The Golden Birthday. The First Kiss. The New Job. The Milestone Anniversary. Life is filled with big deals. The stuff that sweeps us off our feet and the moments we remember forever. We often mark these occasions with greeting cards, because emails and text messages just won’t do.

But the worst is being stuck without a card and having to make a last-minute trek to find the right one in a rush. Blechh. Talk about a major downer and an epic pain in the butt. Life is busy enough without this extra hassle.

Enter the awesomely useful W.O.W. Card Box Set. A collection of 48 premium quality 5×7 greeting cards spanning all of life’s big moments, both the happy congratulatory ones and the sad ones, too. We’ve thrown in thank you cards, anniversary cards, sympathy cards, as well as cards for friends and sweethearts. Each colorful card is illustrated, written, and designed by yours truly, and printed right here in the U.S.A. Of course, we’ve included 48 nifty envelopes as well. (View all 48 cards here.)

But we didn’t just stop with cards. Oh, no. That’s not how we roll.

We took things to a whole new level.

The super cool color version!

A true collectible, no box is ever the same.

This is pretty much the only way to get your hands on some original artwork from me. So if you’re an art collector, this item is a real steal and you get a whole set of greeting cards as a bonus. If you’re an avid greeting card sender, you’ll not only be stocked up for quite some time, but you’ll also get something pretty to hang on your wall.

It’s form, it’s function, it’s one-of-a-kind.

WOW, right?

Available now at the Kim & Jason Lemonade Stand.

P.S. As usual, Kim & Jason Insiders knew about this development days ago. And they got a super secret password good for 11% off their order. (Why 11%, you ask? Why not, asks we.) If you’re not an Insider, now might be a good time to sign up. It’s fun. It’s free. It’s wonderful.

A variety of flavors available now at the Kim & Jason Lemonade Stand!

It was the classic dilemma of childhood. You walk into a candy store, greeted by the jingling bell tied to the front door. Your feet shuffle across the black and white tiled floor to the glass case showing off its colorful assortment of sugary goodness. Holding everything from fudge to to gumdrops to saltwater taffy, it was willing to part with its carefully guarded yummy treasures — at a price. You’d plunk your handful of pennies down on the counter and begin the thoughtful deliberation.

Sadly, the days of being able to buy candy for a penny are behind us, and the old fashioned corner confectionery stores have been overrun by the generic big box behemoths. Perhaps equally distressing is that in an age where everything seems to be digital, virtual, and anonymous, we’re slowly losing the art of the handwritten note.

It is with that yearning for yesteryear that I am happy to announce the release of some pretty sweet greeting card sets. The die-hard fans who’ve been with us from the beginning will remember these babies. Back in the day, we sold them to gift shops and as part of a fundraising program. Back then, they only had 8 cards in a set.

Not anymore.

This creative little number marries the nostalgia of the old Mom and Pop candy store with the old school charm of real, heartfelt, honest-to-goodness greeting cards. Hand-packaged in a manner fit for a classic candy spinner, each set contains 16 greeting cards and a rainbow’s assortment of 16 envelopes. The cards feature warm and vibrant Kim & Jason artwork paired with various sentiments on the front. The insides have been left blank for adding your own personal, handwritten touch — the kind you just can’t get with an email or text message. Made in the good ol’ US of A, we also donate 3% of every sale to charities that help children.

Oh, and we’ve also thrown in a bag of delicious gourmet Jelly Belly jelly beans to satisfy your sweet tooth. Greeting cards are meant to be sent to friends, but we won’t tell if you decide to keep the beans to yourself :)

We’re launching with four delicious “flavors” (although a set of Christmas cards is already in the works):

• Berry Happy Birthday: 16 cards to sweeten any birthday.
• Perfect Pear: A bunch of cards for friends and sweethearts.
• Orangespiration: A nice mix for encouraging and uplifting the dreamers in your life.
• Mixed Fruit: All-occasion cards, including sympathy, get well, thank you, and more!

You get 16 cards and envelopes — plus the Jelly Belly jelly beans! — for just $20. They’re available now, but only at The Kim & Jason Lemonade Stand.

