What is the role of a parent? Obviously, keeping them alive is a big one. I've learned that feeding them semi-regularly and redirecting them away from hot stoves and wild animals helps with that. Teaching them morals, and how to be a positive contribution to society are important next-level responsibilities. But what about being brave? Isn't it important to teach them how to chase a dream and how to take risks and strive to reach their potential? …
Archives for June 2013
Do You See Weeds or Wishes?
A backyard flush with dandelions can inspire an hour of exciting adventure for a five-year-old. The exact same backyard can also inspire an hour of expletive-laden adjectives for a fifty-year-old. Believe it or not, most of the things we don't like about life are changeable. The tricky part is that in order to get the result we desire, the first thing that needs to change is...us. If you're disappointed or frustrated by your spouse, your job, your boss, or your kids, you always have the option of waiting for them to improve. Or you can instigate a small rebellion and spark a magical …
Every Company Needs a Swing Table
If I had an extra $11,000 sitting around, I'd totally want this Swing Table designed by Duffy London. The video is simple and contains hardly any motion at all, but it somehow ratchets up the "I want that" factor to 11. What would happen if EVERY company had a conference table like this? (Not just the cool, trendy web companies with vowels missing in their names.) I have a hunch that levels of fun, morale, and groundbreaking ideas would skyrocket, while employee turnover, conflict, and lawsuits would plummet. Think about it: picture two parties at odds with one another, on a seemingly …
On Borrowed Time
We went to the funeral of friend's mom recently. She died suddenly of a heart attack while at home with her husband, who was only into his second week of retirement. When my father-in-law Gary heard the news and learned that they were both in the same age range, he reflected, "Wow. I guess I'm really on borrowed time." He's right. But not just because he was diagnosed with severe rheumatoid arthritis in his twenties and probably hasn't had a pain-free day since then. And not just because he continues to amaze his doctors with how long he's been able to keep on going. He's right because we …
The Most Adultitis-Ridden Swimming Pool Ever
Here is a good example of how adults are ruining everything. This is a sign at a community pool in Florida, and it inspires so many questions. No breath holding? At a swimming pool?! Or else what? And is willing hyperventilation that common? One can only assume this pool has no diving boards, offers no swimming lessons, and forbids most Olympic-style strokes. Either that or its drowning rate is off the chart! One thing is for sure: rules printed on metal signs bolted to walls are serious business. So is questioning the rules that don't exist. Or in this case, even the ones that …
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Meet Susan Moylan
The Small Rebellion is a playful group of escape artists who share a joyful, indomitable childlike spirit and are not afraid to let that spirit come out to play! They’re united by a common goal of fighting Adultitis and the doo-doo heads who embrace its ideals. Quite frankly, they’re pretty much the coolest people on the planet. Here's one right now... • My name is... Susan Moylan. • My hometown is... Philadelphia. • My biggest dream...to work outdoors with the sun on my back, my daughter by side, and a game of tag always on the horizon. …
The Title of Dad
When Kim was pregnant with our first, I had a speaking engagement in Green Bay. After my talk was over, a guy came up to me and said, “Of all the titles I’ve ever had, ‘Dad’ is my all-time favorite. I think it will be the same for you, too.” He shared that he had two kids, 22 and 19. He said he started missing his younger son the day the boy left for college. I’ve had a lot of jobs over the years. Baseball scorekeeper. Concession stand owner. Car washer. Newspaper ad designer. Most of us go through our careers with business cards that grow ever more impressive. What makes them more …
How to Make Crunch Berry Ice Cream
About a year ago, I made a Summer Bucket List. One of the items I was most excited about was inventing a new ice cream flavor. In this particular case, excitement didn't translate into action; summer came and went and the world went without a new ice cream flavor. (Sorry, World.) To be fair, I did come up with an idea for a flavor last summer, I just never got around to trying it. Until now. So, without further ado, I give you Crunch Berry Ice Cream! You may be thinking, "Big deal. You threw some cereal into some vanilla ice cream -- how groundbreaking." But alas, I took this task …
The World is Filled with Awesome Things
This is a photo by Allard Schlager of a real live tulip field in The Netherlands. I am convinced that you could live one hundred lifetimes and never see all of the wonders this world has to offer. It makes me wonder why we rely on drugs or alcohol or even television to enhance our reality. At best, they are cheap imitations. A more productive option might be to practice seeing the world through childlike eyes. The world is filled with awesome things. Look around and be amazed. …
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How We Spent Our 13th Anniversary
Kim and I always do something childlike on our anniversary. One year we went to the circus. Another time we visited Toys "R" Us on Times Square. This year, we took the kids to Medieval Times. Actually, that happened the day AFTER our anniversary. On our real anniversary, our sister-in-law watched the kids so we could play hooky and have lunch on a beautiful day. (Pretty childlike in its own right, I guess.) At lunch overlooking Lake Monona, we had a chance to chat about many things, gloriously uninterrupted. We reminisced about our anniversary adventures. We talked about the logistics …