[4dblnkldude]

I know its 7 months or so until fathers day but I just spent the most time I do with my dad every year....six days in a 24x30 cabin in an extremely rural part of Pennsylvania deer hunting. Although I've known how much he did for me for some fifteen years now and I how I thought I was getting over on him by joining the Marine Corps when I was 18, seemingly what I thought was the ultimate screw you at the time, I feel that it was his plan all along. I suppose some type of reverse psychology to get me independant. An easy trick on a life inexperienced 18 year old. So my old man taught me alot, from how to pack a wheel bearing by hand, multiple uses for a screwdriver, everything about guns, field dressing a deer, auto maintainence, chicks, how to grow tomatos. These guys are the real teachers in our lives.
So the old man is 65 now and barely calls me and to be honest I barely ever call him. Every now and then he'll need to borrow a tool and he'll swing by and we'll bullcrap for a bit. He took me fishing, hunting, shooting, dog training, and he made me mow the skeet range lawn. So now he goes fishing to sandy hook, brielle, or cape may and does not call me, he leaves awfully early usually so next week I'm gonna show up at his house at 4 am and just go for the few hours that he goes.
He got on my nerves a bit when we were deer hunting but hes my dad and I love him so I'm gonna try to spend a bit more time with him now that he is in his golden years. He has had so many sayings over the years...I think his favorite was " Hope in one hand and **** in the other and tell me which one gets full first"
So tell me about your old man, when there was a knock down brawl over something that now sounds so trivial but there was a lesson there, no matter how small it was and how all those small things make us who we are today? Leaders, business owners, contractors, doctors, anything if you are proud of who you are because of your dad. I can only pass it along to my son, Parker age 7. Thanks for reading!!!!!!!

[PonchoV8]

The best advice that I never took--and regret: Get into a trade of some kind.

[Ben M.]

My dad worked 70+ hours 7 days a week when I was growing up. He was there... but at the same time not. Always doing extra jobs and work to help provide for us and make life better. I didn't necessarily resent it or get upset often, I knew he was doing it for us and that was the way life is sometimes - that as the main breadwinner and support you sometimes have to spend a bit of time away from the family to do it.

He and my great-uncle gave me my first set of tools at 5 years old. He also taught me to respect your tools and machinery, you don't break things just because it's "fun" or "cool." You take care of what you have and don't buy new unless you absolutely have to. Good life take-aways in my opinion. I've learned a lot from him, mostly by example.

[Simple Man]

My dad had his own appliance repair business as long as I can remember. Times were sometimes tight. We always didn't have the best things growing up, but we never went without the necessities.
He taught me to love fishing, how to repair just about anything, that if something is broken, you don't automatically just throw it away, and buy new.

[Cerberus]

Hunting, trapping, fishing and camping. Not much about cars, although he did co-sign for my 73 TA when I was in high school. Pi$$ed my mother off - she didn't want me to have it.

[1967SC]

My Father,who is 80 and still lives life to the fullest,taught me how to use hand and power tools.
Sparked my intrest in cars(He had a '64 LeMans Convert,'66 LeMans Convert,'70 Buick GS455 Convert)
My wife thanks him all the time for teaching me how to fix things.I am most greatful for the time spent with him in my youth.
Thanks Dad

[69 DAYTONA]

...my dad couldn't fix anything, our household tool box consisted of a pair of pliers and a butter knife...he never worked on his car, or washed it, they were always filthy...he didn't mow the yard or do anything at home...but, he worked day and night 7 days a week at his own business and at a regular job

...he taught me how to work and earn money at the age of 10, we owned several family businesses thru the years and today I own many businesses, commercial properties and investments...I can't do many home repairs, or auto repairs, but I can afford to have it done while I do what I do best, make money

...my dads best advice to me was "don't let anyone else carry your wallet", meaning ALWAYS be in charge of your own money, you will take better care of it

...my dad and I purchased this 6K mile Daytona many years ago as a partnership, he enjoyed driving it...I purchased the same Daytona again a few years ago and it will never be sold again

[LeighP]

Yeah, my Dad taught me how to fix things, how to lay bricks, pour concrete, build a wall, fix a roof, fix cars, use hand tools....which until I joined the airforce and found how many other trade trainees had no idea how to use a file, I hadn't thought much about.
I owe my Dad a lot, I see some of him in me now - how I am these days now that I'm the age he was when I was small.
My Dad got to see Haley's Comet twice in his life.....lost him 20 odd years back.
RIP, Dad.

