what’s planned for Father’s Day on Sunday, but he said he is an easy man to please. A good meal and some time in front of the television suit him just fine.

“It’s crazy seeing how fast Shawn grows up,” he said. “I still remember holding her the day she was born.”