The Weird Things That Make Us Laugh ..... ..... by Delsora Lowe

Commercials— There are some that attract our attention, others that speak to us, and still others that just mystify us.

One that always makes me laugh AND mystifies me, is the Kayak commercial – with a woman farmer who says if you need something done, you have to do it yourself. It’s funny and unexpected. I love her feistiness as she stuffs her clothes with straw, marches out to the wheat field, stands up and put her arms out over the wooden stake that usually would have a hanging scarecrow, and hollers. All the blackbirds rise and leave her crop alone. 

As an author, I would love to create such a visual that would spark my reader's imagination.

I wasn't sure what the company who sponsored the ad does, but… I do laugh every time.

Of course, I immediately conducted a search on what Kayak is. It is a search engine for travel. Now I get the gist of the commercial. You don’t have to do everything yourself. We’re here to help you plan your trip. Unlike the woman who insists on doing, by herself, the shooing off of unwanted birds who feed on her crop, Kayak will save you from having to search every area in the country, every transportation and lodging source, etc. *

Want a laugh? KAYAK: Don’t do it yourself (Scarecrow) - YouTube

·        Disclaimer: this is not an endorsement, since I have never used Kayak and only figured out what they do as a company when I researched them for this piece.

Those commercials that call to you, might be because they remind you of times when you were young. Or remind you of the products you used as a kid and are no longer the “in” thing that this next new and shiny product could be used to replace the older version.

Then there are commercials that, for me, defy explanation. It most likely is that I am in the older generation that grew up in the sixties. And products that might be used by younger generations baffle me. Or, in the case of the above, I don’t know what they do. Or, I don’t see the need for them, when I already have an older product that is useful in the same way as the newer, more sparkly version.

Of course, learning about and eventually embracing new “things” can be a good thing. A time saver or a product that does what you never knew you needed. Such as speaking to someone without a telephone wire attached. Full disclosure: I haven’t had a land-line in years.

Remember those days—before cell phones? 

I do. Driving round and round on one-way streets that went the opposite direction I needed to go, when I was on a work trip to Boston. My goal? Looking for a pay phone that actually had a parking spot nearby, to call a friend and get the right directions, since the policeman directing traffic didn’t have time to help a stranger to the city. His only goal—keep traffic moving—as he waved me along. I ended up in tears. I was confused and needed one kind word or the point of the finger to direct me in the right direction. I soon had no recourse to turn around, as I was now on the on-ramp headed toward 95 through the city and over a bridge headed north…in rush hour.

But I digress.

These days, we need the newer and shinier version of products. If we don’t adapt and upgrade, we are left in the dust. Especially when it comes to machines that use technology. If we don’t keep up, we may find ourselves in a void where we, and our machines, can no longer communicate with others.

In this world where more and more folks are working from home, or need to use the latest versions to keep up in an on-site workplace, we can be shoved out of jobs.

And for those of us who work independently and from home, keeping apprised of the newest technologies that can make our jobs easier, and help us produce work faster and with more efficiency, it is important to keep up.

So, whether you see advertisements on your computers or on the TV, or hear about them on the radio, or word of mouth from those who share the same profession, it is imperative to be aware of what’s new out there. If only to stay competitive.

So, peruse those ads. Find the humor or joy in them. And ignore (as in the prolific use of the mute OR delete buttons,) those commercials that don’t call to you.

 

Do you have a favorite commercial? And what is it
that draws you to that particular ad?

Welcome to Serenity Harbor, Maine, a small coastal town where the Starlight Grille is a favorite meeting place. A three novella and bonus short story, sweet with a bit of heat, collection. 

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Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet and spicy romances and contemporary westerns, from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.

Author of the Starlight Grille series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short romances for Woman’s World magazine (most recently, an Easter romance in the April 1, 2024 edition.) The Love Left Behind is a Hartford Estates, R.I. wedding novella with Book 2 on the way. A Christmas novel (The Inn at Gooseneck Lane) and novella (Holiday Hitchhiker – the youngest brother of the Mineral Spring’s ranching family) were the most recent releases. Look for book 3 of the cowboy’s series, as well as book 2 of the Hartford Estates series, to be released in late 2024 or early 2025.

