I work with organizations that want to LAUGH through difficult cHAnge.
PPC Violence Free Network Domestic Violence Awareness Event Presents:
Trina Hess, Humorist
Monday, Oct. 27th, 2008 at Venango
Woods Church, Pinoak Campus, Seneca PA
6:00-9:00 pm, free pasta dinner!
For questions,
please call 814-676-5476
Don’t forget to wear a purple ribbon in support of those whose lives have been touched by domestic violence and in honor of those who have lost their lives due to domestic violence.
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My friend Dave Schwensen is hosting radio comedy every Friday at 4 pm and Sundays at 8 pm EST at www.welw.com Listen online! “Get Your SHINE Together!”
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Yesterday I mentioned Aldonna Ambler’s saying that when we’re in a new environment, we’re more receptive to learning. Today’s Comedy Around the World talks Turkey–literally.
Why do we remember vacations to exotic locations? Because those things we see and experience are so new that they burn themselves into our minds.
Same reason we all remember 9-11 or other tragic events. They are so far out of the ordinary, they make a tremendous impression on our minds. That’s what we can do to be memorable–no, we don’t need to cause a catastrophic event. But we DO need to provide some sort of surprise, something out of the ordinary. That’s what humor does for us–for our image, for our speeches, for our written communication.
Turkey is a fascinating country. And diverse. And because it has things that I don’t have in my town–besides the great food–everything I saw made an impression on me. Transportation to many places in Turkey is by coach bus. But these buses aren’t simply what we have here: one step up from a school bus. No, Turkey’s buses had waiters! Who brought us tea on a tray!
And the buildings and mosques in Turkey were built 800 years ago–at least. The cemeteries had tombstones that were shaped a lot differently than any I had ever seen.
One thing that wasn’t so unusual at first was their baked potatoes. Except that they loaded them with things like mayonnaise, ketchup–and corn. All in the same potato. Those are just a few of the things I can remember, even after visiting the country years ago.
I don’t remember much of Germany’s rolling fields and farmlands. That might be because it looked a lot like my own geographical area, and so it didn’t stand out for me. And now, it’s not as memorable.
What if you could craft a story, a joke, something that was so out of the ordinary that people would be talking about visiting YOUR next speech, seeing YOUR next project, buying YOUR product. When you offer something new, you and your products stand out from the crowd.
“Get Your SHINE Together!”
Are you ticked off? Sure you are, everyone today is, says Aldonna Ambler, CMC, CSP, www.TheGrowthStrategist.com at today’s NSA meeting. We want service, answers, comfort, profit, everything–and we want it NOW!
What better way to address this fast-paced, impatient worldview than to, “Get Your SHINE Together!”
Short, succinct, sharp. When we speak, we must be brief. Attention spans are nonexistent, especially for Gex Y and younger.
We have to relate in a human, connected way. This helps dispel the heavy toll that technology takes on our interpersonal relationships.
And–we have to be funny. I’s funny, are you? Sure you are, once you find your humor style and work within that. Then not only will you be funny, you’ll also be credible and consistent.
Ever wonder why we are so amused by comedians? Doesn’t matter who they are–could be Charlie Chaplin, or Margaret Cho. They offer us something new. And when we’re in a new environment, we’re more receptive to learning.
Are you brave enough to incorporate all these into your communication style? Then you are ready to be a “Shining Example” to help others to use their sense of humor and, “Get Your SHINE Together!”
Now, how funny is that?
P.S. Congratulations to Linda Reed Friedman, winner of today’s drawing. Linda won a free copy of my book, “Heart of a Woman in Business”!
Did anyone see or hear the roast where both John McCain and Barak Obama spoke? About each other? Brilliant! It may have been the first time we had the chance to hear what they really think of each other!
Just think if all our presidential races–and all political races–operated that way.
It shows how all humor contains some element of truth. Otherwise we wouldn’t think it’s all that funny. We take a piece of truth, stretch it, twist it, exaggerate (or minimize) it, and out comes comedy!
Commentators thrashed McCain for not saying those things during the debate. But they also hailed both men for their good sportsmanship during the roast. Whatever the opinion of whatever the commentator, I personally thought it was refreshing. It was a burst of humanity in an otherwise brutal race. What if all politics could be run like a roast? What would that look like? What do you think? What did YOU think of the roast? Share your favorite candidates jokes (by them or about them) here!
What happens when you’re at a store and find out, at the check-out, that it’s cash only? This didn’t happen at the German grocery store. You know, the one where you have to stay in single file and you can’t pass the other shoppers. This was the thrift store. Or–commonly known as the fend-for-yourself zone.
This was not only a great store, it was being renovated. While people were shopping. The experience reminded me how important it is to have a sense of humor, to not take things–or ourselves–too seriously, and to have fun.
A complete stranger asked me if I saw any Liz Claiborne on the bags on the wall. Another woman asked me, “Does this go together?” as we both tried on clothes in the only mirror in the store. The mirror was cut in two with a two-by-four going across it, so we had to crouch sometimes. Very tall or very short people might have had better luck with that.
The aisles were chock-full of name-brand and designer clothes. The woman in the mirror (no, not me) told me everything’s half off today! Except the yellow. Another guy saw me hauling a teetering stack of clothing, “Wow, you need a cart!”, and as I dodged the workers drilling a light fixture on the wall above the mirror, he added, “Wow, you do that fast–it’s like a fashion show here!” I said, “It’s more like a battle ground!” as I kept my eye on my findings so they wouldn’t get run over by all the carts passing by the ladder.
Despite the long lines, cramped conditions, and loud, confusing atmosphere, people were finding a lot of great items and surprises! And if we didn’t find something, it also wasn’t a big deal. Maybe next time they would have something better.
