Finding the Funny

To be on a mission to find humor on a daily basis sounds like I am looking for comedy, jokes and hilarity under every rock. In reality, while hearty laughter is a great workout for both body and mind, the humor of every day can be a bit more subtle. Perhaps it is something that just amuses or tickles you, or just makes you pause and smile. Often this happens to me when I find a typo or malapropism in a piece of writing ranging from news reports to facebook postings.

Today, it was a press release from a local police department. The department was justifiably proud of being awarded a $7,000 grant to provide bullet proof vests for their officers.  The New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice awards these funds through a program called the State Body Armor Replacement Fund.  A great program, to be sure. Unfortunately, this program uses its initials quite a bit to promote itself. Yes, promote itself as the State BARF Program.

I didn’t just smile at this, I laughed. I read it over more than once, thinking I was misreading. No, it truly is called the State BARF Program. And then I realized, the initials are not unfortunate. They are downright genius. You might not remember the existence of  the Bullet Proof Vest Investment Program, or the Police Protective Equipment Replacement Fund, but you will remember BARF.

I dare you to forget it.