I met Ororo in the comments section of my Substack. She was a subscriber who always had funny, endearing, original responses. I started wondering, “Hmmm, who is this gal?” I subscribed to her Substack and became a fan. Not only is she funny, charming and real, but she’s mysterious. Hope you enjoy getting to know this emoji gal with a pseudonym. Help her celebrate 1 year on Substack! Cheers!
1. What were your life events that lead you to realize, “Hey, I’m pretty funny.”
High school. Maybe around my freshman or sophomore year because my sister was still going there with me. We were coming back from a track meet from another location and a bunch of us, including my sister, were walking across the school grounds. I honestly don’t remember the exchange—someone calling out across the campus, maybe?—but my response was, “What it is,” with a raised fist. And everyone laughed.
2. Did your parents encourage your funny side?
They didn’t encourage it, but my parents are funny people. My mom has a little bit of a biting wit.
3. How did you nurture your funny side?
I didn’t—or don’t, really—nurture my funny side. I had a lisp and a stutter when I was younger, so I was a really shy and quiet child. I would come out of my shell once (or if) I warmed up to you. I think when I got older (middle school), the humor would come out to mask the little bit of stutter I still have to this day. Certain words always manage to trip me up, so trying to be jokey-jokey helped me spit them out.
4. Do you think you may have inherited your funny bone? A funny uncle?
As I mentioned, both of my parents have humorous sides. We’re a family that loves to laugh and laugh loudly. I have a loud Julia Roberts type laugh that I get from my Dad. I get compliments on it quite a bit. LOL
5. Did being funny ever get in the way of a close relationship?
No. At least, not really. When I was married, I think there was this one time when my now ex-husband thought my laughter had been too loud.
6. Did being a jokester ever get in the way of school or work?
No, not even. LOL Just call me Ms. Introvert over here. As a dollop of chocolate in a sea of milk, I didn’t want to bring attention to myself.
7. Was anyone ever threatened by your humor?
No. My humor was never mean. That’s not my personality.
8. Can you tell me about a time when you turned something painful into something humorous?
I actually had to really think about this question and come back to it! I honestly can’t think of a time when I did this. The serious health issues I endured when I was younger, and then again in my early 20’s, wasn’t a laughing matter. It was all about surviving and getting my life back.
9. Can you tell me about a time when you couldn’t muster anything funny and how it affected you? How did you rebound from the unfunny funk?
I’m going to reference this Truth Serum Tell post I wrote. I have yet to rebound. The funny comes in bits and spurts.
10. Can you describe the type of humor you possess? Clever Wit, quick-with-a-joke, physical, goofball, aggressive, self-enhancing, self-deprecating, dark, observational, or one I didn’t think of?
50% witty, 25% facial expression (and I’m not talkin’ the funny/goofy expressions you make to get a baby to laugh), 25% snappy comeback. It always seems to happen when I’m with my family: Dad, older sis, or even my niece. She’s a witty and snarky young lady, too. I tend to riff off something they say and sometimes it just snowballs.
But most often with my older sister. We’re two years and two days apart. We lived together for a couple of years, and we had the best time. We could keep each other laughing for, like, 20 mins straight sometimes.
11. Did your sense of humor change in the last 5 years? If so, how?
I think it has since my sister came home. We’re not twins (despite the way my Mom dressed us alike when we were kids), but we’re very close and when she moved to Florida with her now ex-husband, it was very difficult for me. When they moved to Israel, it felt like a connection had been cut. In 2018, after being overseas for two years, she returned home (sans hubby).
We moved in together and that resolidified our sisterly bond. I really, really missed her and I believe living with her helped her heal her relationship with my parents and her kids. On top of that, we were both healing from our divorces and as we all know, laughter is the best medicine.
12. What would be the title of your life right now?
Climbing Out of The Upside Down. That place is deep and fucking dark, and I’ve been there for a good long minute. But I’ve been seeing little slivers of light lately and have been doing my best to bathe in the glow.
13. Who is your role model? If you could say anything to this person, what would it be?
My parents. They’re both still around and I live with them to help out my Dad with my Mom, who’s in the advanced stages of dementia. I would tell them “Thank you. For everything.” For being the best parents a girl could ever have. For the phenomenal #CoupleGoals of a 58-year marriage that I wanted to emulate, but never got the chance (and I’m completely okay with that). For their unmatched work ethic and setting a benchmark for how I wanted to conduct myself in the corporate world. For their unwavering support with our creative endeavors. They won’t live forever. I know this. I’m pretty sure my Mom will go first, but I’m grateful I’ve had them for as long as I have and will never, ever, ever, forget the lessons they taught me.
BIO: Ororo Munroe is the pseudonym behind Lit*er*al*ly, Ororo, a personal blog that started out as a stress reliever from being a co-caregiver to a parent with dementia. And turned into writing about how she sees the world through answering questions from the 3000 Questions About Me Activity Journal. By day, she works as a membership coordinator for an emergency air transport company. By night, she helps care for her mother and hustles for her biz that provides proofreading and copyediting services to female entrepreneurs and indie romance authors. In between all that, she loves Berry Boop, all things James Bond, and is a book ‘ho for adult romance books.
Ororo is here to chat. I’ll get it started.
Why the pseudonym?
How’s your ma? Are you able to find the funny under these circumstances?
You’re working on a romance novel? How’s it going?
Love it! Especially “As a dollop of chocolate in a sea of milk, I didn’t want to bring attention to myself.” I think the attention is inevitable. I had a similar experience.
I lived in Springfield Gardens Queens in the 70s. I was literally the only white kid in my elementary school (PS 52). I thought of myself as a Q-tip walking down the hallways. 😁.
Yes we can