Jason loves to surprise me. One day a few weeks ago while I was on a walk with a friend, he busily scurried around to paint the nursery, then he patiently waited for me to go in there and notice, which was about 10 hours of waiting! (I would never have been able to wait that long!) Another morning, after talking the day before about the fact that Coldplay was coming to Chicago, he surprised me by sharing that he got us two tickets. (WOO HOO!) His love of surprises is a very childlike trait! And it’s sure fun to be on the receiving end.
The concert, Coldplay’s Viva La Vida Tour, was this last Tuesday at the United Center and to say it was awesome would be a huge understatement! What a delight to hear their distinctive tunes live… unbelievable! For those of you who’ve downloaded our recent magazine about music, you already know what Jason and I think of live music.
Not a surprise, it was a sold-out show. The crowd was eager. As we waited for the concert to start, Jason and I shared smiles and comments about a very cute couple in front of us to the left. They happened to be baby boomers, showing oodles of anticipation, literally sitting at the edge of their seats. They passed the time with their digital camera, taking turns reaching out an arm to capture both of them in that classic couple pose. Their enthusiasm was oozing.
Meanwhile, of the 24,000 people there, I was lucky enough to sit next to what must’ve been a relative of the Adultitis Guy. He was a Gen-Y’er, half the age of the couple in front of us. He was there with his girlfriend and although he didn’t seem unhappy to be there, his true colors were soon to shine when Chris Martin took the stage.
Here’s how it went down. The concert started with the acoustic tune Life In Technicolor. Everyone screamed… and immediately the woman in front of us jumped anxiously to her feet, screaming and cheering with her hands in the air. She was pumped! (As were we!) This was the moment we all had been waiting for (especially through two very horrific opening acts). Except for a few slow songs, in which everyone around us sat for a rest, the woman ahead of us stood for about 90% of the concert, much to the chagrin of my neighbor to the left. He sulked, sighed, shook his head, shrugged his shoulders, and spent much of his energy being distracted. In his defense, her standing prevented him from seeing the stage, but there was one very simple solution. So badly I wanted to turn to him and say, “Buddy, let it go and stand up, already. You’re at a rock concert for Pete’s sake! Live a little!”
Doesn’t it all come down to your attitude? I’m sure his concert was somewhat, if not totally, ruined because of this childlike woman who seemed to squeeze every ounce of enjoyment out of each chorus and hook. Such a shame to pay so much money and end up pouting… what a childish display!
In life, circumstances are often out of your control, but wisdom and peace is found when you make the effort to change your attitude. I wish, for his sake, that this 20-something would’ve had the perspective to do so.
This whole display reminded me of how unimportant age really is. It means nothing! It’s all about your attitude and actions, not how many candles cover your cake each year. Ironically, the wisdom to let go and be more childlike often comes with age.
I want to die young at a ripe old age. -Ashley Montagu
I found a clip on YouTube of a song from our concert. Chris (the lead singer) often reminds me of the Charlie Brown dancers. His childlike movements are so much fun to watch! Enjoy…
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The latest issue of Kim & Jason Magazine has been added to the Clubhouse and it’s all about music! Back issues of the tree-friendly digital magazine are still free to download (Issues #1, #2, #3, and #4), but this and all subsequent issues of the magazine are reserved exclusively for Club K&J members.
In this issue…
A world without music would be a world overrun with Adultitis. This issue is jam-packed with stories, tips, and ideas on how music can soothe your soul, fire you up, energize your life and escape adulthood like nothing else!
Features…
Marching to a Different Beat by Jason Kotecki
An Interview with… Bob McGrath of Sesame Street
For the Love of the Mix Tape by Jenna Regis
Studio Zumba Rocks Dayton by Elizabeth Weizman
The Other Side of the Radio by disc jockey Fletcher Keyes
Escape Plan: Strong Museum of Play by Kim Kotecki
Kids, Rock & Roll and FUN! by Rock & Roll Guru Joe Heuer
How to Throw a Rockin’ Karaoke Party by Lorraine Yii
10 Ways Music Can Help You Escape by Kim & Jason Kotecki
Musical Memories by musician Tiamo De Vettori
Thank You Rick Astley by funnyman Doug Kotecki
Club K&J members get access every colorful and content-rich issue of Kim & Jason Magazine, filled with articles and tips for living life with less stress and ore fun. (Learn more.)