P.S. Kim & Jason Insiders knew about this recent development days ago. And they got a super secret password good for $2 off each set they order. If you’re not an Insider, now might be a good time to sign up. It’s fun. It’s free. It’s wonderful.

So my buddy Brett Farmiloe spotted one of our books out in the wild at a book store in San Diego. As an author, it is very exciting to see one of your babies all grown up and out on its own. Also interesting to see what kind of company he is keeping. (Feel free to add any humorous captions in the comments.)

P.S. Good news! You don’t have to be in San Diego to pick up one of these mini Escape Adulthood books. You can find them at the Lemonade Stand or Amazon.com. They’re tiny, colorful, contain some great tips, and make great gifts. (Can’t confirm whether or not they’ll help you have better sex, however.)

P.S.S. The more I think about it, the more I object to the book Sex For Dummies. I don’t think Dummies should be having sex. It could be why we have as many problems as we do…

I collect t-shirts. I love ‘em. Except for when I play dress-up at weddings and funerals, I pretty much wear one every single day. I even wear a t-shirt when I speak, which absolutely horrifies my more uptight, more “properly dressed” speaker friends.

I have nothing against ties, I just don’t want them strangling my neck on a regular basis.

As a graphic artist, one of my favorite things to do is design t-shirts. It’s one thing for an artist to have someone point out how much they appreciate a particular work, but it’s another thing entirely to have them like it enough to actually wear it.

Like, in public.

We’ve featured a lot of t-shirts over the years at The Kim & Jason Lemonade Stand, and we currently have a crop that I’m pretty proud of. They’ve been a hot commodity at our recent speaking gigs, and for a few more days, we’re running a sale in which every shirt is $6 off. Some designs have limited quantities, and a few may not be reprinted in order to make room for some new ones. (I just can’t help myself! Must. Create.)

The deal ends Tuesday, April 13, so if you’re interesting in adding some fun to your wardrobe, skip to it.

By the way, if you’re stumped by the Red Rover reference in the t-shirt above, it refers to an outdoor game played by children that originated in England in the 19th century, before spreading to Australia, Canada, and the U.S. According to Wikipedia:

The game is played between two imaginary lines, usually around thirty feet apart. Each team lines up along one of these lines, and the game starts when the first team calls out, “Red rover, red rover, send [name of player on opposite team] right over.”

The immediate goal for the person called is to run to the other line and break the chain (formed by the linking of hands). If the person called fails to break the chain, this player joins the team which called “Red rover”. However, if the player successfully breaks the chain, this player may select either of the two “links” broken by the successful run, and send them to join the team that had been called out. The other team then calls out “Red rover” for a player on the first team, and play continues.

When only one player is left on a team, they must try and break through a link. If they do not succeed, the opposing team wins. Otherwise, they are able to get a player back for their team.

So there you go, the skinny on Red Rover. The Adults Who Are Ruining Everything have banned it on many school playgrounds, so you know it must be fun.

Clear your calendar this Thursday night! You don’t want to miss out on our next live Escape Adulthood Show, where we’ll be sharing some great ideas you can use to fool your friends and family. Here’s the scoop:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Got a great April Fools’ Day prank to share? Email us at eashow@kimandjason.com and we may just share it live with Kim & Jason Nation!

We call people who get our weekly email newsletter Kim & Jason Insiders. Because not only are they the most prominent people in Kim & Jason Nation, but because they get the behind-the-scenes stuff and extra goodies no one else gets. The inside scoop, if you will.

Every weekly issue features an extra bit of something to chew on and a special Adultitis-fighting tip that’s not posted here on the blog. This week’s issue highlights a brand new ebook we just put the finishing touches on.

It’s titled, Busy is a Four-Letter Word: Thoughts, Tips and Inspiration for Staying Sane in a Fast-Paced World. It’s 54 pages of candid, no-nonsense insight about this thing called busyness and how you can keep it from taking over your world.

It’s completely free, but as you might have guessed, only available to Kim & Jason Insiders.

If you haven’t already, now’s a good time to join the ranks.

If there is anyone who knows a little bit about stress, it’s a bride to be.

Seriously, they can get downright c r a z y.

Which is why we thought it was a wonderful idea to have such a person (a bride to be, not a crazy person) review our new book, There’s An Adult In My Soup. Enter Becky Speer, aka Becky Mochaface, whose big day is quickly approaching. Would she actually find some value in it, or toss it aside like a wedding DJ with nothing but Chicken Dance CDs?

