Humor. Humor has always been kind of a funny thing to me.
I like laughing, that’s for sure. I enjoy reading and hearing funny people. Then I try to be funny. That doesn’t always work so well. Maybe its that I’ve been living in the house with step-teens for the last ten years. Before that, a teen girl of my own. Somehow what I think is funny gets turned into “weird.”
An old friend used to say, “If ten people tell you you’re dead, might as well lay down and close your eyes.” I apply this to myself when I think about whether I’m funny or not!
So, I look to others for humor. I’m the deep one, I guess, just made that way.
Humor is good medicine, though. Scientific research shows great support for this assertion (click here for an example to get you started). The Bible even says so (click for Proverbs 17:22)! When we experience joy, happiness and laughter, our bodies (all the cells!) are awash in chemicals (natural chemicals, free!) that fight disease and promote health.
It would stand to reason, then, that its always a good idea to make fun. Sometimes, though, people take the ribbing a little too far. It’s kind of embarrassing when that happens! Suddenly the room gets quiet. Everyone realizes the joke is beyond funny and someone’s feelings just got smushed. Oops, party’s over. There’s a time, a place and a degree to funny. Like I said, humor is a funny thing.
I wonder if this has anything to do with why I’m a little afraid of trying to be funny. As an INFP (click here for description, see ‘paisley1’s comment), I can’t help but be aware of what others are feeling; I’m like the “empath” on the old Star Trek!
Really! Ridiculously so. However, it’s more likely because so many of my attempts at humor just fall to the floor with a ‘ba-dum-dump!’ I get teased ALOT around my house for my inane attempts at humor. So far, though, I haven’t given up. Its so good when I can get to the place where I can laugh and make light of a heavy situation. Humor is just too good of medicine to give up on. I don’t even mind if the joke is on me, I’ll laugh at myself if that’s all that’s funny.
So in that light, I applaud Jason Headley for this hilarious little clip that turns the tables a bit. Take a moment and watch it before you read more, please!
Jason Headley It’s Not About the Nail
Touché Jason!
Uh, oh, was this okay? I just joked on my own gender! You know, ever since Gloria Steinham helped forge the way for women to stand up to mistreatment, inequality and sexual harassment, it has become politically correct to make fun of men, insult them, talk over them and just generally disrespect them. Watch any sitcom, listen to a female comedian’s stand-up routine, hang out with your girlfriends, you’ll hear it! Men have taken a lot of ribbing the last 50 or 60 years. I think we women have healed from our previous oppressions enough to laugh at ourselves on this one.
It’s time we begin to listen too. It’s time we look to see the nail in our heads, right there in the frontal lobe region (responsible for executive thinking, forethought, etc.) and then also have a little appreciation for the amazing vision and insight our men friends bring! Maybe even (shudder) some R-E-S-P-E-C-T (just a little bit)?
Hmmm. Wouldn’t you know it? I had been working on this post with spare moments for a few days, and before I could finish it, draft saved right at that nasty seven letter word (Aretha’s song in my head), it happened. My dear sweet husband tried to point out and remove a nail in MY head. Oh, its happened before. We’ve gotten past it, to the point of making fun of ourselves. But when it happens, its no fun. . . for either of us! Even after talking it through (or should I say getting through points A through E–from anger to seething to reluctantly talking to ranting to quieter talking to agreeing to disagree– it was still kind of a flat day recuperating from the emotions. Then, at the end of the day, I return to my writing, and here is this draft, waiting to be finished. Right at RESPECT. I had to laugh.
Okay, honey, I will make a serious attempt to solve the problem the way you so obviously see is correct. I will. Really! Oh, and thanks for trying to make me laugh earlier even though all I would give you was an eye twinkle and half a smile.
©Joan T Warren
Joan T. Warren 
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