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The Villages
Thursday, March 28, 2024

I love spreading the laughter and enjoying life

Lisa DeMarco

I never consider myself a lucky person. I’m not the gal who yells BINGO or gets to cash in a winning Lotto ticket. However, I can say that sometimes, Lady Luck is on my side. 

Fifteen years ago, I casually started collecting jokes while working at a family-owned restaurant in Eustis. Before that, I was always considered the class clown, but I had never considered it a career choice.

As a child, I was taken aback by my father’s and grandfather’s oddball sense of comedy. I was occasionally embarrassed by the off-color jokes they would share with total strangers. They believed they were funny – up there with legendary comedians of their time. Even as Vaudeville rejects, they didn’t mind missing the mark for big stage performances. They found great pleasure just being thought of as funny. 

As much as I hate to confess, I literally turned into my father. A modern-day jokester, like those Goldstein men before me, I live to showboat. I thrive on the pleasure of serving others through laughter. I believe it’s a win-win situation. However, like in the 70s, my jokes may seem off-color to some – particularly my children and their Millennial buddies. You have to remember that my tales are not meant to insult, belittle, or bring negative feelings to your day. They are only meant to make you laugh and enjoy the moment.

I always remind my readers that I am the creator of all my short stories and personal accounts, but I am not the genius behind the jokes I share. I do not search for my jokes. I am simply lucky enough to be around when they are shared. It’s not my fault I have a photographic memory for odd tales. The bonus was always the reciprocation of laughter. They would share with me, and then they’d let me share with them. 

Eventually, just like in an art museum, my space started to fill up quickly with all sorts of random unique craftsmanship supplied by all my regular jokesters and the passers-by requesting an invitation to the party. On the other hand, if I do not entertain you, please get out of line and proceed to another area of the circus. Criticism doesn’t hurt my feelings. Just knowing you took the time to tell me how much you do not enjoy me makes me warm and fuzzy inside – that means you at least read it! 

However, for the rest of you, I will gladly continue to share my silly daily incidents, encounters, and adventures – much like entries in my diary for all to read. Meta Minton, the Editor-in-Chief of Villages-News.com said she didn’t mind wasting space storing all my nonsense, so I signed on for a new lease!

Cheers to helping me spread the laughter while I make footprints in the sand. 

Laugh on. Peace out!

Lisa DeMarco is a columnist for Villages-News.com

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