Empty Nesters, pt. 1

Here's the dealio about LIFE: you never know how a thing's gonna be until you actually experience that thing. If you have a good imagination, you can figure out part--sometimes even a lot--of it before hand. Still, when you're in the thick of a new experience, some things surprise you.

For instance, I realize I now have to build extra time into any departure strategy from the house, because the dogs need to be let out and also retrieved before I take off. I used to have back up. I could say to Geoff or Q, "Hey, Geoff or Q! Let the dogs out for me, okay?"

But I can't do that now that one of them lives in Provo and the other one lives in Logan.

There's a thing I didn't expect. See what I mean?

Something I already knew

Apparently I'm all about having to learn the same lessons again. And again. AND ALSO AGAIN. (Case in point: seriously do not let me drive your car anywhere because it'll just end up being towed.)

Here's the lesson I revisited this morning. A friend gave me a book to read by an author whom she loves because this author is so funny. And when I got online to read reviews, everyone raved about the author's sense of humor. So I read the novel with high hopes. And while I thought portions of it were amusing (and a lot of the book was really clever), the jokes kinda fell wide of the mark for me.

So. What do I take away from this? That I'm humor impaired? Or that all those reviewers are humor impaired?

Actually, I think the real point is that humor, ultimately, is super subjective. Not everyone loves the same funny cup of tea. This is a liberating thought for me personally, because sometimes when I write my column I feel the disapproval of readers who think I'm "annoying" as opposed to "entertaining." Reading the novel helped me gird up my loins and say (with feeling) "to each his own."

I'm always happy to hear about lessons you have to re-learn . . .