Fortunately, we passed with flying colors! Here’s an excerpt from her review, awesomely titled, Avoiding the Dreaded Title of Bridezilla by Following the Recipes for the Life of My Dreams:

Since reading this book, I’ve noticed how many times I want to answer “How are you?” with “Busy.” It’s not really an answer. We’re all busy. And it doesn’t even describe how I’m feeling at that particular moment. Now, I take a deep breath and answer with an enthusiastic, “I’m fantastic!” Because I am. There’s so much in my life to be thankful for. And all of them make my life fantastic.

There’s An Adult in My Soup is a great book for reminding you to stop and be in the moment. To enjoy life. And find what will bring you joy.

Plus it’d make a great present for just about anyone for this holiday season.

Whew. That rocks harder than an 80s metal band. We are quite pleased to have passed this test, and couldn’t agree more about her whole “this would make a great present” thing. Brides to be are really smart.

Thanks for the nice review, Becky, and have a awesome wedding day!

Meanwhile, have YOU had a chance to read the book? We want to hear what you thought about it, whether you’re engaged, married, or purple. Write your own review over at Amazon.com and we will be forever grateful!

Curt Rosengren is one passionate dude. As a coach, writer, and speaker (aka a Passion Catalyst), Curt uses his curious, fun, insightful nature to help people plug into the power of their passion. He’s lived in five different countries and traveled to over thirty, so he’s been around the block when it comes to seeing firsthand how passion makes a difference in people’s live around the world. He posted some awfully kind thoughts about our new book, There’s An Adult In My Soup, over at his groovy blog. Here’s a snippet:

One of the troubles with the grown-up world is that it’s jam packed with, well, grown-ups. People who have long since fallen into an ever-deepening self-seriousity. They forget what a rollicking good time looks like. It’s been years since they have let themselves play. Even longer since they have let themselves giggle.

Kim & Jason Kotecki call that sad state Adultitis, and they’re on a mission to help all of us rediscover the childlike joy that life has to offer. Their latest Adultitis antidote is their new book, There’s An Adult In My Soup.

The book, a collection of short essays on bringing a childlike sense of play and wonder into our often too-serious grown-up lives, is perfect as a quick mind-snack. Pick it up, flip it open, and read whatever catches your interest. Each essay is short enough to read as you take a 5-minute break from your workaday world.

Far from being frivolous and silly, overcoming Adultitis can open the door to a potential that we squash when we suppress the flow of childlike fun. It loosens us up, helps us be more creative, and makes it easier to roll with whatever life brings.

Well that, and life is just a whole lot more fun when you can shamelessly stomp in puddles without worrying who might be watching.

The fact that this review appeared on his blog at all is pretty humbling. While he agreed to take a look at the book, he noted that he doesn’t like to post negative reviews on his blog. That being said, he warned that if he wasn’t a big fan of the book, he probably just wouldn’t post anything at all. I didn’t see anything from him for a while, so I feared we had whiffed big time.

Fortunately, that was not the case. Clearly, he is a intellectual powerhouse with impeccable taste. You should go read his blog right now, and bring more passion into your life.

Pick up your very own copy of “There’s An Adult In My Soup,” filled with short bursts of inspiration, witty and wise life balance advice, and over 50 fun illustrations.

We’ve been thrilled to receive so many positive reviews of our new book, There’s An Adult In My Soup. In case you’re wondering, the reason you haven’t seen many bad ones is because we were able to convince The Lord of The Internet (aka Al Gore) to take them all down for us.

The latest review comes from Tanmay Vora, a cool fellow who shares thoughts on quality, management, improvement, and life on his QAspire Blog. Here’s a snippet of what Tanmay had to say about Soup:

I am currently reading a simple yet amazing book titled “There’s An Adult In My Soup” by Kim and Jason Kotecki. They are on a mission fighting “Adultitis” – typical adult syndromes that infect us as we grow. In that process, we lose our child-like qualities that made us happy and jovial. Our daily conundrums trap us and we forget that life happens to us when we are busy making other things happen. This book is a gentle reminder to remain open, optimistic and child-like to enjoy the simple joys of life.

