Is “holler at” good or bad?,

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “Is “holler at” good or bad?,”  my collaboration friend Tricia concluded, “As a southern girl, ‘holler at’ can be either good or bad...  If I say to you, I'll holler at ya when I can do lunch at the Skillet = that's good!   If I say the kids, don't do that or I'll have to holler at ya = that's bad,” to which my interfaith friend Ann expounded, “Depends on where you're from.  If you're from the north, being hollered at means you're in trouble.  If you're from the south, it means, ‘Hey, how you doin'?’"

My social media friend Mark called out, “Holler is bad. ‘Holla’ is good. ‘At’ is always bad.”

My temple friend Tracey understands, “If yer mama hollers at ya, it’s prolly not good. If yer friend hollers at ya, yer prolly gonna go out later.”  Another temple friend Richard added, “’Holler at’ means that someone is yelling at someone else, typically in a negative manner.  ‘Holler to’ means that someone is calling out to get the attention of someone else, possibly to pass information along to that person.  “Hoot’n Holler’ means Snuffy Smith lives nearby.”

My sailing friend Norm explained, “Here is the South, holler means  a small, sheltered valley: An "-er" sound is often used for long "o" at the end of a word. For example, hollow— "a small, sheltered valley"— is pronounced /ˈhɑlər/, homophonous with holler, to which my equestrian friend Royce noted, “It's according to which ‘holler at’ in the mountains, or who you want to ‘holler at’".

My production management friend Ray shared, “In the scope of my travels, and based upon my comprehensive interviews of highly educated scholars and others, I believe the "good or bad" question can summarily be answered by the few insightful words of prose that follow.

Few times I've been around that track / So it's not just gonna happen like that 

'Cause I ain't no hollaback guy  / I ain't no hollaback guy

That's BananaS / So put your pom-poms down clown

'Cause there ain't no circus comin' to town. / And another one bites the dust.

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

How do you tell that clean clothes have become dirty?

Lord, give me a sense of humor; give me the ability to understand a clean joke; to get some humor out of life, and to pass it on to other folks. 

Hal

              

You can tell we’re no longer an agricultural society when schools start on Aug 1…

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 is the difference between a ‘fat chance’ and a ‘slim chance’?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “What is the difference between a ‘fat chance’ and a ‘slim chance’?,” my temple friend Richard calculated “about 1200 calories/day” while another temple friend Lesley thought it was,”a few thousand calories!”  My real estate friend Lara replied, “The smart-ass answer is of course, “About 50 pounds!". Or, taken in relation to last week’s question, “A daily dose of DQ Double-dipped.”

My flower shop friend Bruce then concluded, “It’s your ability to religiously stick to that new exercise and diet regimen for six months.”

Cousin Wes observed “Fat chance is micro-aggression against obese people, where as slim chance is less so. Other than that nothing. It is like your Mom saying ‘Maybe’, which meant ‘No’.”  My birthday bud Jon added, “Same as the difference between ‘I could care less’ and ‘I couldn’t care less’.”

My sales friend Gus called out, “A slim chance is the ‘politically correct’ way of saying a fat chance. Don’t want anybody shaming when it comes to chance,” to which my social media friend Mark added, “For some odd reason, I’m afraid I’ll offend someone by answering a slim/fat ponderable. Ahhh, political correctness gone wild.”

My PR friend Stan determined that it is “the degree of sarcasm elevation” to which my sailing friend Norm expounded, “Fat chance and slim chance are used to mean the same thing. The difference is 'slim chance' is used literally. The speaker means you have little or no chance of success. 'Fat chance' is slang and it's sarcastic. The speaker doesn't mean you have a big chance, he means you have little chance! Also 'fat chance is most often used as a separate sentence to remark on what was just said. 'You think she'll lend you her car? Fat chance!'”  And the interjection 'big deal!' is used in a similar way to refer to something that is unimportant or unimpressive (= not big).”

My secretive friend Rutherford challenged the sarcasm observation with, "Fat chance" is ironic.”

My business coaching friend Stuart artfully wrote, “perCHANCE it is the CHANCEllor of waist inCH ANCEstry.”

My equestrian friend Royce suggested, “Donald Trump and Barack Obama, respectively.”

My comedic friend Bruce quipped, “I want that DQ chocolate cone. Slim chance that I'll say no to eating it and there's a fat chance that I won't gain weight.”  My temple friend Viv followed with, “another response to last week’s ice cream question and to this week's question -- July 15th was National Ice Cream Day, and it was no chance--fat or slim--to miss celebrating with a hot fudge sundae.   We absolutely need to celebrate National Holidays.”

My cousin Valarie remarked, “It’s counterintuitive.  A fat chance means no chance at all, while a slim chance offers some chance, albeit slim.”  And my sales friend Ray declared, “No chance!”

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

Is “holler at” good or bad? (with my colleague Kelly)

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Hal

              

Happy birthday to my best friend on Thu.  No, not Mick Jagger.  It’s Alison’s birthday.

