Monday 19 April 2010

Have the last Laugh

What soap is to the body, laughter is to the soul. ~Yiddish Proverb

Were you aware that April 2010 celebrated the 34th anniversary of the National Humour Month????? Seems like a dude named Larry Wilde, took it upon himself to declare it as such sometime in 1976 and it has remained so to this day.
"Since April is often bleak and grim and taxes are due on the 15th, it can be one of the most stressful times of the year," says Wilde, author of 53 books on the subject of humor. "Besides," adds Wilde, "it's the only month that begins with All Fool's Day -- a day which has sanctioned frivolity and pranks ever since the 1500's."

Just think back and see if you can remember when it was last you laughed and laughed till your belly ached and tears were running down your cheeks. For me it was during my teenage years with my equally crazy friends in college. Actually my teenage years were a very difficult phase and unlike many people who say ‘I wish I was back in school’ I never want to go back there but the fact remains that when I look back it is the laughter I remember more than the tears.

We laugh for many reasons…..mostly when someone or something is really funny but sometimes we also use laughter to hide our pain and to avoid ugly situations. Psychologists believe that laughter is a releasing emotion which powers out pain; it does not change the facts or the circumstances in our life but alters the way we relate to it. Like psychologist William James says “We don’t laugh because we’re happy. We’re happy because we laugh.”

Even Readers Digest’s been saying it for the past 40 yrs and they are right; Laughter is the best medicine, the antidote to all ills. Unfortunately it is an emotion which has not got its due. Did you know its been proven that a lack of a good sense of humour leads to loneliness and depression; which is why Laughter therapy and other related rehabilitation methods are much ‘happening’ nowadays.

Within my friends’ circle I was always the comedian and had this knack of making people laugh with my one-liners and expressions. I particularly remember an incident in my final year in college where we had a sort of a beauty contest within our class towards the end of the year. There were around 15 categories and the idea was to nominate all students atleast once; with titles like “Ms Beautiful eyes” and “Ms Enchanting smile”, each category had 3 nominees. Around 4 of us sat together to write down all the names amidst fun & laughter. Just as we were almost finishing up with the work I could see the other 3 looking vaguely uneasy and avoiding my eyes. They then leave me to tie up the loose ends and scurry out of the room together. I had no clue what was wrong. They come back in 5 minutes & say ultra casually that they want to add 1 more category to the contest. It was the “Ms Humorous”[or some vague title like that] category. Then it dawned on me that it dawned on them that my name did not feature any of the other categories and so they dreamed up a category where I would not look too out of place & fitted me in.  I won that category easily ofcourse…..like 48 votes out of 50. 49th vote was mine where I had politely voted for somebody else but I’m still hunting for that 50th person who thought I was not funny.

TV serials like ‘Everybody loves Raymond’ and ‘Two and a Half Men’ are a riot and I keep aside everything to give it my undivided attention. I love watching ‘America’s funniest videos’ too though my amusement here is tinged with a bit of guilt. I even sit along with my kids and watch “Tom & Jerry” and “Bugs Bunny”; though I enjoy the show I love watching the kids’ laughing more. Jim Carrey is a favourite with the better-half and I just don’t understand why. I agree he’s funny looking but how long can one watch a person pull faces in the name of acting.
The only humour(???) based programs I avoid are those ‘bakra’ kind of stuff which sometimes almost all the time makes the common man look like an idiot.

Laughter and humour have more benefits than we’ll ever think….
# We make friends easily
# It’s contagious
# It defuses potentially tense or violent situations
# It lowers our stress levels
# Enhances relationships & can improve productivity at your workplace
# Get u more comments on ur posts;-D
# Burns calories & reduces blood sugar levels
# It’s even supposed to boost our immune systems & relieve pain.

But more importantly to be able to laugh at our own self, to see ourselves with all our failings in the right perspective, is the ultimate victory.

60 comments:

  1. LOL Nance ... u cast ur vote for someone else :P Awesome ;)

    That dose of humour is so imp. in daily life and u do that so often with ur posts :P Thank u thank u ;)

    ReplyDelete
  2. YAY!! YAY!! I am 2nd!! that too because i read the whole post :)

    Laugh at myself is what i always do... unlike U, i was not the most humorous person in the gang but the least one and so was the target for all my frinds.

