The Cure Adultitis Institute has released a number of case studies featuring a certain individual with an unbelievably high level of Adultitis. As you might expect, this fellow loves to work, but have you ever wondered how he gets to his mind-numbing and monotonous job?

As a special treat for Club K&J members, we have decided to release some never-before-seen footage of the subject discussing his preferred mode of travel.

And in an extra special cherry on top sort of way, we’ve also uploaded bonus video of some of the bloopers. Enjoy!

Club K&J is now just $4.95 a month and comes with a bunch of groovy, way cool benefits. Designed for people serious about not taking themselves too seriously, it’s the #1 way to punch Adultitis right in the teeth. Don’t miss out — join the fun!

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With gas prices through the roof, lots of people are planning to stay close to home this summer. Looking for something fun to do with your family that won’t break the bank?

Check out our first installment of Adultitis Relief Brief, a series of short videos in which Kim and I share some fun, interesting, and hopefully helpful ideas designed to help you stress less and have more fun:

Although the first one is on the house, this video series has been created exclusively for Club K&J members. We’ve already got a few episodes in the can, so we decided to launch two in one day. (Let’s chalk it up to childlike impatience!)

This next one is geared toward those of you who think you’re not very creative. To that we say, “Au contraire!” Watch this episode for an idea you can try tomorrow that will spark a creative side you didn’t know you had. Enjoy!

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

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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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Jason and I spent the week in Northern VA, putting on a number of speaking programs. Two nights were at the same venue. We love doing two-night programs! The second night is always filled with surprises. Last night was no exception. When the crowd started filing in, we were met by these two Adultitis-free spirits. Yes, they wore their disguises for most of the evening. The reminded me that we are definitely in the permission business!

After the program “Groucho Marx” came to our table and shared something that him and his wife would do with their kids, to liven up the family dinner routine. They would pull out a handful of kitchen utensils, like the potato masher, soup ladle, spatula, etc., and put them in the middle of the table. Each member of the family would get a chance to pick which one they wanted. For the entire meal, this was the only utensil they were allowed to eat with- no forks, knives, spoons, etc. Just a huge silly tool that brought tons and tons of laughter and memories.

Have some fun with this idea… I know we will!

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Ever notice how whenever you hear a story of someone who is presented with life-threatening news, you never hear the person say, “Well that’s it. I obviously haven’t spent nearly enough time working. I’m heading to the office –- I don’t have a minute to spare!”

Pretty ridiculous, huh?

Then why is it, when we’re NOT faced with life-threatening news, our actions suggest that work IS the most important thing in our lives? Notice I said actions. You can talk a big game about quality time and keeping first things first, but the proof of your real priorities is in your actions. Always.

Bob Kames died last month. You’ve probably never heard of him. But if you’ve been to a wedding in the past decade or two, I bet you’ve heard one of his biggest hits, the modern day version of “Dance Little Bird.”

More commonly known as “The Chicken Dance.”

Kames was successful in the music business and in show business, but a big life moment came in the mid 1960s. According to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article, he became gravely ill with stomach ulcers, and doctors told him that he was bleeding to death. His stomach was entirely removed. “As I lay there thinking about my life, it occurred to me that I hadn’t spent much time with my kids,” he said in 1968. “I decided to change things, if I lived, and among other things, take them to Disneyland.”

Adultitis is the disease that tricks us into thinking that unimportant stuff is actually important. That playfulness is a sign of weakness and seriousness is a sign of success.

Don’t be fooled. Make sure your actions match your priorities. And don’t wait for some bad news before you give yourself permission to spend more time with your kids (or go to Disneyland.)

Life is a grand production. You only get one shot. Be neither too foolish as to consider the playful moments mere distraction nor too afraid to be more than a wallflower.

Dance little bird, dance.

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There are few days where you are encouraged to have fun and fight your Adultitis, and April 1st is one of them.

Everyone knows someone who LOVES April Fool’s Day. That person in my life has been my dad. The “worst” one was when we were in grade school. He told us when we woke up that school was closed because it had snowed all night long. It was a snow day! Woo Hoo! Of course, we’d forgotten that it was April 1st, and we ran excitedly to the window to see all of the glorious snow that we’d be playing in all day… to find nothing but grass. April Fools!!

