rhiannasamuels.com Blog

For some reason I can’t seem to be one of those daily bloggers. I’m really not that interesting. My life has required so many compromises along that way, that I don’t often get bent over the small stuff, so there’s no hot tempered or snarky response rolling off my tongue every time I read the paper or watch the tv.  Now, that’s not to say that I’m never that way. I have my moments.

 
I can’t resist the pun or humorous comeback. It’s really an illness. Mary, the wonderful woman I share an office with, has to deal with my PUNishing wit and just shakes her head. I know, don’t bother to insult me with the famous quote that puns are the lowest form of humor. That was written by someone who had no talent for it.

 
Puns are only funny when they are a spontaneous part of a conversation and instantly given. If you have that pause to think about it, then it is a groaner. I find humor so attractive. I love the hero’s especially if they are funny, but most of the time, I want the side kick, who has all the best lines in the movies or books. When I write I try to infuse humor where ever possible. And we all know that the funny heroines are in.

 
Where I have worked the day job for the last 16 years, the humor can be dark. To often the situations we deal with are tragedies. You can be overwhelmed by the bad and having a cockeyed view of things makes it better. I did an entire blog on my face last year, because my niece tells me I can have a scary face. It’s the one that is weary and bland, the one you wear to not show your emotions. I’ve tried hard, now that I work in the office more, to relearn how to wear my face.

 
I want to wear a mischievous face that I had as a child. The one when they are bound to get in trouble. I want that face on this old mug. Since, I know all the terrible things that happen to people when they are being naughty, I wear my humor armor. It shields me from the worst of life’s drama, breaks it up and makes it bearable. Reality is just that way. It’s not a joy ride with no consequences. It’s a little bit of joy, a lot of boring and large patches of drama. It’s PUNishing, hence my reaction to most of it is filled with a knowing smile, not a tear.

 
My favorite books have some funny in them. I used to read Georgette Heyer’s historical books in my teens. I would recommend them to anyone, my favorites are Devils Cub, The Unknown Ajax, Reluctant Widow (love this, but it’s hard to find) and Toll Gate. What I loved about her books- she wrote them from the fifties to the seventies- was the slow build up of learning about the characters and describing the clothes and times. Yea, all that was great, but no that wasn’t what I loved so much as the set pieces. At some point in her books, she builds to a scene that is so funny. It’s like she’s playing a chess game and has built everything to that moment of sheer excitement or humor.

 
As a writer in today’s market we’ve all been brought up with instant gratification from TV and movies. We’ve cut out the character building to a degree that it’s difficult to believe a character could be found in reality. We like them because they are alpha’s, larger than life and over the top. As adults we come as we are, but the building of the relationship between the characters is what grounds the reader to fall into the world they are reading.
I’ve been doing another stream of consciousness blog, sorry. It’s like a long dinner conversation that starts on being late and ends with you favorite recipes.

 
I like to always end with a question, hoping for comments and suggestions from those poor wondering souls that have found their way to my blog. How important is humor in your life? What percentage of your life is filled with amusement and joy? I think a strong 15-19% of my daily life ends in a smile or a laugh. It’s one of the reasons my tag line, such as it is reads…”Let your laughter be bright and you love incandescent.”  Laughter is a close second to love, they both LIGHTen our lives burdens.

Rhianna