Whenever I talk with someone about how my personality formed, and who I am at my deepest core, I oftentimes find myself saying this statement: ” I consider myself to be the perfect combination of the personalities of my mother and father.” I then continue to talk about how from my father I got the part of my personality that makes me logical and a critical thinker. The part of me that weighs the odds and then determines the most practical and efficient method for dealing with the situation. It is also primarily from him that I derive my ideas on the importance of being principled, honest, and having integrity. I have seen my dad go out of his way to have someone correct a monetary error that would have worked out in his favor. I have seen him boycott companies that would never feel the effects simply because he disagreed with their policies on a moral issue. My dad is a man of faith who is a walking example of the importance of hard work, selfless giving, and having a plan and vision for the future. This blog is dedicated to you Dad. Happy father’s day! I couldn’t have been born to a better person who could have shown me how to be as a man and father.

For those of you who do not know my dad he is a country boy from Texas. He can be a little old-fashioned (I will have to tell my mom to have him read this as he doesn’t have a Facebook….or permanent cell-phone plan.) but he would do anything in his power to make sure his children were happy and taken care of. He built me a tree-house with a zip-line! a zip-line!!  How awesome is that!?!  Do you realize how fun it is to play Batman with at tree-house…that has electricity…and a freaking zip-line!!!….ok i’m calming down…. My Dad can be summed up by the words Providing and Principled. Throughout my life he has provided me with not only physical shelter and sustenance, but a wealth of practical and spiritual guidance. He taught me to be wise with my money, to budget, to balance a checkbook and pay bills, how operate a small business, everything I know about cars, electrical work, gardening, fishing and firewood. He also instilled in me the importance of knowing my heritage as an African American and as a Fowler. I can talk politics, healthy living, conspiracy theories, Star Trek, Comic book characters, sociology, and psychology with him ALL DAY LONG! It is from him that I got my love of science fiction and westerns, which has had a profound effect on the types of stories I write today. He also helped me tremendously to be a great technical writer…though this blog may not evidence that so much lol.

When my car broke down in Amarillo Texas on the way out to LA, my dad was a tremendous help even though he wasn’t present. He checked on us as often as he could, talked to the car dealership, gave me good advice, and did a lot of research to help me. It would not have been nearly as smooth as it was to get here if it weren’t for his assistance.

I will be forever impacted by the way my father helped my mom during her battle with cancer. He stayed by her side being the epitome of a caretaker while she fought a battle for her life and always had her best interests in mind during her recovery. That is how a man should be for his wife.

So here’s to you dad! You may not have known your father but have done a  great job nonetheless. Don’t compare this entry with the length of mom’s entry lol. Much of what I learned from you and the bond we have is …like many man to man understandings…unspoken. Have a wonderful day Dad.