Failure to Laugh

So, if you've seen my blog in the past week and a half, you've noticed I haven't posted anything. Unfortunately, when it came down to it, I picked the wrong year to try to participate in the 31 Days challenge. All week, I've had Kirsten Dunst's voice running through my head from "Elizabethtown" -- coincidentally another Cameron Crowe movie, the writer/director of "Almost Famous" from where the photo used in my 31 Days button comes from.

"You failed! You failed, you failed, you failed, you failed, you failed, you failed ..."

Day 17: Making the connection

Today, I laughed at: the fiance telling me about the washer and dryer he bought us.
He apparently saw a sticker on it for WiFi and he just assumed it meant the washer and dryer would send up a text or maybe even Tweet at us when it was done.
Now, he had researched this washer and dryer through his tech-loving websites. He found this one that dried clothes in, get ready, 30 minutes. He was in love. 

The Kenmore Elite Steam
Washer and Dryer will
not text you when
the laundry's done.

There were even settings on the washer so if you were to leave clothes in overnight, it would intermittently circulate fresh air in as it tossed the clothes around. Same with the dryer so clothes wouldn't wrinkle.
This is a high tech washer and dryer he decided to buy from an outlet, after a discount for being a returned item. Watching him read the owner's manual online was almost uncomfortable, like he was watching adult entertainment. That's how excited he was about this washer and dryer.
When he got to the part about the WiFi sticker, though, he found out the washer and dryer would not be texting us when our clothes were ready. However, when we call for maintenance, the WiFi would transmit signals over our phones to the computer for diagnostic ... um ... things. I don't actually know exactly what it does, now that I think of it. I think I was laughing too hard at the disappointment he had mixed with the excitement over all the cool things our new gadgets could do. I love him and his gadgets.

Day 16: Top 5 Underrated Movies

Today, I laughed at: the fiance referencing "The Big Lebowski" while rug shopping at Ikea today.
L. was looking at rugs with us when she decided to climb on one. The fiance looked at the rug and said, "That rug really ties the room together."

"The Big Lebowski" is probably the fiance's favorite movie and, I have to agree, while I didn't laugh out loud when I saw it, I do appreciate its humor and I will still say it's a funny movie.
Most movies I consider funny aren't actually "laugh out loud movies," now that I think about them. But few of them had me holding my stomach the first time I saw them.
And that brings me to the topic of the post I originally wrote yesterday but, ugh, got deleted. (I won't even link to yesterday's sad excuse for a post).

Day 15: Hmph!

Today, I laughed at: hmph.
Yes, that is what I meant to type for this post.
Originally, I had a post all written before midnight last night. Then, in trying to add a photo from my phone, the entire entry was deleted. So, I gave up. It was midnight, I was an hour from home, and I needed to be in bed.
And I was not in a good mood.
So, I got home, got in bed with the fiance and he stroked my hair and said, "It's OOOOO-K. Caaaaaalm dooooown. I'll taaaaalk with looooong syllibleeeeh. I can't eeeeeven saaaay 'syllables.'"
OK, that did make me laugh. And that is the point, after all.

Next: Day 16 (Day 15 redux)

Day 14: Retiring a joke

Today, I laughed at: nothing I can really describe.
I don't really know how to explain the laughter I had today (late, late last night/early morning). I got home from work and when the fiance met me at the door of the house we're moving into, he said, "Do we have to paint tonight? I'm sorry, I'm just not in the mood."

The fiance as we were brainstorming
the future location of the bar
in our basement.

I was so relieved because I felt the same way. I had been rushed all day and I really wanted to just sit.
I knew I had the energy if I needed it, but I did not really have the motivation to do a good job.

So, instead, we grabbed a few beers and went downstairs to the basement to look at how the walls were coming along. We're hoping to finish the basement so we'll have it as a big play room, initially for L., but I'm guessing the fiance will have more toys down there.
Anyway, as we planned out things for the future, I began to get that feeling in my stomach like when you're about to go over a rollercoaster hill. I started laughing and I couldn't even describe to the fiance what was so funny. 
It wasn't so much that it was funny, but I was so excited about spending my life with him in this home we're putting together, the only expression my body could release was laughter. And so I laughed. I smiled until my face hurt.