[Half-Inch Stud]

Seems our dads are quite similar. Generationally they had common morals values and tase in beer. Not easy upholding such dad qualities these days with the bent from schools society and political leadership.

Seems the kids these days don't want to make/raise/have kids, so they are FAR REMOVED from imagining on being a dad. That needs changed.

[The Boss]

I spent yesterday with my father - went up to Massachusetts to finish up the leaves in the yard for him. He's 84 and since my Mom passed away has been alone at home - and is really enjoying himself.

He's always got something going on, He's helping the Holyoke Library work through their expansion project and has built 3 other libraries in his lifetime. He goes to shows and concerts in the area a couple times a week and writes reviews for an on-line magazine and still has a couple customers left over from his advertising business he takes care of as well. He's also active in local politics and was a delagate to the state convention this year.

He was never a terribly handy man & I was always the one fixing the lawnmower or a lamp in the house. But he did teach me one very valuable lesson - Buy good tools and you buy them once!

I still have (and use) the first skill saw I bought myself in 1987 and the drill I got with it, the first nail gun in 1992, and most of the hand tools I've accumulated in those years as well. I still use the Husky chain saw I bought in 1991 to clear the lot for my first house and the Estwing hammer I used to build it.

It was great spending time with him yesterday - if I can be half the man in my life that he's been in his, I'll have done well.

[J GLASGO]

My Dad taught me that if you work hard,you will accomplish your goals. He was the hardest working person,and everybody loved him. I have worked for him every day since 1979,and have learned so much from him. He,s been gone for a little more than 9 months. Every day i walk into work,i still expect to see him,and have a sick feeling in my stomach when i dont. I miss him more than anything.

[Doug]

Tell the truth!

[hurryinhoosier62]

My dad was a paradox. Gentle one minute, slap you into next week the next. He grew up hard and was determined that his kids were going to college and have a better life than him. I remember when I told him I was going to be an aircraft mechanic. He ranted for two weeks "I didn't bust my a@$ for the last 25yrs for my son to be a mechanic. You're going to college!" Mom finally calmed him down, reasoning with him that I was going to do what I WANTED to do, NOT what he wanted me to do. By his example and sometimes TOTALLY impatient teaching, I took what he had taught me and built it into a career I enjoyed for 21yrs. Thanks,Dad......we miss you.

[Steve Barcak]

Wow, this could go on for a long time as there is so much to say. My father passed over 25 years ago and I still miss him.
Probably 2 of the most important, and simple things I can remember was-
"always carry around enough money with you" and " do not get into debt"
I went through my years of depending on plastic money and have moved away from that and remember him when I do it.



I will also tell you something my old man never told or explained to me that he should have.
It seems so obvious now but, when I was a kid and a young man, it was taken for granted-

When your kids start to think they are smater than you or they begine to think you are too frugal, nerdy or whatever.

Explain to them that they are sacrificing because of you, to provide for you and more. Kids do not seem to look at things that way until they get older and I think parents should let them know when they get rebellous.

Now, regretfully, I do not have a son to pass this info onto yet myself.....

[bird72]

Not to rain on parades, those with great dads are / were blessed..... mine was a gambler, womanizer, never went to my little league games, sour attitude jerk..... he did keep a roof over our heads, best I can come up with. he was crabby to the day he died. and after unlearning all his bad stuff, I did come away with the teaching of living life on the positive, to never be like him again....

[salem1912]

Taught me everything worth knowing. He was the man I admired most.

