google.com, pub-2774194725043577, DIRECT, f08c47fec0942fa0 L.A.Times Crossword Corner: Wednesday, August 21, 2019 Jim Bordoni and C. C. Burnikel

Advertisements

Aug 21, 2019

Wednesday, August 21, 2019 Jim Bordoni and C. C. Burnikel

Theme: Say HI to the islands - but in their own language.  Here we have an initial theme, i.e. one where the first letter of each of two theme entry words combine to form the abbreviation for the most remote of the 50 states in the U.S.A.  Let's check it out.

17. *British-owned American hotel chain: HOLIDAY INN.  The first HOLIDAY INN was opened in 1952.  It and the next two were on roads to Memphis.  The name was a play on the title of a 1942 Christmas movie starring Bing Crosby and Fred Astaire.  The chain is now owned by InterContinental Hotels Group, and has 1173 active locations.

22. *Went on foot: HOOFED IT.  Traveled by shank's mare - the horse with 10 toes.

33. *Wind chill factor relative: HEAT INDEX.  A combination of heat and humidity which puts stress on the human body.  Read about it here.

38. *Three-time U.S. Open champion: HALE IRWIN. [b 1945] He became the oldest ever Open champion in 1990 at age 45.

46. *Subject of much debate: HOT ISSUE.  Pick a side.

56. With "The," one of 50 since 8/21/1959, as hinted at by the answers to the starred clues: ALOHA  STATE.  Which is, of course HAWAII, our most recently admitted state. It's abrv is HI.

So HI, or alternatively, ALOHA, Gang.  JazzBumpa here to guide today's tour.  This puzzle is brought to you by our own C. C. and Corner denizen Jim.  I'll admit it took me a bit of time and mental energy to suss this theme.  We have miles to go before we sleep, so let's get moving.

Across:

1. Half of a stiff price to pay: ARM. Along with a leg.  Better than "Half a fly," in my opinionated opinion.

4. Chinese food additive: MSG. MonoSodium Glutamate.  Flavor enhancer that gives some people a headache.

7. Breed from Honshu: AKITA.  Dogs originating in the mountainous regions of northern Japan that now come in two varieties.


12. Sob story makeup: WOES.  General ills and misfortunes.

14. __ Nui: Easter Island: RAPA.  An extremely remote island, 2182 miles of the coast of Chile, which annexed it in 1888.  First inhabited ca 1200 A.D., it is the most southeastern point of the Polynesian Triangle, and famous for its unusual stone artifacts.


15. Jell-O flavor: LEMON.  One of many

16. Food for the kitty?: ANTE.  Price of entry for a poker hand.  The kitty is the accumulation of bets to be won.

19. Robert the Bruce, for one: SCOT.  He was King of Scotland from 1306 until his death in 1329.  At the battle of Bannockburn in 1314 he defeated a large English army and won independence from England.

20. Speak with style: ORATE.  Give a formal address or speak pompously and at great length.

21. Latin "to be": ESSE.

24. Boys: LADS.  Young fellas.

26. Actress Longoria: EVA.  Eva Jacqueline Bastón (née Longoria) [b 1975] is an American entertainer, business person and activist.


27. Substitute for: RELIEVE.  Usually in a work setting or on a pitcher's mound.

30. Cat Deeley's role on "So You Think You Can Dance": EM CEEMaster of Ceremonies. Never watched it.

35. Jobs title, once: CEO.  Steven Jobs [1955-2011] was, among other things, the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Apple, Inc.  Slightly misleading clue.

36. Represent inaccurately: BELIE. Deceive by lying.  Current usage is from the 17th century, but the word has solid old Anglo-Saxon roots.

37. Web access co.: ISPInternet Service Provider.

41. "Semper fidelis" is one: MOTTO.  A phrase that captures the beliefs or ideals of an individual or institution.  This one belongs to the U. S. Marine Corps, and means "always faithful/loyal." Mine is "What I lack in youth, I make up for with immaturity."

43. Veterans: OLD PROS.  Experienced experts.  In contrast, I am an old amateur.

44. Refuge for couples?: ARK.  Animals, two by two.

45. Italian automaker: FIAT.  Owner of Chrysler.

51. Golfer's transport: CART.  Gets you from tee to green.

53. Night calls: HOOTS.  Owl calls.  Assuming you give a HOOT.

55. Radius neighbor: ULNA.  Bones of the forearm, in case you weren't forewarned.

58. Eyeglass frames: RIMS. Lens holders.

59. Have more People come to the house?: RENEW.  Re-up a subscription to People magazine.  Took me a minute.

60. City near Anaheim: BREA.  This is not the home of the La Brea tar pits, which are about 40 miles to the northwest, within the city of Los Angeles.  It is an important retail center and home to an extensive public arts program.

