Quotes from “A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman”

Do you have particular books you want to read this Summer? I do. My list is here. I just finished this book A Year by the Sea: Thoughts of an Unfinished Woman by Joan Anderson. It is FULL of quotes I want to remember.

BE HAPPY WITH ME  

Related Posts . . . 
7 Ways to EXCHANGE Grumpy for Happy … How to Be Happy, Healthy and Holy

All is ripely quiet, and I lift my glass to me, a woman turned inside out, no longer wanting to become happy because, finally, I am.

“You mustn’t fret. There is no arriving, ever. It is all a continual becoming.”  (Joan erickson)

When I need centering, I sing a favorite hymn, “Spirit of God Descend Upon My Heart,” which also allows me to ease drop on my spirit and pick up on its mumblings. ·

 

HAVE FRIENDSHIPS THAT CAUSE ME TO GROW 

Related Posts . . . Get Busy Making Some History With a Friend . . . Sending Thanks to a Friend – Gratitude Project

Every woman should have a mentor – not her mother, but someone who doesn’t have a stake in how she turns out, who encourages her to risk, who picks her up when she falls flat on her face. Joan prods, pokes, and coaxes me each time we’re together. ·

“Want to get into some trouble today?} What did you have in mind I ask, smiling at her devilishness. “Oh, I don’t know – just getting out and gathering up some experiences!” ·

 

BECOME WHOLE BY PAYING ATTENTION 

Of primary importance now is for me to retrieve the buried parts of me­-qualities like playfulness, vulnerability, being at home in my skin, using more of my instincts. Like so many pieces of a puzzle, I need to find a way to create the whole once again

I have learned to pay attention to my instincts and take notice when I feel anxious – to remove the pebble from my shoe before it blisters, get the chicken bone out of my throat – in short, to be mindful of feelings and emotions and work with them, not run from them.

Related Post . . . 8 Thoughts on Living Well  … What If The Wholesome Words Were Bleeped?

LAUGH MORE

What do you want? We usually answer with some material object. Imagine If we said something like a better state of mind, or togetherness, or simply to be surrounded by laughter.

Sitting here alone is satisfying enough, but the night would be far better if shared with another-with someone whose mood meets mine, who relishes moments, whose wonder remains untainted, who appreciates simple things and says so, who laughs much, indulges heartily, is spontaneous in spirit, is quick to embrace, and sees joy as a duty.

Related Posts . . . Finding Laughter – What I Learned From a Funny Friend … Laughter Quiz … Laughter Has My Gratitude

LIVE A FULL LIFE

I am no longer just passing through the world, but digging deep and collecting moments.

“Vital lives are about action,” Joan Erickson tells me. You can’t feel warmth unless you create it, can’t feel delight unless you play, can’t know serendipity unless you risk.” I’m trying to bring more of the spontaneous beach back to the cottage and incorporate it into my everyday life.

I must live a little each day, watch the sun as it rises and revel in its setting, swim naked, sip coffee and wine by the shore, generate new ideas, admire myself, talk to animals, meditate, laugh, risk adventures

Related  Posts . . . Live in the Day: a To-Do List … How 20 Wishes List from Fictional Book Helps Me Live Today … Do More Than Count Blessings, Be a Blessing

CHOOSE TO AGE WELL

“Why am I more cautious as I age instead of the other way around? I wonder if it’s all tied in to failure. I tend to forget my gains and remember only the losses. The failures have piled up, wreaking havoc with my confidence until, as an adult, I’ve become afraid to take chances.”

“I’m coming to see that life is not a lesser thing than I imagined it to be,” I say, thinking out loud just now. “Rather, it holds more than I have time to seize. The big secret is that everything doesn’t happen in youth.”

Related Posts . . . Singles Thanksgiving Bucket List … 3 Ways to Encourage Others Year Round … 16 Ways to Comfort Yourself

Your Turn . . .  

• What quote from this book strikes you and why?
• What’s on your summer reading list?

Finding Laughter: Books Still on my Bookshelf (Day 30)

Wow – I cannot believe this 31 days of laughter is only one day from being done! And I am sad to say that I didn’t finish all that I wanted to finish. I can see that my Finding Laughter project is far from complete with books to read, Ted Talks to listen to, experiments to try.

 Yes, I still have books to read. This month was soooooo busy that I didn’t get to read all I wanted. I did read all the books for children though. So I am going to read the following  – no deadline this time.

