Jason

- - - | written by Jason on 9/10/2017 | - - -

Did You Know Your Car Has This Weird Standard Feature?

"Follow No Maps" by Jason Kotecki. Made with Photoshop. Prints and other goodies featuring this image available here. I was talking to a woman after one of my speaking engagements and she told me about an unusual bug her car possessed. She explained that sometimes, while she was driving with her kids in tow, her car would suddenly take on a life of its own. There was nothing she could do to control the direction it was headed. No matter how hard she jerked the steering wheel left, if the vehicle wanted to turn right, it went right, with the kids erupting into a frenzy of excited, …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/3/2017 | - - -

What To Do When All The Leaders Stink

For the past seven years, I have had the privilege of doing a program on life balance with young leaders in the field of civil engineering. We talk a lot about the different demands that come from balancing an upwardly mobile career path with a family and other relationships. A lot of venting takes place about the "old guard” and how out of touch some of the senior parters are at some firms. It’s always a fascinating discussion that I enjoy facilitating. Leadership is an interesting thing. The leaders of your country, your boss, and those people on the school board might all very well be …

- - - | written by Jason on 8/27/2017 | - - -

Christine Fader, August 2017 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. Christine Fader is one of our newest Escape Adulthood Insiders, but she made quite a first impression. An email goes out to every new subscriber welcoming them into the tribe, making sure they got the first message, and …

- - - | written by Jason on 8/27/2017 | - - -

Too Old? Think Again.

Keith Davison lost his wife Evy to cancer after a marriage of 66 years. He admitted that he cried a lot. And the peace and quiet eventually became too overbearing. So get this: The 94-year-old installed an in-ground pool in his backyard. With a diving board. And invited the neighborhood kids to jump in. Now his home is bustling with activity as his newly adopted “grandkids” bring life and laughter into it. He admits it didn’t make economic sense to install the pool. But who can put a price tag on joy? Ninety-four-year-olds shalt not install a pool in thy backyard. #notarule If you’re …

- - - | written by Jason on 8/20/2017 | - - -

Thou Shalt Conceal Thy Wrinkles

This one’s for the ladies. Full disclosure: At last check, I am not a woman. So I cannot claim to be an expert in the things women go through. But one thing I am sympathetic to is all of the messages bombarding you about your appearance. I mean guys have the pressure to maintain six-pack abs (I’m one sixth of the way there!), but it’s nothing compared to the onslaught you face on a daily basis. Let’s take wrinkles, which are supposedly The Devil. Apparently they are something to be avoided at all costs. My wife has told me horror stories of going to parties at friends’ homes in …

- - - | written by Jason on 8/13/2017 | - - -

Resist

"Resist" by Jason Kotecki. Oil on canvas. 16x20 inches. Original available here. Some people may assume this piece was created as some sort of a political statement. Nope. Its message is much larger than that. We grow up learning how to fit in, follow rules, and conform. Conformity is the goal governments have for their citizens, factories have for their workers, and teachers have for their students. It gets you to follow the law, do the job, and fill in the little ovals on standardized tests. All without asking too many questions (or ideally, none). Unfortunately, in our …

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- - - | written by Jason on 8/9/2017 | - - -

Calling All Creative Warriors!

I recently had the great pleasure of being featured on Jeffrey Shaw's Creative Warriors podcast. It was one of the best interviews I've been a part of, mainly because Jeffrey was so well-prepared. Since he'd read my book, Penguins Can't Fly +39 Other Rules That Don't Exist, he came armed with some great questions and we were able to go much deeper, more quickly than usual. I think you'll find it to be a worthwhile listen. Among other things, we discussed... Where the rules that don't exist come from, The danger in being realistic, Why you might not want to wear clean …

- - - | written by Jason on 8/6/2017 | - - -

How to Tackle Life Like a Boss

"Like a Boss" by Jason Kotecki. Mixed media on canvas. 16x20 inches. Original and prints available here. Life can feel like a high wire act. You’re doing your best to juggle everything on your plate: your job, your family, your finances; and just when you think everything is going pretty well, you glance down and see someone whose yard looks way better than yours. How do they get those flowers to flourish like that? Or someone’s kids who are in way more activities than yours. Will my kids be less attractive to colleges? Or someone who just drove up in their new car. Should I be thinking …

- - - | written by Jason on 7/30/2017 | - - -

The Upside of Nonsense

"Invasion" by Jason Kotecki. Oil on canvas. 20x20 inches.Original and prints available here. I love macarons. I only had my first one a few years ago, but it was love at first bite. Not only am I always on the lookout for ways to get them in my belly, but I decided it was time to get them into some paintings. They’re so cute and colorful, after all, and perhaps keeping myself busy painting them would help distract me enough to keep me from eating them. I like the whimsy that comes from playing with scale; making something smaller or bigger than it would be in real life. Perhaps this …

- - - | written by Jason on 7/25/2017 | - - -

Sarah Stone Weber, July 2017 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. Sarah Stone Weber is a woman giving Adultitis a run for its money. She spreads joy everywhere she goes, and has a knack for taking ordinary circumstances and injecting them with fun and playfulness. You'd never know …

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