Humor

So, if you knew Ticky Tacky, you knew a man who could laugh. Laugh at himself, laugh at others, while not laughing at the expense of others. When we saw him last, a few weeks before he died, he was still laughing and making jokes. I heard he was smiling at the laughter around him even days before he passed.

When we'd visit, he'd often have a new show we could watch - and it was quite the ordeal when they discovered British Comedies. My oh my, I remember when they found "Keeping Up Appearances" we watched so many episodes, and he'd laugh and laugh. Then we'd troll through old comedies, and I remember clearly introducing them to YouTube and revisiting the old comedy shows back in the day. They were funny then, and they are still funny now!

When we visited him in the hospital once awhile ago, he was cracking jokes left and right. I can't remember a single one, but I do remember thinking how interesting that he would be making people laugh in the hospital. Joking about himself, doctors, and whatever. It always cracked us up, and we always knew it would be special.

I wish there was a way to capture it all - the way he'd grin, land a joke we weren't expecting, or hear a new joke for the first time and burst out in laughter. But there simply isn't a way to write about the experience of humor effectively enough so that your reader experiences it.

So I'll have to make a recommendation. If you want to experience a small taste of Ticky Tacky's laughter and joy, get to know my dad. Or my brother. Or my sister. Or several of my aunt, uncles, and cousins, and maybe even their kids. And even those who married into the family, like my mom, Jess, Jon, and all the other "in-loves" [what we call in-laws!]. Many of them whom are deeply gifted with filling up a room with delight, and all of us delighting themselves in the laughter of others and filling the room with our laughter as well. Listen to their laughter, and you'll hear Ticky Tacky's laughter too.

Clean Stove Top

Tonight we cleaned the stove top. It's been an ongoing process, however tonight it is glistening white, and I'm in aew at how white it can be. It takes awhile for something to get dirty and, in that process, we get used to the dirty and forget it's former glory. Now that it is clean, I almost feel remorse for letting it get that bad and hope not to do that again.

I have a feeling this isn't too far from life. The slow encroaching of bad habits, bad thoughts, and bad outlooks slowly spoil the light and delight of life, while we become immune to the absence of all the former goodness. I'm curious how many things in my life, when taken away, would remind me of a time, place, or feeling that would again bring me to a place of awe, with the inner vow not to let things slide that far again.

This week begins two new habits in our life: Sara going to the gym, and tv-free Tuesdays and Thursdays. After advice from a doctor, I (Sara) need to loose some weight. It hasn't gotten to a point of desperation - personally I feel pretty confident, beautiful, and healthy - however there is a slow gain. Without a bit of help from exercise classes, with the additional work outs to the ones I have been doing, slowing the gain and hopefully back-pedaling a bit will be feasible. I have a pant-size goal and a goal weight (it's recorded around here somewhere...), and hopefully the summer will help resolve some of the issues. I'm very glad to have found a gym that is both affordable and has fitness classes that fit our schedule!

TV-free is our attempt to get back into reading. Inspired by our friends who have implemented, and successfully stayed with, that habit, I hope to actually read books again, rather than simply organize them (which I do do very well). I'm excited for some new thoughts, new perspectives, and maybe even some new forms of entertainment (the novel was invented for a reason...). We'll see how it goes!