I recently did a presentation on innovation. In preparation, I asked attendees to rate themselves on a scale of 1 to 10 on how creative or innovative they considered themselves. Then, for those who didn’t rate themselves a 10 (there was only one who did), I asked them what obstacle was in their way.

A number of people judged themselves to be too practical or admitted to getting hung up analyzing the practicality of an idea.

Ah, practicality: The enemy of awesome ideas.

Many a brainstorming session has come to a screeching halt when someone suggests an idea deemed “impractical.” Progress dies as a debate emerges around whether or not an idea is practical, logical, feasible, sensible, or affordable. No more ideas are generated and everyone leaves the meeting thinking it was a giant waste of time.

Meanwhile, Adultitis takes a victory lap.

Because practical, logical, feasible, sensible, and affordable are five of Adultitis’ favorite words.

Have you ever met a five-year-old with a big idea concerned with it being practical, logical, feasible, sensible, or affordable?

Imagine a meeting in which the stakeholders of a restaurant were trying to figure out the best way to stand out in a competitive tourist market. It’s a Swedish restaurant, and the meatballs and pancakes are already top-notch. Now imagine someone raising their hand and saying, “I have an idea…why don’t we plant some grass on the roof and throw some goats up there?” 

Crickets. 🦗

Except that’s exactly what Al Johnson’s in Door County, Wisconsin did. It’s quite the sight when you see the bright green roof driving down the street. People regularly gather on the sidewalk to gawk and take pictures of the goats (even though there are probably fenced-in goat paddocks less than a mile away, sans the tourists). It’s one of the top three things people share with others after their Door County vacation. And the place is always packed.

But I’m certain it didn’t come about via a staff-wide brainstorming session on a Monday morning. Because it never would have passed muster as practical, logical, feasible, sensible, or affordable.

The best ideas rarely are…at first.

Why bother building a horseless carriage that runs on gasoline when there is nowhere to drive it and no such thing as gas stations?

What idiot would suggest color as a way to sell more computers, when it has absolutely no impact on more important qualities like speed, power, storage capacity, or price?

Or consider the feedback a Yale University professor gave to Fred Smith on a paper he wrote proposing a reliable overnight delivery service: “The concept is interesting and well-formed, but in order to earn better than a ‘C,’ the idea must be feasible.” 

Hmm, there’s one of Adultitis’ favorite words again: Feasible.

Unfeasibly, Fred Smith went on to found Federal Express.

Here’s an interesting point: The professor was right. In order for FedEx to succeed as an actual business, it did have to be feasible. The professor just didn’t have the capacity to see how it could be. Fred did and eventually figured out a way to make it so.

Steve Jobs used color to make the original iMac computers look like fun, candy-coated objects of desire, and their great success turned the tide from Apple as a failing brand to a global behemoth.

Time and time again, success comes to those who embrace counter-intuitive ideas, exploit the blindspots of experts, and break rules that don’t exist. When the crazy idea works, it suddenly looks like a foregone conclusion in hindsight.

I assure you that grass and goats didn’t seem like an obvious move at the time.

And that first horseless carriage, later known as a car, wasn’t anything close to practical, logical, feasible, sensible, or affordable…at first.

These qualities are important, eventually. Practicality and logic are superpowers. But they should not be dictators. Please don’t let them kill your ideas before they’ve had a chance to get off the ground.

And maybe even onto the roof. 🐐

I turn 40 this year. I’ve accomplished a lot in forty years, but I’ve ended too many of the past few regretful that I didn’t make more art.

Part of the reason is because it feels too self-indulgent; to spend more time on something I enjoy so much can’t possibly be considered “work,” right? Meanwhile, because we never experienced much financial success in our early efforts to promote “Kim & Jason,” I’ve believed the lie that my art is not valuable enough to be a viable business option. And so I’ve distracted myself with other more “worthwhile” businessy pursuits.

When I’m making art, all seems right with the world. I’m tired of resisting my soul’s urge to make more of it. And I’m tired of coming to the end of the year wishing I’d spent more time in the studio.

That ends in 2016.

Kim and I have committed to setting aside one day a week as a Studio Day, no matter what. One whole day, at home, in the studio, making art. No email, no office tasks, no interviews, no speaking engagements, no side projects. Only art.

My goal is simple: to create 100 new pieces by the end of 2016. (I made 29 original pieces in 2015.)

