I think of a comic strip such as this one from 2009 as “hitting for average.” In four panels, it has no less than three gags. In the first gag, Arlo makes a quip at the expense of Ludwig the cat; the third panel is a sight gag, with Arlo as caveman facing down a saber-toothed beast with what appears to be a seven iron, or perhaps a six; in the fourth panel is the standard punchline. I say “hitting for average,” because it’s like the indispensable baseball player who can be depended upon to get on base with above-average regularity. Of course, it’s the homerun hitters who make all the money.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas holiday.
183 responses to “Evolving Situation”
Ha, went to look it up. Forgot entirely The Dude in an earlier starring role. That monkey really pulled the room together, man.
Just bought an orange crocheted bikini at long last.. now to get down or back to wear it.
Jackie, judging by the gap between your last post and now, I think you broke some guys’ minds.
You have no idea how long I have been looking for that darned orange bikini in my size or something close to it! Ever since Debbe mentioned it although she might look better in one than I?
Bought batteries for my scales and had two Boost diabetic shakes, a whole grain peanut butter sandwich and a big salad for dinner with only small amounts of proteins and fats, lots of greens.
In other words, trying to start back losing steadily again.
TruckerRon, may I refer you back to the retro comic here:
http://arloandjanis.com/the-sound-of-mayhem
and the common male reluctance to comment on fashion choices?
Danger, Wil Robinson, Danger!
Jackie, glad your feeling well enough to desire and prepare such a meal. On the mend.
If I pass out for 14 hours from illness, I’m likely to exist on bread and water because I don’t have the energy to slice cheese. Sometimes heating a can of Campbell’s is too high to aim. Hopefully 2017 can be a fifth consecutive flu-free year.
It was pretty darn simple salad. I took a Walmart pre-made Cobb salad out of fridge, added more mixed spring greens to a bowl, picked all the stems out of WM salad and added greens to bowl, opened a package of chopped kale, spinach and added some of that. Dumped chopped topping from both salads in, added a big spoon of grated cheese, precooked bacon, cranberries, pecans and peppered onions.
I cheat. It’s called open and fill bowl. Even dressings.
The bikini was on sale online on my phone. Cheated there too.
Yeah, simple. When you feel good. But depending on how you count that’s still about six ingredients/steps more than I’m prone to do when dizzy.
Still don’t feel competent to drive van and still can’t find my pale pink jeans. Hope I feel well enough to drive to Post Office and nail salon in town tomorrow.
That was actually first salad I made since I got sick.
Have been reading about an amazing Carrie Fisher who was an author, script writer, and many. Many things besides Princess Leia.
Her semi-autobiography Postcards From the Edge became a very funny and much nominated movie. Carrie was played by Meryl Streep who gave one of her best performances. Shirley MacLaine played Carrie’s mother Debbie Reynolds. Both women received nominations for performances.
Here is Meryl singing I’m Checking Out from the movie, written by Shell Silverstein the cartoonist.
https://youtu.be/h1673-X7mAA
And here is incomparable Reba McIntyre singing I’m Checking Out with a full head of big hair.
https://youtu.be/CDTV3bZKhkE
We have the “Retro” ring tone because it is on our dial
telephone in the kitchen.
Our gang leave long tail presents at the door just to prove they
are earning their keep. MBH always says get the grill started
the hunters have been busy.
emb
Listen for
Radetzky March by J.Strauss
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYYTdtRrg8M
on Friday.
Old Bear: Thanks. Good ‘upper’ for this particular morning.
Just ran across the following quote in A.Word.A.Day for 28 Dec., a significant date. Some would say ‘God works in mysterious ways.’ I agree, but do not pretend to know if this is a valid example.
Franken, Rose, author, playwright (28 Dec 1895-1988). ‘Anyone can be passionate, but it takes real lovers to be silly.’ A.161228.
Taken as an observation of human nature, rather than an academic, testable hypothesis, Franken’s quote is true. Event below exemplifies it.
We lived in U. MI. housing not far from U. MI. Hospital, where Elaine worked as a pediatrics RN, P.H.T. [putting hubby through, along w/ GI Bill], fall ’53-fall ’55 [elder son born Jan. 1956]. Neither of us were particularly formal diners, nor meticulous housekeepers. We’d had fish, perhaps canned, as part of supper, and were forking purple plums from a can [Ann Page?] for dessert. Oil from the fish was visible on the liquid. Immediately, the two of us put together the following; I’ve no idea who said which part, but it came out in the order below, first draft, unedited.