EDITED TO ADD: It is now March 2016 and I have read all the below books except for the one by Carol Burnett. That is still on my list.

• Between Heaven and Mirth: Why Joy, Humor, and Laughter Are at the Heart of the Spiritual Life by James Martin. I am enjoying this book – a lot. I will buy my own copy.
• Contagious Joy: Joyful Devotions to Lift Your Spirits by a BUNCH of female authors from women of faith
• House Calls: How We Can All Heal the World One Visit at a Time by Patch Adams, M.D. I enjoyed the TED Talk by and movie about Dr Adams. So I was thrilled to learn he wrote this book.
• Managing to Have Fun: How Fun at Work Can Motivate Your Employees, Inspire Your Coworkers, and Boost Your Bottom Line by Matt Weinstein. This book is FULL of ideas. I will probably buy this one, too.
• The Healing Power of Humor: techniques for getting through loss, setbacks, upsets, disappointments, difficulties, trials, tribulations, and all that not-so-funny stuff by Allen Klein. This book sounds like it could have some helpful ideas.
• This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett. I didn’t even get to crack open the cover. But I LOVED watching her show growing up. SO I HAVE to read this one.
• Worms in My Tea: And Other Mixed Blessings by Becky Freeman & Ruthie Arnold. This was recommended by a reader. It looks GOOD! I actually bought a used copy.

Your Turn . . . Are there any other books I should be reading? NOTE: I am making my way through the suggestions given here.

Related Posts from The Finding Laughter Series . . . 

• Books on my Laughter Bookshelf
• Children and Laughter  – Information from these books: The Learning Power of Laughter, Lincoln Tells a Joke: How Laughter Saved The President (And The Country),  If You Take a Mouse to the Movies, Henry Hyena, Why Won’t You Laugh?, 
• Is Laughter Needed at Work?  – Information from  Fish: A Proven Way To Boost Morale And Improve Results 
• The Habit of Cheerfulness – Information from  I’d Rather Be Laughing: Finding Cheer in Every Circumstance 
• What Does Norman Cousin’s Laughter Have to Do With Me?  – Information from  Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient: Reflections on Healing and Regeneration.

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.

 

Finding Laughter: Laughter Is Part Of My Worldview (Day 29)

Have you heard of sourpuss Christians? About how life is too serious to inject fun? And that you must be UN-spiritual if you do these injections on a regular basis?

“From somber, serious sullen saints, save us, O Lord.” ~ TERESA OF AVILA

I didn’t know of these expectations growing up.  I didn’t grow up in a Christian home. Although for many of my younger years I was bussed to Sunday school. The Christians I met there, my teachers, were anything but a sourpuss.

They kept an orderly classroom (after all this was in the 60’s when all children minded authority figures because if you didn’t you got into BIG trouble at home). But the consistent attitude of these teachers was one of kindness. I don’t remember what they taught, but I remember how I felt (and why I wanted to keep going back).

I felt love from others and God. My teachers and mom modeled love, kindness, and fun. Laughter was part of my worldview then and it is now.

And for most of my Christian life (41 years now) I have been surrounded by folks (from the pulpit to the “regular” people) who are anything but a sourpuss. So when someone tells me their experience is to the contrary, I am always a little surprised and sad for them.

But while I am not a sourpuss, I am not light-hearted. I have to keep reminding myself to go back to the basics – to be a joy-filled Christian is to remember my why.

We can have a foundation of joy when we keep remembering what Jesus did.

“I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have perfect peace. In the world you have tribulation and distress and suffering, but be courageous, be confident, be undaunted, be filled with joy; I have overcome the world.” My conquest is accomplished, My victory abiding.” John 16:33 (AMP)

Marilyn Meberg says this verse “assures me that because of Jesus, the Overcomer, I too can be an overcomer in all of my trials and sorrows simply because He lives in me. As a result, I have access to His victory and His power over my circumstances. . . . Our cheerfulness rests on our Savior-relatedness. The divine transaction of accepting Christ’s death on the cross not only assures us a place in heaven but also a cheerful heart on earth.” (Quote some from her book, I’d Rather be Laughing.)

By remembering my why I can have a cheerful heart on earth!