I don’t have anything particular I’m hoping to achieve, but I do suspect many good and surprising things will come of this quest. It’s kind of like saying that tomorrow I’m going to leave my house and walk west for 100 days in a row. I’m not sure where I’ll end up, but it’s sure to be an adventure that ends with me (and my art) being different (and hopefully better). I have relished the idea that perhaps piece #76 is the one that will break through and change everything (whatever that means), but I have to make 75 to get there. I really don’t know. And that’s the point.

This is the manifestation of something I’ve been toying with for quite some time, something I call a Tinker Project.

A Tinker Project is a playful endeavor of any size or scope that gives you permission to experiment with something that’s been tugging at your soul, without regard to any particular outcome. It’s a chance to chase your curiosity and try something new. It’s about venturing into the unknown, just because, where the act of exploration is reward enough.

Your Tinker Project might be to take a picture every day on a morning walk, not to become a National Geographic photographer, but just to release a creative side of yourself that has been dormant for too long.

Your Tinker Project might be to take a six-week ballroom dancing class, not to avoid embarrassing yourself at your wedding reception, but just because it might be fun.

A Tinker Project may produce some productive, practical and perhaps even profitable benefits, but that’s not its purpose. In adulthood, our heart often takes a back seat to our head, with it’s incessant need for reason and fear of failure or looking stupid.

A Tinker Project is about trusting that sometimes, your heart has reasons for doing things that take awhile for your head to understand.

So my Tinker Project is to make 100 new pieces of artwork in 2016. Like I said, I don’t know what will come of it, but I do know this: when I get to the end of 2016, for the first time in a long time, I won’t be wondering what would’ve happened if I actually committed myself to making more art.

If you’re interested, you can follow along on Facebook, Instagram or Tumblr. But I really hope you’ll be inspired to start a Tinker Project of your own. If so, I’d love to hear how it goes. Use the hashtag #TinkerProject to share it with the rest of us.

Let’s do this.

Are we afraid of curiosity because of what it (supposedly) did to the cat?

I’m searching for a reason to explain why kids are insatiably curious, while adults tend to grow less so over time. We’re conditioned in school to believe there is only one right answer and everything else is wrong. But that’s not really true in the real world, is it? For example, what’s the correct way to raise a kid? To find a job? To make dinner? To propose to your sweetheart? To host a wedding? To be a good parent?

There are a lot of right answers to those questions.

The beginning of a new year is a popular time to infuse your story with more excitement, purpose, and joy. I submit that a great way to do that is by practicing the habit of curiosity. If you made a resolution to ask more questions this year, I guarantee that your story will soar to new heights. Here are twenty to get you started:

1. What if I tried something new on the menu?
2. What if I applied for that position?
3. What if I woke up half an hour earlier?
4. What if I stopped watching the news before bed?
5. What would happen if I gave TV up for a month?
6. What if I started dating my spouse again?
7. What if I started going to church again?
8. What’s something I really need to let go of?
9. What’s one thing we can do to have more fun at the office?
10. How can I be a better spouse/partner/friend?
11. What three things do I want to teach my kids?
12. What’s my perfect day?
13. What small step can I take to experience my perfect day more often?
14. What are five activities that I’m too scared to do?
15. Who are five people that I really should reconnect with?
16. Who can I help out today?
17. Where am I thinking too small?
18. Is my calendar packed with stuff that really matters
19. When do I feel most alive?
20. Where do I most want to see change in the world?

And one more for good measure: What would happen if I took the time to actually answer all twenty of these questions?

Get curious. See where it leads.

What question would you add to this list?

[ About the Art: I’m pretty sure I’ve never drawn a cat before this one. Thankfully, the internet is like 87% cat photos, so I had a lot of reference to choose from. I think it turned out pretty good. I’m not sure where that long red string of yarn leads, but I’m just as curious to see what’s on the other end as the cat. I love the mystery that it gives this piece. (Buy the print!) ]

Sometimes you just don’t know until you do it.

A few years ago, on this very blog, I shared in one of those cheesy and ever-popular “5 Things You May Not Know About Me” posts that I was growing my hair out to model after a male musician, Phil Joel.

Always being a middle to short-haired gal, this was a big deal in my corner of the universe. Four years passed and my hair was fun… until Lucy came around. I found myself unable to realistically spend 20 minutes styling, curling and maintaining the look on a daily basis. That twenty minutes of “me time” was usually spent showering — on a good day. So, pony tails were the solution. As you can imagine, after two years of scrunchies, I found myself in quite the funk, weighed down by the boringness of the ever-easy and blah pony tail.

So, this “adventure” (my word for the year) was worth the risk.

When I was chatting it up with the hairdresser, she mentioned that it’s important for people to get a “new look” every five years. It keeps them fresh.

