- How to drive a stick shift - We don't now own a stick shift car, but when I buy that sporty convertible on my 70th birthday, I'll be ready. Also, suppose I had to borrow a car to escape zombies and a stick shift was the only one available. I'd be thanking Dad!
- Things can be fixed - It's not so much that he taught me HOW to fix things. But by example he showed me that it is possible to take apart the broken dryer and put it back together again to make it work.
- Things can be built - I have actually learned a few building skills from Dad. But mostly I learned that, if you need an end table, or a porch, or some shelves, or a bench, you ought to consider building it instead of buying it.
- Patience.
- Don't leave tools out in the rain.
- How to stay calm (e.g. when teaching your son how to drive stick shift, or when he leaves your tools out in the rain).
- Big tasks can be tackled one step at a time - One time my Dad bought an old house to fix up. After he bought it he found out it had some major structural problems. He figured out how, one step at a time, to fix it. It was a complicated process that took several weeks. I've learned not to be afraid to tackle something big, even if I don't yet have a clear path to the finish.
- If you're going to get a hobby, make it something grand - Like becoming a hot air balloon pilot.
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| Have a good flight! |
- How to buy a car without getting ripped off - And I learned that, even with that knowledge, sometimes you get a lemon. He has, and I have too.
- How to comparison shop.
- To be skeptical.
- How to live within your means and save something for the future.
- How to be married for 54 years. I'm over a third of the way there!
- The musical and poetic genius of John Denver.
- Trust. But verify.
- Base opinions and decisions on credible and independent sources of information, like Consumer Reports and PBS NewsHour.
Clearly I hit the jackpot in the Dad lottery. Mom, of course was pretty amazing too. More on that later.
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