Any book that relates well with your current circumstances will quickly hit you. So if you are going through a “busyness” syndrome and looking out for more from life, this book will quickly break the ice and become a good guiding friend. Better yet, this book will lead to some self-revelation if you are suffering from adultitis but don’t know about it yet! Jason’s illustrations in the beginning of every chapter makes it more interactive and light-weight.

Thanks to Tanmay for the glowing review, and thanks to everyone who has bought a copy, making it the best-selling book we’ve published this year.*

We don’t want you to feel left out of the whole review process. If you’ve had a chance to read the book, we’d LOVE it if you posted your own review over at Amazon.com. Unless you think it stinks. Don’t make us get Al Gore after you.

*Coincidentally, it is also the only book we’ve published this year.

Pick up your very own copy of “There’s An Adult In My Soup,” filled with short bursts of inspiration, witty and wise life balance advice, and over 50 fun illustrations.

photo by pluca

People are freaking out about the swine flu! Talk of it is everywhere. Heck, it’s a national emergency. Vaccinations! Hospitalizations! Deaths! I am in agreement that this is serious stuff. I’m taking precautions, believe me. However…dare I say there is a silent epidemic sweeping the globe that is far deadlier than any flu?

There is, indeed! It’s sneaking into almost EVERY household without even the thought of a vaccination.

Adultitis.

Did you know that if you are one of the 95% of adults living with Adultitis that you are more susceptible to contracting H1N1 than the few folks who don’t have it? It weakens your immune system — big time! Adultitis can sneak up on you when you least expect it. In fact, if you have laughed less than 15 times today, you are probably struggling with a VERY serious case. Get tested NOW!

Us folks at the Cure Adultitis Institute are always on the lookout for ways to prevent and cure this deadly disease. When we find tips, we like to get them to you as soon as possible so you can fight the good fight against this silent monster.

There are countless easy prescriptions to prevent and treat Adultitis without having to get stuck with a needle. (Yay – I hate needles!) In fact, I am excitedly participating in one this Saturday. The Levity Project is coming to Chicago!! You may remember that Lance Ekum from Jungle of Life, along with Jason and I, hosted a Levity Project Laughter Flash back in August. It was a blast! Check out the video here.

Well, The Levity Project brainchild, Katie West (The Levity Coach™), is gathering together folks from all over the Midwest (and beyond!) to meet up on Chicago this Saturday, November 7th, from 11:00-1:00. We’ll be riding a double decker bus in downtown Chicago and participating in three different levity experiences as a group. Why? Well, as Katie shares on her blog:

A. because it is wicked fun, adventurous and cool thing to do. B. Because they believe the world needs greater lightness and joy! And this is a fun way to shake it up! Let’s create social change through laughter, play, and celebration together. Cheers to fostering a lighter society.

Amen, sister!

Lance and I are road-triping from Wisconsin together to be a part of this fabulous Adultitis-preventing event. Forget your antibacterial soaps or face masks this weekend, we’re going to have some good ‘ol fashion fun as a way to prevent flu, heart attacks, depression, and even simple old cases of the grumpies. I hope my face hurts from smiling so much. Hope to see you there!

One of the keys to being happy with your work is having passion for what you do. Featured again Scrubs magazine, Jason shares 4 tips to help nurses reignite their passion for nursing and continue to treat the Adultitis in their lives.

He’s getting positive feedback and you can read a couple comments below:

The last one is my favorite because everyone can get through today and with a little faith, tomorrow will bring a brighter day. Also, I think in nursing the concept of smiling more is truly contagious and can make anyone’s day a little brighter, including your own.
–By Ladonna M., LPN on September 29, 2009 at 1:03 pm

Oh dear. Just took the Adultitis Intake Quiz. I’ve developed Stage 1!! Time to find a pile of leaves and jump in! STAT!
–By Paris Lia on October 1, 2009 at 12:12 pm

Check out the entire article for all four tips and see how they can help YOU ignite your passion!

Some people love Twitter. Others don’t get it. Believe me, I don’t have much interest in knowing what people had for breakfast or what sort of fungus is growing on their foot. It took me a while to “get” Twitter, and I’ve become a big fan. I’ve realized that if you don’t like being inundated with boring, stupid tweets, you need to follow more interesting people.