And fresh I feel!

As Jason and I talked about it later that night, we realized that the “five year rule” for freshness can apply to many areas of your life, not just your “look.”

What have you been doing the SAME WAY for the last five years (or more)… in your marriage, with your wardrobe, during your commute, on the weekends, with your extended family, in your morning routine, with your kids?

Take the advice of my hairdresser and spend a little time freshening up some area of your life. The joyful feelings of freedom will be an awesome payoff.

What’s something you’ve recently changed that has you feeling fresh and renewed?

One of the greatest superpowers of childhood is curiosity. And I bet there are few people who’d debate the importance of validating and fostering the curiosity in children. However, the tone often changes when that curiosity tramples our adult sensibilities. Allow me to share part of an email I received from a woman who heard me speak at a national conference:

I am a (recently) single mom. After a particularly tiring day at work, I lied down on the couch for about 1/2 an hour. When I got up, I went into the kitchen to start making dinner and noticed my 8-year-old son trying to “attach” a straw to the refrigerator water dispenser and drink from it. He was soaked and the floor was very wet. My immediate reaction was to yell at him to stop (“Don’t you know how hard I work–this just makes more for me to clean…etc.”). But before I did, I took a second and thought to myself, “He is having so much fun–it’s just water and as long as it gets cleaned up, what’s the harm?”

So, instead of yelling, I laughed along with him and just asked him to dry the floor when he was done playing. I don’t think I would have done this had I not heard you speak. We both got a good laugh out of it and turned what could have ended up in tears into a happy memory–thanks!

While it’s kind of her to give me so much credit, she deserves the REAL praise, because coming to the conclusion she did in the heat of the moment is really, really hard. Adultitis rules our thoughts more than we’d like to think, and it despises when we step back to look at the bigger picture to put things in perspective.

While a wet floor is not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, it’s also not an ideal situation either. But what would have happened had this mother scolded her son? As she herself states, tears probably would have followed, and it’s safe to say that he’d be less likely to follow through on his curiosity in the future.

And the victory of a cleaner, trouble-free household becomes a potential defeat for the whole world.

Sound crazy?

I would argue that the future of our world, especially in regards to the big problems that need solving, are exclusively tied to the curiosity and creativity of our children.

The old saying goes that you can’t make an omelette without breaking a few eggs. And so it is with curiosity. As we follow our curious pursuits, we are bound to have some unfavorable experiences. But if a person is shot down too often after such experiences, he will refrain from taking risks and his curiosity will die.

So by all means, encourage the curiosity in your children, grandchildren, and even yourself. But try not to get too riled up when that curiosity leads to some unintended negative consequences. Take a few seconds, some deep breaths, and step back to consider whether or not it’s really THAT big of a deal.

Perhaps it’s an opportunity to welcome more laughter into your life while contributing to a positive future for the whole world.

Curiouser things have happened.

Learn more about bringing Jason in to your organization to help them turn stress into laughter, rejuvenate their passion, and achieve work life balance.

Most business cards are, frankly, forgettable.

Why? Because they all look the same. They blend in.

You see, when business cards are born, the first thing their creators likely consider is, “What do business cards look like?” Of course, this question is asked and answered on a subconscious level. It doesn’t have be voiced or heavily belabored because everyone already knows what a business card looks like. It’s a 3.5″ x 2″ paper rectangle with somebody’s name, place of employment, and contact information printed on it. The designer’s job is to make it “stand out” by cleverly mixing up the paper stock, colors, graphics, and fonts.

But what is a business card, really? Isn’t it just a tangible object that you can give to a prospective customer so they (or their friend) can contact you if they need what you (or your company) sells? Obviously, the more memorable this object is, the better, as making a lasting impression is always better than being instantly forgotten.

You’ll notice that nowhere in the above definition is any mention of shape, size, or type of material. The common conventions listed above — it must be 3.5″ x 2″ — are rules that don’t exist.

If a child were tasked with the job of designing a business card, the results would be much different. (Paper is too flat — let’s make it out of LEGOs!) Kids aren’t tied down by what a business card is supposed to look like, so they have a greater chance of breaking the “rules” and coming up with something truly remarkable and — gasp! — more effective. The images accompanying this post are all business “cards” designed by people with a very childlike mindset. (See more here.)

If you don’t happen to be a graphic designer, you might be thinking to yourself, “This is all well and good, Jason, but what does this have to do with ME?”

Everything.

