SOCIAL MEDIA

Sh*t My Dad Says

Tuesday, April 8, 2014


                                     Voyage of the Mee Mee















Linking up Amanda & Danae again for another round of  "Shit Men Say", this time I am focusing on the best pieces of advice I have ever received from my Dad. My Dad  is a very practical guy and the first love of my life. He and I are a lot a like in may ways which over the years has brought us very close and also caused friction between my Mom & I. "You're just like your father" is something I have heard from her more times than I care to count. But it's true, except that just by being a guy he is able to see things with less emotion generally speaking. So although we are a lot alike and might look at things similarly my female perspective sometimes gets in the way of practicality. So when in doubt I always stop and think what would my Dad say. Here are three that always come to mind:

1. K.I.S.S. - Keep It Simple Stupid also known as The KISS Factor. This is one of my Dad's favorite pieces of advice and pretty much works for any situation or problem you may have. Break that shit down and don't be an asshole and complicate it. Figure out what exactly the problem you are facing is and deal with it. Make a plan and follow through. Don't feel sorry for yourself, don't go getting 50 people's opinions on what you should do... that's only going to further complicate the mess you have gotten yourself into.


2. If someone offers you money, TAKE IT.  This seems pretty basic but Dad always says we are too quick to refuse payment for our efforts when someone offers it unexpectedly. And he's right. We all expect to get paid for our jobs but how many times do we go above and beyond and occasionally someone says "hey thanks, let me get you back for that" or "let me buy you lunch"? My Dad always said of someone offers you a tip of any kind it could be considered rude to refuse so accept it graciously, always. Realize that they are acknowledging that you are worth it!


                               
4. Never accelerate toward brake lights. Did your Dad teach you how to drive? Mine did and I always remember him saying this, especially the first time he made me drive on the freeway... in the left lane and keep up with traffic. I remember thinking that 65 felt like 165 when I was 15 and scared shitless of anyone else on the road. I preferred driving in circles in the empty Sears parking lot when the mall was closed. Now that was fun! But he always pointed out the brake lights up ahead, reminding me that even if they seemed far up the road I had to pay attention and take my foot off the gas in order to prepare to stop... just in case. I can not tell you how many times his words have crossed my mind while driving and in life. This particular piece of advice has become somewhat of a metaphor for me. I have been inclined to go barrelling forward in life many times knowing full well that things up ahead looked sketchy. I have had a lot of situations where I should have taken my foot off the gas but I didn't. Sometimes I was able to swerve and avoid crashing. Other times I wasn't so lucky. So just remember.... if you see brake lights up ahead you might want to consider slowing down!



And since I missed Kelli's link up yesterday I wanted to get that in today too. It's picture practice and this weeks subject was an animal and I am going to cheat because I didn't take this photo but I just love it so much. My daughter's best friend is an aspiring photographer and very talented and she took this picture of my daughter and her (the friend's) horse recently at the barn. The girls have been riding together for years and share a love of photography and all things equine! Isn't it beautiful?




8 comments :

  1. i agree with your dad - if someone offers you a lunch, YOU TAKE THAT SHIZZ!

    -kathy
    Vodka and Soda

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  2. That photo is GORGEOUS!
    And your dad... very wise... I especially like "KISS"!

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  3. Absolutely love the photo and your dad's saying "don't accelerate towards break lights" could have saved me probably 6 cars by now. #YouThinkImKidding. #ImNot. But seriously in life too, great phrase!

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  4. That photograph is awesome, she'll make a great photographer!!

    I love your dads advice! I learned that break thing from my mom, she always said if the car in the other lane breaks you should slow down too because you never know what they're breaking for. I did that one day a couple of years ago and missed hitting a motorcyclist on the interstate how had wrecked his bike and flew across several lanes of traffic landing in front of my car. Talk about a holy shit moment.

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  5. This all sounds like very good advice- your dad is a wise man!

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  6. Amazing photo!! And seriously, people need to figure out number 4!!!!!!!

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