Blog Category

Dark humor [1] is harsh and horrendous humor that makes fun of taboo or serious subjects (e.g., jokes on otherwise traumatizing things/events such as dead babies, the holocaust, terminal illnesses, etc). As can be expected, these are often disputed topics within the broader gamut of humor. Some...

One of the things we will miss possibly the most this pandemic winter in the Northern Hemisphere is gezelligheid [ɣəˈzɛləxɛit] . No real English equivalent of gezelligheid exists; the closest word in the English vernacular - coziness - still doesn’t capture the same feeling of intimacy and belonging...

Do you want to get into shape but find it hard to carry out your good intentions? The Hulk can help you! After summer vacation, chances are you are trying to get back into shape. Your goals may include fitting into your pants again, training for a 5k in the winter, or improving your overall physical...

Imagine that your spouse has promised that they will wash the dishes cluttering your sink this evening; but, when they arrive home exhausted after a stressful day of back-to-back meetings and skipped meals, they try to pawn the responsibility back off on you. Would you soften your judgment of your...

Another busy ward round: a telephone rings; a nurse apologises to patients that the ward is too short-staffed to facilitate their leave this afternoon; a junior doctor furiously types up their notes whilst simultaneously explaining to a healthcare assistant how to check the observation charts; there...

The No Good Terrible Very Bad Day Imagine the last bad day you had. Maybe you were jolted out of a pleasant snooze by a complaining alarm. You’re late. You’re groggy and in your haste, you spill half your breakfast on a freshly cleaned shirt—and the other half now lies in a puddle on the floor. You...

During this pandemic winter, many of us will be away from the people we love most. The absence of the physical presence of loved ones deprives us of hugs, physical touch, and feelings of physical and psychological warmth that no amount of Skype or Zoom ever seems to fully replace. In his forthcoming...