One of the saddest bits of joke archaeology is running across fossils: jokes which were once alive and kicking, quivering with excitement at the laugh that would be forthcoming when the audience heard it for the eighty-third time. Sometimes they do not realize they have been told for the last time, and wait inContinue reading “Calling Up the Past”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Fearsome Felines
I suppose it was inevitable. Now that Christmas shopping officially begins on Green Tuesday (the first Tuesday after October 12), it should not have surprised me to learn that Spooky Season begins September 1, which this year was less than a week after pumpkin spice officially returned to our latte. This being the case,Continue reading “Fearsome Felines”
IN MY SALAD DAYS
I do not, as I believe I may have mentioned hereintofore, write a food blog. But I was feeling nostalgic for my parents’ kitchen (which had, among other glories, cupboards and refrigerators I was not responsible for refilling.) I was thinking back to the Add-Ins: the ingredients added to prepared foods, which came outContinue reading “IN MY SALAD DAYS”
Belated Salute: The Dignity of Labor
Of course, Labor Day was Monday, but we were busy with the serialization of one of my somehow unpublished novels. The NEXT serialization will be a collection of long fantasy stories which was rejected several times in the 1990s by publishers who suggested the world didn’t need more fairy tales, or, if it did,Continue reading “Belated Salute: The Dignity of Labor”
FICTION FRIDAY: Reflections
“Magic Mirror on the Wall, are you that most famous mirror of all?” “Yes, Mistress.” “And you answer truthfully every question I ask?” “Been doing it so far, Mistress. That’s two of two.” “Just a plain straightforward truthful answer? No ifs or hidden….” “Let me tell you about that, Kiddo Socko.” “What happened to ‘Mistress’?”Continue reading “FICTION FRIDAY: Reflections”
Is Advice in Verse Adverse?
It has been a while since we have considered the motivational verse found on postcards of yore. Why should we bother to look again? I don’t know whether that’s any of yore business. I wish I had talked an acquaintance of mine, who had read every motivational classic of the last century, toContinue reading “Is Advice in Verse Adverse?”
Phraseology Quiz
As I have been learning (and hope I have communicated) old postcards can be a great peek into how our ancestors talked. The slang of the day, plus whatever pop culture was up to, was grist for the mill of the cartoonists. They weren’t trying to preserve current speech for the future; they justContinue reading “Phraseology Quiz”
Panting for Phraseology
When I went picking postcards out of inventory for our last thrilling adventure in language and postcards (“Watch Your Phraseology”) I held back a couple when the article seemed to b running long. (See? I do think of the audience once in a while. Beyond wondering why you don’t buy my postcards, I mean.)Continue reading “Panting for Phraseology”
Gruff Times at the River
“Who’s that trip-trapping across my bridge?” “Trip-trapping? Would you call it trip-trapping? Ever since I started watching dance videos on YouTube, I kind of think of myself as mostly boot-scooting.” “Listen, I….” “If you want someone who trip-traps over bridges, you want my older brother. He’s had more classic dance trainingContinue reading “Gruff Times at the River”
watch Your Phraseology
There are numerous roadblocks to my intended series: “Is This Still Funny?” wherein I would look over the work of the stand-up comics of my boy days and figure out whether their work stands up. One is that a certain amount of comedy carries an expiration date. Jokes about Warren G. Harding, for example,Continue reading “watch Your Phraseology”
Blogsy Babbles 