Remembering impacts our laughter. Laughter impacts our length of days. Proverbs 14:30 says, “A relaxed attitude lengthens a man’s life.” (TLB) An insurance company statistic relates that people who laugh live on average 8 years longer.(Stat from Laughology movie.)

 What else do we need to remember besides what Jesus did for us on the Cross and through His resurrection?

“Then our mouth was filled with laughter And our tongue with joyful shouting; Then they said among the nations, “The LORD has done great things for them.” ~ Psalm 126:2

 We, I, need to remember that God is for us and that He has and will continue to do great things for us. Great thinks like . . . 

• Providing His ongoing Presence in our lives
• With His Presence comes guidance and empowerment to follow His wise & good way in (all the) areas of our life
• Financial, relational, emotional to name a few
• Remember there is more to this life than this life. Heaven is coming and it will be perfect

This does not mean life HERE is perfect and free from struggles, or trauma even. The Bible clearly says there is “a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance,” (Ecclesiastes 3:4).

But through knowing our why and purposefully thinking on and talking about the great things of God, we can keep our balance during these traumatic times and the lesser but equally draining, daily, irritants of life. Sometimes though, this is HARD to do. Sometimes it takes time to get our balance. And sometimes we need the help of others to get and maintain that balance.

And there is one last thing we need to do. Besides keeping our minds fixed on God and His gifts to us, we need to have right actions. Why?

When our actions do not match up with our deeply held beliefs, we WILL experience guilt, depression, alienation and isolation from God and others.

 Some of these right actions consist of . . .

• Staying away from known sin (gossip, anger, lust, greed, wasting time, etc)
• Keeping our word to family commitments (consistently honoring each other in a selfless, kind manner)
• Providing a full day of work each day we are at work (stay off cell and personal computer usage during company time, maintain a pleasant and servant-attitude)
• Choosing free-time activities that strengthen us and our world (it is healthy to have solo interests. It is not healthy when these solo interests negatively impact those in our world)
• Living in a  manner of forgiveness (asking for it and extending it)

In short, live a life of integrity. And I am not talking about perfect actions, just progress towards the perfect and a having a loving, humble attitude,

Jesus can be our foundation. Cheerfulness can be our habit.                                                                             Laughter can be a frequent guest in our mouth.

Your Turn . . . Have you had a lot of experiences with sourpuss Christians? If yes, how has that impacted your laughter? . . . . . What can you do today to make cheerfulness a more entrenched habit?

Related Posts From This Series . . . 

• If You Can Joke, You Can Cope
• Interview of a Funny Person
• Is Laughter Needed at Work? 
• Suggestions From Readers 
• The Habit of Cheerfulness

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.

Finding Laughter: 9 Laughter Date Ideas (Day 23)

When was the last time you had a laughter date?

“I have laughter dates with myself, where I find comics on YouTube and watch them. Louis C.K. was my first laughter date a couple years ago. I’ll also watch those videos of people doing idiotic things. That cracks me up.” ~ Inga Muscio

Laughter dates are meant to expose you to things that could bring on laughter. I am trying to have a laughter date 1-2 times a week. Things like games, gratitude, and being around funny people do that for me.

WHY LAUGH? Here is a quote Barbara left in the comments.

“Mirth is God’s medicine. Everybody ought to bathe in it. Grim care, moroseness, anxiety — all this rust of life ought to be scoured off by the oil of mirth. It is better than emery. Every man ought to rub himself with it. A man without mirth is like a wagon without springs, in which everyone is caused disagreeably to jolt by every pebble over which is runs.”
— Henry Ward Beecher

Below are some of the laughter dates I’ve had while writing this series.

1. Volunteer to be a nursery helper at church. You will see yourself doing all kind of SILLY just to get a kiddo to smile. And when they laugh, you feel like you’ve hit gold.
2. Play Telestrations at a family game night. This is the Telephone Game with a drawing twist. None of us are artists. And we all think so differently from another. It was hilarious trying to figure out what that drawings REALLY meant.
3. Interview a funny person. Ask him/her about their humor beginnings, tips, and  a recent humorous event. I had a funny and connecting time when I interviewed Lorna.
4. Watch Patch Adams. This movie stars Robin Williams. I was alone when watching this. And I LAUGHED out loud multiple times.
5. Go to staff lunch. Humor always abounds when we are together.
6. Recall humorous times. In your humor notebook write down funny events from childhood, work, etc. I don’t have much written in my book yet, but it is a work in progress.
7. Watch the Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. There are plenty of youtube videos. Much of this is just plain silly. I don’t usually find plain silly funny. But it is clean and sometimes I actually LAUGH.
8. Write a gratitude list.Then thank God in prayer for those things. It is hard to be happy (which leads to laughing) without first being grateful.
9. Meet a funny person for coffee. I had an unplanned “date” with a funny person. And it was great. I will be doing more of this.

