google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Thursday January 15, 2009 Alan P. Olschwang

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Jan 15, 2009

Thursday January 15, 2009 Alan P. Olschwang

Theme: A Restless Mind

17A: Start of a quip: UNEASY LIES

27A: Part 2 of quip: THE HEAD WHICH

45A: Part 3 of quip: EATS CRACKERS

60A: End of quip: WHILE IN BED

Is this a play on "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown"?

I am completely stumped by this quip. After our Florida cracker discussion a few days ago, now I am at a loss at what CRACKERS refer to here. Ritz Cracker CRACKERS or is it another slang for drug?

I would have clued CLUES (1D: Aids for Sherlock) as "You are reading them" or anything crossword related. By the way, there are 78 clues/fills in today's grid, the maximum count allowed for a weekday 15*15 themed puzzle (72 for Saturday themeless).

Across:

1A: "Lara __: Tomb Raider": CROFT. Guinness Book of World Records 2009 named Angelina Jolie the Most Powerful Actress. Brad Pitt took the title of the Most Powerful Actor.

6A: Iron pumper's pride: LATS. Short for Latissimus Dorsi, literally the broadest (muscle) of the back. I can never remember this word. What specific exercise is needed to build up that "pride"?

14A: Palmer of "The Gentle Sex": LILLI. Completely unknown to me. She was a German actress and was married to Rex Harrison for over a decade. If you find a poster of "The Gentle Sex" on the internet, please share with us.

15A: Japanese box: INRO. See this picture. The toggle at the top of that picture is called netsuke, highly collectible. These netsukes are so erotic. Japanese traditional clothes have no pockets, thus the need for a small case attached to the kimono.

23A: Mack of Keystone films: SENNETT. Look at these SENNETT Bathing Beautifies. Was the picture taken in 1920's? I've never heard of this guy before. Wikipedia says he is called "The King of Comedy”.

41A: Wine region of Italy: ASTI. ASTI Spumante.

49A: Ilie of tennis: NASTASE. Often see ILIE clued as "Nastase of tennis".

53A: Abrasive cloth: EMERY

58A: Award for a sitcom: EMMY. Do you know why this award is called EMMY?

64A: Orchestral instruments: CELLI. Had no idea that the plural form of cello is CELLI.

67A: Minotaur's home: CRETE. So, what's the lesson drawn from Icarus' flight from CRETE? Hubris?

Down:

3D: City on the Allegheny: OLEAN. I've never heard of Allegheny River. Is it an Indian name?

6D: Frasier's ex: LILITH. Played by Bebe Neuwirth. Unknown to me.

7D: Blue dye: ANIL. I forgot the difference between ANIL and Indigo.

8D: Cross the line?: TRESPASS. Why question mark?

10D: Anti-war: DOVISH. Opposite hawish.

18D: "The Dresser" director Peter: YATES. He just appeared in our puzzle last Sunday.

26D: Writer LeShan: EDA. Crossword construstors seem to be very fond of three letter A- ending words: EDA, IDA, ADA, AVA, EVA, UMA, ABA, AGA, A LA, BOA, ERA, PEA, PTA and of course BRA. She is so pretty.

38D: Stiffened, in a way: STARCHED

41D: Sore: ACHY. I wrote down ACHE first.

43D: Quiet partner?: PEACE

51D: Small silvery fish: SMELT. What's your favorite fish? I really like walleye.

52D: Vocalist Gorme: EYDIE. What's the title of this song? Sounds so familiar. I've never heard of EYDIE Gorme though.

61D: Former trucking regulating agcy.: ICC (Interstate Commerce Commission). From 1887 to 1995. New to me also. Wikipedia says "the agency's remaining functions were transferred to the Surface Transportation Board.

C.C.

67 comments:

Dennis said...

Good morning, C.C. and gang - a enjoyable Olschwang puzzle for me this morning; lots of thought involved, but doable without G-spotting.

Needed perp help for Peter Yates and Eda LeShan (can never remember that name). I'm not sure I've seen stock shares abbreviated as 'shs' before.

G8rmomx2, it's actually 6:30, not 5:30 when I go to the gym. Our blog entry times are shown in Central time (C.C.'s time), not Eastern.

Today is National Hat Day.

Today's Words of Wisdom: "In youth we learn, in age we understand". -- Writer Marie Ebner-Eshenbach

Dennis said...

C.C., the best exercise for the lats is the lat pulldown - best for creating the classic V-shaped back.

Very interesting Netsuke pictures; will there be a DVD?

Also, 'crackers' in this case refers to regular crackers; one of the things you never want to eat in bed, because the crumbs go everywhere.

Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikel said...

Dennis,
But what does UNEASY LIES THE HEAD mean then? I don't think you need the DVD for the netsuke positions. You experienced the real thing when you were stationed in Japan, didn't you?

Dr. Dad & Argyle,
Thanks for the "Aqualung" link yesterday. Is "Aqualung" an accepted word for "homeless man"?

Martin,
What kind of man are you? Nerd?

Kazie,
Yes, CEL is a shortened form of celluloid.

Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikel said...

A.R.E,
How long did you work for NASA?

Lois,
Thanks. I hope the traffic won't be too bad when you drive to Fairfax. Is it far from your home?

Embien,
Thanks for the "Shan Ji" link. Shan is mountain in Chinese, Ji is chicken, thus Mountain Chicken. Ji (chicken) is also a slang for hooker.

Sallie,
Hope you are getting better today.

Dennis said...

C.C., uneasy lies the head that rests on crumbs in this case.

And what happens in Japan, stays in Japan.

mariposa said...

Good morning C.C. and all. Not to bad of a puzzle today.Once i figured out the quote it went together for me. The song is My Favorite Things, it was in some versions of The Sound of Music.

It's a cold day today here in Ohio about 5 above when I left for work, and that's as good as it's going to get. Have a great day all.

Argyle said...

Good Morning, CC and all

"Aqualung" an accepted word for "homeless man"?

No, but I did learn that "goes down to the bog to warm his feet" refers to public toilets.

Visual theme: Norman Rockwell's Crackers in Bed

Argyle said...

Confucius Says

Martin said...

15 minutes 37 seconds. Unknowns were INRO, YATES, SENNETT, MAWR, EDA, SHS, RES, ASTI, ICC and the quip itself. I knew of LILLI Palmer and EYDIE Gorme but I got those answers from the perps without having to think about them.

For CRETE, I wanted MINOA. This is a perfect example of what I was talking about a few days ago: the Minotaur was a myth but the Minoan civilization was real; that civilization was destroyed in a volcanic eruption. The destruction of the Minoan civilization is probably what inspired Plato's story "Atlantis".

Martin,
What kind of man are you?


If we weren't both married and living on opposite sides of the world, you could find out for yourself. Sorry, C.C., but that was a perfect set up for that particular response. :)

Seriously though, I think all men are a mix of dudes, studs and nerds and we're all supposed to give up what we were and devote ourselves to our family when we get married.

Martin

Martin said...

Sorry, C.C., I forgot.

The Gentle Sex

Martin

Bill said...

Got through this one OK. Started out really fast but slowed when I put UNEASINESS. Could not remember LILITH for the longest time. Had a picture of her in my mind and some scenes of Cheers kept surfacing but, almost to the end before the light bulb finally lit! When I got that one the rest of the top fell pretty easily.
I can never remember ANIL as blue dye.
And, yes, CRACKERS in bed can be messy! (he said, with tongue firmly planted in cheek).
CY'All Later

Superfrey said...

I did have to Google to get some names.... Yates, Sennett, Eda... but the rest flowed smoothly.
It was 41 degrees here in Naples at 6 AM.... going up to 64 though... phew!
C.C. Thanks again for your interview with Alan Olschwang last week. His specialty is the quotes and quips.... He does a good job

lois said...

Good morning CC et al, If I only had a 'mall'...parts of the top half would be smashed. 'shs'??? me too, Dennis, WTF?. Just kind of sets the tone for the day..
these 'crackers' and 'hoes' had better not 'trespass' on my turf now.

Enjoy your day.

Argyle said...

What does UNEASY LIES THE HEAD mean then?

As a leader, you are never safe, figuratively or literally.

the Sword of Damocles

Chris in LA said...

@ Martin,

So many adjectives left unsaid:

Geeks
Couch Potatoes
Winners
Losers
Egotists
Fraidy-cats
Self-deprocators
Lovers
Lousy
Selfish
Giving
Care-takers
Rocks
Whiners

Oh, the list is endless...

Dick said...

Good morning CC and all; Cc the Allegheny comes from the Lenape (Delaware) Indians. The river starts in Potter county in northern Pennsylvania, flows north into New York, then into the Kinzua dam. From the Kinzua the river flows south to Pittsburgh where it joins with the Monongahela River to form the Ohio River. Sorry I had to post this twice as the first time I did it on your comments for Barry Silk.

Dick said...

Cc I liked today's puzzle even with its abundance of names. I was able to get most of the fills but had to Google for Lilli 14A and Eda 26D. The remainder of the puzzle was solvable, particularly, after I recognized the quip.

NYTAnonimo said...

Names did me in, especially in the upper left. Did not know OLEAN, SENNET, YATES, CROFT, LILITH. Spelled NASTASE wrong (again!). Did not know SHS for shares (of stock). Thought the quote left much to be desired. All in all a stretch.

Stay warm today!

Zhouqin (C.C.) Burnikel said...

Martin,
I deleted your last post because I found it to be of very poor taste.
Thanks for "The Gentle Sex" link.

Dick,
Thank you for Allegheny. Got Barry's new puzzle?

Argyle,
What's the story behind "The Sword of Damocles"?

Barry G. said...

Morning, all!

Not a big fan of today's puzzle, sorry. And it's not just sour grapes, since I was eventually able to solve it unassisted (with the help of some semi-educated guesses). Too many obscure names (SENNET, EDA, LILLI, EYDIE, NASTASE), obscure places (OLEAN), foreign terms (INRO) and strained abbreviations (SHS) for my taste. Plus, I'm just not a big fan of "quip" puzzles where there's no indication whatsoever what the quip is about.

I actually did like the quip once I finally solved it. It's definitely a play on "Uneasy is the head that wears the crown," since eating crackers in bed can make a lot of crumbs all over the pillow which can certainly lead to an uneasy sleep. I enjoy quips that poke fun at old adages, like "A bird in the hand can get quite messy." But a long quip with no clue other than "Start of a Quip" can make for an annoying puzzle solving experience for me.

Anyway, as a result of the quip, the north central section was the last to fall. I had IN_O for 15A and SH_ for 38A, which left me with T__SP_S_ for 8D. It took me a loooong time to finally get an AHA moment with 8D, but once I got TRESPASS the rest fell into place.

Oh -- and did anybody else put BELLS instead of CELLI for 64A? That messed me up for awhile because IBC seemed as likely as ICC, and EYDIE didn't exactly spring to mind. I evntually realized that EYDSE couldn't possibly be right, though...

Dr. Dad said...

Good morning.

Had to google a couple of times but this wasn't a bad puzzle. Didn't know Sennett and Yates.

Bebe Neuwirth also played the nurse to Jonathan Frakes' Will Riker in the Star Trek TNG show "First Contact" (the show, not the movie).

Eydie Gorme married Steve Lawrence, the ex-husband of Vicki Lawrence of The Carol Burnett Show.

Today is also: Get To Know Your Customers Day, Humanitarian Day, and Women in Blue Jeans (tight, I hope) Day. The first Superbowl Game between the Green Bay Packers and the Kansas City Chiefs was on this day in 1967. The Packers won 35-10.

Have a great Thursday.

Anonymous said...

19:06 for me today not a hammer but just couldn't get the brain in gear today. I've never heard the quip before.

Gentle Sex Movie poster here:

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31v-HPGnXmL._SL500_AA280_.jpg


6 DOWN Frasier's ex : Lilith Sternin-Crane

Here's an episode of Cheers from Season 5 entitled Abnormal Psychology

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7IlzvzpyI_g

Argyle said...

Argyle, what's the story behind "The Sword of Damocles"?

A young man told his ruler that being the ruler must be great, so they switched roles that night. The young man was enjoying his position until he looked up and saw the sword, hanging by a single hair, over his head. Thus he learned what it really felt like to be the ruler.

wikipedia

Unknown said...

