Have you ever loved someone enough to stand in front of a crowd of family, friends, and coworkers and bash that person? Have you shared stories of their failures, personal problems, and, most likely, their greatest insecurities?
Well, I have.
Did it feel good?
It absolutely did.
What is wrong with me?
Nothing.
What’s wrong with my little sister?
Apparently, a lot of things.
To celebrate my sister reaching a monumental age, my brother-in-law planned a Toast and Roast.
He invited guests to gift my sister with sarcasm, trash talk, and general degradation of her character.
It was phenomenal!
Who knew that slander and verbal abuse could bring people together in such a glorious light?!?
After the roasters had laid out their lines of laughable insult, the birthday girl was given a turn to bash them back.
As my sister took the stage, I was slightly fearful that the roasts had burned a little too deep. She walked up and said, “This was the weirdest birthday party I’ve ever had, so, uh, I guess, thanks?”
Who couldn’t use a good read that makes us laugh out loud?
Thank you to Jana, The Artsy Reader Girl, for sharing her list of hilarious reads and prompting others to share their humorous finds as well.
Below are my #TopTenTuesday Made-Me-Laugh reads. They are not in any real order of Funniest to Least Funny. They are mainly in order of when I spotted them on my book shelves.
#1.One for the Money by Janet Evanovich(Actually should be my top 30 because ALL of her Stephanie Plum novels are super funny)
#2 Notes from a Midnight Driverby Jordan Sonnenblick(Young Adult fiction at it FINEST! A story of life lessons and being able to laugh at the stupid choices we make as adolescents.)
#3 Bossy Pantsby Tina Fey (SNL made me laugh, but this book made me cry and snort I laughed so hard.)
#6 Yes Please by Amy Poehler(The perspective on career, family, and life in this book was spot-on hilarious.)
#7 For the Love: Fighting for Grace in a World of Impossible Standards by Jen Hatmaker(There is no reason the I listed Of Mess and Moxie above this title, other than location on my book shelf. They are both hilarious. This book’s message will make you laugh and shift perspective for the better.)
#8 The Good Byline by Jill Orr(First of four very witty and well-written mysteries about Riley Ellison. All four could fit the bill for funniest reads with the online dating/lifestyle guru asides between chapters.)
#9 How Not to Be Old (Even If You Are) by Jill Orr(A non-fiction work of hilarity from the author of The Good Byline. This is now one of my favorite birthday gifts for friends as they meet milestone birthdays.)
#10 The Wonky Donkeyby Craig Smith(It is IMPOSSIBLE to read this book without laughing. IMPOSSIBLE.)
I realize my list includes books from diverse genres, but I think that’s what makes books so great. They do not have to fall into one category or another to entertain. I encourage you to pick up a funny book and add some joy to your day. I didn’t realize how tough it would be to make a list of Top Ten Funny Reads. I now have a goal to find new titles to read that will make me laugh.
Be sure to comment with your favorite funny reads or tag this post when you share your own Top Ten list.
By: Melanie A. Peters
P.S. At least three of the books on this list were “borrowed” from my sister Olivia’s book shelf. She may or may not get them back.
Earlier this summer, my youngest son was helping me run errands. He had behaved well and been so patient all morning. When he asked to purchase a small cactus in at the hardware store, I said, “Yes.” The cactus was in a small plastic pot and didn’t seem too dangerous, so I didn’t think twice about taking it home.
My six-year-old son proudly watered the cactus every other week and talked to it almost daily. I didn’t give it much attention until he placed it on the kitchen counter next to my Christmas cactus. I noticed his cactus was a bit pale and still had a tag hanging off it.
Upon closer inspection I made a prickly discovery. My sweet son’s cactus was a fake. It was made in China.
“A good laugh and a long sleep are the two best cures for anything.” – Irish proverb
Exhaustion is not something that is new to most of us. Finding time to rest is tough too, but finding time to laugh with friends can be tougher.
Recently some friend and I did find time to be together. (It was our third attempt in four months for a girls’ night. Life is just too full.)
In the brief hours we were together, we enjoyed food, drink, and conversation. The best part was that with each drink, bite, and topic discussed we laughed.
That night I went to bed with a smile on my face and the evening’s antics running through my mind. The normal worry and weight of my day was not there and I slept.
I slept REALLY well.
The next day dawned brighter and I felt recharged. That laughter and rest were definitely what the doctor ordered. So here’s my prescription for you.
Make laughter happen. Find time to relax. For best possible results add laughter followed by rest. You’ll be glad you did.
