Art Can Transform The Artist

Ask most artists why they create art and you will find that their answer is often that they do not have the option to not create art. It is as much a part of their livelihood as breathing.

There is often a mutual dialog that is expressed between the art and the artist informing each of the existence of the other. This is a dialog that can be express in many different mediums and forms. The transformation begins as the artist is allowed to explore the process of art and its creation in greater depth. This is rarely done without conflict and struggle because the creation of art often causes the artist to have to explore the dark crevasses of their soul and past to find the kernel of truth in the work they are to create. It is this process that allows the artwork to have soul.

The artist mind does not always proceed in a linear fashion because the focused is more conceptual then that of a tangible concrete object. The artist is forced to rethink and sometimes refuse what seemed correct in the beginning. This presents a way of working towards such alternatives to create the art that has the capacity to inform. When the creative process travels through natural and organic pathways it allows the art and artist to be transformed, as the journey is revealed.

This process allows the artwork to become larger than the artist because when the art is given the opportunity to grow and develop independently from the artist. The art can mature into something more than the artist could have ever imagined. This is why it is easier for an artist to work with concepts because there is more room for interpretation and free expression. Using all the senses to express what is seen, smelled, tasted, and heard as well what is felt.

Creating art is like raising a teenager. You try to teach and educate to the best of your ability and knowledge. But there comes the point that you need to step back and allow the wings to spread and dry preparing for the first flight. You are left with nothing but perhaps the sudden feeling of emptiness or void and the delight of expression of the art form.

Some artists enjoy explaining what their creative process is and what the artwork represents to them. Some prefer to allow that internal dialog to remain a secret and allow the viewer to use their past personal experiences to reveal their own perception of what the artwork means to them.

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Aboriginal Art - Why Buy It?

Aboriginal art is also known as Indigenous Australian art, or dot painting, and is a type of colorful painting and drawing created by the indigenous people of Australia. It is one of the oldest ongoing forms of artwork in the world. The oldest recorded being the famous rock carvings which date as far back as around 30,000 years ago.

This type of unique painting stems from Aboriginal tradition which goes back thousands of years. Aboriginal Art is a very unique, if not a completely individual type of art work. Each painting, stone sculpture, or wood carving depicts a feel of ancient, traditional life and culture yet still retains a certain style that appeals to the modern taste.

Why Buy It?

Indigenous artwork is very highly rated by collectors and investors alike. Older paintings by some of the more famous painters can easily fetch upwards of $100,000 and more at auction. All artwork is valuable, but more and more, especially over the last twenty years or so, Aboriginal Art has clawed its way to the forefront beating off even the more traditional and better known classical artworks from Europe. In fact, as an investment, reports indicate that good quality Aboriginal dot paintings can outstrip most other types of art which is absolutely amazing when you think that pre 1980 you could pick these paintings up for just a few pennies.

Who's Who in Aboriginal Artists?

So if you are looking for quality and want to start collecting the very best, which artists should you go for? Should you go for the older, more established artist or plump for a new and exciting up and coming artists and hope that their work pays dividends in future?

You might think that the prices of Aboriginal paintings are set by the date in which they were created. This isn't always the case as many paintings from more recent times can still sell for quite a large amount depending on the artist. Size also counts! A good big one beats a good small one every time.

Bearing in mind that traditionally it was mostly a male dominated market, the older artists to watch out for are people like Clifford Possum Tjapaltjarri, Rover Thomas, William McLintock Onus and even the unfortunately named Gordon Bennett. As for female artists, they started to come into reckoning more recently and the leading ones to look for would be people such as Emily Kame Kngwarreye, Minnie Pwerle, Gloria Petyarre and Abie Loye.

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Large Art for Large Walls

That large wall of yours is crying out for a painting to be the crowning jewel of your office, home, or vacation property.

You walk into your home's entry and there, before you, is that magnificent vaulted great room and that very large wall with nothing there... yet.

It needs something. It needs style. It needs to be a statement.

You have put all your hard-earned money, effort, and your best decorative thoughts into what you want but you are faced with the classic questions:

* Subject matter?

* Painting? Tapestry? Something else?

* Colors? You know you like something with reds, something with blues, something understated, or something bold. Something outrageous?

* Original or print?

(and the ultimate question)

* Where to get what I want?

Great questions!

I have suggestions that will help you, so don't stress it!

FIRST

Realize that many people have had to deal with this challenge before you and have blazed a trail that you are able to follow, and at least get exposed to solutions that you may have never considered before.

Let's address these questions one by one:

* Subject matter?

The answer to this question is one word: "Story"

Everyone has a story that is worth telling. Everyone has had an experience, a memory, a connection that makes up that story. Those stories are often best told through art, so you should have a great starting point.

The guiding principle here (and this principle is the first consideration for each of the questions addressed in this article) is to define YOUR story when it comes to the thing you wish to share with others when your art is displayed.

It could be artwork that features the local flavor... something that speaks to the environment where you live. That can be trees, mountains, cityscapes, oceans, etc. It could be of people that matter to you, places you've seen, or images that are abstract. It literally could be of anything you want. The most important thing to identify at this stage is the imagery that tells what's important to you personally.

For this kind of space, there is an OPPORTUNITY for large-scale expression! Don't shrink from it. Embrace it.

* Painting? Tapestry? Something else?

I don't create tapestries so I have a bias. I sell painted art that I make myself. But there are going to be times when you will want a tapestry up there. Those include that special time when you traveled to India and came across that wonderful rug that was you thought you might have a place for. You might want to consider making that a feature of your great room because it allows you to tell that story every time you have visitors over.

What I like about paintings as a solution here is that you can have multiple solutions in how your story gets told. Maybe you chose not to import that large landscape tapestry, but you do have photos of the area you found to be so compelling. That's great! It's your story, and it can be rendered right here!

First decide your story. The rest should come easier.

* Colors?

I see colors as a way creating that perfect atmosphere in which to tell that story. Your surroundings in that space is filled with other expressions of who you are - the couch - the coffee table - the lighting fixtures - the chairs... all of these are players in the overall expression of your story.

Often, I think of men's fashion as an analogy that provides another good example of where I'm coming from when it comes to interior design. Specifically, look at a man's suit. It is pretty basic. Mostly solid styling top to bottom... solid colors, sharp lines, slight variation options for a shirt, but mostly understated... and mostly solid.

What's left to bring the suit to life? The tie. The tie is quite small in viewable square inches of the entire getup. It is also the one accessory where society has allowed a personal flair to be displayed. Color is the thing when it comes to men's ties.

Your dominant wall art is much like that tie. It makes the loudest statement about the man and your art makes the loudest statement about the owner of the living space.

Cool colors? Warm colors? A bold statement? Country or contemporary.

All of those things have to do with your story. What is already being expressed in the space through your furnishings is a good approach to how you intend to set it all off... to push the entire experience of your living space over the goal line.

* Original or print?

Yes, start with your story first.

Next, I have a rule of thumb about originals or prints:

Unless your story is clearly best expressed through the use of imagery that already exists as a 2D object, such as an aged gas station sign, a movie poster, or a print of a priceless work of art from one of the great masters, you should go with original work of art.

Original pieces offer you a great amount of flexibility, but they also say a lot about you. It says you value original art because it is handcrafted, that you made an investment of sorts in this expression of yourself, and that you see that your story deserves a place of honor in your living environment.

There are times when you can acquire a large format limited-edition print to fit your needs. Those can work if they are specific parts of your story. But, dominant walls deserve dominant expressions of yourself, uniquely and originally. That's what hand-painted pieces of art do.

* Where to get what I want?

On occasion, you might go into a gallery that carries large pieces. I have sold several this way and if you feel lucky, you just might come across a great solution. This type of gallery is not typical. Most artists haven't done their work on a large scale. You are talking about custom work to meet your needs. You are probably better off finding artists who are most comfortable creating work at any size that is needed.

Here is the methodology and recommendations I suggest:

1. Find an artist that knows how to listen. You might know your story right off, and go from there. If you haven't really thought of how to articulate that story, a good commission artist can draw it out of you.

