Punch Lines: A Collection of Coping-With-Reality Comical Essays

By Suzen Fromstein

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS MAKE LAUGHTER

In a world where breakups, single parenthood, and ominous medical diagnoses often knock us off our feet, Suzen Fromstein enters the ring with a unique perspective. Like a modern-day Erma Bombeck, she deftly uncovers comedic gems hidden within life’s darkest moments. As an author, speechwriter, and humorist, Suzen invites you to join her in a journey through the laughter, the tears, and the quirks of her evolving life.

“Punch Lines is funny, inspirational and a perfect title for Suzen Fromstein’s collection of coping-with-reality comical essays.” Bob Pomerantz, President, Your Life Productions

“Laughter is good medicine. It transforms bad days, bad moods and bad situations and takes you to a feel-good place. In Punch Lines, Suzen Fromstein uncovers comedic gems hidden within life’s darkest moments. Join Suzen on her journey through the laughter, the tears, and the quirks of her evolving life.” Roger Caesar, Founder, Caesar Empire Speaking and Coaching, 2014 Toastmasters Humorous Speech Champion.

“Punch Lines is nothing short of a knock-out. Suzen Fromstein takes off the gloves to both entertain and frankly inspire us with her ability to roll with the punches the world throws her way.” Barb Amsden, Author of How to Laugh at Death and Taxes: What Executors, Willmakers, Heirs, and Beneficiaries Need to Know

• Language: English
• Publisher: Suzen Fromstein
• Release date: May 16, 2024
• ISBN: 9781772421897

Suzen Fromstein

Suzen Fromstein APR made her debut as a published author with SUITS AND LADDERS: Ten Proven Ways to Keep Your Job Safe (with a few jokes thrown in). Suits and Ladders was an Amazon Best Selling Book (Career and Career Guides) on date of issue, and consolidates the combined wisdom of 102 real people with real jobs. Following their advice gives employees (regardless of industry or sector) a better chance of survival, or at least, gives them a fighting chance at survival.Her second book, "WANT TO INFORM, INFLUENCE AND ENTERTAIN LIKE A PRO? Simply Recognize The Seven Deadly Sins of Public Speaking And Then Avoid Them" summarizes Suzen's experience on both sides of the podium. It also contains a bonus section on how to add humor to everything co-authored with stand-up comic Mike Nemiroff.Suzen and Mike collaborated again on her most recent third book, "THE GRIN REAPER - A Humorous Look at Death & Dying (with a few jokes thrown in). Suzen developed an interest in death the first time one of her jokes killed in a Toastmasters Humorous Speech Contest. Thoughts of death continued to flow freely as she pursued work in the corporate world where she specializes in the deathly-difficult task of turning corporate monologue into engaging consumer dialogue. Suzen continues to kill as a published author, a marketing content creator, freelance writer and speechwriter.Suzen is also currently co-authoring "A CONVENIENT RUSE" a murder mystery, with her colleague Tim Stoate.

Book preview

Punch Lines

A collection of coping-with-reality comical essays

Suzen Fromstein

e-Pub ISBN 13: 978-1-77242-189-7

Carrick Publishing

Copyright © 2024 Suzen Fromstein

Entertainment / Humor / Comedy / Slice of Life / Fun

416-471-3845

Suzen at suzenfromstein dot com

Cover art copyright © 2024 Melissa MacKenzie

This is a joke book meant to reflect on the author’s life. No part of this book may be reproduced stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior permission of the author, except where permitted by law. While the author has used her best efforts not to colour too far out of the lines, she makes no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of her work and specifically disclaims any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. The author shall not be liable for any loss of profit, damages, or other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential personal, or other damages.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER 1: INTRO TO PERSONAL GROWTH

• Send in the Clowns

• A Fiery Transformation

• Calendar Girl

• Show Time

• Bosses

• Punch Lines

• Friendships

• A Soul’s Journey

CHAPTER 2: INTRO TO SINGLE PARENTING

• The Early Days

• Out of the Plot Into the Fire

• All Cracked Up

• Boys Will Be Boys

• Petscapades

• Kicking Butt

• Mother of the Groom Speech

• Grandchildren

CHAPTER 3: INTRO TO DATING THROUGH THE DECADES

• 30, Single and Ready to Mingle

• 40 and Tired of Peaking by Myself

• Trick or Treat Bucko

• 50 and Still Searching

• 60 and Contemplating Surrender

• Embracing my 70s

BONUS MATERIAL

• How to Add Humor to Everything – Especially Business Presentations

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Also by Suzen Fromstein:

SUITS AND LADDERS

TEN PROVEN WAYS TO KEEP YOUR JOB SAFE

(WITH A FEW JOKES THROWN IN)

WANT TO INFORM, INFLUENCE AND

ENTERTAIN LIKE A PRO?

