Hey, everybody — today’s poem is by me! I was working with SAMOAS, ANA (de Armas), (Lady) GAGA, (Greta) GARBO, and BANANA.
The favorite snack of Jason Momoa’s
Is a heaping handful of Girl Scout SAMOAS.
ANA de Armas enjoys them as well
And GAGA and GARBO both think/thought they’re swell.
So next time you’re hungry, don’t grab a BANANA
Crack open a box with Jason and ANA.
For the word AMISS, I came up with:
Is something AMISS?
Alas, yes.
Wait — a lass is AMISS?
Yes, a lass is A MISS.
What?
Although Owl Chatter boasts proudly of its total commitment to nonsense, occasionally a story of serious importance intrudes.
The above photo (thanks Phil!) is a shot of the Presidents Race. It’s been run in the middle of the 4th inning at every Gnats home game for 20 years now. The results from this year’s competitions have just been released: Abe won 30 times; George 21; Tom 18; and Teddy 11. FDR pretty much dominates the wheelchair division.
Dasi Ilowitz shared this story with Met Diary last week. It’s a small tale, but the mensch on the bike deserves a nod.
Dear Diary:
I was walking through Prospect Park on a glorious fall afternoon, admiring the foliage and taking in the scene. Ahead of me, a cyclist tossed something toward a garbage can and missed. Without slowing down, he continued on.
When I reached the spot, I picked up the litter. It seemed clear to me that the man had meant to throw it away. I wanted to do my part to keep the park clean.
As I straightened up, I noticed the cyclist coming back. He had turned around to retrieve what he had dropped.
I gave him a thumbs up.
“I got it,” I said.
He waved, said, “thank you,” circled around and continued on his ride.
Rex Parker’s blog on the NYTXW celebrated its twentieth anniversary this week. It’s been a big part of my life (and this blog) for the past few years. Its genius (actually that of its creator, Michael Sharp) is the recognition that the puzzle is much more than an exercise in wordplay. Each puzzle tells a story, opens doors in your memory, honors (in a way) individuals whom it features, and so on.
I was hesitant to add my small voice to the comments section at first, but the community is so warm and welcoming, I’m delighted with the small role I’ve taken on. Along with egsforbreakfast (“egs”), I seek out items in the puzzle for puns (ideally terrible ones), or other silly wordplay. Today, e.g., I learned at 3D that the “Country where the game of dominoes is a national pastime” is CUBA. So, obviously, I had to write: “Oh man, I was sure the country that loves dominos was the Dominocan Republic.”
I also worked with ESTATE SALE, HALCYON, STET (the proofreader’s command), and SON, to come up with:
My Uncle Bob caught a lot of grief for his collection of exotic beers, but when he died we all fought over the ESTATESALE.
I asked the old cowboy if he could pull any proofreader commands out of his hat, and he said “STET, SON.”
My good friend Etta Mology tells me the word HALCYON comes from Hal Cyon, a pitcher for the Braves in the ’30s famed for remaining calm no matter how bad the ump’s calls were.
DEAD SEA in the puzzle led Commenter Lewis to share the following memory with us:
When I was in my early 20s, I visited the DEAD SEA. I was by myself at the time, and everyone said to go and see it. I really didn’t know anything about it.
When I arrived, I saw many people just standing in the water. Hardly anyone was moving. I just thought it was a stodgy crowd.
Back then, the way I liked to enter a lake or the ocean was to run full speed into the water, maybe even splash those nearby, and I was going to do that this time, and show these people what fun looks like.
What I didn’t know was that the water was so salty and mineral–rich, you could actually sit on top of it. That salt, if it splashes in your face, seriously sears the eyes.
So, as I began my run from a great distance from the sea’s lip, I could see the beginnings of looks of terror in the faces of those on the beach as well as in the water. As I got closer, I saw their arms flailing, heard shouts of “NOOOOOO”. It was like one of those slow motion sequences in a movie, where faces were zoomed in on, and the voices were slow motion slow.
The people in the water turned their backs to me and covered their eyes. People on the beach were running to stop my invasion of the water.
Oh, I got the message and stopped in time, but I will never forget that moment. Hadn’t thought about it in forever. But today when I uncovered DEAD SEA, it was as if I were there.
(I noted that I’m so old that when I visited the DEAD SEA it was still alive.)
For BOX in the puzzle (“Word with shadow or shoe”), Son Volt shared this Grateful Dead song, perhaps my personal favorite of theirs.
The song deals with Phil Lesh’s father’s battle with cancer. As Phil drove out each day to visit his dad in the nursing home, he would sing “Box of Rain” and cry.
What do you want me to do
To do for you, to see you through?
A box of rain will ease the pain
And love will see you through
Two wonderful seasons are kicking off for us. Thursday night we schlepped down to Princeton for the first of eight chamber music concerts in the series we subscribed to. World class musicians in spectacular Richardson Auditorium at a ridiculously low cost. It was the Brentano String Quartet this time — they we so incredibly good we almost stayed awake for the entire performance.
And the NY Sirens of the PWHL (Professional Women’s Hockey League) announced their season schedule. It includes about a dozen games near us (at the Pru in Newark) so we’ll be signing up for a “flex pack” of 4 games or so. Drop the puck and let’s go, ladies!! The league expanded to twelve teams, broken up into two divisions. Eight will qualify for the playoffs. C’mon Sirens!! Let’s make it this year! Here’s our Sarah, with her game face on.
Some of you may have been surprised that our mention of Ana de Armas, above, was not accompanied by a photo of Ana, as it always does. Well, Phil tells me Ana, as gracious as she is beautiful, requested that we feature this photo instead, of a colonial girl who, no doubt, was pulling for George or Tom in the Presidents Race featured above. Okay, Armas — but you owe us one!
We ain’t gonna top that shayna punim for a close. See you tomorrow!
One response to “Lincoln Wins!”
nice story about the bike-trasher….he needs to practice his toss
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