Humor Injections: A Humor and Healthcare Blog

Archive for May, 2009

Veterinarians Do it Right

28 May, 2009  No Comment

I read an article in USA Today about veterinarians who perform in-home euthanasia for pets whose owners want them to die at home.  You can read the full article here:  Euthanasia Veterinarians Provided a Peacheful Death.

I think vets are sometimes more in tune with their patients’ needs than humans.  For instance, in my vet’s waiting room, there is a sign that reads, “Sit, Stay.”  That’s hilarious.  There’s nothing funny in my doctor’s waiting room.

When our dog got hit by a car a few years ago, we took him to an emergency pet care center.  They tried to save him but couldn’t.  And so they didn’t charge us for the visit.  They had two people working on him, they inserted IV’s, they administered medication, and still, they did not charge us.

Have you ever gotten a free ride at a human hospital?

When we informed our vet that our dog had died, we got a very nice sympathy card and a letter indicating that their office had sent a donation to a local veterinary school in my dog’s memory.  It’s sad, but sometimes we never even hear from the doctor after a human family member dies.

Now, I don’t mean to criticize the many people in our healthcare system that do a great job.  Instead, I’m just pointing out how focused vets are on the comfort of their patients and families.

Maybe I’ll suggest that my doctor replace the sign that reads, “Patients are responsible for payment at the time of their visit” with one that says, “If you can’t pay your bill, we’ll extend the prognosis of your illness until you can.”

Ron

American Idol Reflects Styles of Humor

22 May, 2009  No Comment

OK, so I admit that I’m an American Idol junkie.  It’s one of two television programs that my entire family watches together.  The other is The Office.  I am a big Danny Gokey fan but I think that Adam Lambert was the most talented of the group.  Yet, Kris Allen was steady, consistent, and won over America.

So, what does this have to do with humor?  Not sure, but I’ll give it a try…

Adam Lambert was the Gary Larson (Far Side Cartoons) of American Idol. He had amazing talent but his style was offbeat and quite different from the other performers.  He took a risk with a Johnny Cash song that made Nashville blow a fuse.  And yet, other songs he sang were so far above the competition, it was not a fair comparison.  Similarly, Far Side Cartoons hit or miss with people.  Some are lifelong fans.  Others just don’t get it.

Kris Allen, on the other hand, was the Jay Leno of American Idol.  He had talent and his performances were solid, consistent, and appealed to the masses.  His risks were less risky and his style pleased most of the people most of the time.

Humor is the same way.  Some people have a flair for the unusual.  Think of Jim Carrey, David Letterman, or Richard Pryor.  Others are more mainstream.  Think of Brian Regan, Jerry Seinfeld, or Bob Hope.

When you consider a daily dose of humor for yourself, consider the type of humor that floats your boat.  Make sure you get as much of that as possible because it will rejuvenate you and add lightness to your day.

When you consider what type of humor to share in your work environment, realize that the mainstream humor will more often work because it appeals to the most people.   That’s not to say that unusual humor won’t work, it just means that it may not click with everyone.

Regardless of whether you’re like Adam Lambert or Kris Allen, I think we can all agree that humor is always a winner.

Ron

Starbucks Is Just Being Ironic

15 May, 2009  No Comment

Irony:  “Incongruity between the actual result of a sequence of events and the normal or expected result” (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary)

Scenario:  Starbucks coffee shops specialize in coffee.  Starbucks coffee shops no longer sell decaffeinated coffee after 12:00 noon.  Starbucks coffee shops do sell hard boiled eggs.

Irony:  A company that specializes in coffee does not sell decaf coffee but does sell hard boiled eggs.

Can you get your head around that?

Ron

It’s All About Focus

6 May, 2009  No Comment

I attended a spiritual retreat last weekend and we were asked to put our cell phones and watches in our suitcases for the duration of the retreat.  I not only didn’t know what time it was, I wasn’t completely sure what day it was!  The purpose of this ritual, however, was to help us shut out the noise from the world and focus on our purpose for being there.

When I returned to work on Monday, I realized how hard it was to “turn off” the noise.  Every day, I’m bombarded by noise through negative news stories, never-ending traffic, approaching deadlines, demanding bosses (in my case, me), family responsibilities, health issues, jokes that bomb, etc.  The list could go on and on.  And this noise is not only external.  I also hear the noise in my mind that say things like “that’s not good enough,” or “who are you to teach that?” or “that shirt really doesn’t go well with those Capri’s.”  How in the world are we supposed to function in the midst of all that noise without losing our minds, our jobs, or at the very least, our car keys?

It’s all about focus.

My business partner at Funnier Speeches, LLC, David Glickman, needs absolute quiet when he writes comedy because it helps him focus.  I sometimes put music on when I write because it helps distract my mind from noise in my head.  Many famous writers have a getaway place where they can turn off the noise of the world and tap into their creativity.

You may not have the luxury of getting away from work so that you can focus.  But what you do have is the ability to distract yourself from the distractions.  Sometimes we need to break the stream of noise so we can redirect our thoughts and actions.  There are many things ways to do this such as prayer, meditation, relaxation, Yoga, etc.

But humor can help too.

The next time you find yourself overwhelmed by the noise in your life, look for something funny to take your mind off your overwhelmed-ness.  Look online, in the newspapers, or just around your immediate environment.  I’m betting that if you can laugh at something funny, your brain will let go of the noise more easily.

As a result of my spiritual retreat, I am more aware of the noise in my life than I ever was.  In addition to letting go of some of that noise, I’m working hard to keep my focus on what really matters.

Ron