Your Turn . . .  What are some ideas you have for a laughter date? You might not need ideas, but I sure do!

I am joining 100’s of others at #write31days to write every day in October 2015 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.

Finding Laughter: 15 Quotes (day 15)

Some wisdom can be gained from reading quotes about laughter. And you might also chuckle. Here are some that made me chuckle or go aha!

HA HA HA

1. And keep a sense of humor. It doesn’t mean you have to tell jokes. If you can’t think of anything else, when you’re my age, take off your clothes and walk in front of a mirror. I guarantee you’ll get a laugh. ~ Art Linkletter
2. I am thankful for laughter, except when milk comes out of my nose. ~ Woody Allen
3. On average, an infant laughs nearly two hundred times a day; an adult, only twelve. Maybe they are laughing so much because they are looking at us. ~ I Ching

Relationships

1. Laughter connects you with people. It’s almost impossible to maintain any kind of distance or any sense of social hierarchy when you’re just howling with laughter. Laughter is a force for democracy. ~John Cleese
2. A good laugh is sunshine in the house. ~ William Thackeray
3. Laughter has no foreign accent. ~ Paul Lowney

Self Care

1. The best way to cheer yourself is to try to cheer someone else up. ~ Mark Twain
2. I never would have made it if I could not have laughed. It lifted me momentarily out of this horrible situation, just enough to make it livable. ~ Viktor Frankl
3. Laughter gives us distance. It allows us to step back from an event, deal with it and then move on. ~ Bob Newhart
4. As soap is to the body, so laughter is to the soul. ~ A Jewish Proverb
5. An optimist laughs to forget; a pessimist forgets to laugh. ~ Tom Nansbury
6. I believe that laughter is the best emotional Band-Aid in the world. It’s like nature’s Neosporin. ~ Matt LeBlanc
7. Laughter is a tranquilizer with no side effects. ~ Arnold H. Glasow
8. I try to find a reason to laugh each day. Somehow, if you can incorporate laughter into your day, every day, it really helps. It’s the little things in life that make me happy. ~ Faith Hill
9. We don’t laugh because we’re happy, we are happy because we laugh. ~ William James

Your Turn . . . 

• Which quote was your favourite one?
• Do you have a laughter quote to share?

Related Posts . . . 

I am joining 100’s of others at #write31days to write every day in October 2015 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.

 

 

Finding Laughter: 9 More Ideas to Bring on Laughter (day 14 part two)

I just came across this article, Laughter Is The Best Medicine. Besides listing the benefits of laughter, it also tells how to bring more laughter into your life. BINGO!

Here are some of the author’s  suggestions. Read the article to get more information.

One. Host a game night with friends. The women from church recently had a game night. There was a LOT of laughter that night. Maybe I could host one for some friends. Hmmmm. Want to attend?

Two. Count your blessings. I write a Friday’s Fave Five post most weeks. This is where I recount 5 blessings from the past week. Here is my most recent one. I also have a gratitude notebook. However, I have not been as faithful in recording a daily blessing. This is probably because I keep losing the notebook.

Three. Read the funny pages or a humorous book. I remember reading the funny pages as a kid every Sunday morning. You?  I am more likely to read funny books than the comics. I have several on my list that write31days folks have suggested.  I will post that list soon.

Four. Spend time with fun, playful people. I could add this to my laughter dates idea. However, I am fortunate that the folks I work with fit this description.

Five. Bring humor into conversations.I used to do this with my kiddos when they were younger. I’d ask, “So what funny thing happened today?” So be ready for an answer when I ask you the same. 🙂

Six. Laugh at yourself. I want to be better at this and to REMEMBER to do this.

Seven. Surround yourself with reminders to lighten up. I am working on this. See Day 27 to find out what I did. 

Eight. Deal with your stress. This is a GREAT idea. When I am stressed, I become hyper-focused and grouchy. This is certainly the opposite of playful and laughter.

