Archives for March 2013

- - - | written by Jason on 3/31/2013 | - - -

Grammys, Mushrooms, and the Practice of Patience

You know what there isn’t enough of these days? No, not Twinkies. Patience. Here in Wisconsin, it appears that Spring didn’t get the memo about showing up. The weather suggests that Old Man Winter is holding on for dear life. I can’t help but wonder if the slight sense of panic that is bubbling up among citizens of the North is partially caused by our lack of patience. With smartphones keeping us constantly connected, our DVRs editing out commercials, and information on Twitter speeding by at warp speed, patience is more scarce (and valuable) than ever. Marketers promise and the media celebrates fast growth and overnight success. And yet I was intrigued to hear the lead singer of of the band Fun accept the Song of the Year Grammy award for We Are Young. "I don't know what I was thinking writing the chorus for this song," he said. "If this is in HD, everyone can see our faces and we are not very young." He shared that he and his mates had been working at their craft for …

- - - | written by Jason on 3/30/2013 | - - -

Easter Clothes

A quick cartoon drawn in Photoshop. I like imagining the words being spoken by George Costanza's mother. …

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- - - | written by Jason on 3/29/2013 | - - -

Sendoff of Co-Worker Gets Ugly

Kathleen Molland, Jeanette Raab, and Susan Withey were at a speaking program I did in Williston, North Dakota. I told the Ugly Cookie story. Then these three took it to a whole new level. Here's what happened, in the words of Kathleen: …

- - - | written by Jason on 3/28/2013 | - - -

Daughter Teaches Dad Proper Way to Eat Banana

A few years ago, a TV reporter referred to me as "The Champion of Childhood." Although I never received a jewel-encrusted crown or an oversized gold-plated belt, it's a title I wear proudly. Admittedly, I don't actually consider myself "THE" Champion, but rather "A" Champion of Childhood. There are scores of people infinitely more qualified than me in this arena, but I quite fancy the idea of acting as "a militant supporter and defender" of the ideals of childhood. Ultimately, I like being a verb more than a noun. Kim and I love using the platform we have to highlight the brilliant people who inspire us. The everyday folks who should also be considered Champions of Childhood. Recently, we decided to make this designation official. (In the same way a secret handshake required to gain entry into a treehouse is official.) So I created a logo, and we made buttons and stickers and magnets and certification cards to bestow upon people we deem Champions of Childhood. (Because there …

- - - | written by Jason on 3/27/2013 | - - -

Just Out of Curiosity

On any given day, we make lots of decisions. Most, like the decision to stay a bit later at work, never seem all that consequential. But slowly and surely, they add up to tell a story. Take some time to be mindful of every decision, or else you may one day find that those choices have created a story you never intended on telling. …

- - - | written by Jason on 3/26/2013 | - - -

What’s The Best Part of an Oreo Cookie?

According to physicist David Neevel, it's the cookie, hands down. And this quirky machine will separate your Oreo and remove the offending substance for you. Plus it uses a hatchet. Nice touch. …

- - - | written by Jason on 3/24/2013 | - - -

How to Make Big Decisions

When I was a kid, I had a hard time making decisions of any sort. It’s the stuff of family lore, and I am regularly reminded of how often I’d come to tears over having to choose between chocolate or vanilla ice cream. Fourteen years as an entrepreneur has sharpened my decision-making abilities, but that doesn’t mean every choice is easy peasy lemon squeezy. We all face the tough choices from time to time. The ones with no easy answer and no certain outcome. How do I handle my suddenly rebellious teenager? Which job offer should I accept? Is it possible to make ends meet if I stay home with the kids? …

- - - | written by Jason on 3/22/2013 | - - -

What Your Busyness Really Says About You

"If you live in America in the 21st century you’ve probably had to listen to a lot of people tell you how busy they are. It’s become the default response when you ask anyone how they’re doing: 'Busy!' 'So busy.' 'Crazy busy.' It is, pretty obviously, a boast disguised as a complaint." --The ‘Busy’ Trap - NYTimes.com Yes, yes, a million times yes. As I've written before, taking the drug called busyness is an effective way to feel engaged in life. But although it’s easier to stay busy than to slow down and make hard decisions about what kind of story you really want to live, the end result is not very satisfying. I love this post by Andrea Scher about her refreshing new mantra: I'm actually not that busy. Warning: if you measure your level of importance and value by how busy you are, there's a pretty good chance the story you're living sucks. And yes, this is a reminder to myself as much as anyone. …

- - - | written by Jason on 3/20/2013 | - - -

How to Guarantee an Adultitis-Free Dinner Party

Adultitis would have us believe that it's unbecoming for an adult to play with his or her food. Apparently, Polish designer Boguslaw Sliwinski (say that three times fast) didn't get the memo. He has designed a series of plates that invite you turn your meal into an action scene. Now you tell me: what are the odds that Adultitis makes an appearance at a dinner party featuring plates of this nature? …

- - - | written by Jason on 3/17/2013 | - - -

Ugly Cookies

Even if you don’t celebrate Christmas, I’m sure you can conjure up an image of what Christmas cookies are “supposed” to look like. And although there are many different kinds of Christmas cookies, I’m guessing this is not the image that comes to mind first. Believe it or not, these are, in fact, Christmas cookies. And they were not made by a four-year-old or a victim of the Great Kitchen Catastrophe of ’73. The story of these so-called Ugly Cookies goes like this: One year, a mother was overwhelmed with all the things she had to do to get ready for a Christmas party. With a list a mile long and not much time to complete it, she decided that she’d try a newfangled thing called delegation. So she turned to her husband and son…. “I have to run some errands before the guests arrive tonight. You guys are in charge of the Christmas cookies,” she ordered. “Here’s the recipe. There are only a few steps and a handful of ingredients. Just do exactly what it says.” Since the …

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