Escape Adulthood

Archives for July 2019

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Messes Make the Best Memories

Eating a peach, in season, perfectly ripe, is pure magic. But also messy. Oh, sure, you can eat peaches before they’re ripe and they might drip less, but they’re not nearly as good. The best peaches are always messy. Now I’ll admit it: I prefer tidy. I like the structure of a good plan. I feel good when the dishes are done and the counter is cleared. I’m easily disturbed when piles stay piles for too long. Is that an Adultitis-fueled trait? Perhaps. But I do find that I am more present, relaxed, and creative when clutter and chaos are minimized. In general, I don’t think it’s a …

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Bronwyn Roberts, July 2019 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. Jason had the opportunity to meet Bronwyn Roberts a few years ago at a conference for the Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor. Bron had traveled VERY far from home to be a part of the event (Victoria, …

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The Simplest Way to Turn Trash Into Treasure

Eating lobster used to be a punishment reserved for prisoners.I was reminded of this during a recent trip to New England. I had a speaking engagement in Connecticut, and took my oldest daughter with me. I had three different lobster dishes on the trip (in between samplings of clam chowd-ah).The fact that the inclusion of lobster makes any dish more expensive is quite a turn of events from its humble beginnings. A few hundred years ago, lobster was plentiful, washing up on shore by the hundreds. The so-called “cockroach of the sea" was eaten only by the poor and prisoners, who considered it …

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You Can Turn Anything into a Drug

I used to be so smug about not being a meth head.Kim and I have been watching the series Breaking Bad, about a mild-mannered high school science teacher with a cancer diagnosis who gradually descends into a life of crime as a ruthless player in the local methamphetamine drug trade. Good times.The psychology behind the choices that the characters make and consequences that come from them are fascinating, not to mention the look into the dark underbelly of the drug economy. During scenes that show people in the deepest throes of addiction, I’ve noticed myself judging the junkies.How stupid could …

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Never Graduate

What does it mean to graduate?It’s an accomplishment, a milestone that marks the completion of one part of a journey. Our common understanding of it usually involves an academic degree or diploma.But too often, it’s also just the end. Full stop.About a quarter of American adults (24%) say they haven’t read a book in whole or in part in the past year, whether in print, electronic or audio form. Other research shows that 47% of Americans didn't take all of their vacation time last year and 21% "left more than five vacation days on the table." That's time that could have been enjoying a new …

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