By: Melanie A. Peters
P.S. I am not a real doctor, nor do I play one on television.
Saturday as my kids and their cousins wrestled on my parents’ living room floor, my sister and I discussed which children we were leaving for Grandma and Grandpa to keep. (None of the children were in fact being left. They just wouldn’t stop wrestling.)
My sister’s car was full of hockey gear and fresh beef (picked up from the butcher shop that morning). My dad said he wasn’t sure how it was all going to fit. My sister assured him it would be okay. My nephew volunteered to leave his hockey gear, so he would not have to go to hockey at 6:30 the next morning.
My sister laughed and said, “I should just leave you and let Grandma take care of you.”
The Word Wizard Wyatt – credited with inventing the word “funishment”
My nephew’s response, “What kind of punishment is that? That’s more like a funishment!”
Do you ever worry about kids listening to the lyrics of contemporary music? I do, but sometimes the translations of lyrics by kids makes life worth living.
Luke Bryan is questioning my intents with this post
Our county fair was this week and each of my children invited a friend to go with us. As we drove to the fair, my kids requested Luke Bryan’s “Shake It For Me.” Granted this song is not really controversial but may not necessarily be okay for little kids, as it suggests that the shaking of one’s behind is the way to a man’s heart. (I still love you, Luke Bryan.)
Teaching the art of joke-telling is a healthy and happy way to develop communication skills.
Every week I share a joke with the 1st and 2nd graders at our school library. The students keep a journal of the jokes and their answers. I also always invite the students to share jokes of their own.
The 2nd grade teacher recently thanked me for getting the kids excited about reading, in particular for their excitement about reading joke and riddle books. She said, “They just can’t get enough jokes or joke books. It’s fun to see them laugh and try to tell the jokes.” It is great to see my silly habit of sharing jokes is contagious.
When kids tell jokes, they are able to laugh at themselves and their message. Too often kids are hounded with seriousness. If we can use humor to educate and provide experience, we can inspire happier learners.
I have given speeches and had opportunities to be a public speaker for most of my life. When I started public speaking in 5th or 6th grade, I learned that the best trick for breaking the ice was to tell a joke first.
If you can tell a joke, and tell it well, you can speak to anyone.
If you can identify where to add inflection or pauses, you can communicate a message.
If you can identify where to add inflection or pauses, AND make your audience laugh when you want them to, you can communicate anything.
The ability to laugh is so simple yet so powerful. “Every time you are able to find humor in a difficult situation, you win.”
Sunday I found myself battling a terrible stomach ache at the end of a fun day at the parish picnic. As we drove home, I advised my husband to take the county road home; I was not feeling well. Per my prediction, we did not make it home before I got sick. We had to stop twice in a very short stretch of the road so I could get out to puke.
Upon entering the car the second time, my youngest son was crying. “Does your tummy hurt?” my husband asked him.
“No, I didn’t get to see mommy throw up.” was his angry and pitiful reply.
All I could do was laugh.
My laughter seemed to calm him and led to giggles from my husband and other two kiddos. We rode silently home the rest of the way, except when my husband checked to see if I was okay.
My tummy definitely didn’t win that day, but humor did. In being able to laugh, I showed my kiddos I would be okay and that we don’t need to get upset about little things (like mommy puking). 🙂
While I don’t encourage laughing at sick people, I do encourage you to find the humor in the rough spots of your day. Who knows the laughter you bring to a tough situation may be the catalyst for change. Your joy may be the one thing that was needed to get past a sticky situation or a downward slide. Humor wins every time.
By: Melanie A. Peters
P.S. The picnic didn’t make me sick. It was just a virus.
Q. “What time is it when an elephant jumps over your fence?”
A. “Time to get a new trampoline”
We love jokes and riddles at my house. Recently I wrote about elephant jokes, and when my daughter came home with this new one, I knew it was time to add another post about the benefits of jokes and riddles to Intentergy.
Riddles and jokes provide three things:
humor
imagination
problem solving skills
The humor found in silly jokes adds much-needed happiness to our stressful days. They provide us with innocent joy and make us laugh. Laughter is good for the heart and soul.
Q. “What type of dog can tell time?
A.”A watch dog”
The imagination stimulated by jokes helps us break away from the mundane and latch onto the light-hearted. I know you pictured a 2 ton elephant flying over a fence when I shared the first joke. (trunk and ears flapping, elephant cry bellowing, giant feet scampering for solid ground; flattened trampoline crunched sideways with its torn canvas; you have to smile now.)
humor
Intentergy 