2. Sizing is important, and I help you find the size that fits comfortably in your space. This is done through placing cardboard sections of different sizes on your wall. The most comfortable sizing solutions are usually very clear after this exercise.

3. Rendering a sample of what your piece will look like is the next step. Computer programs such as Adobe Photoshop can help accelerate the layout roughs stage. Some artists can show one or more samples of rough designs that give a good idea of what your final piece would look like. What you see won't be an exact match to the final output, but the results will always be close enough that you know ahead of time what to expect.

4. Simulation - Artists who are familiar with Photoshop-type software programs can take photos of your actual living space and superimpose those rough renderings of art onto an image of the actual wall where the final will be installed. The placement can be experimented with and the sizing can be altered here, and the results are pleasing.

Large format art for large walls don't need to be a daunting task. The trick is to work with artists who you feel comfortable with, from the type of work they do to their ability to simulate what your final painting can look like... AND place it in a picture of the actual place the painting will go.

By doing a little homework ahead of time, the process of making a statement on your large wall through art should be an interesting event, revealing something important about you and the personal story you have to tell.

Now that you know, go do it!

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The Secret of Success of Funny Comic Strips

Successful funny comic strips contain three basic features, which include a profound sense of humor, imaginative quality of the creator and the ability to draw matching comic characters telling the story perfectly to the point. You need to practice the art of creating comic strips to earn a successful position in the popularity scale. If you are able to display the correct story telling technique, you are one step ahead of others in gaining popularity.

You have to judge the entire effort from the readers' angle to make the funny comic strips really humorous. A wise strategy would be to incorporate designs that are in vogue in current times and have found on the top positions of the popularity scale. The humor expressed through comics should be acceptable to readers and should also contribute to the additional knowledge of the visitor if it is published on the web. You have to create a powerful spirit intrinsically in bringing out humor in the comic strip so that you are successful in making people laugh. You have to count on the fact that the story that makes a section of the crowd laugh may not be able to rouse the identical effect on the rest. Here, you need to give importance on the target audience of funny comic strips.

Another important factor is the repeated use of jokes or topics, which have become cliché with much use either on websites or at other media platforms. You should avoid the same effect and must create unique material to make a separate identity in the readers with the element of humor in the creation. It is the style of delivery, the uniqueness of the topic and humorous illustration, which all combine to produce excellent funny comic strips. You have to show something of outstanding merit to be successful in creating a permanent feeling on the minds of readers. You will find that certain creators of comic strips are remembered for high quality sketches or humorous display of characters or choice of words as funny, but highly admirable dialogues

Finally, the element of wit is a major quality in achieving success in this art. You have to be imaginative and at the same time be attentive to the element of humor, which is an important factor for the prompt acceptance of the work. Contributing funny comic strips successfully and especially on the internet is a great task that offers satisfying surprise to the audience. A humorous dialogue or a witty remark is enough to bring out the best quality laugh in the audience because it has the element of astonishment, which is acknowledged as the work of originality.

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World's Fastest Toilet - My Rear End!

Not long ago, on MSNBC (dot) com there was a viral video that showed a toilet on top of a go-cart which went at a very high speed. The video stated; "World's Fastest Toilet" but is it really - no way I say! First, Japan has toilets on several of their bullet trains moving at 200 plus miles per hour, but there are also toilets on the ISS, albeit high-tech toilets, and those toilets are in orbit at 17,000 miles per hour. Still, let's say it was the fastest toilet "On Earth" or on the ground - well, nope not even close to 200 mph, certainly not on a go-cart.

How about in the Earth's atmosphere? No, the Concorde had toilets on it, traveling faster than the speed of sound, also the B-1 Bomber has a toilet, which although the USAF does not publish the true speed of this bird, I dare say it blows away a bullet train, Concorde, and any other earthly vehicle.

The Space Shuttle has a toilet, but while it is launching you can't use it in the atmosphere, and all the astronauts are strapped in for landing so it is the fastest unusable toilet in that case, but it's still faster than the go-cart speed demon sitting on the commode traveling around an oval track, by the way he wasn't using it either, he was too busy driving!

