LOL - yes, I'm laughing out loud

I enjoy a good laugh.

That's why my daily routine takes me to the comics section of the local newspaper.  In fact, my day isn't complete if I don't find out what Dagwood & Blondie are discussing, and I'm always curious to find out if Garfield will kick Odie off the table.

Yes, I'm almost 30-years old and I enjoy reading the comics.  I confess.

Now, now - don't think I'm completely immature.  I read the rest of the paper from front to back.  I read the top headlines, the news from the capitol, the crime reports, the stock market updates and I wrap it all up with sports.  Sure, I could read it online, but there's something nostalgic about picking up the paper at my front door each morning and reading during different parts of the day.

I'm blogging about this for a reason. 

I finished my assignment early tonight.  By 7pm my script was in the hands of my photographer, so I quickly scanned through the newspaper at my desk (which is positioned right in the middle of the newsroom - so everybody who walks by gets a look-look at what I'm doing).   FINALLY - I get to the good part.  It's like dessert at dinner - I save the best for last.  I get to the comics.

So, I lean back in my chair, kick my feet up on the trash can and proceed with reading the daily dose of Charlie Brown I have waited for.

"I see you're working hard, Surette."

"Tough assignment, huh?"

"Nice to see you're breaking big news over there."

It never fails.  My colleagues ridicule me for taking 10 minutes out of my day to relax and please my funny bone.

What's so wrong with that?  I'd hope that more adults read the comics.  Hmm.. I wonder what they'd say if they knew I go home and watch "South Park" and "Family Guy".   Of course, that's after I scan the other local newscasts and CNN.

My love for cartoons can be blamed on my father.  Growing up, I can remember my father sitting with me and my sister and not only did he watch Bugs Bunny, Ren & Stimpy and other animated shows with us- but he laughed.  And not the fake laugh - but the laugh out loud at the stupid jokes and occasional adult humor that I finally figured out in my later teen years.

My love for news came from my grandfather who forced us to sit there each day and watch CNN and the evening news on CBS. (Those were the Dan Rather days)

My love for comedy came from my father who must have rebelled against my grandfather by going the very opposite direction of serious television programs.

Fast forward to 2008 and my father still calls me up to say "hey, did you check out the Mutts strip today?" 

The comics.

They put a smile on my face, and as I take a quick look around the newsroom - as the rest of my team works feverishly to beat the deadlines and examine today's bad news that we are getting ready to share with the rest of the world at 10 o'clock - I can only hope that they will take just a few minutes to find out what chaos the kids at Baby Blues are creating tonight.

Rusty Surette

Rusty.surette@news9.net