Whether you are a stay-at-home mom, a recent graduate looking for a job, a project manager, or a retired accountant, you are living by a set of rules that don’t exist. But don’t feel bad, because it’s normal. You operate much of your life on auto-pilot. Normally, this is a good thing, as it makes things more efficient. You don’t have to waste time every day wondering, “How do I get to work?”

But one disadvantage is that you lack a beginner’s mind. Like a business card designer, you are subconsciously operating with a stock answer to the question, “What is this supposed to look like?”

What is my daily routine supposed to look like?
What is my resumé supposed to look like?
What is our conference room supposed to look like?
What are my retirement years supposed to look like?

If I asked you a similar question about an aspect of your life, you’d probably have a certain set of conditions — or rules — from which you’d automatically begin. From there, like a designer adjusting fonts and colors, you make certain adjustments based on your own preferences, priorities and passion. Perhaps you’d batch your errands, print your resume on fancier paper, paint the conference room walls, or spend a little more time volunteering in your down time.

The tweaks and adjustments are fine, but my challenge to you is: what if you took a step back and blew up your answer to the first question? What if you blew up the rules that don’t exist?

Where is it written that a mother’s job is to endlessly chauffeur her kids to practices, games, and recitals every day of the week?

Why do we assume that resumés need to be printed on paper and be formatted according to common conventions?

It it always necessary for conference rooms to look so similar? Do they even need to be on-site, or even inside?

Who ever said that retirement can’t be used to launch an even more ambitious, passion-filled project that makes a bigger difference than anything you ever did while you were “working?”

Here’s the deal. You have a lot more control of you life than you probably realize. Your life can be less stressful, more fulfilling, more productive and more fun…today. Believe me or not, but it’s true. The trick is to spend some time questioning your assumptions.

Right now, at this moment, ask yourself this question:

What is my life supposed to look like?

Now let me ask you:

Really? Says who?

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I’m certain the little jet setter has cried more times in the last four weeks than she did in her first seven months of life — and 95% of it is all her own doing. (I’ll chalk the remaining 5% up to her footie pajamas that make the kitchen floors more slippery and treacherous.) Curiosity is what drives her. She’s always looking around, exploring, and discovering new things. In her quest to inspect every square millimeter of our home, she regularly bonks her head or falls down. There’s almost a rhythm to it: first you hear a thud, a short beat of silence, and then the high-pitched screams of death that last about three-and-a-half minutes.

Shy of getting her a custom-fitted foam suit and wrapping our furniture in bubble wrap, there’s not much we can do.

What’s fascinating to me is that the bumps and bruises don’t deter her from her explorations. She doesn’t shy back from discovering something new just because she’s taken a few falls. After recollecting herself — and getting a few healing kisses from Mom or Dad — she’s back on a mission to move forward.

It’s an interesting contrast to us adults. When we experience a few setbacks, we’re ready to pack it in. We allow the journey to beat us.

Even worse, many of us won’t even start out, for fear that danger will greet us and we might fail. Or look stupid. Or both.

So we sit on the sidelines with our safety as certain as the fact that life is passing us by.

For Lucy, the desire to see new things and make new strides is so powerful, a few knocks on the head will not keep her down.

What if you could become that bold again? What would you experience? What could you accomplish?

The other night I was sitting in the backyard with my daughter Lucy. We were watching fireflies, aka lightning bugs. I tried catching one so she could see one up close, but chasing down a firefly in the dark with one hand while holding a baby in the other proved trickier than expected.

Deciding to just take in the scene, we sat on the deck and watched them go about their evening routine. Questions started popping into my head. What makes them glow? What purpose does the glowing serve, anyway? And where do they go during the day? After putting Lucy to bed, I decided I was going to do a little research online. After only about 10 minutes of web surfing, uncovered these interesting facts:

• Lightning bugs are actually a type of beetle. A ridiculously awesome flying and glowing beetle.
• The glowing is used as an attraction strategy in the mating process. So when your backyard is lit up by a bunch of lightning bugs, it means they’ve turned it into a nightclub.
• The insects are able to glow when they take in oxygen and, inside special cells, combine it with a substance called luciferin to produce light referred to as bioluminescence. (I want that!)
• Amazingly, almost 100% of the firefly’s light is given off as light. By comparison, a normal electric lightbulb gives off only 10% of its energy as light, while 90% is wasted as heat.
• Fireflies are nocturnal, so during the day, they’re sleeping.
• For some unknown reason, fireflies that glow are typically not found west of Kansas.
• They only live for about two months. (Which doesn’t make me feel so bad about scraping them along the sidewalk to create a flourescent smear when I was a kid.)*

Now, I believe there are three types of people in the world:

1) People who can sit in their backyard watching fireflies and never once wonder anything about them. These people are ridden with Adultitis. Their childlike curiosity apparently leaked out of their ear while they were sleeping one night while happily dreaming about filling out tax forms.

