Oh I used to be disgusted
Now I try to be amused.
— Elvis (the One True Elvis) Costello
Some of us have a special talent for being disgusted and/or amused by Life, the Universe and Everything. (Oh, why’s that?)
I have both talents.
While I could really do without the former, the latter is a real gift. It is, however, a gift that requires some (wait for it) balance.
Fucking balance. It’s everywhere.
I am not one of those people who is magically endowed with an eternally pleasant disposition who smiles beneficently on the world from my happy palace full of sparkly unicorns. (Shut up)
I am one of those people who has a naturally smiling but sarcastic disposition who is constantly challenged by things like:
1. Thinking most other people might be stupid (well…you know…if the red shoe fits)
2. Keeping both sarcasm and irony in check because a lot of people appear to be missing those essential genes (see #1?)
3. profanity. No, actually I believe that profanity is one of Life’s Best Things. I am not challenged by anything but increasing my use of it.
4. Bite me.
5. Not letting a little natural sarcasm (which is Right and Good) become a black hole of hatefulness. Staying out of it is hard. Simple, but difficult.
How do I do this?
If I only knew.
There are a lot of cliches involved.
Mostly, it’s just trying to be aware.
Often, I am not successful.
Sometimes, I am.
Being amused is a different challenge. Mostly, being amused is a good thing, right?
Well, yeah. But.
(There’s always a but)
There’s a point at which being amused by Life in a good way becomes mocking everything.
So, the challenge balancing amusement and laughter with mockery is to take Life seriously.
No, really.
Life is a born comic.
C’mon. Look how we come into the world. It’s funny. There are both penises and vaginas involved. It’s also a total miracle.
Is there anything more inherently absurd than a penis? No. (OK, yes..an elephant’s trunk.)
Is there anything more amazing than being born and being alive? No.
You can laugh at one, but you’ve got to treat the other with at least a little gravitas.
Make sure you laugh with it, not at it.
Uh. I guess.
I have no clue.