looking ahead

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what do you see?

"New Year's Day: Now is the accepted time to make your regular annual good resolutions. Next week you can begin paving hell with them as usual." ~Mark Twain

observer of Man, a favorite satirist, Mark Twain reappears in the first of a three volume autobiography-

from the BOOKLIST John Christensen on the Autobiography of Mark Twain, Vol. 1,edited Harriet Smith,et al. In explaining his dissatisfaction with his early attempts to write his life story, Mark Twain blamed the narrowness of the conventional cradle-to-grave format: “The side-excursions are the life of our life-voyage, and should be, also, of its history.” This volume—the first of three—makes public autobiographical dictations in which Twain unpredictably pursues the many side-excursions of his remarkably creative life. Embedded in a substantial editorial apparatus, these free-spirited forays expose private aspects of character that the author did not want in print until he had been dead at least a century. Readers see, for instance, a misanthropic Twain consigning man to a status below that of the grubs and worms, as well as a tenderhearted Twain still grieving a year after his wife’s death. But on some side-excursions, Twain flashes the irreverent wit that made him famous: Who will not delight in Twain’s account of how, as a boy, he gleefully dons the bright parade banner of the local Temperance Lodge, only to shuck his banner upon finding a cigar stub he can light up? But perhaps the most important side-excursions are those retracing the imaginative prospecting of a miner for literary gold, efforts that resulted in such works as Roughing It and Innocents Abroad. A treasure trove for serious Twain readers. --Bryce Christensen

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tete a tete

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nick and nora 

tete a tete

this year

I am going to be more like Nora

(having mastered the not looking too pretty in the mornings)

I am moving on to-

more making of witty quips

more taking of swanky trips

more stylish clothes to give me a lift

look for someone- something like Nick-

if I could do a Nora-
how charmed you would be

I'd be  "darling" something

a little less me.

to resolve is a danger

I shan't like to fail

but in making the effort

it might turn out really swell.

keep me in line dears
I'll need all your help

visit each day
 to see how I've dealt.

I can't go on rhyming

I'm really quite spent-

so keep it quite closely 

this new year 
tete a tete.

HAPPY NEW YEAR

New Year’s Eve Infographic: Champagne-Glass Pyramid

ChampagneSabering.com offers this diagram along with a table for calculating the number of glasses needed for building pyramids of various heights. Also tips for filling the glasses and all things related to Champagne. They can be hired to build a pyramid for your next event.

There is a page of Champagne quotes, including this one from Art Buchwald: "I like Champagne because it always tastes as if my foot's asleep."

May this be the only kind of Pyramid Scheme you encounter in the new year. Wishing a happy, healthy, and peaceful 2011 to all!

adieu schumieu

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it wouldn't be a New Year without them.

"Have you made any New Year's resolutions?"
"Not yet; any complaints or suggestions?" 

"A few."

"Which?"  

 "Complaints."

"All right, shoot."

"Well, you don't scold, you don't nag, and you look far too pretty in the mornings."

"All right, I'll remember: must scold, must nag; mustn’t be too pretty in the mornings."

 

not familiar?- take care of that deficit immediately here for a crash course 

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2010

Can't wait to see how the year will unfold ...

WHY?

Why create a blog?

What moves us to reach out to others with our thoughts, opinions- our suppositions? For me- I have been continually inspired by one particular blog all year- An Aesthete's Lament. Thank you.

I also begin with an ending of sorts- a dear friend and sometimes mentor died on December 15th and I made a promise to keep just a bit of his wit and wisdom alive by sharing it whenever possible. Hopefully this Little Augury will do that and more. Surely it will evolve- follow along if you'd like to see just how.




a toast to S.Peele and you...

Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot,
And auld lang syne? ~rabbie burns (1759-96)