Funny

Funny. Just what, the hell is that?

I think, once you find that out, you can make a lot of money. Comedians strive all their lives to achieve funny. Politicians achieve it all too frequently, but sadly, because of what their job is all about, it really isn't so funny in the end.

There are many things, for instance, that now, I think are very funny. Several were beatings I took in grade school, not so funny at the time. A parachute (near) accident where my chute wouldn't open and I just wouldn't pop the reserve because I didn't have $2.50 for the repack fee (I beat the hell out of that partially opened chute and luckily, it eventually opened, but almost gave a few heart attacks to those other jumpers watching on the ground).

One of several car wrecks I was in as a passenger in a delivery van, where I had on no seat belt (oh, I wear them now), with my feet on the dash with a huge window in front, watching as a Camaro out of control careened into us, head on, and I was basically watching a crash happen, down below and between my legs. Then there were plenty of "crash and burns" during the dating years (which, God, please, let those years be over!).

Actually, I don't "date" anymore. I prefer, just to get to know someone and go from there (OK, maybe the same thing, but seems like so much less pressure now than before, of course, my orientation and speed of relationship advancement was geared at a much higher pace in previous and mostly much younger, years). I've always had the nervous habit of laughing at danger. The more nervous or scared I get, the more I think its funny. That's gotten me in trouble more than once, mostly with teachers during my K-12 school years.

So, funny, is relative. That's why comedians have to adjust their humor to the crowd in front of them. And if its about something that has happened to you, and people can laugh at (with) you, then all the better. I learned that readily, in dealing with bullies while growing up. If you could make them laugh at you (or with you even better, but that wasn't always an option), then you were gold (and still alive). Sometimes, you had to find humor in laughing AT them, possibly later (much later) and possibly, from a (great) distance.

So in the end, I don't really know what funny actually is. I just know, that when it happens, its enjoyable, and typically it happens later, after whatever it is, has happened. Though, it is nice when it is happening right now and you have enough time to laugh it off; especially if someone is there to acknowledge your brave, cavalier attitude.