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 set of Wedding Magic Beans. Within each hot stamped velour pouch is a collection of agriculture and heirloom beans that have been marked with thoughtful words using a patent pending process. The beans can be kept as a sentimental token or planted, however the true magic is seen when the planted beans sprout. The words are still on the pods as they emerge from the soil. People can actually see their wishes growing!
Words included in each Wedding pouch: Honor, Love, Desire, Grow, Devote, Balance, Forgive, Promise, Enjoy, and Listen.
Here’s how to enter:
- Just leave a comment on this post, answering this week’s question: “What is your earliest wedding memory?”
- 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.
- 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 Diane Crotty:
My birth father died when I was two. Before I turned three, Mom married the man I consider my real dad. Anyway, my earliest memory is of their wedding. I was the flower girl and my 18-month old brother was SUPPOSED to be the ring-bearer. Brother Duane only cooperated at first: He walked down the aisle right to our new dad, but instead of just standing there, he wanted to be held. When Dad didn’t pick him up right away, Duane looked at the congregation, looked at the floor, got down on his back, and started to ROLL down the aisle towards the back of the church. As the big sister (a bossy one at that), I felt responsible, but one look from Mom convinced me to stay frozen where I was while the crowd laughed and watched Duane roll back down the aisle.
Even though this week’s contest is over, you can still buy your very own Wedding Magic Beans at the Kim & Jason Lemonade Stand. And stay tuned next week for the next chance to win!
Related Posts:Chasing after a dream requires a lot of passion, preparation, and persistence. But there’s one other “p” word that might be even more important. This episode (posted in the Clubhouse) outlines a crucial strategy you need to be aware of if you want to see your dreams come true.
Club K&J members get exclusive access to Kim & Jason TV, featuring all sorts of exciting video content, including Adultitis Relief Brief episodes. (Learn more.)
One of the best ways to spend a summer day or night is at the old ballpark. We love the crack of the bat, the smell of hot dogs, and the enthusiastic banter of the public address announcer. Did you ever wonder what it would be like to have that job, watching and talking about baseball all summer long? There’s a lot more to it than meets the eye (or ears, in this case), as we found out from Aaron Sims, the voice of two Wisconsin-based minor league franchises. Listen to the interview here.
Club K&J members get exclusive access to Kim & Jason Radio, featuring insightful interviews with cool people and other awesome audio content. (Learn more.)
This week’s Escape Plan challenge (aka our Tip of the Week) is #6: Daydream Believer: Write down one big dream of yours. Draw or find a picture to go with it and put it somewhere you will see it often.
This is such a fun challenge! Who doesn’t like to dream about the future? It’s inevitably filled with hope and possibilities of wonderful blessings!
The law of attraction is a mysterious thing. I had a neat moment last Friday when I was cleaning out some papers near my desk. I found two copies of Wisconsin Women Magazine, one from October 2007 and one from December 2007. I remember picking them up with the conscious mindset that I wanted to be in there somehow. Maybe if I looked through them closely, I’d find a connection. Of course, as life happens the magazines got placed under some papers and weren’t seen again for what ended up being
seven months… the exact same day that the August issue of the magazine came out, with Jason and I on the cover. The cool part of this story is that we were approached by them to be on the cover. (Read the article here.) By the way, Jason broke records with this… being the first man to ever grace the cover! Don’t you love his socks?!
Don’t skip this challenge! It could truly impact the details of your future.
Share with us in the comments of the Escape Plan blog what dreams you’re recording this week. Be sure to stop back and let us know when they are accomplished.
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It’s true: This is the 1,000th post. Maybe by the time we get to 2,000, they’ll have developed the technology that will allow me to make confetti and streamers shoot out of your computer. Someday.
I can’t even begin to take credit for all 1,000 posts. Kim started up her own blog during the summer of 2005 and we combined forces and merged blogs last August. She doesn’t give herself nearly enough credit, but the truth is that she has written stuff that I wish I could claim as my own.
I started this thing on April 22, 2002 — over six years ago! — well before I had even heard of the term “blog.” The first post actually appeared in a thread called “Bird Droppings” on an infrequently visited message board called The Sidewalk. Some of you K&J veterans may even remember it! (And by “some” I mean Jenna.) Here’s an excerpt of the very first post, “The Beginning of Why“:
I’m not sure how this journal will evolve, but I hope it will be at least somewhat interesting to whomever finds themselves reading it. The reason for starting this is not because I feel that I have some great knowledge or experiential wisdom to share, but mainly because my wife thought I should. Apparently, she thinks there are people besides her who might like knowing some of the thoughts that take up residence in my head.
