My Funny Life

Is life playing jokes on me again? If it is, I am left with no choice but to laugh at its jokes no matter how unoriginal -- like I've been through this several times and laughing is but the natural and ONLY reaction. Resistance is pretty much unwelcome. My life would enjoy playing jokes on me all the more. Let me share with you some playful scenes of my rolling life today. Laugh if you may. I do not know if you could call me unlucky. But then again, here they are.

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Life's Joke #1:

As soon as I alighted the jeepney, I headed to the ATM to dig up some cash for the day. I knew that my ATM card has gone nuts the other day but there's no harm trying today, I thought. I slipped in the card and Voila! the machine did not throw it out. Yipee! I took my time keying my desired amount ($$$) and patiently held my palm out to grab the cash. One.Two. Three. Or were there more ticking seconds before I landed my eye on the machine's monitor that read: "This machine cannot dispense cash." Hahaha from my nose. I felt my back stiffen and my shoulder slump. My heart shrieked *&^%$#@!

Life's Joke #2:

Because I am a positive woman, I went straight to the other ATM just fifty steps away (Did I count? You bet!). Wishful is an understatement. I have both hope and fear in my heart. "Please, please, please make my transaction successful" echoed with my feeble steps. I queued. When it was my turn, I blew into my card in case I get lucky. I fed my card, the machine threw up instantly. I tried again. Same lifeless response. The monitor was shouting at me: "I'm sorry. The machine can't read your card." Thanks machine. I really feel so sorry for myself.

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Despite feeling sorry for myself though, my hopes are still high that I would soon milk out money from a few sources. Brother, brother, where art thou? So to offset the irkness that's pretty much showing in my face no matter how I tell myself I am still okay, I talked to people online who exchanged instant messages with me graciously. One remarked that I may just be experiencing a 'quarter life crisis.' And boy, am I not alone! Another one thought he might be going through that stage too. I'm human! Woohoo! There's no sense to alienate myself. Wooohoo!

So here's my response to my life's jokes -- throw a joke. Laugh, if you may.

My Joke #1:

I was in the middle of a chat with AA and work (I am so multi-tasking) when Mark (my officemate) popped a question at me:

Mark: Tin, what comes to your mind when you say 'consensus'?

Tin: Uhmm, the majority agrees about a thing. No, there's an agreement, collectively.

Mark: What about 'conflict'?

Tin: Dispute. Disagreement.

Mark: What happens when you combine both?

Tin: Uhmmm, (I took my time) you have a Senate???

Lala was roaring with laughter in the background and Mark could not keep his shoulders from shaking. I was busy chatting.

My Joke #2:

Lala was sharing her motherhood pleasures about Lady (or Ice) being capable of turning herself over at 3 months! I mean, rolling over. And that she can untangle her mittens! Brilliant. I asked which mitten does Lady (or Ice) remove first. Lala said the one in her right hand. And I exclaimed, 'Oh! She's left-hundred!' Lala corrected me in between her laughs, 'Left-handed!'

Argh! I'm thinking of cash again.