Small Rebellions

Adultitis can’t be taken down by government legislation, well-financed corporations, or an army of powerful tanks. Its only weakness is ordinary people instilled with the soaring spirit of childhood who rally against the rules that don’t exist and engages in ruthless, senseless acts of silliness. We call these actions small rebellions. They may be small but they are also mighty. They undermine the slavery of Adultitis and its unadventurous version of adulthood, and they have the power to change the world.

- - - | written by Jason on 12/11/2016 | - - -

Mom Gives Adult Children Unusual Christmas Gifts

I met a fifty-something-year-old guy after my presentation at a conference in Minnesota earlier this year. He told me, "My mom believed that her kids should always get a toy from her for Christmas, no matter how..." I expected him to finish the sentence with, “...no matter how poor we were.” But he surprised me instead with, “...no matter how old we are.” To this day, along with other gifts, she still gets each of her adult children a toy for Christmas. I wish she would have been there, for I would have liked to give her a hug. It takes a wise woman to know that no matter how old …

- - - | written by Jason on 10/4/2014 | - - -

Country Club Chef Serves Slice of Childhood with a Side of Awesomesauce

It can be easy to think of country clubs as the sort of places where Adultitis might like to hang out. Granted, it’s not a windowless cube farm, but it can invite a particular strain of Adultitis that implores us to take ourselves a little too seriously and make sure we don’t get our princess dress wet. But Chef Brian at the Rockford Country Club is a Champion of Childhood who’s keeping Adultitis on its toes. In celebration of back to school season, Brian created a menu that put some epicurean twists on old childhood favorites, a “culinary homage to cafeteria classics.” Here are some of the …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/27/2014 | - - -

Thou Shalt Not Send Thyself Flowers

My friend Jeanne recently turned forty. By her own estimation, her life is wonderful and filled with love. But she admitted that it didn’t seem that long ago when she thought that one of the worst things in life would be to still be single at twenty-five. No way could she imagine still being single at thirty-five. That would be HORRIBLE! And now here she was, tentatively peeking her nose out from under the covers as she awoke, still single, on the first morning of the start of her fifth decade. Although weary of the feeling that would welcome her, she was pleasantly surprised to report …

- - - | written by Jason on 9/5/2014 | - - -

Adventures in Paying it Backward

Last weekend, on our way out of town for a family reunion, we had a chance to participate in Small Rebellion #9: Pay It Backward. We pulled in to the McDonald's drive-thru for some road mochas. When I rolled up to the window to pay, I told the girl that I also wanted to pay for the person behind me. Her face lit up. "Really?" she asked. I confirmed our request, and a minute later, she came back to the window. "I just wanted to make sure," she began. "Their order is over $20...are you still okay with paying for it?" "Sure!" I replied. After we got our coffees, I drove off before I …

- - - | written by Jason on 8/29/2014 | - - -

Small Rebellion #9: Pay It Backward

Imagine placing an order at a drive-thru restaurant. (And yes, you definitely want fries with that.) You pull up to the window and begin digging out some cash only to learn from the store employee that the person ahead of you already paid for your meal. Wouldn’t that make you feel amazing? If you were having a bad day up until that point, what are the odds that your mood changes? This concept is known as “paying it backward.” It’s similar to “paying it forward,” which is the expression for describing when the beneficiary of a good deed repays it to someone else instead of the original …

- - - | written by Jason on 5/31/2014 | - - -

The Day I Lost My Coffee Virginity

I approached the bandana-wearing barista and bared my soul. “I have a confession to make,” I started. "I am a coffee virgin. I’ve never had more than a sip my whole life.” “Uh oh,” she said. “And you came here, of all places?” The "here" she was speaking of was Anodyne Coffee. I was in Milwaukee working on the first draft for my next book. I'd heard good things about the place, and figured it would be a good spot to work. I love coffee shops, from the exotic smells to the hipster vibe. The only thing is, I don’t drink coffee. Well, I didn’t. On the twenty-minute walk from my …

- - - | written by Jason on 4/8/2014 | - - -

Dude Transforms Deck Into Pirate Ship

In January, I did a program for a big healthcare company and afterwards I met a guy named Randy who said he had a deck in his backyard that looked like a pirate ship. Naturally, my curiosity was stoked. Did it come with the house? Was it seaworthy? Was talking like a pirate required for entry? Happily for all of us, I was able to get the full story -- plus pictures! Randy and his wife bought the house in 1999 and have been throwing summer theme parties ever since. (The first one was a Hawaiian style luau, complete with pork roasts wrapped in banana leaves, placed on really hot rocks, …

- - - | written by Jason on 3/17/2014 | - - -

Small Rebellion #8: Scram Winter (aka How To Survive a Long Winter)

This year, Old Man Winter was especially diabolical. We got tired of waiting for him to leave, so we took matters into our own hands and invited others to join us in a Small Rebellion we called Scram Winter. The MISSION: Sometime between now and the last official day of winter, ignore the snowflakes and subzero temps and host a tropical party indoors! Do it with your family, some friends, or invite a whole cruise ship full of people; the only requirement is to be creative in your avoidance of the evidence of winter! Jack up the thermostat. Serve tropical drinks. Blow up some inflatable palm …

- - - | written by Jason on 2/5/2014 | - - -

Adultitis Officially Grounded at Denver Airport

I spend a lot of time in airports. Airports are like kids. They can be a CAUSE of Adultitis or they can be a CURE for Adultitis. It all depends on your approach. Sara Alvarado LOVES airports. She gets a kick out of watching all the people with Adultitis freak out over stuff that in the grand scheme of things, don't really matter. On a recent visit to the Denver Airport, Sara and her son Leo bought some silly putty and did a little redecorating to some advertisements hanging on the wall. It doesn't take much to ground Adultitis. Lucky for us, we have people like Sara to show us how …

- - - | written by Jason on 1/18/2014 | - - -

Pick Yourself

Times have changed. Back in the day, a college degree pretty much guaranteed you a decent job...somewhere. Not anymore. Paradoxically, the opportunity to chase a dream and create an amazing life have never been better. Not long ago, the gatekeepers ruled everything. They decided what music should be played, what books should be written, what art should be displayed, what news should be shared, what agendas should be pushed, what business ideas were valid, and what dreams should come true. You pretty much had to wait for someone to pick you, whether it was to to attend their university, …

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