Life has a twisted sense of humour. Its jokes can range from subtly ironic to downright cruel. Smiling at them may be the hardest thing you’ll ever do. And yet you should.
I’ll give you 3 autobiographical examples of life as a bad comedian.
1. Matteo, the youngster allergic to Shakespeare’s idiom
I struggled with English at school, and scraped by during my bachelor’s. Fast forward 20 years: I’m a professional writer in Oxford. And in January 2025, I launched this blog (my first article, I am almost getting sentimental). From a weakness, stringing English words together has become my job and passion!
2. Matteo, the brain-damaged neuroscientist
I researched the brain through PhD and postdoc. Then, I was run over by a car and suffered a severe brain injury. As a result, I spent the next 18 months healing the very organ I used to study. Until I returned to neuroscience research.
3. Matteo, the migrant homeowner
I moved from Italy, to France, US and finally England, where I bought a house last November. On the day of the purchase, the government announced changes in legal migration that may make my permanent residency harder. The jury is still out on this, but the timing was a masterpiece in irony…
Going through life, I often felt the punchline of a bad joke. If not the punchbag. I’m sure the same is true for you.
So why should you flipping smile at these jokes??
Mind you, I’m not calling for a smile of resignation, of acceptance, your white flag.
Nope, not at all. Actually, now that I think of it, it’s not even a smile I’m calling for.
It’s a grin. A big fat grin. A big fat grin of unwavering defiance. The declaration, the promise that your best is yet to come.
Because it will.
Happy 2026.
WritinGenomics 