Do you ever mess with people for light hearted fun?

My boss at work i play around with her and me so silly of a woman and we get along great'

Sometimes.

This just epitomized me.
I am a jerk, a funny jerk. Well, people find me funny. I like giving people waaay too much paper towel...

Yes. But they don't know who is doing it.

if I'm in the right mood, I can be quite annoying.

Yes, but only to certain people. Mainly close friends & family members. Of course, it's important for them to have a sense of humor too.

All the time. I pick on the people I care about and they pick on me. It's all in fun.

All the time.

I think I did when I was a teen at times, trying to come off cool but not as an adult.

I do this all the time, even to people with no sense of humor.

Occasionally, but only with friends.

With only a very select group of people, yes.

I don't find that kind of behaviour mean at all. It has a time and place and some people don't appreciate it but to that I say, fudge them.

Very rarely. Only with certain sorts of friends.

I do though often speak in absurdities and sometimes in ironic sarcasm, especially with my kids. It keeps people's minds open and alert.

Excellent run of surveys you've got here.

yep

Danny's school counselor was glad that I pick at Danny at home (we all pick at each other) because it helps him to learn teasing from people really being cruel. He needed to learn to take a joke. A lot of Asperger's kids cant tell the difference. He's much better than he used to be about picking. Even when kids really are being mean, he tries to take it as a joke and not react too much.

> if I'm in the right mood, I can be quite annoying.

So, you're in the right mood all of the time?

you always put me in the mood, babe!

Whoo-hoo!! I've still got it...!!!



On a serious tone...I have something that I'd like to send you. Good thing I wasn't drinking anything at the time, for I'm certain it would have come right out through my nose...but the second I saw it, I thought of you and thought how you must see it!
So, if curiosity is eating at you...please send me your addy.

Thanks.

I made a plan to not talk to my friend one word all day at school but I kept forgetting.

There is no such thing as 'nice mean'.

What would you call it, then? Innocent mischief? A good natured brat?

It's what we do around here all the time.

Sometimes I like to make slurpping noises while someone is eating or drinking, or wet my fingers, then flick water on someone while faking a sneeze. I like to mess with the nervous flyers, things like that.

I would never call it "mess with" since I'm 62 and a bit more sedate. My "mess with" is more funny word-play than physical joking around.

No, I mess with them to fudge with their heads.

Like I said... light hearted fun.

I used to really irritate my wife, making tire screeching noises when she made turns.

Just 'mischief' or 'naughty'... 'roguery' is a pretty good word. IMO, there's no such thing as 'innocent' mischief either. I have nothing against 'ribbing' or 'mischief', as long as it doesn't hurt someone's feelings or damage property.

PAT!! Where have you been? How are things?

Same here. I just prefer to distinguish it from harmful mischief. Maybe I'd call it playful mischief. And why can't it be innocent? If it's harmless, it's "innocent" in my book.

When I was a kid, I used to make tire screech noises every time I saw large rubber tracks in the road. I wonder if it drove the adults nuts.

Because 'mischief' by definition is neither innocent nor harmless. From Dictionary.com: 'A tendency or disposition to tease, vex, or annoy. An injury or evil caused by a person or other agent or cause'. Some of the examples you give, such as saying things to get a reaction, could cause physical harm to the target person in the form of raised blood pressure, mental stress. Not only that, but pushing someone's buttons is a good way to get yourself beaten to a pulp. There is a difference between some gentle ribbing -especially if it's about something the receiver brought up- and saying something to get a rise out of someone.

Well, I am talking about gentle ribbing, and doing harmless things, not to get a negative reaction or to tick anyone off, but just to mess with them and see what they do. Light hearted 'vexing' and 'teasing' in ways that don't raise the blood pressure of reasonable, rational, sane people. That is innocent, harmless, good natured fun.

I agree only to a certain extent... something like that can quite easily get out of control.

Yeah, if the recipient isn't as sane as you thought they were.

