Escape Adulthood with Kim & Jason | Live life with less stress and more fun!

The Art of Living Unconventionally: Interview with Chris Guillebeau

A few years ago, Chris Guillebeau made it his goal to visit every country in the world before his 35th birthday. He’s already visited over 175 of them, and is on pace to complete the quest next year.

He is also a writer, entrepreneur, purveyor of the blog The Art of Non-Conformity, and author of the excellent book by the same name. His mission is to help people live unconventional lives, make their own choices, and change the world.

We had a chance to chat with Chris recently, and covered a wide range of topics. We asked him about his world travels, how his adventure has changed him, and what has rendered him awestruck along the way. Chris also shares his opinion on the most Adultitis-free culture in the world, his unconventional thoughts on life balance, and some tidbits from his childhood, including his favorite toy and the surprising thing he wanted to be when he grew up.

In this short but thought-provoking interview, you’ll learn a super tip on how to save money while traveling and hear some things that may inspire you reinvent the way you look at life.

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Traveling Potato Head

Humans love surprises. Well, not the “thank you for your 30 years of service, but we have to let you go” or “Luke, I am your father” kinds of surprises, but the fun, magical kinds that make your soul smile.

The cracker jack prizes of life. Continue Reading →

Darth Vader Goes to Disneyland

You know a place is a legit Adultitis Hospital if even Darth Vader can have a good time there.

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“An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is an adventure wrongly considered.”
–G. K. Chesterton

Art by Alan Hynes

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The Top 5 Regrets of the Dying

Bronnie Ware worked in palliative care for many years. Her patients were those who had gone home to die. She wrote a fascinating post detailing the top 5 regrets of the dying. Here they are: Continue Reading →

Mom and Daughter Celebrate May Day a Little Late

I have fond memories from childhood of May Day. We’d cut some of our beautiful irises and gently put them in homemade construction paper cones along with some candy and run giddily over to our neighbor Lois’ house to surprise her. The best part was ringing the doorbell and running away. When else can you do this?! Continue Reading →

How to Do What You Love and Create a New Future

Many people I talk to have an inkling of some kind of dream business they’d love to start. A cute yarn store. An interior design consultancy. A little coffee shop. It’s often deep in the back of their mind, buried by things like fear and doubt. Something’s holding them back: Lack of funds. Uncertainty about what steps to take. Or the comfort of a job that already pays the bills and provides benefits, even if it’s one they dislike so much that they’d rather punch kittens for a living. Continue Reading →

Bucket List, Summer Edition

A few months ago, I wrote about the idea of making a list of things you want to do this summer. A summer bucket list, if you will. This is mine.

Time flies, whether you’re having fun or not.

Creating a great life story requires living with intention. As the old saying goes, if you don’t know where you’re going, any road will get you there. But if you want to create a life filled with great scenes and happy memories, you need to do your part.

You need to invite those scenes and memories into your story.

One way to do that is with a bucket list. Write it out. Draw it, like I did. Or make a collage with pictures from the internet or magazines. Fill it with big things and little things. Maybe team up with your spouse or family to create one together. Then — and this is the important part — keep it somewhere you’ll see it often. This bad boy is going on my fridge.

Summers get busy and are gone before you know it. Let this become your ever-present reminder to fill it with adventure.

P.S. I’d LOVE to see your lists. Feel free to post them to our Facebook page or email me at jason@kimandjason.com

A Print Perfect for Mom

I drew this one long ago, and it’s still one of our best sellers.

Available at your friendly neighborhood Lemonade Stand.

Here’s to moms, the everyday superheroes.

My Greatest Day as a Dad (So Far)

My greatest day as a dad recently eclipsed my previous greatest day as a dad.

The first one was about a month ago. I was wearing a Stormtrooper t-shirt I had gotten for Christmas. Lucy was sitting across from me at the table, and said, “I like your shirt, Dad.”

I thanked her, thinking she liked the artsy design and bright colors.

Then she asked, “That’s from Star Wars, isn’t it?”

My ears perked up, because I hadn’t talked that much to her about my favorite movies in the history of the universe. Yet.

“Why yes, it is,” I responded.

The thing she said next solidified that day as my greatest as a Dad. Continue Reading →

Cookie Sale

We live in a culture that worships the new. I think it’s worth keeping in mind that just because something isn’t “new” doesn’t mean it’s without value.

This is true with things other than just cookies, too.

