I think I just insulted my boss!

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When I'm concentrating on something else, I'm on social "automatic" with some basic rules: a. sound positive, b. be polite, and c. do not offend. However, I'm not usually in a social environment where sarcasm is so common as where I am now and there is are a lot of non-verbals that I think are supposed to be a negative way of showing technical dominance and contempt for others (something I don't engage in because of rules a, b, and c).

So, a half-an-hour after the fact, it occurs to me: I think I just insulted my boss!

He walked by and said, "That divider thing is working out for you, huh?" referring to a divider I put over my window to block the upper half so that, when people walk in, they aren't staring down at me through it. I responded, "Yep, it's working great!" Then, I chuckled, kinda like Goofy. He paused for a minute at the door and then left. I bet he thought I was mocking him for asking when, in fact, I was just thinking on automatic with no sarcasm or mocking behind it.

I find keeping jobs so exhausting.

Well go up to your boss and expand on what you meant. Say, "I was concerned about people staring in but there's no problem now." Go on and on about it for a bit. Then he'll know for sure you didn't mean he was stupid for asking. He'll think you think the issue is worth asking about and elaborating on too, and assume that you did not think HE was stupid for asking.

At least that's what I would do.

I think you are fine...don't worry. Your boss may be like you and was thinking about the next thing on his "to-do" list even before he heard the response to his question and that may be the reason he paused before leaving.
Or if you still feel uncomfortable about the conversation you might consider thanking him for following up after the installation of the divider. Just to let him know you appreciate his efforts and to reafirm you meant no intentional disrespect, no matter what cartoon character you laughed similar to. Believe me I have worked with some people with interesting laughs if not down right contagious to annoying laughs. I think you are just fine my dear:-)

I asked another co-worker about it who knows my boss really, really well (at work and in real-life) and he assured me that he does not get insulted easily. And if he was, he'll probably bring it up and he'll learn about my concern anyway. Actually, if this boss is not easily insulted and will ignore my social quirkiness, I JUST MAY HAVE FOUND MY PERFECT JOB. Enough to justify all-caps, anyway.

What I find frustrating is that these simple laws do not always apply. Even the law of always being positive does not always work. Sometimes, it is actually correct to be negative. For example, I keep defending another co-worker, even though I shouldn't, because I'm a "team player". I always try to "seek to understand" first and give people the benefit of the doubt. The problem is, some people truly /are/ incompetent, disrespectful, etc. and when they really are, I don't know how to tread in different territory.

It's weird, it's like I do not /have/ these negative emotions that others do. People used to say I was cocky and arrogant. But, when they got to know me, they knew I was just very intensely interested in what I was doing and enjoying what I was doing immensely. That enjoyment wasn't throwing it in their face, it was just plain joy! Those people became friends. It is frustrating, though, that because I am missing a lot of these emotions, or at least have somehow repressed them over the years, that I can give off such a drastically different social aura than what I feel inside; a negative one, ironically.

When someone finds our home planet, please don't leave me behind!

Thanks for the advice!