Seven Reasons to Laugh at yourself

What was I thinking?

You know what? I love laughing! It pushes the blues away. And even when the joke is on me, I laugh still. Even. Harder. Laughter really is the best medicine and I bet reading through these will help you to reflect and laugh at yourself too when you think of some of your moments and think ‘what was I even thinking?  So recently I was thinking about how often I laugh at myself for some silly and even absurd things that I do.

And it doesn’t matter what’s happening in the world, laughter does help one to cope.

See if you can identify with any of them or if you prefer to, share your own foolishness/stupidity/dumbness (You know what I mean).

 

Did I say already that I love to laugh? Well, I’ve written a few posts on the matter before this one so when you’re done with this, you may want to check out this one and then this. Read this first though, it’s more recent.

This post does contain affiliate links which give me a small percentage of any sale made through my site. The cost to you, of course, is not affected.

 

1. Wallpaper
2. Skinny jeans
3. Google maps instructions
4. Flatpack furniture
5. Smoking
6. High heels
7. Sporting an Afro
8. The latest dance moves (an extra reason to laugh out loud)

 

I would say that I’m quite a sane, simple, and sensible person. But recently I’ve been reflecting on some decisions I’ve made and it has got me thinking: WHAT WAS I THINKING? I’ve really had to laugh.

Read below to find some of the downright funny or weird things I’ve done.

 

1. That wallpaper

Okay, let’s put things straight. I’m a Jamaican by birth. But when I came to live in England, I was amazed at the different looks and effects people had on their walls! Where I grew up, the walls are just painted! Your choice of colour paint, a brush and some old rags and that’s it! Job done!

Not here! I saw such interesting patterns, colours and textures on people’s walls, even in some office buildings, that I began to investigate. What I discovered was that you could create the look you want by using wallpaper! Some people use it as a feature wall effect (basically just covering one wall in a room). It would go well with the other walls as they’re usually painted in one of the colours of the wallpaper, or a complementary colour.

So one day, I decided, I was going to give my spare bedroom a makeover! To sum it up, I would say based on the choice of wallpaper I made, I have a poor taste! I don’t know what was going through that handy man’s head as he prepared the wall and put that paper up! Wonder if he now sees me as a fool! I was completely mesmerised by the vast array of choice I had when I went to the store to choose wallpaper! I just chose one that looked unusual and came out! Now I have to live with this (see below)  on all four walls of this tiny room until one of you lovely readers give me a solution. Over to you!

 

2. Skinny jeans

Those who know me know that apart from being fat, I have- should I say, an unconventional shape, lol. Let me explain. Do you know how generally a woman’s body shape tends to go outwards going down from the waist? Well, mine does the opposite, it goes inwards (narrower) from the waist. Not the typical black woman’s shape.

So of course when I go shopping for trousers and skirts, in my mind I’m thinking camouflage camouflage camouflage! Well, I found these trousers recently that are sort of stretchy and have a lovely comfy fabric feel. I was so happy I could practically live in them! Well, I finally turned them on the wrong side to wash them the other day and noticed, written on the label in the waistband, the word SKINNY.  What the …Me? Skinny jeans!

I laughed so hard (I love laughing at myself) that I took a picture and sent it to my sister so that I wouldn’t be the only one laughing at me. So ever since then, I haven’t worn them just in case someone were to find out that a fat, almost 50-year old woman is wearing skinny jeans.

 

3. Google maps instructions

You will know that I don’t do well with driving to unknown places! Yup, I have to either have someone directing me, or I’m driving behind someone else. I remember when I wanted to find my way to my last workplace, I drove behind a bus the whole way, going through communities, stopping at almost every bus stop and waiting until it took off again! Not only that, I did it for about two weeks! Then I found an easier way that was way shorter and took considerably less time.

Read my funny post about how I finally allowed Google maps to give me directions to meet up with my friend! Don’t laugh. I really struggle with geography, finding my bearings, anything like that. I have a mini heart attack every time I see a roadblock or diversion on a road that I know. This means I’ll have to navigate a road I don’t know! OMG. Not to mention motorways, I don’t do them, at least not yet. I’m more confident about driving an extra hour going on small roads than taking the motorway! When I finally get to my destination, I have to laugh at myself and sometimes even wonder if I really did all that driving!

 

4. Flatpack furniture

Don’t you think these are quite a genius idea? You get everything you need for an attractive piece of furniture in one box. Only one problem…each item should come with a man who assembles it properly and then goes on his way after we check to make sure that it actually works and does what it’s meant to do. Every time I try to assemble one of these things or anything similar, I find an extra screw or two after it’s been set up. If I wonder hard enough about why the extra bits are put in, the item falls apart and I’m back to square one. I don’t see the funny side then, while I’m so frustrated, but remind me about it later on and I’ll be on the floor laughing.

 

5. Smoking

Before you start to judge me, no I’m not a smoker! Have I ever tried smoking? Yes! I must have been about 7 or 8! Some older cousins made cigarettes with the leaves of this dried plant called cho cho. Well after mine was lit and handed to me I did the unthinkable! I took a big old puff of it and swallowed! I almost died, I coughed so hard I thought my lungs would come through my mouth! Well, I think something saved me that day, I was that close to dying! I made a solemnly sworn statement to myself that day that I would never ever smoke again! I’m so glad I learnt that lesson early enough. And now when I think about it, I have to laugh.

 

6. High heels

Let’s not even go there! Okay, lets go there for thirty seconds. I am so uncomfortable in high heels, I don’t own a pair! I always say “I’m not ready to be so close to heaven yet”when someone asks why I don’t wear high heels. Mind you, I do admire other people in them, but I just think they’re not for me. I have even given up trying. And if I ever have some fancy event to go to, I just find some shoes which have some bling but which are low heeled shoes. Do you do well in heels? High five to you! Well done. I’m telling you now you’d laugh if you saw me in some! So that’s why my favourite everyday shoes are these skechers! They are lightweight, they hug and caress your feet gently and you can actually walk miles in them. Honestly, it’s like walking on air and I absolutely love them. I haven’t tried yet, but they seem washable too! Bonus! Can you identify?

 

7. Sporting an Afro

I must admit that I love my hair. It’s not too thick nor too soft, it’s just right. And it gets longer and stronger daily. The thing I don’t like about it is that nowadays I see some greys sneaking up in the front. I don’t mind them in the middle or the back at all, just not in the front. How about you? Well, the other day I read this Facebook entry from a friend who suggested that as black women ( haha, yes I’m black), we should allow our hair to grow the way it does- upward. She suggested that we stop trying to get it to go down and onto our shoulders, like Caucasian women. So I got up, took the band out of my hair and made myself an Afro! See pic below!

 

That’s hers. This is mine… no laughing! You did laugh!

This below is my favourite way to style my hair. Natural… now, who has the last laugh?

Here are my issues with my God-given Afro: it’s too high and wouldn’t fit in the car if I tried to drive to work, I think it would give my students a scare, my hair naturally gets tough when it’s ‘let loose’ and I don’t think it would suit my face. So what would you do? Ignore all the obvious and still wear an Afro?  Well, one day I just might go out with my ‘fro to see what people think. In the meantime, I have gone out and bought three products that I’m told will give me a curly afro like the one that smiley lady up top is wearing. they are Shea Moisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie, this, and the mist of the same brand.

I’ve only used them once so may be too early for a review but the smell of hibiscus and shea together is quite nice and I also know that shea products do wonders for my hair.

Update: I’ve had several goes with the products and here’s how it works for me- I shampoo my hair and towel dry (leave a little moisture in). Oil scalp with shea butter, spread about one tablespoon of the curl enhancing smoothie all over my hair, separate my hair into little parts and twist them. Tie and leave to dry overnight. In the morning when I’m going out, spray with the mist and then undo the twists. They hold their shape really well and look shiny, soft and alive. At night, just redo the twist and repeat for the next day if needed. I’m getting this! The last laugh belongs to me.

 

And for an extra laugh, there’s a number 8!

8. The latest dance moves

If you know anything about Jamaica (apart for Usain Bolt and Bob Marley), you will know that these people love making music and dancing to it. The reggae beat is super catchy you know! And no matter how determined you are that you will not dance for fear of others catching you off guard, you won’t win!

So here’s what happened to me… Last summer we spent a week at an all-inclusive hotel in Montego Bay (the hub of tourism in Jamaica). We met and mingled with several people as we sat by the pool daily under a shady almond tree with the blue sea behind us and the inviting pool in front of us. Well, some of the people we met were some of the locals – young men and women who worked at the resort to plan and provide entertainment for the tourists. Now on a daily basis, about 10 am, after gorging up with all you can eat breakfast, the tourists (including me) were warned about sitting down right after such a feast, but that instead, we should join in with the ‘dancercize’ classes held either in the pool or by the poolside.

For a few days, we watched as they put the catchy music on, demonstrated the moves, and then encouraged us to join in! It was such a laugh every day watching people amble over to the poolside to follow on with the moves and music!  You could tell that some knew they weren’t getting the moves right, but as Judge Judy loves to say, they didn’t give a rat’s behind! Well, I can’t say I know what got into me, but one day I found myself amongst the tanned lot, trying to jump, gyrate, hop and skip around to the pulsating beat like a teenager! I was sweating like a hog!  OMG! You know what brought me to my senses? Seeing a tourist recording his wife’s off-beat moves on his phone! I was stood right by her and I’m sure he must have captured some footage of me too! I had the dreadful thought- ‘what if that takes off on Facebook?’  I wasn’t laughing then, but I sure am now! So if you see that footage going around, all I have to say is, it wasn’t me!

Do you laugh at your own stupidity? Can you identify with any of what I have done? Don’t hold back! Laugh out and enjoy the moment. You are only stupid every once in a while. So when you’re not laughing at other people’s stupidity, have a go at laughing at your own – or mine for that matter.

Grammarly