This is where I share great lessons from other dads. They were relayed to me by daughters and sons. What he did. What he said. The difference he made in their lives.
No Sense in Strong Without a . . .
I was a poker veteran by now. At 12 years old, I had already sat in one some of Chubby’s Friday night games. Tonight, I would use the lesson Chubby taught me: “In poker, and in life, when you are weak…play strong. Read moreLooking Forward to Lunch . . . Too Much?
Chubby used to say, “Greg, when short term pleasures become your focus, your true happiness might be in jeopardy.” It happened to me. Only once in my life - and long after Chubby had passed. Read moreSide Effects
"Greg," Chubby said, "even with talent, hard work, passion, and luck . . . you can still hate where you end up.” “Why?” I asked with a puzzled look. “You don’t see the side effects.” Chubby replied. Read moreThe Cruelty in Passion
My hands were blistered and bleeding, my back screamed in pain. I was utterly exhausted, but it was OK . . . until Chubby dumped on my dream. “I can do it. I will make the team. I’ll shine on the court. No one will work harder than me.” Read moreOver Changed
“Excuse me, ma’am, but I think you over-changed me,” I confessed, placing four dollars back on the counter. My two kids looked at me like I was crazy. “Oh, thank you sir! Sorry about that,” she replied.
Read moreThe Ripple Effect
Perkins Pancake House . . . a sunny, Saturday morning. “Dad,” I asked. “Why did you do that?” “Do what?” Chubby replied. “Buy those people breakfast,” I answered. “We don’t know them.” “The ripple effect,” Chubby explained.Read moreBully the Billy
The past few months had been utter misery. Billy Rogers, a kid in my class, made it his life’s mission to torture, taunt, insult, injure and embarrass me every day. I was his prey. A bully extraordinaire, he made my life hell in every way. He recruited other kids to join in. Read moreBilly the Bully
“Billy would smack the back of my head whenever he walked by my desk. One day he poked a pencil so deep into my arm I had to go to the school nurse to have the lead dug out. Billy’s favorite taunt? I heard it thousands of times and recall the words to this day - “Fatty, fatty two by four, can’t get through the bathroom door.”Read moreThe Lure of the Distant and Difficult
“Greg,” Chubby advised, “The smartest thing you’ll ever do is surround yourself with people smarter than you.” When I met Bruce, I knew Dad was right. The definition of smart? Bruce. Read moreA Tip of The Cap
“Cap rate?” I asked. "What the heck is that?" Chubby laughed, “Greg, it stands for capitalization rate. It’s a way to value rental real estate.” Read more