I thought we could all use a bit of levity today. Here’s a cartoon to let us laugh at ourselves a bit.
Tag Archive for laugh
A Much-Needed Chuckle
Sometimes we just need to stop and laugh at ourselves. It’s a healthy thing to do.
A Good Reason to Laugh
Stop for a second and think about today’s Thursday Thought. Then, hold onto your belly, let loose with a good laugh, and enjoy the health it stimulates.
I Know Where You Are Today…But Not Tomorrow
We’ll start 2017 with a little laugh at ourselves. Let’s hear it for good intentions…and for the fact that we’re human. Then we can get on with the main task of the new year, living.
Have a 2017 filled with health, happiness, and the joy of life!
Coffee and Life Lessons
All too often we overhear someone laughing at or making fun of someone else’s misfortune or troubles. It’s especially disturbing to hear it among teens, who are on the cusp of an adulthood that should be more understanding and compassionate. Most of us do or say nothing, figuring that it won’t do any good and might cause trouble.
A North Carolina woman encountered this situation one day at Starbucks. Her reactions–and, more importantly, her actions–are refreshing. I wish I’d thought of that.
Read the USA Today story at “Woman gives mean girls an intervention at Starbucks.”
Making Fun of Myself
So, I’m one of those super-pro-environment people–avoid pesticides, treat food-animals humanely, work toward a real, honest, agreed-upon, and followed definition of “organic.” That sort of thing. When I saw this video, though, I realized that I know people like this–and they won’t find this video humorous.
Oh well. Just know that I’m laughing at myself, as well, while standing firm on my eco-friendly beliefs.
[Thanks to Marco Paganini for this one.]
It’s True–It IS the Best Medicine
Laughter Really Is Good Medicine.
Scientists at Oxford did six studies—five in the lab and one in the field—to see if that old saw “laughter is the best medicine” has any truth to it. They studied what they call “social laughter,” which happens when we’re relaxed and in a group, which allows it to be contagious, and laughter when a person is simply watching a funny video.
Their results show that laughter releases those feel-good endorphins and help control pain and stress and maintain healthy cholesterol levels. In addition, 40 calories can be burned just by laughing for 10-15 minutes a day.
You can read more about this by going to a New York Times article, “Scientists Hint at Why Laughter Feels So Good.” http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/14/science/14laughter.html?_r=0
Or Huffington Post’s “New Study Proves that Laughter Really Is the Best Medicine. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/22/laughter-and-memory_n_5192086.html
So, are you feeling stressed out today, especially over your cholesterol levels or having some nagging pain? Have a good laugh.
Bill Cosby’s Medal of Freedom
I’m going to say something very unpopular here: Bill Cosby should keep his Medal of Freedom. For one thing, under the criteria for the medal, he earned it. The criteria is that recipients must be “Americans who have contributed richly to the national life some way.” There is no morals clause. Cosby did contribute, by making us laugh–often at ourselves–and by making many people forget that the family man on TV, who was so much like us, was actually Black.
Remember that year, 2002? The U.S. invaded Afghanistan; there were constant news stories of Israelis and Palestinians killing off masses of men, women, and children; the Pope brought priest child abuse fully into the open; an asteroid came close to crashing into the earth; floods ravaged our relatives and friends in Eastern Europe; stories of the carnage of the Beltway bomber filled our newspapers and magazines; a Chinese plane crashed and another disintegrated, killing hundreds. We needed some laughter to release the tension. Cosby gave us that laugh.
The other reason he should keep the medal is that he has been accused but not convicted of some horrible acts. Admittedly, he looks as guilty as Satan. However, all people are protected under our law and are innocent until proven guilty. We don’t get to apply that rule of law selectively, even if we feel down to our toes that a person is guilty.
All this is academic, of course, because whoever thought up the award didn’t conceive of a time when they’d regret giving it to someone. Therefore, there’s no way established to take it back.
End-of-Day Questions
I wouldn’t mind this one for my epitaph:
