I’m still mining Sundays from 10 years ago. I thought you might be interested to know that the big Web-page makeover that I’ve talked about recently (and have talked about off and on in the past) might really happen this time. If it doesn’t, I just wasted money on a retainer I paid to some fine young people who’re going to help me put it all together technically. Of course, I learned I’m still going to have to provide the content. Sheesh! It isn’t scheduled to roll out until spring, possibly even late spring, and I have no idea what it will look like, because I’ve yet to come up with a concept and the artwork to support it—that “content” bugaboo I mentioned. However, I will keep you posted as events warrant.
Literary Achievement
By Jimmy Johnson
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442 responses to “Literary Achievement”
sideburns, are you saying Ishmael is hiding behind an assumed name? Who would ever do that?
Well, it has been more than a few years since I took that American lit course, thereby alienating my English prof by pointing out vocally that the question on his final exam on Moby Dick was totally erroneous concerning Queeguag’s coffin, despite fact he had been using same exact test for as long as he taught.
Hey, who here claims to be an intellectual? Let him speak up to be stoned. No way. I liked Rod McKuen too.
By the way my friend with the coffin is one I made in Atlanta, GA at the very first Puddleduck event I attended, having driven half way across America with two sticky paint Ducks in a pickup truck. He heads a graduate school program at some Georgia university and is among the nicest guys I know, so he is forgiven. His specialty has been trying to sail adventure races in the most highly inappropriate boats he can muster.
Hence the Queequag’s Coffin name.
Love, Jackie
Forgot to say my friend heads a small boat event in Florida called the Florida 120 (close enough but distance always varies) It sails out of Gulf Breeze, AL in May and I plan to be there.
Jackie: More intellectuals here than you can shake a stick at; nothing wrong with that. Not many of us are arrogant intellectuals. There’s a difference.
Galliglo, nothing more I can add: thoughts and prayers.
Been concentrating lately on t. and p. for non-mortality issues various people close to me have. Bummer here, bummer there. Colonoscopy coming up [once a decade thing]. Just need prayers for patience, have already asked church for that. Will next be due when I’m 95. If I get there, I might just skip it, depending on what else is looming at the time.
Got a haircut today. She was amazed to learn I was 85. That’s always an upper. She’s been cutting my hair 4 years, but my age had never come up.
Galliglo – I was going to grumble about my long, wretched day. Turns out it wasn’t that bad at all. Many hugs for you.
Thank you, everyone. I think that I am still somewhat in shock – just numb.
Jerry had a full life. A retired newspaper editor… wrote 4000+ columns over a span of 60+ years (including for his university newspaper)… had about eight books – collections of his columns – published… created two writing workshops and taught others how to write… had most of his obituary written and planned for his memorial… He was quite a guy.
He had been in fairly poor health for several years, including living with congestive heart failure for 23 years. During most of that time, he enjoyed life – with a flourish! But… I could see that he needed me with him all the time and that is why I came to be with him three months ago.
I wish we could have had more time together, but I am grateful for what we did have. It was quick, and now all the pain he had is gone. I used to call him my bionic man – two hip replacements, one knee replacement, pacemaker… but his brain was all him.
Sorry about running on! I was going to only say “thank you”. And I shall say thank you again… for listening…
I had one of those, emb, just before Christmas. Be sure that they deflate you properly when they’re done as that can cause more discomfort than the colonoscopy itself. I was told I’d need to have a surveillance colonoscopy in three years. When I told some of my friends about it, one of them asked if they were going to deploy some miniaturized drones. I thanked him for providing me with an image that I’ll probably spend the next several years trying to forget.
EMB, I know this group is just crawling with intellect. That was me making a joke again. These are the most intelligent conversations I have had in many a year. I love this bar and grill.
Were they available I would put emoticons in appropriate spots to denote a joke.
I think the term I meant to use was “intellectual snobs”, whose intellect may not be as superior as they would like you to believe.
Hmmm, I wonder if certain English teachers of my acquaintance will think more highly of McKuen now that he’s a dead white guy.
