Tomorrow would have been my dad’s 77th birthday. He’s been gone for more than a decade, but obviously not a day goes by that I don’t think of him. And, of course, like all men I’ve spent the past few years becoming more and more like my own dad, and… I’m fine with that.<\/p>\n
Submitted for your approval here, a reprinting of a list I composed several years ago. These are\u00a0\u201cLessons my father taught me.\u201d Dad never actually said these things, but I picked them up eventually anyway, piecing together some things he might have said were he around. Be warned, most of these are not<\/i> noble or decent, as “lesson” lists tend to be. No, these are practical, and above all genuine. These are the real<\/i> rules my father taught me.<\/p>\n
Thanks, Dad.<\/p>\n
And Happy Birthday.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Rules My Father Taught Me<\/p>\n
1. Put yourself first.<\/p>\n
2. Never let work get in the way of your hobbies.<\/p>\n
3. Make sure other people are more indebted to you than you are to them.<\/p>\n
4. Stash away as much money as possible.<\/p>\n
5. But if you really want something you should buy it.<\/p>\n
6. The only person you can really trust is yourself.<\/p>\n
7. There is no need to meddle in the lives of others.<\/p>\n
8. It doesn\u2019t matter what other people think of you, including your relatives, friends, and coworkers.<\/p>\n
9. When in doubt, consult Rule #1.<\/p>\n
10. Every once in a while, do something selfless and generous, just to keep people on their toes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Tomorrow would have been my dad’s 77th birthday. He’s been gone for more than a decade, but obviously not a day goes by that I don’t think of him. And, of course, like all men I’ve spent the past few … Continue reading