don't forget to put us (you and me) on the participants list, else we won't be able to post :)
love judy
xxx

I fancy this would be a great fun. It is the side that I am looking forward to improve in my poetry. Not that I haven't written anything with the sense of humour, but I always thought there are certain techniques or/ and language usage that should be used to best show this side. I would love to join you dear ladies though I will be in a vacation, during the first days, but I hate to see such a chance slip away from me.

So, I'd LOVE to be there. What do you say?

.

A great team you two make to host this WS. There would certainly be a lot to learn with you two as guides. I would certainly love to participate. When does the WS kick off?

Regards,

I had been considering the same thing. Perhaps great minds Do think alike lol. Count me in

it is a difficult concept.
I would join you if that is acceptable.
Good luck in all endeavors. Take care of yourself first.

Chrys has had to postpone this workshop - but it will hopefully commence on 28 Jan. i will let you all know as soon as possible if the date needs to be changed again
meanwhile we'll wish Chrys a speedy recovery from her surgery
xxx

Sorry... was following a request from Wesley....

I didn't know she was so tough either. Chrys, this means no change in date?
I'm here to help if I can (after all... I'm co director of the workshop program... I should do something).

.

Been told have no humor lol

Noted change in WS schedule.

Best wishes to be fit and fine,

May I join too? :)

I will postpone my giggle work till the middle of January
Meanwhile you take care and have a rest time, there is no hurry.
Yours Ian.T

I still pray for you, so that should help there. Get better.

I have been tangled in my own life circumstances. Ready for some humor.

Oh, wait, I'm getting ahead of myself.
Have fun Chrys. I'll be coming along.

Being as staid and humorless as I am
I guess sarcasm ain't worth a damn.
And the "gotcha" type of humor
to me is just a rumor.

Slapstick always make me sick
while being dry can make me cry.
To make folks laugh is quite a trick
and something which I seldom try.

I even think it is a sin
to say laughter is like ac medicine
for people say they'll die from laughter
on their way to the hereafter.

So don't expect to see from me
any humorous poetry

I am inclined to go towards sarcastic humor or dark humor. I love Jeff Dunham, he is a personal favorite. I also enjoy Jeff Foxworthy, Bill Engvall and a few others. As far as movies, one of my favorite comedies would be Robin Hood Men In Tights. I don't watch alot of comedies. I am drawn into Psycho-dramas, crime shows/movies, something I can analyze or pull apart mentally. Myself as a person, I have a very dry or sarcastic sense of humor. I can fall on the dark side of humor as well. It depends on the situation and who I am dealing with. My writing is very rarely humorous so I thought this might be a good way to try something new.

1- what type of humor do you lean toward
I have more of a laugh at satire or just slapstick

2- why do you think laughter is the best medicine
Laughter lets your troubles rest some place so that natural healing can heal the thought process..

3- who are some of your favorite comedians or movies
Fry, Connolly, Dave Allen, and several ladies that my memory cant recall at this moment, Oh and that very rude Australian who made tapes of his singing popular songs with a swearing twist.
There are so many out there that make me laugh.
Yours as always, Ian

....
Love the Monty Python movies, but hate the television shows

Although I relate more to English humour - love Blackadder (especially Baldrick and his 'cunning plans'), Keeping up Appearances, Outnumbered...I also like a few American, such as Fraser (I adore Niles) and Seinfeld (really enjoy the cynicism and hints at selfishness)

I HATE slapstick...

Pmsl at Bette Midler and Shelley Long....

Loved the interaction between Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy in The Heat....

Was never really that keen on Robin Williams, although loved the man himself

and of course I really relate to the laconic Australian subtleness.... (lol - and perhaps the not so subtle)

Love a well told dirty joke or a good one-liner...

I could go on... but I think that's enough for now eh?

so finally - laughter is the best medicine because it loosens up the seat of the soul in the same way that a good cry can do...

Love judy
xxx

I had written a poem called Fairytale Slayer, which was a very dark and twisted take on Fairytales and really shattered the hearts of those who truly believe. I will play nicely and try to write something with less dark humor and more laughs. Can Alice in Wonderland be used? I know it is not a "true fairytale" but it could be humerous.

My favorite humor is dry. What was the assignment? Is this thing on?

Little red Riding hood
She is as cross as ten snakes.
Some tool wielding dwarfs,
Came and dug up her Grans garden.
They gave a short story
They were looking for Diamonds.
She gave them an apple each.
They immediately slept,
Head to toe in her small bed.

