It's pretty easy (and profitable) to add a little childlike spirit to any job. I've touched on this before, but the other day Seth Godin offered up another prime example in his post, "How to be a great receptionist." Do all receptionists have to be Adultitis-stricken Roz impersonators, grumpily barking warm greetings like, "Name and ID, please."? Unfortunately, too many are. As Seth spelled out a number of easy ideas that a good receptionist could use to transformation herself (or himself) into a GREAT receptionist, I couldn't help but notice how many had a childlike spin to them. Here …
Archives for May 2007
This One’s for the Grads
It's graduation time again. My release date was eight years ago -- gosh how time flies! For the seniors grabbing their college diploma, it's that weird time of life where idealism mixes with reality. The ratio of the two tends to vary with each person. On one hand, you are finally on your own, and hopefully, you're at the doorstep of what you hope to be a career you've always dreamed about. On the other hand, you're feeling the pressure of actually being on your own (now the bills all come in your name!), and may be eager to jump at the first opportunity that offers you a steady paycheck …
The Escape Train
by Mary Beth Updike My favorite way to escape Adultitis is to play with niece Merlyn's train set. She has one of those wooden train sets and every so often we get it out and set it up. I love figuring out a track (there are enough pieces you can change it any time) and then running the train around the track is so much fun. Really turns back the years. Plus she has the Hot Chocolate car from The Polar Express. There is a button you can push on the top and it plays the Hot Chocolate song from the movie. I always push that button as I'm pushing the train around the track. Club K&J …
I’m Not Kidding
Here's the scoop. • Seven unbelievable speakers. (Zig Ziglar, Bill Cosby, Suze Orman, Colin Powell, Ed McMahon, Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith and Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy) • Tons of great stories and advice about success. • You! • Did I mention FREE. How? …
Who Needs Two?
Would you like to see Zig Ziglar, Bill Cosby, Suze Orman, Colin Powell, Ed McMahon, Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith and Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy talk about success, live and in person? Are you a Club K&J member? Then you're gonna wanna check this out. Seriously. …
April Photo Contest Winner
I was finally able to update the Lemonade Stand home page with our latest photo contest winner. The theme was "Rain" and the winner was Tiffanie Weaver. She won a $20 gift certificate for her efforts. And yes, the little guy is not just looking, he's tasting. You can take a stab at winning this month's contest. The theme is "Bubbles." Details here. …
Playing Hooky and Five Day Weekends
So Kim and I played hooky the other day. That was fun. (And no fear of a pink slip from the principal!) Did I have other stuff that "needed" to be done? You betcha. But guess what -- two days later and all of that stuff that "needed" to get done, got done. Plus, giving our brains some time off to "wander" led us to a handful of very good ideas that will benefit our business. And the best part of it all was that we got to enjoy an obscenely beautiful day by the lake. …
5 Ways to Let Adultitis Spoil Your Summer
Summer is just around the corner. If you're not careful, it can be monopolized by all kinds of outdoor activity, good food, and relaxing afternoons spent in the warm sun. Needless to say, anyone with a healthy case of Adultitis wouldn't want any of that happening! So here are five foolproof ways to make sure your summer stays sub par: 1.) Stay inside. That's right, lock the doors, bolt the windows, and jack up the air conditioner full blast. No need to risk getting swept up in any spontaneous temptations that typically occur outdoors, like cookouts, carnivals, or neighborly chitchat. 2.) …
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Playing Hooky With My Hubby
This morning I went for my morning walk and it was one of those perfect days. The temperature was in the 70's, the sky was clear, and the birds were chirping. I think it might have been the smell of fresh lilac bushes on my route that put me over the edge. I had this overwhelming urge to play hooky and enjoy the beautiful weather with my favorite guy. WI gets a bad rap for being cold in the winter, but there is no place I'd rather be in the spring. When we did the Escape Plan last year Jason and I especially enjoyed Challenge #40- Sick Of It Day. Being the last day of the 40-day journey, …
Why Kids See 20/20 But You Need Glasses
I got my first pair of glasses in eighth grade. "Oh great," I remember thinking. "Now I'm going to be one of those people." I figured the least I could do was select a style that would be cool. For some reason, I thought big brown frames with lenses the size of dinner plates fit the bill. Since then, I've gone through quite a bit of frames, including the horribly bad clear plastic cheapos that were the best of the worst in an emergency late night mall trip. I busted lots of frames over the years. I attributed it to my aggressive, living-on-the-edge lifestyle, but it probably had more to …
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