- Joined
- Dec 2, 2008
- Messages
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Hi Y'all
My dad used to say "A good day is one where you learn something useful". He never said "you learn from your mistakes". He did say "If you don't learn it the first time, you will get another chance, count on it".
The self taught lessons have been coming fast and furious lately, and many of them are of the "second chance" variety. I'm getting a little sick of it. I thought that by now I would know everything. I may have known it once but I just can't remember. The last couple of days have been one "second chance" after another so today I visited with a spirits expert and came home with a nice bottle of Boodle's Gin. I'm taking a few days of from the shop while I adjust my attitude.
My dad also had a unique way of teaching life's little lessons. He never said "Be careful with that fishhook." Instead he would say "What's the worst place you could stick yourself with that hook?" He never said "Be careful with that soldering iron." He would say "How much do you think it would hurt if you were to get burned with a soldering iron?"
What usually followed was a gruesome description of something his brother had done when they were kids. My dad never did anything dumb but according to him, my uncle "Ralph" was the dumbest or unluckiest kid that ever lived. I am forever grateful to my uncle Ralph for testing the boundaries of good sense and to my dad for the vivid description and the lively discussions that followed that helped me remember those lessons.
At one point in my life, I had a fairly well equipped woodworking shop but with raising four kids and traveling to earn a living i, I wasn't using it and Dad had retired so I gave a lot of it to him. One item was a Dewalt 10" Radial Arm saw with lots of accessories. I had a 2 bladed moulding head with lots of knives and that can be a real bear on a radial arm saw. I was starting to warn him of the danger when he said, " Wow, I can't imagine what Ralph would have done with this."
I need a refill.
Jerry
My dad used to say "A good day is one where you learn something useful". He never said "you learn from your mistakes". He did say "If you don't learn it the first time, you will get another chance, count on it".
The self taught lessons have been coming fast and furious lately, and many of them are of the "second chance" variety. I'm getting a little sick of it. I thought that by now I would know everything. I may have known it once but I just can't remember. The last couple of days have been one "second chance" after another so today I visited with a spirits expert and came home with a nice bottle of Boodle's Gin. I'm taking a few days of from the shop while I adjust my attitude.
My dad also had a unique way of teaching life's little lessons. He never said "Be careful with that fishhook." Instead he would say "What's the worst place you could stick yourself with that hook?" He never said "Be careful with that soldering iron." He would say "How much do you think it would hurt if you were to get burned with a soldering iron?"
What usually followed was a gruesome description of something his brother had done when they were kids. My dad never did anything dumb but according to him, my uncle "Ralph" was the dumbest or unluckiest kid that ever lived. I am forever grateful to my uncle Ralph for testing the boundaries of good sense and to my dad for the vivid description and the lively discussions that followed that helped me remember those lessons.
At one point in my life, I had a fairly well equipped woodworking shop but with raising four kids and traveling to earn a living i, I wasn't using it and Dad had retired so I gave a lot of it to him. One item was a Dewalt 10" Radial Arm saw with lots of accessories. I had a 2 bladed moulding head with lots of knives and that can be a real bear on a radial arm saw. I was starting to warn him of the danger when he said, " Wow, I can't imagine what Ralph would have done with this."
I need a refill.
Jerry
but I'm sampling a bottle of Woods Rum at the moment - lovely stuff! Enjoy the break.
