Friday, February 25, 2011

This is why I blog. Perfect.


He loved waking up first on Christmas, and maybe most of all, eating all the mashed potatoes.

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

'Notice a grammatical error in a printed ad'; now that's unique ...


Those who wish to remember Barbara might do so each day as you work the puzzles in the newspaper, admire the last fading star in the early morning sky, notice a grammatical error in a printed ad that needs correcting, or run an errand for a friend, little things that mattered in her life.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Holy cow ...


Born on a dairy farm in Walnut, Ill., Baumgartner was prodigious with the movement of manure from an early age, and exercising these and other talents, earned recognition for his National 4-H Grand Champion Dairy Heifer, Clementine's Ramona, in 1930 at the age of 10.

Friday, February 18, 2011

"A meandering digression of increasingly unbearable inconsequentiality"


“Jerry! Hello!” Mr. Lesser, as Uncle Leo, would cry whenever he’d encounter his nephew in a social situation on “Seinfeld.” His greeting was usually accompanied by an elaborate palms-up gesture of welcome, and followed by a meandering digression of increasingly unbearable inconsequentiality, often involving his son, Jeffrey, who worked for the New York City Parks Department.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

What I'm sayin'!

Her favorite pastime was enjoying nature through her many walks in the forests.

Friday, February 11, 2011

What's the difference between an investment banker and a commercial banker?


Hence the extraordinary late-January event I attended: a touching memorial service for a deeply capitalistic banker during a time of anti-banker rage.

(H/T to Vanessa Horwell!)

Tuesday, February 8, 2011

Harsh.


Some time after Mr. Getty’s release, his mother suggested he call his grandfather to thank him for paying the ransom, which he did. The eldest Mr. Getty declined to come to the phone.

Monday, February 7, 2011

"My obituary is very important to me."


"His sartorial style was known more for its terrifying redundancy than for its distinction."

Many will miss that kind of wit.