LSSU’s List of Banished Words for 2026 Is Almost Perfect Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

I'm a week late in writing about @LifeatLSSU's annual Banished Words List. Oh, well, nobody's "perfect." Especially not after they banished that word.

LSSU’s List of Banished Words for 2026 Is Almost Perfect. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2026/01/lssu... #humor #humorcolumn #banishedwords

Why You And Your Spouse Forget Things Together Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

One time, my mom and dad forgot their anniversary TOGETHER. This year, my dad and his 2nd wife forgot it again.

(He may be pissed at this week's column!)

Why You And Your Spouse Forget Things Together. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2026/01/why-... #humor #humorcolumn #memory

When Will I Feel Like An Adult? I'm Not Ready Yet. Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

I can think of exactly three adult milestones in my life. And they're not the ones you would normally expect.

When Will I Feel Like An Adult? I'm Not Ready Yet. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/12/when... #humor #humorcolumn #adulthood

Indiana Senate to Face Critical, Historic Vote: Choosing a State Sandwich Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

#Indiana State Senator Andy Zay is righting a wrong that has plagued Hoosiers for 117 years: Naming the #breadedporktenderloin as our official state sandwich.

Indiana Senate to Face Critical, Historic Vote: Choosing a State Sandwich. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/12/indi... #humor #humorcolumn

Karl the Curmudgeon's Thanksgiving Speech Contest Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

Nothing better than a peanut butter and jalapeño cheeseburger after eating healthy after Thanksgiving. (Gravy, stuffing, and green bean casserole are all veggies, right?)

Karl the Curmudgeon's Thanksgiving Speech Contest. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/12/karl... #humor #humorcolumn #Thanksgiving

Why We Didn’t "Have Autism" in the 1970s Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

Why is there an increase in autism and ADHD diagnoses these days? Hint: It's not Tylenol. We're just better at spotting it.

Why We Didn’t "Have Autism" in the 1970s. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/11/why-... #humor #humorcolumn #ADHD

This Coffee Shop Sucks Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

Have you ever been to Ed Debevic's? If you have, then you understand my new coffee shop concept, No Apologies.

New humor column: This Coffee Shop Sucks. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/11/this... #humor #humorcolumn #customerservice

English is a rich, varied language that can melt hearts and change the world, and '67' was Dictionary.com's choice for word of the year?

Dictionary.com Picks Stupidest Word Ever for Word of the Year. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/11/dict... #humor #humorcolumn #sixseven

Gambling Is Boring; I Don’t See What the Big Deal Is Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

I once won $2 playing nickel slots and got PISSED. I just wanted it to stop!

Gambling Is Boring; I Don’t See What the Big Deal Is. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/10/gamb... #humor #humorcolumn #gambling

Nobody Wears Suits to Funerals Anymore Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

I recently wore a sports coat to a friend's funeral and was shocked — SHOCKED, I SAY! — that I was one of the only people dressed that way. Apparently, this is the new normal?

Nobody Wears Suits to Funerals Anymore. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/10/nobo... #humor #humorcolumn #fashion #funerals

Advice For New Adults Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

Friends say I'm full of something, but "wisdom" is not the word that comes to mind.

Advice For New Adults. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/10/advi... #humor #humorcolumn #advice

Dining Etiquette Rules Explained Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

I learned from my father-in-law that if you invite someone to dinner, you're paying. He loved taking people to lunch and dinner, and I appreciated his rule.

Dining Etiquette Rules Explained. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/10/dini... #humor #humorcolumn #diningetiquette

Karl Gets Angry When a Burrito is Called a Sandwich Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

Indiana and New York consider burritos sandwiches for tax purposes. Restaurant goers consider Indiana and New York idiots.

Karl Gets Angry When a Burrito is Called a Sandwich. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/10/karl... #humor #humorcolumn #burrito #sandwich

People Against Pineapple on Pizza Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

People Against Pineapple On Pizza (PANOP) was nearly called Pineapple's Outrageous On Pizza, but we thought better of it. Too many awkward questions.

People Against Pineapple on Pizza. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/09/peop... #humor #humorcolumn #pizza #pineappleonpizza

If you know how to read, please sign up for my weekly column. I would appreciate it tremendously and I promise that you'll think it's the greatest column ever. Or, you might hate it. I'm not really sure cuz I don't know you that well.
#ThinkingOutLoud
@theemikemercury
#humorcolumn (sometimes)

Alabama Woman Struck by Meteor in 1954 Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

When a meteor crashed through Ann Hodge's roof and struck her, she thought it was neighborhood kids at first. You know how kids heave 8.5-pound rocks around for fun.

