By Lois McElravy

GOOD NEWS! University of Chicago studies show a great sense of humor can add an additional 8 years to your life! Humor produces laughter. Laughter produces several positive effects on your physical, mental and emotional well-being. So, not only do you stand to increase the potential length of your life, but you certainly increase the quality and enjoyment of your life, if you have a great sense of humor.

But, how do you know if you have a great sense of humor, or not? Take a few minutes right now to evaluate some of your present humor habits.

1. Can you quickly recall a hilarious memory, or a most embarrassing moment?

2. Do you regularly like to hear or tell funny jokes and stories?

3. Do you catch yourself laughing and smiling several times a day?

4. Do you laugh at yourself easily?

5. When you try to be humorous, do others find you entertaining?

ANSWERING YES to questions 1 - 5 suggests you have a great sense of humor. Continue…

6. Do you reserve fun until after your work is done?

7 Are you over-sensitive when others tease you?

8. Do you reserve your sense of humor for certain people, places, or times?

9. Have you been told that you are too serious and need to lighten up?

10. Do you sometimes use sarcasm or put-downs in place of being direct?

ANSWERING YES to questions 6-10 could be signs of a great need to develop your sense of humor.

Which is it? Do you have a great sense of humor, or a great need to develop your sense of humor? Or both?

Do you wish you had a greater sense of humor, but don’t know where to start with the daunting task of developing it? It’s easy! You have just taken the first step by assessing a few of your humor habits and becoming aware of any areas you might like to improve.

The second step is simple, too. Just start looking and listening for the “funny” in your everyday ordinary life. Each time you bump up against a challenge, ask, “How could I use humor to lighten-up or diffuse this intense situation? Would this be funny if it was happening to someone else? Will I think this is funny later? Or use your imagination, “Wouldn’t it have been funny if…?”

The third step is to find a “humor buddy” and regularly share your precious moments of humor with each other. Having a humor buddy helps both of you create a new humor habit.

A great sense of humor begins with a choice of attitude. Commit to look for at least one “funny” each day, and you will find it. Share it with your humor buddy. Before you know it, you will be surrounded by a greater sense of humor and equipped with the resilience you need to cope in those “not so funny” moments.

“Your sense of humor may or may not add years to your life; but it certainly will add life to your years.” Paul E. McGhee, Ph.D. / Laughter Remedy

Lois McElravy, Lessons from Lois, works with individuals and organizations who want to learn how to effectively use humor, so they can handle the demands and pressures of work and home, maintain a flexible perspective, develop creative solutions, produce positive outcomes, and have more fun.

Learning to laugh and “hangin’ on with humor” rescued Lois from the distress and despair surrounding her daily life, and initiated her recovery from a brain injury. Her universal message offers hope, motivates participants to be faithful to do the small things, and conquer their challenges one day at a time.

©2006 Lois McElravy, Lessons from Lois - Permission to reprint or repost this article is granted by notifying Lois McElravy, and including her name and contact information in the article.

Contact Lois to speak at your next event:  [mailto:info@lessonsfromlois.com]info@lessonsfromlois.com http://www.lessonsfromlois.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Lois_McElravy http://EzineArticles.com/?What-If-You-Could-Add-An-Additional-8-Years-To-Your-Life?-Assessing-Your-Sense-of-Humor&id=1125221

by Deborah Rebolloso

Age-related hype abounds, raking in $billion$ for the cosmetic surgery industry.  The scare tactics themselves are enough to accelerate aging.  “The Wrinkled Weebis and Other Dead Giveaways,” is a farcical romp into this wacky world, along with some clever, and less costly, alternatives.

“She walks in beauty, like the night,” gushed Lord Byron. Enter the loveliest of women:  svelte and youthful, adroit evader of, to the envy of all her friends, underarm dingle-dangle. Ahhh.

Now exit said glamour puss. Uh-oh. Get a loada that cubitus.

A largely forgotten body part betrays the passing of one’s young buckette stage:  the cubitus, known in polite circles as the elbow, and its surrounding skin, the weebis. For most women, however, elbow ennui ranks right up there with fear of pleated palms.

According to an Internet write-up on brachioplasty (upper arm tightening, taking elbow skin along for the ride), “the resulting scar is not always satisfactory.” I’d love to see one of those “satisfactory scars.”

So, before enriching yet another cosmetic surgeon by scheduling a weebisectomy, consider some whimsical, and less costly, options.

Elbow Gloves

Gloves cover a multitude of sins, from armpit to nail tip. Gloves are in, and elbow gloves shout retro glamour. Prom night. When the deep purple falls. Twilight time. You get the picture.

As of the date of this writing, an eBay search landed a whopping 317 pairs, many of them Buy It Now bargains. Pair them with a sleeveless dress if you’re underarm dingle-dangle-free. If not, a below-the-elbow dress and above-the-elbow glove combination has you covered.