My favorite fish? Orange Roughy or cod.

Anonymous said...

Thanks - I enjoy your blog.

Steve Lawrence and Eydie Gorme were married in 1957 - he was never married to Vicki Lawrence - she would have been a child bride.

Paul

kazie said...

I have to agree with most of Barry G's first paragraph. Multi g'spots for me today, couldn't find the Japanese box and started out with GOES TOO FAR for 8D, so that took a while to resolve, until I got PEAS, anyway. I've never heard of LATS before--not a high priority at my age. I did Sunday's puzzle yesterday, so did remember YATES and knew NASTASE and EYDIE as well.

c.c.,
Cello is Italian--masculine plural would have to be CELLI, though I've never heard them called that. But whenever an Italian "-o" ending shows up, I think of that.

Anonymous said...

C.C. - I was with McDonnell Douglas Astronautics for five years from 83-88. We were a NASA contractor. I had the pleasure of doing Data Systems Design work for Johnson, Goddard and JPL. Most of my time was spent on the early development of the Space Station program.

Linda. Sorry, didn't know any NASA procurement officers.

A.R.E.

kazie said...

I forgot to mentiion we are now at a balmy 10 below here in SW Wisconsin, after an overnight low of minus 21. Windchills later expected at minus 60. All local school district decided to close already yesterday afternoon.

Dr. Dad said...

Damn! Why did I think they were married? Must be because they appeared on the Burnett show and had the same last name.

I'm going to go and hang my head. See? I don't know everything.

@*&&***!!!!

Dennis said...

DrDad, it's always good to get this year's mistake out of the way.

BTW, I was under the same impression about those two. Senility rocks!

Anonymous said...

mark - Buenos Aires

bryn mawr - literally "big hill" Its common in Wales but why the name in USA
As a lifelong eater of cheese and crackers in bed, the quote is so typical of some nights when you are trying to sleep and a sharp crumb means you have to get up and brush the bed.

chau

Anonymous said...

The name "Emmy" was chosen as a feminization of "immy", a nickname used for the image orthicon tubes that were common in early television cameras.

RPeitz

Dennis said...

Mark - Bryn Mawr is a Philadelphia suburban town, also home of Bryn Mawr College.

Dr.G said...

Fairly easy today. Still got stuck in the NW. I guess I'm lazy, but CC to the rescue.

Argyle, I like Confucious's answer better.

Dick, I've lived most of my life in PA, but never realized that the Allegheny R. briefly snuck into NY.

carol said...

Good morning C.C.and everyone, lower half of this puzzle was a cinch, upper half was toooo tough! I had part 3 and the end of the quip and still couldn't figure it out. Several DF phrases ran through my naughty mind though.

There were a lot of names I would never have known so I did have to go to Mr.G.

Is "celli" plural for cello? I know nothing about music. It sounds like something that belongs in a petri dish!

Clear Ayes said...

Good Morning All, Not a bad quip this morning. It is an amusing play on words and is certainly true. Years ago, when I was pregnant, my doctor recommended eating a few crackers before I got up in the morning to avoid morning sickness. It didn't work, I still got sick and the bed was littered with crumbs.

There were some unknowns, OLEAN, INRO and SHS stopped me for a while, but I think I am beginning to speak crosswordese and can get some of the obscure words and names like ANIL and EDA that used to stump me.

C.C. Fishy question... for me it is salmon, lightly grilled and topped with some fruit salsa, or even just a little lemon.

For me, today's Words of Wisdom might be "In youth we learn, in age we understand how much we failed to learn in our youth."

Martin.....LOL, Open mouth, insert foot. "I think all men are a mix of dudes, studs and nerds and we're all supposed to give up what we were and devote ourselves to our family when we get married.. I think you might get some comments on that one. Doesn't everyone give up some things when they get married? Does devoting yourself to your family necessitate giving up what you were? Heaven knows that any man or woman who gets married with the hope that their spouse will miraculously change their likes, dislikes and personality is asking for trouble.

Clear Ayes said...

Brrrr...It sounds like many of you are in for more snowy, freezing and just plain lousy weather. Here's a charming poem looking at a winter night from both human and feline points of view.

