Attention Travel Technicians: Homemade Gift Guide

Put a homemade twist on gifts during the holidays with this homemade gift guide. Check out these affordable and quick gifts to send to your loved ones.

For the Foodies

Soup In a Jar

Grab your favorite dry ingredients and place them in a mason jar! Tie a ribbon with a written recipe attached to add that personal touch. Need ideas? Check here.

The Cookie Jar

Find your family’s favorite box of cookie mix and toppings at your local store. Place them into a mason jar and add a bow to the lid. For inspiration, click my two personal favorites Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix, and Peppermint Cookie Mix.

S’mores Please

Missing the warm summer and anxiously waiting for bonfire season? The wait is over, this recipe will get you there! You’ll need chocolate of your choice, marshmallows, and golden grahams. More information is available here.

Kiss A Day Jar

Fill a jar with desired candy, find a chalk painter marker, or print out a label. This can say “A Kiss A Day While I’m Away” or use it as a countdown jar to help your loved ones visualize the time. Here is an example: Kiss Jar.

For the family

Hand Warmers/ Mini Heat Packs

Create these microwavable crafts with rice and fabric. Turn small fabric squares from your craft store into a thoughtful gift. This is a great gift for adults and children. Click here for instructions.

Bubble Bath Gift Bag/Box

Find travel size bubble bath items, bath bombs, loofas and/or towels. For children, add small bath toys! There are plenty of fun ways to add excitement to this gift and it’s perfect for all ages. Find inspiration here.

Relaxation/Sensory Box

For this gift, think of items that relax your loved one. Do they enjoy a specific beverage, snack, or hobby? Find items to place together in a box with tissue paper. For children, make a sensory box. Grab a few small toys, model magic, and stickers to create a magical experience. Need a little help? Here it is!

Memory/Adventure Box

Shutterfly offers free photo prints for new app users. Order prints with memories or adventures you’d like to share and grab a shadowbox from your local craft store. Or even send supplies for the family to create one to share with you when you return! Memory Box Tips.

A little something extra

Change your holiday tradition with family at home. Target and Walmart have family onesie sets. Hulu offers a Watch Party feature, that allows multiple screens to watch the same movie or show together. Set up your webcam and enjoy this new memory!

Are you away from home during the holidays? Read about these holiday tips to help get through this time of year.

In a faraway country, an orphan, named Shin Ok-soon, was put on a plane to the USA leaving all that she knew behind; sights, sounds, smells. That plane took her to Minneapolis International Airport, and there she became Kim Annette Cox. Kim met her adoptive family, former Minnesota Viking, Fred Cox, his wife, Elayne, and their three biological children (Darryl, Susan and Fred). I am that orphan and this is part of my story.

Adoption

My life in the United States began on October 21, 1970. I moved from a big city to a small hobby farm with my new family. Days were spent going to school, picking weeds in the strawberry patch, playing with farm animals, and watching dad play football on TV. I didn’t think about how different I looked from other kids at school; brown skin, slanted eyes, black hair. That is until someone made fun of me, or I saw the one other Korean adoptee at my school. People always seemed to get us mixed up, even though we didn’t look alike. Several times, I told boys that my dad was Minnesota Viking Fred Cox. They all thought I was lying because he wasn’t Korean. International adoption wasn’t as common back in the late 60’s and early 70’s as it is today. I would continue through life like anyone else- graduating from high school, getting married, and raising a family. Having a family was always important to me. My children are my only known blood relatives. Through adoption I lost all connection to my biological family. I’d been led to believe they either lost me or gave me up. To me, my family tree started when I had children; Sara, Peter, Kendra and Alec. They are my greatest treasures. One day, my dad was visiting when my eldest daughter went stomping to her room and slammed the door. My dad just laughed and said, “The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” I reminded him that I never stomped to my room or slammed the door, at least not often. But that one comment, from the most influential person in my life, changed everything. If my children were like me then who was I like? What tree did I fall from? Thus began my search for my birth mother.