Nine. Do something silly. I am not good about being silly. Although I did write a post that had some silly ideas. These ideas are below.

• Indulge in a secret persona. Wear fake mustaches or fake tattoos. Dress up as a super hero and go to lunch. Last year I had a sparkly unicorn painted on my cheek at a child’s tea party. Do you know that NO ONE said anything as I did my errands that day? NO ONE! But I felt silly and light-hearted.
• Watch I Love Lucy reruns. Laugh at the silly antics.
• Play with bubbles. Make a gigantic wand. Get coloured or scented bubbles. Go to this Pinterest board for a BUNCH of ideas. Or this one has good ideas too.
• Give a bouquet to your friend, but not one of flowers. How about a bouquet of nail polish, tools, glow sticks, or balloons. The Dollar Store is a great resource for finding balloons and unusual items. Kids (of all ages) enjoy these. NOTE: It is  harmful to breathe some of the helium and talk in a Donald Duck voice (even though it is very silly).
• How about soaking each other in silly string? It’s called silly for a reason.

Your Turn . . .

1. Go read the article. There is a LOT that I didn’t comment on. What would you include that I didn’t?
2. Which of the above are you really good at? What could use some practice?
3. Give me a silly idea I can try at home.
4. Share a resource (movie, book, anecdote, or joke).

NOTE: This is the 2nd post for Day 14. I had too much information for one post. Part One is here.

I am joining 100’s of others at #write31days to write every day in October 2015 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.

Finding Laughter: Children and Laughter

“A sense of laughter can be learned. Just as children learn qualities of kindness or persistence by example, so, too, do children learn about humor.

“They model themselves after the adults in their lives. Parents with good senses of humor often have children who enjoy humor and are funny themselves. Having a good sense of humor and recognizing and taking opportunities for laughing out loud help develop . . . 

• good social skills,
• pre-reading skills,
• problem-solving techniques,
• creativity,
• and reasoning skills.” ~ Jackie Silberg

Silberg says, “Laughing increases learning and retention. Laughing stimulates both sides of the brain. People get the message quicker and remember it longer.”

The use of humor also helps develop bonds, strengthen relationships, and helps the child figure out what is acceptable and what isn’t.

Children think differently from adults. They find the absurd, nonsensical and out-of-the ordinary funny. I.e. rhyming words, nonsense syllables, and silly actions. Want some ideas? Silberg’s book, The Learning Power of Laughter, is a great resource. It offers over 300 playful games, activities, & ideas that promote learning with youngsters.

NOTE: I bought this book used from Amazon for $4.00. It will be a great resource to use with my toddler grand-daughter.

Help your child develop his/her sense of humor. Do this by listening to and appreciating their attempts even if it is nonsensical, too silly for your taste, unrelenting, or not expressed well. Joke back with them. Read funny stories to them. And try some of the exercises in Silberg’s book.

And check out the links below. They will also give you ideas on how to grow your child’s funny bone . . . and maybe your own.

• What Makes Children Laugh?
• Encouraging Your Child’s Sense of Humour
• What’s Funny to a Preschooler?

BOOK RESOURCES

Henry Hyena, Why Won’t You Laugh? by Douglas Jantzen . . . This book shares how Henry learned there are different kinds of laughter and not all of them are appropriate.

“It’s not that you’re sick, and you’re far from a fool. You’ve just learned that laughing at others is cruel”, said the wise old giraffe.

Lincoln Tells a Joke: How Laughter Saved The President (And The Country) by Kathleen Krull & Paul Brewer . . . I did not know that President Lincoln was a jokester. He told silly stories, read funny books, and collected jokes and puns.

Lincoln lived a HARD life: impoverished as a child, not good-looking, insomnia, nightmares, failed romances  lost political races, and many enemies (because of his political views and frequent joking). He handled his hard life and the difficult people with his humour.

Any book by Laura Numeroff is funny. My favourite book is If You Take a Mouse to the Movies. Maybe because it is also a Christmas book and I collect Christmas books.

Here are a few others by Numeroff . . .  If You Give a Dog a Donut . . . If You Give a Cat a Cupcake . . . If You Give a Moose a Muffin . . . If You Give a Mouse a Cookie . . . If You Give a Pig a Pancake .

