Saturday, June 26, 2010

things my dad taught me.

(completely and totally inspired by curious girl's father's day post.)

my father has been pretty much been the most influential person in my life. at times we are a terrible match (cancer vs. leo-arghh!!!) and he can drive me insane and to tears in an instant...BUT he honestly, truly, ALWAYS has the best of intentions. even if those intentions include being a butthead that ignores the laws of traffic, all public transportation scheduling and eats out of the bulk bins at wegman's even though it's gross and he's been yelled at like, five million times.

SO. the things my dad has taught me (in no particular order) :

-dress well for work. if you dress well, you work better.

-there is no reason to be shitty to people. especially people that you can tell probably get people being shitty to them all the time.

-"never live on a dead man's money"

now. this is morbid and direct. not very my dadish. but his father passed when he was very young, leaving him as the sole caregiver for his mother and his teenage sister. he pretty much had to learn how to be humble and gracious at 15. this also led him to raise a fiercely (and at times too severely) independent daughter. a few months ago he responded to another dad who stated his daughter (whom i went to hs with) was still on his "payroll." my dad responded i was not and had been "off the payroll" for quite a while. proudest. father-daughter. moment. ever.

-babies are cute. baby girls are cuter ;)

-puppies are the most fun no matter how bad they are. come on...they are puppies.

-make sure your men are gentlemen.

-be a goofball. even if others don't get it...you have plenty to laugh at yourself and it makes life more fun.

-keep your yard looking nice. (epic fail at this one for me)

-when it comes to family, keep religion and politics out of it.
(epic fail for him on this one. as an ornery old man he constantly debates with the more conservative side of the family. constantly.)

-sing along to the radio

-love unconditionally. like, really. unconditionally. the conditions will constantly change and you need to change with them.

i now realize i could on forever. happy birthday daddy!

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