61. Dueling sport: EPEE.  For sword play.

62. Midler of "Hello Dolly": BETTE.  The divine miss M [b 1945.]

63. Leb. neighbor: SYR.  Lebanon is on the coast of the Mediterranean. SYRIA surrounds it on the east and north.

64. Cap initials at Busch Stadium: STL.  Cardinals baseball team.

Down:

1. Knee-deep (in): AWASH.  Flooded by.

2. Chop-O-Matic maker: RONCO.  Former American company founded in 1964 by Ron [no relation] Popeil.  In 2005, he sold the company to Fi-Tek VII, a Denver holding company.  After a couple Chapter 11 bankruptcy filings, the company refiled under Chapter 7 in 2018, to be liquidated and shut down.

3. Anti-harassment movement: ME TOO.  A movement begun in 2017 to demonstrate the wide spread prevalence of sexual harassment, especially in the workplace

4. New Zealand settler: MAORI.  Eastern Polynesians who arrived in NZ by canoe in several waves from ca. 1320 to 1350.  Over several centuries of isolation, they developed their own culture, language, arts and mythology.

5. Paint spill sound: SPLAT.  Or generic cartoon falling sound.

6. Stable pace: GAIT.  One's manner of walking.

7. In the style of: ALA.

8. Entered, as data: KEYED IN.

9. "That went right over my head": I MISSED   IT.  As almost happened to me with today's theme.

10. Truckloads: TONS.   Non-specific large quantities.

11. Heche of "Psycho" (1998): ANNE. [b. 1969]

13. Fixed charge: SET FEE.  A stated amount paid for work or service that does not depend on time spent or how much the service is used.

14. Valerie Harper sitcom: RHODA. The original run on CBS was from September, 1974 to December, 1978.

18. Get rid of: DELETE.

23. Christmas __: EVE.  'Twas the night before.

25. Boxer who beat Frazier twice: ALI.  Muhammed Ali [Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr, 1972 - 2016] was also an activist and philanthropist.

27. Ball game delayer: RAIN.  Baseball.  Football plays through blizzards.

28. Tuxedo part: VEST.

29. Former Canadian MLBer: EXPO.  The EXPOS, based in Montreal, played in the NL East Division from 1969 to 2004.

30. Repeat: ECHO. Literally - sound bouncing back from a solid surface.  Figuratively - a repetition of something.

31. Happy __: MEAL.  Kid's fare from McDonald's.

32. Leading edge of cooler temperatures: COLD FRONT.  Just exactly this.

33. Cuts down: HEWS.  With an ax, pick or other tool.

34. Yale alum: ELI.  For Elihu Yale, founder of the University.

36. Thin soups: BROTHS. Savory liquids in which bones, meat or vegetables have been simmered.

39. Peter the Great, e.g.: EPITHET. An adjective or descriptive phrase expressing a quality or characteristic on a person or thing.

40. 401(k) kin, briefly: IRA. Individual Retirement Account.

41. CT scan relative: MRI. Magnetic Resonance Image.

42. "Sounds good": OK, SURE.  Fine by me.

44. Utterly confused: AT SEA. Baffled.

46. White with frost: HOARY.  Grey or white, as if with age.  I'm taking this one personally.

47. Furry swimmer: OTTER.  Carnivorous mammal with a diet based on fish and invertebrates, related to weasels, badgers, minks and skunks.  The 13 existing species are all aquatic, semi-aquatic or marine.

48. Berth places: SLIPS.  Docking spots adjacent to wharfs or piers.

49. Not yet achieved, as a goal: UNMET. Work in progress, or have you given up?

50. Art class item: EASEL.  Support for your item to be painted.

51. Atkins no-no: CARBohydrates - starches and sugars.

52. Toward shelter: ALEE.  Protected from the wind.

54. Some parlors, for short: OTBSOff Track Betting Sites.

57. Stun: AWE.  Amaze.

That wraps up today's adventure. We met movie stars and extensively traveled the pacific basin.  Plus, of course, there were some baseball references.  Hope you enjoyed the journey.