I’m Encouraged. This Jackie Silberg book was an encouragement to me; (she has written many other books as well). I started this post with her belief that children can learn to laugh. If children can, I imagine that adults can as well. So I take this as GOOD NEWS for me Finding Laughter.

Your Turn . . .

• Do you have a child in your life that you want to help in their laughter learning? Or are you the one in need of help?
• Is there something new you will do or continue to do because of reading this post?
• As always, do share a resource (movie, book, anecdote, or joke). All are appreciated.

I am joining 100’s of others at #write31days to write every day in October 2015 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.

Finding Laughter: Funny Halloween Movies (day 10)

I discovered that laughter + scary can go together which is perfect for this month of #write31days. Halloween is 20 days away.  Here are seven funny Halloween movies that I found listed at Halloweenistic. Most of these videos are family friendly; therefore, I CAN watch them without getting freaked out or nightmares.

• Beetlejuice (PG)
• Gremlins (PG)
• Hocus Pocus (PG)
• Monsters, Inc (G)
• Nightmare Before Christmas (PG)
• Once Bitten (PG-13)
• Shaun of the Dead (R)

I have laughter dates with myself, where I find comics on YouTube and watch them. Louis C.K. was my first laughter date a couple years ago. I’ll also watch those videos of people doing idiotic things. That cracks me up. ~ Inga Muscio

I haven’t seen Gremlins, Once Bitten, or Shaun of the Dead. So I will have a laughter date or two before Halloween and watch the first 2.

Here are more family friendly Halloween movies listed by Nestled in the Woods. I don’t know if these are funny, though.

AS A SIDE NOTE: The couple writing Halloweenistic and the blogger at Nestled in the Woods are part of #write31days 2015 and writing on the theme of Halloween. Go check out their sites and leave a comment or two.

My video plan:

1. Have you ever watched the series Friends? I used to sometimes watch it and I remember laughing. So I just ordered Seasons 1-3 (from the library). I am going to check them out to see if I still find them funny.
2. I want to watch the following movies as well.
   • Sister Act, Sister Act 2
   • Patch Adams (movie starring Robin Williams)
   • Patch Adams: Live in Anaheim! The Emporer’s New Clothes (antics from the real Patch Adams)

Your Turn . . . Do you have a suggestion for the funny, Halloween movie list? Or other movies?  . . .  What will you do for you next laughter date? . . .  How’s it going with your #write31days?

Related Posts . . . 

• Finding Laughter: Instructional Videos (day 3)

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.

Finding Laughter: What Does Norman Cousin’s Laughter Have to Do With Me? (Day 9)

I credit Norman Cousins and Sofia (see day 8) for this topic. If a 20 month old appreciates humour and a fatally ill man heals himself with humour, then who am I to bypass this important topic?

I had heard about Normam’s recovery from a fatal illness by the use of laughter. So I decided I should read the book: Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient: Reflections on Healing and Regeneration. Norman’s story starts in 1964 with him coming down with Ankylosing Spondyliti:  a rare, painful, life-threatening, connective tissue disease which attacked his joints. Norman refused to accept his grim prognosis (of a few months to live).

So he forged ahead with an unusual plan. In addition to “laughter sessions,” Norman did two other things. He moved into a hotel near the hospital so that he could control his environment (quieter, less daily testing which impinged on his rest, more cheerful, better food) and he took mega doses of Vitamin C. 

It is the laughter treatment that most caught my attention. Regularly throughout the night, Norman would watch funny movies: Marx Brothers and Candid Camera. He discovered that inflammation and pain decreased after these “treatments.” Norman found that 10 minutes of belly laughter laughter yielded 2 hours of pain-free sleep. Finally Norman did recover from Ankylosing Spondyliti; passing away in 1990 (26 years after his initial diagnosis).

Quotes from Norman . . .

• Laughter serves as a blocking agent. Like a bulletproof vest, it may help protect you against the ravages of negative emotions that can assault you in disease.
• Laughter is a form of internal jogging. It moves your internal organs around. It enhances respiration. It is an igniter of great expectations.

Since reading this book, I have tried my own laughter treatments. I do believe in the effectiveness of laughter and a positive mindset/environment, BUT getting 10 minutes of continuous belly laughter day-after-day is TOUGH – at least for me.

