Homage to April Fools Day

I have been reading all of these blog posts today about how people hate April Fools Day. They think it's ridiculous that it is so recognized all over the world and that people are still playing jokes and making asses of themselves.

What?!

I felt the need to be an opposing voice in defence of April Fool's Day.

I freaking love April Fool's day. I do. I find it to be hilarious. I love hearing about jokes people play on others. I especially love to play jokes myself. I try to think of stuff to do the weeks in advance.

I thank (or blame) my father for my love for practical jokes. He's always been a prankster and I loved hearing about the jokes he would play on his co-workers and friends. He was the type of guy that would take a piece of fish and stick it in the floor vent by a coworker's desk and wait patiently until the stench became so horrible everyone around the poor guy was trying to help him discover the source of this foul smell. I have never gone that far, but I have a few stories to tell myself. Feel free to use some of these today.

One year, I rubbed mascara all over the head piece of someone's office phone. The phone was black so you couldn't see it. Once they picked up the phone, it was rubbed all over their ear and upper cheek. The walked around for a while with it, people snickering, until finally they went to the bathroom and looked in the mirror.

I put a small piece of masking tape over the tab that sticks up that senses when the phone is picked up and set down. When they went to answer their phone, after picking up the hand piece, the phone remains hung up and they do not know why they can't hear anyone there. This usually results in a frustrated "Hello? Hello? Hello!!!!!" Also if you put a small piece of tape in the little holes on the mouth piece the customer trying to hear your co-worker will be shouting "I can't hear you"! Yeah these are kinda lame, but they still make me chuckle. Call me immature, go ahead.

One of my favorite involves all of the little circles left over in the 3-hole punch. This only works if your target has a cubicle or a work station that has the cabinets up top with the door that slides up and over the top of it. Empty all of the circles from inside the 3-hole punch into a plastic baggy. Take these circles and place them evenly across the top of the door when it is in the up position. When your target goes to slide this down and close it at the end of the day, it will be like a parade with all of the little circles falling down on top of them.

I have put fake violation tickets on people's cars. I would bring it to work in the morning and put it on their car. I would make sure to try to go to lunch or leave work about the same time so I could see their reaction when they find it.

This morning I texted my sisters, telling them I was pregnant. I honestly didn't think they were going to buy it, but due to lack of planning ahead, I was stumped this morning. My younger sister Amy believed it at first and called me, really excited to tell me congratulations. I didn't answer my cell phone, so she called my work phone. By the time, they got me on the line, she had realized it was April Fool's Day. Once I answered, she said "You tricked me at first! I was calling to tell you congratulations you asshole, but I just realized what day it was."

I sent my youngest sister this text, "I finally took a pregnancy test this morning. Way ahead of schedule with our 'plan' but looks like I am preggo!" She replied, "Aprils Fools Turd" I sent back, "You thought about it for a second right?" Her response, "No cuz I've been playing one on people too." I said, "Boo! What's yours?" She says "Look on my facebook."



Underneath, she writes "We kept it simple just like we wanted...and I waited to post the pic from last weekend...its official now!!"

This is a fake picture of her and her boyfriend Chad. She actually even fooled some people.

It's hard when people are expecting it. And I guess at this point, they do. I haven't been able to pull off much of a really crazy and successful joke in the past couple of years. And forget about tricking my husband. I guess I need to be more creative or something. Or have other people do my dirty work for me, maybe if I am not associated with it at all, they won't automatically assume it's a joke.

Last year, I posted on Facebook: "Laura is moving to Colorado!!!!!!!!!!! Joe is getting an awesome job offer there through his current employer.... they are even paying us to move! We will miss everyone so much but you will have to come and visit us!!!!"

At first maybe some weren't totally buying it, but I was pretty convincing. Although my family members were not so easily fooled, notice the comments from my cousins, Kasey, Eric and Shilo...







The only reason I gave up the joke early was because my husband called me, really frustrated and irritated and asked me to tell everyone the truth. My joke was causing all of his friends to call his phone while he was working and ask him what the heck was going on!

At the end of the joke I actually wanted to move to Colorado. I even looked online at Joe's company website to see if there were any positions there and there was! I swear, if so many of my family members didn't live so close to me, we would move in a heartbeat.

So to those who dislike April Fools Day, I say Bah Humbug! April Fools Day is all meant in good spirits and you might as will just chill out and have some fun with it. Does this make me immature? I think not. I like to think of it as young at heart. That's what I like to tell myself anyway.

Anyone else have some good April Fools Day jokes to share?