    Except for in advertisements, never watched two and half men..heard it is funny but haven't watched it..

    ReplyDelete
  3. during our grad party last month we had a similar contest..and the person who won "best hips" catg was infact a male!!..lol

    ReplyDelete
  4. Mystery: u knw wht we can do...the next time we all have a bloggers meet we can have a healthy discussion on this subject...who is the first 1st??? The one who comments 1st without reading or the 1 who comment 1st after reading;-D
    2 & a half men may not appeal to everybody's sense of humour immediately but one thing I guarantee most men take to it in the 1st 5 mins itself;-D

    Swaram: Yeah well I wd have voted for myself but it wd been very obvious if all 50 voted were for me;-P. And thank U:-))!!!!!

    Brocasarea: LOL that must have been a riot;-D

    ReplyDelete
  5. How true...I even think the laughter clubs are really healthy...I too love Raymond but the Mr Bean kind of humour is lost on me...I hate the hurting someone and laughing jokes..though some are clear fun...

    ReplyDelete
  6. :D
    Loved the post, as always
    i absolutely agree with every line, humour definitely is one of the most important aspect of ones personality..
    like most people i love comedies.. 'bakra' doesnt fall into the category at the first place methinks
    and 48 out of 50 votes!! u sure were popular in school:)
    -ISH

    ReplyDelete
  7. :):) I love watching Raymond too :) And my latest craze is The Office(although it`s more of a dark humour). Last time I laughed really hard was yesterday at a lunch out with friends..and over something too trivial to even remember clearly!! But it was good fun..and pretty healing, if you ask me..
    Great post, Nancy! As always..

    ReplyDelete
  8. lol!! Even I love people with good sense of humour!! U know the no of ppl who can make u cry will always out number the ppl who can make u laugh :)

    Loved this post!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I must say that the title of Ms. Humorous was well deserved. You're so funny and it's refreshing to read your posts. So much better than reading really depressing posts that make us go :( ... as if we don't have enough problems to face :P

    ReplyDelete
  10. What a lovely post Nancy. I would have never knows April is the month of humour, had I not read your post. Touchwood, for your lovely sense of humour, most of your posts, puts a wide grin on my face, as did this. Please start blogging more often, I miss you!

    Laughter boosts immunity? Really? I didn't know that, now I will need to get laughing immediately. ;) And yes I agree, that laughing, makes us feel better, even in the bleakest of times. Lovely post, thanks for sharing it with us!

    ReplyDelete
  11. You know what Nancy, you should publish a book out of your posts. Most of them are so fun filled, you have this uncanny ability to make a story out of most mundane of things and that too in such a humorous way. And then comes a slightly serious one, but always underlined by humor.
    Your posts always remind me of one of my all time favorite authors - Erma Bombeck :-) I just love her and of course you too!

    ReplyDelete
  12. I love laughter- and agree that it has many wonderful contributions to our well being. I also loved this post.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Oh yeah - what is life but for a hearty laugh. Unleash your wit on all your fans - we all want to chuckle along , preferably daily.

    Btw, its a bit late, I know, but here's my vote for Ms Charming Writer, Ms Top Blogger, Ms Sunny Commenter, Ms ...... and Ms Lazybones :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. :)
    :)
    :D
    :D
    I wish I can send a huge laugh packed in this comment!! :D

    ReplyDelete
  15. But sadly internet has spoilt the laughing "phenomenon"..nowadays ppl dont laugh they LOL or ROFL :(

    ReplyDelete
  16. If there is something that brings a smile to my lips, they are your posts. True Nancy, even the most serious thoughts are put across by you, in a damn funny way and it reaches the depths of my mind, very easily.

    You deserve the "Most Humourous Award" !!!

    I like Jim Carrey, but I like Robin Williams too. Those Jackie Chan's Rush hour series are a laughter riot when I watch them with girls.

    Tom & Jerry is the all-time fav. I also watch Baby Looney Tunes !!! Sometimes, I wonder what kind of a looney character am I ??? Because, it helps me to keep up with this insane world.

    Laugh baby laugh !!! Let all the worries go baby go !!!

