.... where family is the source of humor!

Humor Is Relative's 2006 Article Archive [so far]

The listing of Humor Is Relative's 2006 articles complete with teaser introductions to help lure you, the reader, to share a giggle or two with us! These are listed from the oldest to most recent of our offerings! Get something to drink, sit back, click, and enjoy! Can you relate?

2001 Humorous Family Stories Features sharings from Kimberly Ripley, Elizabeth Palmer, Brenda Graham Shrieder, Renee Ripley ... and more!

2002 Humorous Family Stories Features sharings from Catharine Bramkamp, James Collins, Jim Spense, Linda Sultan ... and more!

2003 Humorous Family Stories Features sharings from LaVonis Miracle, Liz Masoner, John Sheirer, Glenn Arnold ... and more!

2004 Humorous Family Stories features sharings from Carrie Metz-English, Rudy Wilson Galdonik, Debbie Farmer, Cappy Hall Rearick, and more!

2005 Humorous Family Stories features sharings from James L. Snyder, Marilyn Rudenstein, Terry Lerdall-Fitterer, David Westbrook, and more!

Many of us have a relative we remember as One Of A Kind - but, at the same time, we wouldn't have that person any other way but delightfully, and lovingly, unique. Laura penned and submitted a short essay, about one of her grandparents, that combined in a nice touch of sentimental reflections and humor.

Carol's mother had a different outlook on things. Sometimes, however, this differing opinion sometimes left the same mother feeling perplexed - especially if one of her children did something different than what Carol's mother may consider 'appropriate'.

Friends sometimes can be convenient to have around. Particularly those invisible kind that reside in our imagination but always there, close at hand, to take the blame for anything that goes wrong or, more importantly, gets broken. How many parents out there will enjoy the humor in Melinda's imaginary friend encounter?

Parents want to spend every minute possible with our children to create memories for later. On the other hand, parents sometimes like to have five to ten minutes, of alone time, to do simple things - without an audience. This can lead to a humorous quandry for parents ... as Erica shares in the following story!

For some people the teen years mark a period where they can pull practical jokes. Some more notable or original than others - but what can be more notable than being credited with a practical joke you did not do?

Hobbies generally help a person relax as they work toward a goal. Unfortunately a person's hobby may not help share that relaxing aura with others. For example, gardening as a hobby stressing out, versus relaxing, the spouse. Oh, heck, Terry tells it better in the following humorous story about her roto-tilling-plant-nurturing husband.

The mythical Tooth Fairy pays a child for the natural act of having one of their baby teeth fall out. As Ali shares, in her humorous story, apparently the Tooth Fairy is not immune to inflation and cost of living somehow factoring into how much a child may receive in return for placing a baby tooth under the pillow.

Everyone has a limit on how long to willingly put up with another individual's perceived bad or irritating habits. Especially when feeling you had dropped more than enough hints about finding that habit irritating. One morning Carol's father decided to not drop hints while, probably, optimistically thinking, "This will teach them a lesson or two."

Retro fashions are "In", retro as in brand new yet inspired by clothing of the early 1970s. Amazing how in phtoographs, of our younger years, we appear dressed totally hip and cool. Well, to our eyes at least. Many Humor Is Readers will relate to Audrey's story about one's past coolness and present day coolness factors - at least from their children's perspective.

Lazy hazy days of summer are ebbing away to the sounds of school buses once more rumbling up and down the streets. Amazing how quickly those three short months pass by - but, my oh my, the opportunities those days hold for chidlren to create memories to look back upon as adults. Robert shares a humorous essay about his youth and baseball for readers of Humor Is Relative to enjoy!
This one is a doozy, so shared in five parts.

Most people, when bringing home a souvenir, usually show off a little trinket like an ashtray, a miniature statue, picture book, or a charm for a necklace or bracelet. I think my parents would not have minded something like that instead of what I did take home from one trip.

Every family has a quirky story that, no matter how many times it has been told, the story-teller is unable to keep a straight face. Yes, the memory remains that vivid and fresh! Pat Carey shares about such a family story, and its effects on the story teller, with readers of Humor Is Relative through this exerpt from his book Growing Up Irish Catholic. Let's all welcome the first professional stand-up comedian within our contributor's midst!