• I haven’t yet discovered a show or movie that consistently makes me laugh.
• The laughter exercises (here and here) are more corny than mirth producing.
• And laughing my way to work is fizzling because my “fake” laughter rarely turns real laughter and too often I get side-tracked and realize I am at work and I didn’t laugh my way there.

So as of Day 9, I am floundering

Your Turn . . . Do you have a suggestion for a show or movie? Or any other suggestions?

Related Internet Resources . . . 

• Norman Cousins, Anatomy of an Illness (Youtube Interview)
• Anatomy Of An Illness (movie starring Ed Asner)

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.

 

 

Finding Laughter – Are Comedy Shows Really Funny? (day 6)

Throughout the years, I’ve spent time laughing at The Dick Van Dyke Show,  I Love Lucy, Mash, Cheers, Night Court, and Friends. But how much did I laugh and was it because it was really funny or did I respond to the laugh tracks or the laughter of those around me?

I listened to some old shows again, I Love Lucy and Mash, and I did not laugh much. I smiled at the antics Lucy stumbled into. I was emotionally involved with the story line of  Mash and again I smiled more than laughed.

Was my lack of laughter due to  . . .

• Being alone while viewing these shows?
• Because I knew the shows and so their “formula” was too familiar?
• Or maybe the writing was out-dated?
• Or perhaps I am simply a fuddy-duddy with a broken laugh-er?

I found this post with its list of top 50 comedy shows.

I checked out a couple of more recent shows, 30 Rock. Modern Family, and The Office. Same result. I smiled much more than I laughed. And quit frankly, I didn’t smile as much as I thought I would.

I simply don’t enjoy  . . .

• crass humour,
• slapstick,
• humour based on immorality
• or on someone else’s discomfort.

Perhaps I am too rigid in my viewing tastes. Or maybe I just laughed more when I was younger.

So as to the “why” this part of my experiment failed, I am not sure. And maybe I needed to watch more than 4 episodes or watch them with someone before deciding shows weren’t funny (to me).

I don’t have a TV and so use Hulu on my computer to watch shows (more chick-flick oriented). I thought about getting Hulu Plus or Netflix for a month so I could check out Seinfeld and some newer shows. But I decided I didn’t want to use my time (or money), on something I may or may not find funny.

Your Turn . . . Are there some shows you watch that tickle your funny bone? 

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.

Finding Laughter – Ted Talks (day 5)

Do you listen to TED Talks? TED stands for Technology, Entertainment, and Design (TED). Years ago my sister introduced these video talks to me and I go through spurts of scrolling through the topics to watch what interests me.

I like to watch them because  . . .

• They are no more that 18 minutes (great to watch during lunch break and short enough to not over load my brain or emotions with information).
• The speakers usually have a well-crafted, well-delivered message that educates and inspires change of thought or action.
• I also appreciate the media that is typically used by the speaker (slides and/or video clips).

Since I am learning about and writing on laughter during October, I thought that I would see what TED has in the area of laughter. I came up with 51 videos.

My plan is to watch these 51 videos to learn about laughter. Of course I will report back any info-bits that are pertinent to laughter.

Your Turn . . . Do any of the titles in my list look interesting to you? If yes, which one(s)?

Related Internet Posts . . .

• TED Talks Are Wildly Addictive for 5 Scientific Reasons

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.

My TED talk list is after the jump.

Finding Laughter: Books on my Laughter Bookshelf (day 4)

Because I like to read, Finding Laughter (my quest and writing challenge for this month) will involve books as research tools.

There are at least 100 books involving laughter . . .

•  memoirs of comedians
• children’s books
• collections of humourous stories and jokes
• scientific investigations
• how to’s on how to be funny.

I’ve ordered books from my library system that deal with laughter. So far I have 14 books on my laughter book shelf. And there are several more to pick up from the library.

My Plan

• Basically the plan is to read and see what I learn.
• I will share the pertinent tidbits.
• I don’t really know what I am looking for because I have never studied this topic and I don’t know what it is I don’t know.
• I am hoping the end result is that these readings help me to laugh more on a daily basis.

After the jump is the initial list of books on my laughter bookshelf. I won’t have a chance to read all the below this month. So I will pick those that look most germane to digest and report on.

Your Turn . . . Can you recommend a “laughter” book?

Related Internet Posts . . .  32 Books Guaranteed To Make You Laugh Out Loud … I haven’t read even ONE of these. Have you?

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.

Click on “Read More” for my book list.