I’ve decided to use Twitter as a way to add value to the members of Kim & Jason Nation. I tend to include links to stuff that doesn’t make it into a full blog post. If I don’t think something is 1) useful, 2) inspiring, or 3) funny, I don’t tweet it. Simple as that. We have enough noise already, so I don’t want my Twitter feed cluttered with a bunch of irrelevant chatter.

I’ve included a sample list of tweets below. If you love Twitter and are into escaping adulthood but aren’t yet following us, hop to it. If you’re still on the fence about whether Twitter is cool or a sign of the upcoming apocalypse, maybe you should follow us @kimandjason before you make up your mind.

On Making An Effort To Be Childlike – With A Little Help From Pokey: http://tinyurl.com/ykad6fn (via @dinnertogether)

RT @stevobaggins: http://twitpic.com/m985u – Lunch. By my creative 3 year old. (from @aaronshust)

The all-time greatest children’s books, then and now: http://bit.ly/45YfJ1

Speaking this weekend to nice folks in NJ. My most important message for them: say no to the good so you can say yes to the GREAT.

Some parents are verbs; others are nouns. We need more to be verbs.

Trick or Tweet! Cute Hostess Tote Bag–was $41.95 – now just $20.00! Only THREE left: http://bit.ly/20DJlu

“I like your new shampoo, Mom. What’s that scent — vinaigrette?” More fun stuff kids say: http://bit.ly/Le7mb (via @janniefunster)

RT @zappos: Whenever people say “Bah!” I like to reply with “That’s what sheep said.”

If you finally find the time for something important, tell me where you found it. I thought 24 hours a day is all we got.

How to Build a Haunted Garage with Stuff You Already Own http://bit.ly/kiRYS

RT @jimgaffigan: I don’t know if the cold weather makes me tired or the fact that I’m lazy makes me tired.

Adulthood has its perks. Feeling Good About Feeling Old: http://bit.ly/QWcz4

RT @JensBookPage: Ten Ways to Involve the Whole Family in Reading Aloud from @BookChook http://tinyurl.com/ykmwo6v

May the force be with you. Here’s some rare Star Wars photos: http://bit.ly/38bzAF

Why do our buildings have to be boring (and rectangular)? Hint: they don’t. Check out these FUN designs: http://bit.ly/14arAx

Follow @kimandjason on Twitter and you’ll get funny and inspiring tidbits to help you stress less and have more fun as well as sweet deals and behind-the-scenes news.

Our buddy Lance over at The Jungle of Life posted an interview with me and Kim about our new book, our new life with a baby, and what we’d do if we were stranded in the middle of Wisconsin for a year.

You may remember Lance from our collaboration on the Laugh Flash we did in Madison a few months back. It was fun to answer his creative questions, and I love the fact that he added his own commentary in response to our answers. Here’s a sample from the interview:

Lance: A fun day as a family – tell me what that might consist of.
Jason: Hmm. Very low key, that’s for sure. Lounging around. Being goofy. Good food. A nice walk by the lake or a visit to the zoo. The elaborate and more expensive experiences are great, but I quite like the simple fun that can be had doing everyday things. Most people are living life too fast to notice some of the Cracker Jack prizes hidden right under their nose.
Kim: Jason hit it on the head. People think of us as the adventurous type and in many ways we are, but we sure love to be lazy together as a family. I’d add to his list- movies, a drive to get Dairy Queen, and some homemade cheesy beer and brat soup- hey, we DO live in Wisconsin!

Lance: Deep down, what makes you uniquely “you”? Kim? Jason?
Jason: Deep down, I think I am as curious and creative as ever. That’s the little boy in me shining through. I have a great sense of wonder about things, about people, and about God. I hate structure and I hate rules, but I love to learn.
Kim: Deep down, I am a spunky little five-year-old girl that refuses to grow-up into a grumpy ‘ol adult. I like wearing mismatched clothes. I hate making the bed and doing the dishes. I’ll eat three rows of brownies if no one is looking. I’m just looking to have as much fun as possible while I’m here. I think this life is a gift and I’m not going to waste what I’ve been given.