Day 13: Write what you know (or what you pretend to know)

Today, I laughed at: "Friends."
At work, we have to get the lottery numbers and they're usually aired on the channel with the news. But when sports games are on, they're aired on the channel that airs "Friends" reruns.
And those are some of my favorite nights!
The show never gets old for me. I watch the entire series once a year. I even got the fiance into it. I got to enjoy it all over again while watching it with someone new who got to experience it for the first time.
"Friends" is one of those shows I hope to watch with L. and have her enjoy it as much as I do. Even if I have to explain to her why coffee houses were so great even before the free WiFi. Even when I have to hold my tongue when she gets upset when Ross and Rachel are "on a break." I hope she'll be able to quote the show just as much as I can. That's the dream!

Day 12: You're never fully dressed without a smile (and yoga pants)

Today, I laughed at: the fiance pulling me onto the air mattress we've been sleeping on in the new house and saying, "Hey, let's cuddle."

Here's my future husband, TSPing
the walls in L.'s new room.

Between having a new house and the officialism of the engagement ring that's given us this crazy sense of "Wow! We have a lot ahead of us!"
Not only do we have a house we can basically make our own, despite renting (best landlords = future in-laws), but while we're doing mundane things like TSPing the walls, we can talk about wedding planning.

It's just a nice feeling to have a great relationship and a lot to look forward to.
(Am I making you sick with how cute we are? Trust me, we constantly comment on how sickly sweet we are, too.)

Day 11: This, too, shall pass and become funny

Today, I laughed at: an imitation my coworker did of me.
At work, we've been waiting for the new restaurant down the block to open up, since we've gotten tired of the same take out all the time. When we tried the food, unfortunately, none of the orders were right. I would have quietly eaten my veggie wrap, which was completely different from what the menu promised, but once other coworkers started hovering around, wondering what the new food was like, I snapped. The combination of others' curiosity and watching me eat, along with a cold side salad in a wrap instead of a grilled mushroom, pepper and cheese veggie wrap I was promised was too much and I flipped out, grabbed a coworker and brought my food back.
Later that night, we were recounting the story and another coworker did an impression of my face and said in a high voice, "This veggie wrap is just wrong! Please, oh pretty please, fix it!"

Day 10: Diagramming a joke, Part 2

Today, I laughed as: I said "yes" when the boyfriend proposed!
I also cried. I was also so happy, I didn't know what to do, so I laughed, and cried and, of course, said yes.
I was in the kitchen packing some things for our move when I heard L. come running in, leave something on the counter and run away. I heard the boyfriend say, "I think you should see what she brought you."
From this, I assumed it was cat poop or something gross. But when I looked down, it was a black velvet box. I opened it and saw the ring and turned around and saw the boyfriend on his knee. And I was so full of emotions, I laughed while crying.

Day 9: Diagramming a joke, Part 1

Today, I laughed at: the boyfriend imitating a horse while he played with L.
At Target (where I'll go for three things and come out with three bags, somehow), L. was fascinated with a dinosaur from the dollar section. Hey, as long as it was only a dollar and it wasn't princess/Disney related, I was fine buying it for her. When she brought it home, she introduced him to her toy horse and the Yo Gabba Gabba gang figures she has.
When the boyfriend woke up, she handed him the horse and began having a babble-speak conversation with the dinosaur. The boyfriend joined with the horse and "neighed" his portion of the conversation. "He-e-e-ey, ho-o-o-ow a-a-a-a-a-are yo-o-o-o-o-ou?"

 L. got a kick out of it and so did I. Have I mentioned how much I love the boyfriend? Well, it's a lo-o-o-o-ot.

Day 8: For practical joke purposes

Today, I laughed at: my boyfriend reading Mindy Kaling's book aloud.
Technically, this was last night, but it was at 1 a.m. and this deserved to be documented.
The other night, I had my keys in my hand and I went to rub my eye, not even thinking, "Hmm, keys near my eyes could be a mistake." One of my keys went into my eye and it had been bothering me through the next day. After copy editing for eight hours, my eyes were both pretty tired and all I wanted to do was put some drops in and go to sleep, but I also wanted to continue reading Mindy Kaling's book, "Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me (And Other Concerns)" I've been enjoying. The boyfriend, feeling bad for me and my eye, offered to read it outloud to me. (He really is the greatest.) I accepted the offer and I got to hear the boyfriend reading the first-hand account of how Mindy Kaling made a great babysitter because she could talk for hours with her charges about which member of *NSYNC she would want to marry. I'm not sure if it was hearing about how Justin Timberlake was too flashy that made me laugh or the boyfriend pronouncing JC Chasez phonetically ("JC Chazzes") that had me laughing more.

