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JFT Beach 🇬🇧 🏊 🧘‍♂️'s avatar

This was a fun, and at times, poignant read in praise of laughter. Laughter is so contagious and has such a feel good factor to it, it should be compulsory. If world leaders incorporated it more in their day. Like actual full on belly laughs, not Dr. Evil Bwhaaaaahahahaha chuckles. Then maybe the world wouldn't be such a mess. We use "utter tripe" a fair bit to describe nonsense. Have a great day.

Cathy Joseph's avatar

Oooh ... utter tripe. That's a great one! (How did organ meat ever get called out?!)

Full on belly laughs to heal the world - I do love that!! Making it compulsory would be the only compulsory thing people would actually enjoy doing!

Thank you for your wonderful comment!

JFT Beach 🇬🇧 🏊 🧘‍♂️'s avatar

Tripe is a British thang

Ice Cube Press, LLC's avatar

I like the saying hooey and applesauce

Cathy Joseph's avatar

Not to be confused with Hootie & the Blowfish?

Thank you for the laugh!

Deborah Helen Smith's avatar

Thank you for the laughter. I was inspired after reading this to change my ringtone! So many choices. I love to laugh. Sometimes it's uncontrollable. Trying to stop just extends it. Decided to start with one of the baby laughing ringtones. Gee, I could change it weekly, easily for free. One more thing to laugh about. Thank you, thank you!

Cathy Joseph's avatar

Thank you for this, Deborah - I burst out laughing as I read it! I had no idea there were laughing ringtones. It's always wonderful to connect with another laugher. You made my evening!

Sandra Pawula's avatar

Cathy, I don't laugh much, but when I do, it comes out strongly, and sometimes I cannot stop for quite a while, and tears pour from my eyes. You've reminded me that I could have more laughs in my days! I'm impressed that you have such a signature laugh!

Cathy Joseph's avatar

Oh, yes - I love it when I laugh so hard that cry! It makes me happy to know you do that, as well. Thank you for sharing this, Sandra!

SuddenlyJamie's avatar

I feel privileged to hear your laugh on a regular basis. It is delightful and infectious in all the best ways. 🥰😆

And I feel doubly privileged to have shared something- Rich’s writing, complete with its old/fashioned language - that tickled your funny bone. That makes me so happy.

I also love how you took “hooey” as an invitation to explore other laughter-inducing words. Boy did you hit the motherlode! There are some really good ones there. I’m going to keep them in my back pocket, just in case.

xo

Cathy Joseph's avatar

Thank you for opening this laughter-filled door! And it warms my heart to know my simple post made you happy - just as you do for so many of us!! 💝

Craig M. Slater's avatar

Word play such as puns make me laugh, as do spoonerisms (e.g., the Duck and Duchess of York).

Cathy Joseph's avatar

I love a good pun! And your spoonerism made me laugh out loud. Thank you for sharing these, Craig!

Paulette Bodeman's avatar

I'm so happy to have heard your glorious laugh. The only thing that would make it better is to hear it live and in person! You exude joy, Cathy.

Cathy Joseph's avatar

Wow - what a complement! Thank you, Paulette!!! 😍

Paulette Bodeman's avatar

All true!

Cathy Joseph's avatar

💕♥️💕

Leslie Rasmussen's avatar

I'd love to hear you laugh, Cathy and I imagined its sound all through your letter. Now I'm smiling. This series of your letters has me pondering more often about positivity and the difference it makes in day to day life.

Cathy Joseph's avatar

I love that you are smiling, Leslie! If you listen to the recording, I did a lot of chuckling and maybe that will help.😉

And you have to know how fantastic this is to know you are pondering about positivity!! Your current post is all about positivity - from glorious bird sounds to magnificent orchestras. I've been swamped today and will respond to it this evening. 💝

Thank you for sharing this wonderful comment!

Robin Blackburn McBride's avatar

Cathy, this is really delightful! I love your thoughts on laughter. Funny shows and movies do it for me. 🥰 And I know what you mean about words that haven't made into today's common usage. They can sound ridiculous. One of the challenges of writing fiction set in the early 20th century is finding vocabulary that's authentic but also doesn't jar the reader. I love doing language research! 😍

Cathy Joseph's avatar

I love these windows into another time and place! And I am with you laughing at funny shows and movies. It's interesting how much more we laugh in a movie theatre surrounded by fellow laughers. Laughter is infectious but I still manage to laugh alone.

Thank you for sharing this, Robin!

Robin Blackburn McBride's avatar

My pleasure! Cathy, your reminder to laugh is so important. Thanks for that.

Cathy Joseph's avatar

My pleasure - literally! ☺️

Robin Blackburn McBride's avatar

😅

Camilla Fogle's avatar

I laugh at odd situations. Once I was sitting in a high school class. I happened to be the only one with a view out the window. I looked out in time to see a little boy rise from the concrete with a great wad of chewing gum trying to hold him back. It was stuck to his pants and the concrete. I had to stifle that laugh but it was a good one.