 

Social Media Links:
Author website: www.delsoralowe.com
Facebook Author page: https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/community/
Amazon Author page: https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Books2Read Author page: https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
BookBub Author Page: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518
Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe
Instagram: #delsoralowe / https://www.instagram.com/delsoralowe/

Photo and Clip Art Credits:
Typewriter: typewriter-vector-5.jpg (650×650) (getdrawings.com)
Phone: free clip art images of rotary telephone - Search Images (bing.com)
Smile: Smile Clipart Images | Free Download | PNG Transparent Background - Pngtree

Laughter as a Coping Mechanism by Jay Artale

Dementia is a serious business, but if your family is under the dark cloud of this disease you’ll know how important laugher is to the coping process.

An Austrian neurologist, Viktor Frankl, wrote that humour is the soul’s weapon to help us transcend despair. Studies have shown that laughter can boost the immune system, lower blood pressure, and alleviate anxiety. It seems natural to make fun of a life-threatening, disastrous, or terrifying situation, and when times become difficult—laughter helps.

Our Alzheimer's Journey

My Mum was diagnosed with Alzheimer's six years ago. She used to tell us about the funny things she was doing because of her dementia—that’s back in the early days of the disease when she was aware of its impact on her behaviour. 

The hallucinations of the babies crawling on the floor at night. 

Hiding her handbag again, and again...and again so her husband wouldn’t steal it. Then forgetting where she’d hidden it and blaming him for moving it.

Stock-piling kitchen rolls, and hiding those because people were stealing those too. 

Inadvertently buying super-sized or tiny groceries because her depth perception became warped.

She laughed. I laughed. It was an effective coping mechanism.

Another way I coped was by devouring dementia-related memoirs and self-help books to find comfort and solace in other people’s experiences. In an attempt to pay it forward I kept a journal to document the progression of the disease. 

Every now and then these journal entries would trigger the need to write a poem. My poetry is in a rhyming style similar to the 20th Century French/British poet and writer Hilaire Belloc. They’re jaunty, and on the surface they’re tongue in cheek, ironic or even flippant. But this surface veneer shrouds the torment beneath.

Inappropriate Laughter

As the disease progressed, my Mum went through a phase of inappropriate laughing. She laughed when people hurt themselves, dropped something or tripped. It’s as if she wasn’t sure of the socially acceptable response so resorted to laughter. She went from a serious and empathetic adult to a giggly teenager in a matter of months. She laughed until tears rolled down her cheeks and snot bubbled from her nose. 

It was so good to hear her laugh, we didn’t care what triggered it.

Excerpt from the print version of: A Turbulent Mind

We had many years of this laughter therapy. It blinkered us to live in the moment. We didn’t look back and wallow in regret or look forward with concern—we just belly-laughed our way through the here and now. Her laugher was so infectious, even when it was misplaced.

Fast forward a few years... and my Mum has disappeared inside a shell of the person she once was. She no longer remembers how to laugh.

Science of Laughter

 

Did you know that humans normally don’t laugh out loud unless they’re in the company of other humans? Imagine yourself watching Uncle Buck, Animal House, or Bridesmaids on DVD all by yourself, with no one else around. Then picture yourself watching these movies in a crowded theatre.

Yep. . .  you’ll barely eek out a snicker alone at home, but you’ll laugh out loud in a theatre full of fellow peeps. It’s part of our mysterious human-to-human frequency that connects us together.

Oddly enough, though, I often crack myself up when I'm writing. It must be due to the fact that writing is such a private and wholly internal experience. We're legends in our own minds, I guess.

Laughter is a scientific wonder. It’s both physical and spiritual because of our miniature army we know as endorphins. These feel-good guys rule the body and the mind for both love and humor. They lift our mood and make our hearts race. A tickle of the funny bone sends those endorphins into action to instantly manage our blood pressure too.

Forget the expensive supplements that claim to get rid of the spare tire around your middle. That flab belt is the result of an excess of Cortisol, a hormone released as a result of poor diet, negative thoughts, and persistent stress. Frequent belly laughs get rid of belly fat . . . and they’re completely free of charge.

By the way, these bodily changes happen with a mere smile, a shared joke, or when we hear a funny story. We suddenly feel uber-social and linked to others. This is needed more now than ever before, since we’ve been locked down and wrapped in face diapers for the past year.

Laughter is one of those traits that makes us uniquely human and individual. Like a fingerprint or a retina scan, the pattern, tone, and pitch of our laughter is an important part of who we are. Whether it’s a melodic trill like the cartoon character of Wilma Flintstone, or the one extra-loud burst of “HAAA!” from the likes of character actress Margorie Main (remember her as Ma Kettle from the 1950s?), we recognize someone’s laugh as part of their personality. I’m sure you could recognize hundreds of laughs if given an audio quiz.

