The Cure Adultitis Institute has released another case study, this one examining the way someone with a serious case of Adultitis views a simple trip to a city park. What may seem like a haven for happy, carefree children is something else entirely through the eyes of Adultitis. Check it out:

Meanwhile, we have an extra treat for Club K&J members. Check out this video of outtakes, filled with an assortment hilarious blooper footage. Club K&J is now just $4.95 a month and comes with a bunch of groovy benefits. It’s the #1 way to punch Adultitis right in the teeth. Don’t miss out — join the fun!

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When Club K&J was first conceived, it was pretty much a modest fan club for people who liked my comic strip, “Kim & Jason.”

Little did I know that it was the seed for something much greater, and much more important.

Over the past several years, as Kim and I have criss-crossed the country to share our ideas with people that are stressed-out, burned-out, and busy, I have begun to grasp the gravity of our mission. Enthusiastic and heartfelt encouragement of people who we meet along the way share phrases like “keep on doing what you’re doing” and “the world needs this, hang in there.” For a while, I absorbed these comments as little more than polite words of thanks, and sometimes as prideful pats on the back. Now I’m starting to see them as affirmations for when the going gets tough, and reminders that this journey is bigger than me, and certainly bigger than the little comic strip that started it all.

One thing I am starting to realize is that people whose childlike spirit is alive and well — the folks serious about not taking themselves too seriously — are too often in the minority. They often don’t have many other people in their life who share the same outlook on things. Sometimes Kim and I are the only ones telling them that there’s nothing wrong with them. What’s worse, the Adultitis-ridden people around them (sometimes even their closest friends or spouses) try to make them feel “irresponsible,” “childish,” or “immature.”

I am familiar with this sort of scrutiny, because we get it all the time. When we started this crazy ride almost eight years ago, I thought we had a pretty benign and agreeable message. I mean, who could argue with having more fun? With dreaming big while appreciating the little things? With spending our lives doing what we are passionate about?

Little did I know.

I guess people have a real problem with it. In a recent sampling of some of the online conversation going on about Kim & Jason, here are a few highlights of things actually said about us:

We are “delaying traditional responsibility” and are a “siren song coaxing people’s ships away from responsible channels.”

We are suffering from “Psychological Neoteny” a.k.a. ” a phenomenon that adults in modernizing liberal democracies increasingly retain many of the attitudes and behaviors traditionally associated with youth.”

We champion “a life that embraces a childlike spirit which is only really viable if someone else is paying for that life.”

We promote “cockamamie age-faking strategies.”

We “package childhood in a non-threatening way in order to sell things.”

We “use specious arguments designed to stress out caring adults to sell stuff in (our) store.”

Yikes. A benign and agreeable message indeed! (Public service announcement: you should probably run as far away from here as you can. We might just be responsible for the downfall of civilization.)

I could launch into a big diatribe on our stance between being childlike versus childish, but I feel pretty confident that anyone who has followed our blog or read our books or seen us speak knows where we stand. There are a couple of things I can take away from this. For one, we must be doing something right. Name someone who ever made history that was loved by everyone. Secondly, I can now see that this fight against Adultitis is not going to be an easy one to win.

Besides being greedy capitalists *wink, wink*, I believe that we at Kim & Jason are really in the permission business. It is my passion to let people know that not only is it more than ok to have fun and be childlike (not childish), it’s actually a key to a healthy, abundant, and fulfilled life.

Which brings me back to Club K&J. I believe the main purpose of Club K&J is to provide an opportunity for childlike people to connect with other people just like them, and to let them know that they’re not stranded on a deserted island. I want to build a community that inspires and empowers people to let that child inside come out and play.

Club K&J has evolved quite a bit over the years. Right now, the core features include a 25% discount from the Lemonade Stand, the quarterly Kim & Jason magazine (filled with articles and tips for escaping adulthood), and a continuously increasing treasure chest of exclusive content, such as bonus audio, video, and behind-the-scenes info.