2) People who can sit in their backyard watching fireflies, have a few questions pop in their head, and do nothing about it. This is where the majority of people live. They have questions but don’t pursue any answers because they’re too busy, get distracted by something else, or rationalize that the answer has no bearing on their life whatsoever and conclude that it’s not worth the effort.

3) People who can sit in their backyard watching fireflies, have a few questions pop in their head, and go get answers. This is the Adultitis-free crowd. These are the folks who follow the example of children, who ask questions until they find an answer. In this particular example, I happen to fit here, but I must admit that I find myself in group number two way too often.

In our goal-driven, achievement-oriented society, we get caught up in the thinking that everything we do has to serve some practical end. But every aspect of our lives doesn’t have to be a step in some larger objective. And just because something is urgent doesn’t necessarily mean it’s important.

When we only follow the well-traveled freeways leading to known destinations, sometimes we find ourselves at a dead end.

When we don’t ever venture down the little side paths of life, the ones that don’t seem to lead anywhere particularly important, we run the risk of missing out on some wonderful experiences. Maybe they’ll lead to an innovative breakthrough on a problem we’ve been struggling to solve, or maybe they just enrich our lives with a new level of understanding and appreciation. Sometimes they lead us closer to God.

When you have a question, don’t stop there. Pursue the answers, no matter how insignificant they may seem. You never know what you might learn or where you’ll be led in the process.

*Lightning Bug Sources: Firefly Files, Backyard Nature, Bioluminescence Web Page, National Geographic.

Last summer, we had a chance to tour a real live Oscar Mayer Wienermobile. (You can watch it here.) The fun-loving people who drive the Wienermobile are called Hotdoggers. They criss-cross the country, looking for bridges that are high enough to drive under so they don’t get their bun stuck. The guys and gals have a collective blog which features pictures of the inside of the Wienermobile and stories about what it’s like driving a giant hot dog down the highway.

Becoming an real live Hotdogger is quite the longshot, but reading the blog is a great way to escape adulthood and live vicariously through their experience.

Meanwhile, if you see the Wienermobile whistling down the highway the next time you’re driving, here are the top five ways to say “Hi” (Brought to you by actual Hotdogger Lunch Luvin’ Larisa):

1. The Standard Wave
On our way to Wyoming there was a traffic jam lining the opposite side of the highway. The traffic went on for miles and miles. To cheer everyone up we decided to slide open our windows and wave. Even though everyone was miserable while waiting in the traffic we counted 47 waves in about a 5 mile spread. Talk about spreading miles of smiles!

2. The Rock Fist
The rock fist is a favorite among bikers. When on the road we, Hotdoggers, have an understanding with the bikers and truckers. There are times when it is only the three of us on the road so receiving the rock fist from a biker is a proud moment for us. It’s our little way to connect with our fellow long distance hotdog highway travelers. Rock on!

3. The Peace Sign
Surprisingly we get the peace sign a lot on the road, but when we do they always manage to come as a surprise. We are usually expecting a wave, a point or the hard-core rock fist so when the peace sign is shown by admirers it’s really, ummmm….peaceful!

4. The “Oh, my gosh!” Point
Definitely a favorite, the “Oh, my gosh!” point captures a moment of pure shock and disbelief that a 27-foot-long hot dog is cruising past. It is also a moment for Hotdoggers to realize, I’m driving a huge hot dog on wheels! Believe it or not driving the Wienermobile starts to feel normal, well until you receive the “Oh, my gosh!” point!

5. The Salute
This was saved for last because the salute is a rare occurrence. In our 10 weeks on the road we have only experienced it twice. It is quite the honor. The first time it happened we were at a red light in Lexington, KY. All of a sudden someone popped out of the sunroof, stood tall, and gave us the salute. What an honor. We saluted back, of course!

Side note: Hotdoggers also like to do all of the following to passers-by! So make sure you check and see if we are waving, rock fisting, pointing, or saluting in your direction!

Something I loved about teaching kindergarten was the genuine openness and enthusiasm the kids had for learning something new. I would joke with Jason after school that I was really more like a salesperson than a teacher (good practice for our business, I guess). Working with kids is all about “selling it.” Or, as O’Reilly would cringe at “spinning it.” For instance, if I had a math lesson to teach them about greater than and less than (riveting content!), instead of telling them that we were going to have a math lesson, I would ask them if they’d all like to play a game. They would inevitably yell, “YEAH!” Then, I would proceed to turn the math “lesson” into a game… in which monsters were eating garbage… which gave us a chance to talk about the number of things the monsters ate (greater than and less than). It was a fun challenge! Who doesn’t like to talk about garbage eating monsters?