    ReplyDelete
  17. Another signature Nancy post!! Congratulations on the Ms humorous award. If there was an election for Ms humorous in blogworld, I bet you'll still garner as many votes....

    I love Mr beans- the efforts he takes to humiliate himself to make people laugh-it's just out of the way.

    PS: When I laugh hard, I really laugh so very hard that my cousin used to comment that I can be an unofficial grinder of the family-a real ROTFL :D :D. I think it has sticked with me till date.....

    ReplyDelete
  18. Sindhu: Actually I'm curious how these laughter clubs work....cant imagine forcing laughter out just like tht. And they always remind me of Boman Irani from Munnabhai mbbs;-D

    Ish: Actually I never realised I was so popular and b4 I cd bask in my glory college life was over;-/

    Piper: Too many people take themselves too seriously & thts where the problem lies. Meeting like-minded friends & laughing so much tht we sometimes forget ourselves are treasurable moments really:-)).
    Thank U:-)!!!!

    Smita: Oh yes, OOOHHH YESSS;-P!!!! And thank U:-))!!!!

    Dhanya: Ohhhh thankoo, thankoo;-D!!!!

    Passionate Goof: Thank U for the lovely compliment:-)!!!! Heartful feelings like u have expressed always make me feel guilty and make me want to post more.
    "Laughter boosts immunity?"
    Surprising isnt it...there are so many remedies which are available within us and yet we spend money seeking answers elsewhere:-).

    Wanderlust: Thank U....I'm speechless, overwhelmed really....that I dont quite know what to say!!!!!

    Anjuli: Thank U:-))!!!!!

    Ramesh: U r just too much...u compliment extravagently and then say what u really what to say;-D. I'll take it at face-value and say thaaaank U;-))

    Swathy: Ooooh ur wish just got fulfilled.....infact right now its echoing through my house;-D

    S: U r soo right. Sometimes we just smile but when we write its a norm to write LOL;-P

    UmaS: Really;-D.....U watch Baby Loony tunes!!!! Guess wht, I used to love telly-tubbies & miss them now;-D
    Thank u, thank u so much for the lovely words:-))!!!!

    RS: Really u laugh like tht;-o???? U knw wht....I too am quite uncontrolable when I laugh. We'll make a gr8 team huh;-D.
    And thank U:-))!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love Jim carrey! Do u know that we were both born on the same day?

    Seriously, laughing is the best thing to perk us up.

    And yes, laughter is also used by a lot of people as a defense mechanism.

    ReplyDelete
  20. From your posts I can totally visualize you as the comedian of your gang, keep spreading the laughter.
    BTW you have been tagged.

    ReplyDelete
  21. I love your blog for your posts never fail to bring a smile to my lips no-matter what the topic you write on :)
    I am strong supporter of spreading as many smiles I can, maybe this was why I have always been the naughtiest comedian of my family and amongst friends too :)

    I too thoroughly enjoy, everybody loves Raymond :D Thanks for sharing the facts behind how April became the fool's month :)

    Keep up the wonderful work Nancy :D

    ReplyDelete
  22. I have missed lot of your posts due to google reader issue.
    Well glad that am here today and read a nice post,for us in home daily it is a humor day,we couple make fun of each other and laugh until we get tears,almost everyday.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Full-hearted laughters have become a rarity in the busy and stressful lives that we lead, but catching up with friends and pulling each others legs works for me.
    You do have a funny bone,Ms Humorous!

    ReplyDelete
  24. to be able to laugh at oneself takes a lot of wisdom and you happen to have plenty. thanks for the laughs.. when i saw tom & jerry again in adulthood i was shocked at the amount of violence in there:-) but i too thoroughly enjoy the peals of laughter and giggles emanating from the wee ones on the sofa watching it. i went out with a set of friends lately and found myself laughing with abandon and remembering with a surprise that i haven't laughed like this since the undergrad years. luckily i always have your posts to throw some light on those lackluster days:-))excellent proverb!!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Lovely post, just lovely...you write so well!

    ReplyDelete
  26. Butterfly: Oho JC & u share a birthday huh...no wonder full taarif & support for him;-D

    Elizabeth: ;-D

    Chatterbox: Thank U:-))!!!!

