Thursday, May 10, 2012 at 06:59PM 
COLBERT: What’s the best thing a parent can do for a child?
SENDAK: Love him, or her.
COLBERT: What does that mean?
SENDAK: Take them for what they are.
Excerpts Friday, December 30, 2011 at 08:43AM 
It's that time of year when people either announce their resolutions for the new year, keep quiet and mull them over alone, or loudly denounce having them at all.
Personally, I am pro-resolution. After all, how often do we see meaningful change where the first step wasn't a firm resolve to see that change occur?
In that spirit:
Resolution 1: It's not all or nothing.
Resolution 2: Break it down.
Resolution 3: Take real baby steps.
Resolution 4: Use the upward spiral.
Resolution 5: Quit.
Friday, December 23, 2011 at 08:47PM 
holiday Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 10:56AM Ideas are one thing and what happens is another. — John Cage (hat tip: Andrea)
An entrepreneur isn’t just on fire with an idea; (s)he is able to do what needs to be done to make it really happen.
Inspiration is not enough. Between the idea and the execution is a lot of hard work. How do children learn how to make their ideas happen? How do they learn how to forge ahead when things don’t come easily?
Talent and ability is not enough. Calvin Coolidge said, “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful people with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan ‘press on’ has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
Being in charge of your own business — and your own life — is less scary when you have a lot of experience solving problems, finding collaborators, and making things work.
One of the great lessons of project work is that big ideas break down into a lot of small tasks, and when you complete all those tasks, you eventually get to see your big idea in action. That simple experience of doing what’s necessary to make things happen — over and over again — teaches an important lesson of building a company or a life: you have to get started, and you have to do what’s necessary, if you want to see your ideas come to fruition.
Children whose learning is centered around following directions and meeting the requirements set forth by adults may be well prepared to be employees. But will they be prepared to be in charge of their own business and their own life? Will they know how to make their own ideas happen?
Creativity is, quite simply, a genuine interest combined with initiative. — Scott Belsky, Making Ideas Happen
Sunday, December 18, 2011 at 08:52AM 
What you risk reveals what you value. — Jeanette Winterson
