Welcome back, you Mad Hatters! Last week, we steeped ourselves in the creative potential of teabags, discovering their muse-like ability to inspire new art, photography, and even mindfulness practices. Did you manipulate a teabag masterpiece ready for the Met? Did you get a chance to spill the tea and then turn that tea stain into a Rorschach test? Even if, like me, you switched right back to coffee, I hope the moments you took for yourself echo throughout the day.
This week, I challenged my writing collaborator, Gemini Advanced, to come up with a non-physical object for our creative focus. No surprise, it really thought outside the box (stardust, unicorn horns, mermaid scale…I believe my writing partner is ten years old and knows me well), but her suggestion of laughter really grabbed my attention. And no surprise, laughter is a big part of my life, especially in times of challenge or uncertainty.
I use laughter to point me towards what is true and useful; it releases stress; it can knit together a roomful of strangers; it's contagious - spreading like a refreshing breeze through a crowd, leaving a trail of smiles and good cheer in its wake.Laughter is a language app that transcends cultures and borders, uniting us in a shared experience. It comes pre-installed in every model; no special downloads are required to participate in this week's creative nudge.
It's a natural mood enhancer, a potent antidote to negativity, and a powerful tool for connecting seemingly disparate ideas or people. I'm sure it's up to the task of lifting our creative energies! When you've found the laughs you're looking for - ones made or ones found - the following activities can help you engage in several extended minutes of creative hooting and hollering.
Laffy Taffy: Play around with your laughs. Try your condescending laugh at full volume, whisper a guffaw. Try togenerate the fakest least sincere laugh you can or practice your Santa Claus (only about 300 days left to get ready).Ask a funny friend to rate your laughs.
Laugh Lines: Try your hand at writing jokes, stand-up routines, or humorous stories. Observe the world around you, find the absurdity in everyday situations, and use your wit to create laughter. Share your comedic creations with friends, family, or even a local open mic night. Here is a low bar example I made (without Gpt assistance): knock knock/who's there/laughter/laughter who/we're going out laughter work, wanna come?
See Funny: Capture the contagious nature of laughter through photography. Photograph people laughing in candid moments, document a laughter yoga session, or even create a photo series that explores the different expressions and nuances of laughter.
Laugh Track: Record different types of laughter – giggles, guffaws, chuckles, snorts – and create a sound collage that captures the diverse soundscape of laughter. Experiment with layering, looping, and manipulating the sounds to create an auditory experience that evokes joy, amusement, and connection.
As we engage with these creative exercises, let's applaud the power of laughter to connect, heal, and inspire. Laughter is a catalyst for creative expression, reminding us that joy, humor, and playfulness are essential ingredients for a fulfilling, creative life. The next time you feel the urge to laugh, don't hold back. Let your laughter ring out loud and clear, and embrace its transformative properties. Make a joyful sound!
This column was written with the help of Google's Gemini Advanced, a powerful generative AI writing tool.