Cathy Joseph's avatar

Oh, Camilla - I laughed out loud reading your comment. Then I read it again and had the same response. No stifling here. I can see it so clearly in my mind's eye. Thank you so much for sharing your experience!

Jess Greenwood's avatar

You have such a delightful laugh, Cathy, but what I find even more delightful about it is the ease with which it comes. That's such a gift, and it does bring a lightness to any room. My laugh has always been big, loud, and raucous. Many people in my life have found it offputting - too much, too big, too attention grabbing - but one of the first things my now husband said to me was "I love how big you laugh." I think that probably did me in, because it meant he saw the joy behind it, not the potential embarrassment of it. Laughter is such an avenue for joy. Hooey be damned!

Cathy Joseph's avatar

I love that your husband heard and hears the joy in your laugh!!! I wrote in one of the comments above that a woman came over to me in a restaurant with only two tables of customers and told me I laughed too loud. She found it disturbing. Maybe she would like to meet those people in your life who told you the same.

Thanks so much for sharing this, Jess - and that's not hooey!

Jess Greenwood's avatar

I’m appalled that anyone would take the time and energy to tell someone who is LAUGHING that they are too loud. Maybe let it infect your soul and join in lady!

Cathy Joseph's avatar

I love your takeaway!! I assumed she was having a very difficult day / life and couldn't / wouldn't get past it. I agree that joining in just might have been uplifting for her. We could have laughed together - and that is just the best!

Rhaine Della Bosca's avatar

I love this post, Cathy! Yes, your laugh is a ringtone waiting to happen. 🥰

Jess Greenwood's avatar

Agreed 💯

Cathy Joseph's avatar

Thank you for that vote of confidence, Rhaine! 💕💝💕

Brain Dump Before Bedtime's avatar

I would first like to add how I wish I could actually hear the sound of your laughter! 😆 And, secondly, I too agree that laughter is the best form of medicine. It has brought me out of many gloomy days. I truly enjoyed this article! Looking to read more. I just subscribed.💚

Cathy Joseph's avatar

That is so nice to hear! I record a voiceover for each of my posts, so you can hear me chuckle through this one. I am touched by your comment and truly honored that this prompted you to subscribe. I agree - laughter is absolutely the best medicine - and it’s free! Thank you so much for your very generous comment!

Brain Dump Before Bedtime's avatar

I will definitely give it a listen!🙂

rena's avatar

Love the gift of laughter 🤍

Cathy Joseph's avatar

I agree that laughter is truly a gift! Thank you for this and for restacking, Rena - both are greatly appreciated!.

Miriam🌼Carlson-Maier's avatar

Hi Cathy. I'm your laughing twin! I know I have a way-too-loud laugh, and I wear it proudly. I'm often told that people love to hear my laugh and that it's just a treat in group and even business settings where it's too intense or serious. Even just a big smile can go a long way to make a day more enjoyable for someone. Thanks for sharing😆

Cathy Joseph's avatar

YES!!!! Oh, it is so nice to know we are laughing sisters! I fully agree that even just a smile is incredibly powerful.

And speaking of a too loud laugh, a friend and I were having lunch at a restaurant near me a bunch of years back. We hadn't seen in other in several years and joyously laughed our way through our catch-up. Two women sat at the only other occupied table. One came up to me and told me my laugh was too loud and asked that I tone it down. Of course I didn't want to infringe on their enjoyment - but she put quite a dent in mine!

Miriam🌼Carlson-Maier's avatar

Well that’s truly just ‘hooey’! I mean really? To loud? haha. Yes, I’ve had that happen a few times, but it’s typically my introverted husband or our youngest daughter saying it to me. Usually, I’m told that people enjoy hearing it wafting through the air. Anyway, I’m usually having too much fun to care too much 😉

Cathy Joseph's avatar

Thank you for the laugh! Yes, that truly is just hooey!!!!

Sue Ferrera's avatar

Oh, what a lovely post. And how wonderful to be known for your laugh. That's special. I adore laughing, it's such good medicine for the soul. One of my favorite things is listening to my kids laughing. They are both funny people, but typically it's my son making my daughter laugh that just warms my heart. And I love hearing them each laughing with their mates. And already my new granddaughter is making me laugh. She has a look in her eye that tells me she's going to have a great sense of humor. There are three pictures of her learning to eat that make me truly laugh out loud and I look at them every day to raise my spirits. When I look back over my lifetime, every close relationship I've had is someone I can laugh with. Thanks, Cathy, for this uplifting post.

Cathy Joseph's avatar

Thank you for sharing this wonderfully thoughtful response, Sue! It is something special to make a loved one laugh, and I love knowing that your adult children are doing this. To me, their laugh is a response of pure joy. To me, laughing together strengthens the bonds of our relationships. And it sure makes it all more fun!

Thanks again!

Sue Ferrera's avatar

I couldn't agree more, about laughter making life a lot more fun.