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As my parents get older, they don’t need things. It gets harder and harder to buy them presents. This year, I wanted my Dad to know that I appreciate what he has done for me and meant to me.

My Dad is an engineer. His dad was one too (even if he didn’t have the degree). My dad spent his life managing projects that helped people – he worked as site manager for a number of the nuclear power plants that used Westinghouse turbines. His dad worked on power plants for Babcock and Wilcox, including the Hoover Dam.

From them, I got a love of science. A love of puns. A love of tinkering. More than a bit of wanderlust. And a love of doing things for others.

Both did major stints as treasurer of local churches. (In fact, my dad still does.) I don’t love numbers the way they do, but I do understand a balanced budget for a non-profit because of them. I understand that a balanced bottom line for organizations isn’t always based on money. Many times it is based on the services done for the money received.

My Dad traveled a lot when I was a kid. Besides the regular (and irregular) moves, he also went places. Twice a year – spring and fall, he went for site managers meetings elsewhere. (As a kid, I didn’t understand why Green Bay wasn’t picked for one of those. Now I do.) Because “fall” was November, that meant he was gone for my birthday more times than not. That’s ok – I got cards from him that I saved for years.

I love to travel. I know that came from the two of them. I know that my wanderlust came from them. I also know that a realization that family wasn’t just blood came from the trips he took and the people we knew because of those trips. Family was what you made of it – the neighbors, the members of the church, the other people he worked with (at plant after plant – so we new them well).

That doesn’t mean I didn’t appreciate my blood family. Visits from my paternal grandparents were well anticipated. For one thing, it meant both Dad and Granddad in the same place at the same time.

Because my Dad’s job was pretty intense, my sisters and I looked forward to family vacations. Camping trips to Green Lake for a weekend or a week. Door County for long weekends. Longer trips to Fond Du Lac or Mackinaw Island or Akron. Time where Dad wasn’t in touch with work so we got his attention. Even better – Akron meant visiting the grandparents and learning about his life as a kid.

My Dad loved his tools. Whether it was the garage full of gadgets, hand tools, and power tools or the basement with the train set, it didn’t matter. It kind of boggled my mind that he could make things from nothing and that he was willing to show me how to do so too. My Barbie had some pretty unique furniture because he made some and he showed my sisters and I how to make some too. One of the best gifts I got before going to college was the hammer he had gotten when he went to college. It is still around here and in use.

I think one of the biggest things my Dad taught my sister’s and I is one things he probably regrets the most. He taught us to think for ourselves. To make up our own minds. To look at the world and decide our place in it. That means we don’t always get along. We each live our own lives. We argue and disagree. But behind it all, we have the gifts he has given us.

And in the end, isn’t that what matters?

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The following is a guest post from Bill Dilworth. Bill is a former PowerPoint MVP, a VERY frequent traveler, and a great guy all the way around. In fact, Bill travels enough to be in the top class for Frequent Flyer miles for two major airlines. I hope you find his tips as useful as I did.

From Bill: This is just some stuff I picked up along the way. Don’t be offended by any of my generalizations, they are my observations and, as such, mine – not yours.

UPDATE: Bill has updated his note. I have updated the post to show the new content. Enjoy!

Booking & general —-

1. Listen when someone with twice your travel time speaks – its easier than repeating their mistakes
2. Never book a connection of less than an hour
3. Avoid New York airspace if your travel plans permit
4. Check the forecasts – bookmark a weather service on your PDA
5. Bookmark the airline’s flight status pages, too
6. Learn what hubs are your kryptonite
7. Try to find a multi-charger to replace the 6 you carry
8. Always keep your bag half packed
9. A bag keeps the dirty clothes separate; a few dryer sheets keep them from stinking up the suitcase
10. Always put the confirmation number in your PDA
11. If you book a leg on more than one airline, don’t expect your checked bag to arrive
12. If what’s in your checked bag is mission critical, consider FedEx
13. Always have emergency funds available
14. Always have your camera handy

Airports —-

1. 1 hour early is better than 1 minute late
2. Never get in line behind a families, kids, or orthodox clergy
3. Check to make sure your freq. flyer number was used
4. If you have to check a bag (I do) make it so you can see it on the wrong baggage claim.
5. Be nice to ticket agents, TSA agents, and gate agents – they can help or hurt your plans.
6. Small airports do a better job on average than the medium ones or hubs – but don’t count on it.
7. Give up your seat on the shuttles, it makes people smile
8. Always give up your place to a traveling military person
9. Frequent flyer lines often take longer than the regular ones
10. A wireless aircard is easier than bongo roulette
11. Keep an eye out for free outlets
12. Carry a 3-way power cube for when you do find an outlet*
13. Tunes at the gate are great, until you miss an announcement
14. Counting the McD’s on Final” is a difficult game to explain to non-travelers
15. People-watching by destination is a great time killer at hubs
16. You can NEVER be too OCD about where your Blackberry is.
17. No place makes a Philly CheeseSteak like Philly.
18. I don’t think Philly is best at anything else
19. Double check the gate assignment before running for the connection

Flights —-

1. Learn to sleep on planes – really
2. Travel with a bag that can fit under the seat
3. Ask if the flight is full before placing the bag in the overhead
4. Always have a book to read, even if you can sleep on a plane
5. Zunes are great travel tools – even if their user interface sucks
6. Laptops cannot be opened if the person in front of you reclines
7. Use only a few key Freq Flyer cards; don’t try to join them all
8. Flight attendants get upset if you say the safety routine along with them
9. Pittsburgh takes the longest to get bags to the belt, by a lot
10. Sleeping with earphones is a great way to avoid talking to annoying people
11. Kids should be required to sit in rows 25 and higher
12. There is no way to avoid plane hair

Rental Cars —-

1. Rent a car from in the terminal, especially if you might be running late on return.
2. Join all the rental clubs – even if it is just for the faster counter service
3. Read what they are charging you for, it often isn’t what you agreed to.
4. Carry a flashlight to check over the rental car before signing for it.
5. If you rent frequently, carry a GPS with you
6. Save the GPS location of the rental car lot before you leave
7. Adjust all the mirrors before you try to drive
8. You may want to check the car’s speedometer against the GPS’s to avoid a ticket
9. Pull over and take the picture, you will regret it when you don’t
10. Avoid deer and carry a hard copy of your insurance forms
11. Leave yourself time to find a station and fill the tank
12. Sirrus radio rocks – if not available, a patch to your Zune can, too.
13. GPS’s are the most frequently stolen item out of checked bags
14. Always keep the gas reciept

Hotels —

1. Check your hotel room before unpacking anything – it makes it easier if you need to change it.
2. With your packed bags holding the door open, do a final check before leaving a hotel room*
3. Carry sleeping pills – when you need them, the places that sell them are closed.
4. Instant oatmeal is a great hold-me-over when checking in after room service is closed.
5. Don’t use hotel glassware
6. Be nice to the hotel clerks, they can be a great source for local information
7. Don’t count on miniature shampoo or soap being in the rooms
8. The top hotels always charge for internet – you are better off at the 3 or 4 star ones
9. Ask for what room you want, they may be able to give it to you
10. There are almost never enough outlets
11. Never rely on the hotel’s wake-up call

* Tips Bill learned from a fellow travelers
Thanks for the great tips, Bill. They are greatly appreciated!