Things my father told me

I just spent a good 30 minutes slogging through the rain, without a coat, scarf or umbrella. In heels and hose, no less.

As the wind picked up, chilling my already damp form to the bone, I thought about the advice my dad has given me through the years. Topping the list of oft-repeated suggestions, I think, is this:

"Bring your jacket--it's cold."

I'd inevitably roll my eyes and stomp off to grab my coat, refusing to put it on and cover my adorable outfit no matter what the temperature. He'd roll his eyes back and mutter, "Girls."
Let me tell you, it's good advice.

Other pieces of wisdom I wish I'd followed more over the years include gems like: "Those aren't the right shoes to wear for this," "Do or do not, there is no try," "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got," "Don't be embarrassed" and "Go help your mother in the kitchen."
He is a smart man, my dad, and I realize it more every day.

But just when I get to thinking that he may be all-seeing and all-knowing, I remember his advice when I was talking to my stepmom about bathing-suit shopping for my honeymoon

"Why don't you just go to Costco? They've got lots of swimsuits there."

And I remember that we're all fallible.

But I put an extra jacket in the car, just in case.