One of the perks about being a grown-up is that you aren’t stuck in a classroom, being forced to learn the objectives that happen to be on the lesson plans for the day. Nope. You are free to learn about what you are interested in. As a kid, you longed for that freedom! The question is… how often do you really take advantage of that freedom? I’m guessing many of you are admitting, “not often.” I know why… busyness. There’s just so much else to do, who has time to stop and learn something new? Between work, family, household chores and paperwork, the last thing you want at the end of the day is to have another thing on your to-do list.

The thing is, re-igniting that childlike curiosity is quite invigorating and contagious. Don’t add it to your long list, replace it with something that’s not as invigorating- like watching the box. This week we’re challenging you to take just 15 minutes to dive into a field you are clueless about. Figure something out. Discover. Be fascinated by something you learn. And most of all, make it fun… just like those eager kindergartners.

If you’re looking for a head-start, check out the site So You Wanna. It’s a great place to exercise your curiosity muscles. Share with us what you learn this week by leaving us a comment on the Escape Plan blog.

It’s so much fun to see the same reactions in grown-ups. The ever so childlike Ellen DeGeneres has found a way to keep her curiosity hopping with her regular guest, Steve Spangler. Steve is all about making learning fun and he shares simple (and outrageous!) experiments that are sure to bring out the kid in all of us. His website is a great resource for maintaining that spirit of inquiry that we had so easily when we were five.

Have a blast getting some inspiration from the science master of fun. You’re sure to get some ideas for this week’s tip.

Share with us in the comments of the Escape Plan blog what silly experiment you had fun with this week.

In the meantime, enjoy this hilarious video of Ellen and Steve. I especially loved the last minute or so when a bunch of the grown-ups were experiencing major childlike giddiness with the climax of his final experiment…

Think about the things you are surrounded by that others seem to really enjoy and ask yourself, why don’t I like it? Have I given it the ol’ college try? Trying something on 4-5 separate occasions is the key. So, have some fun trying something new this week. Remember, kids are trying new things all of the time… and just because you may have thought something was grody when you were little, doesn’t mean you will think that today… unless of course you’re a member of the Picky Eating Adults Group.

Leave a comment on the Escape Plan Blog to tell us what you tried this week. Bon Appetite!

A lesson I learned early on from my husband (boyfriend, at the time) is that the easiest way to strengthen a relationship is to ask sincere questions… then shut up and listen to the answers. Anyone who knows Jason knows that if you have more than a three minute conversation with him, you will soon be asked a question that will take the conversation to a whole new level. Questions like, “So, what’s your favorite part about your job?” or “What’s something about your profession that most people would be surprised to find out?” What probably started for reasons associated with a strong disdain for “small-talk” has evolved into a finding that people love to talk about themselves and be listened to. It sure makes interacting a lot more fun when people are enjoying themselves… and not always relying on discussions about the weather or the most recent natural disaster.

Ironically, our family members are often the ones we know the least about, simply because assumptions are made that we already know everything… like how your parents met? Where did they go on their first date or their honeymoon? Moms love sharing details about the day of your birth. Grandmas love sharing details about when your parent was a teenager. There are so many stories to be told!

Asking questions allows for the opportunity to learn and grow closer to the ones you love. Have fun making that call or visit this week. Share with us in the comments of the Escape Plan Blog what you learned by asking a simple and heartfelt question.

At a speaking gig a few weeks ago, a woman in the audience came to our table afterwards and immediately joined Club K&J. In getting to know her better, we soon realized that she had come to the right place. She shared that not too long ago she signed up for a welding class. Her eyes widened with childlike excitement as she explained further. “Ya know, the sparks, machinery… it’s all kinda like working with fireworks!” (Quick background note: her day job is in service industry with elderly people.) She said she had always wanted to try welding, so she just signed herself up… why not?! One day she shared this news with her coworker and immediately the coworker belittled her and made her feel childish for wanting to try something new, like welding- just because. The coworker suggested, “You should’ve signed up for a class to learn something useful, like gardening.” Our newbie Club K&J member exclaimed, “I don’t even LIKE gardening! Why would I do that?”

What an example for all of us. You don’t always have to have a useful motive behind your curiosity and interests. If you want to work with sparks because you think it’d be fun, then go for it. Isn’t that such Adultitis-ridden thinking… that there must be a “practical purpose” behind every action.