Healthcare: Can’t live with it; can’t live without it.   If you know a small business who is complaining about the high cost of healthcare, or doesn’t offer healthcare benefits because it is too expensive, please introduce me to them.  We’re understand the pain point and have a solution.

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.

You scream. I scream. We all scream for what?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “You scream. I scream. We all scream for what?,” my adjunct exec friend Lindy  vented, “I have screamed for amazingly long periods of time, often at children who have an amazing ability to go deaf at their convenience, yet regain their hearing if they think a sibling is walking past their room and might have the audacity to enter unrequested – which results in more screaming.   I’d like to return to the days of screaming for ice cream.  Alas, they are gone, as is my waistline.

My social media friend Mark suggested, “The right partner.”

When my dad’s beach buddy Bob wrote, “Ice Cream of course,” my equestrian friend Royce expounded, “In light of 7/15 being Nat’l Ice Cream Day, usually Moose Tracks....’ and my sailing friend Norm added, “DQ soft cone dipped in chocolate.  DQ has the very best chocolate topping.”  

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

What is the difference between a "fat chance" and a "slim chance"?

Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, chocolate in one hand, wine in the other, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming "WOO HOO what a ride!"

Hal

              

My friend Lindy shared here appreciation of our responders, writing, “I enjoyed the responses to your Uncle Sam query.  I didn’t respond and expected responses would be far more left wing than they were.  It’s nice to read people’s wit.

Healthcare question:  If you know a small business who is complaining about the high cost of healthcare, or doesn’t offer healthcare benefit because it is too expensive, please introduce me to them.  We’re looking to understand the pain point and if we have a solution.

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 is Uncle Sam when you need him?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “Where is Uncle Sam when you need him?,”  my social media friend Mark countered, “Actually he needs us right now. And where are we? Time to kick some ass.”

My dad’s beach buddy Bob declared, “Never fear about Uncle Sam and his presence.  Were it not for him you might be saying Heil Hitler this weekend instead of God Bless America,” to which my neighbor Al Welk provided evidence, adding “…and don't forget the Special Forces trying to find the Thai soccer team trapped in the flooded caves.”

  

My cousin Dave answered literally, having lived in Troy, NY, “He is resting in peace in Troy, New York.”

My temple friend Richard observed, “Uncle Sam is never far away.  He needs to stay close enough to take money from your wallet.”  My cycling friend Ted concluded, “Given the current state of affairs in Washington, I’d say he’s with Stormy and not with Aunt Sally where he should be!”  And my equestrian friend Royce added, “Like the president, probably playing golf while the country disintegrates.”

My sailing friend Norm shared, “In my breakfast cereal (by the way - this stuff is very good - only 4 ingredients, very low sugar -1 g per serving, 9 g of protein and 10 g of fiber - at my age - need all the fiber I can get).  Hidden on the top cereal shelf at Kroger's and most food stores where kids and short adults are unable to see or find it.”  

My temple friend Tracey then offered, “Our Uncle Sam lives in Michigan. I’m sure he’d answer the call if needed.️”

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

You scream. I scream. We all scream for what?

Sunday, July 15 is National Ice Cream Day 2018

The happiest people don't have the best of everything. They just make the best of everything.

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 does the buck stop?

In response to last week’s imponderable question, “Where does the buck stop?,”  my comedic cable TV friend Bruce knows it is, “at the red light” although my cousin Greg believes it is, “the vending machine.”

My temple friend Kevin shared a practical response, “The buck stops with the person who's actually willing to take responsibility for it.”

My temple friend Richard replied, “Wherever he finds an attractive doe” to which my birthday bud Jon agreed using the appropriate homograph’s definition, “Where the does hang out.” 

My social media friend Mark, production management friend Ray and cousin Valarie played the homograph card, writing, “When he sees the dough.”   Then my temple friend Tracey clarified, “Wherever the doe says to!”

My video game developer-for-a-good-cause friend Dov, under the alias of Rutherford Feinberg knew that it was a “salt lick” while my cousin Wes recalled, “In my yard at the bird feeder.”

My PR friend Stan observed, “The buck stops closer than it used to” which might explain why my equestrian friend Royce declared, “Usually in his tracks after I pull the trigger.”

My business development friend Raymond BUCK-ed the trend calling out, “If one is an alumnus of BUCK-NELL, the BUCK  stops at the NELL!  This is something with which I am intimately familiar, of course. You never want to BUCK an agitated Bison of course!  May the BUCK never stop for you, my friend!”

My cycling friend Ted quipped, “At a Buck Stop (Haha. Get it? Bus Stop!) Or maybe at the Doe Stop.”

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

Where is Uncle Sam when you need him?

 

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

Hal

              

Happy 4^th.  It is time to reflect on the brilliance of our country’s founders to create a democracy that has survived, albeit a bit ragged at the moment, for nearly 250 years.  May we have the same courage, insight and compassion to rebuild civility and repair our relationships domestically and internationally.   Bring on the BBQ and be safe.

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.