Cool regards!
JzB


Notes from C.C.:

As Ron mentioned earlier, Jim is from our Crossword Corner. He used to comment regularly with the avatar JimmyB. His mom and Chickie (Leah) were classmates, if I recall correctly.

Jim proposed this idea to me in early 2018. He and his wife Diane go to Hawaii for vacation every year. Jim and I met in 2016 when he visited Minneapolis for the Roy Griak Invitational. It was lots of fun working with him. He's so resourceful and efficient. Thanks for making this puzzle happen, Jim!

Diane, Jim and C.C., 9/25/2016

2) Owen had another surgery yesterday, but he's back on line now. I still have not figured out the numbers in his 1:28 pm post. Anyone, anyone? Stay healthy for your fans, Owen!


3) Look what I just got. Fresh Lei from Hawaii! Holy smokes. Thanks, Jim!
 

34 comments:

Lemonade714 said...

What fun to have another Cornerite inducted into the clan of published constructors. C.C. your generosity is amazing. With a theme about HAWAII , it was cool to see two references to Polynesia. EASTER ISLAND with its awesome statues (you should read JzB's link) and the MAORI who migrated from Polynesia.

As I have mentioned before, my family and I were shown RON POPEIL'S house when we were having fun touring houses for sale in Beverly Hills back in the'80s.

Great debut JimmyB and great write-up Ron (not Popeil).

D4E4H said...

FIR in 45:38 min.

Good morning Corner Writers.

Thank you Jim Bordoni and C.C. Burnikel for this enjoyable Wednesday CW.

Thank you Jazzbumpa for your excellent review.

Thank you C.C. for the info about Jim, and the PIC.

Ðave

D4E4H said...

--POUTINE--

desper-otto said...

Good morning!

Moved east when I wasn't making a lot of progress in Ore/Wash. Then things started to click. My only Wite-Out moment was OK BY ME / OK SURE. Do you think d-o got the theme? Right, you are. Thanx, Jim and C.C.

HALE IRWIN -- For some reason I am absolutely incapable of matching players and awards with the proper sport. I thought he was a Nascar driver.

BREA -- "Where do you live?" "Brea." Does sound better than "Tar." East of here is the town of Mud Lake. Doesn't sound like a desirable address.

EPITHET -- Thought it was something to be hurled. Didn't know it could have a positive connotation.

HEWS -- A local builder is in the process of clearing (deforesting) the property beside our woodlot. DW is keeping the blinds closed on that side of the house so she doesn't have to see it.

Big Easy said...

HI, everybody. What's the HOT ISSUE for the so-called main stream media these days? Well is isn't the ME TOO movement. The Hawaiian initials were easy to spot but if that was the theme, well I MISSED IT.

HALE IRWIN- most people don't know that he was an great football defensive back in the Big-8. I'm sure Husker Gary knows.

HOLIDAY INN- chain started in Memphis, TN. Great idea for its time but they dropped the ball, especially when some of their religious shareholders made them get rid of their biggest moneymaker- HARRAH'S casinso & hotel. Split up the company. Just like many restaurant chains and dept. store. You have a great idea and then get copied and surpassed by competitors. Seen a Howard Johnson's lately?

Unknowns solved by perps- Cat Deeley (EMCEE), EPITHET, BREA.

Great going CC, Jim & JzB

Hahtoolah said...

Good Morning, JazzB and friends. Fun puzzle and theme. Great job, JimmyB. I got the ALOHA STATE before some of the other theme answers. I thought HOLIDAY, HEAT and HOT also related the State of Hawaii, but couldn't see how HOOFED and HALE pertained.

A nice new and fresh clue for RENEW.

Lots of nice misdirections, too. I especially liked Peter the Great = EPITHET and Refuge for Couples = ARK.

Interesting to have AT SEA clued as Utterly Confused in light of the discussion on yesterday's blog.

QOD: If you play a tune and a person don’t tap their feet, don’t play the tune. ~ Count Basie (né William James Basie; Aug. 21, 1904 ~ Apr. 26, 1984)

Brian said...

CC, I believe the numbers in Owen's post are the phone number (AC = Area Code). The exchange is the next 3 numbers of the phone number followed by the last four numbers.

Abejo said...

Good morning, folks. Thank you, Jim Bardoni & C. C. Burnikel, for a fine puzzle. Thank you, Jazzbumpa, for a fine review.

Got through this fairly easily. Got the theme after I got ALOHA STATE. All HI's.

RAPA was unknown, VEST Stumped me. Not all tuxes have a vest.