She snuggled up in the big bed.
There falling to sleep.
Later she was awoken.
Standing there were three bear (Not Bare) dudes,
Complaining that she was in the wrong fairy story.
To hell with this she said.
She set her big false toothed Gran on them,
The three bears ran and sheltered in a small house.
The damn thing was made of straw.
Big toothed Gran blew it down,
So they ran to the next one made of sticks.
This didn't stop Gran she just blew it to pieces.
Off they went to the Great Big Billy Gruff’s house.
This one was made of bricks.

The big toothed Gran was about to blow it.
When, a sweet white rabbit ran past.
It had a watch in its hand
Kept muttering something about being late,
As Gran was hungry she gave chase,
Running through the town up stairs and down stairs.
All this in her night gown.
I transgress I is in the wrong tale.
I is just a liddle lost Sheeps
Where are you Bo!

Yours Ian xx

My submission is in. It is called Fairy Tale Mish Mash. I used Alice in Wonderland, Little Bo Peep and Red Riding Hood with a guest appearance by the Three Little Pigs and mention of Goldilocks. It was fun to write but in my typical, dark/sarcastic fashion. I found it to be funny but I am not sure if the masses will agree.

Were made to my entry. I am running on very little sleep but I think I am on the right track.

According to most my humor isn't funny but cruel. I guess my humor is too serious. What you think Chrys?

I thought I was funny
i guess my humor wasn't
When I said I didn't have a ride
And had to walk thirty miles

We gathered together for our meeting
To enjoy a spiritual feeding

She thought i was serious
Oh my she was furious
We shoulda call for a ride
And not hold to that pride.

The shock on her face was priceless
I told her I was just kidding
She walked away seething
I guess my humor is worthless.

I was not aware that participants in this workshop would need to write humorous poetry with a Fairy Tale Theme, else I would not have participated. Apologies for late withdrawal.Honestly I am absolutely poor in Fairy Tales leave alone knowing about fairy tale characters.

I will keep reading the submissions which would be a learning experience. Never too late to learn.

Regards,

I edited my poem and re submitted it to the stream under your workshop and there is only one comment on it.
I have read each poem submitted and left a comment as they come in so is there a problem??
Talk about Rid Riding Hood being cross as ten snakes, lol
Yours Ian.T

http://www.fairytales.biz/list.html
This site is a great place to learn of the stories and rhymes for this workshop..
Yours Ian.T

Time has been pressing for me, but I'll get there yet.

and I am very sorry for not being active the last few weeks. I travelled few days to Jordan (where my parents live) and visited some relatives. I was only on my cellphone so it was very difficult to participate actively.
Let me say that I have gone through most of the discussion. BUT to be quite honest I wasn't fully satisfied. Well, may be it isn't the leader's fault, I think, but mine.

I believe when it comes to humor, it has to do a lot with the cultural background.
I might not be the best one to tell jokes but I do understand jokes and tell them and laugh when I am told a good one.
Now, it is not the same when it comes to English, especially those using slang.
As for the first assignment, I am struggling to do the first assignment. I see I am the only one to see this difficult though I am well aware of almost all the fairy tales' characters.
If I can't come up with something within the few coming days, I will still make sure to follow with the comments and the discussion on this thread.
Thanks for bearing with me.

We knew you were going to be joining us late - you had told us so...
Don't worry about trying to do the first exercise if it's inconvenient time-wise.... Chrys has asked that we start the next exercise today....
love judy
xxx

of the fairy tales' muddled characters. I have just submitted my share and would very much appreciate everyone's thoughts.

Chrys has asked me to get us started today on the second exercise for this shop

She wants us to pair up and collaborate on a write about a fictional person....

I think we maybe need to see who is continuing here...
could you all possibly just leave a quick note as to whether you are still in or not, then we'll be able to form partnerships for the second round

thanks
Love judy
xxx

I am in not out dear Judy :) LoL

I am in not out dear Judy :) LoL

I am in till the end, await your command oh leader out there in Jabberwocky land lol.
Take care you'll be fine, Yours Ian.xx

You two early birds can pair up ...
The task is to write together a humorous poem about a fictional character

I would presume that you can do this in any way that you find easiest
either write a half a poem each, agreeing on who writes the beginning and who writes the ending ... or you can alternate each stanza.... you can do it blind, agreeing only on a theme and character.... or you can collaborate fully....

i presume the easiest way would be to communicate through pm.... or i believe that you can open a work place that you can both use - jess would be able to tell you how (i haven't ever used that particular tool)

Good luck xxxx

We can apparently use two fictional characters if we wish
...-- but not fairy tale or comic book characters
xxxo

I don't want to be misunderstood, or interfere in something you have previously planned, but won't it be better if each works alone as collaborative work is really of time consuming especially that we have different time zones. I remember it didn't work in many other shops before.
What do you think?

