Laughter

Laughter

If you're reading my blogs, you've read these words: "I measure my life by the number of times I laugh." I grew up with the Kings of comedy - can you spell Red Fox. They would not just make me smile, they would give me a belly laugh. The same could be said of the older comedy shows - can you spell Seinfeld. 

Laughter has been part of my family and my life. Sooo, I was wondering why laughter evolved to us humans? Why does laughter make you feel so good? Why is a funny movie become even more funny when you watch it in a movie theater with hundreds of people laughing? Why is it funny when someone falls down? Why do I laugh at myself when I do something really stupid?

To get some answers, I went to the internet:

What Is Laughter?

Laughter just might be the most contagious of all emotional experiences. What's more, it is a full-on collaboration between mind and body. Although laughter is one of the distinguishing features of human beings, little is known about the mechanisms behind it. Scientists do know that laughter is a highly sophisticated social signaling system, helping people bond and even negotiate. Interestingly, most social laughter does not result from any obvious joke. Laughter is not limited to communicating mirth. It can be triggered by embarrassment and other social discomforts. Laughter may have evolved to facilitate bonding across large groups of people. In primates, the grooming process releases chemicals that help build social bonds; humans eventually came to live in groups that were larger than the grooming process allowed. Laughter, as well as speech, enables us to bond quickly and easily with a large community. 

The Benefits of Laughter

Although laughter is not generally under voluntary control, yukking it up has numerous health benefits. Bouts of laughter can boost the immune system, relax muscles, aid circulation, and protect against heart disease. They abet mental health, too; laughter can lower anxiety, release tension, improve mood, and foster resilience. Of course, laughter also enriches social experience, by strengthening relationships, helping to defuse conflict, and allowing people to successfully operate as a team. The benefits of laughter, for both bodies and minds, show that contagious convulsions are anything but frivolous.

Happiness and laughter go hand-in-hand. Humor Is Part of a Good Life

The bottom line is laughter is fun and good for you. Sooo:

Laugh Your Ass Off Every Chance You Get

It's Snowing In Las Vegas

It's Snowing In Las Vegas

I can't believe I woke up this morning in my wonderful Las Vegas home and there is four inches of snow on the ground. My wife and I took pictures and sent them to our friends around the country. It's now around three o'clock and much of the snow is melting before I could have time to enjoy it.

I get that people who live in the northern part of the country and the world think I'm a spoiled summer hummer. I'm NOT. At thirty, I lived one year, one month and four days in Rochester New York. That year we had one hundred and forty inches of snow - UGH!!! Therefore, four inches in Vegas is a blessing. 

If you don't have to shovel snow off your driveway or scrape ice off your windshield or drive in it, snow is a beautiful thing. I loved snow days when I lived in Philadelphia. I loved it even more when they closed schools because of the snow. We would sled in it. We would have snowball fights. We would roll in it, make a snowman or snow angel. Snow was not only beautiful it was fun.

After forty, snow stops being fun especially if you have to go to work in it. However, after retirement snow becomes fun again. I'm seventy-four and I'm having fun. I love looking out my Man Cave window, seeing snow on my neighbor's roof while writing this blog.

I feel for the people who can't enjoy the snow because of its disruption on their lives - been there, done that. However, there are really only three choices. 

1- Move to a place like Las Vegas.

2- Accept what's happening for now. The snow will be gone soon and when the summer hits you with high temperatures and high humidity, you'll wish for a beautiful snow day.

3- Take advantage of the snow. Take a ski vacation. Make a snowman. Have a party with your neighbors. Most of all:

Focus On The Beauty Of The Snow Not The Negatives

US Border Wall An Emergency?

US Border Wall A National Emergency?

The Wall, The Wall, The Wall - I'm sick of it. Even for the thirty percent who believe it's a real National Emergency, would those people put it at the top of the list of other real US National Emergencies - I don't think so?

The reason why many Republicans (no Demarcates) believe there is a National Emergency is because of the influx of illegal immigrants, drugs and money laundering. Those thirty percent are concerned that without a Wall Americans are being hurt and even killed. 