I didn’t realize that I would begin a search for cultural identity. It was 1998 and the internet was still on dial up. The internet opened a whole new community for me and led me to the conference, The Gathering of the First Generation of Adult Korean Adoptees. I remember standing in the hotel elevator, looking at the other passengers, realizing that we were all Korean! I had never had that experience before, and it was empowering. As the event’s title indicates, it was the first time that adult Korean adoptees gathered, from all over the world, to share our experiences. In our time together we learned we had many similarities. We were raised in small communities where we were the only minorities. Our families were religious. Many of us had suffered from some type of abuse; sexual, physical, and mental. We didn’t realize that there were so many of us, spread across the world, away from our motherland. I returned to my family excited and confused. The first 25+ years of my life I lived a Caucasian-American life. Once I was surrounded by people who looked like me, I started to realize that I wasn’t white. I noticed that I was the only person of color at the grocery store, at church, at my kids’ school. It was as if everything I had adapted to had changed. I felt like an outsider, and I was angry. With my newfound identity, I thought it would be fun to go to a Korean market in the cities and surround myself with people who looked like me. I even tried some kimchee. Walking into that market was like walking into a foreign country. Because I looked Korean, they greeted me in Korean and I felt shame at my inability to respond as expected. I said, “Hello.” They gave me a puzzled look in return. It was followed by them putting their head down as if I didn’t exist. I had no idea what to buy. I couldn’t read the packages, and I certainly was not going to bring more attention to myself by asking for help. I decided to buy some rice, kimchee, and noodles. I had no idea there were so many varieties of rice yet none of them were Minute Rice. I was nervous to check out, because they may try and speak to me, and I would not have a clue as to what they were saying. I purchased my things, went to my car and cried. What I thought would be a grand adventure turned out to be an eye-opening experience. I did not belong to my small white community. I was not accepted by Korean Nationals. Adoption had created a new community for me; Korean Adoptees. This later expanded into International Adoptees.

Searching Seoul

While at The Gathering I met some adoptees who were of my generation. We planned a return trip to our motherland in search of our birth families. We contacted the media in Korea, and locally, to see if they were interested in our story. I was adopted to Minnesota, where there are over 20,000 Korean Adoptees (Minnesota Ranks #1 in the US for children adopted from Korea), and my dad was a well-known figure. As a former Viking who played in 4 Super Bowls, invented the Nerf Football, and is still the Vikings all-time leading scorer we thought we might attract some local interest.

A show called On the Road with Jason Davis contacted me, and the TV station sent Jason and his cameraman to Korea with myself and some of others. He filmed a special documentary segment called Searching Seoul that would air twice. Once in 2000 and again, years later, to see how our lives had changed from that trip.

He won a regional Emmy Award for the segment. I remember thinking, “Why do I want to do this? Why do I want to put my life out there?” Then I stopped thinking about myself and, instead, thought about all the others whom I had met. Then I knew that this was part of God’s plan for me.

After Searching Seoul aired, a couple of Korean culture camps and parent support groups had reached out to me. They asked if I would come share my story with them. I was nervous. I did not want to pretend that my voice represented how all adoptees felt, especially since I was still trying to figure out my own cultural identity. I knew nothing about it, so I looked at this as a way we could learn together. Afterall, they had Korean roots as well. When I was young, my parents took my sister and I to a Korean school and I learned how to sing a couple songs. I don’t remember much, so this opportunity was a fantastic way for my children and I to learn more together.

