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I’ll just state the obvious, because we’ve all thought it: We need more giant rubber duckies floating around in our lakes, rivers, and harbors. We also need more artists to think of ideas like this.
The giant yellow ambassador of fun pictured above is the work of conceptual artist Florentijin Hofman, who states: Continue Reading →
I can’t imagine having a better business partner, wife, or friend than Kim. When I slow down enough to pay attention, it’s really quite amazing how well we fit together. And it boggles my mind how many things had to go right in order for me to meet her. A whole lot of dominoes had to fall just so in order for us to end up at that Oogie’s restaurant in that small Illinois town on the same December night with the purpose of singing Christmas carols. (Even though our reasons for being there were quite different.) I mean seriously, winning the lottery might be more mathematically likely.
Is there such thing as fate? Many people think life is just random series of unrelated events, coincidences, and dumb luck.
I don’t know. Perhaps fate is an outdated and silly romantic notion.
Perhaps not.
So I submitted my first shirt to Threadless.com. It’s all about mushrooms.
It cleared the first hurdle of acceptance, and now it is up for scoring on the web site. If the scores are high enough and the comments prevalent enough, apparently they will consider printing it and offering it for sale on their site. It would be a pretty neat honor for me, and nice exposure for my work.
Voting ends on Thursday. If you think it is worthy, I would so very much appreciate it if you’d give it a high score and leave a comment here.
Thanks!
If you have ever ordered anything from the Kim & Jason Lemonade Stand, chances are quite high that my friend Jenna was the one to lovingly pack it up and send it to you (along with the fun free prizes she adds to each order.)
Jenna has been with Kim and I since the beginning of our little business. We met in college and spent many hours dreaming, laughing and serving together. She was one of the people who encouraged me when I was feeling the bug to start drawing comics about two little kids named Kim and Jason. Continue Reading →
I always suspected I had excellent taste in toys. This suspicion was confirmed upon learning that Star Wars action figures had been inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame this year. Huzzah! (I can now say that I knew them when…)
I claim as a badge of honor that not one of the figures in my collection are in good enough condition to fetch more than a few pennies on eBay. They are a much-loved relic of my childhood.
I will not pretend to have had all of them, although I had pretty close to most of them. This was thanks in large part to my parents, who bravely navigated the rows and rows of tightly-packed toy store shelves, looking for ones I didn’t own. Scanning each row of blister packs was a real pain. You had to sneak your arm between the rows of figures and use your fingers to flick each box just enough to reveal the contents of the one behind it. Repeat with each one on the peg hook until you get to the end, preparing yourself for cleaning up the boxes that had inevitably fallen off the hook, regardless of how careful you had been.
Like I said, a real pain.
And this, more than anything else, is how I know my parents loved me.
What expert decided that states that lean Republican should be red while the Democratic ones are designated as blue? Sometimes I wonder if mixing it up might contribute a little bit of levity to the whole process of choosing our nation’s leader. Because there sure is a lot of Adultitis involved as it is.
How ’bout some plaid? Polka dots? Or maybe some periwinkle?
Today’s election is an important one. But may we always remember that while we should always take our duties and the direction of our country seriously, we do not have to take ourselves seriously.
Living in the purple state of Wisconsin for more than a decade now has taught me that, by and large, most people sincerely want what’s best for our country. Sometimes, we just happen to have different ideas on how to go about it. While it’s easy to disagree with each other on issues, it’s hard to demonize someone when you keep in mind that deep down, their intent is the same as yours.
Now go vote. And let’s promise to all still be friends tomorrow.
Minutes after a speaking program in northern Wisconsin, I got a call from Kim, telling me that my Dad wanted to arrange an urgent family meeting for the next day. We wondered aloud about the true importance of this meeting (my Dad has a bit of a history of overhyping things), especially since the day of the proposed meeting was the only one in which I’d be home in the span of a week. That free day was gold.
A call back to my Dad confirmed that the situation was serious, and he was adamant that he did not want to tell us about it by phone.
* Gulp * Continue Reading →
Last year we missed out on going to the pumpkin patch because I didn’t have any free weekends in October due to my speaking schedule. The new tradition had quickly become a favorite one, so the fact that we weren’t able to go last year was a real disappointment. Never again, Kim and I promised ourselves. This year we marked the calendar months in advance.
Further proof that in today’s busy culture, if you really want something to happen — especially when it comes to creating scenes with the people you love — you have to schedule it. Continue Reading →
When Kim and I were in Alaska last fall, we had a lot of time to talk. (And very little time since then :) One of the things we talked about was regret. We wondered: If something happened to one of us and our time together was cut short, would there be anything we wish we would have done that we hadn’t? Continue Reading →
Attending the San Diego Comic-Con has been on my bucket list for some time now. Not anymore.
After spending time in Portland for the World Domination Summit and down time with friends, I flew down to San Diego for the world’s largest celebration of the popular arts.
It was massive. Continue Reading →
Perhaps only geeks know that there’s more than one Green Lantern. But even I was surprised to discover that it appears Cameron from Modern Family may be among them.
