Jason

Your Life is a Cliffhanger. What Will Happen Next?

- - - | written by Jason on 11/11/2018 | - - -

When I walk a cemetery, I look for stories in the gravestones. Sometimes the markers are very large and ornate, and other times quite small and humble. I wonder how accurate they are in reflecting the greatness of the lives they represent. Sometimes there are bible verses, or a few descriptors, like “devoted husband, father, and friend.” Sometimes there are mentions of military service, and I imagine the horrors witnessed and the heroics performed. Sometimes the date span is much too short, a sad memorial to the life of a baby taken from our world too soon. But something about gravestones like this one are extra poignant. "Till death do us part." This is promise Lois and Albert made to one another a long time ago, on their wedding day. Albert’s story is finished, in this world, at least. Something about the dates being carved in stone make it so real, and permanent. But Lois, her life feels like it’s on pause. A cliffhanger. Like someone with a chisel is waiting in the …

A Tale of Two Trees: Thoughts on Life, Death and Regret

- - - | written by Jason on 11/4/2018 | - - -

I was in a small country cemetery recently, thinking about autumn and life and the end of another baseball season, when I saw these trees. All of them marching toward the sleep of winter, the one on the right still filled with leaves, another with only a few left to give. I wondered, “Which one am I?” As of this writing, I am forty-two years old. No spring sapling, that’s for sure. I’m old enough and experienced enough to know that I could be either tree. I think about death a lot, mostly because it helps me think about my life, and how well I’m spending it. Anniversaries are piling up. Pictures from my early days of marriage looks less and less like the person that greets me in the mirror each morning. And my kids. They are growing up so fast. Too fast. Memories of their newborn days seem like borrowed photographs from someone else’s life. Life can be hard, but it is good. I’d give anything to slow it all down. I rack my brain for something I can do to help. How do I …

How to Create a Successful and Adultitis-Free Fundraising Event

- - - | written by Jason on 10/31/2018 | - - -

We were thrilled to help Goodwill with a fundraising event they dubbed "Escape Adulthood Recess." Designed to be a break from the workday, we worked with the fabulous folks at Hayes Marketing Services and the Goodwill Northern Illinois team to create a successful networking luncheon that raised a lot of money and created a lot of positive buzz. We were so impressed by the work that Donna Hayes and her team did to create such a magical event. Kim decided to follow up with her to get more information on all that went into it, how she was able to pack the room, and to glean some tips that others could use to plan their own events. Here's the interview: Quick links... Learn more about Jason's speaking programs Hayes Marketing Group See how another group utilized Jason's art to make their event more memorable The careful attention to detail helped create a fun and approachable ambiance, and tied the theme together wonderfully. Here are some photos we managed …

Two Kinds of Treadmills

- - - | written by Jason on 10/28/2018 | - - -

There are two kinds of treadmills. The visible kind is usually found in gyms (or perhaps the dark recesses of your home, gathering dust.) After turning it on, you put one foot ahead of the other and walk. And walk. And walk. You can literally walk for an entire day, and yet you’ll be in the exact same place as when you started. Seems like an enormous waste of time. Except that the more time you spend on the treadmill, the more calories you burn and the more weight you can lose. This treadmill comes with a reward. The invisible treadmill doesn’t. It focuses not on walking, but on possessions and accomplishments. It promises you that if you just had one more, you’d be happy. And so you begin to accumulate: A big promotion. A shiny new phone. A nicer car. A roomier home in a better neighborhood. A more exotic vacation. A more fashionable pair of shoes. A bigger stock portfolio. A more prestigious award. This type of treadmill, in contrast with the visible kind, promises …

Joan McGrath, October 2018 Adultitis Fighter of the Month

- - - | written by Jason on 10/23/2018 | - - -

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. We've had the privilege of getting to know Joan McGrath through her participation in a number of Escape Adulthood Summits over the years. Joan’s kind heart and sweet smile are jut the tip of the iceberg of what’s in store when you connect with her. If you pay a compliment to her about her necklace, she might just give it to you right then and there. She has a childlike generosity (meaning it’s unmatched). In fact, she even brought a whole bunch of fun jewelry to a recent Summit and invited everyone to pick a favorite! She loves to give others' positive experiences, which is what led her to inventing the …