When I was in school—elementary through high school—I would gravitate toward those who had a great sense of humor, especially humor of the naughty kind. I consciously sought out these talented individuals because I love to laugh. At just the right timing, a mere sideways glance and a wrinkled nose can make me laugh out loud. I’ve gotten myself into trouble at more than one funeral because I remembered something funny about the person.

This reminds me of that hilarious episode from The Mary Tyler Moore Show about Chuckles the Clown’s funeral. Everyone is tearful and somber at the death of poor Chuckles until Mary breaks the pall by thinking of funny things the clown had said and done in his career. It starts with Mary trying to hold back a "chuckle" and an embarrassed glance. Then it snowballs when Mary can’t stifle an outburst, which grows to the whole congregation at an infectious rate. Soon the whole room is rolling with laughter. The inappropriate situation is altogether appropriate for the funeral of a clown.

Sometimes I’m the only one that thinks something is funny. I thoroughly enjoyed my private guffaw sessions when I wrote the Dushane Sisters Trilogy. I even inserted scenes I knew I’d delete, just to see what my sister and mother would say when they read the early drafts. I could almost pinpoint the hour I’d get a phone call:

“Are you crazy? You can’t write that!” my sister would say.

“I know,” I replied, “I was waiting for you to run into that scene.”

“You are so wicked. On second thought . . . keep it in.”

“No, I’ll take it out.”

“No, Keep it in.”

“Are you crazy? I can’t keep that in the book.”

And so it went . . . full circle. Those fun sparring sessions bonded us forever.

Humor is pure positive energy, and laughter raises our frequency level by ten fold. Just a smile or issuing a compliment will raise our positive energy level. I'm learning a lot about frequencies these days. They'll be super important when the new quantum technology is de-classified in the coming months. Much of it will be tied to our consciousness and energy. After all, we humans really are electrical devices with a soul. 

Our ability to laugh makes us truly special. So take off the masks and smile at each other again. I don't know about you, but I'm inviting as many people as possible to our July 4th barbeque. 

 

Courtney Pierce is a fiction writer living in Kalispell, Montana with her husband and stepdaughter. She writes for the baby boomer audience. She spent 28 years as an executive in the entertainment industry and used her time in a theater seat to create stories that are filled with heart, humor, and mystery. She studied craft and storytelling at the Attic Institute and has completed the Hawthorne Fellows Program for writing and publishing. Active in the writing community, Courtney is a board member of the Northwest Independent Writers Association and on the Advisory Council of the Independent Publishing Resource Center. She is a member of Willamette Writers, Pacific Northwest Writers Association, and Authors of the Flathead. The Executrix received the Library Journal Self-E recommendation seal.

Print and E-books are available through most major online retailers, including Amazon.com.

Check out all of Courtney's books: 

courtney-pierce.com and windtreepress.com 

New York Times best-selling author Karen Karbo says, "Courtney Pierce spins a madcap tale of family grudges, sisterly love, unexpected romance, mysterious mobsters and dog love. Reading Indigo Lake is like drinking champagne with a chaser of Mountain Dew. Pure Delight."

Coming in 2022!

When Aubrey Cenderon moves to Montana after the death of her father, the peace and quiet of Big Sky Country becomes complicated with a knock on the door from the sheriff. An injured grizzly bear is on the loose and it must be eliminated before it kills again. The sheriff's insistence that she buy a gun for protection will present Aubrey with some serious soul-searching, because the grizzly-on-the-run is hunting her too . . . for a different reason.

Pandemic Humor - Share Your Faves!!!

 QUARANTINE HUMOR

Kenda Secoy Pinterest

Even in the darkest of times, humor brightens people’s days, if only for a few moments. Laughter is good for the body, relieving physical symptoms of stress. Sharing a laugh, in person or over the internet, strengthens our connection to others.

Anonymous

During this worldwide pandemic, humor—whether silly puns, self-deprecating tweets, or hilarious memes—is helping us keep our sanity while surviving the unimaginable. I’m kicking off today’s discussion about “pandemic humor” with the two memes above in a category known as "quarantine humor."

I've added some of my other favorites below:

    

Nothing like relaxing on the couch

  after a long day of being tense on the couch.

Kate Sidley on Twitter @sidleykate Mar 18 2020

Day 121 at home and the dog is looking at me like,
  “See? This is why I chew the furniture!”

ANONYMOUS 

Not every type of pandemic humor appeals to everyone. What's the verdict?  Share your favorite in the comments!