SIMPLY RECOGNIZE THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS OF PUBLIC

SPEAKING AND THEN AVOID THEM

THE GRIN REAPER

(co-authored with Mike Nemiroff)

A HUMOROUS LOOK AT DEATH & DYING

(WITH A FEW JOKES THROWN IN)

A CONVENIENT RUSE

(co-authored with TJ Stoate)

DEDICATION

To my delicious mischief-makers, Ben, Abby, and Gabby. Congratulations, you've just inherited a front-row seat to grandma/yaya’s life! Strap in, because the rollercoaster of humor and questionable decisions is just getting started.

And, to my wonderful sons, Mikel and Dustin, aka Search and Destroy. Punch Lines was inspired by you.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Sincere thanks to everyone who has played a role in making Punch Lines a reality. I especially want to thank my publisher, Donna Carrick and Carrick Publishing, for their unwavering professionalism and support over the years, and to Melissa MacKenzie for her hard-hitting cover design.

Special gratitude also goes to my A-Listers, Shirley Crockett, Sylvia Resch, and Shelley Springall, and to Laura Connor, my co-host of the So…You Want to Write a Book series of workshops. Our workshops not only provided essential information to the participants, they inspired me to bare it all in Punch Lines, my 5th book.

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS, MAKE LAUGHTER

Selecting a title for your book is a bit like choosing a flavour of ice cream – highly personal and occasionally prone to inducing brain freeze. In the end, I settled on ‘Punch Lines.’ Not because it’s a knockout title (although, let’s be honest, it is) but because life has a way of throwing unexpected punches.

Ever pondered the origin of the term punchline? The word first made its grand entrance in the early twentieth century courtesy of The Racine Journal News in 1912. Little did they know they were gifting the world a cue to navigate life’s absurdity. Fast forward over a century, and here we are – still on the eternal quest for that perfect zinger.

Why? Because let’s face it, sometimes laughter is the best medicine, unless you have diabetes, in which case, insulin. The Big Think magazine describes being funny as possibly one of the best things you can do for your health and asserts that having a sense of humor is your mind’s immune system. So, if you want to have abundant good physical, mental and emotional health (and a killer uppercut), buy this book!

You’ve probably figured out by now that humor is my trusty cornerman, helping me laugh in the face of dread (or as I like to call it, life’s attempt at stand-up comedy). No matter how tough your life feels right now, trust me, it’s probably in the featherweight division compared to mine - I’ve spent a lifetime weaving and bobbing my way through breakups, work woes, single parenthood, cash flow contests, and ominous medical diagnoses.

So, leave your troubles behind and dare to join me on a journey through the decades as I navigate the intricate dance of existence, armed with wit, sarcasm, and copious amounts of Prosecco.

CHAPTER 1: INTRO TO PERSONAL GROWTH

According to the astute minds at Mind Valley, personal growth transforms us into Zen masters while ensuring we maintain a rockstar level of badassery.

Despite my determination to approach life with peaceful productivity, uncompromising kindness, and a dash of Rambo resilience – picture Rambo wielding a feather duster instead of an M60 – my efforts have often fallen woefully short.

Ever heard of the Zen quote, ‘Before enlightenment chop wood, carry water?’ I take this to mean that, before enlightenment, we’re FORCED, probably by a tyrannical bookie, banker, or baby, to chop wood and carry water.

After enlightenment, we CHOOSE to chop wood and carry water. Which leads me to conclude that enlightenment is less about chilling under a tree in Northern India and more about successfully blocking life’s below the belt punches.

And, if you think you understand personal growth, let me introduce you to my sons, Search and Destroy, who are waiting in the wings to give you a crash course in life’s unique brand of ass-kicking. Their results? Peer-reviewed, by a committee of helpful cosmic light workers, of course.

Keep reading if you want to discover how personal growth courses shattered my preconceived ideas, and taught me how not to take myself too seriously. Find out what firewalking and stripping (and I don’t mean furniture) have in common, and learn how my life has transformed since being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.

SEND IN THE CLOWNS

I spent most of my school days in the hallway, outside of the classroom, rather than at my desk, inside the classroom - my behaviour probably inspired the sketch comedy, Kids in the Hall, well before that show was a thing.

As a pre-teen, there were no standing Os to my disruptive classroom behaviour and the closest I got to stardom was playing Mammy Yokum in a camp performance