This week’s Escape Plan challenge (aka our Tip of the Week) is: #3: Says You: Do something that is typically seen as inappropriate for someone of your age. You've seen the movie, "Big" with Tom Hanks? (If you haven't, you need to do that before attempting this challenge.) Tom definitely sells his role as a 12-year-old stuck in an adult's body/life. The classic scene, of course, is when Tom and Robert Loggia play the big piano at the toy store. Jason got a chance to try out that same type of piano at FAO Schwarz this past week while visiting the big apple. He took off his shoes and placed …
General
9 Lessons From the Bump
As the baby bump grows bigger and the end of November seems to approach more rapidly with each day, I'm having fun reflecting on the lessons I'm learning along the way... lessons that are specific to my situation of carrying our first baby (KoJu as the RodeoClown calls him/her, "Kotecki Junior"), but these lessons can also be applied to anyone looking to live life with less stress and more fun. 1. Take care of yourself. Eat foods that are good for you, drink water, exercise regularly, breathe deep, stretch daily, sleep long enough, and make an effort to stay on an even keel. 2. Don't …
Tip of the Week: Souvenir From Childhood
This week’s Escape Plan challenge (aka our Tip of the Week) is: #4 Souvenir From Childhood: Add something childlike (not necessarily childish) to your workspace or home. Souvenirs are so childlike, aren't they? The concept of picking out a momento... a keepsake that will help you remember the best parts of your journey. What about the journey of childhood? What were the best parts that you want to remember? So quickly we forget. If you could go to a gift shop filled with items exclusively representing your childhood, what would you find? …
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Tip of the Week: Mad Scientist
This week’s Escape Plan challenge (aka our Tip of the Week) is: #5 Mad Scientist: Become a scientist. Conduct a silly experiment. When I was teaching, it never failed that the kids showed excessive amounts of enthusiasm and interest on the days we were conducting science experiments. There's something about tapping into that natural childlike curiosity that ignites whole new levels of childlike passion. It's so much fun to see the same reactions in grown-ups. The ever so childlike Ellen DeGeneres has found a way to keep her curiosity hopping with her regular guest, Steve Spangler. Steve …
Age, Attitude, and Adultitis
Jason loves to surprise me. One day a few weeks ago while I was on a walk with a friend, he busily scurried around to paint the nursery, then he patiently waited for me to go in there and notice, which was about 10 hours of waiting! (I would never have been able to wait that long!) Another morning, after talking the day before about the fact that Coldplay was coming to Chicago, he surprised me by sharing that he got us two tickets. (WOO HOO!) His love of surprises is a very childlike trait! And it's sure fun to be on the receiving end. The concert, Coldplay's Viva La Vida Tour, was this …
Tip of the Week: Rebel With a Cause
This week’s Escape Plan challenge (aka our Tip of the Week) is #9: Rebel With a Cause: Do one thing today to support a cause or issue you really care about. Do you have a cause that tugs at your heart strings so much that it will bring you to tears (or close to it) in the matter of seconds? Whatever that cause or issue is, I hope you're taking the time to share your gifts and talents in support of it. In the spirit of this week's tip, I'm going to do the challenge, myself, by sharing with you about something cool happening this week, on a TV near you! …
Eating Ice Cream for a Living
It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it. Our friend Brett continues on his quest to interview people who are passionate about their jobs. He recently posted a video featuring Ray Karam who has one of the most demanding and difficult jobs for Coldstone Creamery. He's the Senior Tastemaster. His job is to taste, innovate, and create new flavors of ice cream. He gets paid to eat ice cream. Every. Single. Day. …
Tip of the Week: You’re Not The Boss of Me
This week’s Escape Plan challenge (aka our Tip of the Week) is: #11: You're Not The Boss of Me: Do something your parents would never let you do as a child. I was convinced my mom and dad were the strictest parental units on the block. They never let me do anything... or so I thought. Looking back I realize just how distorted my perspective was. Attempting to keep me alive in and one piece into adulthood, their rules were mainly about safety and respect. (Thanks Mom and Dad!) So, this challenge continues to stump me from time to time. A few weeks ago a woman named Cheri left a comment on …
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The Monet Vacation
It's that time of year... summer vacation. "FINALLY!", the Wisconsin kids are exclaiming, after having to make up a few snow days here in June. Never fun! Rumors abound that vacations will be down this year due to the gas prices. (Debbie Downer Alert!) P.T. Barnum (yes the guy from that little thing known as the greatest show on earth) proved in his day was that even in a period as tough as the Great Depression, people will spend their last nickel on FUN. Everyone needs a break... an escape... a vacation of sorts. That doesn't mean you have to fly down to Disney or go surfing in Hawaii. It …
an interview with…Peggy Willenberg
(This is an excerpt of an interview from the Kim & Jason magazine with Peggy Willenberg, who is one half of the duo known as “The Twister Sisters.” Peggy and her friend Melanie Metz started chasing twisters together in 2001. They’ve been involved with two documentaries for The National Geographic Channel, and enjoyed their own series on WE TV.) Kim & Jason: How did you and Melanie meet and how did you become known as the Twister Sisters? Peggy: We actually met twice. The first time, Mel attended a Skywarn class I was instructing. It was my first time to present a class and I …