Many of you know that my husband and I are taking a class titled, "Get Funny," from our community college (speaking of, does anyone else watch the TV show, "Community," with Joel McHale and Chevy Chase? Yes, it's funny.).On the first day, we were the only two students in the online class. There is a discussion online area where students were to introduce themselves. Mine was pretty straightforward as I figured I'd tell my instructor basics about myself. Though I did add that the cute guy in class was my husband who thinks he is funny.
Without reading my intro, my husband wrote that he joined the class, because his wife told him he wasn't funny or popular enough, and he wanted to improve his use of bathroom humor at the dinner table. The instructor replied that she'd help him increase his Poopularity.
Over the weekend three more students joined and introduced themselves, one told my husband and I to get a room.
I knew this class would be a hoot...
Our lessons include readings, quizzes, discussions in the online discussion area, and assignments. Before we started the class, my husband and I took a pretest. He scored 58%, I scored 83%.
Apparently, we need this class even more than we thought.
Without reading my intro, my husband wrote that he joined the class, because his wife told him he wasn't funny or popular enough, and he wanted to improve his use of bathroom humor at the dinner table. The instructor replied that she'd help him increase his Poopularity.
Over the weekend three more students joined and introduced themselves, one told my husband and I to get a room.
I knew this class would be a hoot...
Our lessons include readings, quizzes, discussions in the online discussion area, and assignments. Before we started the class, my husband and I took a pretest. He scored 58%, I scored 83%.
Apparently, we need this class even more than we thought.
Lesson One chronicled the history of comedy. The instructor hypothesized about caveman humor, discussed silent movie comedies and the comedic writings of Aristophanes, Shakespeare, Mark Twain, and Oscar Wilde.
Lesson Two covered "It's funny, because it's true!" comedy. Seinfeld and Steven Wright are examples of this type of hilarity.
One of our assignments in our second lesson is to have an observation notebook to make accurate, detailed observations in everyday situations: use macro/micro observations - magnify the object or situation, or study the minute parts of it.
These observation notes can easily be used for inspiration to write scenes and stories. They are little gems of ordinary happenings that are familiar to readers. When you are cognisant of your observations, you start to see so much more, and that unlocks your imagination. I intend to save and continuously add to this observation notebook for future manuscripts.
Here is the last sentence in our reading for the second lesson:
"If you listen to what people say, and you really hear. or you watch what people do and really see. or you use your senses, process what they tell you and make careful notes, then you're halfway to becoming that really cool kind of person every group adores: the 'funny one.' "
Here's some Steven Wright if you have time for a giggle.