The newly created Escape Events — our regularly scheduled opportunities for members to join together in doing something childlike — have the potential to become even more exciting as membership increases. As a wider number of people participate, we’ll enjoy a wider variety of solutions to each challenge. It could even grow to the point where Club K&J members are sending in suggestions for future challenges and the media is covering the phenomena because so many people are having fun with it.

Scale is a big key. As things grow, we’ll be able to more and more cool things. For instance, the monthly S.W.E.L.L. prizes and Escape Event awards will become more extravagant, maybe even including such things like cruise tickets or a year’s supply of ice cream. We’ll be able to look at creating our own social network, similar to MySpace or Facebook. With a bigger population of members, things like meetups in various cities become realistic. When Kim and I are somewhere for a speaking gig, I can see us inviting all Club K&J members in the area to meet us for desert afterwards. Another neat idea would be to organize Escape Adulthood themed-cruises, vacations, or outdoor festivals — almost like a Club &J annual convention!

This is my vision. I get excited just thinking about the possibilities.

Now, if you’re one of those curmudgeonly people against our “cockamamie age-faking strategies,” I would politely invite you to exit stage left. We’re not your cup of tea, and that’s ok. But if you love what we do, and if this vision excites you, I invite you to support us by subscribing to Club K&J.

Gasp! — he’s asking for money!!!

I understand that I am inciting the critics by asking people like yourself to plunk down $4.95 a month, but it’s pretty simple if you think about it. You can’t go very far in this world without money. To be able to create an organization I described above requires time and money and interested people. I’m perfectly content to be quite democratic about it. If people people like you see the value, buy in, and vote with their wallet, we can move forward. If they don’t, Club K&J will fade away. If we don’t do a good job of delivering value for people, they can unsubscribe at any time, as they should. Pretty straightforward stuff.

My belief is that Club K&J can be a catalyst to help us create a movement. Not a movement to amass any sort of power or to get any particular law passed. Maybe just a movement of people who join together in spirit and in action to prove to the naysayers that there is more to life than the cynicism, hectic busyness, and overwhelming stress that is typical of most modern lives. That we don’t have to spend our lives in ruts or believe in the pessimistic definition of adulthood that the world gives us.

And that yes, it’s possible to actually be childlike AND responsible all at the same time. What a concept.

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Kim and I have some really exciting news to share with all of our awesome Club K&J members. Like Ron Burgundy, it’s kind of a big deal. Click here to watch the video.

Club K&J is now just $4.95 a month and comes with a bunch of groovy benefits. It’s the #1 way to punch Adultitis right in the teeth. Don’t miss out — join the fun!

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In this episode, brought to you from studio 315 in Madison, Wisconsin, we continue the second half of our two-part interview with Bob from Sesame Street. We ask him about his secrets of success and his favorite part about working on the show. We also talk about recess at work, a sweet chocolate calculator, and our favorite Sesame Street characters. Just click “Play” to listen to the show, or you can subscribe to the show in iTunes…

Show Notes…

• Learn more about Bob and buy his music and books at BobMcGrath.com.

• Get the full history of Sesame Street over at Wikipedia.

• News: Recess At Work Day costs little and may pay off in profits (Arizona Daily Star)

• Learn more about Rich DiGirolamo and Recess at Work Day at www.nevergrowup.com.

• Join Club K&J so you can take advantage of all the benefits of membership, including the opportunity to participate in K&J Escape Events. Now only $4.95 a month!

• Check out our cool thing this month, our Chocolate Calculator.

Win Stuff: Sarah F. won last month’s promotion. You can win a $20 gift certificate to the Lemonade Stand by letting us know, “What is your favorite way to have fun at work?” E-mail us or leave us a message at 608-554-0803.

Show Music: Coyote Sleeps by Ethan Elkind

Show Length: 54 minutes, 14 seconds

Shout Outs: Thanks to Bob McGrath for the interview!

Feedback: We’d love to hear your thoughts! Add a comment below, e-mail us, or give us a jingle at 608-554-0803.

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This week’s Escape Plan challenge (aka our Tip of the Week) is: #14: Random Act: Do something to help someone you don’t know.

