uncleblogsy

Chalk It Up

Among twentieth century artifacts which occasionally confuse those who inhabit the century of the Interwebs is the slate. These can still sometimes be turned up at garage sales, but besides being breakable (especially when real slate was used and not just heavy cardboard painted black) they were also often given to children to playContinue reading “Chalk It Up”

Two-Faced

Once upon a time, I decided to make my next million (the first four or five hadn’t worked out) in the greeting card business. No, I did not warm up my toy printing press and start selling door to door. I planned to be a greeting card writer. Just like postcards, behind those brightlyContinue reading “Two-Faced”

Screen Scrooges: Other Christmases Present

By this time it was getting dark, and snowing pretty heavily; and as Scrooge and the Spirit went along the streets, the brightness of the roaring fires in kitchens, parlours, and all sorts of rooms, was wonderful. Here, the flickering of the blaze showed preparations for a cosy dinner, with hot plates baking throughContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: Other Christmases Present”

The Great Divide

The Second World War was a period of frenetic scientific research in fields from medicine to meteorology. Among other things, it produced a study examining a way a man’s maturity could be estimated by what part of a woman their minds and eyes fixated on. Leg men, the study suggested, were the most mature,Continue reading “The Great Divide”

Snowbird Cards

So now it is October, that month when we see the days grow shorter. (Interesting phrase: do they shrink longer come spring?) In my part of the country, you can swear you smell leaves burning even in the middle of the big city, and cool breezes begin to dominate the air. Pumpkin spice isContinue reading “Snowbird Cards”

Screen Scrooges: The Founder of the Feast

Scrooge bent before the Ghost’s rebuke, and trembling cast his eyes upon the ground. But he raised them speedily, on hearing his own name. “Mr. Scrooge!” said Bob; “I’ll give you Mr. Scrooge, the Founder of the Feast!” “The Founder of the Feast indeed!” cried Mrs. Cratchit, reddening, “I wish I hadContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: The Founder of the Feast”

Playing It Safe

It is one thing to shout a warning to someone you see walking into danger. That is an understandable, almost automatic response, whether the person is about to step into a manhole or mail a few thousand dollars to someone who has a real deal to offer on oil-rich property at an undisclosed location. Continue reading “Playing It Safe”

Puzzlements

The thing about the fine old jokes found on aged postcards is that some of them have become obscure with the passage of time. Sometimes even a dedicated comedy archaeologist has trouble getting to the bottom of things. One of my readers made a comment about piling something or other higher every time IContinue reading “Puzzlements”

Screen Scrooges: Tiny Tim

He sat very close to his father’s side, upon his little stool. Bob held his withered little hand in his, as if he loved the child, and wished to keep him by his side, and dreaded that he might be taken from him. “Spirit,” said Scrooge, with an interest he had never feltContinue reading “Screen Scrooges: Tiny Tim”

Marking the Cards

As you will recall from our last thrilling episode, we were discussing why postcards go about with their identity emblazoned on them. My theory is that this derives from the late nineteenth century weirdness that had the U.S. Post Office selling Postal Cards while private publishers sold Private Mailing Cards or, as they cameContinue reading “Marking the Cards”