“Is this your entire stock of flying carpets, shopkeeper?” “As far as I know, ma’am.” “What’s THAT mean?” “I suspect three or four may have floated to the ceiling over the years, but it’s hard to be sure.” “I like that. No need to suspect the maid is sweeping dustContinue reading “FICTION NOT-QUITE FRIDAY: Soaring Prices”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Shop Around
As you no doubt recall, we spent our last thrilling episode discussing how postcard cartoonists addressed the age-old question of how husbands and wives handled their mutual finances. Here is another expression of a perennial joke, as mentioned in that essay. (And, again, if you decide to hunt through the world for other examplesContinue reading “Shop Around”
Not a Chance?
One of the most reliable gambits for the cartoonists preparing our postcards in days of old was marital discord. And among the prime choices of causes for marital discord was one that just about any postcard buyer could sympathize with was financing said marriage. Long before a genius noted that “Romance without finance ain’tContinue reading “Not a Chance?”
Spanish Moss: Legendary Legends
When I received THIS wordy postcard, I checked, as I usually do, to find out how many other examples were for sale on eBay. Hoo boy, as they say in Paris. There were at that moment 1183 postcards featuring the Legend of Spanish Moss, at prices ranging from low to exorbitant. There was aContinue reading “Spanish Moss: Legendary Legends”
Lots To Say
It has been a while since we have discussed the postcard which is all, or nearly all, words. Our ancestors were great fans of an art form which some prefer to call poetry, though sometimes the same sentiments were written in a paragraph that didn’t pretend to be anything but prose. I don’t knowContinue reading “Lots To Say”
FICTION FRIDAY: Virtual Game Replicator
“Deluded human!” The skeleton swung its gladius and slashed a dozen pictures pinned to Debbi’s kitty bulletin board. She pulled to the left, jamming a thumb down on the console. Armor clanked and Dirk struck out with his claymore, slicing the creature in half (and severing the bottom two feet of the HelloContinue reading “FICTION FRIDAY: Virtual Game Replicator”
Excuses, Excuses
Well, we’re sneaking up on spring, or vice versa, and I’m sure you’ll remember that fine old line: “In spring, a young man’s fancy turns lightly to what the young ladies have been thinking about all winter.” Postcards were never shy about romance, and the artists responsible for the images on postcards knewContinue reading “Excuses, Excuses”
FICTION FRIDAY: Walking Into a Barmecide
The knock on the door of the unlikely little shop was thunderous. “Good afternoon, sir. How may I….” “Remember me?” “Certainly, sir. You are Galliga of Coyne, who set off to defeat the Dragon of Mount….” “You sold me the magic tablecloth of Queen Clothilde.” “True, sir. An excellentContinue reading “FICTION FRIDAY: Walking Into a Barmecide”
They May NOT Be Out There
I hang out with a number of Luddite intellectuals: that is, these are people who still read books and watch television, and wonder about some of the things they learn in these places. But since they do not believe in allowing the Interwebs into their homes, they then tell these things to me, knowingContinue reading “They May NOT Be Out There”
Old Joke Archaeology
The problem of dealing with archaic humor is that you often run into jokes which are amusing primarily if you know the context, and know something about the times. That joke about why Santa Claus won’t bring you a television because he has so much trouble with antennas on the roof isn’t quite theContinue reading “Old Joke Archaeology”
Blogsy Babbles 