Liked ARK and the clue. Clever.

Did not know EVA, but the perps fixed that quickly.

Anyhow, I have to head out in one minute to guard the crossing. See you tomorrow.

Abejo

( )

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

Oh, wow, thanks, Brian!

TTP said...

Good morning. ALOHA !

Apropos to today's puzzle, I was switching back and forth between the Cubs/Giants game, the LLWS game between Rhode Island and NJ on ESPN, and SCOT born "Gordon Ramsey Uncharted" on the NatGeo channel. Gordon was cooking local dishes using traditional methods with a Maori chef in New Zealand in one episode, and then with a Hawaiian in another.

So there was the MAORI and HI tie-in, and EVA Longoria's brother Evan was playing for the Giants. Plus, the pitcher from NJ with a great ARM was throwing a no-hitter when he had to be RELIEVEd because he got to the 85 pitch count.

CSO to LEMON(ade, SCOT(t), and Robert (Bernstein).

BTW, congrats to the kids from NJ. They'll be playing Louisiana today in an elimination game late this morning.

Thank you JimmyB (congrats on your debut), and thank you C.C.
Fun stuff to start the day !

JzB, you were a bit self deprecating in your review, BELIE(ing) the truth. Well, except for the grey part. ME TOO !

Jinx in Norfolk said...

FIR, but I typED IN before I KEYED IN and thought Oh, SURE before it was OK, SURE.

Hope the gigantic wildfire on Easter Island has been extinguished by now.

"Warm beer and bread, they said could raise the dead, well it reminds me of the menu at a HOLIDAY INN." Jimmy Buffett's Cheeseburger in Paradise.

The afternoon HEAT INDEX has been over 100 here for what seems like forever. A COLD FRONT is forecast to arrive Friday. I hope they are right for a change.

Hahtoolah, had Mr. IRWIN's name been HAoLE he would have fit right in with the alternative theme.

Thanks to Jim and CC for the terrific puzzle, and to JzB for the fun review. But my MOTTO is "growing older is mandatory; growing up is optional", from the oft-traded MLBer Chili Davis.

Anonymous said...

Today might be a Wednesday record with a time of 4:49. I didn't see the theme, but I have seen (and loved) Hawai'i.

The "hot issue" (not lava) on the Big Island are the plans to build the "Thirty Meter Telescope" on sacred land -- and a crossword favorite -- Mauna Kea.

If I remember correctly, Hawaiian state governmental offices are closed every year on this date. So, it's a Holiday In(n) Hawai'i.

SwampCat said...

Mahalo Jim and C.C. for this lovely Hawaiian puzzle! So much to love! My favorite was Jobs title, once. Oh, you mean Steve! ARK was a fun misdirection too.

I hesitated over MAORI as Settlers because they are considered indigenous to New Zealand. Everybody has to come from somewhere, as JzB explained. So yes, they were Settlers in the 14th century. Great clue!!

Hahtoolah, I also thought of our discussion yesterday at AT SEA. Got it right, though. Next week I won’t remember!

Jazz, thanks for the tour.

Owen, we miss you!!

Husker Gary said...

Musings
-I wondered how Jim and C.C. were going to tie up the obvious H* I* gimmick
-Today’s HEAT INDEX is 40F less than yesterday thanks to a COLD FRONT
-I guarantee that TONS of teachers had to listen to administrators ORATE this month when they really wanted to get something done in their rooms
-My MOTTO is at the end of all my emails, “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand”
-This ARK may need to be rescued
-My optometrist retested me after two months and will put new lenses in my RIMS next week
-Iowa now has sports betting along with casinos but “holier than thou” Nebraska won’t allow either. We have all the problems and none of the revenue.
-Hale Irwin and Supreme Court justice Byron “Whizzer” (epithet?) White are two Colorado Buffs I know

Spitzboov said...

Good morning everyone.

Nice juicy puzzle from Jim and C.C. today. Had 'OK by me' before OK SURE. Had 'ships' before SLIPS. Both have berths. FIR; no help was needed.
Liked the Polynesian motif to anchor the theme:
RAPA Nui
MAORI (Aotearoa is the Maori name for the country of New Zealand. Lotsa vowels there, too, if anybody needs some.)
ALOHA STATE
Each anchors a corner of the Polynesian triangle in the Pacific as JzB pointed out.

Madame Defarge said...

Good Morning.

