Best Advice From Dear Old Dad

[Obrules15]

My dad always had an amazing way with people, and he had the gift of making you feel like you could do anything. One of the funnier stories is of him convincing the checkout girl at the supermarket that she could/should go to college.

He was 42 when I was born and therefore had a little bit of a different perspective on life and his advice often reflected that, especially as he got into his late 60's/early 70's. At one point when I'd gotten really stressed out about an upcoming test he advised me to "get some".

He also had the ability to pull me out of meltdowns and make me feel powerful enough to handle any problem. One particularly brutal meltdown that involved lots of tears and, sniveling, and vows to change careers ended with a particularly memorable piece of advice that I still pull out from time to time. He told me, with all seriousness "f*** them b*tches!" A sentiment that is still occasionally quite useful when I'm allowing someone else's behavior to get to me.

I also still think he looks out for me, last year I was having a difficult time figuring out the direction I wanted for my life a part time job opened up with the interview ended up being on his birthday. That job has turned out to be the best and is shifting to full time this fall.

Next Tuesday will be 15 years since he died but I'm so grateful to have had him for the time I did.

 

[ski diva]

Since Father's Day is this weekend, I thought I'd bump this up. What's the best advice you ever got from your dad?

 

[Jenny]

Not advice, just family remembrances:

Bedtime songs - You are my Sunshine, Skinny marinky dinky dink (or however that's spelled).

Bedtime stories - the story of the day we were born was always a favorite, also stories of when he was a kid.

Bedtime comedies - The birdy - can't really be explained but always sent us into peals of laughter.

The spring break where everyone else at school (or so it seemed) went to Florida and we went caving in Indiana.

Sitting on the bench during a basketball game and watching him motion me to stop sitting like a jock and put my knees together while mouthing "Be feminine" at me. And feminine was pronounced fem-nine. For effect.

Driving to school in the mornings and listening to the awful commercial jingle that I can remember to this day - "Pro Gas the household's trusted flame. It's a dad-blame-shame if the name of your flame ain't Pro Gas, Pro Gas."

I miss him.

 

[ski diva]

Not advice, just family remembrances:

Bedtime songs - You are my Sunshine, Skinny marinky dinky dink (or however that's spelled)..

Hey, my Dad, too!

 

[santacruz skier]

Hey, my Dad, too!

Hey my dad too......

 

[elemmac]

You never ask someone: how much they make, who they voted for and how old they are.

And it's nobody's business: how much you make, who you voted for and how old you are.

 

[snowski/swimmouse]

The last time I spoke to my dad was 7 years ago Father's day and we lost him the next day. Like @newboots dad, "he taught me that honesty and ethics were important, and living up to one's ideals was of the highest value. A Depression kid, he taught us to save, never to spend on frivolous things. He taught us that working hard was a virtue, as was humility." Another lesson that still stands out to me is to "take advantage of opportunities when they come along". Three months after he died a trip to Ireland (where his family is from) presented itself and was to be over his first birthday in heaven. It was a clear message to me that I shouldn't be here where he'd spent his last birthday; I should be in Ireland instead. And I confess his bank account funded the trip. Yep, take advantage of those opportunities whether it's travel and/or skiing! Eek!

 

[bounceswoosh]

Not advice, just family remembrances:

Bedtime songs - You are my Sunshine, Skinny marinky dinky dink (or however that's spelled).

Bedtime stories - the story of the day we were born was always a favorite, also stories of when he was a kid.

Bedtime comedies - The birdy - can't really be explained but always sent us into peals of laughter.

The spring break where everyone else at school (or so it seemed) went to Florida and we went caving in Indiana.

Sitting on the bench during a basketball game and watching him motion me to stop sitting like a jock and put my knees together while mouthing "Be feminine" at me. And feminine was pronounced fem-nine. For effect.

Driving to school in the mornings and listening to the awful commercial jingle that I can remember to this day - "Pro Gas the household's trusted flame. It's a dad-blame-shame if the name of your flame ain't Pro Gas, Pro Gas."

I miss him.

My father is still alive, but these resonated for me.

Bedtime song - the one I remember most vividly is "A white sport coat." I also have great memories of him driving me around in our family station wagon, singing along to "Another one bites the dust."

Bedtime stories - uh, I always asked for stories from when he was in the Navy - you know, when he was on a minesweeper or aircraft carrier. Some were gross, like the guy who would walk around with a string hanging out of his mouth, and ask people to pull it - there was a piece of bacon at the end! (???). Once he told me about men who actually were swept overboard doing something critical. I'm not sure how that seemed appropriate for a little kid, but it sure stuck with me.

When I was a teen, we took a road trip, just the two of us and my dog, down to North Carolina and back. I made him listen to a lot of Dr Demento. We had fun, and I remember a particular picnic at a random clearing on the side of the highway. We fought constantly when I was a teenager, so that trip was especially important.

Dad starting to cry, like really cry, when talking about watching a Native American ceremony years before - he has a prickly exterior, but he's a marshmallow inside, and the treatment of Native Americans upsets him greatly. I only ever saw him cry one other time.

Realizing recently that my dad and his brother sound an awful lot like John Wayne from the movies. Speech patterns and everything.

 

[Jenny]

When I was a teen, we took a road trip, just the two of us and my dog, down to North Carolina and back. I made him listen to a lot of Dr Demento. We had fun, and I remember a particular picnic at a random clearing on the side of the highway. We fought constantly when I was a teenager, so that trip was especially important.

I used to love riding up front on our way to Florida. Everyone else was asleep in the back of the van and it was just dad and me, awake in the middle of the night, talking, and playing word games.