Let's talk life's purpose, in real time. As I figuring it out you can hum along. One of my goodreads reviewers wrote in her comments about my new novel that I made her laugh out loud. Really?! Were you being honest, Michelle? For reals? Because if that's true, you have no idea how over-the-moon giddy that makes me.

In fact, it's everything. But why?

Why this innate desire to entertain, above all else? Zero interest in running marathons, absolutely none in doing a cleanse. But the notion of giving someone a chuckle or a little thought provocation is all I've ever yearned for and all I've ever done.

Since college I've written plays, musicals, essays, columns, screenplays, songs, and novels--all for the delight of getting a rise out of you and making you laugh. But, again I ask--why? I've been mulling this over--mull-dee-mull--and what I've come to is this: I was raised in a family that valued entertainment. I mean, really and truly laid ourselves prone at the alter of story arc, snappy banter, and the almighty snicker.

Our world revolved around the TV guide, circling weekly comedies and variety specials for cozy destination couch viewing. Carol Burnett, Cher, and Saturday Night Live--it was all free for the devouring back then. Later there was the miracle of the VCR with the record function button on the remote. Thereafter my father reclined in front of the Million Dollar Movie, ready to hit pause before the ad breaks. The Marx Brothers, Monty Python, film noirs, musicals, and rom coms--over 700 manually taped movies, free and ready to watch, whose titles were entered by hand alphabetically into a little notebook.

Heaps of sweaty hormonal high school kids descended on Friday nights. They sat on couches, laps, and floors, watching movies my parents recommended--peels of laughter and occasionally hot debate. We held the same esteem for reading and music, dancing, art, and song. I basically grew up in a salon it's clear to me now.

So I think that's why I'm here today, creating content like a banshee. Because in my home, to entertain and provoke was a notion highly regarded. And art was directly linked to the prized commodity of joy.