Enough With the Jokes

 My general approach with the Gs is to use humor to make life more pleasant. I wake the BG up every morning with a quasi-original song (Today's was "I've been waking up my daughter, every doggone day...") and I try to assuage the OG's surly morning demeanor with levity as best I can.

This morning, she was complaining to Worldwide about her late lunch period and explaining that this allowed her to bring a snack into 5th period. Asked what she brought, she gave a few examples, adding that she didn't like to bring chips with her since they weren't healthy. Buoyed by yesterday's data collection, I rose to the bait, explaining that those bags of chips were not so bad, and that they were actually comparable to the baked variety. "The baked chips taste like crap." she said. "Have you tried crap?" I asked, parsing her simile. This got a laugh, and we moved on to other topics, as I got ready to escort the BG to the bus stop.

When I returned, the OG was scrambling to get her stuff together. Her current regimen requires a phone (to call in case there is a change to cheerleading practice times); lunch; cheer clothes; book bag; and the giant zippered binders (see above) that everybody carries these days. Last year's model, I dubbed the "Green Monster" because of its colour, but this one, in homage to the Barenaked Ladies, I've taken to calling the "humongous binder." When I asked if she had her HB with her, she exploded. "Dad, why do you have to tell so many jokes? Why don't you just tell a few good ones and stop with the lame-os?"

Stunned silence. Could it be that I'm not as funny as I think I am? It is true that my default response in most conversations is humor, but no-one has ever told me to be more serious. Then again, people are generally polite, so who knows?

I mentioned to the BG that "someone on my blog" thinks I try too be funny too much. She was incredulous: "Tell them to stop hating." she exclaimed. That made me feel better.

One of Gretchen Rubin's mantras is that "happy people make other people happier, but you can't make someone happier." Maybe I've been confusing humor with happiness, but I don't think darkening my mood would make our mornings more pleasant. I'd try it, but everyone would think it was me being ironic.

I got a blue and red Adidas bag and a humongous binder,

I try my best not to look like a minor niner.

Went out for the football team to prove that I'm a man,

Guess I shouldn't tell them that I like Duran Duran