To be read ONLY by serious TVF members

[glegolo]

Costas!!!

I am not suprised at all over the constant lack of laughter amongst many expats here... I meanm if they hardly cannot make a nod and greet one and another when they meet, who can than expect these guys to laugh....

Sorry to say it, but never mind their age, many people are quite close to death in their mindset, and laughing seems to be rare!!

Luckly for me, here we got a lot of it,,, so quite happy here....

Glegolo

ps. thanks for another great post Costas..

[sunshine51]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjMsswUuwTA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=baMW9t-Ui0U

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ueDu_gZ_1ZA

It takes nothing to laugh....just some time....

[peterb17]

Good Post Costas

Trouble is there's not much to laugh about these days.

I like to keep up with politics and what's going on in the world, at the moment it seems every news bulletin is full of death and destruction- its not funny.

To be honest I laugh more at the antics of my crazy Chihuahua ( a sort of large rat really ) than meeting up with friends - sad !

[islandguy]

Bloody 'ell, Costas, you got that just about right! There was a medical doctor, somewhere in the States, some years ago, who was diagnosed with terminal laughter. He went out and bought all the Marx Brothers movies, Charlie Chaplin, Buster Keaton, and laughed himself silly for a couple of months. It's only anecdotal, not a scientific study, but he reckoned the laughter put him into remission!

I enjoy a good laugh to the point of tears. A lot of movies, even serious ones, have their lighter side. And I love the dry British humour. The old Monty Python group...brilliant.

Norman Cousins

http://www.laughingdiva.com/how-laughter-therapy-cured-norman-cousins-of-a-life-threatening-form-of-arthritis/

Not a medical doctor, but a great story and very influential in moving medicine forward

Mark Brothers, Monty Python, and Mel Brooks all work for me. They all have lots of physical and visual jokes, so even nonfluent speakers of English can enjoy them

[BadBouy]

And now a message from our sponsors!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyNVpvZRwIY

[noahvail]

This clip is of a doctor in India who has set up laughter clinics. He is being interviewed by John Cleese, appropriately enough. Toward the end, Cleese says that laughter is a force for democracy...so let's all laugh! http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yXEfjVnYkqM

[kovaltech]

Greek version of Monthy Pyton ?

You can't be serious....

[Costas2008]

My daughter in Germany has been diagnosed with MS, my wife here has been diagnosed with Tuberculosis, the UK has made a mess of my Passport application, everybody at my bank in Germany is either ill or on holiday and i can't seem to get anybody to send me a new EC card which means i will soon not be able to withdraw money from an ATM and you want me to laugh ???

soalbundy, I'm very sorry to hear about the situation you are in.

I wish, that life would treat you more fair and I hope things start getting better for you, your daughter and your wife.

Unfortunately, our lives is not always a laugh, we all went through undesirable situations and all had and still having our grievances.

But still do try sometimes to laugh, it will help you to get through your problems in an easier way.

Wish you all the Best.

[Benmart]

To be honest I don't think I have met anyone in LOS that laughs, but still racking my ol' gray cells to find one. Seems being miserable is the norm with farang folk.

Ahhh, my ex Thai boxing champ chum, laughs..... ........

Most of my friends and myself laugh all the time and tell jokes, funny stories, etc. Then again, we aren't drinkers and don't hang out in bars from sun-up to sun-up.

[Benmart]

My daughter in Germany has been diagnosed with MS, my wife here has been diagnosed with Tuberculosis, the UK has made a mess of my Passport application, everybody at my bank in Germany is either ill or on holiday and i can't seem to get anybody to send me a new EC card which means i will soon not be able to withdraw money from an ATM and you want me to laugh ???

No one compels anyone to laugh. It comes from within when the person wishes it. Your situations are indeed unfortunate and only you can deal with them on life's terms.

One Day at a Time and good luck.

[RottingCorpse]

Tea and toast in the garden over a PG Wodehouse, washed down with a few pints of ice cold cider and a good cigar.....

[Ulic]

I personally recommend, The Daily Show with John Stewart, The Colbert Report, with Steven Colbert, Monday to Thursday. Both on

The Comedy Network. Also Real Time with Bill Maher, Friday HBO, and Last Week Tonight, with John Oliver Sunday, on HBO.

Lots of laughs and you can get some insight into the US politics so somewhat educational.

[mrtoad]

Thai Visa provides plenty of laughs most days

[robertson468]

I laugh every single day no matter what kind of mood I am in, it is therapeutic to laugh, not sure why I don't see more people laugh, usually just grumpy old dudes in bad moods at the Bar Beers.

Hope y'all find some humor somewhere.

Did you mean Beer Bars? Love to read peeps little gramatical slip-ups and some can be quite funny, particularly on some of the Thai menus and signs. A laugh a day keeps the doctor away, me thinks.

[Costas2008]

Thai Visa provides plenty of laughs most days

But you are not allowed to mention, TGAU, milking, gerbils, honey badgers, ants, sheep, cows or anything with tits any more.

The higher authority, said so..................obey or be doomed.