Kamp Kimchee

That summer, I packed up the kids and headed to Kamp Kimchee, a Korean culture camp, for the week. I shared my experience with the adoptive parents. I was the classroom mentor for the high school students. My children attended classes with the other students. The unique thing about Kamp Kimchee was that classes were for Korean adoptees and their American-born siblings. It was a family camp where everyone was included. One of the adopted students told me that my children were the first students allowed who were not Korean or part of a family created by adoption. It was a little odd for my children at first. They were neither Korean adopted nor the sibling of a child who had been adopted. They made friends quickly and the families were so happy to have an older adoptee, who was also a parent, involved with the camp. We continued to be involved for another four or five years, until summer sports took over. During the years at camp, my kids would learn tae kwon do, how to sing the national anthem of Korea, fan dancing, and how to cook Korean food! I bought their first hanboks there and made lifelong friends. I am forever grateful to the families of Kamp Kimchee for helping me teach my children about Korea.

Fast Forward 15 Years

I have returned to Korea twice. During my trips to Korea, I helped two other adoptees reunite with their birth families and discover their culture. I did some searching while I was there but concluded I would never find anything. There were no records from the first year of my life. My visits to Korea were bittersweet but enjoyable just the same. I always traveled with other Korean adoptees because we shared the same narrative. We didn’t really belong, wherever we were.

Discovering my Korean self would eventually lead to the end of my first marriage, after 20 years and 4 children. I married young and didn’t know who I was. When I became comfortable in my identity, it was hard on the marriage. I had changed. It was no one’s fault, just a set of circumstances that were beyond our control. I am remarried now, and adoption has impacted my life once again. Through marriage, I became a bonus mom (aka stepmom) to 3 children. One of them is also adopted.

My “bonus son”, Jackson, is biracial and was adopted domestically. We still have many things in common though. Society sees us differently than who we are due to having brown skin, dark hair, and distinct cultural features. I like to think it is easier for him now than it was for me. He is being raised in a diverse area, adoption is more prevalent now, and he has me (a pioneer of transracial adoption). We don’t talk about culture or being adopted yet we are two peas in a pod. There is an unspoken understanding that we have about our uniqueness, and how we navigate through our adoption journey, that unites us.

Reflection

I remember when I was a teenager. My dad would smile, put his arm around me, and tell me I had won the adoption lottery when I joined his family. Of course, I would roll my eyes and agree. As I look back at my adoption journey, I can say that being Korean and adopted no longer consumes me like it once did. I have accepted that I will probably never find my birth family. I am, however, blessed to have been adopted into a wonderful family. I’m equally blessed to have created my own family. I now walk into the Korean Market with confidence, using the three Korean words I know, and a smile on my face. My family tree has expanded with the arrival of my grandson, Milo. He is now the same age as I was when I first arrived. I love to watch him and ask myself if I was like that when I was his age, traveling from one continent to another. All I know is that, when I look in the mirror, I am at peace with the face staring back at me.

October 16, is about celebrating the bosses and leaders in our lives. Since this day lands on a Sunday, take one of these ideas below to help your boss feel appreciated Monday.

Buy a card & write your boss some kind words of appreciation.
Bring your boss a coffee, or send a gift card.
Order your boss their favorite lunch.
Send your boss a meaningful gift that suits their tastes.
Offer your boss a simple “Thank you”. It can go a long way!

We hope you can gloat about your bosses the way our FlexTrades team does!

“—— has been hands down one of the best bosses I have ever worked with. From day 1 as a new employee, not only did he believe in me but showed me the how and why we do things certain ways. He is a very supportive and easy to follow leader who always supports us, and I greatly appreciate working for him. Happy National Boss’s Day to all the leaders out there!”

“My boss continually sets me up for success day in and day out. She encourages me and continues to offer me opportunities to grow professionally.”

“She is a fantastic mentor and leader. Her knowledge in technology stacks is unmatched and she brings a wealth of knowledge from her past industry experience. I’m thrilled to be working directly with her to bring FlexTrades to new heights!”

“She was instrumental in sparking a curiosity and interest in manufacturing and skilled trades more generally for me. She has always been more than willing to share her wealth of knowledge and effortlessly conveys complex ideas to people who have no background in manufacturing. If not for her – I am not sure I would be where I am today without FlexTrades.”