Enjoy the Ride

- - - | written by Jason on 10/21/2018 | - - -

"Enjoy the Ride" by Jason Kotecki. 30 x 24. Oil on canvas. Original is SOLD. Prints and canvas reproductions available here. This painting was inspired by my family's trip to Mexico, the beautiful tradition of Dia de Muertos, and thoughts of love ones who have come before. Life can seem like such a slog sometimes. A constant struggle of trying to get ahead, putting out fires, overcoming one obstacle after another. It can feel like we’re in survival mode, and it takes everything we’ve got just to make it through the day. It’s easy to grow tired and become discouraged, maybe even bitter and a little angry. This is because we don’t have perspective. Our ancestors, who have already traversed this lifespan and have seen what’s beyond, have a different perspective than we do. They are now able to see the big picture. They went through the valleys, but their purpose was ultimately revealed. They have the full understanding that the journey is shorter than we realize. …

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Looking For Orcas

- - - | written by Jason on 10/14/2018 | - - -

"Looking For Orcas" by Jason Kotecki. 30 x 24. Oil on canvas. Original is SOLD. Prints and canvas reproductions available here. I’ve heard that God always answers prayers. Sometimes the answer is no. Sometimes, he says yes in ways that seem like a no. During a family vacation in the Pacific Northwest, one of the things I wanted to see was an orca. We heard stories of a mama and her baby being spotted in Puget Sound. We kept our eyes peeled on the ferry ride to Victoria. Our vacation home was on a bay on the Olympic Peninsula and every wave in the distance seemed like it could be a killer whale in the process of surfacing. We never saw one. We could have booked a sightseeing tour, but time and weather and the ages of our kids conspired against us. Maybe next time. As I have reflected on this minor disappointment, and through the act of creating this painting, something occurred to me. God knew I wanted to see an orca, but because he knows me so deeply, he also knew why …

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The Superpower Shared by Artists and Scientists and You!

- - - | written by Jason on 10/7/2018 | - - -

"Imagination Can Take You Anywhere" by Jason Kotecki. 30 x 24. Oil on canvas. Original is SOLD. Prints and canvas reproductions available here. In my family growing up, I was always the art guy. Today, I make a living painting pictures, telling stories and writing books. My younger brother Dan was the science guy. He now works for a cancer hospital analyzing and improving “systems,” or something structured and boring like that. I always saw us as complete opposites, which is how I think most people see art and science. Yes, my brother and I are different, but I was also decent at math and enjoyed doing experiments in chemistry class. Meanwhile, he had a pretty good drawing talent that went under the radar. Today he collects Pearl Jam posters because he appreciates the art. I was so locked in to looking at the difference between us that I never noticed the connections. Artists are thought of as free-spirited, open-ended, and subjective. Scientists are often viewed as …

How Many Licks?

- - - | written by Jason on 9/30/2018 | - - -

"How Many Licks?" by Jason Kotecki. 30 x 24. Oil on canvas. Original is SOLD. Prints and canvas reproductions available here. How many licks does it take to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop? A commercial that appeared on TV when I was a child asked that very question. It turns out that a number of folks have tried to get to the bottom of this. A group of engineering students from Purdue University built a licking machine, modeled after a human tongue, and determined that it took an average of 364 licks to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop. A chemical engineering student from the University of Michigan built his own licking machine and recorded that his required 411 licks. And a group of junior high school students ditched machines in favor of human lickers, and reported an average of 144 licks. Apparently, the world really may never know how many licks it takes to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop. I remember the first time I took my …

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The Power of Silliness

- - - | written by Jason on 9/23/2018 | - - -

"The Burger King" by Jason Kotecki. 40 x 40. Oil on canvas. Original is SOLD. Prints and canvas reproductions available here. When Kim and I are goofing off, either alone or with the kids, one of us will often challenge the other to "own it.” What this means is that we have to push away any iota of self-consciousness and fully commit to 100% concentrated silliness. When you see someone trying to act like a funny character or dance in a ridiculous way, you can tell if they are not “owning it.” You can tell they feel awkward, and that awkwardness makes you feel a little awkward, too. But if you’ve ever seen someone "own it,” it’s like they’re the only person in the room. They look patently ridiculous — way more so than the person who feels awkward being just a little silly — and they positively don’t care. That is powerful. Each of us has a line that marks how far we are willing to go in looking silly in front of others. For most of us, that line is not very far away. …