Tru-isms from Dad: The Char-Broil Quantum Infrared Grill Giveaway

by Brett & Kate McKay on June 14, 2011 · 1,852 comments

Maybe your dad is like mine. He’s never been much for sitting me down for a formal meeting in order to dispense fatherly advice. Instead, he dishes it out in bits and pieces whenever the moment is right. I’ve racked up a catalog of these little tru-isms my dad has shared with me over the years. Yeah, a lot of them are cliche, but they’ve stuck with me because of the context in which they were imparted.

One that sticks out is the bit of advice my dad gave me after I totaled my first car. It happened just two weeks after I turned 16. Rear-ended a guy. Man, I took it hard. I didn’t go to school for two days because I felt so sorry for myself. I had taken my first steps towards freedom and independence, but in a matter of seconds I was back to relying on my parents to haul me around.

In the middle of one my pity parties, my dad just told me, “This too shall pass.”

And you know what? As simple as it sounds, his piece of cliche advice made me feel better. Now, whenever things get bad and I think they couldn’t get any worse, I hear my dad’s voice in my head saying, “This too shall pass.” And it always does.

In honor of Father’s Day and dads who dispense tru-isms about life, Char-Broil Grills wants to give one lucky AoM reader a Char-Broil Quantum® Infrared Outdoor Grill. Are you ready for a chance to win dad (or yourself) a present that knocks the socks off a “Kiss the Chef” apron? Keep on reading.

The Prize: Char-Broil Quantum® Infrared Outdoor Grill

Char-Broil has been helping dads be king of the grill since 1948. Throughout its 63 year existence, Char-Broil has been a leader and innovator in outdoor grilling. Char-Broil’s latest contribution the the world of outdoor grilling is their line of Infrared Gas Grills. Grills installed with Infrared technology allow grillmasters to cook at a wide range of temperatures with fewer flare-ups, all while using less gas. The result? Better tasting food, cooked efficiently and simply.

Char-Broil Grills wants to give one lucky Art of Manliness reader a Char-Broil Quantum® Infrared Outdoor Grill. This bad boy comes with four stainless steel burners that allow you to sear your steak with high, intense heat or slow-cook a rack of ribs with a nice low heat. In addition to the main grill, the Quantum® Infrared Outdoor Grill comes with a Stovetop™ Sideburner, allowing you to cook things up in a skillet while you grill your meat. And getting the grill fired up is a breeze with Char-Broil’s Surefire™ electronic ignition system. This is a $575 grill and one man is going to walk away with it for free.

How to Enter to Win a Char-Broil Grill

Simply leave a comment below sharing a tru-ism your dad has dispensed to you. You know. Those sage words of advice that fathers pass on to their sons about life while driving in the car, fishing, or grilling meat.

Deadline to enter is Tuesday, June 21 at 11:59PM CDT. We’ll then randomly select one lucky winner. Enter today!

← Previous Comments

1801 Derick T June 20, 2011 at 2:41 pm: On driving (While stopped at at traffic stop):
“Always check before you go, even if you have the right-of-way. You may be right…but you may be dead right.”
1802 Matty G June 20, 2011 at 2:57 pm: “If you don’t know, ask! I can’t read minds and as far as I know neither can anyone else… well maybe Kreskin, but you have to ask if you want an answer..”
1803 Michael Burns June 20, 2011 at 3:24 pm: If you would have done it right the first time, you would be finished now…
1804 thomas coleman June 20, 2011 at 3:26 pm: “you know why they don’t send donkeys to school? because nobody likes a smart @##.”
1805 Trent June 20, 2011 at 3:47 pm: You can want in one hand and s*** in the other and see which one fills up first.
1806 John Sugg June 20, 2011 at 3:55 pm: When riding in a car with Dad driving and some idiot behind us pulls out to pass with a car oncoming in the other lane, “Son, I could make that idiot sweat by speeding up a little but I’ll let him pass this time.”
1807 Paraboz6 June 20, 2011 at 4:21 pm: If you want to make God laugh, tell him your plans.
1808 Pat June 20, 2011 at 4:30 pm: If you don’t try, you can’t succeed.
1809 Luke June 20, 2011 at 4:35 pm: If your wife asks you for your opinion on something, say “I dunno, what do you think?” first. Chances are your opinion is not going to match what she wants to hear from you.
1810 Scott Sullivan June 20, 2011 at 4:55 pm: “Showing up for work is half of the key to business success.”
1811 Nate June 20, 2011 at 4:58 pm: My dad didn’t actually tell me this, but showed me by example when his business partner cheated him out of some money. I was furious at the guy for a long time but my dad just let it go, moved on, and was happy with what he got.

