Wasted days(?)

Posted on by ben Alexander

The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.

–e. e. cummings (1894 – 1962)

One of the greatest highlights of my childhood was playing Advanced Dungeons & Dragons (AD&D). This and a few other role-playing games (RPGs) were the primary unifying factor among my closest circle of friends.

So, perhaps that’s why I found this clip from the TV show “Community” so hilarious when I stumbled upon it on YouTube:

I’m not certain why YouTube recommended this particular video to me. I don’t watch clips about AD&D, and I don’t search on Google or YouTube for RPG-related content. That chapter of my life ended long, long ago. Also, I’d never heard of “Community” because we don’t watch TV or own a television.

Still, it would seem that the gamer remains within me because the above video clip had me laughing uncontrollably for a while in a way that I hadn’t laughed for a long, long time. Actually, the last time I remember laughing so hard was when I watched a routine by comedian Sebastian Maniscalco several years ago.

Honestly, I’m not much of a laugher. I mean, sure, I laugh now and again; and I can be very silly; but I’m generally too restrained to laugh uncontrollably. That’s why I remember it when I do.

Also, now that I think about it, I almost never seek out funny entertainment content. The movies I search for and watch are mostly dramas, thrillers, and action flicks. Again… it’s not that I refuse to comedy movies; I’m not opposed to them, per se… But, well…

Even the funny limericks that I write don’t make me laugh. I love writing them and knowing that they’ll make others laugh, but for me the pleasure of writing them lies in the unique cerebral challenge of writing quality, humorous limericks. Now, to be fair, successful comedians work hard on their stand-up routines, right? Their goal is to make others laugh, rather than themselves.

But when did I last watch a movie or read a book that made me laugh? I have no recollection… It must have been years ago. This subject isn’t even something I would be reflecting on or writing about if it weren’t for Marsha Ingrao’s most recent WQ prompt – to share a quote about laughter and a reflection to accompany it.

In my final analysis, as much as I truly appreciate the quote from e. e. cummings above, he surely would have considered most of my days wasted.

51 thoughts on “Wasted days(?)”

  1. Thanks for taking the time to contribute. This is an interesting take on laughter and your response to it, my friend, but I get it. It was a hard post to write.

    When we were sharing with our neighbors the funniest movies weโ€™d ever seen, I hadnโ€™t heard of any of them until one friend mentioned the Pink Panther. My mind went blank when it was my turn to share so my contributions to the conversation were movies about inspiring true stories.

    As I read your post, I thought of the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. I loved the first season and laughed a lot. I never followed up with it, though, and now it has about 5 seasons under its belt. I say all that to say that even though I laugh a lot and easily, itโ€™s usually something that happens in real life.

    Speaking of hilarious โ€“ to me โ€“ I read Ben and Me by Cameron Gunn while taking a long flight across the country. I laughed so hard and didnโ€™t want to laugh out loud because it was a night flight I was crying. Iโ€™m sure my seatmates thought I had lost it if they were still awake. Hereโ€™s an old review I had on my other blog. http://alwayswrite.blog/2017/02/02/cameron-gunn/ if youโ€™re interested. ๐Ÿ™‚ Have a great week, David.

  3. I am prone to hysterical and some what maniacal laughing jags. But only with close friends or when I feel especially comfortable. To most I’m a very serious person which makes it more startling when I roar with laughter… Laughter is very good for you.

  4. Same hereโ€ฆcomedy is not my forte in writing, nor my go-to for entertainment. But occasionally, Iโ€™ll see an old skit from the early years of Saturday Night Live, and that will make me laugh.

  8. Not always easy to find, but I do love to laugh. Congratulations on your recent treasure, David

  9. I agree that hopefully laughter is intertwined in each day:) I do search out funny shows to make me laugh.. my #1 for now is “What We Do in The Shadows” about vampires:):) Just sharing a bit David:):)

  10. Community is one of the funniest shows made. Theyโ€™re planning on making a movie now. Itโ€™s so ridiculous, but itโ€™s good satire. I get the not remembering when you last laughed uncontrollably thing. When I was young, I laughed and laughed. I guess as I grew into my thirties, I found less things interesting and grew somewhat weary.

  11. pity this busy monster, manunkind,
    not. Progress is a comfortable disease:
    your victim (death and life safely beyond)
    plays with the bigness of his littleness
    — electrons deify one razorblade
    into a mountainrange; lenses extend
    unwish through curving wherewhen till unwish
    returns on its unself.
    A world of made
    is not a world of born — pity poor flesh
    and trees, poor stars and stones, but never this
    fine specimen of hypermagical
    ultraomnipotence. We doctors know
    a hopeless case if — listen: there’s a hell
    of a good universe next door; let’s go

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