Can You Dig It

Erma Bombeck made it look so easy. So do Davehip bones anyway? I'm over forty - finally! (It
Barry, Patrick McManus and a host of other greattakes a while for a woman to get over turning
humorists. But despite the ease with which theyforty). However, when I looked in the mirror this
make us laugh, writing humor is tough. Humor ismorning, my reflection gave a whole new
also subjective. What might cause one person tomeaning to the term gross anatomy. A shock
fall off their chair laughing might make anothersuch as this is bound to wipe away one's last
person groan and stop reading, or worse yet, itvestige of humor. This would have been a good
might even make them angry. (That's the funnytime for a reality check, but mine got lost in the
thing about humor, not everyone has a sense ofmail."Life stinks," I said aloud to no one in particular.
it.)Most humor writers are relatively happy people."What's funny about that?" I decided to throw
They are well adjusted and they have learned tomyself a sorrow soiree and go for a walk in the
take the bad things in life and find a little humor inrain. I grabbed my umbrella and stomped out the
them. That is no small task and it keeps gettingdoor.As I walked in the rain, splashing through
more difficult as time goes by. We wring ourmud puddles and thoroughly soaking my tennis
hands over global warming, a hole in the ozone,shoes, a car approached from the opposite
and cellulite. Gasoline prices keep soaring, Thedirection. Just then a squirrel scurried from a tree
Bush Administration's popularity keeps loweringand into the street. The driver swerved toward
and job security is about as easy to find as ame to avoid hitting the squirrel. I dived for the
needle in a haystack. Some days, life just seemscurb just in time to avoid the tires, but not the
to hit the fan and there is no humor left... Itspray of water. The squirrel stopped only long
disappeared with our government healthenough to give me a scornful look, then he was
benefits.Today was that way. I awakened with agone. This was the proverbial straw. I sat down
terrible case of PMS (Plotting My Story), my dogon the sodden sidewalk, put my chin in my hands
gave me flea-bite-us, the rain kept pouringand burst into laughter. Yes...laughter. that seemed
down...inside the house... through a hole in the roof.the only logical thing to do.I sat there for awhile
One of the arms fell off the sofa, the kids brokepondering the ways of life and finally things began
another window, and some moron kept calling myto take focus. No matter how bad a situation
cell phone trying to order a pizza. After severalseems at the time, it could always be a lot worse.
attempts to convince him that "No this is NOTPerhaps it is this philosophy that helps the great
Pizza Hut," I gave up and took his order.Through ithumor writers of today, continue to make us
all, I kept up a brave attempt at writing a humorlaugh. Perhaps they posses a more profound
piece on time management. I rattled my brains,understanding of human nature. Even though we
trying to shake loose a few witticisms, whilemay think laughter has deserted us, we can
visions of pizza and chocolate cream filled donutsalways find another chuckle or two buried
danced in my head.I have tried to ignore the slightsomewhere beneath the anxiety and stress of
overhang around my chair and the way my jeansdaily life.Often we just need to dig a little deeper
are pinching my waistline. Still I keep hearing thatto find the humor in life. So what, if we may need
ugly four-letter word "diet"! It buzzes in my earto use a backhoe sometimes? We'll find it if we
like the announcement of a blue-light special atjust keep digging.Leeuna Foster has been writing
K-Mart.I swore off dieting six months ago. Afterfor two decades. Her fiction and poetry have won
two months of eating nothing but weeds andseveral awards. She is also a regular contributer
roots, I gave up one night, fell to my knees uponto StoryTime Tapestry and a syndicated
the kitchen floor, threw down the radish I wascolumnists. Her latest book, Hangin' With the
gnawing on and raised my fist in the air. In myRednecks is now available in print or in ebook
best Southern accent I proclaimed "As God is myform. Visit her website for details on how to
witness, I'll never be hungry again!"Why do I needpurchase your copy...don't wait for the movie!