Wristbands

Wristbands

Terrycloth wristbands are soft, stretchable and widely available. Instead of encircling the wrist, move them up to the crook of the arm, thus covering unsightly elbows while making a quirky fashion statement. Here are some colorful choices to accessorize your favorite outfits, at only $3.00 per pair:

Stool Pigeon Hands

Let’s say we keep problem elbows covered. Or alternatively, we never let anyone get behind us (a strategy learned early on by big city dwellers). We’re still not out of the age detection woods.

Think you can outwit an eagle-eyed cosmetician in the Guess My Age Game? Guess again. While you’re mentally botoxing your face into ten years younger submission, she’s shooting stink eyes at your hands.

Upper arms and elbows may be taut and toned and forearms a vision, but the hands dangling therefrom are dead giveaways if they resemble an East Coast road map.

Once again, it’s gloves to the rescue. Fingerless gloves highlight exquisite nails, while simultaneously camouflaging the path thereto. Armpit gloves, although difficult to explain unless you’re a debutante or a bride, are nevertheless a clever disguise. Wear them with head held high and inspire awe with your impeccable taste.

Hand hype aside, the neck may in actuality be the first observable area to crumple. Short of maintaining a perpetual under-bite jaw jut for neck-stretching purposes, what hope is there for an elephant knee look-alike neck?

Scarves

Scarves

Unlike French women, who would rather give up food and wine than scarves, American women often underestimate their value.

Here’s an ascot tie, guaranteed to camouflage the most blatant poultry neck with grace and style:

Turtlenecks

On days when you just can’t spare the time to tie, circumvent the problem with an all-encompassing turtleneck. A turtleneck will obscure everything from chin to waist. A long-sleeved turtleneck will conceal multiple problem areas:  turkey neck, flab arms and a wrinkled weebis. Don gloves and you’ll dazzle ’em.

Hats with Veils

Bee Keeper's Hat

If you happen to be a beekeeper, a good bee hat and veil will shield your tender neck from sun, wind, and pesky bee bites. Even if beekeeping doesn’t interest you, beekeeping accessories are available for sale to the general public.

Here’s a lovely model worn by a male, but you get the idea. No way will any jealous female get her prying, guess-your-age eyes past this baby.

If these solutions to your dead giveaways are just too daunting, perhaps you’d be wise to heed Oscar’s advice in The Odd Couple. When Felix was exhibiting self-absorbed, obnoxious, and debilitating behavior, Oscar snapped, “Leave yourself alone!”

Deborah Rebolloso is a native Chicagoan, currently residing in Southern California with LUV, Snuggle Lee Butts, and Kali Ko (husband, cat, and cat, respectively).  A.k.a. Deb Reb, ever resourceful, she shrewdly decided to cash in on her “sassitude” and write humor and satire.  She can be reached at debreb@cox.net

Or you can visit her site at http://www.DebRebollosoHumorMe.com

How do you follow up on one of the world’s most popular viral videos? Allow people to get into the action and play along.

A new website (www.eod2.com) featuring a viral application based on the video sensation “Evolution of Dance”—the most watched user-generated Internet video all time, including over 100 million views on YouTube—launches today to help put a smile on people’s faces and give them a break from economic stresses, international worries and financial and political scandals.

In Evolution of YOU!, get an exclusive first look at some of the dances and music in the upcoming EOD2 video. Just add an image of yourself and/or a friend, celebrity or even a pet, and watch them groove to tunes while dancing through different stages of their life with inspirational comedian and renowned Evolution of Dance star Judson Laipply. Embed, email, download and send to everyone you know!

It’s simple, fun, and designed to help people take a break from economic and holiday stresses and share a laugh with friends. “Evolution of Dance 2”—the sequel to the 2006 video that took the Internet by storm and helped put YouTube on the map, will launch in January with a sneak peek on television and in partnership with a major Internet video site.

But beyond the joy of dancing with Judson is a more serious offering: The site’s sponsors, Saveology.com and PeopleJam.com are designed to help consumers handle today’s tough times both economically and emotionally. Comparison shopping website Saveology.com helps consumers save time and money by finding them the best values and enabling one-stop purchase and scheduling of essential services from cable and internet to wireless and insurance. And PeopleJam helps people make life on a budget a better life by offering advice, feedback, support and other related and relevant products.

Have fun, relax, and get into the holiday spirit. And do it while learning how to save money and better deal with today’s stressors.

Here’s my version of the dance :)  I had SOOO much fun creating this video…my kids and I were laughing our butts off hehe…

Now I am off to add some of my family and friends to this video…have fun!  Post them on your blog and come back here and post a link in the comments section I would LOVE to see your VIDEOS!!

My Boys had fun making this version: