We're advised not to take things personally. I want to take this a step further. Let's put aside the idea of making an overt attempt to be funny. That's not what this is about. I'm writing about something more useful than making others laugh: to instantiate a layer of comedic middleware between real life events and circumstances, and our perceptions and responses to them.

Comedic middleware is an attitude adjustment toward daily life occurrences. It's a tool for well-being and resilience in a world where swords and physical combat have been replaced by words. People are both beautiful and unpredictable. It's not a rare occassion to witness fully grown men, descendants of American frontiersmen who conquered the unexplored wilderness of the New World, become insufferable when they're hungry or tired. I can't make sure that people get enough rest at night. What I can control is my attitude.

I think that a key characteristic of those who move forward unphased is their ability to make a comedy bit out of life's commonplace circumstances. The disciplined part of this is evident in what we choose to do with the comedy material. Here's my usual process: take no outward action. I don't want to try to be funny. If I find an event or someone's behavior hilarious, I get to keep it to myself. This is a hallmark of American life: free speech and the right to keep things to ourselves. Consider, nobody will interrogate me: "DID YOU FIND THAT FUNNY?" Perhaps I did find it funny. Life is almost always entertaining for me because I know what to look for. And being funny isn't necessary, but the attitude of a comedian is certainly useful to have. We can take things personally, or we can say: "what a funny little thing that was ..."