Throughout this year, several bloggers will engage in a conversation here and on their blogs — asking questions of each other and responding. Others are absolutely welcome to join the conversation, as well. Learn more about the ladies of Blogversation 2012.
Today’s question — which should have gone up on Thursday, but apparently I did something screwy and that didn’t happen — comes from Eleanor Traubman, Creative Times, @creativetimes on Twitter:
What role does laughter, fun and humor play in your life? Who or what makes you laugh and brings out the comic in you?
Blogversation 2012: What role does laughter, fun and humor play in your life?
5 Comments
Maria Stuart
I live to laugh. I especially love to laugh often, big and loud. I surround myself with funny people. I, myself, can be quite funny given the right circumstances and comfort level. Sometimes, my sense of humor toes the wicked line, and when it does, I feel appropriately guilty.
I judge people on their senses of humor; I’ve dumped friends and boyfriends for not having one. A good sense of humor to me is quite attractive, and so I married a quiet, yet very funny man.
As a child, I found my sweet spot in the family by being funny. I have so much common ground with my sister and we share such similar senses of humor that we usually end up laughing hard when we’re together, so hard that I feel like I can’t catch my breath, my stomach hurts, I am crying and I have to pee.
Laughter is also therapeutic. It feels good — really, really good — to just let go and guffaw. If I had to choose, I’d pick laughter over orgasms.
The only thing I can’t do funny is write; I try to write humorous pieces, but I always fall short.
Come to think of it, there’s something kind of funny about that.
Eleanor
When my brother and I were about 3 and a half and 5, the two of us together would get inside of an oversized cardboard moving box and hurl ourselves down our winding olive shag carpet -covered staircase. The fun of it was we couldn’t see where we were going, so we would scream and laugh as we bumped and thumped our way down that 70s-inspired spiral of terror. Over time, our antics left a worn-out strip in the middle of the olive shag; the strip resembled a little snake-like path mowed into a front lawn. I’m sure my mom was thrilled.
Fast forward 15 years: I’m visiting my childhood friend whose parents have moved to the gorgeous island of Kauai. One night, we OD on Kona coffee (that ***t is STRONG!). Jacked up on caffeine, we grab a silk-covered futon off the frame and ride that puppy all the way down the staircase. It’s like a water park ride, sans the water! Yee-haw!
Fast forward another 15 or so years, and I’m bringing my date home through the door of my apartment sublet. I decide to turn on a boom box and play Blestenation’s awesomely cheesy remake of Bananarama’s “Cruel Summer.” I’m not sure what possesses me, but I start to dance in a crazy, spazzy, decidedly uncool way.
What comes next surprises me: when I stop to catch my breath, my date starts dancing in an even crazier, spazzier fashion. Dang, he’s outdone me! I laugh so hard that I fall down to the floor.
As you can imagine, this date eventually became my husband.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m a responsible adult who balances my checkbook and sends birthday cards out on time. But what keeps me going are the folks who can (A) get me laughing or (B) laugh at my funny lines. Best of all are (C) the category of people that my brother, childhood friend, and husband fall into – the true partners in crime when it comes to whipping up a tornado of creative frenzy.
Colleen Newvine Tebeau
I might have mentioned this before, but one of my more vivid memories of working on the staff of my college newspaper was having one of the older, more serious editors give me a sit down because I laughed so much at work — she took it as a sign that I didn’t take my job seriously or that I wasn’t being productive.
Anyone who’s ever worked with me knows she didn’t make much progress. I laugh a lot, and, I’m told, loud enough to make it clear when I’m in the office.
It’s not that I’m sitting there watching funny cat videos all day. Instead, I find the day goes faster when there’s a humor and lightness to getting work done — and thankfully, I have some smart, articulate, quick colleagues who can crack me up even as we’re chipping away at our to-do lists.
I think that’s a big reason I was drawn to newsrooms. The kind of people who work there tend to be smart, funny, clever folks who can work hard and fast on deadline and still manage a funny turn of phrase as they’re doing it.
But without a doubt, my husband John makes me laugh more than anyone or anything. We laugh together daily, and I’ve told many people that I think sharing a sense of humor is absolutely essential in a healthy marriage — it’s awfully hard to stay mad at someone when they’re making you laugh. I know. I’ve tried.
So George Clooney is hot as a stolen car, but if he couldn’t make me laugh, it just wouldn’t last.
Thankfully, he seems to have a really great sense of humor …
Amy Throndsen
My laugh lines are my favorite feature & I look for them on others. Even if someone has great skin (and/or a sun lotion routine), laugh lines creep around the eyes in a subtle, yet inviting way. To me, the lines signify a willingness to let loose, share joy and have a great attitude about whatever life throws your way.
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