Probably.

I made the mistake in 9th grade of demonstrating to my fellow students that our geometry teacher couldn't possibly react insanely when hearing any references to ducks. Fortunately they finally got rid of him when he showed up on Martin Luther King day with a handgun to protest the holiday.

> I agree only to a certain extent... something like that can quite
> easily get out of control.

Are you refering to your trip to the parts store to get "blinker fluid"? Now come on cabbie ya gotta laugh about it

How's this one. When you are a passenger in a car and the driver is backing out of a parking space, when they aren't looking your way, make a fist and slam it into your door, scares the crap out of them every time!

I'll have to remember that one if a situation to use it ever arises.

'Blinker fluid'? I have to hear this tale.

That wasn't me... I know better. If you ever watched 'Walker Texas Ranger' there is an episode where Walker and CD send Trevett out on a snipe hunt. The whole show he's telling them he can't find them. Funny as hell.

I think there is a blonde joke in Forum about that, but it sure wasn't me. I think Labbie has me mixed up with someone else.

Yes, sometimes a little light hearted ribbing is fun among good friends.

Yes. Well, looking back on it, I find it funny, but at the time, I didn't. I felt like a total idiot.

The left blinker in my car wasn't working. I told my then-boyfriend about it and asked him if he could fix it. He told me all I needed was some blinker fluid and that I should go to Auto Zone and get some. So, I go to Auto Zone and tell this guy working there that I need some blinker fluid. He looks at me funny and tells me there is no such thing. I argue with him, telling him my boyfriend sent me to get blinker fluid. He tells me he is sure that I don't need any. I tell him that I think I do and ask him if he'll come check it for me. He finally agrees. We go out to my car and he tells me to pop the hood. He looks at something and tells me that my blinker fluid is full. When I get home I tell my then-boyfriend what happened and he busted out laughing and told me there was really no such thing as blinker fluid. Ended up the bulb had blown. Anyhow, I felt like an idiot for the longest. But, now, I can look back on it and laugh at how naive I was.

Then, there was the time I needed new muffler bearings but that is a story for another day!

Ok, it was Amanda. I don't know why I thought it was you Cabbie.

Read my comment to cloudy, it was Amanda who told that story.

Yes I do, often times it is ill timing and it isn't appropriiate. I do try to temper myself. Sometimes the timing just sucks for that.

> Read my comment to cloudy, it was Amanda who told
> that story.
>
>
>

Er, cloudy just got here...are you sure it was Amanda, and are you sure you were talking to Krystal Rose? And do you know who is talkking to you now, and have you the time?

Yes.

I am sure age is a factor here; younger people have more flexibility to “mess around!” than us older folks. Personally I “fool around” with my close friends, but when it comes to daily encounters with regular people, not at all! What might be considered “light hearted fun” could be considered rude or inconsiderate behavior. Some people may not be as well adjusted as you and misinterpret you play as a personal attack on them and be offended. I always try to make people around me a comfortable as I can, when people feel relaxed everybody is happy. Messing with people even friends is a game, and people don’t want to play games.

Yes and often

Is this because so many people lose their zest for life and their spirit of youthful silliness when they get older?

“Is this because so many people lose their zest for life and their spirit of youthful silliness when they get older?”


That was brutal Linda!

Yes I am older, but I still have a great zest for life and a spirit of youthfulness. I was only tiring to give my perspective that is, as you get older time is a factor. Time wasted on frivolous personality interactions can distract from real personal development. Especially when interacting within mature social situations. Now I realize that what was referred to be more of a playful kind of teasing. I did mention that within my “close” friends I like to fool around!

I read what I wrote and I agree with it, but somehow it just doesn’t sound like me! I was more spontaneous at one time…

I think playfulness is a part of interacting in social situations. I'd rather get to know all aspects of a person's character, not just the serious side. It's good to be serious sometimes, but there should room for breaking out into spontaneous play, no matter how old you are.

All the time.