My oldest sister caught the bug from my dad and has enjoyed playing tricks on her husband over the years… everything from plastic wrap on the toilet seat, to vaseline on the door knobs. The best, though, is hearing the hyjinks between my sister and my dad. She’s tricked him into thinking so many crazy, unbelievably outlandish things on April Fool’s Day.

What childlike playfulness!

Don’t forget to have some fun today – just because you can! This is the perfect day to bring out that food coloring for dinner… and while you’re at it, why not use dog dishes instead of plates.

Here are a few extreme examples. They might help you appreciate your coworkers today.

What kind of April Fool’s Day fun are YOU having?

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This week’s Escape Plan challenge (aka our Tip of the Week) is #23: Photo Safari. Take a picture of the most childlike spot in town.

Sometimes you need a change of scenery. Sometimes you need to self-diagnose the ol’ Adultitis (or take the official intake here) and admit yourself into an Adultitis Hospital (aka a “childlike spot in town”).

A few weeks ago Jason and I were in Rochester, NY for some speaking gigs. We had heard that Rochester is home of the Strong National Museum of Play, which also houses the National Toy Hall of Fame. This definitely qualified for the “most childlike spot in town.” Exhibit after exhibit was filled to the brim with childlike fun and nostalgic time machines, whisking you back instantly. We really enjoyed seeing all of the toys inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame- everything from the teddy bear and Barbie to Lincoln Logs… and even the cardboard box! So much of it was hands-on… like the slinky and Lego exhibit. We even got to make crazy fantastical hats, celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday.

My favorite part, though, was walking up the stairs to 123 Sesame Street. Yep, they had a mock set of that magical street from childhood.

What a surefire way to Escape Adulthood!

So, where’s your most childlike spot in town? Leave a comment on the Escape Plan Blog and feel free to email me your picture.

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Spring is finally here and Easter is this weekend. You might think that Adultitis would be inclined to take a few days off. Not quite. The Cure Adultitis Institute has released a new case study chronicling the extreme effects of the condition. Who knew the Easter Bunny could be so controversial?

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We had some speaking programs in Utica, NY last week. When asked what Utica is known for we were told that 50 years ago it was quite the hang out for some talented good looking guys, known as the Rat Pack. It’s also a neighboring town to Rachel Ray’s old stomping grounds and has a number of authentic Italian restaurants that serve the local favorite, chicken riggies (which I tried for the first time… Yum!).

We’ve been doing a lot of two night events lately and we’re starting to see a trend. The second night something interesting happens… the people come alive with childlike enthusiasm. After given permission the night before, on the second night we are often met with amazing stories illustrating their “take” on this message of childlike living, with less stress and more fun. It’s a hoot! We plan to get to the event much earlier on night two, because set-up takes much longer with all of the stories… a great problem to have.

Here are a few highlights…

This woman (pictured here) told us that she works for the US Postal Service, so she is working with the general public everyday. She proudly admitted that she has a lot of fun with people. We believed her, because of that playful spark in her eye, but to further prove her point she casually opened her purse and pulled out some red wax lips and popped ‘em in her mouth. She exclaimed, “I always have these around, just to add some little silliness!” If you are over the age of twelve and you carry wax lips on your person, then you, my friend, are having a contagious amount of fun and might just be Adultitis-free. I love it!

On the eve of the first night’s program a volunteer went to Panera Bread to pick up a prearranged donation of baked goods, for the “after party.” When she got there they proudly handed her two huge bags overflowing with french bread… not quite what she had in mind. After the event the first night, as everyone was cleaning up, a group of people were out in the parking lot standing around this woman’s trunk laughing and laughing. They were having so much fun, I had to go over. I quickly saw a trunk full of bread… the multiplication of the loaves, right there in the back of her Honda Accord. She explained what had happened, assuming that Panera would’ve donated desserts. In the spirit of “making lemonade” out of lemons, one woman suggested they bring peanut butter and jelly the next night and chalk it up to the childhood theme… a fun AND yummy idea.

We almost always share with our audiences the game of hiding pokey. After doing so the first night, a woman came up to us to share this story. In her family they had a little figure of Waldo, from the “Where’s Waldo” books. They would hide it on one another, just like we do with pokey. A few years ago, when her husband was in his last days battling cancer, he secretly decided to hide Waldo on top of the ceiling fan. About a year after he was gone they turned on the fan, and off fell Waldo. They all cried. It was such a unique way to reconnect after his loss and to remember his childlike spirit. The neatest part of her story was the peaceful smile she shared when recalling that day they found Waldo.