When I was in college we had a project for my Psychology class, experimenting with the social reactions of people in different situations. As I was brainstorming a connection for which direction to go in, I remembered a book I had received and enjoyed a few years earlier, “Random Acts of Kindness.” It had become very popular, sharing a compilation of stories about people being kind to strangers- just because. The light bulb went off and the project was underway. Myself and a handful of other students in the class put our heads together and decided we’d celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Week, typically the second week in February. In doing so, we baked a whole bunch of chocolate chip cookies. On the Friday of that week we stood in the commons and handed cookies to passersby- telling them that it was Random Acts of Kindness Week… and to pass on the kindness.

The reaction was astounding. The college students were giddy. Not only were they excited to get the free cookie, but we heard many comments assuring us that they would, indeed, share the random kindness with a stranger. It was a very neat experience to see how a simple cookie could brighten someone’s day. Seems trivial, but kindness is very powerful.

Don’t be yourself - be someone a little nicer. -Mignon McLaughlin

Share with us in the comments of the Escape Plan blog what you did to help someone this week.

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Being an artist, my favorite thing about God might just be his creativity.

He really puts out great stuff.

(Thanks to Minette for passing this photo along.)

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In keeping with our tradition to do something childlike on our anniversary, Jason and I celebrated eight years of “Mr. and Mrs.” last night by going to see the playful movie Son of Rambow. Reviews have said… “It makes you feel like a kid again.” “One-of-a-kind… an endearingly wacky look at boyhood and aspiring moviemakers. I really like this film.”

I have to agree! This movie brought me into the reality of childhood from the perspective of two imaginative young boys. I felt like I was walking (and running) right alongside them on their journey. It reminded me of the power of a young minds to create something out of nothing. It inspired me to want to grab my friends by the arm and tackle an adventure, like no other, together. It was a real treat! Very childlike!

It seems like there are lots of childlike options at the box office right now… and in the next few weeks. Another movie I am itching to see is Young @ Heart. It’s a documentary featuring the Young @ Heart Chorus, a vocal group from Northampton, MA, who have earned an international reputation for their unique interpretations of well-known rock & roll tunes by bands such as Coldplay, Sonic Youth, the Ramones, and the Clash. Here’s the kicker, though… the group is comprised of 22 senior citizens whose average age is 80! The movie is a look into their experience rehearsing for their annual concert in Northhampton. It shares the background of several members and their efforts to stay active and think positive, even as their friends succumb to old age. If this isn’t a movie about Escaping Adulthood, I don’t know what is! I’m so there!

Check out the trailer…

The trailer alone gives me chills!! I LOVE their rendition of Fix You by Coldplay!

There are just so many good choices that will invite your inner child out to play….Indiana Jones and the Kingdom or the Crystal Skull, The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian, Speed Racer… then of course there’s two Jason is dying to see-The Dark Knight and The Incredible Hulk (hopefully better than the last one.).

Which childlike movie are you looking forward to seeing soon?

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Every Thursday, we pick out one of the cool things from the Kim & Jason Lemonade Stand and give it away. Yep, for free.

This week’s prize is a You Can Do It! Candle Votive. This votive may be small, but the message it proclaims is huge and heartfelt. The ceramic votive is hand-painted, lead free, and comes with one tea light, which can be replaced when it has been used.

Here’s how to enter:

1. Just leave a comment on this post, answering this week’s question: “Share something funny you used to believe when you were a kid?”
2. Deadline for entries is 11:59 pm CST on the day of the post. We’ll pick a winner from the list of comments on the following Friday.
3. We’ll contact the winner by e-mail to find out where to send the prize.

Good luck! And don’t miss any of the other cool stuff for the young at heart at The Kim & Jason Lemonade Stand!

**UPDATE: This week’s winner was Cheri:

When I was 5 years old, my favorite friend was a boy who lived down the street who would come to my back yard and play. We played wonderful games unlike my icky sister who demanded tea parties and dress up. One day when Robby & I were playing cowboys he began to write his name on my moms white fence with his pee. I was BLOWN AWAY!!! He told me I too could do that if I pushed my belly button out. So for weeks I went around the house trying to force my belly button out so I too could pee my name. My mom was none to happy when she found out what I was doing.

