One of my favorite things to do in the world is to go on a walk with my husband. That's actually one of the reasons we fell in love with Madison. It has some very beautiful lakes surrounded by trails for walking. The other day, as we walked in the humid, sticky weather, I was blessed with a "swingset moment." The childhood memory whisked back before I even saw what was happening. I heard the high pitched screeches of excitement from three children, two of which were wearing their everyday clothes soaking wet, weighing them down like heavy blankets. The third child was a toddler who very …
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8 Ways to Escape Adulthood at Dinner
1. Add some fun background music. Pick some that helps you "Escape." 2. Pick some dandelions or wildflowers for your centerpiece. 3. Use the fun china (could be fancy...or paper...whichever you fancy) 4. Share a childlike happening from your day with those you are dining with. (If nothing childlike happened, then share a childhood memory about summer.) …
Expecting Rain?
When I was little nothing thrilled me more at a restaurant than to get one of those cute bright colored paper umbrellas in my drink. Pure joy! There was one place in particular we would go, as a big treat, in Joliet, IL, Merichkas, where my parents allowed us to order kitty cocktails. And what a treat this was! My parents loved the food there...I, well...I was satisfied with the "funness" added to my drink. I'm not even sure I really liked the cherry-flavored 7-up, or whatever kitty cocktails are even made of. So, you can imagine my childlike spirit leapt for joy when I read the following blog …
Sleeping with the Jellyfishes
I thought I had been fairly extensive in coming up with 88 ways to escape adulthood for my book. Somehow, I completely missed this one. According to a Japanese newspaper, the hottest ticket in town is a slumber party with some spineless sea creatures. Thirty lucky people won a lottery to experience the Enoshima Aquarium jellyfish tour. The experence includes dinner and educational behind-the-scenes access to the exhibit, followed by the opportunity to cozy up in sleeping bags in front of the jellyfish tank. According to the article, …
Is Adultitis Costing You Money?
Stress is the main culprit responsible for a loss of 45 million workdays a year in Britain alone. According to a British mental health charity, this all adds up to £100 billion in lost output. In my recent Escape Adulthood presentations, I've been showing a slide that highlights the symptoms of Adultitis, including a tongue-in-cheek comment about patients not being able to smile (in extreme cases). Maybe not so tongue-in-cheek after all: Psychological warning signs included an inability to concentrate, sense of humour failure, high levels of anxiety, constant irritability or withdrawal from …
Golf Moms
I am not an avid golfer (I went once and scored a 98 – on 9 holes), but I'm always up for a nice walk on a nice day. Jennifer Mario wrote an article about why women leave golf and why they should come back. Stressed-out golf moms should read this. You deserve an escape from adulthood, and Jennifer has five solid reasons why you should get back out on the course. …
Einstein On Ritalin
The target market for my book was intended to be people over the age of 25 or so. It looks like my marketing plan will need to be adjusted a bit, in order to accommodate the growing need for 7-year-olds to Escape Adulthood. That's right, second graders. A recent article by Dave Murphy of the San Francisco Chronicle highlights the growing problem of parents pushing their children to excel. Apparently, adults have so direly messed up their own lives with hectic schedules, unrealistic expectations and catering to peer pressure, that they are passing Adultitis on to their children. …
Luke Skywalker As The Joker
I remember when my mom stopped buying me LEGOs because she said I was too old for them. I always felt her judgment was wrong, but I could never think of a way to convince her otherwise. I see now that my argument failed because I didn't have access to high-tech animation software, Adam West (you know him as Batman from the 60s TV show), and Mark Hamill (aka Luke Skywalker). Check out this project by some creative students, featuring a few famous names and an unlimited supply of everyone's favorite building blocks. Sometimes childhood is more fun when you're grown-up. …
Mustaches For Kids
Escaping Adulthood involves the ability to have fun with life, tackling each day with a playful spirit. That's not to say we shouldn't be serious when the time calls for it. That time for me is March 29, when I have the distinct honor of being a judge in a prestigious contest of epic proportions. The 2005 Sweetest 'Stache Competition. Yes, "'stache" as in mustache. …
Childhood Emerges From The Cubicle
Utterly fascinating. When one thinks of the worst Adulthood has to offer, one may conjure up images made famous by the movie Office Space, or the comic strip Dilbert. Rows and rows of gray corporate cubicles, somewhat reminiscent of a laboratory experiment involving mice and cheese. …