A Few Things My Dad Taught Me

My dad passed away in 2004.  I wrote this sometime in the months after that, but I'm not exactly sure when.  I don't think I've ever posted it or shown it to anybody....I guess it never quite seemed finished or I wanted to add some more to it.  I think it's finally time to post.

Happy Father's Day, Dad.  How I wish you had been able to meet Katelyn and Kayla.  They would absolutely adore you.  I can only hope I can be half the dad you were.

Here's the list, unedited from what I wrote back in 2004 or 2005:

• It doesn't matter what other people think.
• Family is always first.
• There are few things that cannot be fixed with duct tape.
• If you use a coupon to buy something that you wouldn't have otherwise bought, you aren't really saving any money.
• Part of being a man is doing things that you don't want to do.
• Always turn off the electricity to an outlet or switch before messing with it.
• Vacations are a time for splurging.
• Helping people is a more important part of a business than making money.
• A ten year old used car will get you from place to place just as well as a new Lexus.
• If there is any possible way you or someone you know will use enough to justify it, buy it in bulk at Sam's.
• You can never have too many VCRs.
• No restaurant in the world is worth waiting an hour for a table.
• You can save a lot of pointless trips to the bank by just taking out a bunch of cash at once instead of going to the ATM every couple of days.
• Never underestimate the impact that your life can have on others.
• Letting go at the top of a hill is a very effective way to teach a child to ride a bike.
• There's no need to be scared of ladders or roofs.  The worst that could happen is that you fall off.
• It is impossible to save enough pennies to fill up a gallon milk carton when your children are constantly borrowing from it to buy gum.
• It is ridiculous to get frustrated and impatient over a website taking a few seconds to load, when not too long ago, computers didn't even exist.
• Some boys will just never get the hang of tying a tie (that would be me).
• You're never too young to help paint an apartment.
• For those that have the time and the money to spare, playing the stock market can be both profitable and fun.
• Sometimes in life, all you need are a remote control, a good recliner, and a can of Pringles.
• As you get older, birthdays and Christmas become so much less about presents and so much more about presence.