Escape Adulthood

Archives for August 2011

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Possibly My Earliest Drawing of Santa Claus (Unconfirmed)

When I was in third grade, my teacher asked me to draw a picture of Santa Claus for the school newsletter. I distinctly remember Mrs. Smith saying that I was the perfect man for the job because I could draw him better than her. I don’t remember a lot of things about third grade, but I remember how that compliment made me feel. …

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Public Displays of Silliness on the Rise

So in last week’s Insider newsletter (you're getting that, right? If not, hop to it!), I wrote about meeting Ann, a long-time nurse who has been wearing her trademark red clown nose for the better part of 35 years. She not only wears it at the hospital where she works, but at places like the grocery store, too. I urged readers to be more like Ann. Too often, we play it safe for fear of encountering the wrath (and dirty looks) of those with full-blown Adultitis. To be sure, Ann encounters more than her fair share of those types when she’s wearing the red nose. But she also brightens the day of …

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Just About the Best Compliment Anyone Can Get

One day an early childhood professional was tying a four-year-old boy’s shoes. He looked up at her and asked, “Miss Mary, are you an adult?” Mary, who was in her mid-fifties, sported silver streaks in her hair and boasted wrinkles around her eyes -- the kind that come from smiling too much. She could tell from the boy’s inquisitive eyes that his question was not intended to tease. He was truly puzzled by this dichotomy that was tying his shoes. “Well,” Mary thoughtfully began, “I have an adult body, but I still try to think and act and have fun just like a kid.” “Oh,” grinned the …

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How Shamu Helped Me With My Stop Doing List

A few weeks ago I shared my recently written "Stop Doing List", inspired by Danielle LaPorte. Among the 30 things I hope to stop, I was able to tackle one this week head on and it felt REALLY good. It felt so good, in fact, that any Adultitis that was lingering nearby (which is usually inevitable when you're out of your routine) got scared and started running for the hills. …

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