I am going back to school again myself, and I turned 40 this year. I love learning new things actually. I am trying to get into the nursing program at Indiana University. At least in nursing I can feel like I am actually helping people, and that is one of the most imporant things for me emotionally.

I attended a free training sessionyesterday on Dreamweaver as well. Who knows, I like web design, so maybe I will do a bit of that on the side to help with finances.

I think you are a cool guy and appreciate all of your comments. I am glad I met you and had Thomas in my class when I was a teacher way back when.

Kyle

Here’s the long and the short of it… If you don’t do what’s right for the customer, someone else will. That’s what I believe.

Thanks again for the comment!

Thomas

-Kyle

Although children are often taught ethics, like the ones you have listed, they often see the exact opposite from the adults in their lives (and on TV/movies etc.). Additionally, once someone enters the workforce, they will see how cruel and cut throat it can actually be.

I was once told by my sales manager, “Kyle, you are just too honest with people.” I took it as a huge compliment. He thought it was a total put down, as it was his idea to manipulate or down right lie to clients to get them to sign the contract. The way I look at it, is if you lie or misrepresent a service to someone, you may get one signed contract, but if you are honest with someone and respectful, you will get a customer for life AND a referal to help someone else they know.

At my last company, I was told by the Senior Director of Human Resources (my boss), that the only way you get ahead at the company was to stab someone in the back and claw your way to the top. Actually, he was right for the most part. The people who had stayed with the company the longest, were people who you would NEVER want your children to emulate. They were/are the ones who lie, cheat, and do whatever is necessary to make them look better AND others look bad. Nice atmosphere, huh….

That is why I can’t stand the business world, the total lack of integrity and ethics. I joke with people and say, ‘well I am an Eagle Scout, and I do it my way.’ For me, the ethics I learned as a child has stayed with me. I may not be a millionare, but at least I have stayed true to form and can look at myself in the mirror. Besides, what would I do with millions of dollars anyway…. probably give it to charity. LOL

Nice article Thomas.

Keep writing and taking photos!

I think it is all in how you position it and run it. We certainly studied different things in ecology/nature, but we also had a ton of fun too. Another example was when we studied the ecology of the lake we would wear snorkeling masks and look at stuff we could find (bugs, fish, whatever), but more importantly we carried big buckets for water wars! Mix a little fun with learning and you will get kids who want to learn.

When I lived in Canada (a few years ago), I would go to this summer camp for adults. This outdoor club I was in would rent the camp for a week and put on our own program with about 250 participants. I would go out in a canoe and fish all morning by myself, and then would do crafts in the afternoon. It was WAY FUN! I even learned how to paint, which is something I would never have attempted if not at camp. The other fun part of it was the parties in the evening. Beer and wine was the norm! As an adult, my kind of camp for sure.

More about the so-called disorder here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrupulosity

Funny you should mention cloud hikes. When I was a camper at the camp I mention in my post, we had cloud gazing as an activity. Unfortunately, later on to make room for other more athletic/competitive activities, cloud gazing was scrapped, as were many of my childhood activities as a camper (too many to mention).

Camp is a lot like life, just simpler. Everyone I know from camp is on Facebook, we’re all friends, but after about a week of communication after the initial friend request, we’re living separate lives all over again, this time in the digital era.