‘What matter that my fork is fishy, / What matter that my plums are, too? / Ours not to be too washy-wishy, / But eat this swill without too much ado.’
[‘Kitchen’, efficiency apt., Univ. Terrace, Ann Arbor, MI ca. 1954]
Jackie: ‘Anyone else remember college and their profs bring highly academic and unable to stop being that way? Always lecturing? So they remained that way forever?’ Actually true of only a few of my many profs, both really good teachers [IMO] and others. Some of my students regard me as the greatest thing since sliced bread; others would rather watch apple slices turn brown, and would likely claim it true of me.
In conversation, and sometimes here, I go into teaching mode often. But usually, at least in conversation, it’s not dry, but rather some topic excites me, and it is apparent to others that emb is on a roll, and mostly they respond enthusiastically. Maybe they are only being polite.
Sure I’ve been guilty of that on occasion, but am able to wear different hats comfortably. Some find that I move back and forth from various roles appropriately. Others don’t. People differ [both meanings].
Today’s TIP BlogSpot is apparently a repeat [I don’t remember it] from 2010. Melcher says George Desmarees was French. http://thatispriceless.blogspot.com/ He was Swedish [note, it is George, not Georges], and I find no mention of a French period at various websites. The ptg. is a self portrait w/ his daughter. Almost all his other works shown are formal portraits of the ‘Quality’, which is how he seemed to pay the rent.
Peace,
Debbie, I hope that all is well at your Dad’s with him, you, and Ian. I imagine the cross-stitch project is moving along. My husband has reminisced for decades about helping me sort the unlabeled floss for a large project that had designations like “medium dark blue” and “dark medium blue.” We waited for a sunny day…there were 50-something colors…and flipped a coin on at least one that puzzled us.
I hope everyone has been having a good holiday season this year. What memory do you think you’ll take forward from this holiday?
emb, I wish I had known your Elaine!
Smigz when Mike and I were silk flowers sales reps and had that enormous showroom we displayed the silk flowers in a rainbow progression by each “line” or name of style, each flower arranged in the colors of their tags or identifications.
Imagine your silk embroidery colors turned into silk flowers, roses, tulips, larkspur, lilies. One “line” alone had a combination of over a thousand different stems and colors with around thirty colors to choose from. We had over 400,000 items to redisplay every six months.
Mike my late husband was color blind! I had to put colors in correct progression per the tag, he could not. It got to be a running joke that the best salesman they had was color blind. This carried over to his entire career in floral sales including ribbon which has as many colors as embroidery threads.
Good morning all. Dickens woke me up too soon.
Our little community orchestra routinely plays the Radetzky March. Our audiences have learned to appreciate it nearly as much as the Sousa marches.
Debbe and Jackie: Strength and tranquility to you as you pursue your worthy goals. I believe in you.
(I have to add this pointless parenthetical because loopy software will not let me post “same” message twice.)
Ghost!! Is that you? Your Ghost kitty has moved in and become a house cat now.
Considering how many times we’ve seen that exact message, maybe we really do have a ghost!
Yes, I am returned. Christmas did not go as planned, but it did go. The recipient of my catered Christmas dinner was not able to partake due to illness. Out of sympathy, I did not eat, either.
This was the first Christmas in my remembrance when I did not receive a gift. (Which of course simply put me in company with many, many other people.) As previously mentioned, I compensated by giving to others, which in truth was much more satisfying.
However, on Christmas Day I did receive the gifts of life and good health, so I got that going for me, which is nice. (Yes, that’s a movie reference, but I’m not joking about the value of those gifts.)
Bless you, Ghost!
Jackie – JACKQULINE ? why the two names?
emb, a lovely remembrance and personal snippet to share. I appreciate it. Thank you.
Smigz, that one gave me a memory. The relationship I did not make permanent in my twenties included a ‘sort the floss tossed in a box’ episode. I had no idea the distinctions in hue, including how the light hits it. It is what I remember when I see Mr Blanding’s Dream House, and Myrna describes her homes palette to the house painter. I was the like apprentice that said – Yep, red, yellow, blue, green, check. But the discriminating skill of this not that, was useful later. And I learned how ecru was different than parchment. But I have forgotten the name of the master color number system, not Pantone but similar.
GR6, The wise words of Carl the Groundskeeper, puff-puff-pass. Welcome home.