Look! It's a picnic table! It's a family-sized rocking chair! It's a playpen for toddlers! It's a...bar??? This multifunctional patio furniture designed by Lester Walker was featured in Popular Science back in 1970. I like the whimsy of it, but I can't get past the models. In the immortal words of Heath Ledger's Joker, "Why so serious?" I find it highly improbable that anyone could maintain such a straight face sitting in something like this. Oh well, keep on rocking...sometimes Adultitis is hard to crack. …
Archives for October 2012
Nothing Beats an Original
Have you ever noticed that you can always tell whether a child’s drawing was actually drawn by a child or an adult? Advertisements, signage, or product packaging will sometimes convey a childlike quality by including some elements supposedly drawn by a child. Much of the time, the drawing is done by a grown-up mimicking a child’s drawing. And you can tell it’s a fake. Why is that? …
Show ‘Em How It’s Done
One thing my Dad likes doing with his grandkids is eating Hershey’s chocolate syrup with a spoon, straight from the bottle. It was a big day in our household when Kim taught Lucy how to dunk cookies in milk. And then there's the story a childcare professional I met in Houston shared with me. …
Never Grow Up
Contrary to some of the television commercials and magazine ads that suggest otherwise, you can't do much about growing older. The growing up part, though, is completely optional. Image by Pablo Rueda …
Who Is Your Tonto? A Dude’s Guide to Adultitis-Fighting Friendships
Let’s face it. Adultitis not only affects our parenting, but it can affect our friendships as well. And men suffer greatly when it comes to having quality, well-developed friendships. It may be the John Wayne syndrome, thinking that we can do it alone, but even the Lone Ranger had Tonto. We might be perceived as weak or soft if we call up another guy to hang out, but we will miss out on great experiences and a rich life with out great friendships. Now already, you might be thinking, “I’m married and have kids. I don’t have time for friendships!” That’s the Adultitis talking and you need a …
[Read more...] about Who Is Your Tonto? A Dude’s Guide to Adultitis-Fighting Friendships
Small Rebellion #5: Pajama Run
It’s time for another official Small Rebellion (a small but mighty act of defiance against Adultitis and the rules that don’t exist)! Pajama Runs are great, because they fit into busy schedules, allow you to break a few “rules,” and for the price of a few simple ice cream cones, you get to create a memory you will never forget. The Mission: Put simply, a Pajama Run is when you surprise someone by taking them out for a late-night ice cream treat in their pajamas. In fact, EVERYONE involved needs to be wearing pajamas. Anyone can play -- you can “kidnap” your kids, grandkids, parents, or …
Join Our Team! We’re Looking for Someone to Help Us Build Something New
Are you passionate about fighting Adultitis? Do you have a background in sales and marketing? Could you use some extra income? If you answered yes to all of these questions, we'd love to chat about having you join our team! We are looking for a creative, passionate, and outgoing individual to help us get our new Fun Capsule into the hands of the people who need it most: families enduring long hospital stays. A background in the healthcare field is a plus! Please contact Kim to learn more. …
[Read more...] about Join Our Team! We’re Looking for Someone to Help Us Build Something New
It’s Time to Opt-Out
When you buy something online, during the checkout process, there is almost always a checkbox with an invitation to receive promotional emails of some sort. Sometimes you have to check the box to get the emails. Other sites have pre-checked the box for you, automatically assuming that you want their stuff. If you don’t, you physically have to uncheck the box -- or opt-out -- yourself. If you’re not paying attention, you could end up getting a bunch of stuff you didn’t really want. Too many people live life with their checkboxes pre-checked. …
Trunk or Treat! A Sweet Halloween Tradition
Taking free candy that someone is offering from the trunk of their car is normally not a very good idea. But we heartily endorse it in the case of Trunk or Treat. Also known as Halloween tailgating, trunk-or-treating is like trick-or-treating, except instead of going door-to-door for candy, you go trunk-to-trunk. …
[Read more...] about Trunk or Treat! A Sweet Halloween Tradition
Unnecessary Whimsy
Kim and I are big fans of unnecessary whimsy. The Carmichael Collective is an ongoing project grounded in unnecessary whimsy. Carmichael Lynch, a creative company based in Minneapolis Minnesota, is behind the project, which is an exercise in creativity for creativity's sake. They created things like the Urban Plant Tags above. As well as these Bug Memorials: And this Censorship Towel: While whimsy is defined as "playfully quaint or fanciful behavior or humor," unnecessary whimsy might be defined as a bit of whimsy that is not particularly needed. Take these hot sauce packets …