I can't say this small group of Republicans are entirely wrong, but, where does the Wall factor into the many other real US emergencies? Below is my priority list. I would love to hear your list:

*  Cancer is a real National Emergency. More Americans (and others around the world) are suffering and dyeing from Cancer than all the negative shit that coming from Mexico.

*  Alzheimer Disease kills more Americans than drugs. Alzheimer Disease ruins more families than drugs and guns.

* Lack of gun control legislation is killing more Americans than a Wall would prevent. BTW, the vast majority of weapons that come into this country come from the US Ports Of Call not the Mexican border. 

* Money laundering does come from Mexico, but much, more comes from the US Ports Of Call. Also, IMHO, the US is the biggest launderer of money. You may wonder why? It's because our government is spending OUR billions and billions of dollars going to Mars and beyond instead of fixing the Emergencies in the United States. Therefore, I believe my government is laundering MY money.

* The US infrastructure is crumbling. The electric grid is no longer safe. Cyber attacks are out of control. These are much, much, much higher US National Emergencies than the WALL.

I could go on and on. However, it's not just up to me to prioritizes - It's up to YOU (the seventy percent). PLEASE, contact your elected representatives to make it clear that there are many, many, many other National Emergencies that need to be addressed before we:

Build A Wall We Don't Need

Who Are You - Who, Who, Who, Who

Who Are You - Who, Who, Who, Who

One of my favorite TV shows is CSI. The lead in theme song goes like this:

Who are you?
Who, who, who, who?
Who are you?
Who, who, who, who?
I really wanna know (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
Tell me, who are you? (Who are you? Who, who, who, who?)
This gets me thinking Who Are You and Who Am I? I believe I know who I am, but that doesn't mean you see me as I see myself. Since I feel so convinced that I am what I believe I am, I never ask anybody else Who Am I?

The way others see and know me might be very different than how I see myself. I see myself as a friendly, funny, honest, loving, bright and creative person. Others might see me as impatient, not a good listener, not that smart, too opinionated and too left wing.

Sooo, it could mean that I and they don't see I to I. I've always said that when you speak what counts is in the mind of the listener. It's not what you say, it's how someone else "hears" what you say. That's why I always believe "words" matter. Because I'm very honest (with a limited filter), sometimes I'm a little loose with my "words." This could mean others see me as a jerk (nice word for ass-hole).

I don't see myself that way, however, if you ask me how your new outfit looks, you're going to get the truth (my truth): "it looks like shit - take it back. I do this all the time with my wife. Sometimes she agrees and sometimes she says: I love it and I'm not taking it back. I'm sure she is saying in her brain: "what an ass-hole."

Sooo, who are YOU? I really want to know. Tell me, who are you? You should think about it and you should ask others (who you count on to tell you the truth):

Who Are You - Who, Who, Who, Who

Life Is A Bitch And Then You Die

Life Is A Bitch And Then You Die

I heard this saying in a movie I was watching. My interpretation of this saying is: "life is hard. Some of us make life harder than it needs to be. Some of us see our life as just trying to get through it. The ones who view life this way usually die an unhappy death - UGH!!!

I have never seen life in that way. My life is a roller coaster. I live with the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat. The thing is I would accept defeat as long as I get that thrill of victory. 

A smile is a victory. A good laugh is a victory. Great sex is a big victory. A warm hug is a great victory. Having loving friends and family is a wonderful victory. Appreciating all that I have is my mantra. 

I've been hit with the downside of the roller coaster. However, my love of life has always gotten me back to the plus side. When I die it won't be because Life Is A Bitch. 

I feel great about what I will be leaving to others who know me. My books, my blogs, my friendship, my positive attitude and my love of life will be my legacy.

Sooo, where are you on this roller coaster? If you're on the down side, find a way to get off. If you're on the plus side, cherish and appreciate it.

You're in control of your happiness. Don't let your legacy be:

Life Is A Bitch And Then You Die