DAD'S LOVING LESSONS :-)
When I was 18 years old I was in the second semester of my Junior year of high school. A couple friends stopped by and told me they were going to go to Alaska to work as fishermen on a commercial fishinng vessel. I wanted so bad to go but going would mean dropping out of school and retaking that semester of school. I asked Mom if it would be OK. After much convincing, well OK badgering, she told me to ask Dad. I'm pretty sure Mom thought Dad would say no and that would put an end to it. Though Mom did help me to find the right time and way to ask Dad. She said the trick is to ask him at work. So after a bit of procrastination I called Dad at the Envirosafe Security station as soon as I summoned up the courage to ask. To my amazement Dad said yes BUT with one condition. I had to agree to finish school when I returned. I gladley accepted the condition and went on to have a great time and made many memories I cherish to this day. I did finish school. And went to Alaska as a fishermen several times after. However this was my first forray into adultthood. And though I may not have recognized it at the time I certainly can see now the amount of trust and letting go it must have taken to allow me to take such a big step allowing me to go on just my word alone that I would finish school. It was on that first vessel, Thhe All Alaskan, I found the lessons I had learned from Dad to be true. For instance when I was working with the electrical crew as a temp while they were rewiring much of the ship due to a fire. I was kept on their crew the longest of all the temps because I did what the boss asked and in the way he wanted it done. As my Boss, and Dad before hiim, had said if you do it the way your boss said and its wrong then it's his fault and and not much he can do. But if you do it another way and it's wrong then it IS your fault and you don't have a leg to stand on. This point was proven when 2 electricians had screwed up a wiring job. The Boss specifically said to use 2 breakers for the lights in a room. The 2 of them decided they could do it wih one. But when they had to work on the lights in that room again and had to use flashlights, the Bosses wisdom became apparent. Had they received the same sound advice I had from Dad they would have followed the Boss's directions and been able to keep one circuit while working on the other. This lesson has served me well on many jobs throughout my life. I'm greatfulto you Dad Thank's Pops