So, whereas it is nice to see everyone in the media make a play for the dummed down Internet Surfer and trying to get their little viral videos going using juvenile humor, let's leave the real speed records to the adults of the high tech world, not some yahoo that graduated from a garden tractor with a beer "drink holder" to a racing style go-cart with a toilet bolted to it.

I mean give me a break and speaking of breaks I hate to remind the Facebook crowd that it is probably time you got a job - before you forward me anymore of these inane videos - they just are not funny any longer - it's getting rather pathetic.

The social media crowd's crappy choices in viral videos aren't much better than their political choices when voting if you ask me, and I know you didn't but, I am telling you anyway, so please get a life. Oh and stop recommending Facebook stock and no, I don't want to "friend" you on any silly social network.

Lastly, before I let you go here, the Earth is spinning at over 600 mph, and the planet is going around the Sun at 10s of thousands of miles per hour, and the Sun is going around the Milky Way at some believe to be 45,000 miles per hour, so by the time you've completed your business - let's just say that toilet has traveled quite a ways my friend - think about it.

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10 Good Excuses to Get Out of Work

You shouldn't wait to give an excuse after the fact, if it can be helped. Always give your excuse ahead of time. This relieves a lot of pressure and shows that you you are proactive. Employers appreciate that quality in an employee. The better excuse that you can give, the better it is also. This shows that you are creative and inventive. Nothing lowers your esteem in the eyes of your boss like giving an old, shop-worn excuse. Having said all of this, we offer no guarantee that any of the following excuses will work on your boss, so don't come around complaining if you get fired for using one of these excuses as all we'll be able to give you is a good excuse as to why it didn't work.

1. Find an actual religious holiday and tell your boss you have recently converted to that religion and need that day off since it is one of your religious high holy days. There are many different religions in the world and, if you do a little research, you are apt to be able to find one that has a high holy day on the day that you want to take off. It is best to really do your research and find a real holy day for some religion as you boss is liable to check up on your story. It is also good to know a bit about the religion as your boss might say something like; "Oh, I didn't know you were a practitioner of that religion. Tell me about it."


2. Tell your boss that a particular relative has just passed on and you need to fly out and attend the funeral. Again it's good to put some thought into this and fill out the details ahead of time, such as, just who it is that has passed on, what relation they were to you and what they passed away from. You may want to write this down in case you ever want to use this excuse again or if your boss unexpectedly asks about the funeral at a later time.


3. Say that your mother or some other very close relative has taken quite ill and is not expected to make it through the next day. It is better if this person lives out of state so that they don't pop into the office one day unexpectedly. Also make sure that they don't call you at the office.


4. Tell your boss that one of your children is very ill and needs to be taken to the doctor. Is best if you actually have children and can show your boss a picture.


5. Tell your boss that one of your kids is in a school play and you absolutely need to be there. Tell him your kid is under psychiatric care and the doctor has said that the kid will grow up to be a terrorist if he thinks he's not getting enough attention from you.


6. Tell your boss that your beloved dog/cat/mouse/boa constrictor has been suffering with leukemia and is now suffering so much that it needs to be put down. Say that you feel like you need to be there for it in the end.


7. Say that you need to attend an emergency parent teacher conference because they found trace elements of plutonium in your child's lunch box and they want to know if he intended to build a weapon of mass destruction and use it on his third grade class.


8. Tell your boss you need to give a bone marrow transplant to your best friend who once saved your life.


9. Say that a sewer pipe broke and your basement is getting flooded. Say that you are frantically trying to save your furniture and other priceless memorabilia from your basement.


10. Say that someone broke into your home last night and your spouse or other family member is hysterical about it and can't be left alone.

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Twice The Crime, In Half The Time!

President Obama has already etched his name in the history books, with an unrivaled legacy of accomplishment. He's done more to fundamentally transform America (as he promised he would) than all the other dictators who've ever tried, from King George III to Kim Jong Il. And in less than four short years! No wonder this year's election finds him the overwhelming favorite of key constituents, including former Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev.

