The Blogenberg nation must go see Blind Side. Maybe it’s because we’re an interracial family, maybe it’s because I’ve got a son who might end up being recruited for a college sport, or maybe it’s just that Sandra Bullock looks really good, but this movie is great. If I wasn’t such a man’s man I would have had tears in my eyes, which, of course, I did not — for the record, it was allergies.
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Last week, Blogenberg posted about asking the head of an all-star lacrosse program to consider my son for a roster spot at a big college-recruiting tournament. He did, but he made it clear that my son better play well and represent the program very well. My son felt the pressure but he played so well, he literally put on a show.

I can be a real pain in the butt to my kids — I know that. But when one of them steps up and faces pressure head on, which all three of my kids continue to do, it’s the proudest I get.

This week’s recommended reading from your friends at Blogenberg…

• Ad Week: “Is Facebook Getting Uncool for 18-24s?“
• Bill Taylor suggests that the key to continuing to develop as a learning organization is to become a teaching organization.
• Via Mashable: Why social media is vital to corporate social responsibility.
• New York Times blogger David Pogue brings us an example of unintended hilarity when reviews are crowdsourced.
• John Jantsch at Duct Tape Marketing gives 5 tips you can use to get bloggers to write about you.
• Jason Fried of 37Signals talks to Inc. about the way he works.

When New Boyz is singing, “You’re a jerk, you’re a jerk,” they are singing to me. It would be rather romantic actually, if I didn’t feel like a real jerk. That’s because I’m becoming one of those fathers — the kind of dad who is overly involved in the athletic exploits of his son.

My son is a sophomore in high school. A number of people who should know tell us he is a legitimate college lacrosse prospect, at some level. People who know also tell me that I need to be an advocate, to help market him. That’s fine. That’s what I do for a living. The problem is, with every thing I do on his behalf I can feel myself steadily, step-by-evil-step, getting overly invested in my son’s athletic career. I even used the dreaded “we” the other day when I was talking to him about his lacrosse future.

Last week, I nicely asked one all-star program he plays in to consider him for a roster spot at a tournament where numerous college coaches will be scouting. Not too bad, I guess, but I still felt like a jerk. Yesterday, I emailed his high school coach (who fortunately is both patient and very helpful with the entire college lacrosse process) to ask why my son hadn’t yet received an invitation to a recruiting camp for which players must be recommended. Turns out the invitation had been sitting in a pile of mail in our kitchen for two days.

Also waiting for me in my kitchen were New Boyz, who serenaded me in person: “You’re a jerk. You’re a jerk.”

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Overheard at my house recently:

Me, somewhat exasperated with my parents: Don’t have parents.

My 15-year-old daughter: Tell me about it.

This week’s recommended reading from your friends at Blogenberg…

• Here’s a dumb question: Ever wonder how to ask dumb questions?
• Online ads are working when they’re attached to video.
• Inc. lists the 19 bloggers you should be reading right now.
• The fall of the Berlin Wall in pictures to mark the 20th anniversary.
• Bob Sutton lists ways that great bosses foster innovation.
• United Airlines’ adventures in customer service.
• Peter Bregman makes the case for why parents make good managers.
• Guy Kawasaki discusses how he tweets.

Several weeks ago, regular Blogenberg visitors will recall, my daughter announced that the father of a friend of hers is cooler than me — that he is the coolest dad. I was aghast.

Well, this past Saturday night that friend slept over our house. Sunday morning, before heading out to run some errands, I asked the girl, the daughter of the dad who is supposedly-but-can’t-possibly-be-cooler-than-me, if she wanted something from Starbucks.

My daughter’s friend: Yes, thanks. I’d love a Caramel Frappucino. Thank you!
Me: I’ll get it for you but you have to do one thing for me.
Daughter’s friend: What’s that?
Me: Tell your dad that I am cooler than he is.

Oh yes I did.
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In a 35-minute conference call yesterday I managed to get in a reference to the Flintstones and The Dukes of Hazard. Clearly, I am the most eruditest businessman in the whole world!

Yesterday morning in Montgomery County, MD — essentially, the Maryland side of Washington, DC — the people in charge of things like this could not switch the traffic lights to “rush hour status.” That meant the entire grid of traffic lights was set to move along light traffic, not traffic that ranks as the 2nd worst in the country. The result was a nightmare. The people in charge literally told the media that there was absolutely nothing they could do. What, were they waiting for Geeks on Call to get there some time between 2 and 5? Were they waiting for Radio Shack to open at 10 so they could buy a new fuse?
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My daughter just sent me a text asking if she and I could do something together after school while her twin brother is at high school lacrosse practice. So cool. That’s why I often start my day, like today, in the office before the sun comes up so I can take advantage of opportunities like this. Oh, wait a minute, last time she suggested such daddy-daughter bonding time it cost me hundreds of dollars in clothes shopping. Uh-oh.
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I just learned that one of my staff has the flu. Because I care so much, I immediately sent an urgent email to all of my other staff telling them that if they have any symptoms to make sure they stay the hell away from me. I am such a caring boss.

I can spot soft men a mile away — men who are comfortable getting blown in whatever direction life’s winds are blowing at any given moment. I don’t know if I see it in their eyes, but I see it. They are not scared by life. They are malleable to life.

I’m not interested in raising any soft men (or soft woman, in the case of my daughter). I’m not pushing my children to be the smartest, to go to a prestigious college, for example. I’m raising them to have fortitude — strength of character. If they have that, they will be more successful in life than any soft man (or woman) who graduates Harvard with honors. Guaranteed.

I just read one of my oldest son’s graduate school essays. He’s applying to masters programs in music. There’s nothing soft about building a career in music. His essays show that strength of conviction necessary to make it. Good job — no Mr. Softee there.