Let’s continue to celebrate the New Year while we can. It is 2024, after all, a (FM) as the Farmer’s Almanac likes to remind us, a year that’s one day longer than the rest: a Leap year, an Olympic Year, a…well, yes, in these United States, a big Election Year! We are notContinue reading “Election Year!”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Centennial Volumes
Well, I just don’t know. It’s about time for me to do my annual summary of book stuff celebrating a centennial in 2024. But besides the fact that 1928 has been grabbing all the media attention (since works published in that year are not officially in the public domain) I am struck byContinue reading “Centennial Volumes”
Dutch Courage
We are ALMOST a week into the New Year, and like the rest of us who swore off procrastination last year, some of you have not gotten around to making your resolutions yet. I know I offered you a great deal of selfless and unselfish advice (it’s easy to be unselfish if you’re givingContinue reading “Dutch Courage”
2024 Self-Improvement (Yours)
One of the services any good blogger should be ready to perform for readers is help out with New Year’s Resolutions. This might seem a little late to some of you, but the people who get their Christmas shopping done by Halloween are not exactly my core audience. And, anyway, by this timeContinue reading “2024 Self-Improvement (Yours)”
The Gobble-Uns Who Getcha
Every culture on the Earth, it seems, has a demonic creature designed to punish, terrify, or simply eat disobedient children. Sometimes demons, sometimes cranky witches, children are informed, will carry them away or sometimes just give them a solid thrashing. And no holiday draws them out, at least in Europe, like Christmas. Pere FouettardContinue reading “The Gobble-Uns Who Getcha”
Carol of the Yells II
Once upon a time, the story goes, a Methodist preacher was on a voyage when a horrible storm sprang up. The crew of the ship was doing its best to keep the vessel from coming to grief in the high winds, and several able-bodied passengers, including the preacher, had come on deck to helpContinue reading “Carol of the Yells II”
Santa Blogs XL
Dear Santa Blob: How do you do it, you Polar Punk. Last year I was sure my uncle, at least, had realized I was too old for the books about cute bunnies and duckies my mother buys me (secondhand, when she can find a good Book Fair, thanks to you, you red-coated rat) andContinue reading “Santa Blogs XL”
Santa Blogs XXXIX
Dear Santa Blogs: I took your advice last year, and sent my niece a number of highly collectible postcards featuring cheerful Santa Clauses. I received, the following Groundhog’s Day, a quite charming thank you email, saying she appreciated the thought, and would of course treasure these valuable artifacts, but that she was getting aContinue reading “Santa Blogs XXXIX”
Santa Blogs XXXVIII
Dear Santa Blogs: For years I have enjoyed your advice on how used books and/or used postcards can make excellent gifts at this festive time of year. I have a slightly different problem. I am finally getting around to thinking about possibly arranging to get ready to do my Christas cards. Have you anyContinue reading “Santa Blogs XXXVIII”
Tricky Treats (Wrong Holiday)
This is not, as mentioned hereintofore, a food blog. But special times call for special measures, and it is time to speak of holiday food. Every family has its particular recipes at this time of year, whether they be for sausage gravy, lefse, fruitcake, or alcoholic enhancer to pour into the punch and/orContinue reading “Tricky Treats (Wrong Holiday)”
Blogsy Babbles 