It’s easy to become cynical and jaded with “people.” The “people are stupid” mantra is often the easiest one to live by, but when you actually stop and talk to individuals you see that everyone, in their own unique way, is just trying to fight the good fight- just like you.

Take some time to listen. I guarantee you’ll walk away with new tools and inspiration for your own journey.

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We’ve got a little treat for Club K&J members: a highlight reel of outtakes from the Adultitis Case Study involving Valentine’s Day. Some are funny. Some are absurd. All of them are sobering examples of a guy loaded with Adultitis. Watch the original video here, click the image below to view the outtakes.

Not a Club K&J member? Join today!

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Puberty and the teenage years are often the initial cause of the widespread epidemic, Adultitis. It makes sense.

Raise your hand if you’d like to go back to puberty. No hands… I thought so.

Sure, there were fun moments, but for the most part the common experience is an extended period of awkwardness as you make the trek on the slow train from childhood to adulthood. With your hormones are out of control, the zits, peer pressure, and the pointless homework, you can’t wait to leave childhood in the dust. Many of the people I have talked to about this agree that college was much more enjoyable than junior high and high school.

Parents of teenagers have a challenging job. (This is the understatement of the century!)

Recently at a gig in Chicago a parent told us afterwards about a cool way she connects with her two teenage boys. Her and her husband were frustrated with the reality that during car rides together they would each be listening to their iPods, separated by earbuds and playlists. Parents of teenagers are often asking the same question, “How do I get them to talk to me?” Well, these parents have found a very simple solution… music!

On road trips they each take a turn, even the parents, playing a song they like and then they get to tell the rest of the family why they enjoy that particular song. This mom was oozing enthusiasm while telling us about this newfound connecting point with her kids. She shared that she has learned so much about her boys by the songs they choose and the explanations of why they connect with them. Her and her husband have also been able to share stories they would probably not have had the opportunity to share, relating back to why their songs mean so much to them.

One son played a John Mayer song which she admitted she really ended up loving. For her birthday he surprised her with a CD with that song on it. She was shocked that such a thoughtful gift would come from her teenage son!

She also spoke of the opportunities that arise when they play a song with “iffy” lyrics, one that she wouldn’t necessarily like them listening to. It gives them the chance to talk about the content. They usually tell her that they don’t hear the song the same way she does. It’s been an eye opener for everyone.

Music is such a connecting point for people. It’s no surprise that it has the magical ability to whisk you back to different periods of your life.

The first music video I ever watched was a song that my mom LOVED. We were flipping channels and this video was on, “These Boots are Made For Walking” by Nancy Sinatra. My mom told me about why it was one of her favorite songs in her 20’s. To this day I always think of my mom and her story when I hear that song.

I have dozens of mix tapes (yes, TAPES) that Jason made me in our five years of dating. Each song was hand picked for a certain reason and brings me back to memories that are cherished. (That’s probably why I absolutely love the new “audio cassette tote bag” we just added to our store.)

What songs have helped you connect to someone special?

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Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, and we’ve compiled five tips on how you can make sure the holiday is completely ruined by Adultitis. Just in case you were interested.

1. Don’t waste your time making, writing or sending Valentines. In this age of e-mail and instant messaging, they are a terribly inefficient waste of time and money. And trees.
2. When celebrating Valentine’s Day, remember that how much you spend on someone is a direct indicator to how much you love them. Likewise, the reverse is true. If someone can’t find it in their heart to splurge on an extremely expensive token of appreciation, maybe you should rethink the relationship.
3. If you don’t currently have a “Valentine” of your own, commiserate with people who share your situation. Mope, complain, and sulk over the injustice that other people would have the gall to have fun without you. Be sure to make them feel guilty about it, too.
4. Do what you can to see to it that Valentine’s Day parties are stamped out in your local schools. Sure, it is a mostly secularized holiday, but aren’t its origins somewhat religious in nature?
5. If you really want to save yourself some trouble, don’t get caught up in the hype of Valentine’s Day to begin with. It’s just an overblown manufactured holiday created by Hallmark anyway. If loved ones need simple, heartfelt gestures to let them know you love them, they don’t deserve your love in the first place.

We also wanted to share the latest case study put out by the Cure Adultitis Institute. This is what Valentine’s Day looks like when you have a full-blown case of Adultitis.

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