[ResandePohm]

too bad you didnt spend so much effort on an actual funny post

I get my daily laughs by coming on TV and looking out for all your wonderfully negative and pathetic comments. I dont know how you manage to do it everyday. You just crack me up.

[mrtoad]

Thai Visa provides plenty of laughs most days

But you are not allowed to mention, TGAU, milking, gerbils, honey badgers, ants, sheep, cows or anything with tits any more.

The higher authority, said so..................obey or be doomed.

Which authority Costas? You are the authority on all of the aforementioned...

[dotpoom]

There definitely is a glum lot to be found over here, I love a person with a good sense of humor myself. I like the "Woddy Allen" type, but listen Costas....laughter can be dangerous too....you know the old saying...."He burst his sides laughing".

[sanuk711]

"After 7 years here...I'm leaving in 2 weeks. I'm laughing"-----Fullstop

So are we........................oh so are we...........

Edited October 18, 2014 by sanuk711

[soalbundy]

After 7 years here...I'm leaving in 2 weeks. I'm laughing.

Depends on were you are going, after 7 years reality back home can change a lot, you might just end up crying

[Costas2008]

After 7 years here...I'm leaving in 2 weeks. I'm laughing.

Depends on were you are going, after 7 years reality back home can change a lot, you might just end up crying

But there is nothing wrong with crying either.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/769436-a-little-tear-in-my-eyes/?p=8551102

[soalbundy]

After 7 years here...I'm leaving in 2 weeks. I'm laughing.

Depends on were you are going, after 7 years reality back home can change a lot, you might just end up crying

But there is nothing wrong with crying either.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/769436-a-little-tear-in-my-eyes/?p=8551102

I don't cry, i find a quiet place,look up at the sky and shout. ''Why always me''!! The whispered answer back is usually, ''Sorry, you just happened to be there''.

[matman]

I read your whole post and could not agree with you more! It is important to laugh and to do so to yourself seems to be the only way to feel better about your day most of the time no matter where you are living on this Planet Earth.

But this brings me to another question that has been on my mind recently; why is it that we Farangs never seem to acknowledge each other when we pass each other in the street? For though I try to say "Hi" or just give a nod, never have I seen anyone else do it. It is as if we actually think that we are in New York City or London or Paris and it is better to keep to yourself. I ride a motorcycle and back home we always give a wave when passing another rider. But here... nope. I know that it is not a Thai thing to do so I do not expect it, but with a Farang I sort of do. The other thing is that no one even smiles and always looks as if they are off to their own funeral. All the traveling is supposed to be fun... no? Our lives cannot be that horrible seeing as we are here in LOS by our own choice, so why does everyone look so upset or maybe just bored?

It does not take much to say, "Hi". It does not take much to be personable to one's fellow travelers. It also does not take much effort either. But maybe it is my cologne.

Yes back home bikers almost always wave when passing or give a nod of the head, thats because at home as bikers we share a feeling of Camaraderie, out here most of those riding bikes are Thai, and as such don't share this feeling of camaraderie its more a feeling of Kamikaze.

I think saying 'Hi' to someone you don't know in the street always invokes a thought of 'What's he (she) after'. But if you meet someone partaking in a similar pursuit say out walking in the countryside or mountains its just normal to say 'hi' or chat to a stranger that under other circumstances you wouldn't

[Strangebrew]

My feelings exactly It takes more effort to frown than to laugh. When I had back surgery I woke up in the middle of the surgery Looked into the mirrored part of the light saw what the Doctor was doing and said if you find that piece of shrapnel next to my spine keep it for me it is mine. Doctor said what you awake? No I always talk in my sleep he busted out laughing. I then said since Your going to give me stitches I may well return the favor. Day and a half later when I came to that piece of shrapnel was attached to a chain on night stand next to me. With a note saying no extra charge.

Edited October 18, 2014 by Strangebrew

[ableguy]

Your post makes me feel suicidal, please go laugh alone, I love to weep and and spread ashes and rend sack cloth, we do not need your kind of sad depressing post on this serious forum for depressives.

[poweratradio]

To be honest I don't think I have met anyone in LOS that laughs, but still racking my ol' gray cells to find one. Seems being miserable is the norm with farang folk.

Ahhh, my ex Thai boxing champ chum, laughs..... ........

I laugh a lot and people keep asking me what I am laughing at and all I can say is that I find everything funny. EXCEPT laugh lines! Damn them!

[godden]

Reading it brought tears to my eyes.

[malt25]

To be honest I don't think I have met anyone in LOS that laughs, but still racking my ol' gray cells to find one. Seems being miserable is the norm with farang folk.

Ahhh, my ex Thai boxing champ chum, laughs..... ........

You need to get out a bit more. I laugh every day & all mt Thai family & friends are constantly laughing at me.

[rhythmworx]

What about the people that have to battle everyday not to commit suicide?

You expect them to laugh and the problem goes away?

hahahaha just laugh like a Catholic, Jesus will see us through the day.....<deleted>

[newatthis]

This post reminded me of a movie I saw years ago: "Patch Adams" starring Robin Williams. Dr Adams (a real doctor) believed that humour was essential for the physical and emotional well-being of patients. Now, I'm going to look for it, download it and watch it again.

I recommend it.