I am finding this workshop fascinating and enjoyable whilst seriously pre-occupied with offline Life stuff and lots of Neopoet stuff.
As a workshop leader I do not like it when people ask to participate on a casual, only when available basis, yet I am asking anyway. Do you mind?

The more the merrier I'm sure
Have you time atm to work with barbara on the second exercise?
xxx

... that there is little talk of "irony".

I quote from that bastion of information integrity Wikipedia:

Irony (from Ancient Greek εἰρωνεία (eirōneía), meaning "dissimulation, feigned ignorance"[1]), in its broadest sense, is a rhetorical device, literary technique, or event characterized by an incongruity, or contrast, between what the expectations of a situation are and what is really the case, with a third element, that defines that what is really the case is ironic because of the situation that led to it.

Irony is one of humor's best tools.

but I wanted everyone to get the joke, so I used a sledge hammer.

Are we supposed to make up two fictional characters or use two fictional characters from literature?

Same question as jess

Got it

We create our own? This should be fun

And sorry Raj -- i would've enjoyed working with any of you... but for the next few days I'll be caught up with work, and will have little time for composition, and i would hate to let anyone down by not being reliable...

i will still be checking in, and will have time for reviewing. And I'll definitely be around for the last exercise, whatever Chrys is going to throw at us lol

Love judy
xxx

Rula?
- has ian dropped out? - somehow I'm doubting it, ian, you seemed quite into it....
So can you all please get back to this and clarify.

If a partner is needed, I'll certainly participate, if anyone is willing to put up with my not being as available as I would like to be for them

Love judy
xxx

We can all tend to get a bit "precious" about our serious poems so it would be great if someone suggested one of my serious poems to re-write in a humorous vein.

But it nearly killed me to do it
I now can't quite view the serious one in the same way
:(
I guess we'll all just have to bite the bullet for the good of learning....
Love judy
xxx

You are driving us crazy with the speed with which you want us to submit collaborative writes and before we even get started with it you are already giving the next exercise. Women..women..women...so used to be driving men crazy...they almost always want things done yesterday...lol...

regards,

Mary had a little sheep
with the sheep she went to sleep
the sheep turned out to be a lamb
Mary had a little lamb.............

now off to post exercise 3 lol

Just found the last exercise for the workshop, I shall see if I can make Digit smile on the cutting room floor, lol, Yours Ian..

Me Jess and raj are just beginning to get the theme together. Is that exercise 2? Turning a serious poem to humor is that exercise three? I'm bout to start serious to humor poem now. Am I'm on task now?

I've posted my latest poem for the workshop - changing a serious poem into a funny ( I hope ) one!

I hope I'm getting this right! I'm finding it difficult to keep up!

Love to you

Mand xxxx

.

Take your time - i think Chrys thinks we're all as good writers as she is and able to whip something up overnight lol...

There are not many other shops atm - we surely can go overtime...
judy

Little Bo Peep lost her sheep
The farmer found him sleeping
Under a weeping willow

Dramatic entrance. Lol

I have a question - Stan and I are working on our joint effort via message. I've noticed that half the poem has gone! does it keep a history? if so can it be accessed? I'm probably panicking for no reason - I would ask Stan but he'll be asleep until this afternoon. :) Sadly I haven't kept the poem on my word processor ( Silly me )

I await a response!

Is it just that the messages have become numerous?
If so, you just need to go to the top of the page and load previous messages
Hope this helps
xxx

Jess and Barbara and me haven't got even started with Exercise 2...so I am bowing out making it easier for them to collaborate..

Sorry Chrys and Judyanne...

I don't know what's up. Im waiting on Jess to respond as I've added my part after your idea. I wonder why things slack off.

I'm withdrawing from the ws since I have no partner

I would be more than happy to partner you
Would you like to send what you've done? Or has it gone on for too long now and you've had enough?
Your call :)
love judy
xxx

I hope Jess is alright! :)

Sorry to know that Jess is unwell and hospitalized. Wishing him the very best to get well soon.

Regards,

the very best. Hopes for a speedy recovery.

For shedding some light on humour in Poetry. It was so good to make us giving it a shoot and get out of the comfort zone sometimes.
Your efforts and time are always appreciated.

my illness couldn't have come at a worse time. Paul, Maggie and I have a big list of things we want to achieve to make Neopoet better for everyone, find new members, invigorate the site and only one term to get it done in, unless we get re-elected, hint hint.
love you all,

Nice to see you back well. You have my vote...always.

sorry to let you and Barbara down,
when the gut speaks it drowns out all else.
I will participate more fully next time I join a workshop.