“He has played a large role in my professional development since joining the team. I am very grateful for the ways he has helped me progress with the company, meet my own professional goals, and gain experiences that I never even expected to be a part of my role with FlexTrades”

“After eight years with the company I have several bosses from project managers on up. Some that have really helped me out along the way and helped guide me to where I am today. I would like to give them all a big shout out to say Thank You and that I am grateful for all the guidance along the way.”

“She was always there to answer my questions or point me in the direction of someone with the answer. She is always ready to solve a problem and find a solution within means that accompanies everyone in the company. I am thankful to have had her as a supervisor and colleague.”

she has given me so much information and insight to move me forward in recruiting. She is a boss who gives her team the time to learn the process, dispute any underlying concerns, and make you the best version of yourself.”

“Bosses aren’t always leaders and leaders aren’t always bosses. It’s great when the two things come together though and that takes just the right person. Someone who, no matter their hierarchy or tenure at a company, is always willing to learn from others, ask the questions so they can learn, and is open to feedback, as well. Someone who reflects on the positives and negatives, is always looking for ways to improve, and is not complacent with what’s in place because it’s “good enough and it works”.

“I had a manager (I think the term boss has a negative connotation these days) who was all that and more. My manager respected me, motivated me, allowed space for me, and is really the one person (besides myself) who brought me to the level I’m at today. I’ll forever be grateful for the mentorship, patience, encouragement, and friendship this manager gave and gives to me.”

“He has been a great leader and I’ve been very appreciative of all I’ve learned from him during my time at Flextrades. Thank you for all you continue to do!”

“She leads by example as well as by dictation. She is always tough, but extremely fair in decisions.  I don’t know if I have worked with anyone else under her who is not influenced/motivated by her.”

“He’s been a good boss to work for, I’ve had no issues with him. He works through problems with us and is good on the follow up. He stays positive overall and is pleasant to work for. He takes time to put together numbers for us to review and everything is always accurate. He’s a good motivator and keeps us going in the right direction.”

“She has been an amazing leader! She truly cares about everyone and wants the best for everyone she meets. She is kind, understanding, and patient. She wants everyone to be the best at what they do and helps in any way she can to see them succeed! Thank you for being an amazing boss and all-around good person!”

“She is exactly the type of boss I’d dream up if it wasn’t already my reality! She’s kind, appreciative, gentle with her constructive criticism (but knows how to get her point across at the same time), knows how important professional growth is and is supportive of who I want to become. She’s compassionate, understands the inner workings of a working mom, and frequently checks in to just see how things are going – both professionally and personally. On National Boss’s Day, I hope she knows how lucky I am to get to work for her, because it’s definitely not something I take for granted!”

“I appreciate my bosses for the kindness and transparency. A long with teaching me new skills to empower me each day.”

“My boss has provided an opportunity that allows me the autonomy and flexibility to structure my day, while also knowing that I am supported as much as I need at the same time. I appreciate the trust that is shown and that I have in them as well!”

This year, October 11 marks the 10th anniversary of the International Day of the Girl Child. The United Nations General Assembly declared this day by adopting Resolution 66/170 in 2011. The intention is to recognize the rights of girls around the world and bring awareness to the unique challenges they face daily. Much progress has been made globally in the last decade but the disparity, between boys and girls, in access to basic human rights is still shocking when you check the numbers.

How to get involved

The UN has several suggestions for activists and advocates who want to help the continued advancement of this movement. Among them are to engage government officials, public policy makers, key influencers across industries, and all other stakeholders to make more targeted investments to address inequalities experienced by girls everywhere. Another suggestion they make is to share human interest stories, blogs, and videos of girl change-makers to amplify their impact on others.

You can find more suggestions on UNICEF’s website or check out YouTube for stories about girl influencers such as Malala Yousafzai too. But, as a man in a family of mostly women, I’d like to recognize this day by sharing the story of the girl change-makers in my life with all of you. I hope reading this makes you want to publicly share a story of your own to recognize the powerful girls in your own life and to help grow this movement for them.