On A Night of Snow

Cat, if you go outdoors, you must walk in the snow.
You will come back with little white shoes on your feet,
little white shoes of snow that have heels of sleet.
Stay by the fire, my Cat. Lie still, do not go.
See how the flames are leaping and hissing low,
I will bring you a saucer of milk like a marguerite,
so white and so smooth, so spherical and so sweet -
stay with me, Cat. Outdoors the wild winds blow.


Outdoors the wild winds blow, Mistress, and dark is the night,
strange voices cry in the trees, intoning strange lore,
and more than cats move, lit by our eyes green light,
on silent feet where the meadow grasses hang hoar -
Mistress, there are portents abroad of magic and might,
and things that are yet to be done. Open the door!

- Elizabeth Coatsworth

Brian said...

Good afternoon C.C. and gang.

Had to dust off my New York State road map to find 3 down, but found the puzzle quite doable. Even though a lot of the names were unknown to me, they were quickly solved via the perps.

C.C.- any kind of fish is ok with me but my all time favorite is Lake Erie perch coated in panko and lightly pan fried.

Tundra-like weather conditions today. Hope everyone has a great Thursday.

WM said...

Argyle: loved the Confucious quote.

C.C. Thank you for the Barry Silk puzzle. Will definitely work it. What a treat!

This was an up and down and back and forth puzzle for me today. Had to work it all over. Eventually filled everything in except the N in INRO...the only Japanese box I knew was BENTO...a food thing. Sat with just the I for CELLI for the longest time because all I could think of was WINDS, BRASS, STRINGS...etc and even though I once long ago play a CELLO, I didn't make the connection until I got a couple of the perps. Even got some of the quote right off but didn't put it all together for a bit.

All in all, a challenge, fun not frustrating.

I will be lurking on and off as I just got a commision to do a 10' x 45' mural and so will be busy getting things ready for the next few months. The project will probably start in April as the building isn't yet complete.

Barb B said...

I bombed on the NW section, because of the names. Oh well, the rest of the puzzle went well. The only cracker quip I’m familiar with is what I’ve heard men say about a beautiful woman; “She can eat crackers in my bed any day.”

I heard that Eydie Gorme told her secret for a long and happy marriage in a television interview. They never had a serious conversation. I think she was smiling; they did seem to be happy.

Keep warm, everyone; I’m appreciating Oregon’s cloudy, damp, 50 degree weather a little more. I crave the sun, but I see how fortunate we are to miss the bitter cold.

Argyle, thanks for the links, I love the Rockwell pic.

Buckeye said...

Hi, all. Too many names but got this done w/o help.

The song Eydie Gorme is singing in your clip, c.c. is "Favorite Things" popularized by Julie Andrews in the musical "The Sound Of Music." Off to the hospital to check on a friend who had double knee replacement yesterday. Hope to check back soon.

I must be off

crazyhorse said...

ahi CC and all
Haven't commented for a long time, just lurking. The puzzles seem to be very easy lately. Today's was a little more difficult and had to google 6D, 18D,but the rest was doable.

The weather here is brutal. I have about 3 feet of snow, extremely cold, below zero. My dog thinks its just wonderful! But i worry about my horse. He lived in the desert for 15 years and I (like an idiot) brought him here! He is blanketed, but it is so cold. Oh and my furnace went out! Isn't that special! New one should be here tomorrow. I have a fire place and a wood stove in the basement.

CYA later

Anonymous said...

Not too bad today. Spelled Nastase wrong the first time through and had to recover. If I could spell, crossword puzzles would be too easy.

Yes pull dowms are an excellent LAT exercise if you have the proper equipment. Otherwise the inclined, lying or bent-over rows with free weights (soup cans work fine) are good lat exercises. Your never too old for a little strength training. At 67 I hit he gym at least 3 days a week.

Seattle John

Anonymous said...

Dear CC: First I want you to know how much I enjoy your answers. Your questions for today, in case no one has yet answered, are:

Cracker is also a slang for a Florida hillbilly. Not a particularly nice term. I think it comes from the type of houses they lived in (not sure).

Celli, comes up as an incorrect spelling on my word processor. As an English major, I always used cellos.

