I can only smile when I think about the admission made by Maria Seriego (see my previous post) and this recent comment made on this blog by Sameer Borate: Just read your Manifesto today. I’ve been suffering from Adultitis for the past 6 years (I’am 32 now). The symptoms had already started when I was 25. The surprising thing is that I knew that I was slowly morphing into some stupid, dumb adult but was unable to do nothing. …
Adultitis
Universality of Childhood
I'm happy to report that my manifesto is circulating its way through the blogosphere. Pretty cool to see that this whole "Escape Adulthood" thing is striking a nerve. My favorite mention comes from blogger Maria Sariego, who writes: I found out Sunday that I have advanced adultitis... Oh yeah ... and then there's taking the car to inspection ... and getting the fireplace flu and dryer vents cleaned (which we now have to do by Oct., per the new neighborhood association rules) ... and filling out the U.S. American Community Census Survey (for which I was lucky enough to be picked at random, …
Cramming for Kindergarten
Have you ever read something that immediately makes you feel sick to your stomach? This is how I feel right now after having read the article entitiled 'Cramming For Kindergarten,' featured recently on CBSnews.com. I think the title gives you an idea of what road I am going down. Yet another example of adults, and in this case parents passing on their Adultitis to their little ones. Tragic! The article talks about parents who have chosen to seek out tutors for their pre-schoolers, in order to help them 'be ready' for the academic demands of Kindergarten. Christine Califano, one of the …
Escape Adulthood Manifesto
A big, fat, juicy thank you to everyone who voted for my manifesto at ChangeThis.com. The happy news I have to report is that it garnered enough interest to be published on their web site. Basically, it is a summary of my book, an overview of why and how to escape this thing called "adulthood." The manifesto itself is free to download, and you can even e-mail it to your friends to pass along. If you really, really like it, a more in-depth version was printed on dead trees in book format. Read the manifesto. Spread the word. And cure Adultitis. Thank you and good night. …
Lost: Childhood
Do kids these days really get to have a childhood? Having worked in a school, I have heard first-hand the debates between schools and parents about the amount of homework children receive. I'm all for working hard and succeeding in school but why do kids have to then go home and work more? Even most adults only work eight hours a day. This really bothers me. Not to mention the high pressured high schools. These students are not even nineteen years old and they have full-blown Adultitis. Anand Vaishnav from The Boston Globe recently wrote an article entitled: 'Suburban high schools try to ease …
Disney Has Adultitis
No one is safe from Adultitis. Not even the American entertainment company that was built on, and is synonymous with, the carefree and hope-filled spirit of childhood. An essay on SaveDisney.com sheds some light on Walt Disney and his original vision for his movies and his company: "I do not make films primarily for children. I make them for the child in all of us, whether he be six or sixty...In my work I try to reach and speak to that innocence, showing it the fun and joy of living; showing it that laughter is healthy; showing it that the human species, although happily ridiculous at times, …
Love is All You Need
Many of you may know from my last post, featuring our second Escape Adulthood Podcast, that Jason and I shared our '8 Adultitis Curing Movies.' Last night Jason and I were flipping channels and got sucked into the movie 'I Am Sam.' I love this movie! This did not make our original list, but it sure fits the category. Besides enjoying some unbelievable acting by Sean Penn, Michelle Pfeiffer, and Dakota Fanning, the strong messages throughout this movie really make me think. For those of you who do not know the premise, it is a story about Sam, a mentally-challenged man, who struggles to raise …
EA #2: Adultitis-Curing Movies
In this podcast, brought to you from Madison, Wisconsin, we discuss 8 Adultitis-Curing Movies. Also, Jason talks about the zoo, and Kim has a few things to share about a recent concert they went to. Plus, we offer you another chance to win yourself an Escape Adulthood book. Listen now by clicking play below. …
Oozing Gooey Grilled Cheese
My book promises that my prescription for Adultitis doesn't require a steady diet of chicken nuggets and macaroni and cheese (I think that if kids had a hand in re-writing the food pyramid, it would probably have four food groups: chicken, macaroni, cheese, and sugar.) But I didn't say anything about grilled cheese. …
Starbucks and the Act of Deciding
When many of us think of our "job," the first word to come to mind is not often "yippee!" But did you know that as an employee, you actually have the choice about whether or not you enjoy your job? Yes, the sheer act of deciding to like your job is the first step in making your nine-to-fives (or ten-to-sixes) more enjoyable. If you're an employer, did you know that creating an atmosphere in which employees love their jobs is not only not as expensive and time consuming and touchy feely as you might think, but can also save you gobs of money in advertising as well? …