What a bunch of uptight baloney.

When your spirit is allowed to learn new things, then you are open to growth, which is never a bad thing. Sometimes the very best thing you can do, to increase the effectiveness in your current goals, is to get out of your element and try something completely new. Our assimilating brains make connections in ways that we often can’t predict. Maybe the thrilling act of learning to weld will, in the end, help our new friend learn life lessons that will carry over into all of the other areas of her life…. or maybe she’ll just simply have fun. Sounds like a win-win situation to me.

I double dog dare you to learn something new this week… something you WANT to learn, not something you should. Leave us a comment on the Escape Plan Blog to share what you learned in your 30 minutes.

As kids we’re natural inventors of words. Jason’s mom loves to recall how as a three and four-year-old he would talk about things “misdappearing.” I knew a lot of preschoolers in my day who loved to eat pasghetti. We are experimenting with words all of the time as kids. As grown-ups we limit ourselves because we don’t want to look dumb, risking that we might use a new word incorrectly.

The limits of my language are the limits of my mind. All I know is what I have words for. -Ludwig Wittgenstein

I’ll be the first to admit that in our relationship, Jason is definitely more of the wordsmith. The other day when I was talking with our dear friend Patty (her picture is on the right hand side of this page), she interjected an impressively big word into the mix. She told me that she was hoping to be able to use that word. She had recently subscribed to Dictionary.com’s “Word of the Day” email list. So, she is basically doing the “Mr. Smartypants” challenge everyday. What childlike fun!

The other day while browsing Barnes & Noble, I found the book “100 Words To Make You Sound Smart.” I picked it up and read a few words… ones I had definitely never heard of before. What a fun book to take this challenge to a whole new level.

So, leave your Adultitis on the curb and step out into a new adventure of words and understanding. Leave a comment on the Escape Plan blog to tell us what new word you learn this week.

Ironically, two years ago today Jason and I celebrated his 30th birthday by going to see “Curious George” in the theaters. (Yes, today’s Jason’s birthday! Woo Hoo!) That mischievous little monkey can teach us a lot about being more curious. Another animal known for curiosity is the cat.

Curiosity killed the cat, but for a while I was a suspect. – Steven Wright

I have to admit, I’ve always been more of a dog person than a cat lover. I do admire their curious nature, though. As adults we often stop asking “why” (aka the three-year-old’s favorite three letter word). Maybe we’ll look dumb if we ask, or show that we didn’t do our homework. The real danger comes when you stop asking, however.

Take a few moments to think about something you are curious about. Then… ask an expert. People LOVE to share what they are passionate about! The simple task of asking a question can bring about amazing outcomes.

Give it a try this week and share with us in the comments on the Escape Plan blog what you learned from being like George, as you annihilate the Adultitis in your life.

Happy Escaping!

It’s always sad when someone who impacted your childhood positively passes away. Obviously, parents, grandparents, teachers and coaches top the list. A loss can also be felt when a much-loved television personality (like Fred Rogers) dies. But what about the inventor of your favorite toy?

Rich Knerr, co-founder of the toy company Wham-O, died last Friday, at the age of 82. His partner, Spud Melin passed away in 2002. Their first big hit was the hula hoop, of which 100 million were sold in just two years. That sounds like the makings of a true one-hit wonder, except for the fact that the duo is also responsible for bringing us the Frisbee. And the Super Ball. And Silly String. And the Slip ‘N Slide. Are there lessons we can take away from someone whom we’ve never met, someone whose name we’ve never heard, someone who spent his life making fun things?

Yep.

The first lesson involves the concept of luck. The Wikipedia entry on Wham-O claims that after the success of the hula hoop, “they got lucky again with the Frisbee.” Luck schmuck.

You don’t create a stable of classics with just a pocketful of luck.

The Roman dramatist, philosopher, and politician Seneca said, “Luck is what happens when preparation meets opportunity.”

Starting out in the Mr. Knerr’s parents’ garage, college buddies Rich Knerr and Spud Melin did a lot of research to find ideas, which often included traveling all over the world. And since they targeted their products for children, they regularly went to playgrounds to reach them. The idea for the Frisbee came at the beach when they saw a building inspector named Fred Morrison tossing around a flying disk he’d invented that he called the Pluto Platter. Knerr and Merlin bought the invention from him, made some tweaks, and changed the name to Frisbee.