The Importance of Laughter, Humor, and Showing Joy … by Delsora Lowe

Between winter isolation and the way of the world, it seems there hasn’t been a lot of laughter in our lives. But, if you look closely, you can find joy and humor around every corner. And…we know where that leads. LAUGHTER! Or at the very least some big smiles.

April starts out with a cherished “holiday” in my family. April Fool’s Day was my dad’s favorite. He always played a joke on the family. Not one of those elaborate, heart-stopping, jump out of the closet types of jokes, but a crazy pun or an exaggerated declaration that would always catch us off guard. And have us believing him. He loved his puns and play on words. The joke never lasted long, because he was famous for laughing at his own jokes, before we ever realized his declaration was a joke. Maybe he loved April Fool’s Day, since he was an April baby. So, thinking of laughter and jokes, as I write this, makes me sad that he passed away eleven years ago, right before his ninety-second birthday. Although, now I envision him up in Heaven playing jokes on his twin and two other brothers, and my sister, and my favorite aunt, and my grandparents. And then they’ll all laugh and toast with a shot of Scotch.

But back to earth… In my neck of the woods, April can be the beginning of an early spring, with flowers pushing up through the decomposed leaves I haven’t yet had time to rake off the beds. Or we can have a nor’ easter roar up the coast and dump a foot of snow. At this time of year, snow melts fast, so spring storms are definitely blips on the radar screen. One more thing to laugh at or to feel joy about is that the melting snow, like April showers, brings May flowers.

Springtime is a time of renewal. For the writer in me, it WAS (scratch that) IS (trying to be optimistic) 😊 also a time to look forward to writing conferences where I can renew the well of inspiration. There is nothing like gathering in person to hug your writer friends who you haven’t seen in a year, or learn new writing and marketing skills in a workshop, or dine together with old and new friends, chatting it up about both personal and professional lives.

Alas, that in-person comradery is long overdue, after all the cancelations of the past few years, and more for this spring and summer. But I can remember the joy and laughter and banter from in-person meetings. And with hope on the horizon, I know those, too, will return. This Fall?!?!?

In the meantime, there has been no lack of “gatherings” with ZOOM and Skype and Go-to-Meeting and all the other venues for “in-person” communication. These vehicles might not be the same as in person, but we still have the joy and laughter and learning experiences. Now to look forward to the hugs and dinning together that are missing from the on-line communication.

Remember…LAUGHTER is important, anyway you can get it.

~ Laughter is and always will be the best form of therapy ~ Audrey Hepburn
~ A day without laughter is a day wasted ~ Charlie Chaplin
~ When they say laughter is healing, it absolutely is the truth ~ Katy Sagal
~ Laughter is an instant vacation ~ Milton Berle
~ The person who can bring the benefit of laughter into the room is indeed blessed ~ Bennett Cerf
~ Hearty laughter is a way to jog internally without having to go outdoors ~ Norman Cousins
~ Laughter is a sunbeam of the soul ~ Tomas Mann

Do you have a favorite LAUGHTER quote? Or story?


THE PRINCE'S SON My Favorite Romances of 2020 - Zara West Romance (zarawestsuspense.com)

BUY LINKS
Amazon (also available in print)
Books2Read

~ cottages to cabins ~ keep the home fires burning ~

Delsora Lowe writes small town sweet and spicy romances and contemporary westerns from the mountains of Colorado to the shores of Maine.

Author of the Starlight Grille series, Serenity Harbor Maine novellas, and the Cowboys of Mineral Springs series, Lowe has also authored short romances for Woman’s World magazine. Her newest novella is The Love Left Behind.

SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:

Author website:
www.delsoralowe.com
Facebook Author page:
https://www.facebook.com/delsoraloweauthor/community/
Amazon Author page:
https://www.amazon.com/Delsora-Lowe/e/B01M61OM39/ref=ntt_dp_epwbk_0
Books2Read Author page:
https://www.books2read.com/ap/8GWm98/Delsora-Lowe
BookBub Author Page:
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/delsora-lowe-93c6987f-129d-483d-9f5a-abe603876518
Goodreads Author Page:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16045986.Delsora_Lowe
Instagram:
#delsoralowe / https://www.instagram.com/delsoralowe/

CLIPART:

Laughing Friends:
ladies laughing clipart - Clip Art Library (clipart-library.com)
Ha-Ha Meme
laughing free clip art - Google Search
April Showers:
April Showers Spring showers free clip art - Google Search
Virtual Meeting Meme:
Zoom meeting free clip art - Google Search
Shot Glass - Shot Glass Cartoon Stock Illustrations – 2,094 Shot Glass Cartoon Stock Illustrations, Vectors & Clipart - Dreamstime

Pippa Jay

Hi, I'm Pippa Jay, author of sci-fi and supernatural stories to engage your emotions. Due to a technical hitch, I am unable to bring you the humorous post I was hoping to do, so I hope you enjoy this little blast from the past instead.