My Girls

I’ve written a blog before about the role my aunts and uncles played in my formation and the way becoming an uncle to my nieces changed my life. But I don’t mention in that article how my nieces have changed my perspective of what girls can do. Now, to be clear, I’m not a misogynistic person and I’ve never been accused of being one. I was raised in a family where my grandma, and then my mother, called most of the shots and it never felt strange or especially progressive to anybody. Many other families like ours were very similar. I learned early and often that all women are deserving of respect.

But growing up on a farm, I was always taught that I should do the “heavy, hard” things to spare my grandmother, mother, sister, and cousins (all girls) from the most physical of tasks. This attitude towards division of labor never seemed particularly biased to me until years after my childhood when my father started to age. As dad got older and his physical capabilities began to erode, I began to realize that he just couldn’t do some of the things I needed him to do anymore. Things came to a head one day when I needed help in the field and my dad couldn’t get out of bed, let alone into a skid steer. Luckily, my youngest niece was available and that became the first day she operated equipment solo. She was 7.

Since then, both of my nieces have learned how to use tools, pick sweetcorn, handle livestock, get the Christmas tree for grandma each year, and many other things I never expected them to need to learn.

Their abilities have been proven many more times over the years, especially in the last one. Since my dad passed away last October, I rely on them more than ever now. But they never cease to surprise me. Even when my mom’s mailbox was hit recently, they didn’t need me. Instead, they took care of grandma together.

Today, I no longer even ask my girls if they can do something. The concept that they can’t has completely left my consideration. Now, I simply ask them if they will do something and then I watch them do it even better than I can. Girls can do that, or so I’ve learned. It stopped surprising me years ago.

I hope you’ve learned more about International Day of the Girl Child, or at least been led to think about it, than you would have without this article. We’ve done blogs on other national and international days that you might like learning more about too. Check them out on our blog page. And, of course, if you have other resume tips or questions just send them to our Writing Team and we’ll be happy to cover them in a future article.

What Beard Are You??

September 3rd is World Beard Day! What is Beard Day? It occurs every year on the first Saturday in September. On this day, people internationally celebrate their face ferrets. In the beginning of history most men had beards to keep warm.

This day is observed to celebrate and promote those who were gifted with good facial hair genetics. If you want to get started on growing your chin curtain here is a link to the perfect beard growth starter kit.

To those who participate in the beard life… here are some tips on how to maintain your manly mane.

Trim your Beard. If you have a goal to grow your mane, make sure you are trimming the hair. Link to Beard Kit Here.
Keep it Clean. Consider purchasing a beard wash to stay fresh and avoid irritation.
Tame and Style. Use some beard oil and comb that facial hair.
Take your Vitamins. For optimal hair growth keep up on your health routine.

If you follow these tips… maybe one day you will be able to catch up to Mr. Hans Langseth, whose beard was over 17 feet long.

*** SHOW US YOUR MANLY MANE BY SENDING US A PHOTO OR TAGGING US IN YOUR BEARD PIC ON INSTAGRAM***

National Grief Awareness Day is August 30 this year. It began almost a decade ago. The intention of this day (and National Grief Awareness Month throughout all of September) is to raise overall awareness of the many ways those affected by grief cope with loss, provide resources to those going through personal losses, and to remind us all the importance of supporting people we know to be grieving. Like many silent struggles, there are many tools available to the individual experiencing grief but there is often a stigma associated with needing or using them. To try and reduce the stigma around conversations about grief, I’d like to talk to you about my personal experience using one of the tools available to millions of Americans attempting to manage their grief – their EAP (Employee Assistance Program).

What is Grief?