    Ambulisamma: Aaaah tht sounds lovely....u know I can almost hear the peals of laughter echoing in my ears;-o

    Sara: I've realised tht too...as we grow older laughter with gay abandon gets rarer...what a pity really!!!!
    And thank U:-))!!!!

    Lan: "when i saw tom & jerry again in adulthood i was shocked at the amount of violence in there"
    Oh I thot so too and remember reading an article which said tht T&J are a bad influence on kids;-o. But I still have a soft corner for those guys;-D
    Yeah the older we get the harder it gets to let ourselves go. So glad u had a good time:-)!!!!
    And thank U:-))!!!!!

    Phatichar: Thank U:-))!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  27. Laughter is the best medicine. No doubts about that. I have found that we laugh best when we laugh at ourselves, because then everyone else joins in, and there is nothing better than having a laugh together rather than at someone. Friends from our teenage days are the ones who can help one laugh out really loud, I find. Maybe because one gets back to reliving the teenage years all over again.

    Loved the post - inspite of the mention of shrinks.

    ReplyDelete
  28. lol...

    man - evn i wonder who cd tht 50th person be...

    n well - i hav felt tht boys tend to hav more of a humour nerve in dem than gals.... i mean - the ability to crack jokes at anythin n evrythng...

    tht being said u r one of those gals who can make ppl totally laugh - a big bow 4 tht chechi :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. So true, laughing does make us happy!!

    I too would like to find out who that 50th person was :)!! Coz humor is ur thing....And u have def made me laugh may a times with ur words... Not just u, your two little adorable girls too...

    ReplyDelete
  30. So true that the learning never stops Nancy...never knew about April being a humour month....well Happy Humour Month to one of the most humorous person I came across.....believe you me you are very good at it :)

    for rest of your post I can say ditto ditto too....I am the designated joker of my friend circle and my family (not just family my whole khandaan really) they really look forward to my visits that it will bring them the much required laughs in their otherwise very busy lives....everyone makes it a point to have few parties and visits planned while I am in Hyd...all for a good laugh....yeah me too remember hunting for that page of readers digest, the more I read from you the more I wonder how come????we are so similar....must get in touch sometime....not impossible as we are in the same country.

    Good luck and keep up the humorous posts.

    Have a lovely day!!!

    ReplyDelete
  31. JP Joshi: If Man honestly searches for answers within himself shrinks dont have to come into the picture at all.
    Thank U:-))!!!!

    Sulo Badri: So u think the guys dont have a problem cracking jokes at anything & everything. I have 2 girlfriends who do tht tho they dont do it in front of anybody & everybody:-).
    And thank U:-))!!!!

    Jira: Yeah dont forget to let me know if u ever find out;-D. Thaaank U:-))!!!!

    Sadiya: Thanku, thankoo;-D!!!
    People are always attracted to positive vibes....and this is precisely why some people are more popular than others.
    Hmmm...even I too keep wondering if we'll ever have a bloggers meet out here, it'll be good fun to finally meet eachother face-to-face huh;-D

    ReplyDelete
  32. I loved this post!! I believe in the power of laughter too. And yes, it gets more and more infrequent! Just yday though, I LOL-ed at this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_X8dGGedxDc&feature=related

    ReplyDelete
  33. You are one of the rare abd blessed ones who have the knack of making others laugh:)


    Its a gift:)For once I am not kidding.


    ((((((((hugs))))))
    With souls like you, Vimmmuuu, Smita, Dhiren and so many others my laughter therapy is guaranteed

    ReplyDelete
  34. I also used to laugh like that back at school...and I was lucky enough to have a gang of best friends..each blessed with extraordinary sense of humour. I've had stomach aches and breathlessness and coughs laughing uncontrollably that way :D well we had a blunder book in which we wrote down all those blunders which each one of us said... so that when somethging serious comes, we can refer to it :D
    I am a person, who enjoys fun , at every stage of my life ..just like u...I know I sound like a 70 year old (talking abt stages of life) :D
    To this day my best friends are my school friends...who apparently havent grown up :D we still share that fun bond and connect with each other daily :-) We totally become those notorious school kids when we're together. I couldnt find a bond like that even after 4 years at engineering college and another four years at workplace.

