Tuesday, December 9, 2008

43 - Looking stupid when and after laughing

I like the subtle smile. The loud, enthusiastic laughter with no restraints turns me off because of the way people's faces get distorted in the process. The eyes squint, the ears tweak a little, the cheeks are raised, the mouth is wide open with the lips drawn backward so that the teeth are accentuated outward. Also, your larynx (voice box) bounces inside your throat and your body thrusts back and forth, or up and down, with every ha, he or ho. Then, when the laughter has worn off, the crimson face and shortness of breath ensue. People attempt to recollect themselves and regain control.

From what I know, it just depends on what you look like. Some people are photogenic and can laugh openly and freely without looking like an asylum escapee but, as I said to my friend today, some people don't deserve to laugh. They look too weird. What ever happened to the subtle grin?

7 comments:

Robot Nine said...

Michael, you would be amused and disgusted by me, lol. I laugh loud and freely, do not care what others think, and also have a Dudley Do Right sniffing, wheezing laugh that drives my daughter and others to either laughter or tears. Also, I have that rubbery face, especially when laughing. My daughter told me I should publish a book called Dad's 100 Ugliest Faces, pix of me and my stretched out skin- it would be a best seller! Check out my new blog Laid Back Think Tank, Robot Nine is pix, Think Tank is words, thoughts, rants, stuff. Alan

Rosalie Bass said...

Michael, I don't usually comment on your blogs, but I disagree with you so much this time that I can't help but to voice my opinion. Laughing improves your immune system and realeases antibodies that fight infectious organisms in the respiratory tract. By saying that some people don't deserve to laugh, are you seriously saying that just because some people LOOK unattractive when they laugh, they deserve to have a higher risk of getting sick?

That's pretty low.

yolanda said...

my laugh is infamous among my circle of friends. one fondly described it as 'a machine gun' (it is loud and abrupt). on two occasions i really, really frightened old ladies. i dont know if i look disgusting when i laugh, but i certainly run the risk of being sued some time in the future ;-)

yolanda

J.J. in L.A. said...

"The loud, enthusiastic laughter with no restraints turns me off"

Then you'd hate me laughing because mine is loud and obnoxious, and tears run down my face. Then I relive the moment and it starts all over again...and I don't care.

Michael said...

Alan: It would be more amused than disgusted. If I'm being honest, I sometimes cannot control my laughter either. I try so hard to keep a subtle smile on my face, I try to contain it because I know I'll look fugly if I don't, but my God, it's difficult sometimes. I'll stop by both Robot Nine and Think Tank later on.

Rosalie: It worries me that you think this way. Attractiveness is subjective and I confess, I look pretty darn disgusting when I laugh too. As demonstrated by the comments here so far, everyone either has loud, obnoxious laughs or they look real stupid. There aren't a great number of my posts that are meant to be taken too seriously. I don't think laughter is a bad thing. Lately, I've noticed that people can look quite horrible when they do, myself included. As to the contrary as it may seem, this blog is meant to be a fun one.

About the point you made, I doubt people actually laugh for the health benefits. Feel free to prove me wrong if there are individuals that you know of that do.

Yolanda: Hahahaha. Machine gun... Like my accent and my pitch, my laughs often change every time (really, my accents change on an hourly basis). I sometimes giggle like a girl, sometimes laugh with a deep Italian strength, and sometimes combine a chuckle with a wheeze.

J.J.: You shouldn't care. Those moments are hard to come by and laughing 'til your sides hurt is worth it.

Phil said...

I also have a friend (the same with the handkerchief problem), who sometimes (well, no. All of the time.) laughs like a banshee. I can't even see funny movies with him in the theater because he and his bro laugh soooo loud. Honestly, no matter where you are in the theater of the funniest movie ever, you can tell they're there over anyone in the room.

Michael said...

Comic Superzero: It's extremely embarrassing being around these people. They look like a crazy person and they sound like hyenas.