I'm not sure if any research has been done to determine if laughter can actually kill a person. I believe it probably could. The old saying "You won't die laughing!" may only be true if you consider that you laugh right up to the point that you have a massive heart attack or burst a blood vessel in your brain and in that moment of agony, you probably do stop laughing and think, "What the...??"

Anyway, I've nearly died laughing. Several times. The most recent was last night. A friend was over and I was trying to tell a funny anecdote. Actually, I tried to tell two. Neither worked out very well, my head almost exploding both times. Also, despite the fact that I couldn't actually speak, breathe or move in a coordinated manner for several minutes, did not stop DW and our guest from laughing heartily at my fit. The worst thing was, I knew when I finally got to the point of actually telling them what was so funny, I would have to make it sound as bland as possible or I would be gone for all money again.

What started it was a very simple yet positive event. My dad has had his second book published. To protect her identity, I shall call our guest "Shnarelle". Shnarelle is an aspiring author and was not aware that my father had even written one book, let alone a second. Now, I have this problem where I get something in my head and despite my best efforts, it pops out my mouth. My parents had kept the fact Dad was writing a book a secret. It may not have technically been a secret, but apparently none of us knew to ask that particular question. "Hi Dad, how are you? Good answer. Have you thought about writing a book?" If only we'd thought to ask. At least we now know he isn't planning to overthrow the government or start his own underwear line. And let me tell you, he didn't see those questions coming.

Back to the point. Dad hadn't mentioned his book writing and I hadn't asked. I think it is absolutely fantastic that he is doing it and I enjoyed the first book and look forward to reading the second. However, in my head, I was still stuck with the thinking how strange it was that he hadn't mentioned it. So when Shnarelle commented by saying "Wow, that's exciting!", I opened my mouth and agreed by saying, "It IS odd, isn't it." Only after I had spoken that I realised that Shnarelle was looking a little surprised and quickly jumped in saying that wasn't quite what she meant by "exciting". It quickly put me in my scattered mind of another, equally funny and debilitating event.

It would seem this little affliction of speaking without thinking carefully or at all is not a problem unique to me. At least one of my brothers also has it. My mother was informing him that an elderly relative had recently passed away, to which my brother, eager to share his news, replied, "You know what else is funny?" I was with this particular brother recently in a cafe when I was explaining to him about my problems with remembering names and the two of us had one of those temporal shifting moments. In an almost reverse situation to the movie "Awakenings", we both shuddered with laughter faster and faster until we were both frozen in time and space, mouths wide open, no sound coming out and the only change in our physical appearance was the increasing red glow engulfing our heads.

I say that it was temporal shifting because while we remained frozen, possibly listing slightly in our rigoured state, the rest of the cafe went on as normal, though several eyes fickered toward us occassionally. I'm not sure how long we were like that but I remember thinking, I'm going to have to crawl out of here and I haven't paid yet. Maybe if I just dropped my wallet, the waiter would just take the right amount of money.

This situation is not uncommon in my family. When we are together, it can be even worse. If one of us tips over the edge, the others are quick to dive off as well. The joke might be a very witty remark, a shared memory from life growing up on the farm, or an ill-timed fart, but whatever it is, the whole lot of us get caught up in it. I suspect that anyone else walking in at that moment would think they'd stepped into an episode of Star Trek, or maybe Dr Who. DW thinks I'm mad and it is not entirely unrelated. I just know that as my siblings and I get older, one day were are all going to be sitting around together and someone will make a joke and one of us will end up dead. Possibly all of us. At least we'll have had a laugh.

Ciao!

Thought for the Day: I don't want to die doing what I love. That would ruin it. I would rather die doing what I hate, so then I'll feel vindicated.