Wednesday Levity

The middle of the week delivers levity intersecting with seriousness.  “Why?” You ask?  Lest we forget, today is the day of the practical joker.  What is a ‘practical’ joke?  Lack of clarity on this term will lead me to reference Mr. Webster’s progeny.    Practical means: actual, active or applied.  That makes sense (I was going to say in‘every respect’ but that presumes there are no respects in which – or is it through which – this would not make sense).

What good is the joke if it’s not actual and applied?  We’d have a virtual or imaginary laugh.  That’s not as much fun as humor at the expense – in a loving way – of another.

Don’t like the term “at the expense”?  Are you one who takes himself or herself seriously?  You may “serious” yourself from interactions that could serve to lighten your spirit.  Don’t do it.  If you do, don’t say I didn’t, say I didn’t warn you (sound like Taylor Swift?)

I know, everything can’t be humorous and frivolous.  Some things must be considered weighty.  Where to draw the line?  Let’s give it a try.

Pick two words; any two words and try putting them together like this “wondersome” is the combination of wonderful and awesome.  Same combination, different result: “aweful”.  Can you come up with an interchangeable combination that sounds good in one iteration and not so good in another?

I’ve used the terms “Femmtabulous”, “Femmilicous”.  Love them both, use them often.

Let’s try another angle.  The word “specimen”, is the singular “speciman”?  Can it be gender specific such as “speciwoman” or “speciwomen”?  How about “acuman” and “acumen”?   We have accuweather so why not “accuwoman” and “accuwomen”?  Women (especially women weather forecasters) are always right so we should call ourselves “Accuwomen”.

Yet another concept is what if you come before the person who came before you.  Did you come “bethree”?  If you are worse than asinine are you asiten, asitwenty?  You’re wondering why I’ve taken this line of questioning.  I’m decoupling (no not as in “decouple sitting in front of me is talking”) from the straight and narrow. “Honey the only thing straight about you is the jacket you should be wearing.”  I dislike when my other personality insists on entering the conversation uninvited.

Let’s continue. Find something funny that had you in stitches.  I can think of a few occurrences that still cause me to excuse myself while I laugh off the memory.

Life is full of wonderful opportunities to take 120 grit sandpaper to that sharp edge.  Apply liberally, smile, relax the shoulders and absorb what you’ve been missing by being so black and white, so straight-laced, so button down.  Tension and his cousin stress are killers.  Rage against nothing.  Apply targeted and focused energy to whatever is your passion. Try doing it without making yourself nuts.  “In your case honey it’s too late.”  I know but it’s not too late for my readers to take heed, ride the steed, forget about greed, be your own breed.  You can blossom, don’t play possum.  Life’s too short, to live in your fort. Come out to the light, fly a big kite.

Have a wonderful First Day of April.

Love and hugs, Nikki DeCaro