Hey, speaking of the president's campaign promises, much has been spoken recently about the promise he made in 2008 that he'd "cut the deficit in half." Republicans, tea partiers, people who own a business, talk radio hosts, and other enemies of the revolution keep bringing it up, like it's going to hurt the Obama juggernaut. But the fact is, we all misunderstood that 2008 promise. What he meant was, he'd cut in half the TIME it would take to DOUBLE the deficit. Which is exactly what he did! It took his predecessor eight years (including two with a spendthrift liberal Congress) to ratchet up four trillion (with a "trill") in new U.S. debt, leaving us with an $8 trillion problem Mr. Obama called "unpatriotic." He meant that Bush didn't dig that hole near deep enough! Piker! Mr. Obama, by the end of his first term, will have doubled the deficit George W. Bush left him in 2009.

And consider all the other campaign promises Mr. Obama made four years ago which we are now misremembering. Eliminate earmarks? You mean accelerate them! No lobbyists in my White House? You mean a newfangled spoils system under which any new hires had to have sparkling lobbyist credentials! Close Gitmo? You mean sign an executive order to close Gitmo, but not actually allow it to be closed! End the wars? You mean extend them, and invite the Taliban back into power in Afghanistan! Restore America's world standing? You mean establish America's world bowing! Unemployment will never go above eight percent? You mean it'll never go BELOW eight percent... and it never has! Bam!

Yes, if there's ever been a man of his word out there on the campaign trail, it's been Barack H. Obama. And people who had no hope and change four years ago now have plenty of both. People who don't think they can take care of themselves are flocking to Mr. Obama's loser-friendly message by the dozens. People who will occupy anything but a job can't wait to return the president for four more glorious years!

People like Gorbachev, for instance.

As we learn daily in the national media, there's nothing wrong with America today that can't still be blamed on the guy who left the country in such a mess almost four years ago. You remember - when gas was around $1.90, unemployment was around four percent, and our national deficit was around $8 trillion. Look at any of these indicators, and it's easy to see why Demediacrats everywhere say Barack Obama is twice the president Bush was! And in half the time! Only hard-core capitalist pigs want that Bush mess back. And how.

Michael Hume is a speaker, writer, and consultant specializing in helping people maximize their potential and enjoy inspiring lives. As part of his inspirational leadership mission, he coaches executives and leaders in growing their personal sense of well-being through wealth creation and management, along with personal vitality.

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The 10 Funniest Comedies of 2011

A comedy movie can be your escape to every day's stress. In 2011, there were a number of movies that made it to the box office. These are the funniest films that would leave you laughing your heart out. You probably missed some of these movies, so it's worth checking them out.

1. The Hangover Part II. The second Hangover movie is a refinement of the first. Watchers have stated that it's funnier too, despite the obvious fact that there are some originality issues. Some parts were a little bit predictable, but the movie's good story and the excellent performances of the actors combined made this movie a hit. No wonder it is one of the highest grossing comedy film of 2011.

2. A Very Harold & Kumar Christmas. The weird thing is that this film was released not on Christmas, but around Thanksgiving. The movie has its own laughter-inducing recipe. The combo includes silly lines and weird characters. The story revolves around Harold and Kumar, who are long-time friends meeting each other after six years. But things took an odd turn when they unintentionally burned down a Christmas tree.

3. Crazy, Stupid, Love. There is a reason this movie is included in the top 10 comedy movies for 2011. This is about a man who, after separating from his wife, learns that he doesn't know how to attract women. A handsome and smart guy comes to the rescue to teach him how it's done.

4. Tucker and Dale VS Evil. This is a horror-comedy film of 2011; it stars two unruly college students. Some people may not like the goriness though, but those who are not too squeamish may find many scenes both horrible and hilarious.

5. Horrible Bosses. Three guys don't get too lucky with their bosses. So they take on a plan to take revenge, but things don't exactly go as they planned. The lead actress becomes one of the terrible bosses - a dentist who sensually tortures her assistant. The other bosses are just as despicable.

6. 50/50. The title was created by a person who had cancer. Together with director he brought the comedy film 50/50 to life. The film was not only funny, but also moving. It is about a 27-year-old radio journalist who finds out he has cancer of the spine and a cheating girlfriend.