When you hold on to anger towards someone, it doesn’t hurt them, it hurts you.
1812 Cameron T. June 20, 2011 at 5:12 pm: This is actually what my Granddad’s advice to my Dad upon leaving for College was:

“Boy, do you know what a rubber is?”
“Yes sir, I do.”
“USE ONE.”

That was the last words they spoke to each other before Granddad drove away, leaving Dad at college.
1813 Chad Tyson June 20, 2011 at 5:23 pm: On his deathbed, “The saddest day for a person is the day they come into this world, and the happiest is when they leave.” Gave a 13-year old some perspective not common at that age.
1814 Brian Spracklen June 20, 2011 at 5:23 pm: “Don’t squat with your spurs on.”
1815 Billy May June 20, 2011 at 5:38 pm: My Dad’s tru-ism was just to treat people like you want to be treated. I remember one time during the winter when he stopped in a parking lot to scrape the ice off of a car. It was the woman who cut his hair. He did random things like that just to be nice.
1816 Jonathan McKee June 20, 2011 at 7:00 pm: “It’ll feel better when it stops hurting”
1817 donsterb June 20, 2011 at 9:57 pm: You can’t drive faster than the car in front of you.
1818 David June 20, 2011 at 10:03 pm: Not so much a truism, but I still remember when he’d grill burgers or hot dogs for us kids and the ends got a little overdone: “That’s not burnt; it’s just flavored.”
1819 Kyle June 20, 2011 at 11:29 pm: My dad gave me this advice when I was young, and it’s always proven true:

“Son, chicks dig magic.”

I’ve never met a girl who doesn’t enjoy a good magic trick!
1820 Robert June 20, 2011 at 11:39 pm: Son,

“The key to being happy in life is simply that. Be happy. No matter the circumstances, if you’re cheerful, you’ll be hard pressed to find yourself upset”

Works for me!
1821 Mellio June 21, 2011 at 8:31 am: Patience is it’s own reward.
1822 Alky June 21, 2011 at 8:44 am: ” you can’t always win, but you should never lose “
1823 Chris Homan June 21, 2011 at 8:45 am: My dad has often dispensed wisdom throughout his almost 32 years as a parent. One bit of advice will always stand out to me, though, for its practicality and humor. Before I left for college, he took me aside and imparted this little nugget, which I quote in full:

“Son, you’re off to college now, and though your mother and I have raised you to wait until marriage to have sex, I understand things can and do happen that may lead you to stray from that lesson. Should you find yourself in that situation and you decide to let the horse out of the barn, for the love of God, put a raincoat on him, OK?”.

After which he flashed his trademark smile, shook my hand, said “Good Luck”, and escorted a tearful Mom out the dorm door.
1824 James Caleb Stewart June 21, 2011 at 8:51 am: My dad has served as senior pastor of a church in SC for the last 30 years – an occupation that has given him countless insights into people. One of the concise take-aways that he frequently shares is a healthy reminder of human nature that has kept my expectations level and my readiness to adapt (and forgive) in place. I can still hear him say, “Son, you think you know someone, but people will always surprise you. Your leaders will surprise you, your friends will surprise you and you will surprise yourself.”
1825 Colin Logan June 21, 2011 at 10:13 am: “People always assume, you are as they are…” “If you aren’t embaressed by your first offer, it ain’t low enough!”
Dad -Garfield Logan-
1826 Nick Baldwin June 21, 2011 at 10:58 am: When I told my dad recently that I was looking at getting a part-time job in addition to my full-time job, he said ” There’s a lot more to life than working all the time. You’ve got to leave time for yourself to do what you enjoy.” That said, I took his advice. Thanks, Dad!
1827 Jonathon June 21, 2011 at 11:07 am: “In the practice of law, overkill is highly underrated.” I’ve stuck by this motto in my own practice and it’s help me win a countless number of cases.
1828 Nick June 21, 2011 at 11:44 am: One of my dad’s real head-scratchers: “A little pain never hurt anybody!”
1829 Cody June 21, 2011 at 1:14 pm: If in doubt, don’t!
1830 Russ B. June 21, 2011 at 1:38 pm: best advice ever: never trust a fart
1831 Lee June 21, 2011 at 1:56 pm: “It takes two to tango.” – when a girl I liked dumped me.
1832 Andy June 21, 2011 at 1:58 pm: “Son if your not in bed by 11, come home.”
1833 josh June 21, 2011 at 2:32 pm: “I know i dont say it all the time but I love you” After be disciplined me.
1834 John June 21, 2011 at 2:32 pm: It is better to be a smart ass than to be a dumb ass!
1835 Peter June 21, 2011 at 2:32 pm: “The tide waits for no man.” We grew up on Cape Cod, where the tides were extreme. This is an old saying, which means you must take action right now. If you wait, the tide will go out and leave you stranded.