According to the Mayo Clinic, grief is a strong, sometimes overwhelming emotion for people, regardless of whether their sadness stems from the loss of a loved one or from a terminal diagnosis they or someone they love have received. The feelings associated with grief can vary greatly from person to person and so can how long it most strongly affects people. People can also use a wide range of tools to cope with grief, both internal and external. If you’re uncertain about whether your grieving process is normal, consult your health care professional. Outside help is sometimes beneficial to people trying to recover and adjust to a death or diagnosis of a terminal illness.

What is an Employee Assistance Program (EAP)?

An employee assistance program (EAP) is a work-based intervention program designed to assist employees in resolving personal problems that may be adversely affecting the employee’s performance. EAPs traditionally have assisted workers with issues like alcohol or substance misuse; however, most now cover a broad range of issues such as child or elder care, relationship challenges, financial or legal problems, wellness matters and traumatic events like workplace violence. Programs are delivered at no cost to employees by stand-alone EAP vendors or providers who are part of comprehensive health insurance plans. Services are often delivered via phone, video-based counseling, online chatting, e-mail interactions or face-to-face.

How do you use an EAP for grief assistance?

My father died on Halloween of 2021. Dad and I were close and his passing was not peaceful or pleasant. I wouldn’t say I’ve necessarily struggled since losing him, but I can’t pretend I’ve thrived either. Some days I find myself crying in the car for no reason and others I feel like my focus is affected. When I was first reminded that our EAP through FlexTrades had resources for dealing with grief I checked them out online and found them helpful. When another bad day hit me months later, I decided to call and use one of the 3 annual sessions with a trained and licensed councilor which my EAP provides. I was connected and prescreened to make sure I was not in need of emergency assistance then we simply had a conversation. We talked about the things I’ve been feeling and the things many others typically feel in my situation. Then we discussed avenues and alternatives to coping. Finally, we talked about professional service providers in my area and the counselor even was able to provide a list of those I could call in my area that matched my requirements and were covered under my insurance plan. It was easy, non-judgmental, helpful, and surprisingly cathartic.

Ways to cope

What I learned from that counseling call was that my, and everyone else’s, experience with grief is unique. There is no right or wrong way to act or feel nor is there a “proper” amount of time for those feelings to last. But there are simple ways you can cope with grief.

Give yourself permission to take as much time as you need to help you move forward through processing your loss.
Surround yourself with caring, supportive people.
Find safe ways and places to express your feelings without hurting yourself or others.
Try to maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Maintain as much of your “normal” routine and schedule as possible.

Empathetic grief is normal

Grieving isn’t just for those experiencing loss but for those who care about those who’ve lost. If you are a friend of someone currently experiencing grief don’t be frustrated if you’re struggling to support them. It can be difficult but try to remember these 5 things as a guide.

Be a supportive, caring listener.
Be a “safe friend” accepting your friend’s feelings, even those that are more negative.

Continue to reach out a month or more after the funeral.
Help your friend slow down their decision-making process when making changes following loss.
Let your friend know that it’s ok to not be “normal” yet at work and socializing, regardless of time-frame.

Your eyes: 2 things you are probably taking for granted, simply assuming they will always be happy and healthy without having to put much effort into maintaining their health. In reality, taking care of your eyes so you are able to see those beautiful great grandbabies of yours when you are in your 80’s does take a little work, but I promise it is worth the effort!

Below are just a few reasons why you should take advantage of that vision insurance you have been paying for and not utilizing:

Suffering from headaches? Ever thought it might be related to eye strain? It’s certainly worth seeing someone so they can help pinpoint the problem (or eliminate that concern).
Grades suffering at school? According to Optometry Times, ‘one out of every four children have vision problems.’ If you are like me, your kids complained about not seeing the white board for months before you took their concerns seriously and realized maybe they weren’t just begging for attention. Make sure your child sees an eye doctor annually so learning or reading difficulties related to eyesight can be recognized/diagnosed early.
Things looking fuzzy? Your eyes are constantly changing and those glasses you have been wearing since high school (20 years ago) may be back in style, but those lenses are in desperate need of an update! Get your eyes checked so you can determine if an update is needed (they’ll probably even set you up with some new lenses to pop into those funky old frames if you are not willing to let go quite yet).
Stop it early! Having an annual eye exam is a great opportunity to have a professional look at the overall health of your eyes, even when you are not showing any symptoms or concern. Optometrists can detect eye diseases early in hopes of preventing serious damage.
Concerns about other common health issues? Having an optometrist peek at your peepers allows them the chance to check for the onset of many other diseases or diagnosis, including diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. Who knew?