Am I wrong?
Earlier this year, while Kim and I were in Alaska, we had the unique opportunity to visit the North Pole. Technically, it was not the geographic version, but rather a small town near Fairbanks known as North Pole, Alaska. Continue Reading →
This is the rental car they gave me for a recent run of speaking gigs in Minnesota.
A 2011 Dodge Freaking Charger.
It makes me feel like I’m driving the Batmobile.
Yes, I know it’s white. But I’m talking about the special Batmobile that Batman takes to weddings. Continue Reading →
I recently wrote a post about why normal sucks. In almost every single instance, it really does. Continue Reading →
When I was in third grade, my teacher asked me to draw a picture of Santa Claus for the school newsletter. I distinctly remember Mrs. Smith saying that I was the perfect man for the job because I could draw him better than her.
I don’t remember a lot of things about third grade, but I remember how that compliment made me feel. Continue Reading →
This summer is one of big transitions in our household. With the new baby coming in December and a slight reprieve from a busy speaking schedule, we’ve been working like mad to get a lot of projects checked off the holy to-do list.
One of the big steps was transitioning Lucy to a “big girl bed” in her new “big girl room.” (Next up, potty training — heaven help us!) This required purchasing a “big girl mattress” and some redecorating. It went much more smoothly than I anticipated, and the items we’d collected over the last year or so really tied together well.
Among the highlights is the focal point of the room, a series of original paintings I did featuring the beloved Fisher Price Little People. Kim rescued them from her basement a while back, and they’ve become one of Lucy’s favorite toys. I had to share! Continue Reading →
When I go to conferences, I always feel like I’m doing them wrong.
You see, I’m an introvert. And since 75% of the population is extroverted, the world is pretty much geared towards extroverts. Conferences included. Continue Reading →
“In the face of overwhelming pressure to conform, how do we live a remarkable life in a conventional world?”
That was the question at the heart of the first ever World Domination Summit in Portland, Oregon, at which Kim and I were able to attend and present. Continue Reading →
Kim and I have had a blast seeing all the contributions to Project Pancake, our first officially organized small rebellion. Check out the stories and photos here (and feel free to add your own!)
I didn’t know exactly what we would do in our household, but I did know that it would include the new Star Wars pancake molds I got for Christmas. That would be unique!
Well, I thought it would be, until I saw the pancake picture posted by Mark Tipperreiter a few days earlier. Apparently, Santa visits other houses besides just mine. Here’s Mark’s picture, featuring a Stormtrooper, Darth Vader, and Yoda. (Notice how you can actually tell what they are.) Clearly, the Force is strong with him. I assumed it would be with me as well.
I love my job. A few years ago, Kim and I got a behind-the-scenes tour of a 27-foot-long hot dog on wheels, aka the Wienermobile. This summer, we were able to take a spin in another classic vehicle — an exact replica of the Wagon Queen Family Truckster that Chevy Chase drove in National Lampoon’s Vacation. Continue Reading →
Well, we did it. My wife and I made it to the one-year mark. (Oh, and so did Lucy.) The first two weeks seemed like a millennium, the last fifty seemed like a millisecond.
So, what have I learned, if anything?
• It sounds so dang cliché to say, “It’s harder than I imagined, but better than I imagined.” It may be cliche, but is it ever true.
• I’m still trying to figure out what a “normal” schedule should be. I’m never quite sure I’m spending time correctly. I feel like I’m still trying to get in a groove. It seems like I should have it figured out by now. I also get the feeling that “normal” is gone forever. Continue Reading →
photo by fridgeuk
It seems like every audience I speak to has one.
A grumpy dude with his arms folded and a face that looks like it was turned to stone by a quick glance at Medusa.
Early in my career, it used to bug the heck out of me. I’d get all self-conscious. I’d wonder: Does he think I’m too young? Does he think my jokes stink? Is he the dude I saw last night on America’s Most Wanted? Continue Reading →
I was recently given a review copy of Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Seeing Is Believing.
The problem is, I’ve never done an official review of anything before.
I guess the first thing to determine is my unit of measurement. That seems to be the thing that really brands you and makes you popular, ensuring that more people will send you free stuff. I’m pretty sure Siskel & Ebert came up with the thumbs up/thumbs down thing. Rotten Tomatoes uses, um, tomatoes. And I don’t know who came up with the star system (I give this 4 out of five stars!), but I’m sure he must be making a lot of bank these days.
While thumbs, tomatoes and stars are all very good units of measurement, since I specialize in things that are childlike, I’ve decided go with marbles. Continue Reading →
In a few weeks, my daughter Lucy will celebrate her first birthday. Last Thanksgiving, we had to skip the traditional two-hour drive home because my wife looked like she was hiding the Great Pumpkin under her shirt. At the risk of sounding like every other dad who’s ever lived, I can’t believe how fast the time has gone. (Even though the first few weeks did seem like an eternity.)
With another Thanksgiving just around the corner, and my first year of fatherhood coming to a close, I sure do have a lot to be thankful for, including sleep, football, and cheese. Here’s the full list: Continue Reading →
