Today I had a very ironic experience. Jason and I hosted my parents this weekend. The weather was just gorgeous, so we decided a lunch down at The Pier would be great. It's a restaurant connected to The Edgewater hotel in Madison. The tables are right on the pier of Lake Mendota, Madison's largest lake. It was one of those days when you just soak in everything- the sunshine, the breeze, the conversation, the jumping fish, the ducks, the kayakers and even the families nearby (more on that soon...). As we sat under the blue and white umbrella and decided what we wanted for lunch, my mom …
General
Pro Choice
I wrote a post last August that continues to get a lot of attention and reader feedback. It's all about the phenomenon of people settling for unrewarding careers and jobs. I listed a bunch of reasons -- I call them excuses -- that people give for this interesting but overwhelmingly common condition. I proposed the idea that no one has to settle for an unrewarding, passionless work life. Not surprisingly, I was accused of being unrealistic and -- gasp -- idealistic! I normally loathe being called idealistic. Depending on the source, I consider it an insult, because normally when someone …
Eau’d to Smell
Kids have it right: life really is about the little things. The big things get our attention and may have a better publicity agent, but the little things are content to confidently sit back in the shadow. The little things know that they are what make living life so fun and truly special. It seems to me that the sense of smell is one of those little things. When people are confronted with the age-old hypothetical question of which one of the five senses would you be most willing to give up, the sense of smell is usually one of the top contenders. But the sense of smell is the one sense that …
Kim & Jason Magazine #1: Rediscovering You
We are excited to announce the launch of Kim & Jason magazine! In this issue... We'll help you to rediscover the REAL you, the one who is destined for less stress, more fun, and great things! It also features all kinds of summertime ideas for escaping adulthood, as well as a look back at the summers of your childhood. …
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This One’s for the Grads
It's graduation time again. My release date was eight years ago -- gosh how time flies! For the seniors grabbing their college diploma, it's that weird time of life where idealism mixes with reality. The ratio of the two tends to vary with each person. On one hand, you are finally on your own, and hopefully, you're at the doorstep of what you hope to be a career you've always dreamed about. On the other hand, you're feeling the pressure of actually being on your own (now the bills all come in your name!), and may be eager to jump at the first opportunity that offers you a steady paycheck …
Playing Hooky and Five Day Weekends
So Kim and I played hooky the other day. That was fun. (And no fear of a pink slip from the principal!) Did I have other stuff that "needed" to be done? You betcha. But guess what -- two days later and all of that stuff that "needed" to get done, got done. Plus, giving our brains some time off to "wander" led us to a handful of very good ideas that will benefit our business. And the best part of it all was that we got to enjoy an obscenely beautiful day by the lake. …
5 Ways to Let Adultitis Spoil Your Summer
Summer is just around the corner. If you're not careful, it can be monopolized by all kinds of outdoor activity, good food, and relaxing afternoons spent in the warm sun. Needless to say, anyone with a healthy case of Adultitis wouldn't want any of that happening! So here are five foolproof ways to make sure your summer stays sub par: 1.) Stay inside. That's right, lock the doors, bolt the windows, and jack up the air conditioner full blast. No need to risk getting swept up in any spontaneous temptations that typically occur outdoors, like cookouts, carnivals, or neighborly chitchat. 2.) …
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Playing Hooky With My Hubby
This morning I went for my morning walk and it was one of those perfect days. The temperature was in the 70's, the sky was clear, and the birds were chirping. I think it might have been the smell of fresh lilac bushes on my route that put me over the edge. I had this overwhelming urge to play hooky and enjoy the beautiful weather with my favorite guy. WI gets a bad rap for being cold in the winter, but there is no place I'd rather be in the spring. When we did the Escape Plan last year Jason and I especially enjoyed Challenge #40- Sick Of It Day. Being the last day of the 40-day journey, …
Why Kids See 20/20 But You Need Glasses
I got my first pair of glasses in eighth grade. "Oh great," I remember thinking. "Now I'm going to be one of those people." I figured the least I could do was select a style that would be cool. For some reason, I thought big brown frames with lenses the size of dinner plates fit the bill. Since then, I've gone through quite a bit of frames, including the horribly bad clear plastic cheapos that were the best of the worst in an emergency late night mall trip. I busted lots of frames over the years. I attributed it to my aggressive, living-on-the-edge lifestyle, but it probably had more to …
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Psst…I Have a Secret
Lately, much has been made of of the runaway success of The Secret. It's been pretty popular and pretty controversial. Me? I take it with a grain of salt. I do believe in the Law of Attraction, that we tend to attract the things we most often think about. (Ever notice how positive and optimistic people seem to always have things go their way, while the Debbie Downer in your office always seem to be inundated with an endless array of tragedies?) I am a little put off by the hype, however. The DaVinci Code-style trailer asserts that this "Secret" has been covered up for centuries (no, not …