The 3 Most Important Things My Dad Taught Me

My dad has taught me a lot of things, including the proper way to order a Margarita (no Triple Sec), the magic of baseball (we watch Field of Dreams every year when spring training starts), how to appreciate good music (the Moody Blues, the Beatles, Pink Floyd, the Who), and that, when you have a Bose sound system, the best part of every movie is the THX slide with that escalating vvvvrrrroooOOOOOMMM!!! sound.

But he taught me much more than that.

I sort of surprised him with the camera. Sorry, Dad.

Be humble – but brilliant

“I’m a printer by trade; I put ink on paper.” That’s how he describes his job. But after more than 40 years experience in printing he deserves a lot more credit than that. A master of the gutter jump, he knows pretty much the entire Pantone Matching System by heart. Point to any color andhe can tell you the PMS number.

Hard work pays off– when it’s work you love

Daddy’s also a big reason I work here at Balcom – and not just because he told Lynne Swihart about me when she came into Ussery Printing for a press check. He’s worked hard every day of his life, but he also loves what he does. These are both qualities that Balcom looks for in B-team members,and I owe mine to my dad.

Most importantly: You make your own future

Daddy didn’t have the idyllic childhood he gave me. He came from a background of divorce and alcoholism, and spent much of his childhood in an orphanage. A lot of people would use that as an excuse to follow the same pattern, but not my dad.

He has always provided for us, always been there for us –through my brother’s open heart surgery and my mom’s three brain surgeries. I’ve never seen him drunk, never seen him lose his temper, and I think the worst thing I’ve ever heard him say is “damn Yankees” (and everybody hates theYankees anyway). He and my mom are still in love with each other (sometimes annoyingly so) and will celebrate their 30^th anniversary next month.

I am darn lucky to have the life I do – and I know I owe a heck of a lot of that to him. So thanks, Daddy. Happy Father’sDay.