This is the first year in quite some time that Jason and I have been able to put up a Christmas tree. Having the business grow slow and steady over the last eight years, we were able to manage cash flow a lot easier while working out of our home, which wasn't always easy on the life balance side of things. Looking back I think the experience forced us to manage the balance, in order to save our sanity. One year we even had our very own Charlie Brown tree. Now that we've been in our office/retail shop for over a year, the dust has finally settled and our home has turned into a place of refuge …
General
What Did YOU Want To Be?
One of the questions that Kim and I almost always ask when we interview someone is, "When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?" Sometimes the answer to that question is the best sound byte of the whole interview. It's certainly always interesting, and it never ceases to amaze me how often it ties in to the life's work of the interviewee. Particularly the ones who are doing what they love. Our friend Brett Farmiloe is making a career out of getting people to think differently about their career paths. We interviewed him a while back (listen to it here) and when we …
Fun Family in Florida
One of my favorite Christmas movies of all time has to be A Christmas Story. Every scene seems to be a classic... the leg lamp, the tongue on the flagpole, the bunny suit at the end... constant laughter! (We actually have a special A Christmas Story themed interview coming soon for Club K&J members -- stay tuned!) One of my favorite scenes from the movie is the "mama's little piggy" scene, where Randy, Ralphie's kid brother, is encouraged by his mom to eat his mashed potatoes and meat loaf like a piggy. Hilarious!! Check it out... to save you a few minutes, the scene is found at 6:20. …
Being Great is Grand
With today being our "official" due date (no baby yet!), I thought it'd be neat to share an amazing resource for grandparents (and parents too). Even though our new little one is not the first grandchild on either side of the family, the grandparents are quite excited just the same. In fact, our baby is my Grandma's 24th great-grandchild. "The more the merrier," she says! Grandparents have the best job in the world... limited diapers, permission to spoil, and at the end of the day they go home to a peaceful house with a full night of sleep on the schedule. Plus, they have the wisdom that …
9 Things I’ve Learned From My Wife’s 9 Months of Pregnancy
1.) Pretty much everything on TV and in the movies is wrong. I know, this is a shocker. But I grew up in a household of men (except for the one that we call Mom), and have pretty much no firsthand experience with anything feminine or pregnancy-related. I have come to find out that TV shows and movies have led me horribly astray. I've learned that the water doesn't always break in a restaurant or crowded public place (in fact, 90% of the time it happens right before the end of labor.) I've learned that the entire labor process takes a lot longer than a 30-minute sitcom would have you believe. …
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Thinking Thankfulness
Thanksgiving is nine days away (which means our due date is just seven!). This time of year it's important to enter into a reflective state of gratitude and happiness. Too often Turkey Day sneaks up so quickly and is gone so fast, leaving us in a turkey coma that we awake from in panic about all that needs to be done in the short couple weeks before Christmas. Take a moment this week before the holiday to spend some time being grateful. Kids naturally know how to maintain perspective, aligning their priorities more effectively than even the most effective life coach. Their secret? Time. They …
EA #40: 10 Tips for Spicing Up Family Dinner
In this episode of the Escape Adulthood Show, brought to you from studio 315 in Madison, Wisconsin, we share 10 awesome tips for spicing up family dinners and making fun memories that will last a lifetime. We also talk about peanuts, share a poem written by a member, and give an update on our effort to crown the All-Time Greatest Childhood Food. Just click "Play" to listen to the show... …
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No More Party Poopers
As I mentioned in a recent podcast, I had a baby shower a few weeks ago with a crazily silly shower game. Woman everywhere have to admit that shower games are inherently a source for easy diagnosis of Adultitis. Those who think these games are silly and chilldish are typically silently suffering with a severe case. Those who not only enjoy the games, but want to be in charge of them, are typically Adultitis-free or at least only Stage 1. (Do you know what stage you are in? Check now!) Have you heard of this game? It involves real diapers and about five different candy bars. The …
5 Childhood Lessons to De-Stress Election Day
Today is election day. Am I the only one letting out a big sigh of relief?! It's been a stressful election season, to say the least. No matter what side of the aisle you choose, the 24 hour media cycle, combined with the extra long campaigning (starting last winter for the early January IA caucus), has brought a fair amount of stress into people's lives. A few weeks ago, Jason and I had to force ourselves to take a media sabbatical because it was consuming our thoughts and discussions. So, in an effort to celebrate democracy and freedom, while limiting stress and division this election day, …
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The Joy of Not Knowing
There is something lacking in our society today. I believe it's one of the reasons Adultitis is so rampant. These days, we are in short supply of anticipation. Remember the days when you'd use most of October to dream up and analyze myriad Halloween costume ideas before settling on the perfect one? Remember using Herculean effort to try and fall asleep on Christmas Eve, even though visions of what might be in Santa's bag made that nearly impossible? Remember fantasizing about what sort of Valentine message you'd get from the person you secretly had a crush on? Anticipation is the …