Having been in the Navy, my father was also big on discipline. He taught us to clean his office building “the Navy way.” No matter how well we cleaned it, he’d always find some dirt in a corner or behind a computer. “Get in the corners!” he would say, meaning that you must always to pay attention to details and make the extra effort to do it right.

Even now at age 45, whenever I feel like slacking off a bit in my business or on a project at home, I hear his voice in the back of my head: “Get in the corners!” It compels me to bear down and do it right. As much as I hated hearing him say it when I was a kid, I thank him for it now.
1836 Richard Folk June 21, 2011 at 2:37 pm: Always leave an employer on good terms if at all possible.
1837 Andrew June 21, 2011 at 3:07 pm: “Invest in a 401(k). Nobody told me, so I’m telling you.”

Damn good advice.
1838 William Mayes June 21, 2011 at 3:33 pm: Never trust a fart. It might be more.
1839 Steve June 21, 2011 at 4:24 pm: “Time spent together equals attachment. That’s true of women, friends, and habits, good or bad.”
1840 Ev June 21, 2011 at 5:28 pm: Tearing things apart is easy. It’s putting them back together is another story.
1841 Wade Struebing June 21, 2011 at 5:50 pm: After having some women troubles, Dad quoted a country song and it really hit me hard… He said “If it don’t come easy, let it go…”. Thanks, Dad!!
1842 Ryan June 21, 2011 at 6:24 pm: “Sometimes you have to slow down to get there faster.”
1843 Jerrod June 21, 2011 at 7:44 pm: My dad loves sharing a “truism” passed on by a former co-worker with simple wants…

“There’s only 3 things I hate in this world: hot beer, wet toilet paper, and wise asses!”
1844 Tim Lebsack June 21, 2011 at 7:45 pm: “Keep your nose clean”
1845 Danny June 21, 2011 at 8:33 pm: “Take the time to do the job right, because ‘I was rushing’ will never sound right in hindsight.”
1846 Clyde June 21, 2011 at 11:26 pm: “One shot of lemon juice will either kill you, or kill anything ailing you.”
1847 Ammon June 21, 2011 at 11:36 pm: “Always read the manual.”
1848 Christopher Brown June 22, 2011 at 12:44 am: On Voting:

Always vote for the candidate whose views, ideals & promises fit best with your own.
Under no circumstances should you then expect this candidate to live up to these things.
1849 Shane June 22, 2011 at 9:08 am: After having trouble with college and having to take time away from school to go back to work and save some money, my dad spouted a quote from Caddyshack and said “The worlk will always need ditch-diggers”. Quickly made me focus harder on my studies!
1850 Jim June 22, 2011 at 9:15 am: My favorite truism from my dad:

Believe none of what you hear and half of what you see.
1851 David Homoney June 22, 2011 at 3:55 pm: My favorite truism was:

Son keep you puto (Hungarian for pee-pee) in your pants.
1852 Alexis June 23, 2011 at 2:36 pm: On my leaving for college: “Don’t do anything you can’t call home & tell your mother about”
On being arrested: “Don’t waste your phone call, I’ll be there in the morning.”
On Speeding: “Never drive faster than the ticket you can afford”

Thankfully I’ve never had to utilize the last two!