[ Cookie Sale. Acrylic on newspaper. 9 x 12 inches. ]

Almost Guilt-Free Banana Split Bites

One of the greatest inventions of the past few years is the Dairy Queen Mini Blizzard. I love Blizzards, and am rarely able to contain myself if I spot a Dairy Queen logo while driving home from a speaking gig. (My favorites are the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup ones.) I love that the mini size allows me to assuage the craving while staving off the shame spiral that comes from inhaling a bigger size.

The point of this post is to praise tiny portions of dessert. I have found that it doesn’t take a lot to satisfy my sweet tooth. If have have a taste for some chocolate, peanut butter, and ice cream, I don’t need it served up in a ten-gallon bucket. Continue Reading →

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When It Comes to Relationships, Our Days Are Numbered

4,363 days.

That’s how many days Kim and I have been married, as of this writing.

I was inspired to figure this number out after attending a breakout session by Steve Wilson at the AATH (Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor) Conference in Chicago last weekend. He explained that he and his wife Pam don’t count the years they’ve been married, but the days. And if you were to ask either of them on the spot what day they were on, they’d be able to tell you. (I want to say it was over 10,000.)

And here I thought I was lucky getting hitched in 2000 because I’d always be able to tell how long I’d been married as long as I knew what year it was. Continue Reading →

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“Be a Froot Loop in a world full of Cheerios.”
Source: Rachel

Area Families Launch “Dirt League” to Battle Summer Busyness

We’re often told that the secret to happiness is to take the road less traveled. Oftentimes, it certainly seems like there must be a better way to do things than our current approach. But the problem is that the “beaten” path is so well-paved, well-marked and well-lit, that frankly, it can be hard to imagine that there could even be another way, let alone a better one.

One small example is the arena of organized sports. My kids are too young to be involved in things like baseball or soccer, but I hear stories of peers who are looking down the barrel of a summer in which the majority of weeknights and weekends will be spent at the ball field. For some families, this is a cause for joy, but for most, it brings a feeling of dread. Apparently, it’s a necessary evil required to make sure our children are well-adjusted, socially competent and attractive to institutions of higher learning.

And besides, everyone’s doing it. Continue Reading →

The Perfect To-Do List

Too often, we judge the value or success of our day by the number of things we were able to cross off our to-do list. That’s sad, because life is more than crossing things off lists.

But I suppose that’s a short-sighted view. After all, it doesn’t take into account what’s actually ON said list.

This is the sort of list I can get behind.

I think we could all benefit from scheduling in a lot more singing and a bit more dizzy.

Source: stryker.tumblr.com

The Persistence of Peanut Butter

Peanut butter is very persistent. It will stick to the roof of your mouth for a long, long time.

When it comes to success, persistence is a secret weapon. Especially these days.

In this era of microwaves and text messages and 24-hour news stations, we expect immediate results. We worship the idea of overnight success and lament when it doesn’t come our way, overlooking the reality that the overnight successes we are trying to emulate are ten years (or more!) in the making.

When you begin any project, whether it is becoming a parent, writing a book, losing weight, training for a marathon, cleaning your garage, or starting a business, you have the advantage of enthusiasm on your side. You are excited to begin and the image of success is crystal clear. But when doing anything worthwhile, you will eventually encounter roadblocks. They will deflate you, discourage you, and disenfranchise you. You will doubt your original vision, your sanity, and whether you really even wanted it in the first place. These are facts.

When it gets hard is when most people give up.

If you want to be an overnight success, you’ve got to be persistent.

You’ve got to be like peanut butter.

[ The Persistence of Peanut Butter. Acrylic on newspaper. 8 x 10 inches. ]

Meet Jennifer Hartvickson

Kim & Jason Nation is a playful group of rebels who share a joyful, indomitable childlike spirit and are not afraid to let that spirit come out to play! They’re united by a common goal of fighting Adultitis and the doo-doo heads who embrace its ideals. Quite frankly, they’re pretty much the coolest people on the planet. Here’s one right now…

• My name is… Jennifer Hartvickson (a.k.a. Mister Lemur) – It’s really fun being Mister Lemur, and also being a GIRL!

• My hometown is… Angels Camp, CA, home of the Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County (thanks for passing through Mark Twain!)

• My biggest dream…To have a TV show that inspires kids to write and use their imaginations!
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Macaroni & Cheese Breakfast Casserole

If you’re like us, you’ve often thought, “Why can’t you have macaroni and cheese for breakfast?” This certainly qualifies as a rule that doesn’t exist, right? Well, I jumped up and down for joy when I saw this recipe on Grandparents.com, of which I am a frequent visitor (don’t ask).

Granted, it’s not as healthy as a bowl of strawberries, but hey, it’s got noodles and cheese and — wait for it — BACON!

It’s got bacon, people!