    Lovely Post..and I am a big fan of yours.. You really sound like my own friends..and can relate every sentence u write :-)
    Happy 2 have found you in blogger!

    ReplyDelete
  35. wow.. loved the post..

    You are right Nancy.. Laughter is compulsory for the stressful life we are having..

    I make sure that I watch two and half a men daily to get me dose of laughter and also i watch a comedy serial in SAB - sajre jhoot mat bolo.. from 9-10, i will be just in front of tv and just enjoy those session..

    ReplyDelete
  36. I agree... Laughter is absolutely the best medicine... !!!! come to think of it I moved cities just for laughter !!!! :D :D :D :D

    Its a riot here in Bharuch... meeting friends in the evening to eat paan or in the morning on the jogging ground its absolutely sooper fun !!!!!

    Just yesterday my friend was talking about fiat punto and its special features etc... he is absolutely car crazy and I immediately told him accepted what ever you say is accepted.. and that just had him blast me.. that Saala Sachin ka bat aisa tha to hum sunte hai.. run nahi hote to pitch aisi hai to hum sunte hai... aur main gaadi ki baat karta hoon to accepted ????? and he gave me a real rousing blast in full colour ful language with all of us guffawing away... !!!!

    tell you what.... when we thoroughly laugh our belly gets a great exercise too... !!! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  37. ""Mystery: u knw wht we can do...the next time we all have a bloggers meet"""......It is like Indian politicans election promise!!

    Ok.OK. Since you made me to laugh, we are friends now!!!!!!!!!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  38. That is absolutely true.
    The last time I laughed like that was while watching a Charlie Chaplin movie. (I even fell off the chair)
    So I make it a point to start that all over again, and try to make others laugh too (after all, all are not M/s Humorous)

    ReplyDelete
  39. Riot of a post, Nance! Didnt know about April being the national humour month. Come to think of it, it is necessary to have a humour month..esp in today's scenario. Theres so much of unpleasantness around us that we are in dire need of a few laughs.

    Loved your last line :).

    ReplyDelete
  40. Writerzblock: LOL...was tht for real, seriously hilarious. Thank for sharing;-D!!!!!

    Indyeah: Thank U:-))!!!
    And here's a joke for u...
    "While proudly showing off his new apartment to friends late one night, the drunk led the way to his bedroom where there was a big brass gong.

    "What's that big brass gong for?" one of the guests asked.
    "Why, that's the talking clock" the man replied.
    "How does it work?"
    "Watch", the man said, giving it an ear-shattering pound with a hammer.

    Suddenly, someone on the other side of the wall screamed, "For goodness sake, you wanker, it's 2am in the morning!!"

    ;-D

    Anita: The blunder book sounds like a soooper idea....I think I'll tell my kids to keep one;-D
    And thank U for lovely compliment:-))!!!

    Kavya: U watch 2 & a 1/2 men too huh!!! Just think abt it...u & I are laughing at the same time everynight;-D

    Hitchwriter: LOL tht must have been fun. To spend time among like-minded friends everyday is a blessing for sure. Yeah just realised myself tht we burn calories too;-o

    Maddy: LOL U r just too good. I was laughing so much at ur comment;-D. No, honestly I'll definitely make it to a bloggers meet[a proper one] if we ever have one in dubai;-D

    Haddock: Charlie Chaplin movies are totally fun.....I even love those old Laurel & Hardy episodes.
    Oh I dont think I'm really humorous like everybody says...I just say it the way it is & for some reason all of u find that funny;-D

    Deeps: U r sooo right really!!! Luckily the children are obsessed with all kinds of jokes nowadays with the knock, knock jokes being their favourite. Here's one...
    Knock knock.
    Who's there?
    Abe.
    Abe who?
    Abecdefgh...

    And they go into peals of laughter after saying it & we just cant help but laugh along with them;-D

    ReplyDelete
  41. I agree 100% with everything you have said here.

    Even I am very good at making my friends laugh and I too really do not enjoy the bakra kind of shows.

    Cheers
    preeti

    ReplyDelete
  42. What a great post Nancy. And I love love love your sense of humor :-)))

    Me -- I laugh A LOT.
    I am easily entertained, really.

