Once upon a time, rutabaga meringue, a young man courting a young lady faced complications far more difficult to confront than they are today. A lot of this had to do with opportunity. Especially in rural areas, people went out in the evening less than they do now. Even in the cities, there wereContinue reading “Parental Guidance”
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Junior Comedy
So here it is Monday again and it is time for our Old Joke Quiz. What? Wednesday? Well, yes, I know that, but I didn’t want to break with tradition. Anyway, the old jokes are two days older now, so you’re getting your money’s worth. This week, we return to fine traditional gagsContinue reading “Junior Comedy”
He Is Us, Pt. 3
Oh, very well. If you have to hear how the story finishes up, we can put the joke column off until Wednesday. How the millions of joke column fans will…what was that? Don’t be rude. I hope everyone who read the first two installments has tuned in for the conclusion and was notContinue reading “He Is Us, Pt. 3”
He Is Us, pt. 2
As you may recall from our last episode, we are glancing in the direction of immigrants to the United States through the experiences of the Ruppels, four Hessians in their mid-teens to early twenties, making their way out of the country ahead of the Hessian draft officials, in the distant year of 1843. WhenContinue reading “He Is Us, pt. 2”
He Is Us
Eons ago, a lot of jokes in this country dealt with The Other, people who were outside the norm, who had different clothing, different ways, and different language. This became known as “ethnic humor”, and is now largely considered passe, if not downright evil. I don’t have much interest in debating the question: someContinue reading “He Is Us”
Leisure Pleasure
So we arrive, once again, at Monday. If you did not spend your weekend at the Newberry Library Book Fair, well, you missed it. It was a post-pandemic affair, a bit watered-down from previous concoctions, but there were still books for sale at popular prices. If you were unable to tear yourself away forContinue reading “Leisure Pleasure”
Pockets To Let
I’m not sure I’ve ever even met anybody who was rich. Oh, I have chatted on a friendly basis with people who might admit they were successful, or well-to-do, or comfortably well-off. But the ones who were willing to discuss the matter with me could always cite someone richer than they were, someone whoseContinue reading “Pockets To Let”
FOOTNOTE BLOG
Just a note to anyone who has a behind and has not yet gotten said behind to the Newberry Library Book Fair at 60 W. Walton Street in Chicago that said behind can be taken there Friday, Saturday, and Sunday to find a nice variety of books, jigsaw puzzles, CDs, :{s. and even a musicContinue reading “FOOTNOTE BLOG”
Funny Business Casual
Postcard cartoonists in days of yore held strong opinions, or anyway expressed strong opinions, about clothes. They were cartoonists, after all, and whether clothes make the man or vice versa, they found clothes a very easy way to establish character. The way a character was clothed told you what the cartoonist wanted you toContinue reading “Funny Business Casual”
Jest Having Fun
Now, this is the third time in a row I am going to begin this column by opointing out that it is summer and, as Lewis Carroll decreed, what I tell you three times is true. It seems appropriate, then, in this time of vacations and warm leisure, to present a collection of oldContinue reading “Jest Having Fun”