Be honest. When was the last time you read a children's book...minus the audience of a child nearby? It's been a while for me, but I can easily remember some of my favorites: The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Where the Wild Things Are, George's Marvelous Medicine, The Twits, and Where the Sidewalk Ends. True classics. My third grade teacher read the Roald Dahl books (Medicine and Twits) to us in class, and I still remember the colorful descriptions painted in words. Jen Robinson has a pretty cool blog promoting "the love of books by children and the continued reading of children's books by …
Maintain Perspective
The Conspiracy Against Childhood
". . . in all our efforts to provide "advantages" we have actually produced the busiest, most competitive, highly pressured and over-organized generation of youngsters in our history and possibly the unhappiest." Eda LeShan, US writer I couldn't agree more. If we don't get our acts together, it's going to be awfully hard to find someone twenty years from now that has a childhood worth looking back on. Shame on us. (See also Einstein on Ritalin) …
Road Trip
Last week I almost died. Or at least was pretty darn close to a hospital visit wearing one of those gowns with built-in air conditioning. Kim, Jenna (the Chief Sales Servant), and I were on our way to Milwaukee for a National Speaker's Association meeting. The conversation was light and lively. Christmas music was on the radio. As we approached a flock of cars, I tapped on the brake to slow down, and made a very alarming discovery. The cruise control would not turn off. …
Paper or Plastic?
I officially hate grocery shopping. I went this morning and I found myself moving rapidly from a calmly curable Stage 1 Adultitis (due to early morning grumpiness) to a severe case of Full-blown Adultitis. I think I would rather be sitting in a dentist chair. I know that's a bold statement, but I have pretty 'good' teeth. So, instead of dreading it every time our stomachs are growling, I am choosing to change my strategy a bit. How can I avoid the dark grumpy rain clouds that form over my head each time I am grabbing that cart? I looked online for some ideas only to be very disappointed. …
Birthday Blues
I ran across this blog today entitled "Tomorrow is Another Day" by a woman in Japan who goes by "Middle-Angel." She commented about her birthday, 'Yesterday I turned 54. Just unbelievable. I'm not wise enough for my age. I'm not deep enough for my age. I'm not generous enough for my age. In conclusion therefore, I should go much further to make myself accomplished.' I think Middle-Angel's thoughts are pretty common. Especially when we move closer to landmark birthdays (the ones with the 0's in the ones place), we start freaking out about our lives and what we've done with the time we've been …
Top Ten Kim & Jason Holiday Gifts
I'll be the first to admit that I am perfectly content sleeping in the Friday after Thanksgiving. I’m no Scrooge, but I will say that I don’t care for the lines or crowds while shopping. By the time you actually get in line you are ready to go. You probably should’ve left ten minutes ago. …
Stretch Yourself
A good number of us these days spend the majority of our nine-to-five hours in front of a computer screen, myself included. Most of us are contained in a cube, in one form or another. I challenge you to join me in the journey of making that cube a place you love to be. I have tried to create a work environment for myself that reflects ‘me’ while encouraging productivity and playfulness. So, while there are kid pictures of me and Jason on my bulletin board, I also have inspiring quotes, and pictures of people who remind me why I am doing what I am doing everyday. One picture is of my hero, …
And Who Are You?
Dad's working late -- again. Mom's picking the baby up at day care and dropping Sissy off at soccer. Junior is in his room playing video games. Who knows when they'll next be all together under the same roof. Spending time with your family. Now that's a novel concept. It didn't used to be, of course. It sounds like it still isn't in Germany. According to Nick Medinger, marketing director of Funagain Games: …
Like a Fine Wine
Now that I'm back from the East coast speaking jaunt (next up: Fort Worth, Texas) here are a few curious facts and thoughts: Most of our time was spent in (or should I say on) Rhode Island. Fr. Gray informed us that the actual name of the state is Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, which simultaneously makes it the smallest state with the longest name. Newport, the southernmost town on the original Rhode Island, was beautiful. …
FTERA, Do You Have It?
I have been given many good fortunes in my life but few compare to the blessing of my in-laws. Jason and I are constantly acknowledging how blessed we are by the excellent role models we have in both of our parents. I got an email from my father-in-law the other day, who just happens to be one of the wisest people I know. He has identified a condition that often accompanies Adultitis, which he called FTERA (Failure To Enjoy Recent Accomplishments). Do you have this condition? …