Archives for January 2010

- - - | written by Jason on 1/31/2010 | - - -

Open Letter to Alton Brown (and Dads Everywhere)

I recently got a copy of Good Eats: The Early Years by Alton Brown. To paraphrase Ron Burgundy, if you don’t think it’s the greatest show on television, I will fight you. As a Food Network junkie, I dig Alton’s quirky, fun, no-nonsense style. Between writing books, filming Good Eats, hosting Iron Chef America and The Next Iron Chef, and appearing in all kinds of Welch’s commercials, he certainly seems to have a lot of burners lit. As I perused the acknowledgements, I came across his thoughts regarding his 10-year-old daughter: “I especially want to thank Zoey for putting up with all the late nights and early mornings, and all the books she had to read alone. You’re my pride and joy, kid.” I think that’s just about the saddest thing ever written. Am I the only one? This is what I want to say to Mr. Alton Brown: …

- - - | written by Kim on 1/28/2010 | - - -

Tame Adultitis by Tackling Life’s Little Annoyances

Jason and I often get asked the question, "How does a person contract Adultitis?" Well, there are the obvious ways we all dread: the major u-turns in life that you can't avoid, like when someone hits your car or when you're up all night with a sick kid. Adultitis is also severely contagious, so if you're around others who are living with the disease, you might want to run for the hills -- seriously. But most of the time, the way you come down with a case of Adultitis is a direct result of the teeny tiny annoying moments that pop up in your day. …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/24/2010 | - - -

Are You A Human Doing?

It's easier to be a human doing than a human being. I have the good fortune of spending two hours each morning with a little bundle of energy known as Lucy. She recently became interested in bringing me books to read to her. I enjoy this new level of interactivity, even though the subject matter is less than stellar. The ones she seems to enjoy the most are the ones with the least regard for a plot (unless you consider journeying through the alphabet from A to Z captivation of the highest order). During our time together, I too often I operate under the premise that I only have two options in how I spend the time. One allows me to be actively engaged with her, reading books or playing side-by-side. The other option, if she is playing contentedly by herself, insists that I should have my laptop open and use the opportunity to get something productive done. Like coming up with an idea for a blog post. I was reminded today that there is actually a third choice. …

- - - | written by Kim on 1/21/2010 | - - -

What Grocery Shopping Can Teach You About Life Balance

I am the worst grocery shopper -- ever. I’ve found that many of the reasons I was able to teach kindergarten effectively all fly in the face of being a good grocery shopper. Being easily distracted with a short attention span and the endless aisles of marketing mayhem do not serve me well. It’s a mess. Thank goodness Jason took over all of our shopping (and cooking) when Lucy was born. (Yeah for Lucy being born!) The worst is when I would make one of those quick stops -- you know the kind: “I’ll just run in for a few things.” Ha! …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/20/2010 | - - -

The First Year of Fatherhood: One Dad’s Review

Well, we did it. My wife and I made it to the one-year mark. (Oh, and so did Lucy.) The first two weeks seemed like a millennium, the last fifty seemed like a millisecond. So, what have I learned, if anything? • It sounds so dang cliché to say, “It’s harder than I imagined, but better than I imagined.” It may be cliche, but is it ever true. • I’m still trying to figure out what a “normal” schedule should be. I’m never quite sure I’m spending time correctly. I feel like I’m still trying to get in a groove. It seems like I should have it figured out by now. I also get the feeling that “normal” is gone forever. …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/17/2010 | - - -

More Is Always Better. Or Is It?

More is better. Is that true? When I think of the concept of "more," I sometimes imagine a slick, second-rate Elvis trying to sell me an extended warranty on electronic equipment. Or a pimply teenager offering to upgrade my fries to super-size for just a quarter. Their message: "More is definitely better." The other side of my noggin houses a sage old man who looks a lot like the guy who sold Gizmo to Peter's dad in Gremlins. He hears the offers of the first two clowns and defiantly bellows, "More is not better." Followed up by the Yoda-sounding, "Less is more." …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/15/2010 | - - -

3 Unusual Games To Play in the Snow

Of course, it's hard to beat a good old fashioned snowball fight when it comes to getting the heart rate up and burning some calories. We highly recommend at least one slingfest per year. (Just make sure you're not using ice balls.) Here are a few more untraditional games you can play in the snow: Build the Biggest Snowball Break up into teams of two or three apiece. The goal of each team is to roll the BIGGEST* snowball. The end comes when the teams can no longer physically roll their snowball (or you run out of snow.) …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/10/2010 | - - -

Are You Letting This Kill Your Happiness?

All this talk about New Years Resolutions and choosing a word for the year makes me think about success. Specifically, what is it? Really? I suppose everyone has their own definition, cobbled together from their parents and family upbringing, societal influences, life experiences, and spiritual journey. In today's world, a measure of success often takes into account how much money or fame a person has. I quite like blogger and internet marketing guru Chris Garrett's definition of success: …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/8/2010 | - - -

12 Things You Must Do In 2010 – EA Show #50

With this being our 50th episode, our show is officially over the hill. In this episode, broadcast live from Madison, Wisconsin, we run down our list of 12 things you absolutely, positively MUST do in 2010 to keep Adultitis at bay. Also included are some great ideas for words of the year, excellent made up holiday suggestions, and some banter on Happy Meals. | Subscribe with iTunes | Download (262 MB) Share Your Thoughts... What do you think about this month's show? What's your word for the year? What was the best Happy Meal toy you ever got? We'd love to hear from you! Leave a comment below or in the video itself by clicking the little plus sign in the player. Got photos or videos? Send 'em to eashow@kimandjason.com Linkety Links What's Your Word for 2010? Pick up your own copy of The Escape Plan. Banish Adultitis with this amazingly fun 40-Day Guide! Become a fan of Kim & Jason on Facebook and get reminded about our next live show as well as other …

- - - | written by Kim on 1/6/2010 | - - -

6 Ways to Avoid the New Year’s Blues

Do you ever get the blues this time of year? I sure do, and I have a feeling I'm not the only one. On January 1st, you start the year with a natural high associated with a new beginning. A restart. Whew. Finally, permission is granted to try again. Thanks New Year, I needed that!... right? You get a nice dose of self-forgiveness and a recommitment to those dusty goals. It's a great feeling. Then, the Christmas tree goes back into the basement and the work week starts. Yikes. Nothing has changed. The to-do list is still impressively long. The temperature is not pleasant. The scale still reads the same number (or higher -- darn that fudge). The only difference is the added pressure of unrealistic self-discipline to make changes that you've been wanting to make for years. Who needs more pressure and guilt? So, just like that -- BAM. We revert back to our comfortable ways. The new perspective was nice while it lasted, but was it ever really attainable? Well, here are some refreshing …