Even though this week’s contest is over, you can still buy your very own You Can Do It! Candle Votive at the Kim & Jason Lemonade Stand. And stay tuned next week for the next chance to win!

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Ever since I announced the official retirement of the Kim & Jason comic strip, I have been working on a new project featuring the pint-sized duo. A busy speaking schedule has kept me from seeing a lot of progress, but I’m looking forward to really making some headway this summer. A script has been written for a new story about monsters under the bed, and my sketchbook is starting to fill up.

Club K&J members will get a behind-the-scenes look at the entire process as things unfold. For starters, I’ve added a couple shots of my sketchbook, featuring some of the zany monsters I’ve scribbled so far. Take a sneak peek!

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Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

I’m sure I’ll make a bunch of people angry, but I’m sorry. That’s about the only word I can think of to describe what I think about parents who let their kids have televisions in their bedroom.

With our blue collar jobs being outsourced overseas, the main thing that keeps America humming along as a world leader is our ingenuity, inventiveness, and imagination (all of which flourishes under capitalism, by the way.) Manufacturing and factory jobs are going the way of the dinosaur, and they’re being replaced by an economy of ideas and technology.

Television is a passive, mind-numbing medium. When a strong imagination and the ability to think creatively are the most important tools our kids need to succeed in life, I can’t think of one good reason to let a child have a TV in their bedroom.

Especially with all of the junk that floods the airwaves these days.

Stupid.

And it makes for stupid kids, too. From the New York Times:

According to a recent study of almost 400 third graders that was published in The Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, about 70% of the group had a television in their bedroom. The data indicated that the children with their own TV scored significantly and consistently lower on math, reading and language-arts tests. In a similar study of 80 children in Buffalo, N.Y., the presence of a television in the bedroom increased average viewing time by nearly nine hours a week, from 21 to 30 hours.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not one of those people who think TV is the devil. It certainly has is place in our lives. I’m just not sure that our children’s bedrooms is that place. Can we shield our kids from everything harmful in this world? Absolutely not. But should we allow complete strangers into our kid’s bedroom to teach them a thing or two about “life?”

I know that there are at least 52 productive alternatives to TV. I’d bet there are countless more things that would be just as fun and serve our children better than sitting in their bedroom watching the boob tube. Maybe I’m old fashioned, but I believe an imagination is a terrible thing to waste. You might be the “meanest” parent on the block, but the gift of letting your child stretch his or her imagination is one they will thank you for later.

So, what say you?

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Judy Irené, Club K&J member and San Francisco Giants fan is the official winner of Kim & Jason Escape Event #2. She received over 60% of the total vote and has won an iPod Shuffle for her effort!

Club K&J members (and their friends and families) were invited to take part in the Escape Event, which was held on April 27, 2008. The challenge was to “do something childlike that is music related in some way, shape, or form.” We chose 3 finalists to compete for the top prize, all of whom did a great job of tackling the challenge.

We want to thank everyone who participated and especially congratulate Judy for her creative approach. You can watch the video she submitted here:

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This week’s Escape Plan challenge (aka our Tip of the Week) is #15: Taste Bud Conspiracy: Eat something you’ve never had before.

Jason and I are officially guacamole people now. Whoopty-do, you’re saying (especially if you live in CA), but it’s a lesson in trying new things. Over the last year or so we have been in 3-4 social situations where fresh guacamole was the center of attention. Being in small groups, we tried it politely, even though we were sure it was going to taste how it looked- like baby “you know what.” The first few times it was hard to get past the visual bias, and the new chunky texture. By the third and forth time I found myself adding more and more of the green stuff to my chips. Jason did too. Mmm… not bad. We had begun to like it… so much so that we even ordered some at a Mexican restaurant when it was just the two of us. Over spring break Jason got daring and decided to make some homemade guacamole. It’s official… guacamole is now on our list of “likes,” all because we politely tried it a few times.

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!

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