Kelli Dunham

Some of the inappropriate, messed up stand up comedy out there (and possibly our own experiences in 7th grade) have led many of us to believe that humor can't be a force for good. Here are 16 examples that prove otherwise. Perfect for starting a conversation or using as an icebreaker; topics are indicated at the end of the description.

Don't be turned off by Crazy Ex Girlfriend's name--it's ironic. And the series (which included fully original songs and dance numbers every week) was so groundbreaking in so many ways, not the least of which is the way they tackled Big Deep Topics that didn't feel like an afterschool special.

And maybe a few other pieces of pop culture in case you want to rather than read your tragicomedy

If you saw Bambi way too young (say…around age 45 or so), you've undoubtedly not just scarred, but truly misinformed by the amount of misinformation (disinformation?) within pop culture of death and grief. Here's a few things to watch/read/etc that keep it real, specifically emotionally real.

As a nurse and someone who has lost two partners in a row to cancer (I know, I know, don't stand next to me in a lightning storm) I am frequently asked for grief book recommendations. The truth is that there are many many books about grief, so there isn't one that is my go to. So I've included here a list of some of my favorites and who they might benefit. This list (even more than my others) is a work in progress, so keep checking here for additions. Also, if you buy through these Bookshop (independent bookstore) links, I get a small commission and use it to support my other work like free virtual health workshops for vulnerable folks and LGBT storytelling work in Florida and Alabama

When someone you love loses someone they love, it's hard to know what to do. These resources are perfect for finding the next steps.

I don't know why nurses aren't created ALL the healthcare related content on the internet; talking to patients about their health is pretty much all we do all day every day in all different types of nurse jobs. If you'd like to hear from your friendly (or in some cases, a tiny little bit less friendly) neighborhood nurse, here are some podcasts to try on for size.

Nurses see some things. And these nurses are making it all into art! If you'd like to support folks in healthcare beyond just the pots and pans we banged for a minute during covid, you can buy/read/subscribe to what these folks are making!

I;m a nurse and I've done a lot of patient education over the years. Most of it has been ignored. Which is why I love health education + humor! Here are some good examples

Well. If you want little moments of joy, I highly recommend living with a cat. Or you could also just watch some of these cat videos.

Hey the holidays are coming up soooooo so we all need some help figuring out how actually to have happy times with our families of origin. Some places that might help…

It's never easy to lose someone, whether that's to death or divorce or break up or dementia or other things that start with D. But the first holidays after the loss can be especially bad. Here are some things to watch, think about or red that might help. Still adding to this list!

Many of our most loved classic Christmas songs (at least those written in English) are in the public domain because they were written so long ago the copyright expired. Which explains why so many performers do Christmas albums even though they you can only sell them a few months each year. Why some of the these songs exist? I'm not sure. But if you're tired of the same old Christmas songs, make a playlist of these and…enjoy? Or something

Oh, you don't struggle with this? I want to meet you please. And follow you around. But not in a weird way, just to learn your secrets. In the meantime, here are some assorted resources and tips for the rest of us.

If you're unfamiliar with literal videos, you are really in for an absurd treat. People just take the video and dub over the lyrics with descriptions of what's going on. The 80s vids are the best.

OMG why is it dark mid afternoon!!! If you do not enjoy the tiny little daylight amounts we are exposed to in the late fall/early winter, here are a few ideas to make your environment dark and cozy instead of dark and foreboding.

Sometimes you can meditate. But sometimes you need to laugh.

I love nuns. Okay I used to be a nun so maybe that's why. But in this current moment, nuns are living their best lives!

If you're running out of things to talk about when you visit family at the holidays, here are some conversation starters. Or in some cases, conversational distractions. Make sure you watch/read them before you bring them out, so you know how to approach the narrative!

We need a little funny right now, don't we? Here are some things that did it for me.

GEN X: we were practically feral. This means we were all at least partly raised by the tv. It's where we learned our greatest lessons!

Learning about health, healthcare, caregiving and grief…through cartoons! Includes examples, DIY suggestions and more!

Guess what happens to all of us? We get older. Scratch that: guess what happens to the luckiest of us? We get older. Here are a few places to read, watch, listen and enjoy takes on adding years that aknowledgement it's not all taking away!

Dyad caregiving (how it often happens within couples) or caregiving from only the immediate biological family often isn't good for anyone. And it assumes that we're divided into only caregivers and those who recieve care, when we all have something to give to take care of each other. Interested in group caregiving & mutual aid? Try out some of these resources.