Plus it gives you a reason to break a stupid, stupid breakfast “rule.” Continue Reading →

“You rarely have time for everything you want in this life, so you need to make choices. And hopefully your choices can come from a deep sense of who you are.

The thing I remember best about successful people I’ve met all through the years is their obvious delight in what they’re doing and it seems to have very little to do with worldly success. They just love what they’re doing, and they love it in front of others.”
―Fred Rogers

Live Like the Flintstones – Buy Their House!

Actually, it’s Dick Clark’s house. But it’s real, and it’s in Malibu. The single-story Flintstones inspired home has one bedroom, two bathrooms, and views of the mountains and the Pacific Ocean. And it could be yours for a paltry $3.5 million.

According to this article, animal appliances are not included in the deal. But the home sits on a 22-acre property, so there should be plenty of room to build a garage for your foot-powered vehicle.

Which will probably be the only cars allowed in California soon.
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Caine’s Arcade Will Make Your Day

What happens when kids are allowed to be bored, without any organized extracurricular activities and without access to iPods, iPhones or video games?

What happens when parents encourage their kids’ creativity, even if it makes a mess?

What happens when one person is unafraid to let his inner child to come out and play when everyone else is too busy, inhibited, or just too “adult?”

What happens when hundreds of people do something simple to make the day of a child?

Magic, that’s what.

This video is the story of a 9-year-old boy who built an elaborate cardboard arcade inside his dad’s used auto part store and is about to have the best day of his life. It’s eleven minutes of pure magic.

Are You Hanging Out with the Wrong Crowd?

Back when you were a kid, your mom warned you about those people. They were the ones up to no good, always involved in various nefarious activities. They were the burnouts, the troublemakers, the future inmates.

We may no longer be in high school any more, but Mom’s warning still holds water.

If you want to avoid Adultitis, you need to stay away from the wrong crowd at all costs.

You may have trouble recognizing the wrong crowd these days, because they are not easily recognized by their missing homework, black death metal t-shirts, and ever-present fog of cigarette smoke. Continue Reading →

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“Screw the laundry. Spring is here.”
Photo by Richard Roche

Hang Out with Kindred Spirits at the Awesome AATH Conference

People from all over the world are meeting in Chicago for AATH’s 25th anniversary and annual conference, April 19 – 22, 2012, to experience the amazing community of kindred spirits who understand that healthy humor really is the best medicine.

The Association for Applied and Therapeutic Humor is an international community of professionals who incorporate humor into their daily lives. AATH is the leader in providing evidence-based information about current research and practical applications of humor.

The conference will attract a wide variety of professionals who incorporate humor and laughter into their lives and work, scholars and researchers who study humor and laughter, and people committed to humor and laughter. AATH conferences are life-altering, and the content speaks to neuro-scientists as well as stay-at-home moms.

I am thrilled to be among the list of keynote speakers at this awesome conference. I’m especially excited because I’m not only speaking, I’m also attending!

If this sounds of interest to you, and you want to attend a conference where laughing AND learning are the rule and NOT the exception, then there’s still time to sign up. Let’s hang out in Chicago together!

We Decorated Our Kitchen with Cereal

I’ve been playing with a neat macro lens borrowed from my buddy Judson, doing a series of up-close photos of cereal (my secret love). Last weekend, I painted our kitchen — the barrage of beige was starting to get to me — and decided the cereal photos would serve as a cool accent for our kitchen.

We were not disappointed.
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This Little Piggy Shared His Light

This picture was sent from Kim & Jason Nation member Jill Bodwin. She shared, Continue Reading →

You Are The Milk to My Cereal

Pretty much how I feel about my wife. I lucked out big time.

[ You Are The Milk To My Cereal. Acrylic, graphite, and Sharpie on newsprint. 10 x 7 inches. ]

The Power of Permission

I’m not really an artist. I’m not really a speaker. I’m not really an author.

I do all of those things, yes, but a while back I realized that my job is not to draw pictures or give speeches or write books.

The most important thing I do is give permission. I give people permission to let their inner child come out to play. When that happens, life becomes more fun, exciting, and meaningful. As Nametag Scott reminds us, the greatest gift we can give people is permission.

My baseball coach Mr. Dawson gave me permission to believe I could be a winning pitcher.

My art teacher Mrs. Garrett gave me permission to experiment with new types of media.

My parents gave me permission to live with them for a year after college so I could pursue my dream of entrepreneurship.

My father-in-law gave me permission to marry his daughter.

Permission is a powerful thing.

Art by Alan Hynes Share

Source: stryker.tumblr.com

Art by Alan Hynes

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