Dad’s Words…

This is a list of sayings, quotes, aphorisms, morals and things I’ve found make sense over the years. They are in no particular order. Some may not be apparent unless you put some thought into them. Some are principles I live by and some I aspire to. Some are contradictory. But then so is life. I hope you find them meaningful.

1. Call your mother & tell her you love her
2. Pet at least one dog every day – Bank extras for dogless days
3. Make your bed and brush & floss every day
4. Put on clean underwear
5. Don’t let the turkeys get you down
6. Jump in random puddles
7. Laughter is the best medicine
8. It’s OK to seek the pot ‘o gold at the end of the rainbow
9. All things come to he who waits
10. Do it now
11. Ready, fire, aim
12. Live a life based on principle
13. A sucker is born every minute
14. The house always wins
15. If it sounds too good to be true, it is
16. The true test of your character is what you do when nobody is looking
17. You find out someone’s true character when the airline has lost their luggage
18. If you’re not sure it’s moral or ethical ask yourself, “Would I want to tell my mother about it?”
19. You get one shot at life, make every moment count
20. Trust but verify
21. Live, love, laugh
22. Carpe Diem
23. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush
24. A penny saved is a penny earned
25. Know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em
26. Don’t let ‘em see you sweat
27. Be prepared
28. Sometimes you need a belt and suspenders
29. Always have a plan B
30. Always carry cab fare
31. Plan thoroughly – execute flawlessly
32. Step outside your box
33. To thine own self be true
34. Be a friend
35. Pay it forward
36. Count your blessings
37. Learn from your mistakes
38. Don’t be afraid to love and be loved
39. Its OK to cry even if you have to go into the closet to do so
40. True communication is almost impossible. Just say it was your fault and didn’t quite understand
41. Fake it ’til you make it
42. Dress for the job you want, not the job you have
43. Don’t get mad, get even
44. Crush the competition
45. You can’t save every whale but if you don’t try there soon won’t be any left
46. Care for the less fortunate
47. Buy the first round
48. Be generous
49. To get someone to like you ask for a favor
50. Add value – be a giver not a taker
51. Offer something of value to them rather than asking for something from them
52. Lead, follow or get out of the way
53. Shit or get off the pot
54. If you ain’t the lead dog the scenery never changes
55. When your only tool is a hammer everything looks like a nail
56. Play your cards close to your vest
57. Hold your friends close and your enemies closer
58. Nothing is as it seems
59. Be a shepherd not a sheep
60. Look before you leap
61. Get there the firstest with the mostest
62. Watch out for analysis paralysis
63. Kindness pays its own rewards
64. Money can’t buy happiness, but it can make you awfully comfortable while you’re being miserable
65. You are utterly unique – Don’t deprive the world of you
66. Leave a mark on the universe
67. Volunteer
68. Money and Power corrupt
69. Know when it’s time to leave the party
70. Look for the reality under the hype – think critically – don’t be led by emotion or demagoguery
71. Be passionate
72. Curiosity may have killed the cat but it got us to the moon and back
73. Get away from takers, haters, fakers, leeches, liars and thieves and don’t be one yourself
74. Don’t think you can outwit a sociopath, just get away now
75. The lady doth protest too much, methinks
76. Don’t put up with abuse of any kind
77. Live your own life not what others expect of you
78. Don’t date someone who smokes no matter how hot she is
79. Love makes the world go ‘round
80. It’s OK to ask for help
81. Do unexpected nice things for those you love
82. Always use a condom even if she says she’s protected – it’s your responsibility too
83. Keep it in your pants
84. Roses are always welcome
85. Always underestimate her age and weight
86. Never answer the question, “Does this make me look fat?”
87. When the fire of love’s passion fades, intimacy is the hot, glowing embers of what remains
88. Have a friend you can share everything with
89. Love your spouse; when things get tough don’t give up, don’t screw around
90. Divorce is the last resort and only after all else has failed
91. Remember, she has to put up with you too
92. It’s OK to say you’re sorry
93. All you need is “a loaf of bread a jug of wine and thou”
94. Commit totally in whatever you do
95. KISS
96. The best laid schemes o’ Mice an’ Men gang aft agley
97. No matter how good you are there’s always someone better than you
98. I cried when I had no shoes, until I met a man who had no feet
99. It ain’t over ’til the fat lady sings
100. Never say, “Never”
101. Don’t burn your bridges
102. Don’t throw good money after bad
103. Don’t listen to the nattering nabobs of negativism
104. To the victor go the spoils
105. Never, ever give up
106. It’s up to you
107. Only you can prevent forest fires
108. Vote
109. Perform jury duty
110. See the world
111. There are more things in Heaven and Earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy
112. Sweat the details
113. Don’t sweat the small stuff
114. Embrace ambiguity.
     Life is in many shades of color, nothing is black or white
115. You’ve got to accentuate the positive, eliminate the negative, latch on to the affirmative
116. Your family are the only ones who love you unconditionally
117. Dream big – set BHAGs for yourself
     – Big Hairy Audacious Goals
118. Tell yourself how wonderful you are every day
119. Everyone’s a critic: It’s easy to find fault, much harder to find the good
120. Catch them doing something right
121. Seek first to understand before you are understood
122. You have two ears and one mouth
     – make proportionate use of both
123. You have nothing to fear but fear itself
124. Be an agent for change
125. Defend the defenseless
126. It’s not personal
127. Have Teflon-coated skin
128. Revenge is a dish best served cold
129. Learn to forgive and forget
130. Let it drop and move on
131. Pick your battles
132. Let it sit overnight before your hit “send “
133. Life is about selling – learn to sell yourself
134. I get knocked down, I get up again, you’re never going to keep me down
135. Aspire
136. Conquer fear
137. Don’t settle
138. Let yourself be happy
139. Take a deep breath
140. The difficult we do immediately. The impossible takes a little longer.
141. It takes 10,000 hours of practice to become proficient
142. All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players
143. Take the road less travelled
144. Behold the rose
145. When all hope is lost only your true friends will be there for you
146. Call your mother & tell her you love her