Archives for September 2016

- - - | written by Jason on 9/26/2016 | - - -

Mary Helen Conroy, September 2016 Adultitis Fighter of the Month

An Adultitis Fighter is someone who rallies against rules that don't exist and engages in ruthless, senseless acts of silliness that undermine Adultitis and its unadventurous version of adulthood. Once a month, we shine a light upon the most remarkable among us, holding them up as a dazzling example of what we should strive for in this epic battle against a formidable enemy. Mary Helen Conroy is one heck of an Adultitis Fighter! Known as the Midwife of Midlife, she is a life coach who has cultivated a lifetime of daring adventures in her quest to help retirees rediscover the flame in their …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/25/2016 | - - -

How to Be (More) Creative

If you already consider yourself to be creative, good. If you don’t, you’re wrong. Now, you may not be able to draw a straight line or paint a recognizable portrait of your neighbor, but those are skills, not creativity. Have you ever figured out how to get out of something you didn’t want to do? Have you ever tried to convince a parent to change his or her mind about something? Have you ever built or fixed something using a make-shift tool that wasn’t intended for the job you used it for? If you answered yes to any of those questions, I’ve got news for you: You were being …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/18/2016 | - - -

Having Fun Takes Courage

When you’re an adult, it takes courage to have fun in front of others. It might seem ridiculous to suggest that having fun takes courage. Not at Disney World, perhaps. But having fun in scenarios that invite people to question your maturity, intelligence and sophistication? That takes guts. Kids are always on the lookout for fun, but adults operate as if you can have fun in certain environments. Hogwash. A few weeks ago, I delivered the eulogy at the funeral of Kim’s grandmother. Location numero uno on the “Thou Shalt Not Have Fun Here” list, right? But my speech had lots of little …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/16/2016 | - - -

Starting an Adventure Club at Work

Most people don't exactly love going to meetings. Alas, they are often necessary. But one team of healthcare professionals in Wisconsin is proving that even though a meeting may be mandatory, an appearance by Adultitis isn't. At the beginning of each meeting they've been reading Jason’s weekly Insider email message to kick things off on a positive and inspiring note. Then, the leader of the group introduces the weekly "Small Rebellion" from the Escape Adulthood Adventure Club. So far, they’ve accomplished the first five! They’ve eaten dessert first, made paper airplanes together …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/11/2016 | - - -

More Fun Please

I went to the dentist the other day to get my teeth cleaned. At the end, as the hygienist prepared to polish my teeth, she asked, "Mint?" "Actually," I said, "Do you have bubble gum?" "Yes!" She exclaimed. "We have cherry and raspberry, too." Judging by her reaction, my request was on the rare side, but she was happy to accommodate me. I have nothing against mint, but when did it become the official dental polish flavor of adulthood? At what age is bubble gum no longer an "appropriate" choice? (If I'm being honest, grape would be my first and last choice all day long.) Yet …

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- - - | written by Jason on 9/9/2016 | - - -

Meet Ronika Anderson

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...Ronika Anderson. • My hometown is...to be perfectly honest, I don't really have one. I'm a proud Army Brat that spent most of my childhood bouncing around. I claim Atlanta, Georgia as my adopted hometown since I attended …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/1/2016 | - - -

New Adventure Club Challenges for September!

Welcome to September! Adultitis is certainly excited about the calendar shift, as the lazy days of summer ramp up into busier times - especially for anyone affected by the back-to-school season. Well, we refuse to surrender, and we’ve got four new Small Rebellions specially designed to upend the Big A. They’re part of the Escape Adulthood Adventure Club, where we send free stickers (kind of like merit badges) by mail to the first 100 folks who complete the challenges and share their escapades online. Rally your friends, your family, your co-workers — or even just your little old self — …