What is an abhorist? (Arbor Day was last Friday)

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “What is an abhorist? (Arbor Day was last Friday), my temple friend Richard explained, “Actually, the word abhorist is not recognized by Merriam-Webster online dictionary.  The correct term would be ‘abhorrer,’ which is someone who abhors something or someone. The dictionary defines the verb ‘abhor’ as  ‘to regard with extreme repugnance; to feel hatred or loathing for; to loathe.’ This, of course, drove me to paraphrase (with slight variations), an old Crosby, Stills, and Nash song: If you can’t beat the one you loathe, loathe the one you’re with.”

My equestrian friend Royce cautioned, “Someone who read Joyce Kilmer's trees and really took it seriously.” 

My collaboration friend Paul noted, “Someone who hates trees” to which my social media friend Mark added, “An abhorist is a developer. Someone who hates trees and spends his life replacing them with concrete and steel.”

My temple friend Tracey warned, “What I am where a select few people are concerned.”

My cycling friend Ted called out, “An Abhorist is anyone that disapproves of #45 and expresses this by tying him to a tree near the Paris Accord!”  And my temple friend Bob surmised, “If you abhor something, it gives you a feeling of complete hatred. Chances are you abhor that kid who used to torture the frogs in biology class.”

And my sailing friend Norm revealed, “An Abhorist is someone that takes care of trees.  One of the largest employers of Abhorist and Foresters in Georgia is Georgia bank's trust departments.  All those pine forests in middle Georgia in family trust need tending!”

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

How do you make new old friends?

 

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

              

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.

Where do you go for a piece of Paradise?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “Where do you go for a piece of Paradise?,” my adjunct exec friend Lindy observed, “Paradise comes to me any time I get good milk chocolate” while my dad’s beach buddy Bob P noted, “The local Ice cream parlor for a double dip of butter pecan ice cream.” 

My writing and sailing friend Rich yearned for, “Somewhere with laughter and a view.”

My equestrian friend Royce cautioned, “Any place but Atlanta at 8:30am or 5:00pm,” to which my sailing friend Norm advised, “Any quiet cove at anchor at sunset with music playing and drinks being served.”  

And my temple friend Richard explained, “You would buy a piece of property on the Las Vegas Strip. You can look it up.  The Strip is actually located in Paradise, NV. See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paradise,_Nevada.

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

What is an abhorist?  (And then hug an arborist this Friday.)

 

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

              

The last Friday in April is Arbor Day.  Thank a tree for CO₂, shade, and soil erosion control.

Escapism isn’t always a bad thing.  My Parrothead friends Tim, Barry and Carrie made for great escape tailgating at Margaritaville in Alpharetta – a true Parrothead experience that everyone should do at least once. 

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.

What else is certain beside death and taxes?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “What else is certain beside death and taxes?,” may writing and sailing friend Rich warned, “Karma will catch up to you sooner or later.”  To this, my collaboration friend Tricia noted, “Life is messy.”

My temple friend Richard listed,

• The sun and moon rising in the east and setting in the west.
• Work days are too long and vacations are too short.
• Politicians making campaign promises they know they cannot keep.
• People embarrassing or incriminating themselves on Facebook.
• Presidents tweeting stupid, thoughtless ideas on Twitter.  My social media friend Mark added, “Temporarily, fortunately....”

My cycling friend Ted, who is a dentist professionally, stated, “that's easy!! Eventually we all wind up in a dental chair!”    My Utahian friend Bruce determined it is, “bad drivers” while my cousin Wes, replied atypically of the family, “Disappointment.”

My temple friend Tracey lamented, “It is certain that my mother will call as soon as we sit down for dinner — no matter what time that is. 😂😂” while my marcomm friend Rashida declared, “Pollen. Pollen is certain.”

My networking friend Skip advised, “She is in charge” to which my dad’s beach buddy Bob called out, “sometimes a nagging wife.”

Another temple friend Leslie and PR friend Stan observed, “Receiving Hal's, "Hmmmmm’r every Monday morning.:

My adjust exec friend Lindy shared, “What I’ve found to be certain is that the response will arrive immediately after I have written a scathing letter about not receiving the promised response.  In addition, the dress will go on sale after I paid full price.  And I will run into a cute, single man when I look my absolute worst.”

My sailing friend Norm advised, “It is certain your taxes will be higher when you retire !!  No more kids to take as dependants, no more mortgage interest (paid that off finally) - no more business expenses to write off (yes, the cell phone is now your personal non-deductible expense) and you saved it all in the pre-tax retirement plan and now have to pay ordinary income tax on all that capital gain!!  And you youngsters have to pay for all my social security benefits I am getting now. 😀

Any my temple friend Bob provided his list, “Urination after a six pack, heartburn after eating hot peppers, contentment after making love, noise from your pants after eating Mexican food, and smiling when among friends.”

