photo taken from
http://helenkosings.wordpress.comOne UCLA study documented that on average, at age 5, we engage in creative tasks 98 times a day, laugh 113 times and ask 65 questions. By age 44, the numbers fade to two creative tasks a day, 11 laughs and six questions.
As we get older, we don't laugh as often anymore. We get more worried about our increasing responsibility & expectations.
Career, mortgage, family, hence more dramas, more problems, more stress.
As I get older, I tend to watch/read more serious stuff. Then when I get familiar with the world's concerns and problems, I'll get thinking. Sometimes sad.
I even swap Tv comedies to shows such as Oprahs, Dr Phil, The View
and current affair news. And I swap channel Arena and Hits (where stupid reality shows and Friends and comedies are at) to Lifestyle channel, Travel and Living channel. Adventure and Bio channel. Even National Geography for what I care. The idea is to make myself wiser, smarter, more aware and more adult-like.
And for conversation topic starters too :) (??)
So I become wiser, yes, but I also laugh less (because I dont watch comedies & varieties shows anymore)
So do you choose to be happy or to be wise?
Alot of studies show that laughter can prolong one's life. Cancer patients who have good sense of humour are said (and proven) to survive longer than cancer patients who are not. Laughter is also
-strengthen your immune system,
-boost your energy,
-improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow (help protect against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.)
-a good laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
-triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals, and can even temporarily relieve pain.
The sound of roaring laughter is far more contagious than any cough, sniffle, or sneeze. When laughter is shared, it binds people together and increases happiness and intimacy. Best of all laughter is all around us and cheap, if not free.
One of the ways to laugh is to read Lucy-Anne Holmes novel
50 ways to find a lover. The book is really hilarious. Sometimes I wonder why people read thick serious (abit depressing) deep-thinking book about happiness when you can read comics or chicklits, where you can laugh (which leads to happiness) ? But some chicklits have too-over-the-top stories or cliche/boring stories which make me even more depressed :(
But I love this novel. Lucy-Anne is so funny xx
Lucy-Anne Holmes ia an actress living in London. 50 ways to find a Lover had its genesis in Lucy's blog
www.spinstersquest.com cataloguing her real-life love woes.
Lucy said
I make a pledge: I will explore fifty ways to find a lover. I will start with speed dating. I will also enlist some help in what to wear and say. I will stop dressing like a male road protester and brush my hair. I will stop asking men stupid questions such as 'Have you ever seen a ghost?' and 'If you were a biscuit what sort would you be?', which only I ever find entertaining.
It's so tempting though.---------------------------------------------------------------------
These are 3 of my (many)favourite lines :
From page 13
" A few days ago I started the important steps of thorough room-tidying, which are:
1) picking up everything on my floor and putting it on my bed
2) hanging up one or two items of clothing
3) getting bored
4) going out
5) coming home and needing to go to bed
6) moving everything on my bed on to my floor again "
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from page 38
" I have announced in my blog that Quest No. 1 is Speed Dating. I even hatched a plan, which I described in my blog. The plan involves
1) talking to all the men as though they are ugly. I reasoned that it is always much easier to talk to ugly people
2) asking all the men if they know any good jokes, then at least I will learn something. "
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from page 333
" There is a covert operation going on in the flat. Simon's planning me a surprise thirtieth-birthday party. Where Simon's covert operation fails is that he does all his planning on the phone to Julia early in the morning. He forgets that he has a voice like an old tractor and that when I am lying in a bed with eyes closed I am asleep, not dead. So far, I know where it is and who's coming, but they seem to be stuck about what to tell me.
'We've got to tell her she's going out somewhere so she puts some clothes on or she'll just be wearing those crusty pink pyjamas with red-wine lips.' It's a good job I am not a sensitive type.
I can even hear Julia on the end of the phone. Laughing.
'Listen, we've got to get in touch with Paul the Plonker, Jules. He can pretend he's taking her to dinner, but in actual fact take her to the venue. Genius. Then she'll dress up. Have you got his number?'
'Fuck, no!' screams Julia.
'I'll go in her room and get her phone now,' says Simon, opening my bedroom door and tripping over a pair of my shoes. I hear him mutter, 'Dirty goat' as he stumbles around in my dark room, hoping to locate my phone. He's never going to find it. My phone is currently situated inside my coat pocket, which is in the living room draped over the sofa.
'It's not here, Jules,' whispers Simon. 'I'll have to hang up and call it.' Simon leaves the room and closes the door. Two seconds later I hear my phone ring.
I spring out of bed and run into the lounge. This could be fun.
'Morning! Who's calling me at this time, I wonder?' I say innocently to Simon.
'Oh, um, me!' he says as I take my phone from my coat.
'Why?' I say with wide-eyed innocence.
'Wake-up call!' he chants. 'I thought we could go for a run.'
'Oh, that would have been lovely, Si, but I think I've hurt my foot; oh yes, it's very bad!' I say, pretending to limp.
'I'm only trying to help, Sare. You have to take a lot of clothes off in that play, remember.'
'Hmmm,' I say, frowning. the play involves me getting down to my underwear. The sight of me in my underwear is pleasant only for blubber specialists. 'Maybe later... I was thinking about my birthday, Si.'
'Oh yeah, when is it again, Sare?' he says casually. He's a better actor than me. Bastard.
'Oh, it's Saturday, but I think I might just go down to stay with my mum and dad for the weekend.'
Simon pulls a face as though he's stepped on a drawing pin. I go back to my room, clutching my phone. It's not that I don't want a party. On the contrary, my two best friends organising one for me is so touching I'm sure I'll cry. I just want to tease them a bit.
'Sare, your mom's on the phone!' yells Simon, banging on my door.
'I didn't hear the phone ring', I say.
'Oh, didn't you?' Simon's innocence is increadibly belieavable. I start to distrust everything he's ever said to me.
I pick up the phone.
'Er, darling, you can't come down this weekend, we're, um, going away,' she says. Now, my mother can't act at all. i start to fear I might have her to blame for my failing career.
'Where?' I say.
I can hear the cogs in my mother's brain turning while she tries to think of a destination.
'Oh, um,' she hesitates. 'France.' A triumphant sigh.
'Can I come?'
A silence. This is painful for my mother. She hasn't worked out her back-story at all. I start to feel bad. While I am feeling bad I can hear Simon tripping around my room, obviously getting Paul's number from my mobile phone.
'Let me talk to your dad. I'll call you back.' She hangs up. I run to my room, hoping to catch Simon with my phone. But he's already finished. Imeet him coming out.
'That was quick,' he says.
'What were you doing in there?'
'Oh, I was going to make your bed. But then I changed my mind.'
We both glance at my unmade bed with the mobile phone sitting proudly on the mattress. It starts to vibrate.
'I've got a text,' I say, picking it up. 'From Jules.'
I look at it and grin. I read it aloud to Si. '"REMINDER!! PARTY!! Saturday. Surprise for Sarah's big thirty (the old trout)! Eight p.m. sharp. Fifty-one Greek Street. If any of you fools tell her I shall personally pee in your bath."'
Bless her, she sent it to evryone in her address book. Including me. I look at Simon. He's shaking his head.
'I knew already, Si, I heard you on the phone this morning.'
'Ah. I thought I was doing well.'
'You were. Your acting was really good! You could have a new career. You could be the next James Bond.' I hug him and kiss him on the forehead.
'Thank you.' "
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Ps : It is so much funnier when you read the book page by page :)
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