The Wham-O founders were always in the mindset of looking for the next great idea. They brainstormed, they researched, and they put themselves in places and situations that increased their chances of reaching their goal. When an opportunity presented itself, like a chance seaside encounter with a guy named Fred and his Pluto Platter, they sprung into action.

According to a New York Times obituary, Mr. Knerr attributed Wham-O’s success to an indefinable mix of serendipity (opportunity) and hard work (preparation). “It took us nearly two years to get the kinks out of the SuperBall before we produced it,” he said in an interview with Popular Science in 1966.

The other lesson to be learned is that fun doesn’t have to be expensive, and it doesn’t have to come at the expense of others. The hula hoop originally sold for 98 cents. A far cry from the several hundred dollars needed to own one of today’s hot video game systems. Or animatronic talking stuffed bears. On the subject of what passes for fun these days, bestselling author and newspaper columnist Mitch Albom made this great observation:

Today, kids’ fun has to be at someone’s expense. Blowing up your opponent is fun. Clobbering your friend in Madden football is fun. Insulting people on MySpace or laughing at a geek on YouTube is fun. You don’t see kid “crazes” anymore — the way SuperBalls or yo-yos were crazes. Today, a kid craze is cell phones or PlayStations. Today, the idea of bouncing a ball seems so incredibly lame, you’d wonder if the kid doing it had problems.

But that’s the thing. We didn’t have problems. Not like they have today. We didn’t dream of torching the school, having sex with our teachers or getting back at enemies by destroying their reputation in cyberspace.

I can’t help but wonder what the world would look like if our sense of fun looked more like it did when hula hoops and frisbees were the must-have Christmas gifts. Is it too simplistic to believe that some of today’s problems have been caused by losing our way in how we have fun?

There’s a pretty good chance you’ve never even heard of Rich Knerr or Spud Melin before today. I hadn’t. Fortunately for us, we’ve been left the fun stuff they created while they lived. But let us not lose sight of the lessons their lives and work taught us: Success has more to do with a strong curiosity and hard work than it does with “luck,” and fun doesn’t need to be expensive or come at the expense of others.

My friend Marilyn sent me a list entitled, “Angels Explained By Children.” With the Hollywood writers’ strike going on, maybe producers should just hire kids; the stuff they come up with is often funnier than the pros.

The cool thing is that most of the times kids say something funny, they’re not trying to be.

It’s not easy to become an angel! First, you die. Then you go to Heaven, and then there’s still the flight training to go through. And then you got to agree to wear those angel clothes.
–Matthew, 9

Every time hear or read something funny said by a child, I am reminded by how differently they see the world. And I wish and I strive to think that way too. Why? Well for one, children are clearly the best unintentional comedians in the world.

Angels talk all the way while they’re flying you up to heaven. The main subject is where you went wrong before you got dead.
–Daniel, 9

My guardian angel helps me with math, but he’s not much good for science.
–Henry, 8

They are the best brainstormers because they’re not afraid to look silly while proposing a hypothesis.

When an angel gets mad, he takes a deep breath and counts to ten. And when he lets out his breath, somewhere there’s a tornado.
–Reagan, 10

Angels have a lot to do and they keep very busy. If you lose a tooth, an angel comes in through your window and leaves money under your pillow. Then when it gets cold, angels go south for the winter.
–Sara, 6

And they have an innocence and other-worldly wisdom about them that helps them shed slivers of truth on the most complicated mysteries of the human experience.

Some of the angels are in charge of helping heal sick animals and pets. And if they don’t make the animals get better, they help the child get over it.
–Vicki, 8

My angel is my grandma who died last year. She got a big head start on helping me while she was still down here on earth.
–Lynn, 9

Part of what makes the stuff that comes out of the mouths of babes funny is their limited access to facts. Sometimes I think we could benefit from the same “disadvantage.” How great would it be if, from time to time, we could unlearn what we already know? It’s impossible to calculate how many more breakthroughs we’d see. Because they don’t have all the “facts” suggesting that something can’t be done, kids are more likely to come up with new solutions to old “unsolvable” problems. Just think: how would politics look (or our schools, our health care system, etc.) if people who proposed solutions weren’t drowned out by hordes of status quo fact police saying something can’t be done?

If you want to accomplish anything of significance, you’re going to need to look at things in a new way — with the preposterous curiosity of a child. And you’ll need to prepare yourself for the inevitable onslaught of naysayers.

After all, despite the skepticism of billions of people that came before them, Orville and Wilbur Wright had the audacity to believe that man could fly. What a silly proposition that was.

All angels are girls because they gotta wear dresses and boys didn’t go for it.
–Antonio, 9