Knock knock! Who’s there? Moo. Moo who? No must cry – it’s solely a joke.
OK, nice, that wants work. However you understand what can’t be improved upon, what’s slimy-sweet perfection? Moo Deng: the pygmy hippopotamus who has amassed a world fanbase together with her squishy face and sassy antics. Little Moo, who lives on the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand, has dramatic facial expressions which are immediately meme-able. She has a pleasant, if ever so barely manic, grin. She bites individuals in a surprisingly endearing method. Even her title, which interprets to “bouncy pork”, is in a league of its personal. Briefly: she’s a chubby ray of sunshine in what are in any other case very darkish occasions. You possibly can watch her livestream anytime you want a moo-d booster.
After all, whereas Moo-mania is widespread now, issues might change. The primary rule of the web is that, finally, everybody and every part that you just love can be deemed problematic. Keep in mind Grumpy Cat, AKA Tardar Sauce? All of us thought that frowny face was lovable till a slew of headlines defined that, truly, she had a congenital defect and also you had been a horrible human for locating her humorous.
Anyway, the purpose of this column was to not talk about a lifeless cat’s medical issues. It was to attempt to present an antidote to the overall awfulness on the earth. It has been a horrible 12 months. Apart from occasional hippopotamus content material, wanting on the information has been constantly horrifying: bloodbath after bloodbath after bloodbath. Actually, I’ve discovered it very exhausting to manage. I’ve tried all the same old unhealthy coping mechanisms (consuming an excessive amount of, sleeping an excessive amount of, consuming crisps for breakfast) and so they clearly don’t assist. Nevertheless, in all my makes an attempt to self-medicate I’ve discovered just a few wholesome – and authorized – mood-boosters, which I’ll share under.
1. Knock-knock jokes. I’ve been making an attempt to show my toddler knock-knock jokes, however she hasn’t fairly received the idea but. Each time I say “knock knock” she says “poopy” and begins laughing maniacally. Issues devolve from there. Regardless of this, I’ve gained a brand new appreciation for the traditional joke format. There are most likely two knock-knock jokes on the earth which are genuinely humorous however there’s one thing pure and fantastic about how foolish they’re. They make you’re feeling like a child once more.
2. Toddler banter. My baby might not have gotten the dangle of cracking a joke but, however she certain has mastered the artwork of the unsettling insult. Just lately she held my face together with her grubby little arms and stated: “Mama, you appear to be a hen or a boy.” One other time she checked out my stomach button ring (sure, I nonetheless have one – don’t choose) and sweetly stated: “Did you get that at Aldi?” Ouch. Anyway, should you don’t have a toddler of your individual to roast you, then I recommend you briefly borrow one. Joyful to lend mine out at any time.
3. Happening on-line rabbit holes. Do you know that in 1936 a Colonel Frank Knox was chosen because the working mate for Alf Landon, the Republican presidential candidate? This sparked a mania for knock-knock jokes in Pennsylvania, which was then adopted by a backlash – in response to NPR, “Individuals who liked knock-knock jokes had been stated to have social issues.” The world is stuffed with strange details. And because of the web you’ll be able to waste hours studying about probably the most obscure points everytime you like.
4. Solidarity with strangers. I used to be strolling down the street feeling extraordinarily glum about Gaza just lately when a lady who was sitting in her automotive beckoned me over. I assumed she was going to ask me instructions – which might not have been a great resolution on her half. As a substitute, she requested me about my watermelon T-shirt. (Watermelons are an emblem for Palestine.) It turned out that she, like my dad, was a Palestinian refugee whose household had been initially from Haifa. She leaned out of her automotive and hugged me. By no means underestimate how a small act of kindness can remodel somebody’s day.
5. Hitting a ball extraordinarily exhausting. I’ve by no means been an enormous fan of actions the place balls fly at my nostril. Just lately, nevertheless, I took up squash and pickleball and am obsessive about each. Hitting balls as exhausting as potential is extraordinarily satisfying. Nearly as satisfying as a foolish joke. Talking of which: Knock knock! Who’s there? Moo. Moo who? Moo-ve alongside now: this column is over.
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Arwa Mahdawi is a Guardian columnist
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