For the last five years or so, I had a standing order for Christmas: A Dilbert desk calendar. Every morning, as my PC started up, I’d tear off yesterday’s humor and get a fresh laugh. Then I discovered something. The strips in the desk calendar are the same strips that are on the website, just three years older. That means that for the last two years, I’ve been laughing at strips I’ve laughed at before. (Still just as funny though.)

So, this year I thought I’d get out of the rut. While Tammy and I were out shopping, I saw an “Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader” desk calendar and asked for that instead. It’s been weird not having two doses of Dilbert each day, and so far (Jan. 9th) Uncle John hasn’t been that great. But I’m going to give him a chance. It’s early.

Today’s story about a crossing guard who used a hair dryer to get cars to slow down at the crossing earned a mild chuckle. Then the kicker (there’s always a little one liner at the bottom) said, “Experts say pessimism raises blood pressure,” to which the pessimist in my brain said, “Oh great! Now I’m going to get high blood pressure. THANKS!”

Now if you will excuse me, I’m going to go read today’s Dilbert strip, because laughter lowers blood pressure.