Saturday, August 17, 2013

It's not a good day unless I've been reduced to inconsolable tears by an imaginary person...

I read somewhere once that a child will laugh up to 400 times in a day, while an adult will be lucky to reach a dozen chuckles. Isn't that dreadful! We're going to have to do something about that.

Maybe some pictures of dead puppies. That should take care of those pesky laughing kids.

Calm down, I'm just kidding!  But if there's one bloke who doesn't lack for laughter in his life it's this guy [link].  I've heard of strokes causing neurological problems before, but to be left without the ability to feel sad?  To be endlessly cheerful and happy every single day?

Sounds almost too good to be true, doesn't it.

I'd have to imagine that it's not all it's cracked up to be though.  If you're happy all the time, does that mean you lose the ability to empathise with people's pain?  What happens if you lose someone you care for deeply, are you able to truly feel it?  Is an eternally good mood worth it if you lose a certain level of emotional depth?

You have to admit though, it's horrible that we seem to lose the ability to laugh after we reach adulthood.  When I sat down and really thought about it the other day, I realised that I can go whole days without laughing.   That's a pretty awful thing considering barely a day goes by without me bawling my eyes out.

Don't get worried, it's not from anything serious.  I just have a thing for sad, angsty stories.  I can't get enough of them!  Tales of unrequited love, emotional trauma and widespread tragedy are my thing.  Of course they have to have a happy ending, you can't really enjoy a good angstfest unless you know everything's going to turn out okay by the final chapter, but unless I burst into tears at least twice during the course of the story I consider it a wasted opportunity.

So, anyone got any good angsty story recommendations for me?  Bonus points if you can make me sob like a baby!  

38 comments:

  1. laughing at funerals. i bet that is a big problem for him. "no no, i'm so sorry for your loss... i just... ha. i'm celebrating his life? lol."

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  2. I'm a pretty happy person but I'm not sure I could take THAT much happiness in the house all the time.

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    1. Me either, to be honest. When I'm cheerful, I'm cheerful. But when I'm not there's nothing more annoying than someone who it being all happy and chipper.

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  3. There's nothing more musical or beautiful than the joyful laugh of a child.

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    1. That's true, I can't hear a child laughing without wanting to laugh with them. That's why those youtube videos of laughing babies are so popular.

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  4. I tend to be a pretty happy person and tend to find humor in things are probably aren't funny at all but there are times that looking happy can get you tagged as an uncaring ass. I do get sad at funerals..well most funerals anyway. Good luck finding some angsty stories but I probably didn't know they were angsty and laughed at them.

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    1. LOL! I do love my angsty stories. Especially fan fiction! I love to find a particularly angsty character and then going and reading all the over the top stories that other fans have written about them.

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  5. That guy's face is enough to cause me angst.

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  6. Crying is an emotional outlet similar to laughing, I suppose.

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    1. That's true, having a good cry definitely makes you feel better afterwards.

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  7. I try to laugh at a lot of the little things in life. Sometimes all you Can do is laugh it off.

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  8. I would imagine that there aren't very many people that feel too happy after they've had a stroke though, so atleast that part is good. But I wonder if eventually the feeling happy would wear down to a nothing sort of feeling simply because you're so used to it that it doesn't mean anything anymore.

    But it can definitely go a long time between laughs for me. And it tends to kill my laughter to realise I can't remember when the last laugh session was.

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    1. I hadn't thought of that. Perhaps over time he'll just even out to absolutely no emotion. God, that sounds awful.

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  9. I guess depending on your upbringing, as a child you would laugh all day, everyday because you've got no responsibilities in life but to be happy, eat and drink (for the lucky few). But as you get older and you see those bills coming in, you need food, clothes etc, what is there to smile about? I could really do with a laughter pill on some days mate.

    I wonder if this guy is truly happy about things on the inside or if he feels like crying does he actually laugh instead because that is the emotion he has been left with (not read the link).

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    1. I know people say how awful it is that we don't laugh as much when we get older, but I personally think it's just a result of maturing. It doesn't necessarily mean you're not as happy, you just process it differently.

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  10. As someone that's been depressed a couple of years now and can't really remember the last time I laughed for real, I must say I miss it. Yeah, wish I could laugh more. Or at all - that'd be pretty swell.

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    1. I've never been depressed, but it sounds like an awful thing to have to go through.

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  11. My wife says I'm always too damn cheery. I prefer to think I'm just easlily contented....which makes me smile. Is this abnormal?

    S

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  12. An angsty story? Read " Medicine Fruit " , a Lulu Publication.

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  13. Sorry, I would rather make you laugh. If you want to sob, imagine for a moment you are me and check out my new hair cut.

    Rhonda @laugh-quotes.com

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  14. War and Peace will wear you out with crying, or just plain wear you out.

    I am a pretty even person emotionally. My gr-kids make me laugh.
    Thanks for visiting my site!

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    1. You know I've never actually read War and Peace. Perhaps I should give it a shot.

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  15. Sadly, I know a lot of sad and angsty stories, with un-happy endings. Partly my own life; mostly other peoples' lives.

    I don't cry much, or laugh much. Life is kind of a dull-normal, depressive experience, punctuated by occasions of dry wit.

    Blessings and Bear hugs!
    desert.epiphanies@sasktel.net
    Bears Noting
    Life in the Urban Forest (poetry)

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  16. The Notebook was like that for me, and so was Bridges of Madison County. Not sure either could be considered to have 'good' endings though. I only watched them once, I can't do the heartbreakers, lol.

    It is a big thing that we lose that ability to laugh so freely, isn't it? Just another great thing to appreciate about the kiddos. :)

    Happy Sunday and thanks for linking up to Super Sunday Sync!

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    1. You know I haven't seen The Notebook, but I've heard it's quite the sobfest.

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  17. That would be amazing! Sure there would be awkward moments like visiting a friend in prison or trying to comfort a coma victim, but it could only help to solidify how wonderful my sadness devoid existence is! As for angsty stories, hell, just look at any news site.

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    1. Oh they're not angsty, they're hilarious! Shadenfreude, my friend!

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  18. On one hand wouldn't it be good? You'd be positive 100% of the time and never cry and make your eyes red and puffy.

    Gotta say, I don't laugh much unless it's at a tv show, nothing in real life really makes me laugh any more due to circumstances so I cry a lot.

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    1. I couldn't live a life without crying at sappy daytime television It's just unthinkable!

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  19. Kids may laugh 400 times a day but they also cry 400 times a day. They are emotional little roller coasters.

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