This Little Dog Makes Me Laugh
This little dog makes me laugh.
I love laughing, don't you?
It's fun, and it's also one of the fastest routes to connection with other people.
Laughter Archives
January 2, 2007
January 8, 2007
Little Miss Sunshine - Movie Review
Little Miss Sunshine is a totally delightful movie. I put it in my all-time top three comedies (the other two are A Fish Called Wanda and The Big Lebowski). Please note that I use the term "comedy" advisedly - all the of the movies mentioned are definitely black comedies.
This is a quirky, sweet movie about an odd family on a road-trip. There's the dad, a relentlessly positive motivational-speaker who is desperate for a book deal. And the scholarly depressed uncle who is staying with the family after a mental breakdown. The acerbic teenage son who has taken a vow of silence and communicates only by writing short notes. The plain little girl who dreams of winning in a child beauty pageant. The aging hippy grandpa who snorts cocaine and advises his grandson to get all the sex he can while he's young. And the mom who tries to keep the peace among all of them.
Oh, and let's not forget possibly the most important character of all...the aging VW van that carries them to their destination.
Some of my favorite Little Miss Sunshine quotes:
The Uncle: [telling the story of sad love affair] But he went and fell in love with a colleague of mine; Larry Sugarman, the number 2 expert on Marcel Proust in America. The Father: Who's number 1? The Uncle: That would be me, Richard. The Uncle: So who do you hang around with? The Teenage Son: [shakes his head] The Uncle: No one? The Teenage Son: [writes on a notepad: "I Hate Everyone."] The Uncle: What about your family? The Teenage Son: [strongly underlines "Everyone"]
I loved this movie, but one word of warning: the grandpa swears like a biker. If liberal use of the f word ruins a movie for you, then I'd advise against Little Miss Sunshine. But if you're ok with coarse language, and you appreciate a well-written and beautifully acted movie, then go rent the DVD tonight!
And if you're a Canadian like me, here's a place where you can rent DVDs online with Zip.caJanuary 23, 2007
Getting a New Puppy
You can't help but smile when you see a puppy at play. If you're considering adding a puppy to your household, you'll want to get some expert advice on care and training. According to Dogwise.com, one of the best DVDs for new puppy owners is "New Puppy, Now What?"
The DVD covers crate training, housetraining, socialization, mouthing and nipping, sit, come and down commands, and how to teach your puppy not to jump up on people. View a short video clip from the DVD here
February 18, 2007
The Hammer Story
Don McCauley submitted this amusing story to the WelcomeJoy ebook. I think you'll enjoy it.
"Once upon a time, there was a man who wanted to hammer a nail into a wall. The man picked up the nail with his left hand and the hammer in his right. He swung the hammer with a mighty swing.
But, not being experienced in such matters, he missed the hail, hitting his left thumb with the mighty blow intended for the nail. The skin of the left thumb was broken and blood began to stream out everywhere, pooling on the floor.
“What the heck did you do that for?” screamed the left thumb.
“Do what for?” asked the right hand, acting rather sheepish.
May 7, 2007
The Happiness Principle
In this article, therapist and author Dr. Charmaine Saunders provides practical tips for being happy.
Have you noticed that if you just feel happy for its own sake, people think you’re strange? They say things like, `What do you have to be happy about?’ or `What’s brought on this cheerful mood?’
The whole point of being happy on a continuous basis is that there is no particular reason - you feel the joy inside you and you naturally smile and shine, like walking near the ocean on a glorious summer’s day and being grateful just to be alive.
You can have that `bliss’ all the time, in the sun, in the rain, on good days and difficult, when life is going your way and when it appears everything’s against you. It’s feeling `okay’ inside all the time. That is true freedom. And as you shine, those around you bask in the warmth of your joy.
How do we positively work with the happiness principle?
*Look for signs everywhere
*Make positive thinking a choice
*Relax and stop worrying
*Remember life is a daily adventure
*Connect with your inner child every day
*Play every day, not just on weekends and holidays
*Love yourself enough to allow happiness
I think of myself as a `joy merchant,’ someone who sells the idea of joy. If you adopt this philosophy in your everyday life, it’ll change your life. Please write to me if you want to know more about living with joy.
Excerpted from Dr. Charmaine Saunders' article “Happiness” available at iSnare.com
September 1, 2007
How the Internet Brings Us Together (Cartoon)
Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.
October 1, 2007
Do We Really Need More "Friends"? (Cartoon)
Cartoon by Dave Walker. Find more cartoons you can freely re-use on your blog at We Blog Cartoons.
December 18, 2007
My Charlie Brown Christmas Tree
Is this the homeliest Christmas tree you've ever seen? My husband and I always struggle with the dilemma about whether or not to cut down a tree.
On the one hand, it's wonderful to have the smell of a fresh fir tree in the house over the holidays.
On the other hand, it seems wasteful to sacrifice a tree that took years to grow.
This one blew down in a windstorm (it was about 30 feet tall, and this is the top of it) and we thought "hey, why not?" We're not proud, and it's sure prompted some good belly laughs when people come to visit!
I wish you and yours a warm, cosy and relaxed holiday season. See you in 2008!
Warmly,
Barbra
