Joy and Humor: Find it where you will

“…there's true courage in this kind of unfiltered joy.”

— Brene Brown referring to Candace Payne/Happy Chewbacca Mom

I appreciate Brené Brown point: I'd add healthy stubbornness.

Because we humans are so connected, just exposing one's self to someone else laughing and being joyful feels so good. It’s life affirming. Ergo there’s no mystery as to why this humble video clip has become so popular.

And because we are so connected, the flip side is true too. Being exposed to certain brands of fear/unkindness is really hard on a person and their connection to whomever is expressing it.

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Joy and humor can be found in unexpected places. Being fine with having felt it and expressed it takes some courage and stubbornness.

To this day I'm very impressed by a specific scene in the The Interrupters--a movie about interrupting violence before it happens in Chicago--and sometimes I crack up a little even after seeing it for the upteenth time. The first time I saw it was during a presentation by one of the film's creators to a bunch of young journalists. At the end of his clip's showing, I laughed loudly...alone. I've shared the clip with others and no one has yet shared my joy. The 3.5 minute scene starts with a guy-with-a-gun wanting to kill someone and ends with the guy-with-a-gun going to lunch with two Cease Fire guys. I've nicknamed this scene "The Power of Lunch". I find joy in the scene because it shows how important just feeding and listen to someone is.

Early in the Spotlight movie I cracked up watching it. Journalists and only some “civilians” can understand why the scene between new newsroom chief Marty Baron/Schrieber and investigative team chief Robby Robinson/Keaton at the restaurant is so funny. After the film screening I’d hosted, a colleague said aloud what I was thinking: Seems strange to laugh doing a movie about reporting on sexual abuse of children by clergy. Yes and no. I think that was part of the movie’s brilliance.

During the declining health of certain family elders, gallows humor was flying fast and furious. Much of it is now part of our family’s history. One legendary story: My grandfather/Lawrence announced to my grandmother/Mildred “Take me to Scott’s [funeral home]. I’m ready to go.” My grandmother replied, “Can’t do that. You’re not dead yet.”  Someone not knowing my grandparents might not find that humorous.

Mildred’s attitude about her advanced age and declining health was impressive to me. “Well, if you have to be in a nursing home, this one’s not too bad.” At times she’d ponder aloud “Why am I still here?” or “I don’t know why I’m still here”, which was not a reference to the nursing home. One of us would sometimes reply “Because only the good die young, Grandma.” Never the party pooper, at her 96th birthday gathering, Mildred acquiesced and muttered “Four More Years”, while rolling her eyes.

Humor happens. Lucky us.

I invite your thoughts and stories.

Always fashionable, confetti complements Mildred's dress.
[Photo by young Karen Kring, I think]

Ideas about spreading the word about community events

We've moved to http://livefromskokie.blogspot.com/p/blog-page.html.

Thank you, Bucky

TV Talk with Blanca Rios and Michael Wall April 27

To know me is to know I'm a connector, convener and sharer. I'm all about helping bridge the gap between people of different backgrounds in all sorts of ways, plus instigating as much fun as possible.

With that said, I’m hosting a gathering for friends and neighbors to meet my lovely TV news colleagues Blanca Rios and Michael Wall. They will share stories about working in TV and what it is like behind the scenes.

Blanca Rios (top) and Michael Wall.

You’re invited for stories, conversation and a nice time.

If you've been on-air or produced TV, come share your stories.
If you want to be on TV, bring all your questions. This will be a very friendly gathering where there will be no such thing as a dumb question.

When: Wednesday, April 27, 7-8 p.m.
Where: Evanston

RSVP: Contact me at MediaCuriousCHI@gmail.com. I'll give you the full address.
Seating is limited so RSVP ASAP.

Cost: We'll pass a hat to cover refreshments and other expenses. (Want to bring some goodies. Cool.)

Sponsors: None. Just me.

Blanca Rios works at ABC 7 Chicago as an Assignment Desk Editor/Field Producer/Writer. She's president of the National Association for Hispanic Journalists-Chicago chapter.

Michael Wall produces ABC 7’s special event coverage — the Auto Show, St. Patrick's Day parade, Bud Billiken Day parade — and steps in occasionally for Windy City Live producers. He was the first bloke to be on the board of the Association for Women Journalists-Chicago.

[Photo of Michael Wall: © Judy Fidkowski]

Daily Herald film critic Dann Gire and I host special screening of SPOTLIGHT February 22

My colleague Dann Gire is on the Chicago Headline Club board of directors.
I'm on the Chicago Headline Club Foundation board of directors.

Dann founded the Chicago Film Critics Association and leads it.
I founded a non-profit and have led a bunch of organizations and initiatives.

He cares about the health and welfare of journalism and journalists.
So do I.

He writes and critiques for the Daily Herald.
I worked at newspapers. Now I write and shoot pictures for clients. I critique occasionally.

He remembers us meeting in person a long time ago.
I don't, but take his word for it.

We like Egg Harbor.

Now we are friends and seeing what we can make happen for the sake of journalism.

To discuss distributing scholarships and fundraising, we met for lunch in late January and things picked up speed.

Quickly we planned the special February 22 screening and discussion of the Oscar-nominated film SPOTLIGHT to raise funds for scholarships and further the conversation with the public about journalism's role in our society.

You are invited, friends and neighbors.

We'll be meeting at the storied Lake Street Screening Room, known as Siskel and Ebert's screening room. It's intimate with only 55 seats.

After watching the acclaimed movie about the Boston Globe investigative team's work that shined a light on the sexual abuse of children by Catholic priests in the Archdiocese of Boston, Dann will lead a discussion which will include Fr. Jim Swarthout* and Sarah Karp.

Wise, funny and an expert on addiction and mental health, Jim is a former Catholic priest and currently an Episcopal priest.

Key in uncovering the fact that Chicago Public School's chief Barbara Byrd-Bennett accepted kickbacks in exchange for hiring a principal training firm, Sarah is an investigative reporter focused on education, children and families in Chicago.

We'll talk about how to wrap our heads around news of the violation of children by clergy, plus journalism's responsibility to pursue to truth and transparency, and anything else participants deem worthy.

I hope you can come. This is a great chance for "civilians" and journalists to meet and discuss what we can possibly make happen for the greater good.

Refreshments will be served.

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*Jimmy is my cousin. Our grandfathers grew up in Evanston. He and I are both Rotarians.