Lance also had some neat things to say about There’s An Adult In My Soup:

I’m currently reading this book, and it’s great! And one thing I really love are the short chapters (it fits my attention span well!). More than that, though, I think it’s really a great “idea generator”. You two share real-life examples of living Adultitis-free, and those are examples that spur thoughts in me of how I can be more kid-like myself. And that right there is the real “meat” in that soup!

Thanks to Lance for the kind words and the fun conversation. Hop on over to read the full interview and get a chance to win a copy of the book. Of course, if that fails, we’ve got a copy with your name on it at The Lemonade Stand.

Halloween offers a great opportunity for folks to let their creative inner child out to play.

As we count down the days to Halloween, we’re going to be giving away some treats in the form of sweet deals on a variety of cool things from the Kim & Jason Lemonade Stand. Every day, starting Monday, October 12th, we’ll be featuring one item at a scary steep discount from 40% up to 60% off!

All of the items are VERY limited in quantity, so if you want to be in the loop, be sure you’re following @kimandjason on Twitter!

Jen Robinson, our favorite children’s book expert in the whole wide world, recently reviewed a book geared more towards bigger kids. Namely, bigger kids like you! She takes her reviews very seriously, so we were quite ecstatic to see she had some great things to say about There’s An Adult In My Soup. Here’s a snippet:

I still loved the book. I flagged it with about 30 post-its. I intend to read it again, and to give it to other people to read. Because, for me, this book is a reminder to try to be a happier, more optimistic, person. To be more childlike (as opposed to childish). To notice the small joys as they pass by. To strive for balance.

There’s An Adult in My Soup is like a series of pep talks from that unquenchable friend – the one who always makes you smile, even when your cynical side things that it’s more complicated than that. I’m happy to have read it. I hope that some of you will want to read it, too.

Jen even included some of her favorite passages in her review. By the way, if you think children’s books are just for kids, think again. Many adults read them as an enjoyable way to escape adulthood. Plus, it’s a far better thing to do before bed than watching the news. Ick. Check out Jen’s blog for something that might suit your fancy.

Pick up your very own copy of “There’s An Adult In My Soup,” filled with short bursts of inspiration, witty and wise life balance advice, and over 50 fun illustrations.

One of our first stops on our There’s An Adult In My Soup blog tour is at Craig Price’s “The Power of Negative Blogging.” He has a knack for looking at the glass half empty.

But in a positive sort of way.

While many self-help gurus espouse the power of positive thinking, they actually sell their students short if they stop there. One of my big criticisms of the smash hit The Secret is that it doesn’t really paint a complete picture. Positive thinking and the law of attraction are great tools, but they can only get you so far. Real life is not all sunshine and rainbows, and expecting it to be that way just because we wish it were is naive and unproductive.

Craig’s take — which I think is as common sensical as it is provocative — is that negativity is a part of life. We can choose to become victims of it or use it as a tool. Here’s an example:

Why wear seatbelts? Positive thinking tells us that we’ll be fine if we just have a good attitude. Negative thinking allows us to look at the dangers of driving and to do something about it. Airbags, seatbelts and speed limits are all negative-based things that are good for us.

As much as I wish Adultitis wasn’t a real problem, it is. There’s no magic bullet or snappy affirmation that makes it disappear. It takes a concerted effort every day to maintain a childlike outlook on life. That’s why Kim and I write on this blog and speak to audiences and send out newsletters: because we all need a little help in the daily battle against Adultitis. If there was a special pill to solve the problem we’d make it easier on ourselves and just sell that.

Fortunately, although the daily nature of the fight makes it more challenging, it also makes it more fun.

Go check out what Craig has to say and read an exclusive excerpt from There’s An Adult In My Soup. Oh, and while you’re there, you can find out how to win a free copy for yourself or a friend. (But be warned: wishing that you’ll win it won’t be as effective as actually following the simple directions Craig outlines.)

Pick up your very own copy of “There’s An Adult In My Soup,” filled with short bursts of inspiration, witty and wise life balance advice, and over 50 fun illustrations.

