This is just a quick note to suggest that when you are staring at the screen unable to write two remotely funny words for a humorous post, read through Joey Guse's article about laughter clubs. I just did, and I feel a bit better for it.

A club where you laugh?

As with all great "inventions", these clubs were created by accident when a guy went to a park to laugh, and soon found he was quite the hit when others joined in uninvited. (He must have been in Asia and / or stoned? because I cannot imagine sober Brits or Swedes behaving with such abandon).

Coupled with some yoga exercises, and a bit of science thrown in - forced and natural laughter both have the same positive physical effect on us - the Laughter Clubs have since developed as a force for good, providing therapy to droves of screwed up people.

Joey says the Laughter Club experience has changed him. He is the one shuffling along the sidewalk giggling at nothing in particular

Ed laughed once.

I can remember as a kid going to drama classes on a Saturday morning and one time we had to lie down on the splintery wooden floor and laugh. I was so uptight, I was lying there thinking, "But I don't want to laugh, there is nothing funny going on and this is really uncomfortable." Being an obedient child, when the kooky teacher walked by peering at us all, I pretended to cackle, but I felt so self-conscious I soon shut up when she was out of earshot. Muggins here just lay there listening to everyone else slapping their thighs and guffawing as if it were the most natural thing in the world. They must have gone on to be actors, I guess. I wonder what they thought I would grow up into?

If you have time and money, Joey has a few books you might be interested in, all laughter and comedy related. As he freely admits, his jokes fall on stony ground, but his serious stuff makes people smile. He certainly writes lots of serious stuff, so you should find you have a good time reading it.