I am not, however, much of a teller of amusing tales. I can never recall funny stories or jokes, and frequently don't get the humour in others. I think I'm faulty. 😁

So instead I dug out some photos that make me smile, and I hope they'll do the same for you.

Eldest spotting the latest must have hatwear!

 "What dat shiny thing?!" Up close with Saffie

One of my girls after a bath. You can see the dinosaur in them!

Being given the eye by Kala

 "Are you sure you don't have food?!"

 " Let me help you with that tappity tap, human. "

 "Where's the food?!"

 surprise present

Attack of the Flour!

Can't get a moment's peace without someone getting on my back...

Hmm.

So Put on a Happy Face!

 

By: Marcia King-Gamble 

www.lovemarcia.com

Have you ever met someone who is twenty plus years younger than you are but looks--- how do I put it delicately….old?

I have, and while genetics may play a huge part in maintaining youthful looks, your general outlook on life plays an even greater part on maintaining a youthful face.   

My sister, (the world’s skeptic,) often says there’s no old, cranky people, these are folks that have been cranky all of their lives. She thinks that eventually crankiness reflects on your face.

Normally I roll my eyes and let her talk, but on reflection, there is some truth to this.

Take my friend, I’ll call him Norman, (easily one of the best-looking men I know.) Norman has the most negative personality I have ever encountered. Norman takes pride in his body and health. He bikes, runs, and has nothing good to say about anyone who is one pound overweight. But Norman, as he has aged, now has a perpetual scowl on his face which mars his good looks.  He now resembles the curmudgeon he is.  

Another friend, on the high side of seventy, you would never believe her age. Her positivity reflects on her face and in her wide smile. She’s wrinkle-free and has more energy than you and me.

There's some short-term benefits of laughter. Let's look at them.

Laughter doesn't just lighten your load mentally it induces physical changes in your body.

Laughter can stimulate your organs. It enhances your intake of oxygen and stimulates your heart and lungs. It increases the endorphins that stimulate the brain.

Laughter fires up and then cools down your stress response. It increases and decreases your heart rate and blood pressure, resulting in a more relaxed you.  A good laugh can also stimulate circulation and make muscles relax. Both reduce the physical symptoms of stress.

As for long term benefits, laughter has been proven to improve your immune system. Negative thoughts create a chemical reaction bringing more stress into your system and decreasing your immunity. Positive thoughts release neuropeptides that help fight stress and more serious illnesses.  It’s sort of a mind over matter thing and may even be the reason some survive serious illnesses and others who have given up, don’t.  It lessens depression and anxiety which makes you feel happier.

Look at the popularity of that emoticon 'Happy Face,'  you can spot it everywhere. It’s on clothes, backpacks, sheets, just everywhere you look. I sure as heck would like to have been the inventor of that smiley face .

Laughter even relieves pain, causing the body to produce its own natural painkillers. Laughter also makes it easier to cope with difficult situations. It helps you connect with other people. Now more than ever we need that connection.

Many people experience depression, sometimes due to chronic illnesses. Laughter can help lessen that depression and anxiety and make the person feel happier.

Given all the benefits of a good laugh (which cost nothing, by the way) it would seem worthwhile to turn up the corners of your mouth and attempt to smile, then follow with a big belly laugh.

The result of laughter is a more relaxed and less tense you. So, why not enjoy the wonders of a good, hearty laugh? It may be more beneficial than the medicine your doctor prescribes.

About Marcia King-Gamble

Romance writer, Marcia King-Gamble originally hails from a sunny Caribbean island where the sky and ocean are the same mesmerizing shade of blue. This former travel industry executive has spent most of life in the United States. A National Bestselling author, Marcia has penned over 34 books and 8 novellas. She has contributed to Michael Fiore’s DigitalRomanceInc and served as a moderator on the now defunct eHarmony advice boards.  Having witnessed the bad, the ugly, and the not so good in relationships, she still prefers to write about happily ever after. Caring for her animal family keeps her grounded and sane.

Visit Marcia at www.lovemarcia.com or “friend” her on Facebook: http://bit.ly/1MlnrIS

Be sure to join her newsletter mailing list.

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