Thank you, and Happy New Year to YOU, too!
As always, our intention with our Consuellama’s Corner articles is to bring you some levity and laughter and for that, we turn to our favorite place to kick back, read and laugh. We hope, if you laugh with this story, that you too, feel a bit better! Because sometimes that’s all you can do ... just laugh ... maybe even out loud!
Almost every single person who has wished me “Happy New Year” over the last two+ years of my journey has either sounded like Joey Tribbiani “how YOU doin’?”, from the hit television series, “Friends”
OR
… like the “Spartan Cheerleaders” skit from Saturday Night Live.
Allow me to explain. First, if you are not familiar with either of the characters I mentioned above, I highly encourage you to YouTube a clip from either show. It is guaranteed to make you laugh, and as you know, I am a firm advocate for laughter!
For those that are familiar with Joey Tribbiani and the Super-cheer Spartan Cheerleaders, I hope you can relate with how these “new year wishes” can sometimes play out on the receiving side of the “wish”.
Camp Joey
In the first camp are the people who I believe don’t know whether they should use the actual words “happy new year” (because of the “c-situation”). So instead, they say things like “hey you ... lots of good health to you … okay!” (thumbs-up signal, left-eye wink, side twitch of face and the uncomfortable and sometimes too strong, double-pat on the back of the shoulders).
Ouch! In my head, I can’t help but hear “how you doin’?”
Especially, when they insist on over-smiling and nodding their heads in an uncomfortable bobble-like motion ... which then causes me to also smile unnaturally and nod my head as well to affirm to them that I am indeed ok, and that I welcome their “lots of good health okay, okay”. These are my “Joey people”. I love them and I know they love me; they just can’t help themselves.
Camp Spartan Cheerleaders
In close second place, and I do mean close, is the camp of those who absolutely believe in wishing and saying the words “happy new year”, but they just can’t do it in a “normal” tone or manner. And so, they over-articulate the “happy” and they also frequently throw in a loud “and healthy!” at the end.
They look at you, eagerly searching your face. Almost like they are waiting for you to also scream “happy new year to you, too” back to them and maybe even through in a woo-hoo! And in my mind, I can see and hear Will Farrell and Cherie Oteri’s SNL characters doing the “super-cheer.” That’s the visual ... pom-poms and all!
So, what to do with all this laughter and invariable awkwardness?
First, don’t shoot the messenger. If you have “Joey’s” and/or “Spartan Super Cheerleaders” in your life, embrace them, enjoy the laughter and joy that their good wishes carry, especially now that you can see them in this new humorous light ... laugh!
If you are a “Joey” or a “Spartan Super Cheerleader” in someone’s life, rest assured, it is okay to wish everyone (cancer or no cancer) a happy new year, in a natural, normal tone. No pressure. No need to throw in any extras or splits ... know that we thank you and wish a happy new year to you, too!
About Consuellama
Consuellama was inspired by llamas being hardy and well suited to harsh environments — they are quite sure-footed, easily navigating rocky terrain. It made me think that it is absolutely synonymous to navigating the “terrain” on the cancer journey. But beyond that, it is also the fact that you can’t look at the face of a llama and not smile!
