I found this blog post by Katherine B while trying to find a Happy Hump Day image to post on Facebook. It had to be an image of the Geico Camel because the post was to be a “Thank you” to the man who gives me the first smile of the day — every day, hereafter referred to as LOML (internet slang for Love of my Life). The negativity I found in this piece just got my fingers itching to comment – something I rarely do. Katherine, the very reason that we as a society find the Geico Camel such a fascinating character is his ridiculousness.
Here in Colorado Springs we have a wonderful Morning News program on Fox 21. The Fox 21 Morning News features different characters each day. There is the Monday Blues Lady, the Screaming Tuesday Sheep, and currently the Hump Day Camel for Wednesday. The LOML and I overslept on Wednesday morning and so we missed the ‘Hump Day’ clip. To give us a proper Wednesday morning start, my LOML did his Geico Camel imitation. What a fun way to share his sense of humor and zest for life.
Just his reminder of the absolute absurdity of this camel strolling through the cubicles was a soothing balm, adding comfort to the acceptance that Monday was, well – a Monday where anything and everything that could go wrong did go wrong. Hearing my LOML’s impersonation of the Hump day Camel bellowing “It’s Huuuummmmp Daaay!” wiped away the residue from the Tuesday fatigue caused by playing catch up in order to fix all the ‘fires’ I started Monday. You know, the rest of the week looks freakin’ good.
Characters such as the Geico Camel and the Geico Gecko are so popular because they give us permission to look at the ridiculous. For a brief moment, we are given the opportunity to laugh, relax and allow our minds to flow to an area where anything is possible, no matter how insane it appears. Jean Houston, author of ‘Jump Time: Shaping Your Future in a World of Radical Change’ put it this way, “At the height of laughter, the universe is flung into a kaleidoscope of new possibilities.” In those moments of silliness, all the stress of our lives takes a backseat to the joy we are feeling. Life looks good. No wonder we emulate these crazy characters!
So Katherine, unlike you I am not tired of the Geico Camel just yet. In fact, I am grateful for the camel and I am looking forward to a new commercial. Could you imagine the camel breaking up a board meeting? How would it look to see the camel stroll down a factory aisle or through a classroom? The Wednesday Gripes never seemed further away.
So, thank you, Geico. Your wacky offbeat characters remind us to take a moment for the ‘ridiculous’.
Fox 21 Morning News, thank you for sharing this clip every Wednesday and adding to the daily zaniness you bring throughout the week.
And LOML, thank you for sharing a moment of ‘ridiculous’ with me.
Now, I am off to have a wonderful Huuuummmmp Daaay …