If you are a FlexTrades employee, you have access to affordable vision insurance! Be sure to take advantage of your eye exams annually and get those green/brown/blue/hazel beauties the attention they so desperately deserve.

Did you know that FlexTrades has an entire behind the scenes safety team!? It’s called “Safety First”. FlexTrades’ #1 priority is to keep our people safe on and off the job!

“Safety matters because you matter” – Brenda Lovitz, FlexTrades’ Safety Manager.

We have been bringing awareness to the importance of staying hydrated. All across the United States the temperatures have been HOT this summer.

Here are some tips on how to stay hydrated:

Drink water throughout the day… attempt 8-10 ounces every 1-2 hours. Drinking water at shorter intervals is more effective than drinking large amounts infrequently.
If you are working in the heat… you will require more water consumption.
Try to avoid… energy drinks, surplus of caffeine, or any alcohol. If you do choose to consume any of these, you will require more water consumption to stay hydrated.
Eat regular meals through the day… this will help you retain the salt that you lose when sweating and moving around.
Carry a water bottle with you… having this with you will make it easier to drink water.

Safety First is what FlexTrades Plans, Practices and Prioritizes.

This week Americans celebrated the 246th birthday of our country. We wanted to pile on by celebrating ten of the greatest inventions the U.S. has contributed to the world. Some are big, some are simple, but each one made life a little easier, a little faster, or a whole lot better. Here are our picks, in no particular order.

Bread Slicing Machine

America may not have invented sliced bread, but the bread slicing machine was all ours. Otto Frederick Rodwedder, a jeweler from Iowa, spent more than a decade perfecting his design. It finally hit commercial production in 1928 and changed the way we eat forever. To this day, every new innovation is still compared to the “best thing since sliced bread.”

The Internet

In 1969, researchers working for the U.S. Advanced Research Projects Agency sent the first host-to-host message between UCLA and Stanford. That single data packet was the start of something massive. Today, more than half the world is online, and the internet adds trillions to the global economy every year.

Global Positioning System (GPS)

Approved by the Department of Defense in 1973, GPS was designed to synthesize the best elements of existing satellite navigation systems. It became fully operational in 1993 and has changed the way we navigate — on land, sea, and air — ever since.

Post-It Notes

Thanks to a happy lab accident by 3M chemist Spencer Silver, and a clever idea from his colleague Art Fry, the Post-It Note was born in 1974. Originally used to mark hymnal pages during choir practice, it went on to revolutionize how we leave reminders, plan meetings, and stick grocery lists to the fridge.

The Telephone

Scottish-born Alexander Graham Bell was living in Massachusetts when he patented the electric telephone in 1876. Three days later, he made the first phone call: “Mr. Watson – come here – I want you.” With that, the world got a little smaller, and communication changed forever.

The Airplane

Bicycle mechanics Wilbur and Orville Wright were obsessed with flight. On December 17, 1903, in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, they launched the first successful powered aircraft. Every plane since has borrowed from the core principles they proved that day.

The Light Bulb

While many contributed to the invention of electric light, Thomas Edison is credited for creating the first fully functional and commercially viable light bulb in 1879. His system changed how — and when — the world worked, slept, and gathered. It quite literally lit the path to modern life.

Interchangeable Parts

Before mass production, everything was made by hand. Eli Whitney changed that by developing interchangeable parts, a system he proved in the early 1800s with a government contract for 10,000 muskets. The idea paved the way for the assembly line and modern manufacturing as we know it.

