Anh Kiet's Three Reasons

1. I want to thank my Dad to instill in me the great logical thinking that I now proudly possess, which I inherited from him. He helped developed this skill by explaining to me on various ways of working efficiently in the examples of cleaning around the house. He taught me ways of thinking through things first before doing them to avoid rework due to mistakes or lack of planning. He has helped my ability to critically think things through (ability to think in advance) and for my ability to think through things strategically. Examples of what we did together for fun that helped me are: playing Domino with my Dad, playing Checkers and Ba^`u Cua with him. He also has this ability to determine the next roll of the dice value based on number of shuffles (bounces) and the previous dice value. This is very amazing!

2. I also want to thank my Dad for all of his early teachings and explanations to me of how things work scientifically, mechanically as well as electrically. He also explained to me at an early age of all the physical science that ocurred in nature. All this early childhood explanations and teachings has helped me tremendously during my Engineering Schooling as well as during my Business School training. So far, I have continuously apply all his teachings and values to my everyday life and all this has also helped me a lot so far in my career up until now. Examples of early teachings are: Explaining to me about why arch design are used in bridges. Fixing cars and explaining how combustion engine and ignitions as well as brakes servicing. Explaining to me the mechanical stress and load on wheel drum, if the tires were improperly installed. Proper way is to tighten the nuts in a "Figure 8" pattern to even out the stress distribution. Explaining to me earlier on such physical science such as mechanical advantages of levers and fulcrums, and 3 states of elements (solid, liquid and gas) as well as temperature coefficient of materials and contraction and expansion of materials due to cold and heat...

3. I learn from my Dad to give to others when I have the capability to do so and help out to the less fortune or those who asked or plead for your help. His willingness to give more of himself and of his own to others for the sake of their happiness... Examples are: Way too many examples to give... But, here is one example I will always remember. While I was living in Houston with my Dad during the school years of 82 & 83, I was working as a stock boy over at Randall's supermarket as part time while attending Sharpstown HS. I was stocking the Dairies section for the most part and other shelves in the grocery store as well as unloading the 18 wheelers when it comes in with can goods. This is my one job besides helping out over at 7-11... and going to school. Typically, I would work no more than 25-35 hrs per week, included weekends. I remember, on my highest grossed hours worked bi-weekly of over 100 hours (due to holidays season & weekends), I took home over $1000 for that pay period ( I think it was ~ $1163?). Anyhow, my Dad and I were living over King's apartment complex (not sure if I got the name correctly either) and he allowed his newly divorced friend Ong Long (from Minnesota) to live with us. I remember Ong Long was a pretty heavy liquor drinker. Anyhow, Ong Long had some issues financially from what I was told. Anyhow, my Dad took my biggest paycheck I ever gotten in my life (up until I graduated from college of course) and just simply handed it over to Ong Long. I know Chi Da Thu can remember this story too as well. Now, that was over 25 years ago. But even if you had to calculate the Future Value of $1000 from 1982, that is a lot of $ in today's value at a mere 5-7% conservative annual return...

Anyhow, It is not the $, but the heart of his giving is the biggest example. I myself try to live up to that standards too, but finding it hard sometimes in this day and age of high cost of living to be able to give that much of my heart:-) I do mean this in a positive way. I can't see myself giving such gift from my kids to even my closest friends. There are also many many times where he would starve for lunch to save his allowances to buy us food or to help me during my college days. There are many many examples of his giving to others and sacrifices of himself that I can't possibly list them all here....

4. I want to thank him for everything that I have today. Without his teachings, disciplining, and values, I would not turn out to be the man that I am today. So for all that I have, and I have a lot of blessings as can be testified by other siblings who have visited my home, I owed it all to him. Without him and his teaching as well as providing for all of us in our early years, everything that I have today: wife, beautiful family, nice house, luxury cars, educational success and mostly my value, all of these would not be at all possible. So, for this, I want to thank him and tell him that I love him very much!

Kiet