Thanks for a really fine puzzle, Jim and C.C. I enjoyed this quite a bit. No, I didn't get the theme per usual. Great one, though. My fave was my last to fill: RENEW. I really like when I get the cluing after giving myself a V-8 whap. Oh, Madame!

Super tour, JazzB. Thank You.

FLN: Kevin, thanks for stopping by. It's fun for me to learn about the process.

Feel better Owen!!

Have a wonderful day.

Jerome Gunderson said...

For the very few who made/make the same mistake as I did. I always pronounced Maori as Mayoree. When I was lucky enough to meet a Maori and have a very long conversation it wasn't long before I learned it's Mao Ree.

Jinx in Norfolk said...

So Husker Gary, does “I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand” make you the sole living man who understands women?

Misty said...

Nice puzzle, Jim and C.C. Worked my way through it with problems only in the northwest corner. Robert the Bruce totally puzzled me. Still lots of fun getting those HIs before too long, and then connecting them to the clever ALOHA STATE solution. Enjoyed remembering RHODA, but had trouble with BREA even though it's probably less than an hour from my home. Helpful commentary, Jazzb, and your MOTTO made me laugh. And loved the cool picture of you wearing that pretty LEI, C.C.

Have a good day, everybody.

Wendybird said...

A fun coincidence that C.C. co- authored this puzzle today, and I gifted my husband with a “personalized” C.C.-designed crossword for his 80th birthday. He was amazed and delighted as several familiar clues and answers from his life popped up. It definitely eased the transition into octogenarian-hood!

Lucina said...

ALOHA!

I have so many lovely memories of our trips to HAWAII. Thank you C.C. and Jim for helping me recall them.

Ron Popeil was once featured on CBS Sunday Morning and he talked about his various RONCO products. I don't recall how many patents he filed but they are TONS.

Oh, what I would give for a COLD FRONT right now! Our HEAT INDEX continues to rise.

Can someone explain EPITHET with regard to Peter the Great. I don't see the connection. Oh, never mind, "the Great."

In Braveheart I can still hear Mel Gibson shouting, "FREEDOM!"

JazzB:
You topped the amusement scale today! Mahalo.

Have a gorgeous day, everyone! ALOHA!

CanadianEh! said...

Wow, this was tough for a Wednesday. Thanks for the fun, Jim (congrats on your debut) and C.C., and JzB.
Lots of inkblots today and I did not figure out the theme. I saw the HI and filled in ALOHAS but thought the next part might be Date. (I thought maybe this Canadian did not know about an Aug 21 holiday in Hawaii - but it is 60 years since 8/21/1959 not 50??) Then I got BREA and figured out Off Track Betting parlor . . but still did not parse STATE. D'oh!

Those eyeglass frames changed from Arms (needed for partial payment in 1A - cute that we had radius and ULNA also) to RIMS.
Robert the Bruce changed from a Celt to a SCOT.
I had trouble with the first name for HALE IRWIN.
EPITHET was not my first thought for Peter the Great. Good thing it perped.
RAPA was also unknown.

I smiled at the cross of EVE and EVA.
Yes, I was confused by the CEO clue "Jobs title, once", wondering if the term had gone out of use. Oh there is an S and it is Steve Jobs.

I LOLed when I saw AT SEA after yesterday's discussion. We did have AWASH as our A word today.
Trust C.C. to remember those Montreal EXPOs. There are still hopes of getting a team back . . but sharing with Tampa Bay???
MLBDreamers

I must get to an appointment. I'll be back to read you all later.
Enjoy the day.

JimmyB said...

Thanks for all your comments and kind words. A special thanks to JazzB for the illuminating writeup.

As I'm sure you can imagine, C.C. is such a gracious and generous collaborator, full of sage advice and patience. It was a joy to work with her. I came up with the idea on a family vacation in March of 2018, seeing the 60th year of statehood on the distant horizon. It was a good thing we had plenty of time: the process can be long and tedious. This puzzle was actually our second stab at the concept: Rich rejected our first effort, which in retrospect, was probably more fitting for the back of a Hawaiian Airlines in-flight magazine. C.C. didn't blink and quickly came up with an alternative approach, which was more to his liking. I was tasked with coming up with clues, with C.C.'s warning that usually less than 50% survive Rich's scrutiny. I was pleasantly surprised to see that more than a few of my clues made it to the end.

Jayce said...

I very much enjoyed this puzzle. Some fresh fill and cluing added to my enjoyment. HOOFED IT is a neato phrase.