Sideburns: told Bob about your miniaturized drones; he immediately thought of the old book/movie Fantastic Voyage. (Insert obligatory Raquel Welch comment here)
For those of us facing our own or loved ones mortality, I offer the best commentary I know on the subject from old Blue Eyes himself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32jyJurG3Ts
And if that is not adequate I will post the more modern version by Queen Latifah that won a Grammy as best song in 2008 with added cleavage. And attitude.
Frank Sinatra was a favorite. The link was quite appropriate. But also… My Way. That just about says it all…
A bit late: Gal, May God bless you always and in all ways. Peace be with you.
Frank was a favorite of Mike’s also, the reason I had seen him in person so many times. And yes, “My Way” was actually his favorite and I had to play and listen to it for myself. How fortunate we have been to have loved men like that.
Another favorite was “The Impossible Dream” and yes, I saw that one live too. Aren’t those with a dream unique? Mike loved to tilt at windmills, to do what people said could not be done. He worked the rigging of the Tall Ship Elissa on the highest yard, reached by climbing rigging. He was 50 when he qualified as crew.
Take joy in good memories.
Love, Jackie
Neat group. Peace, emb
Gal – deepest sympathy and hugs.
All of us need to keep Jackie’s words in mind and not only take joy in good memories but recognize what a gift it is to make those memories. Gal, Jackie, and others here have provided us with good examples of that.
Dear Galliglo, it’s the hardest thing most of us will ever have to do, to say goodbye to our dearest love. You are a strong woman and you will carry on — the happy memories will take away some of the pain.
Galliglo, sorrow for your loss and gratitude for what Jerry left you. As Spider Robinson said in his Callahan books, Shared pain is lessened; shared joy, increased — thus do we refute entropy.
I’m glad we have this Village, to do both.
And one more just for a laugh: “Well, some men learn by listening, some read, some observe and analyze — and some of us just have to pee on the electric fence.”
? Spider Robinson, Variable Star
How funny, Mark.I have a volunteer to sail my boat in the Florida 120 event, a dear and loved friend who is even way older than me and just as young at heart. He is known as St. John and deserves that nickname. He tried to canonize me as St. Jackquline and I told him I was not a saint, the Archbishop told me St. Jackquline was “almost a saint” and I laugh at that pretty often too. She is a saint in waiting, the woman behind St. Francis of Assisi, a great favorite of mine.
Behind ever great man there is an even stronger woman.
Oh yeah, he is going to go as crew. He is so wonderful person, lost everything he owned in the world in the Bastrop, Texas wild fires His homes, his shop, his tools, all the family relics, and most terrible, about a dozen boats. He saved the pets and his clothes on his back. Yet I never heard him complain. I was on phone with him as the fire came his way, begging him to get out, get out! He went back and rebuilt it all. And this is not reason we call him St. John in Bastrop.
Just the most remarkable man and yes, he is going to live until he dies.
Galliglo, I’m glad that you “ran on” and told us more about Jerry. He must have been a remarkable man and very lovable. Good that you had the time with him that you will treasure now.
Dear eMb, does your doctor feel that you really need this colonoscopy, at your age? When I phoned for what I assumed I needed, they told me that I didn’t need one ever again! It seems the doctor wrote that in his notes, but forgot to tell me. Actually I didn’t even see the doctor after the procedure; the nurse told me that no problems were found, so I didn’t need a follow up appointment. And I have read, since then, that older people often don’t need them any more; depending, of course, on their medical history.
Agreed. And I am not having any more scopes down my throat either. After all these years they decided I really didn’t need them.In fact, if I can keep all those numbers in the right computer analysis part, I will give blood and they better be happy! With lupus I can’t give blood anymore, they just suck it out and throw it away.`
Jackie
You just have to do it the hard way 🙂 or 😉
Ruth Ann
Those that think they know everything annoy those of us the do.
emb
Did you teach in Brrrmiji?
Franklin Hobbs on WCCO played Frankie so often (I had a night job) I could not stand him for awhile. 45 years on I can only takes little bits of the Hoboken boy.
TMI – My grandparents met in Hoboken NJ even though they lived 15 miles apart in the old country.
OB