What The Bleep Is Foolish Times?

Foolish Times is a free monthly tabloid publishing the best humor we can find (some months we search harder than others). The opinions or ideas expressed by contributors are not necessarily those of Foolish Times, its owner, advertisers, or associates, or their extended families, or their friends or neighbors, or their associated pen pals, up to and including cockatiels. All articles, graphics, photographs, and what-not (especially the what-not) are copyrighted by the so-called “writers” and “artists” who contribute them. Foolish Times uses invented names in all its stories, except in cases where public figures are being satirized. Any other use of real names is accidental and coincidental.

The Chucklehead Speaks

Seventeen years ago, Mike Miele stood in the middle of Alvarado Street and made a proclamation that our county needed a spark so he launched Foolish Times. He was on a crusade to make people smile and giggle out loud. At that time, the only thing Monterey County represented to me was a commute to my job that gave me a paycheck to pay my mortgage. I loved where I lived and fit in with the culture of that community.

Then life happened. Like other residents of Santa Cruz County, my house ended up at the bottom of a hill because of a landslide. My insurance agent wasn’t very reassuring when he told me it’s an act of God and not insurable. I asked him what If I don’t believe in God. He knew I went to Catholic School and was bewildered by my question. My answer was it gave me more reason not to believe in God!

Instead of living in my car while making endless calls to my lender and government agencies, I made the logical move to Monterey County. The endless calls continued but I had a roof over my head. Thank you FEMA for changing your rules after Katrina and the offices of John Laird and Sam Farr for having our backs saying there is nothing they could do.

They say what doesn’t kill you, makes you stronger. I don’t want to be stronger and I certainly don’t want to be pissed off. All I wanted was a chance to continue my life the way it was. The reality from this is that I learned to appreciate what I have and to forgive myself for feeling selfish. My sense of humor was a key defense mechanism to get me through the shock and the realities to come.

With the continuation of Shelter in Place, we can’t do our lives ‘the way it was’. Get used to it because when we come out of this, and we will, our lives will all look different. One thing we can all do to help each other is to continue to follow the rules to stop the opportunity to spread this terrible virus.

I honor Mike for what he was thinking seventeen years ago. Maybe he knew this day would come. It’s time to turn inward and dust off your sense of humor. Make it a point to call someone each day and ask how they’re doing. Read them a joke out of this publication. Life taught me that laugher is the best medicine.

Stevie P. // publisher@foolishtimes.net

List of Fools Chucklehead // Stevie P. Editor at Large // Javlis Art Fool // Mama Morgan Social Media Fool // Jordo Web Fool // Zachy Sales Fool // Michael

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