My Secret Hobby Will Make You Smile - Hopefully
Posted: Saturday, August 14, 2010
by Donovan Baldwin
No Diet 4 Me
First of all, if you were to meet me, you would probably think I'm an old grouch. I'm not putting myself down, my face and natural expression tend to come across as a scowl. I also tend to have a dry sense of humor, and seldom laugh or smile. I'm having fun, I just don't show it.
I'm a lot like my father. He didn't smile a lot, and NEVER told jokes. Once, when he was being pressed to tell a joke, he told this one:
Answer/Punchline...
"Here come the Indians."
He saw the humor in it, and so do I, but I also see a deeper level of humor. The joke was actually on the listener. They were expectantly waiting for the man who never told a joke to tell one. They waited for the punch line. When it came, it was totally unexpected! They had expected humor at the expense of someone else, but they were left holding the bag.
Okay, you had to be there.
Anyway, I don't come across like someone who likes to tell jokes and funny stories...but I do!
So, here's my secret hobby...I like to make people smile.
When I am in line in the grocery store, I like to kid and joke with the clerk. It's especially fun if he or she has just had to deal with someone who has, shall we say, been less than kind.
It feels good to get the clerk smiling or even laughing after they've greeted me with a scowl on THEIR face and a growl in their voice. It's also fun when they are obviously bored to tears or have their mind on some idea that is worrying them.
Of course, I might be misinterpreting their expressions. Maybe their face is like mine!
Let's stop with a story.
A friend of one of my nieces approached her one day. She was very concerned about something she had seen on Facebook. Since my niece's Facebook friends are primarily young kids who she works with, the lady felt she had to speak up. She said, "I'm worried about one of your Facebook friends. He looks like a serial killer!"
My niece replied, "Oh, don't worry about him. He's my uncle."
Now, that's funny!
Have YOU smiled yet?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Donovan Baldwin is a 65-year-old accountant, amateur bodybuilder, freelance writer, certified optician, and Internet marketer currently living in the Atlanta, Gerogia area. A University Of West Florida alumnus (1973) with a BA in accounting, he has been a member of Mensa and has been a Program Accountant for the Florida State Department of Education, the Business Manager of a community mental health center, and a multi-county Fiscal Consultant for an educational field office. He has also been a trainer for a major international corporation, and has managed various small businesses, including his own. After retiring from the U. S. Army in 1995, with 21 years of service, he became interested in Internet marketing and developed various online businesses. He has been writing poetry, articles, and essays for over 40 years, and now frequently publishes original articles on his own websites and for use by other webmasters. He has posted a series of articles on the Law of Attraction , and other self-improvement issues at http://xtramoney4me.net/internetmarketing/reviews/law_of_attraction_articles/index.html .
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Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)I smiled at your Dad's Indian joke, I think it's hilarious - actually I laughed out loud! Love that dry humor! I also laughed at your niece's friend's comment! Still laughing.
HEHE, okay you got a smile out of me. Nice to see someone who likes to spread the joy of smiles.GraceP.S. Still grinning!
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