My plan is to just write stuff here from time to time; stuff about the strip, the characters, and the daily ups and downs that go with trying to live out this dream. I imagine it will be sort of cathartic for me, which is good, because even if no one reads it, I’ll have saved tons of money on a psychologist.
The good news is that people have been reading, and I have been touched by all of the kind words from people who have been inspired, encouraged, or entertained in some way. In looking back at my mention of chronicling the “daily ups and downs that go with trying to live this dream,” I can think of five lessons I’ve learned along the way. Maybe they’ll serve you as you pursue dreams of your own…
1) Just Get Started
It’s very common to hold off on chasing a dream until the conditions are perfect. The fact is that there will always be some reason to convince yourself to stay put. So if you want to start out on your dream, get over the fact that the economy sucks, you’re not as experienced as you wish you were, or your bank account doesn’t have as much money as you wish it did.
The other thing that keeps people from diving in is intimidation, especially when they compare themselves to the success of others. I’ve had people marvel at the design and comprehensiveness of our website. Sometimes they throw their hands up, lamenting that they’ll never have a web site like this. What they don’t realize is that this web site has evolved bit-by-bit over the course of eight years. It’s undergone countless revisions, thousands of tweaks, and we’ve added stuff to it one small piece at a time. Sorry to state the obvious, but Kim and I didn’t write all 1,000 posts in one day.
Everything worthwhile — including the pyramids of Egypt — has been built the same way: brick by brick. The only way to see a dream come to fruition is to get started.
2) It Will Probably Take Longer Than You Think
Optimism is what fuels the dreamer. This is good, because it gives you the energy to get up every morning and blow past obstacles that come your way. And there will be obstacles.
Eight years ago, I thought our revenues would be much higher than they currently are. I figured Kim and I would own a home and have at least two kids by now. Even though we are growing and moving in the right direction, certain things have taken longer than I expected.
But other than flash-in-the-pan Reality TV “stars,” there’s no such thing as an overnight sensation. Do a little research on the people who have achieved real success, and you will find a history of obscurity filled with hard work, serious setbacks, and marginal successes. You should expect the same. But don’t worry. Weeds grow quickly, sometimes overnight. Oak trees don’t. Which would you rather be?
3) Don’t Be Afraid To Change
When I first embarked on this path in 2000, the Kim & Jason comic strip was the center of everything. All of the products on the Lemonade Stand featured their likenesses, I had dreams of getting syndicated, and Club K&J was little more than a fan club for enthusiasts of the strip. (Check out the screen shot to the right to see what this site looked like when this blog began.)
But then the vision evolved, and my dream became much bigger than building a comic strip empire. I wrote a book. I started my speaking career. Kim and I began working together. The Lemonade Stand evolved to include thousands of new products, most of them having nothing to do with the Kim & Jason characters. We started impacting new people in new ways.
On December 11, 2007 I announced my decision to retire the daily comic strip. Let me tell you, that was a toughie. I feared that my dream was dying and I struggled to let go. But let go I did, and the business — and mission — evolved in remarkable ways. I took about a year off from Kim & Jason, which allowed my creative juices to bubble up. Now I am working on a new Kim & Jason project that fits better with my current lifestyle and has me more excited than I’ve been in a long while.
As you travel on your own path, don’t be afraid to change. It will be scary at times, but if you can go with the flow and follow where your heart leads, your dream will evolve beyond your wildest imagination.
4) Take Time to Look Back to See How Far You’ve Come
One thing I constantly have to remind myself to do is take time to look back at how far we’ve come. I tend to be a very forward-thinking person with big dreams. When you have big dreams, it’s easy to get caught up in a perpetual state of “never quite there.” To avoid burning out, it is vitally important to take inventory of what you’ve been able to accomplish.
In the past eight years, I’ve written three books (one of which was published by a major publisher), launched a career as a professional speaker, was named the “Rising Star” of the National Speakers Association of Wisconsin, secured licensing deals for Kim & Jason in countries like Japan and Australia, and moved into a ridiculously awesome new office. Not too shabby for a shy kid from a small town who started out in an old apartment with no money. These are the things I need to reflect on when I feel like we’re not making any progress.
When chasing a dream, be careful not to only compare where you are with where you want to be. Don’t forget to spend time comparing where you are to where you used to be.
5) Go With God
Faith is vitally important to me and Kim. We’ve had many dark and scary moments, moments that made us question our sanity and consider throwing in the towel. But time and time again, God has provided for us in amazing ways, often just in the nick of time. He’s guided me in directions I’d never considered and led me to people that I needed to know. And He’s given us the strength to keep going, even when the road was dark and hope seemed lost. I can’t imagine undertaking this journey without him.
