Archives for September 2013

- - - | written by Jason on 9/29/2013 | - - -

The Adultitis-Free Way to Win an Argument Every Time

At the most recent Escape Adulthood Summit, a woman named Kate shared an awesome technique for winning arguments. It all started on a simple premise agreed upon by Kate and her husband. They decided that no matter how angry they were with each other during the course of an argument, if one of them said, "Lincoln Log!" they would both have to laugh. (Actually, the word they used was "raccoon," but she joked that it was already taken. Lincoln Log seemed fun -- you can use it if you want. So does cantaloupe. Or sasquatch. Use your imagination!) She described a typical scenario. An argument begins and quickly escalates, with both sides angrily stating their cases. In the heat of the action, just as Kate prepares to unload with both barrels, her husband says, "Raccoon!" At first she thinks to herself, "I CANNOT believe you pulled out "raccoon" right now; I was just about to bury you!" But inevitably, giggles burst free. Before long, both parties get some instant -- and much-needed …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/25/2013 | - - -

Meet Michael Cavitt

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... Michael Cavitt (seen above jumping in with 261 of my closest friends to set a Guinness World Record on July 5, 2013.) • My hometown is... Pittsburg, KS living in Minneapolis, MN • My biggest dream...live overseas and tutor English so that I can discover other cultures and people. • My inspiration...spiritual teachings from the Tao Te Ching to Writings of the Baha'i Faith. I try to remember I am a child of God and God promised Abraham we would not be left without guidance. I look for that every day. …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/21/2013 | - - -

Thy Father & Daughter Dance Must Take Place On Thine Actual Wedding Day

When Lucy was a newborn, I used to dance with her in our apartment to a song called Cinderella by Steven Curtis Chapman. I'd support her little head with my hand while doing spins around the living room, as if it were a grand ballroom, absorbing as much of that newborn baby smell as I could. The song served as a wonderful reminder about how fast time flies, and that it won't be long before I'll be dancing with her on her wedding day. We still dance to it once in a while. Damn thing makes me cry every time. And then I came across this story, which also makes me cry. Rachel Wolf's father is dying of pancreatic cancer. She couldn't bear the thought of not having the opportunity to dance with him at her wedding. The fact that she's not even engaged didn't deter Rachel. So she bought a wedding dress, rented a limo, and invited family, friends, and her father to a nearby park for the special dance. And what song did they dance to? You guessed it: Cinderella. Here's the video, …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/17/2013 | - - -

New! Buttons for Sale!

Our first series of collectible pinback buttons have arrived and they've been designed to allow you to display your inner child on the outside! They are also quite handy in warding off Adultitis. Featuring colorful art by yours truly, the buttons are 2.25" in diameter, have a pinned metal back and are 100% American made! The buttons in this series are Bee Optimistic, Naps Rule and Red Rover. You can buy your favorite individually or save money by purchasing the whole set! …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/14/2013 | - - -

Your Comfort Zone: Friend or Foe?

We need to spend more time IN our comfort zones. There, I said it. In the self-improvement culture we live in, we're constantly advised to shore up our weaknesses and do things that are out of our comfort zone. It's apparently the magic path to success, riches, and enlightenment. And I think it might be robbing the world of the best we have to offer. Of course there is a pearl of wisdom in this adage. Trying new things is a great way to grow, build courage and collect wonderful experiences. But it also has the potential to lead us astray. Here are a few pitfalls: It can trick us into thinking that we can be self-sufficient. Its easy to get caught up believing that we can achieve anything, provided we're brave enough to step out of our comfort zone and take it. But we were designed to rely on each other. That means nobody is great at everything. Each person is great at some things, okay at most things, and terrible at others. Although it goes against the myth of the …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/12/2013 | - - -

Meet Melissa Ross

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... Melissa Ross. • My hometown is... Granite Falls, MN • My biggest dream...is to raise my son to always be healthy, happy and as fun-loving as he is today. • My inspiration...is my son, Sam, who is 3 1/2. • When I was a kid, I...used to play outdoors all summer long. My siblings and I would always be on the lookout for really cool things in nature. Anything from shells along the river bank to shiny rocks walking down the gravel road, to insects, frogs and crawfish in the drainage area. Everything we did was an adventure. We could make a grove of trees into a secret world all of our own. …

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- - - | written by Jason on 9/5/2013 | - - -

2013 Escape Adulthood Summit Recap in Words & Pictures

After a year of planning, the week before an event like the Escape Adulthood Summit is always filled with a mix of excitement (I can't believe it's finally here!), anticipation (They're gonna love all the surprises!) and a bit of self-doubt (Did we add in enough magic? Have we forgotten anything?) I am happy to report that the second annual Escape Adulthood Summit was a rousing success! …