I have been rather fascinated with RAPA NUI for a couple of years now, and have been reading up about the people, the history of the place, and of course those famous moai. So sad the people basically deforested the whole island and contributed to their own decimation.

Jerome, I too had been mispronouncing MAORI for years. My New Zealand friends taught me the correct pronunciation.

Didn't Marlon Brando buy an entire Tahitian island? Does his estate still own it? Didn't Larry Ellison buy the island of Lanai? Does he still own it? Has anybody seen or heard hide or hair of him lately?

Pretty lei, C.C.

Get well wishes to Owen and good thoughts to you all.

Misty said...

Thanks for checking in with us, JimmyB. It's wonderful to have you do a puzzle with our terrific C.C.

Ol' Man Keith said...

Thanks to C.C. and to Mssrs. Bordoni & JazzBumpa for giving us today's cruciverbal fix! A worthy mid-week challenge, leading to a satisfying Ta~ DA!

MOTTO: I wonder what my motto should be.
I have a hunch we should check with other people, with family members & others who know us--to learn what MOTTO they would assign.
(Or is that too dangerous?)

Question: Did anybody live on New Zealand before the MAORI arrived?
~ OMK
____________
DR:
One diagonal--on the far side.
Speaking of a wealth of vowels, there are too few consonants here to offer much in the way of anagrams The one possibility I found seems to be the title of a poetic tribute to a skittish friend, someone nervous and "sheep-like" in his/her behavior, an Ode...
"TO A WOOLIE"!

Ol' Man Keith said...

Maybe instead of a MOTTO, I would gain a few EPITHETs...
~ OMK

AnonymousPVX said...


This was a breezy Wednesday solve.

No markovers today.

Also not many comments and it’s 4 PM....where’s everybody at?


See you Thursday.

Ol' Man Keith said...

As an aging "ELI," I have to say I rarely heard this EPITHET during my years in New Haven.
I think it terribly familiar--and ask that we please be addressed by our proper name...
as "Elihu"s.
Thank you very much.
~ OMK

Lemonade714 said...

JimmyB, good to see your puzzle and your post.

Looking mighty frisky C.C.

Glad the Corner is healing, keep it up IM, Misty, Owen and anyone I have forgotten

Ray - O - Sunshine said...

Nice Humpday puzzle. A few errors quickly corrected.

As a 60 something baby boomer while rooting around my grandfather's attic when I was a kid I found an American Flag with only 46 stars. He purchased it when he immigrated in 19 0 8 before Arizona and New Mexico became states.

Bill G said...

Hi everybody.

How is an EPITHET different from an adjective?

Gray-haired man

Shrewish crone

Smart girl

I remember 48 stars and no "under God." I remember party lines and asking the operator to connect me. Our phone number was FA-0333. My grandmother's was 71-W.

Anonymous T said...

Hi All!

I looked at the by-line and thought, "I don't know a Jim." Then I saw C.C.'s name and realized another new constructor is being mentored by the best. Congrats Jim and thanks C.C.

Did you too think "new constructor" 'cuz of the fresh clueing - "Half a stiff price," "Food for kitty," "furry swimmer," etc. I did. Nice Job!

Speaking of Nice Job - thanks for the expo JzB (great title too!) and thanks for sharing the snaps C.C..

And there you are JimmyB, nice to see you at The Corner. //I compose, then read, then edit...

WOs: RoPA
ESPs: HALE IRWIN [thank you theme!], RAPA, ANNE, EVA, ESSE
Fav: I LOL'd at AT SEA after FLN.
OK, that's not fair to Jim & C.C.: WOES... I kept thinking 'mascara' for "Sob story makeup."
RE NEW was cute too but didn’t fool me more than a second.

{} //Owen, the curly-brackets are also missing you.
Assign you a MOTTO? OMK makes the best out of thin-pickin's. See: DR :-)

Maternal Grandparents had a 48-star Flag. It's weird when you realize something you thought was "always" (50 states) wasn't the case only 11 years before you were born. Blows an 8yro's mind.

Did you know Weird Al had a song about Ron Popeil's commercials. Now you do. Feel enriched? :-)

Y'all have a good evening. Cheers, -T

Wilbur Charles said...

I finally got started after dinner in Beverly Hills, FLA that is. Gout be Damned I had the fisherman platter at a place with New England in the name.

Starting in the NW was slow. Then I got going. I never noticed CC but I was in the Honda.

I guess instead of auto-RENEWing my TBTimes subscription they simply dropped me. Now I can sign up on a newby special.

WC