MSI Press Blog

  There are two kinds of people in this world: Those who glide through first dates with the grace of a swan. And the rest of us—who are more like a swan that suddenly remembers it has knees. Midlife dating is a special category of adventure. You’re wiser, more self-aware, and far less willing to tolerate nonsense. But you’re also equipped with a lifetime of stories, reflexes, and quirks that tend to surface at the worst possible moment. Embarrassing moments aren’t just possible—they’re practically guaranteed. The trick is learning to handle them with humor, dignity, and the kind of confidence that only comes from having survived far worse. Here are the classics. 1. The “I Didn’t Hear You” Problem Midlife hearing is a choose‑your‑own‑adventure story. Your date says something. You hear… something else. They say: “I love hiking.” You hear: “I love high kings.” You respond: “I didn’t know monarchy was still a thing.” The solution: Smile, lean in, and say, “Let’s try that...

  Today's Publisher's Pride is  Humor, the Wonder Drug   by Ken Mogren, author of the Spunky Grandmas series. Ken's new book reached  #51 in limericks & humorous verse, and #73 in doctors & medicine humor. Book description: Following the success of his two  Spunky Grandmas  books, Ken Mogren is back with another collection of humorous sonnets, plus a smattering of clever limericks, about comical human behavior and the world we live in. Once again, Joella Goyette has contributed creative, cartoonish drawings that introduce the themes of each of the book’s 17 chapters. Like the previous works, Humor, the Wonder Drug , provides laughs, chuckles, and smiles that lift spirits and brighten days. Endorsement Ken Mogren has written an engaging book of humorous verse that will entertain and amuse readers. As a dermatologist, I have found humor helps healing and puts patients at ease.Ken’s work is clever and fun to read. Frank Bures, M.D.and creator of the ne...

  Today's publisher's pride,  Spunky Grandmas and Other Amusing Characters   by Ken Mogren, reached #95 on Amazon in the category of limericks and humorous verse. Description Spunky Grandmas and Other Amusing Characters  is a collection of over 100 entertaining, fictional mini stories about comical human behavior. Written in sonnet form, each of 22 chapters starts with a cartoonish illustration by Joella Goyette that introduces the theme of the stories that follow. Humorist, Ken Mogren, features grandmothers who are anything but stereotypical, as well as other folks whose behavior is best described as unconventional. Keywords Funny short stories,  Humorous character sketches,  Comic poetry book,  Mini stories in sonnet form,  Illustrated humor book,  Books about quirky characters,  Funny grandma stories,  Ken Mogren humor writing,  Funny grandma book,  Non-stereotypical grandmothers,  Feisty seniors in fiction,  ...

  In a world heavy with grief, division, and uncertainty, humor may seem frivolous—or worse, inappropriate. But those who live close to sorrow know: laughter is not a luxury. It’s a lifeline. Humor doesn’t erase pain. It makes space for breath inside it. It lets us name absurdity without being consumed by it. It reminds us that we are still human—still capable of joy, wit, and connection, even when the headlines say otherwise. In spiritual traditions across the globe, humor has always had a place. The desert fathers told jokes. Saints teased each other. Monks laughed at their own forgetfulness. Humor is not the opposite of reverence—it’s often its companion. To laugh in troubled times is not to deny suffering. It is to say: “I see the brokenness. I feel it. And still, I choose to live with lightness.” That choice is not naive. It’s courageous. So let us keep laughing—not to escape the world, but to stay tender within it. post inspired by Humor, the Wonder Drug by Ken Mogren ...