The big reason to make jokes is because they're the best way to get a quick read on the collective mind of the group you're talking to. The volume of the laugh is important, but so is the lag time. You can tell immediately if they're on your side, and if they're really following what you're saying, by how quickly the crowd responds to your jokes.
Steven Berlin Johnson, on how to judge the silent tone of a room when speaking in public. See also his comments, with mention of the fundamental role of call-and-response in African American public speaking (and performance) culture.
We are in a giddy frenzy about upgrading to MovableType. :O)
We read all the good about TypePad and then read all the bad, and became quite worried that we did not make a good choice for syndicating and branding purposes.
But, along comes your comment on a 'TypePad vs. WordPress' blogpost, and, voila, not only is our anxiety allayed, but we are also overly thrilled and are certain that we can now whip up a whole network of sites and blogs with a uniform-but-slightly-tweaked theme to lend overall continuity and validity, all while maintaining the sci-fi-meets-typepad-folio theme that we integrated from TypePad's awesome template options and our own crazy brand of tech-sci-fi-geekdom.
It will be glorious.
Just wanted to let you know that your remarks were so helpful, well timed, and hope-giving. And, as a way to show appreciation, you have been duly declared Honorary Antiaging Wunderkind VIII! :O)
Hooray!
Thanks again for providing a great blogging service that has helped us translate the glimmering, murmuring whispers in our mindscape to quirky cyber reality.
Ha ha! So soon after Easter, I was sure "Cracking Jokes" must refer to, y'know, eggs and stuff!