7. Bad Teacher. The bad teacher is a hilarious movie. The lead actress is not your typical junior high school teacher. She's not well-mannered. She is blunt, therefore, she's definitely not a sweet talker. When her affluent husband-to-be dumps her, the egocentric teacher has to win the heart of another wealthy guy at all costs.

8. The Change-up. The story of this film is somewhat familiar. It is the classic be-careful-what-you-wish-for film. The fun begins when two childhood buddies (a married lawyer and a bachelor) wishing to be in each other's shoes, have their wishes accidentally come true.

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The Art of the Funny Prank

I've discovered old Candid Camera episodes on YouTube. And I miss Captain Jenks from the Howard Stern show. These people knew the art of the prank.

Pranks aren't always clean. They aren't always nice and they are rarely without repercussions. That's what makes them so amusing. The guy doing the prank usually knows there will be a backlash.

Guys if you want to play good pranks, specially kids get an adult with sound judgment involved, do not get into trouble and don't be disrespectful. Some pranks create great laughs all around others well. April Fool's day is legally allowed to play jokes and pranks on your friends, family and co-workers and have a built-in excuse.

One can find the list of good pranks on the internet.

It made me think of the 5 things that define the art of the funny prank.

1) Mellow lead up.

The best pranks have a very mellow beginning. A quiet dinner. A stroll through the park, etc. It's a must to start slow.

2) Something completely out of place.

A prank can't even survive unless something unexpected happens. A nice guy gets into a fight. A gorilla gets loose in a butterfly sanctuary. You know, it needs to be completely out of left field.

3) The victim must be an empathetic person.

A funny prank is made 20 times funnier when you see the shock and awe on the victims face. In order to be shocked by a prank you must choose someone who will truly be filled with empathy when he sees the world crumbling in front of him.

4) Confusion and Chaos

Funny pranks make great use of chaos. This is the best way to make sure the victim will not catch on that it's a prank. When there is too much information coming at them, they have little time to process the fact that they are being punked. So keep it crazy at the height of the prank

5) An easy escape

The best pranks you will see have an easy and fast escape button. Don't let the prank get out of hand and make sure all the 'players' know the ending signal. After all you want to get to the best part... that's when you look at your friend with a big grin and he realizes what has happened.

If you follow these five simple steps you too can perpetuate a funny prank.

Good luck!

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7 Ways Funny Poetry Can Transform Our Lives

Funny poetry is like a magic wand that can transform our lives in seven ways:

1. Kids love hilarious poetry. They enjoy laughing and giggling at funny poetry. If the poems in a book tickle their funny bones, they want to read more and more of that author, and then other humorous authors. After awhile, they will not only read to laugh, but they will read to succeed in school and life. Ah, the power of funny poetry!


2. The late Shel Silverstein has sold millions and millions of books. You can find his poetry books in libraries, schools, homes, and in all kinds of bookstores, including airport bookstores. When local authors are starving for shelf space, what makes his hardcover only poetry books so popular? Yes, he has unusual black-and-white sketches, but the real secret of his success is that Shel was a kid advocate. He wanted to empower kids more, and adults less, and kids knew it. When kids feel no one understands them, they can turn the pages of Shel's books and find a friend. That's the power of funny poetry.


3. Knock-your-socks-off poetry, as I sometimes call it, creates a special bond between reader and poet. I know a popular elementary teacher who credits his good rapport with students from the first day of school on because he read funny poetry to his class whenever there was a schedule break or change. His students begged him to read all of Shel's poetry books, and other funny poets like Jack Prelutsky, Judith Viorst, Kalli Dakos, Ralph Fletcher, Bruce Lansky, and Sara Holbrook. The kids wanted to hear poems from these authors because their poetry encouraged them to laugh and see another side to life.


4. If a poet earns the umbrella hat of a "funny poet," the poet can also sprinkle in some rather serious verses in his garden of poetry. Shel was the master of this. For example, in Falling Up, the poem "The Voice" Shel ends the poem with: "What's right for you-just listen to/The voice that speaks inside." Funny poetry can lead to serious or mysterious poetry, thus expanding the reader's poetry horizon.