My mother would not play board games claiming that she found them unexciting, or that's what she told us children. Perhaps my mother should have spent an afternoon, or two, with Faith humorously thinking up ways to have these games exciting to parents?

I remember Mamaw being a loving but no-nonsense woman that possessed amazing skills when it came to cooking and handiwork. She and I had a close relationship in my younger years and, subsequently, she had an influence over me even later in my life - long after her passing.

Many women increase the family's size through a gradual addition to the head count - one-at-a-time. Parents of twins, or triplets, can you relate to Sarah's humorous retelling?

My favorite teacher-slash-contributor is back to share another humorous essay about her life with Humor Is Relative readers! I feel LaVonis' own descriptive summary for this submission sums it up best: Life can give dish out some terribly embarrassing ordeals. Fortunately with age we tend to learn from them and laugh at them. This story is about one such time for me. I hope anyone who reads this will laugh along with me and remember not to take those moments so seriously. [Notice: due to topic, some people may regard this story being PG-13]

The resurgence of Cabbage Patch Dolls commercials reminded Carol of when these dolls first hit the market and their initial popularity. These same commercials also help to remind her of a paticular day, in the past, when she took her daughters to a photography studio in Indianapolis.

We, as parents, naturally, want to do the best for our children. Not only for our children's better interests but also, in hopes of, achieving the goal of becoming a Good Parent. Goals and ideals of perfectionism as we try to strive to being the parent we envision in our minds. Problem with perfectionism, when not achieved, leaves us with doubts and, worse, fears about how our imperfect parenting moments affected our children that Debra manages to humorously share with Humor Is Relative's readers!

Summertime memories are often as warm as the temperatures associated to season. Howard shares, with Humor Is Relative readers, an excerpt sharing his memories of time spent at a summer cottage - and the mixture of memories behind the memories of those summers.

Humorous Book Recommendations:             [ view all ]
Simply Southern: The Humor, Insight & Fun of a Southern Good Old Gal
[Cappy Hall Rearick; 232 pages]
I thank Cappy for sharing, the humorous story "Stretched Genes", here with Humor Is Relative's readers. The above link is for the paperback version of her book but there is a hardbook also available. Either way you go - can't lose; this woman has a wickedly humorous pen she puts to paper. Can you relate?

Humorous Book Recommendations:             [ view all ]
Don't Put Lipstick On The Cat
[Debbie Farmer, Jana Christy; 274 pages]
Collection of stories featuring the best Family Daze Columns that are themed around celebrating the humor found in parenting.

Humor Is Relative
WebSite Primer
... or Search The Web

Humor Is Relative thanks Cay Dickson, from Houston Chronicle, for the compliment!

Think you have a funny story about your family, or moments in parenting, that our readers may enjoy? Review Humor Is Relative submissions guidelines & submit your story! Who knows, we just may like it!

Meet Humor Is Relative's contributing writers!

Humor Is Relative Contributors Published Works:
Growing Up Irish Catholic
Patrick Carey
Humorous Misadventures Of A Tropical Island Mom
Faith R. Foyil
101 Haiku for Mom
Faith R. Foyil
Storky: How I Lost My Nickname and Won The Girl
Debra Garfinkle
Don't Put Lipstick On The Cat
Debbie Farmer, Jana Christy
Life in the Fast-Food Lane (Surviving the Chaos of Parenting)
Debbie Farmer, Shauna Cramer
Take Heart! True Stories of Life, Love, & Laughter
Rudy Wilson Galdonik
Simply Southern
Cappy Hall Rearick
Available in hardbook.
Family Life & Other Strife
Linda Sultan
Being Miss Behaved: Humorous Essays For The Politically Incorrect
Catharine Bramkamp
Free Chairs
John Sheirer
Saying My Name
John Sheirer
Shut Up and Speak!
John Sheirer
Freelancing Later In Life
Kimberly Ripley
Breathe Deeply, This Too Shall Pass
Kimberly Ripley
Write Now! What Are You Waiting For
Kimberly Ripley
Lily's Gift
Kimberly Ripley
The Ghost of Useppa Island
Kimberly Ripley
Clinical Dialogues In Family Therapy
Howard Defonsky M. S. W. R. S. W.
When a Family Considers Therapy
Howard M. Denofsky M. S. W. R. S. W.