Kim and I were recently bestowed with the honor of being named Defenders of the Playful. It’s sort of like being knighted by the queen but it’s much less stuffy. Not just anyone can get it, and we feel privileged to receive the award from Bernie DeKoven, aka Major Fun. Bernie describes it as a recognition given to people who have created something valuable, and meaningfully fun, have demonstrated a passion for playfulness, and have somehow been able to make it available to a wide range of audiences.

Here’s what he had to say about our newest book, There’s An Adult In My Soup:

Every little story is their little book is funny, touching and freeing. No matter how playful you think you might be, each story brings you insights into yet another dimension of playfulness. No matter how important or responsible or hard-pressed you are, Kim and Jason show you that it’s still OK to play. You can object to their depiction of what it means to be “adult.” You can argue about their definition of maturity. But you can’t deny that Kim and Jason are genuine Defenders of the Playful.

When it comes to fun and playfulness, Bernie knows his stuff. Thanks, Bernie, for the wonderful honor and for doing your part to eradicate Adultitis from the world!

Pick up your very own copy of “There’s An Adult In My Soup,” filled with short bursts of inspiration, witty and wise life balance advice, and over 50 fun illustrations.

Sometimes authors do expensive, multi-city tours to promote their book. We won’t be doing that this time around because our private jet is in the shop. Some jerk keyed it and we need a whole new paint job.

[Although in some respects, our speaking gigs serve that purpose. By the way, if you live near Green Bay, WI, Minneapolis, MN, Rochester, NY, or anywhere in New Jersey, we're gonna be in your neck of the woods in the next month or so. Contact us to get details if you're interested in attending one of our live programs.]

But I digress.

Traditional book tours are all well and good, but this new-fangled thing called the Internet has made possible things known as blog tours. The cool thing about them is that bloggers get some neato content for their blog, we get to keep our adventures through airport security lines to a minimum, and our book gets to reach a whole new audience of really cool people.

If you are a blogger and would like to get involved, here’s how:

If you’re willing to write a review, conduct an interview with us (by phone or email), or create a video about There’s An Adult In My Soup that you’ll share on your blog, we’ll send you two FREE signed books — one to keep and one to give away or auction off on Ebay for a fraction of the cover price. Plus, we’ll also throw in a limited edition soup can which we offered during the pre-order phase and are no longer available.

We’re limiting this offer to the first 13 bloggers who respond.

If you think the book stinks, no pressure to write a falsely glowing review. But we’re pretty proud of it and think you’ll enjoy it, too. It contains a bunch of short essays about how to stress less, have more fun, and pretty much keep the adult out of your soup. Plus it has pictures! Here’s what one early reader had to say:

“I have been reading through your book and can only add to the voices of the others.  It is AWESOME, and I say that with all of the background of (1) an adult with adultitis and (2) a person with a bachelor’s in Fiction Writing.  The writing is awesome, the construction is so well put together, it just flows from one chapter to the next.  What can I say?  You’ve really knocked it out of the park on this one, and I REALLY hope you know what a gem you have here, because this book isn’t your one in a million — it’s your once in a lifetime.” –Sherrill Thayer, New Glarus, WI

If you want in, just email me at jason@kimandjason.com and we’ll iron out the details.

Not a blogger? You can download a free sample here or buy a fresh copy for yourself right here. Thanks!

Join us for our first ever LIVE Escape Adulthood Show on Thursday, September 3rd at 8:00 p.m. (Central Time). We’ll be giving stuff away and taking questions from you — don’t miss it!

Nurses have a tough job. It’s understandably stressful to care for the wide range of patients who cross their paths as well as deal with the bureaucracy of the world of medicine. Like many care-giver professionals, these amazing people are susceptible to Adultitis.

Jason wrote a helpful article in Scrubs magazine outlining ways for nurses to treat the Adultitis in their lives.

Be curious.
It’s important to keep a childlike curiosity burning within you. The best nurses are the most curious ones. You may have heard the saying “People don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care.” Asking your patient thoughtful questions—and not just the ones like “Does it hurt when I do this?”—is a great way to communicate caring. I’m not saying you have to put on a Barbara Walters special, especially when you have a heavy patient load. But sprinkling in a few curiosity-inspired questions (Who’s your hero? When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? What was your favorite toy?) goes a long way toward making the patient feel like she’s not just a number.

Read more of this insightful article and share it with the nurses in your life.