Allegheny is a native America (Indian) name.

Edydie Gorme is a person married to Steve Lawrence and the pair were very popular in the 50's and early 60's.

Hope this helps....have a great day.

Maddi

Anonymous said...

C.C. Thank you for your good wishes, and yes my cold is better, but not conquered.
Am reading in bed for the second day, so it can't all be bad.

Anonymous said...

She's singing "These Are a Few of My Favorite Things" from "The Sound of Music".

El

Clear Ayes said...

G.A.H. disagrees with my comment. "Does devoting yourself to your family necessitate giving up what you were?". He says he gave up being a tutu-wearing Peeping Tom when we got married....

But if you think of it like this Peeping Tom, he hasn't given that up at all. He does have cute knees and it would be a shame to give up the tutu completely....he does a fantastic pirouette and jeté when called upon.

embien said...

7:04 today. The easiest "quip" puzzle in some time. I don't think I could hardly tab and type much faster doing a puzzle online.

INRO was the only word I'd never seen before, but easily gotten via the crosses. SHS is a terrible abbreviation for shares. I've only ever seen it abbreviated as SHRS before.

We finally got the driveway clear of all the downed brush and trees today. Nearly a month after our big snowstorm (worst in 50 years in this area). There were downed trees everywhere, and judging by the tracks, the power company had to bring a cat in to take care of things (road impassible even with chains on normal 4-wheel drive vehicles for 17 days).

Anonymous said...

mark - Buenos Aires

bryn mawr - literally "big hill" Its common in Wales but why the name in USA?

It has been a long time since I lived around there, but I have a foggy memory that the area of Pennsylvania by that name was first settled by people who immigrated from Wales.
Calef.

embien said...

c.c.: What's your favorite fish?

Living here in the Northwest there is only one possible answer to this:
Chinook salmon. Preferably broiled on a cedar plank and served with some lemon. cedar plank salmon

Auntie Naomi said...

Hi guys.

I have not seen the Tomb Raider movie. I have it TIVO'ed, though. I recorded it because I was informed while in Cambodia a couple of years ago that this temple, which I visited, was featured in the movie. I don't know if 'Angelina Jolie' is a real name or a stage name, but if it's her real name, whoever named her hit the nail on the head. Not only is she physically beautiful but, considering her UN humanitarian work, she clearly has a beautiful soul.

Nothing against Mr. Olschwang but, I hate this theme. "The head that eats crackers ....?" Please! If you are going to be specific about it, then it is the mouth that eats them. Argh.

Since I do not utilize the G-spot, I did not finish. That is unusual for me. I am afraid I just could not get the NW corner. I was pretty sure that LILLI was a correct guess, but the theme just hung me up and, therefore, I could not get the downs since I did not know OLEAN. After a while, I was sure I finally remembered Fraser's Ex, but I was thinking of MARRIS (his brother's wife). I had PECS to start and then changed it to LATS when I got TRESPASS. MARRIS did not work with that and I was stumped ... all because of the odd theme. Heads eat crackers, while technically correct, is just somehow wrong.

My puzzle did not have the Dizzy worded BEBOP clue. I love Bop and it would have been nice to be able to chime in on that one, but my comp was giving me major grief again.

I was not aware that the ICC no longer existed.

I once made a casserole out of SMELT not realizing that they were not boneless. We had something else for dinner that night ;)

Auntie Naomi said...

Mariposa said: "The song is My Favorite Things, it was in some versions of The Sound of Music."

C.C., If 'My Favorite Things' sounds very familiar, it may be due to the fact that I posted a link a few days back to a live John Coltrane performance of it on YouTube.

NYTAnonimo said...

Went for a walk in the snow last Friday Clear Ayes but this is getting a bit nippy for cats or humans! It is beautiful to look at just not that pleasant to contend with. Feel like I'm in a snow-globe swimming at the indoor pool which is decorated with preserved palms but looks out over a landscape of evergreens and snow!

Dick said...

cc for some reason I cannot get to the site to get Barry's puzzle. Can you point me in a direction?

Argyle said...

Dick, email her; she sends it to you in PDF format.

Anonymous said...

