Being the youngest, I often had the experience of an only child. With my next oldest sister two years ahead of me in school I had two years, when I was three and four-years-old, where I had the house to myself (me and my mom, that is). As I mentioned in December, Mr Rogers became a dear friend of mine, along with the smiling faces and furry friends on Sesame Street. I felt like I had a whole bunch of friends- Mr. Hooper, Bob, Gordon, Susan, Luis, Maria. Not to mention the even sillier ones like Big Bird, Mr. Snuffleupagus, The Count, and Oscar the Grouch. Sesame Street was simply a part of …
Kim's Random Musings
Today is a Gift
One of the topics we hit on in our speaking programs is fear. Fear is a major obstacle to living an Adultitis-free life. Grown-ups sure have an easy time maxing out their daily quota of worry and fear. Our imaginations instantly create the worst case scenario, rarely leaving time for what's likely to happen, or even what the best case may be. Here's the truth... fear is paralyzing - mentally, spiritually, and physically. It fills our head, heart and body with unnecessary tension preventing chemicals and hormones from working properly... leading to a bunch of health issues that are not good. …
Tip of the Week: This Little Light of Mine
This week’s Escape Plan challenge (aka our Tip of the Week) is #22: This Little Light of Mine: Do something to make the world a better place. When it comes to helping make the world a better place, there are lots of options here in Madison. Supposedly Wisconsin's capital has more nonprofit organizations per capita than any other city in the nation. That's pretty darn cool. "The greatest exercise for the human heart is to reach down and lift someone up." I heard this quote in a powerful interview on CNN recently highlighting Jon Huntsman, a self-made billionaire who is spending his …
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Exercising in the Cold, Plan B
As many of you know from the watching the big Packers vs. Giants game last Sunday, it's freakin' cold here in WI. I've resorted to Plan B for my daily exercise. If you remember Plan A consisted of piling on layers like everyone's favorite kid brother, Randy, and sucking it up for my daily walk. I've made the executive decision that losing sections of my face to frostbite is not my idea of a good time. I am thrilled to share my new exercise routine. Necessity is truly the mother of all invention. (Thanks to Libby and Shirley for the inspiration!) It's called... The Charlie Brown Dance …
Adultitis Fighting Tip: More Time
Innovative sites like Lifehacker and LifeTipsDaily try. Respected authors like Stephen Covey, Timothy Ferris, and David Allen continue to give it their best shot. No one has successfully managed to add more time to our daily ration of 1,440 minutes a day. Until NOW. I am excited to share that there are now more than 24 hours in a single day. Woo Hoo! You can thank the striking folks from the WGA (Writer's Guild of America). Yep, since the strike started on November 5th, they have added hours to our week. In our household, we've received six additional hours a week, which adds up to be …
Gifts With Meaning
Ever notice how kids can often be the best gift givers? We trudge through malls, search countless online stores, and still miss that perfect gift that says it all. When I was five my dad piled us four girls (known to others as the K-Mart sisters because we all start with K) into our station wagon and headed off to K-Mart, ironically, a few days before Christmas to pick something out for my mom. I knew exactly what to get. No hesitation. I had heard her mention recently that we needed more straws... yes straws. Looking back on it, she was probably just mentioning it out-loud for her mental …
Christmas Lessons
Two great Christmas movies, one important lesson... Childlike vs. Childish [tags]Elf, Christmas Vacation, Cousin Eddy, childlike, childish[/tags] …
Shrimp, Snowflakes, and Silliness
When I was little every year for my birthday our family would end up at ShowBiz Pizza, "Where everyone can be a kid." There was never a truer statement. I remember waiting in the ski ball line behind many a grown-up. That place was an experience... the "gourmet" pizza, the dazzling animatronic performers singing their imaginary hearts out, and don't get me started on my favorite games (air hockey) and top notch prizes. It was heaven! I was reminded of our family tradition the other night when my best friend Jaimie and I ventured out to Ginza of Tokyo for her birthday dinner. Little did I …
My Favorite Neighbor
I recently bought this shirt, "Mr. Rogers Makes Me Happy." I love wearing it! I grew up watching Mr. Rogers every morning. I remember waving sadly to my sister Kristy (two years older) as she would walk down our long paved driveway to catch the bus every afternoon to kindergarten. The best "distraction" for my disappointment about losing my playmate each day was this gentle and friendly neighbor. My mom would give me my "baby cup" filled with orange juice and I would take my own journey to Mr. Roger's Neighborhood. …
Fuzzy Memories
Jason and I have been doing lots of interviews regarding our 12 Days of Wishmas festivities, which starts this Saturday already! (Are the weeks flying by for you too?) It's been fun sharing about all of the childlike activities we have planned, things like building gingerbread houses, making paper snowflakes, and decorating cookies. One of the radio hosts made the point that it's neat to be able to help kids, while renewing that kid within. Amen to that! One of the best questions has been, "What's your favorite holiday memory from childhood?" My answer brought an instant smile to my face. …