I believe all real dreams come from God; they were placed deep within our hearts by a creator that loves us. The only way to achieve God’s best for you is to follow his lead. Pray for guidance. Pray for wisdom. Pray for strength. Somehow, he orchestrates things so that they always work out for the best.
These are five lessons I’ve learned while chasing my dream. And as the journey continues, I’m well aware that school is still in session.
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Like reading Kim & Jason? The duo is starring in a brand new project called Monsters. Go behind-the-scenes and follow the adventure as it unfolds as a Club K&J member! (Learn more.)
I’m very happy to announce the launch of The Clubhouse Store, a small online boutique consisting of specially designed items only available to Club K&J members. The Lemonade Stand will continue to carry all sorts of cool stuff for the young at heart, but The Clubhouse Store will boast a little collection of good stuff we’re not selling anywhere else. To celebrate the launch of this tiny new store, I’m excited to share what is perhaps my favoritest t-shirt design yet.
It’s the Duck Duck Goose t-shirt. And it’s tagless.
If you’re a Club K&J member and you want in, act fast to ensure you get the the size you need from the first print run. Details here.
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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 Rubber Duckie Kit. This nostalgic kit explains how the familiar tub toy became a true icon of childhood, and why it’s become so collectible. Featuring a classic rubber duck plus an 80-page book detailing history, trivia, and trends, illustrated with photos of the author’s extensive collection, it’s an essential for kitsch aficionados.
Packed inside this informative book, you’ll find everything you need to have a swell time with your favorite duckie–his life history, a bubble bath tutorial, cleaning tips for dirty ducks, tub-time trivia, and much more! Best of all, it includes a classic rubber duckie who will make a great addition–or beginning–to any collector’s flock!
Here’s how to enter:
- Just leave a comment on this post, answering this week’s question: “What’s your favorite childhood bath time memory?”
- 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.
- 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 Lance:
My favorite bath time memory… is watching my kids build bubble beards and all the giggles, when a tub is an event, not a task. However, my wife’s worst memory is when dad put Tide in the tub thinking it would create better bubbles.
Even though this week’s contest is over, you can still buy your very own Rubber Duckie Kit at the Kim & Jason Lemonade Stand. And stay tuned next week for the next chance to win!
Related Posts:Last night Jason was enjoying the All-Star game and while flipping channels at the commercial break he saw a promo for the evening news. “The fourth Madison murder this year! Is this a growing problem? Are you safe?” Something tells me that watching that news clip would’ve helped me sleep like a baby last night. (catching the sarcasm, here?)
There’s a huge distance between being informed and fear mongering. Not to be a media basher, but the reality is that bad new sells.
Here’s a sampling of the top news stories in Madison last night…
Murder on Madison’s South Side, Abduction Investigation, GM to Speed Up Closure of Janesville Plant, On the Menu: Higher Prices?, Madison Bus Driver Could Face Felony Charges.
Not that I’m advocating denial here, but do we need this negative programming right before our night of rest? It’s no surprise that there’s a major connection between lack of sleep and stress levels. With that in mind, I share with you the following…
Top 5 Ways to Sleep Well at Night
1. Do not watch the news.
2. Do not watch the news.
3. Do not watch the news.
4. Do not watch the news.
5. Do not watch the news.
Jason and I rarely ever watch the news. I get my news from USA Today’s breaking news email alerts. Everything else, locally, that is newsworthy certainly finds it’s way to my ears without my help- grocery store check-out lines, the talk from people after church, or headlines on the newspapers I step over on my daily walk.
Do yourself a favor and limit your intake of fear. It goes a long way on your journey to fight Adultitis.
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The Kim & Jason daily comic strip officially retired in 2007, but that wasn’t the end of Kim & Jason. Nope, not by a longshot.
I’ve been busy with a new project. It’s a new adventure for Kim and Jason, a story that deals with the monsters under the bed and the things that test our patience. The script is finished, and a number of paintings are already finished. So far, I’m very pleased with the results. This is already turning out really, really cool.
I’m intending to publish the story as a full-color hardcover book sometime next year. But in the meantime, I’m going to be releasing the pages one at a time over at the Clubhouse. Hopefully this will be exciting news for those of you jonesing for some new K&J adventures, as you’ll be able to follow the story one page at a time.
The first page is already up. You can take a look here.
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