5. Crack you up poetry is like a good entertaining movie. It can help us escape our immediate world and become part of the poet's imaginary world. There are times in the lives of kids and adults when escaping reality for awhile is a good coping technique. Funny poetry can afford a little needed escapism.


6. All kinds of whimsicle poetry can be memorized and shared whenever life's situation seems to call for some levity. The nature of poetry itself teaches kids about rhythm, rhyme, cadence, alliteration, and the power of repetition. All of these characteristics of poetry make it easier for kids to memorize poetry than prose. Because of this, Mother Goose has survived and thrived from generation to generation.

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Funny True Stories to Share at Your Next Party

Parties are great times to tell funny true stories obviously because these add fun, laughter and enjoyment to the occasion.

Surprise Christmas Present

Let's start off with one of the funny Christmas stories where the theme is gift-giving gone wrong. Two men, John and Jake, were luckily able to purchase two season tickets to their favourite team's games. In the stadium, they noticed that the seat next to them was empty so they decided to ask the ticket office if they can buy the spare seat for their friend. The ticket staff, however, told them that the seat was taken.

Week after week, the spare seat was empty. Then, on the day after Christmas, a man came to take the seat. They cannot resist asking where he was all season.

The man replied, "My wife bought the season tickets last summer but kept it as my surprise gift for Christmas and so here I am!"

Obscure Laws in Effect

Even in the Information Age, medieval laws can still be in effect, which is yet another subject of funny true stories. During examination day at Cambridge University, an intelligent if smartass student asked the proctor for cakes and ale with the assertion that this was written in the 400-year old Laws of Cambridge. At this point, efforts were made to provide the student with soft drinks and hamburger, which were deemed the equivalent of cakes and ale.

Well, of course, university officials will not take it sitting down and so they referred to the Laws of Cambridge, which were written in Latin and still effective albeit in a nominal manner. The result: The student was fined for not wearing a sword during examination.

Hit the Floor

This is one of the funny true stories regarding a well-known Hollywood celebrity. A well-dressed white lady went to Los Angeles during the height of racially-charged riots. She decided to risk riding the high-class hotel's elevator with three black men one of whom said, "Hit the floor, lady!" Out of sheer terror, she immediately dropped to the floor on her stomach.

But the black men laughed so hysterically that she looked up and saw it was Eddie Murphy with two of his business partners. Murphy only wanted her to push the button on the floor she was going to.

Now, that's one of the many funny true stories that we can relate to. Now, that's one of the many funny true stories that we can relate to.

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Top 10 Stand-Up Comedians

Being a comedian is not easy. Most successful comedians do their own scripts and perform their material on stage, most of the time not knowing if the audience will actually laugh at the lines poked. Then again, we have people who have earned a good name in this industry. These talented comedians should be part of comedy's "best lists".

1. Bill Hicks. As a satirist, he could be mean and appeared as though he was attacking his audience. His main issues included senseless consumerism. The idealistic stand-up comic wanted people to escape the modern world that revolves around commerce. He wanted people to live in a society where they share love and compassion.

2. Richard Pryor. His main issues were personal demons and race relations, but he could talk about anything. His unrestrained speech had endangered his life. Worse, he had been through personal issues, including cocaine use and tax evasion. He used his personal troubles as inspiration in his comedy material.

3. George Carlin. Carlin has a different way of making people laugh. Often, his material included seemingly doomsday prophecies. He usually talked about how mundane mistakes can end up destroying the modern civilization. He applied his pessimism in his jokes. He implied that death was a reality, that wars were killing people pointlessly, and that religion was affecting society negatively.

4. Eddie Murphy. Only few people remember Eddie Murphy as a funny stand-up comic. He was a skilled impersonator and included various impressions in his on-stage performances. But he moved into the movie scene. He remains a popular comedy actor, though his old audience probably misses his stand-up comic days.

5. Lenny Bruce. Audiences say that he took comedy to a different level. He didn't only tackle controversial topics but was also controversial himself. In his heyday, America could not assimilate his material yet. But he did not care whether his brand of comedy would put him behind bars.