I'm coming out of hibernation just long enough to tell Kazie that I;m sharing her Wisconsin deep freeze. I live just east of Madison. It didn't quite make it down to minus 21 here last night but that's where we're headed for tonight. I wish I had some more cross word puzzles like the one yesterday to fill up my time.
Re: Bryn Mawr - I don't know why but the name has special significance for Presbyterians. There are a lot of their churches with that name.
Thanks CC for the blog.

Dot

Linda said...

CC: Since many talked of their favorite fish, I`ll add smoked mullet (fried is pretty good, too)as mine. They are a white meated fish which don`t bite a hook and must be caught with a cast net or snag hook. While I was growing up, Dad caught wash tubs full of them. One good cast into a school could produce that many. Now, it`s hard to find any...and then they are small...the "Red Tide" gets many of them, too.

Martin said...

C.C.: What would Confucius say about "Confucius say" jokes? In the West we think of him as being very, very serious but what do Chinese people think he would have been like. Was he a fun guy?

Martin

Linda said...

CC: Are "Confucius says" jokes offensive because he was considered a religious figure?

Clear Ayes said...

PromiseMeThis, I hope your smelt casserole wasn't served at a dinner party.

NYTAnonimo, I'm sure you're right. Even the most adventurous and magical of cats will probably prefer to stay by the fire until the weather "warms up" (ha ha) to at least zero degrees.

My cribbage group got together yesterday afternoon. It reminded me that "Cribbage Man" Ken hasn't visited the blog for a while. Have any of the Portland contingent heard from him lately?

Martin said...

Doesn't everyone give up some things when they get married? Does devoting yourself to your family necessitate giving up what you were?

I was thinking from a male perspective but, as a human being, I would say it depends: a promiscuous person, male or female, would probably be expected to change when they got married. Would a man have to give up poker night when he got married? Maybe not but it would probably seem weird if he brought his wife along. And a man probably wouldn't want to show up at his wife's book club, or even spend the day shopping for that matter. I suppose there are plenty of women who would go to sporting events and a man could be dragged out for a night of dancing, a play or a Julia Roberts movie but it would definitely be a change from how he usually spent his evenings. I suppose the geek who finds his or her match at a Star Trek convention wouldn't have to change although things might have to change anyway when they start having kids. Change is part of life, really, and isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Martin

Auntie Naomi said...

My favorite fish is probably Black Gomashio Encrusted Ahi Tuna ... seared rare. I am a big fan of Salmon and of Rainbow Brookies. The best flounder I ever had was at a restaurant called Anson prepared in a low country (not Belgium ... Charleston) style wherein they fried it in peanut oil. Deeeeelicious!!!

Dennis said...

Martin, I can tell you, also from a male perspective, that you couldn't be further off base. Marriage isn't about "giving up what we were" - who the hell wants a marriage where you can't be who you are? Marriage is about compromise - if I enjoy playing poker on occasion, there shouldn't be a problem with that. If my wife wants me to go to the occasional chick flick with her, I'll go willingly. Simple examples, but the point is that you don't change who you are when you get married.
And as far as a promiscuous person having to stop running around when he/she got married -- why are they getting married if they're promiscuous?

Sorry, but your argument and the examples you gave are just ridiculous.

Anonymous said...

CC,

To answer your fish question. My favourite is Catfish. A restaurant I frequent has the best I have ever eaten. I like it grilled or fried and I eat it as a sandwich or sometimes when I enjoy a Miller Lite I get the catfish strips with fries.

I also like to frequent the Catholic Church in my neighborhood for the fish fry they have in March until Good Friday in April.

Argyle said...

Being a cynic, my favorite saying is: "A man gets married thinking his wife will never change; a woman gets married thinking her husband will change. They are both wrong."

kazie said...

Dot,
Nice to know there's another Wisconsinite here! At least the weekend is supposed to get warmer. Welcome to the blog, I don't remember "seeing" you here before.

Auntie Naomi said...

Martin, Martin, Martin ...

Men can like to dance and enjoy reading. Women can enjoy sports. Where is it written that because one likes apples, one cannot also appreciate oranges?

p.s. Argyle: I really enjoy your presence here. Keep it up, Santa!