Alabama Woman Struck by Meteor in 1954. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/09/alab... #humor #humorcolumn #meteorite

Cambridge Dictionary Adds 6,000+ Words Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

When the Cambridge Dictionary added "skibidi" to its dictionary, I never wanted to yell at kids to get off my lawn more than I do now.

New humor column: Cambridge Dictionary Adds 6,000+ Words. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/09/camb... #humor #humorcolumn #language

How Much Time Does Your Generation Spend in the Bathroom? Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

Americans spend 6 more minutes per day than Britons. What are the Brits doing with their extra time? You could make dippy eggs and toast soldiers in 6 minutes.

How Much Time Does Your Generation Spend in the Bathroom? laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/09/how-... #humor #humorcolumn #bathroom

I developed my own Florida Zodiac signs, the Flordiac symbols. Whichever category of story shows up on your Florida Man Birthday Challenge is your Flordiac symbol.

What is Your Florida Man Zodiac Sign? laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/08/what... #humor #humorcolumn #FloridaMan #astrology

Take the Florida Man Birthday Challenge Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

The difference between billionaires and alligators is that one is an ambush predator that will eat your family without remorse, and the other gets confused with crocodiles.

Take the Florida Man Birthday Challenge. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/08/take... #humor #humorcolumn #FloridaMan

A Letter to Em-Dash and En-Dash from Hyphen Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

Sure, the em-dash and en-dash are getting all the attention, but you know who's out there grinding away, not asking for anything in return? The hyphen.

A Letter to Em-Dash and En-Dash from Hyphen. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/08/a-le... #humor #humorcolumn #emdash #endash

Six Secrets I Have Learned as an Entrepreneur Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

It's often a surprise to people to learn that my day job is not making fart jokes on the Internet. Sorry, it's just a hobby.

Six Secrets I Have Learned as an Entrepreneur. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/08/six-... #humor #humorcolumn #entrepreneurship

Karl the Curmudgeon Joins a Fancy Club Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

It feels really weird to say to someone, "Why don't you join me at MY club for lunch?"

Karl the Curmudgeon Joins a Fancy Club. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/08/karl... #humor #humorcolumn #socialclub

Gen Z Most Likely to Leave a Concert Early Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

I'm feeling very reflective after the death of #OzzyOsbourne and #ChuckMangione, which inspired this week's column.

Gen Z Most Likely to Leave a Concert Early. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/07/gen-... #humor #humorcolumn #GenX

Worshipping At the Altar of the Analog Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

I'm stubbornly clinging to a few old-fashioned things, like a pocketwatch and a typewriter.

Worshipping At the Altar of the Analog. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/07/wors... #humor #humorcolumn #GenX

There’s Nothing Better Than a Good Box Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

This week's Laughing Stalk was inspired by a call with my friend yesterday morning, so I wrote it in the afternoon. He's the guy I mentioned in the piece.

There’s Nothing Better Than a Good Box. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/07/ther... #humor #humorcolumn #cleaning

Each State’s Most Misspelled Words for 2025 Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

#Indiana can't spell "taught," and #Nevada can't spell "school." This is unsurprising coming from the 40th and 45th least educated states in the US.

Each State’s Most Misspelled Words for 2025. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/07/each... #humor #humorcolumn #spelling

How Often Should You Clean Your Gas Grill? Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

Then there was that time that teenagers stole my plastic garbage can after I dumped barely-warm coals in it. Plus, you should clean your gas grill between uses, apparently.

How Often Should You Clean Your Gas Grill? laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/06/how-... #humor #humorcolumn #grilling

Mild Excitement is Frowned Upon in the Dull Men’s Club Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

I was somewhat excited, but only a little, when I discovered the Dull Men's Club® (and also the Dull Men's Club).

New Laughing Stalk humor column: Mild Excitement is Frowned Upon in the Dull Men’s Club. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/06/mild... #humor #HumorColumn #dullsters

Plz Avoid Text-Speak Erik Deckers is a newspaper humor columnist and book author who writes about current events and personal stories for 10 newspapers around Indiana.

I hadn't seen my friend Karl the Curmudgeon in a couple months, so we met for lunch, and he was excited to tell me the great news about text-speak he heard from @grammargirl.bsky.social.

Plz Avoid Text-Speak. laughing-stalk.blogspot.com/2025/05/plz-... #humor #humorcolumn #textspeak