Plastic

European chemists made the first plastics, but it was American inventor Charles Goodyear who unlocked their potential. He patented the vulcanization process in 1844, allowing plastics to become durable and commercially viable. Every industry we know today — from packaging to medicine — has been reshaped by plastic.

Moving Pictures

In 1890, William Dickson, an assistant to Thomas Edison, introduced the Kinetograph, one of the first motion picture cameras. By 1892, he’d helped create the Kinetoscope, the world’s first movie projector. Two years later, America began public screenings, launching a storytelling industry that would dominate the globe for more than a century.

Growing up on a farm, I often felt more like a hired hand than a child when spending time with my father. Whether he was at his off-farm job, presiding over the council as mayor of our little town, attending church board meetings, plowing, planting, serving in the Minnesota National Guard, or responding to emergencies as fire chief – my dad was always working. From as early as I can remember, he expected the same of me too. My father and I never had that “my dad’s my best friend” relationship you see so often on TV. But over the years, we became so much more than father and son. We were each other’s most reliable employee, business partner, adversary, teacher, advocate, student, boss, and champion. He was who I called first when things went wrong, and I was the one who took his calls in a pinch.

No, my dad was never my friend but, for every second of my life, he was my dad. And he was always the best one he could be. He gave me lots of things, so many more than he or I ever realized, to be honest. However, they were hard to define, recognize, and appreciate. At least they were until I started thinking of them as things my father taught me, rather than things he had given me. Several years ago, I shared these thoughts online in the form of a list to honor my dad for Father’s Day. It quickly became an annual tradition and today is, without a doubt, the most popular thing I put on the internet every year.

I lost my dad on Halloween in 2021 and this Father’s Day will be my fourth without a father of my own. In honor of his memory, and in tribute to all of you out there wearing the dad pants as best you can, this year I would like to share my list with you. Dad always knew that we’re all just people raising people. It doesn’t matter if you share blood, name, or a home – you are family if you share love. Whether you made them or not, I promise you’re making them better. Keep it up. It’s worth it.

Without further ado, here is my 10th annual Things My Dad Taught Me (expanded again, of course) post.

Things My Dad Taught Me

A person doesn’t have to be brave to act brave, but the result is the same.
If you’re not early, you’re late.
Chickens always come home to roost. Leaving the door open is on you.
You can take the fast way or the long way to get anywhere, but only one gives you something to talk about along the way.
Critters are easier to let out than get back in, so mind your gates.
The right tool makes all the difference when the job goes wrong.
You can tell more about a man by looking at his cattle than by looking at his truck.
You must do favors in order to get them.
Sometimes how you do a thing is more important than what you’re doing.
Mud boots and snow boots are the same, as long as you have enough room for wool socks.
The people who answer your call are a direct reflection of the calls you’ve answered.
Effort erases a lot of mistakes.
Show up. You have to be there to be counted.
There are lots of ways to handle a nut, but most work better with a little WD40.
Never let a simple answer get in the way of a good story.
What people say is rarely what they do, but they’ll remember both for you, so always follow through.
Assuming is just a fancy word for guessing.
You can borrow money, or you can borrow trouble, but never borrow both.
Both good advice and bad advice can teach you something.
Brown Watkins salve, Ben-Gay, and Excedrin can fix most things that are wrong with you.
Life is short and time flies, so stop for a Mountain Dew whenever you can.
You don’t have to be perfect to be right.
If you have to pay to fix it more than once, you should learn to fix it yourself.
The opinions of others won’t pay your bills, so don’t save them.
Make time to BS. People prefer funny stories when reminiscing.
If you leave without a knife, you will wish you hadn’t.
Take your time saying goodbye. It might be the last one you get. Make it worth it.

My thanks and admiration to my dad and all the others out there trying their best to teach their children lessons worth learning. Enjoy your day!