This laissez-faire attitude served me well. Until I got to the check-out counter. There the cashier told me, “cash only”. So I asked her to hold my items while I ran–literally ran– to my car where I had two $20’s waiting. (Yes,I found that much great stuff there!). I also learned that the half-off sale today was only for seniors. As in senior citizens. The cashier said, “unless you can find a senior.” Luckily the woman in the mirror (not me) was nearby, and I grabbed her and claimed her as my relative. Or at least my discount. (I figured it was a fair trade for my fashion advice, and she didn’t mind either).
That entire experience could have gone a lot differently. I’m sure we can imagine others in the same situation. They may have complained, they may have demanded better service, they may not choose to shop at those places.
But when we enter the store–or tomorrow–with a sense of openness, expectation of good things, and a sense of lightness, we will find a lot of great adventures and prizes. When you ”Get Your SHINE Together!” even “cash only” isn’t a threat. It simply means that we don’t have something else on our credit card bill next month.
What great buys have you found from using your sense of humor today? Let us know and I’ll post on this week’s blogs! trina@yourshiningexample.com
542 Penn Avenue - Jackman Building, Mezzanine
Pittsburgh, PA 15222
Come see the most outstanding B&W plays of PPTCO’s past five seasons—the best of the best. Eight one-act plays will be presented, four each evening. In 2006, P-G theatre critic Christopher Rawson stated: “I’d recommend the festival to anyone, not just those who applaud its programmed collaboration between black artists and white.â€
Program A
The Holding Cell. By Wali Jamal. Directed By Marci Woodruff. (2006 Audience favorite)
Half of Zero. By Amy Hartman. Directed By Wali Jamal. (2003 Audience favorite)
The Exile of King Harold. By Mark Clayton Southers. Directed by
Andrew Paul. (2006 Critics favorite)
| Sun | Mon | Tue | Wed | Thu | Fri | Sat |
| 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16
A 8pm Preview |
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B 8pm Preview |
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B 3pm A 8pm |
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A 3pm B 7pm |
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B 8pm |
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A 8pm |
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A 3pm B 8pm |
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B 3pm A 7pm |
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B 8pm |
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Click here to buy tickets, or call ProArts at 412 394-3353. Each evening will be ticketed separately.
Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre Company
Next at Pittsburgh Playwrights Theatre. Thu, 10/09/2008 - 5:04pm — admin … ( 2005 Winner); Half of Zero. By Amy Hartman. Directed By Wali Jamal. …
“Wouldn’t it be awful to be a presidential candidate?” I thought today. I’m sure glad I don’t have to worry about campaigning and getting votes!
Then I realized: we are ALL candidates, being evaluated daily–sometimes favorably, sometimes not; sometimes aware of it, most times not.
It’s like the credo that we are all in sales, selling our image, our opinion, our products–our selves.
When we use our sense of humor, we are playing it safe. Maybe someone read a really negative email right before opening your email. In that light of negativity, your email seemed impersonal, sterile, business-like. And it became misinterpreted as coldness.
Especially in these times of technology, we need to err on the extreme humor side. Although I hate the “LOL” and the “:)” and all the other obnoxious ways that we make ourselves seem uncharacteristically ecstatic, I can see their use.
They take away all misunderstanding about our intentions. They clearly state that our email is nonthreating. They deem us a safe person.
Who is running YOUR campaign? Who will vote for YOU?
“Get Your SHINE Together!” and get out and vote! And get votes! For YOU!
Volunteer Opportunities
The Samuel J Foundation is currently looking for volunteers to help us
with planning and running our fundraising events. If you’re interested,
please contact me at kelly.johnson@samuelj.org for more info. We’re also
interested in talking to high school students who are looking for an
organization to support though their senior projects.
The Samuel J Foundation was founded in memory of Samuel Jacob Johnson. The Foundation’s mission is to honor Sam’s bright spirit and brave heart by giving children with brain tumors hope for a cure, bringing smiles into the lives of children with all types of pediatric cancers and their
families, and supporting the needs of children with developmental disabilities.
The Foundation’s current programs include a snack cart for parents and
children on the inpatient oncology unit at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, as well as a pediatric brain tumor fund that has been used to support neuro-oncology research at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. Other programs are in development.
Thanks again for your support. Please pass this information on to any
friends or family who may be interested in supporting our cause.
Kelly Johnson
http://www.caringbridge.org/pa/samuelj
Are you following me on Twitter? trinahess
What if we could take all the new interesting things we see, hear, and experience when travelling, and translate them to our everyday expereinces. If we could just say, simply, “That’s different.” Rather than taking offense, criticizing, or becoming afraid.
Today’s Comedy Around the World goes to Morocco. There, differences are everywhere–unless of course you are Moroccan. An entire family rode through the market on one scooter. It was a surprise to see it, and I said so to my friend Paul, “That’s new.”
We walked around the city gate and beside the women carrying items on their heads. Not things like pots or jars. They carried mattresses! We weren’t afraid of their brute strength; instead, we were simply amused. And we moved on to the next interesting thing to see:
We both were shocked at how men would sit at the outside cafes in the middle of the day and just drink mint tea. That’s not the way we would operate–who has time for that? But: it was simply different. Something new we had never seen before.
What if we could go through our every days with such a sense of wonder, amazement, and curiosity. What if we could just let those happenings be themselves and we merely note them. That’s how humor happens–it happens when we let it. When we don’t censor our thoughts or our creativity, and we don’t judge ourselves or others. We are all very very clever: Let’s start to take note!
“Get Your SHINE Together!” wherever you are!
What interesting things have you seen or heard today? How funny is that?