    ReplyDelete
  43. My comment just disappeared! HELP!

    ReplyDelete
  44. I did not know April was the humour month! What a nice concept...

    Luckily I have a great set of friends here in Brussels and so laughter is a part of my extra activities - hope to find that in Germany too.

    ReplyDelete
  45. nancy, forget about your college days, i would give you 100 out of 100 in humour in the blogworld. Apkee posts main isi liye hee padhta hoon ki ek toh kahanee interesting hogee aur doosrey likhne ka style achhchha hoga aur finally hansee to ayegee hee.

    ReplyDelete
  46. Preeti: Honestly like someone said "Laughter is the sun that drives winter from the human face.”
    :-)

    Agnes: Thaaaank U:-))!!!!
    Oh I believe u....and u panic easily too;-D

    Colours: I hope u find friends to laugh with in Germany too:-))!!!

    Balvinder Singh: ....aur aapke jaise compliment karnewale har blogger ko mile;-D.

    ReplyDelete
  47. ok i followed ur directions only 2 realize i have a whole lotta junk as my labels..i am now sitting and cleaning it up ..which is a big task and im losing it :)
    but it will take me quite a few days to get it all arranged..thanks a bunch again

    ReplyDelete
  48. Hehe...the consequences of labelling wildly caught up with u huh;-D. Goodluck!!!

    ReplyDelete
  49. hiiiii Nancy....hope u r doin fine...was tryin to catch up on all ur posts....loved it all and i do hav to say that i really missed visiting ur blog.... Hey thanks a lot for the award :) and u deserve the huemerous person award heeh coz u hav a real wonderful sense of humor and i just love visiting ur blog :D.... ahh so u were down in india for easter, thats gud to knw.... it sure was too damn hot, but now rains r makin nights better

    ReplyDelete
  50. i love raymond and friends and coupling and......i think tv for me only means these funnies :)

    but ur right. laughter has great benefits :)

    ps - i love america's funny videos too. though the boy thinks im a freak that i laugh so hard and fall over watching others in pain etc

    ReplyDelete
  51. Enigma: Heyyyy....good to see u back;-D!!!
    And thank U for the lovely words;-))!!!

    Limenlemons: ;-D

    ReplyDelete
  52. I don't have a maid here. i refuse to employ those illegal immigrants though I know a few people who do so. (maybe I am too honest--I don't know!) I'd rather do the work myself than get into any kind of controversy.

    I find housework very therapeutic. Stressed? Scrub bathrooms! Anxious? scrub kitchen tiles!
    Voila!! De-stressed you and a clean clean home! :D

    Hope that makes you feel better! :)

    Cheers
    preeti

    ReplyDelete
  53. I wondered where ur comment had disappeared to;-D
    Actually till a few months earlier it was not illegal at all to hire them....just tht new rules keep cropping up everyday to make the average mans life miserable;-/
    U find housework therapeutic;-o....must say u r Original;-D. That way I find blogging very therapeutic;-D!!!!

    ReplyDelete
  54. Hey Reflections: This comment is about no blog of yours in particular, but about all of them! You have an easy, free flowing style and most of the completed articles seem like work in progress because I can sense your fingers poised on the keyboard wanting to another line or a P.S.!

    Thanks for visiting my blog and for leaving a nice comment. I have not been writing for 4 months now - some changes in life that sucked all words out of me; but now, after reading your blog and seeing the commitment to keep the work going at any cost I am inspired to take up writing again. I have decided to make at least one entry before the end of May. ;)

    Here wishing you fun-filled times and I intend to keep reading your stories every once in a while. Take care!

    ReplyDelete
  55. I spent almost 10mins wondering & thinking back who u are and then it clicked...Jayadev its u, right:-))????
    Good to see u here.....and have to admit ur comment made me feel good. Thanks for the compliment and the good wishes:-)!!!!
    Its really a pity when good writers lose interest and neglect their blogs...so glad u've decided to get back:-)).

    ReplyDelete
  56. Hi there! I am excited to find out one thing, could you be so kind and please share with us the place where you spent your childhood?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I spent my childhood in Bangalore, India:-).

      Delete

Thank U for visiting and taking the time to leave a comment:-))!!!