Things I Learned From My Dad

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bestgear
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Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by bestgear »

Thank you dad, these have served me well.

1. Never shake a man’s hand sitting down.
2. There are plenty of ways to enter a pool. The stairs ain’t one.
3. The man at the grill is the closest thing we have to a king.
4. In a negotiation, never make the first offer.
5. Act like you’ve been there before. Especially in the end zone.
6. Request the late check-out.
7. When entrusted with a secret, keep it.
8. Hold your heroes to a higher standard.
9. Return a borrowed car with a full tank of gas.
10. Don’t fill up on bread.
11. When shaking hands, grip firmly and look him in the eye.
12. Don’t let a wishbone grow where a backbone should be.
13. If you need music on the beach, you’re missing the point.
14. Carry two handkerchiefs. The one in your back pocket is for you. The one in your breast pocket is for her.
15. You marry the girl, you marry her whole family.
16. Be like a duck. Remain calm on the surface and paddle like crazy underneath.
17. Experience the serenity of traveling alone.
18. Never be afraid to ask out the best looking girl in the room.
19. Never turn down a breath mint.
20. In a game of HORSE, sometimes a simple free throw will get ’em.
21. A sport coat is worth 1000 words.
22. Try writing your own eulogy. Never stop revising.
23. Thank a veteran. And then make it up to him.
24. If you want to know what makes you unique, sit for a caricature.
25. Eat lunch with the new kid.
26. After writing an angry email, read it carefully. Then delete it.
27. Ask your mom to play. She won’t let you win.
28. See it on the big screen.
29. Give credit. Take the blame.
30. Write down your dreams.
31. Don't waste time learning the “tricks of the trade." Instead, learn the trade
Tom
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dlr110
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by dlr110 »

A lot of wisdom there Tom. Thanks for posting it today... ::tu::
David R (United States Navy Retired)
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by eveled »

Great list. I like 31 the best.

My Dad made every thing look easy. He would try something new, practice once, then beat everyone at it. No matter what it was.
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Mumbleypeg
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by Mumbleypeg »

Good advice. I’ll add a couple from my dad.

1. If you’re gonna do it, do it right.
2. Do it right the first time.
3. Measure twice, cut once.

Ken
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by fergusontd »

::woot:: Don't do as I do...do as I tell you! ftd
"A pocketknife is a man's best friend!"
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by Gunsil »

"Doesn't matter what you choose to do in life as long as you do it to the best of your ability"
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treefarmer
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by treefarmer »

Tom,
All the thoughts on your list make good common sense.
I have practice #26 quite often in the last few years.
Treefarmer

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bestgear
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by bestgear »

treefarmer wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 6:27 pm Tom,
All the thoughts on your list make good common sense.
I have practice #26 quite often in the last few years.
Treefarmer
I do that almost daily Phil - WWWDD - what would dad do - not a bad legacy to leave.
Tom
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zed6309
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by zed6309 »

Thats a great list Tom ::tu:: sadly my dad left when i was 9 , didnt see him for 17yrs and we had a on off relationship, 20yrs ago i told him to do one as he has always had a negative impact on my life and deep down i could never forgive him for what he did to my mum, but he did teach me one thing and that is too be a better dad than him ::tu:: its fathers day in the uk today , i got awesome cards etc from my daughters , one of them my 15yr old well 15 monday , she wrote so many things that i taught her , mostly camping skills , love being a dad even with grumpy teenagers :lol:
Paul,

friendship is a rare and precious gift,
A day without a pocket knife is the day your need it,
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by cudgee »

Mumbleypeg wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 2:57 pm Good advice. I’ll add a couple from my dad.

