Attorney Chris Moander speaking at WisOwners, October 31st

Join us at www.WisOwners.com for our “Lunch and Learn” next Friday, October 31st.

Chris Moander will share some insights on IP – intellectual property.

I met Chris at a WisOwners meetup and I’m glad to say we’ve become friends. Chris just completed a Wisconsin Business Owner Interview with me for our WBOI podcast series. All the details and registration are at http://networkmarket.meetup.com/

Regards,
Keith

I got to see my daughter Kathryn’s induction into the National Honor Society at the Hamilton HS Fine Arts Center last night.   The ceremony lasted an hour, brief given the number of speakers, many of them current student members of the National Honor Society.  They were fine speakers, too.

Kathryn is ranked first in her (Junior) class at Hamilton.  She’s figured out how to take virtually every Advanced Placement class offered (and they offer many) with the exception of a couple in Art.  Kathryn’s boyfriend Miles sat with her Mom and me.

I got to talk with Don and Susan Kerber afterward.  Susan is the proprietor of www.MaterialInterface.com, and I’ve had the pleasure of working with her for the better part of twenty years.  Her son Andrew, a classmate of Kathryn’s, was also inducted into the National Honor Society.

It was a very nice evening, with great miniature desserts and punch after the ceremony.  Unfortunately, I came right from work and went right back to work, just getting home a half hour or so ago, about 2 a.m..   Busy days at work.  Nice to have such a pleasant break.  Thanks, Kathryn.  I’m glad you’re an extra-fine student.

Regards,
Keith

Self-esteem earned, not taught

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Here’s a pet peeve from a Dad with a lot of kids: At every grade level from Kindergarten through high school kids have classes in self-esteem so they can learn to “feel good about themselves.”

What a crock! Replace that time with actually learning and accomplishing things and feeling good about oneself comes naturally. Teach something significant and practical in place of the self-indulgent and pointless. Without a sense of purpose or accomplishment or self, how is one supposed be taught to feel good about themself?

Analogous to ‘give a man a fish, feed him for a day; teach a man to fish, feed him for a lifetime,’ when you teach a student to feel good about themselves you help them for a day; when you teach a student something meaningful, you teach them for a lifetime – and give them the ability to feel good about what they’re now capable of – for a lifetime.

Take the time devoted to learning self-esteem and teach first aid instead. When every student knows how to save lives, every student will feel better about themselves because they have learned a meaningful skill that can make a huge contribution to helping those around them. The bonus: society as a whole will benefit from lifesaving knowledge becoming common knowledge.

Regards,
Keith

This coming Monday night my daughter Kathryn will be inducted into the National Honor Society at 7pm at the Fine Arts Theater at Hamilton High School. Kathryn, a Junior, is ranked first in her class.

Regards,
Keith