Finding Laughter: Can I be a Comedian? (Day 28)

 I am not easily amused, but I want to change that. I want to learn to add to the funny around me. In Day 8 I proposed that I collect jokes and tell at least one a day.

How has that gone? How have people responded to me? To be honest not well, Many days I have forgotten  to write down a joke and then to repeat my joke. Since I am not a natural joke teller, people tend to sympathy laugh or maybe it is a grimace. I am, however, laughing at my attempts.

That’s okay with me though. My quest is more about me developing an attitude of a light-heart, a habit of cheerfulness. I am no longer looking to be funny and causing others to laugh.

I am looking more intently for the funny in life, what can I make light of especially when it comes to my life. Since I don’ t have a natural bent to looking at life this way I am doing a few things.

• I have subscribed to The Good Clean Funnies List (thanks to Barb). GCFL sends one clean joke 5 days a week. These jokes cover the gamete of topics and often make me smile as I recognize the funny bent on a situation. I am hoping that at some point this type of thinking will become natural to me.
• I’m cultivating a mindset of laughter. My original thinking was, “You just try to be funny. Life is too serious to laugh,” Now I am more predisposed to laugh. I may not be a laugh-producer (able to tell jokes which produce laughter), but I am becoming a laugh-receiver (where I laugh at your jokes).
• I search for Facebook posts that are humorous. I.e. One of my friends posted that her little guy said the following: “My hands are freezing!” Then rubbing his 8-year-old side burns, “And my beard is freezing, too!” 
• I am adding more play to my life. Where there is play, laughter is not far behind. I never realized before that as an empty-nester how serious my quiet home had become. Children are great at play and thus at laughter. Here are two links with ideas. (1) 25 Ways to Have Fun At Work. (2) Have More Fun – a post from Gretchen Rubin.

While recently working with a team, I was part of adding laughter to life. At Retreat last week we (the retreat committee) planned some humor-time. At the beginning of each session we read 3 phone calls that the conference center switchboard had supposedly taken for our ladies.

Here are some examples . . .

• MJ your husband called to say that your cat is on an extended time-out because he ate your new running shoes.
• RM your hubby says that dinner turned out well. However when he was cooking his famous tube-steaks the cupboard over the stove caught on fire. And you no longer have a dining room table.
• VT we hope you have full coverage. One of the grand kids took your car for a joy ride down the driveway and hit a fire hydrant. There is good news though. There is no longer a drought in  – – – your yard.
• TD your hubby says that the grand kids made you a mural – – – using permanent markers – – – on your kitchen wall. Please advise.

Reading these FALSE phone calls here, they don’t sound that funny. But we had a good time at the time – writing them and reading them outloud. And as an intended side-effect we also learned something (truthful) about each person.

 I occasionally write about the funny in my life. Here are some posts I’ve written that showcase some of that humor.

• Con La Lengua Afuera: a Story and a T/F Quiz
• Figuring Out the Real Meaning of Humane Society
• How to Be Happy, Healthy and Holy
• I’d Like to Buy a Word
• If Google Doesn’t Have God’s Phone Number, Try This One
• Rolls and Buns: A Communication Mishap

In conclusion, to answer the question, “Can “I” be a comedian?,” I don’t think so as that isn’t my bent. But I can ADD to the funny by making a concerted effort.  Like by TEAM-writing funny phone calls . . .  writing what funnies OTHERS have said . . .  and by laughing at myself (which is a whole other post).

Your Turn . . . Did you find any of my “humor” posts funny?  . . . . Kids really do say the darndest things. What is a story you have?

I am joining 100’s of others at #write31days to write every day in October on a single topic. My topic is 31 Days of Finding Laughter. I will spend time each day studying laughter to see if I can improve my laughter quotient.

Go here for the landing page which has all the posts in one spot.

Read, learn, and discover with me what this world of laughter is all about and is it all that it’s cracked up to be. And be sure to leave a comment. Talking together will make for a richer, interactive experience for all of us.