[arbys]

Originally Posted by bird72

Not to rain on parades, those with great dads are / were blessed..... mine was a gambler, womanizer, never went to my little league games, sour attitude jerk..... he did keep a roof over our heads, best I can come up with. he was crabby to the day he died. and after unlearning all his bad stuff, I did come away with the teaching of living life on the positive, to never be like him again....

Sorry to hear that. I appears that you've overcome the obstacles that surrounded you. I've always said that you are who you in spite of those circumstances or because of them.

My mother did all the fix ups around the house because my dad wasn't handy nor did he want to learn. When my friends wanted go-karts their dads helped them. I had to make my own. I didn't like that growing up but I think it made me a better person for that. I later joined the Marines and that adaptive attitude was beneficial. After that my job benefited from that also.

[Cammer-6]

spent the day with mine walking around the exhibit at PRI as we do every year.
He still finds alot of neat racing stuff interesting.
It doesnt hurt to have all those pretty girls showing off their wares too.

[Ed Fitzgerald]

Nickel dude, in a few short years all will change with your dad, for the better. Right now you are his son and he your father. He believes that he has to be the one leading and making the moves/decisions. It's the way he was probably brought up. That is exactly what I experienced with my own father. A few years ago the transformation happened almost over night. He now phones me daily (at the very least) or shows up at my shop. He know asks me mechanical questions that he wouldn't ask even the most trusted source. He is 72 yrs old and more active than many guys half his age. I never really knew him growing up as we were always going in opposite directions. As a young man he worked his way up to foreman in GM (Oshawa) and quit several years later to go farming. Everyone at the motors laughed and said he would be back in less than a year begging for his job back. To make along story short that was when I was 2 yrs old ('64). By '81 he had 1500 acres of land, 8000 laying hens (eggs) and 100 head of simmential/charolais cows. On this land we also have 5 million yards of black granite (licensed quarry) and 2.5 million yards of choice gravel/sand. Chickens were sold off and also the cattle. He taught me welding, mechanics, basically that everything works on 2-3 basic principles. If he has done his job you should have absorbed all that info that he tried to instill into you. Hang with him a bit more and let him get to know you better. It will happen, but time is of the essence. When I was growing up my family (1 sister) only got to see each other coming and going to the barns. There was alot of animosity between everyone because of the workload. I was in my early twenties and got hired on a professional firefighter and we disagreed on something or other. I never spoke to him for several years and on my birthday he phoned to wish me a happy birthday. I told him I couldn't understand why he would be phoning as he hadn't wished me well for the previous 20 some years and that is when he broke down and told me he didn't want to fight anymore. He said he realized we had some rough times and I now was a grown man and he wanted to deal man to man,, not father to son. I know I'm going to lose him some day and for my own selfish reasons I hope he is around for another 30 yrs but I know this probably isn't going to happen. I have told him that all he needed to achieve on this earth has been accomplished and he has helped me set up my family for generations to come. Ed

[Ed Fitzgerald]

On the teachings of money he taught me, money was made round to go around and made flat to pile high and it takes money to make money. He used to always say if you work for a salary there is a good chance you will never have much (savings). You will have all the toys and luxuries but will be living pay cheque to pay cheque. He also said most people are 2-3 paycheques off welfare. He taught me to invest in a deal that could pay off 10 bucks profit or as high as 100 bucks profit. He always said plan on the 10 bucks and spend accordingly. If the 100 bucks shows up then you are ahead of the game whereas alot of people expect the 100 and spend accordingly only to have the 10 dollar windfall. I could go on all day and still only brush the surface. He was one of 5 boys and all were business men. They grew up on a farm (grandfathers)that he always said "wouldn't raise an umbrella". Dad used to say if their cows got out and went to the neighbours they were easy to tell from the others because grandpa's cows had pointed noses from reaching down between the rocks to get something to eat. FYI that same farm (1000 acres) was subdivided and sold off in the 80's for 1.2 million dollars. It had a private lake and 2800' of shoreline on another. Ed