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

Where do you go for a piece of Paradise?   (See you at Jimmy’s concert Tue night in ATL?)

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

              

You can either spend your time submitting your taxes on Tue, or join us Tue afternoon and evening tailgating and concert-going as we venture off to   Jimmy’s “Escape to Margaritaville” tour.  If you can’t join us in person, watch or listen live here.   Thank you Alison.

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.

When giving a birthday gift, why do you wish ‘many happy returns?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “When giving a birthday gift, why do you wish ‘many happy returns?,”  my social media friend Mark concluded, “It means that when she returns the gift I have given her, that she replaces it with something that makes her happy. And the same for years of returnable gifts to come...many of them.”

My adjunct executive friend Lindy concurred, “Many happy returns, in my life, provides permission to exchange the gift or re-gift it.  As it’s repeatedly re-gifted, there are many happy returns.”

In his first response, my clean-water friend Skip and temple friend Richard agreed, “Because when they return your gift, they will be happy with what they have swapped the gift for.

My writing and sailing friend Rich added, “Clearly this saying originated before the age of Visa gift cards, eliminating both the need to understand the gifted ones needs and the possibility of gifts rejection and return to the store.”

And my dad’s beach buddy Bob observed, “Because you do not want to be forgotten on your birthday.”

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

What else is certain beside death and taxes?  (thank you Ben Franklin)

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

What does the Easter Bunny do for the other 364 days of the year?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “What does the Easter Bunny do for the other 364 days of the year?,”  my birthday bud Jon noted, “Tries to figure out how a damn rabbit is supposed is supposed to lay eggs” while my production manager friend Ray added, “And you think all of those eggs just magically appear already decorated and with instructions for where they are to be hidden?”  

My sailing friend Mike replied, “Really?  You have to ask that question?  What do bunnies do?  🐰+ 🐰= 🐰  🐰 🐰  🐰🐰  🐰 🐰🐰  🐰🐰  🐰,” which my college roomie Jon described as the “Easter bunny shags the rest of the year (maybe some sleep too).   My dad’s beach buddy Bob concurred, “make more bunnies for the following year.  Tastes like chicken.”

My cycling friend Ted queried, “Uh? He is a bunny,” while my interfaith event partner Ann noted, “Makes more Easter bunnies and eggs, of course.  She is a rabbit, you know.”  To these my equestrian friend Royce explained, “One can only assume that the Easter Bunny adheres to the old lascivious adage of ‘... has the 'rabbit habit' " and my hiking friend Kelly wordsmithed as “like other bunnies, fornication!”

My sailing and flying friend Andy found cinemagraphic evidence, writing, “The rest of the year he is incognito as his alter ego Harvey. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvfXvW2wsuQ. “

My adjunct executive friend Lindy recalled,”I believe The Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy, and Santa gather to chat and play cards, after they finish their work.  That’s what I would do anyway” while my cousin Wes thought differently, “He starts collecting and coloring eggs, making chocolate likenesses and eggs, jelly bean etc for next year. Never a moment's rest.  (Sounds like a Mother).”  My social media friend Mark concurred, “Makes Peeps, chocolate bunnies, and plastic grass. That all takes time for a lone bunny!  And equally important, is the Easter Bunny male or female?”

My temple friend Tracey called out, “He eats veggies and makes black jelly beans.”

My PR friend Stan suggested,  “Raid the hen house? Hang out with Santa? Eat matzah?” while my sailing friend Norm   replied, “Hide from the coyotes!  I understand what the "Easter Egg" is all about.  Just like we Jews having an Egg as one of our Passover symbols for the circle of life or for renewal or fertility.  I asked a minister friend of mine where the Bunny came from and what does it mean.  He had no clue.  

Please send me your thoughts about this week's "things that make you go 'Hmmm' ":

When giving a birthday gift, why do you wish ‘many happy returns?’

Live well...laugh often and heartily.... have a good week and never regret anything that made you smile!

Hal

What a great birthday week this has been.  From sailing friends to social friends to co-workers, it confirmed that we need to celebrate more.   Sometimes the little successes.  Sometimes a milestone.  Sometimes a hug or fist bump.  Somethings its spending time together aka a party.  In every case, celebrating is good for some many things.  So thank you all for the spirit and friendship.

               

Thanks to Demetri Martin, Steven Wright and George Carlin for the inspiration for Hmmm.   I invite you to call or email me to catch up.