1. If you’re gonna do it, do it right.
2. Do it right the first time.
3. Measure twice, cut once.

Ken
Your father and my father were cut from the same cloth. One of his sayings " Think about it, then do it once and do it wright." ::tu::
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bestgear
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by bestgear »

zed6309 wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 10:33 pm …. she wrote so many things that i taught her
you’ve done well Paul because you’ve given the greatest gift possible, your time, and your being recognized and appreciated -BRAVO!
Tom
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by doglegg »

bestgear wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:48 am
zed6309 wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 10:33 pm …. she wrote so many things that i taught her
you’ve done well Paul because you’ve given the greatest gift possible, your time, and your being recognized and appreciated -BRAVO!
Yep. ::nod:: ::nod:: ::tu::
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zed6309
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by zed6309 »

bestgear wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 12:48 am
zed6309 wrote: Sun Jun 20, 2021 10:33 pm …. she wrote so many things that i taught her
you’ve done well Paul because you’ve given the greatest gift possible, your time, and your being recognized and appreciated -BRAVO!
Thanks Tom ::tu::
Paul,

friendship is a rare and precious gift,
A day without a pocket knife is the day your need it,
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Mumbleypeg
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by Mumbleypeg »

A few more things I learned from my dad:

How to ride a bicycle, and a horse (and care for one).
How to change a tire.
How to hammer a nail.
How to safely operate power tools like a drill press, table saw, planer, jig saw, etc.
How to drive a standard transmission vehicle.
How to do a tune-up including change the oil, change spark plugs, set the gap on spark plugs and the rotor, etc.
How to overhaul a small engine.
How to operate a tractor, cutter, baler, cultivator, planter, mower, etc.
How to make a crystal radio, how diodes and transistors work.
How to throw, catch and hit a baseball.
How to throw and catch a pass (football).
How to dribble, pass, and shoot a basketball.

Too many other things to list them, but you get the idea.

Ken
Member AKTI, TSRA, NRA.

If your religion requires that you hate someone, you need a new religion.

When the people fear their government, that is tyranny. When government fears the people, that is freedom.

https://www.akti.org/
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1967redrider
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by 1967redrider »

These are great!

I would add- never take more than you're going to eat, we don't waste food.
Pocket, fixed, machete, axe, it's all good!

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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by cudgee »

1967redrider wrote: Mon Jun 21, 2021 10:17 pm These are great!

I would add- never take more than you're going to eat, we don't waste food.
::tu:: ::tu:: ::tu:: ::nod:: My Mum used to say " Always Leave The Table With Room For Some More ". :)
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by knife7knut »

"Never let the best you can do today set the standard for the rest of your life".
"If you don't learn something every day,then you probably aren't breathing"
"That was NOT a request!"
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cudgee
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by cudgee »

knife7knut wrote: Wed Jun 23, 2021 5:07 am "Never let the best you can do today set the standard for the rest of your life".
"If you don't learn something every day,then you probably aren't breathing"
"That was NOT a request!"
The last one, :lol: :lol: :lol: imagine saying that to a modern millenial. ::mdm:: ::mdm:: ::mdm:: :wink:
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by bighomer »

Always do your level best and let the devil take the hind most.
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Re: Things I Learned From My Dad

Post by zzyzzogeton »

I learned a lot from my father, mainly about sales and interacting with people. My father was NOT the handiest person in the world while I was growing up. He was a business man, owning multiple businesses and rental homes.

What he did do was tell me - "Find someone who knows what you want to do and learn from them." That's how he learned electrical, plumbing, brick laying, carpentry, etc, for making repairs and improvements to the rentals, after I had left home for college and the Navy. I learned all those skills later.

I learned auto mechanics from the mechanic he employed to work on his trucks. I learn small engine repair and small tool repair from his employee who did those repairs in the store.

The biggest personal interaction tip he taught me was

"Son, it's not good to get in a fight. The winner of a fight is just the first loser. Do the best you can to avoid a fight. Walk away if you can. But if you do have to fight, WIN. There are no rules in a fight. Anything you can do to win is OK."

I ended up only have 2 fights growing up, one in the 7th grade and one in the 8th, both with bullies who pushed the smallest boy in school a little too far. "Won" both due to not following the "rules" of playground fights.

Got off with a pat on the head for the first one. Got 3 licks from the principal for the second. Not because I fought, not because I won, but because I laid out (concussion, broken jaw and swollen testicles) the senior starting center of the football team to the point where he was unable to play in that night's football game which was to determine whether or not our team made the playoffs.

Ooops. We lost. :mrgreen:
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