Day 7: Nothing to fear but EVERYTHING

Today, I laughed at: Ordinary Batman Adventures. 
 A gif sent from the boyfriend when I told him I hadn't laughed yet today. 

Thanks, boyfriend.

Day 6: The more, the funnier

Today, I laughed at: the reaction I got when asking my co-worker to get me a Happy Meal at McDonald's.
No, seriously, I did this. I got one a week ago because of extremely poor planning on my part and I was running late with L. and realized we needed a quick lunch on the go. So I swallowed my pride and went to McDonald's. Inside the Happy Meal were figurines of characters from "The Wizard of OZ." Before I knew it, L. was in love with the Dorothy doll she got, which I ended up giving to my ex-sister-in-law when dropping L. off. So I've kind of indulged and have been getting Happy Meals here and there just for the toys for L. Look, we've already gone through how "Glee" is my McDonald's. Well, McDonald's is my McDonald's, as well. Oh, the stuff we do (and eat) for our kids.

Day 5: How do I compare thee (to make others laugh)?

Today, I laughed at: ... I don't wanna say. ("Glee" I laughed at "Glee," ashamedly, OK?!)
Jim Gaffigan has a bit on McDonald's and how everyone has their own guilty pleasures they don't admit to others they enjoy:

"I’m tired of people acting like they’re better than McDonald’s. It’s like you may have never set foot in McDonald’s, but you have your own McDonald’s. Maybe instead of buying a Big Mac, you read Us Weekly. Hey, that’s still McDonald’s. It’s just served up a little different. Maybe your McDonald’s is telling yourself that Starbucks Frappuccino is not a milkshake. Or maybe you watch 'Glee.' It’s all McDonald’s—McDonald’s of the soul: Momentary pleasure followed by incredible guilt eventually leading to cancer. ‘I’m lovin’ it.’"

I laughed when the kids from the deaf choir said/signed, "Oh god, it's those McKinley nerds."
I laughed at "Glee." I laughed when Sue Sylvester said she legally changed her middle name to "Rodham." 
And I cried out of happiness (pure, unadulterated former chorus geek happiness) when Blaine proposed to Kurt at the end of the episode. And that made the boyfriend laugh at me.

Day 4: Like a crappy wine, jokes do not age well

Today, I laughed at: Substitute Teacher: Key & Peele video.
Technically, I laughed at the sports guys at work. Some of the funniest people, I feel, are the ones who work the weird shifts. You have to be funny to be able to laugh at the fact you're working late at night on a Friday, when most of your friends are out doing fun things. Anyway, a few months ago, they discovered this video and we laughed at it. Tonight, it was re-brought up, only to bring about laughter in the newsroom again.

Day 3: Being extra observant

Today, I laughed at: L.'s cupcake face
We went out to dinner to celebrate the boyfriend's father's birthday tonight. Before leaving, I was terrified. Absolutely scared to death about bringing a toddler into a public restaurant. But, she went right into the high chair and played with her toys on the table, especially since the boyfriend's mother brought ones she had never seen before. It turned into a wonderful dinner and the whole family ended up taking so many pictures of L. and her cupcake face.

Day 2: Is laughter the physical expression of superiority?

Today, I laughed at: Good Job Brain podcast
When the iPhone updated about a year ago to include the new podcast app, I had moved into my apartment and had no TV yet. Or even internet connection. So, I used my phone for entertainment for a few days and I discovered podcasts. 
"Good Job Brain" was the first one I found and I've loved it ever since. I realized I really love trivia and learning new things, and I love finding any opportunity to tell people the facts I've learned from the shows. 
This week's episode had me laughing during a segment they were talking about the Big 5 in hunting in which a tangent led to the hosts discussing lion-head urinals. OK, sometimes my fifth grade sense of humor gets the best of me, I'll admit.

Day 1: Lessons in laughter from my dad

Today, I laughed at: My Drunk Kitchen: An American Tale

I am so out of practice at laughing, I kept looking for things to make me laugh today with no success. I got to look at the house we're moving into today and that was exciting, but there was nothing really funny about it, unfortunately. While at work, I was freaking out a little, feeling like I was a failure the first day of my 31 Days of Laughter Challenge. So I went to my rarely used YouTube app and the newest episode of My Drunk Kitchen was suggested for me. Thank goodness for Hanna Hart. Even though I hadn't watched the webisodes in a long time, the random clips eventually forced a belly-chuckle out of me.