6. Steve Martin. This stand-up comedian was known for his silly lines delivered at the perfect time. The versatile comic could just stand onstage and crack funny lines or he could sing. His classic stand-up comedy involved a finale joke for the final big laugh.

7. Robin Williams. Back in his prime, Robin Williams had so much energy onstage. He was someone whose thoughts would just spew out of his head spontaneously. The spontaneity and frenzy combine to make him one of the most notable stand-up comics who ever stepped into the stage. His talent was viewed of by many as insane. Like many stand-up comedians, he later left the stage to become a movie actor.

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Funny Comic Strips - Important Tips

You need to understand fundamentals of funny comic strips, which are created sincerely without any kind of favoritism or narrow prejudices. The main aim should be the presentation of humor for the sake of humor only. It has to be interesting and exciting to catch the attention of readers and they should feel comfortable and pleased with the final effect of the creation. Successful personalities practice the art of creating amusing comic strips to bring humor in life. There are various features in the technique and it takes reasonable time to complete the strip with attributes of humor. Intellect plays a vital role in the creation with the element of timing sense and the capability of presenting matching words, which complement the sketch to produce the desired feeling of humor in readers. The theme is immaterial and an artist of the high caliber can produce humor from almost on any subject because of the nature of vision. It is important how do you look at an incident or at a subject and bring out humor from it. The special vision involves the ability to look at a subject in an incredible way.

If you are interested in creating funny comic strips, you need to use the special vision and create sketches of the incident in the notebook. You should perceive the funny element in the drawing or so to say the lighter side of the subject. Getting tensed with the job would unnecessarily mess up the whole effort and hence, you should maintain a lighter mood when you create sketches of comic art. Maintain the humorous outlook and carry on with the job of creating comic art is the ideal situation, which you should aspire for. Practice involving humorous side of everything or present suitable jokes to strengthen the comic work is some of the major features of the creation.

Have a constant eye on fresh materials on the subject in related books and magazines for constant improvement in the work. Check the internet for valued information on funny comic strips creation. You must be a good learner of the development process of characterization and the selection of the subject. You should be able to display clear image and distinctive style in your work to be recognized as a potential artist in this field. Specializing is a particular subject requires experience and a vast knowledge on the matter, which ultimately brings reputation in the job. Nurture your vision in the world of humor with exciting comic work and gain popularity in readers.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/7155090

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Funny True Stories to Share at Your Next Party

Parties are great times to tell funny true stories obviously because these add fun, laughter and enjoyment to the occasion.

Surprise Christmas Present

Let's start off with one of the funny Christmas stories where the theme is gift-giving gone wrong. Two men, John and Jake, were luckily able to purchase two season tickets to their favourite team's games. In the stadium, they noticed that the seat next to them was empty so they decided to ask the ticket office if they can buy the spare seat for their friend. The ticket staff, however, told them that the seat was taken.

Week after week, the spare seat was empty. Then, on the day after Christmas, a man came to take the seat. They cannot resist asking where he was all season.

The man replied, "My wife bought the season tickets last summer but kept it as my surprise gift for Christmas and so here I am!"

Obscure Laws in Effect

Even in the Information Age, medieval laws can still be in effect, which is yet another subject of funny true stories. During examination day at Cambridge University, an intelligent if smartass student asked the proctor for cakes and ale with the assertion that this was written in the 400-year old Laws of Cambridge. At this point, efforts were made to provide the student with soft drinks and hamburger, which were deemed the equivalent of cakes and ale.

Well, of course, university officials will not take it sitting down and so they referred to the Laws of Cambridge, which were written in Latin and still effective albeit in a nominal manner. The result: The student was fined for not wearing a sword during examination.

Hit the Floor

This is one of the funny true stories regarding a well-known Hollywood celebrity. A well-dressed white lady went to Los Angeles during the height of racially-charged riots. She decided to risk riding the high-class hotel's elevator with three black men one of whom said, "Hit the floor, lady!" Out of sheer terror, she immediately dropped to the floor on her stomach.

But the black men laughed so hysterically that she looked up and saw it was Eddie Murphy with two of his business partners. Murphy only wanted her to push the button on the floor she was going to.

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