Re: In defense of humor...

[Toni Williams TPG/SG <towilliams -at- PROCYONGROUP -dot- COM>]

Let the games begin.

Toni

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Hume, Patrick F [SMTP:patrick_hume -at- REYREY -dot- COM]
> Sent: Thursday, June 18, 1998 6:54 PM
> To:   TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject:      FW: In defense of humor...
>
> Lisa asked me to forward this to the list.  It's absolutely true-I've
> seen
> photos and read technical documentation about twirling cats as a
> life-saving
> technique.
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From:   Hume, Patrick F
> Sent:   Thursday, June 18, 1998 12:35 PM
> To:     'Lisa Comeau'
> Subject:        RE: In defense of humor...
>
> Hi Lisa,
>
> The cat example certainly is an effective visual.
>
> A couple years ago a co-worker brought in a book about the care and
> health
> of cats.  It had an actual photograph of a person demonstrating how to
> revive a drowned cat by grasping both hind legs and swinging the cat
> windmill-style.  I sent a copy to my brother (a small-animal
> veterinarian in
> Lexington, KY) to see if he'd ever heard of this technique.  He'd
> never
> heard of it, but confirmed that it made sense to him.
>
> Anyway, it was even funny when it was a photograph (and I love cats),
> but
> the obvious question arose about the cat in the photo.  I guess this
> stunt
> cat was actually doing a service for fellow felines, although I've
> never
> seen a drowned cat or met anyone who has revived one.
>
> After the flames flying your way over this one, I thought you should
> know
> that your Physics teacher was probably just referring to life-saving
> techniques.
>
> Cheers,
> Patrick
>
>         -----Original Message-----
>         From:   Lisa Comeau [SMTP:COMEAUL -at- CSA -dot- CA]
> <mailto:[SMTP:COMEAUL -at- CSA -dot- CA]>
>         Sent:   Tuesday, June 16, 1998 3:01 PM
>         To:     TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> <mailto:TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU>
>         Subject:        In defense of humor...
>
>         First, I apologise for the appearance of my email messages
> with the
> equal signs and so on. I cant do anything about it, it appears to be
> an
> intermittent firewall issue. So, instead of using quotes, I have
> capitalized
> things to be stressed, I am not yelling...and I have left out
> asterisks and
> capitalized there too. I have also left out apostrophes. Hope this is
> easier
> to read. I wish I could predict when this type of thing happens, but I
> cant.
>
>         Second, I tried to respond to a post that I found interesting,
> and
> thought it had alot to do with my side of technical writing AND with
> my
> background in the entertainment industry, particularly my four years
> of
> stand up comedy experience.
>
>         Third, I like cats, so will you people stop sending me
> personal
> email flames about my alleged cruelty to animals? I liked the analogy
> my
> Physics teacher used because
>           at the time the Earl the Dead Cat dolls that you stuck in
> your car
> trunk were popular, which, by the way, I hated
>          and his 2 year old son had been severely mangled by a cat,
> and it
> made me remember it after all these years, NOT because I condone
> animal
> abuse. As a matter of fact, I worked for an animal shelter to help pay
> for
> my University education.
>
>          If I offended you, I am sorry, but please learn that noone
> can MAKE
> anyone else feel anything, that is your choice. Just like it is your
> CHOICE
> to use humor, or not, as the case may be.
>
>         If you have the freedom to use what YOU think is humor, and
> you wish
> to do so, do it. If you feel it is appropriate, do it. But please stop
> telling me that I shouldn't, because I have, I can, I do, and I will,
> because its my job! I was hired mostly on the basis of my
> entertainment
> industry experience, the technical was only half of it.
>
>         None of you who are so quick to flame me have even expressed
> an
> interest in why I am defending the use of humor, you're telling me I'm
> unprofessional because I make jokes. Which parts of my posts did you
> read?
> Or were you all just blinded by one comment I made which didnt even
> come
> from me?
>
>         I discussed the fact that you need to be careful, and I
> mentioned
> that IN MY JOB humor works because I use it in CONJUNCTION with my
> teaching,
> but I suppose that this thread shouldnt be any different than any
> other in
> which people assume that others on the list have the exact same
> position and
> duties as they do.
>
>         At least when I dont agree with something someone else posted,
> I
> dont try to make them a villain. I like to think that I have to
> respect a
> persons opinion if I repect them, whether I agree or not. And I DO
> agree
> with many of you that in YOUR positions, humor may not be acceptable.
> So
> don't use it.
>
>         Sorry if I'm ranting or off topic, but I think that respect is
> more
> important than humor or lack thereof, and by the way, just because you
> don't
> find something funny doesn't mean you are humorless, but it doesn't
> make the
> person who FINDS it funny a terrible person.
>
>          Why does everyone get so hung up on the fact that posters to
> the
> list dont think the same as they do? Thats what makes us such a good
> group
> when we can debate in a good way instead of slamming each other.
>
>         All those who believe in telekinesis raise my hand...
>         My twenty dollars worth
>
>         Lisa Comeau
>         IS Super-User/Trainer
>         Certification and Testing Division
>         Canadian Standards Association
>         Rexdale, ON
>         comeaul -at- csa -dot- ca <mailto:comeaul -at- csa -dot- ca>
>
>
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