jokes, pranks, and tomfoolery

A little known fact about me: I love to laugh. Love it! Lately it seems that I laugh the most with little j. She and I are pranksters of the highest order. little j is just learning the art of the practical joke, but I intend on tutoring her so that she may reach master prankster status.

When I look at little j I often think of my dear aunt, after whom little j is named. My aunt was full of life, always had a kind word or thought to share, creative, thoughtful, funny, and the consummate prankster. While I know that she pulled some great jokes on her friends and family, some of my fondest memories are of jokes she and I concocted together.

I think I have inherited the love of making people laugh. When I was working one of my favorite things to to was challenge limits. I would make crazy bets....offer an incentive for people to do things they ordinarily wouldn't even think of doing -- such as walking into the middle of a fountain fully clothed, eating a glue stick, and dressing up and talking like a pirate while conducting an interview. Incidentally, the first two were completed, the third was only partially completed.

My motto is: why be satisfied with the ordinary? We had a student worker whose father taught history and in the course of a random office conversation we had her call him and say, "So Dad, what's up with Washington, D. C.?" As a result we all got a mini history lesson on how DC came to be and its significance.

Another time, as part of an office bonding activity, I planned a scavenger hunt with clues all over town. The catch was that the participants had to work together but they each had constraints: one could only sing country songs, one couldn't talk at all, one could only speak in rhyme, one could only agree with what everyone said, and one was designated as the leader. I chose the constraints based on what I knew was most difficult for each of them. It turned out to be great fun for them, if not a bit frustrating. The best part was that I hid a tape recorder under the seat of the car so I, and they, could hear everything that went on. Meeting them at the end of the scavenger hunt is absolutely one of my best memories. Well, that and having our weekly Friday afternoon waterballoon toss on the lawn outside the administration building.

I honestly miss that more than I can say....