A Tribute to abra a collection of her comments

[Synonymous]

Nice. Thanks for this snippet LLapp. It's good to keep our past players in our memory. They all live on here in Cryptoland thank goodness.

[LLapp]

A note for abra's family: Marnita is a Harvard-educated, retired legal secretary who loves bike-riding, reading ancient classics in the original Greek, and supporting liberal politics. She and abra engaged in honest, careful, and mutually respectful dialogue through many threads over the years. This is a tiny snippet.
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"The more violent the body contact of the sports you watch, the lower your class." — Paul Fussell

marnita
July 21, 2016, 11:13 am
Football is my favorite, so I guess that puts me in my place.

abra
September 5, 2016, 9:46 am
After baseball (Go Cubbies!!!) I watch figure skating, and gymnastics. I'll be having tea on the veranda.

[LLapp]

"It's hard to be responsible, adult and sensible all the time. How good it is to have a sister whose heart is as young as your own." — Pam Brown

LLapp
May 21, 2015, 10:38 am
I'm starting to wonder who this woman's sister is.

abra
March 1, 2019, 2:40 am
She must be a gem. But if you saw the things my sister posts on FB you'd think I was one too. :O)

blueladyblue
September 7, 2019, 5:09 pm
I love being with my sisters, although, frankly I wouldn't want to live with them.

hrossa
February 13, 2021, 8:19 pm
I love my sisters as much as anyone in this world, and I so miss the one who is no longer with us.

abra
April 26, 2022, 2:47 am
I feel that very same thing, hrossa.

[Synonymous]

Nice sentiment Eureka! Wonderful tribute.

[LLapp]

"History is never antiquated, because humanity is always fundamentally the same." — Walter Rauschenbusch

Andy451
July 8, 2015, 6:42 am
Which of you would be proud to walk down the street in the style of your grandmother or grandfather? Who would like to wear spats, a bowler hat, a stove pipe hat, or any of the hats currently worn by Queen Elizabeth? And I mean Elizabeth II, not Elizabeth I. Just because history is occasionally relevant, doesn't mean it isn't antiquated. The houses or apartments you live in today, are nicer in many respects than all of King Henry VIIIs castles and palaces. Hey, he didn't have air conditioning, central heating, the internet, or a microwave oven. Also, your car is much faster and more comfortable than his best horse. Also, show we a horse, any horse that has a kick ass stereo system as good as your Bose or Harmon Kardon with bluetooth and Wifi? There are not many horses that can do that. History is antiquated Walter. Alas!

marnita
September 10, 2015, 6:15 am
Andy, you are just talking about material things. This quote is about basic human nature - ethics, morality, relationships, desires, etc.

Eureka
November 15, 2018, 6:12 am
This is why the ancient quotes we solve here are still relevant to us. And I would like to wear Queen Elizabeth's hats, Andy. If you've got any, send them my way.

badbob
December 12, 2018, 8:45 am
when my daughter got married , the groomsmen wore spats. very classy, andy

Eureka
February 18, 2020, 11:24 am
Drat. Still waiting for those hats.

abra
July 12, 2020, 1:23 am
All we have to do is ask? Eureka, I want some of those hats. Let me know when you get them.

Elephino
October 14, 2023, 1:58 pm
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of light, it was the season of darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to heaven, we were all going direct the other way–in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only. ~ A Tale of Two Cities

Eureka
March 17, 2024, 1:13 am
I'd like to think that abra and Queen Elizabeth II are sharing hats and having a nice chat somewhere in the great beyond.

[Synonymous]

Abra in a truly humorous moment…gotta’ love it.

"Some dying men are the most tyrannical; and certainly, since they will shortly trouble us so little for evermore, the poor fellows ought to be indulged. "
— Herman Melville

Comments on this Puzzle:
sonofcarc
May 11, 2009, 7:54 pm
One "n" in Herman, I think.

nevadasmith68
August 26, 2013, 3:31 pm
Melville went on to write the song "Ahab The Arab".

wshanley@sbcglobal
August 24, 2015, 11:22 am
Screw 'em.

Abra
July 20, 2017, 6:44 pm
Who knew? I thought it was Ray Stevens. Let me tell you about Ahab the Arab The sheik of the burning sand He had emeralds and rubies just drippin' off 'a him And a ring on every finger of his hand

minimalistmarmoset
December 16, 2024, 3:40 pm
Sure, but what if they recover?

(Comments cut short due to political commentary afterwards)

[LLapp]

"A marriage is always made up of two people who are prepared to swear that only the other one snores." — Terry Pratchett

JenDiaz72
May 15, 2015, 10:32 am
Oh not with me. Both my husband and myself snore a great deal. He just snores louder.

marnita
November 3, 2015, 5:00 pm
The one who falls asleep first always snores louder.

abra
December 9, 2015, 6:51 pm
Last night, my husband's side of the bed, sounded like there were 3 separate snorers, sleeping there.

marnita
January 28, 2018, 3:52 am
I find my husband's snores comforting, just to know he is there and alive and breathing. Sometimes I get nervous when I don't hear it.

abra
October 28, 2020, 10:45 pm
I do that too, marnita. All of a sudden I'll realize that he's not snoring and I will hold my breath quietly until I hear him again.

[LLapp]

(From a much longer thread...)

"I am not in this world to live up to other people's expectations, nor do I feel that the world must live up to mine." — Fritz Perls

rasbury
February 23, 2023, 5:12 pm
See his book, 'What Not to Expect When You're Not Expecting".

Eureka
March 6, 2024, 8:04 pm
This is for abra, in case she can see this from wherever she went: Fritz knits. Fritz Perls.

[LLapp]

(In the spirit of this thread, I've replaced political sniping with the trumpet voice from "Peanuts." Also, note the date stamps at the end -- abra's encouragement lives on.)
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"Speak out in acts; the time for words has passed, and only deeds will suffice." — John Greenleaf Whittier

WRQ9
June 27, 2013, 9:56 am
All my deeds are done and ignored. I can barely care enough now to remain articulate.

JJ20paws
October 19, 2015, 6:23 pm
Nobody listens anymore anyway

abra
April 17, 2016, 6:24 pm
OMgosh, you guys, let's do something fun! Shake it off, it's spring time. WRQ9, articulate for us. JJ20paws, we're listening. Shall we have a beer bust? A slumber party? Tacos at my house? This is way too sad, cheer up.

universalmom
April 30, 2016, 8:13 am
Tacos!! I'm there, abra

lainecap
November 18, 2016, 2:30 pm
Can't just talk the talk; gotta walk the walk.

maradnu
February 6, 2017, 2:33 pm
Wah wah wah wah wonald, wahwah wah wah.

skeeter
July 30, 2017, 11:43 am
abra, universalmom, I'm on the way over for those tacos. I'll bring the guac. Woo-hoooo!

Eureka
November 24, 2018, 12:26 pm
Am I too late? I've got beer!

imsoeasy
May 15, 2019, 2:26 am
Maradnu, wahwah wah wah wavery wah wawawawah wah wawah wah wawah wump, wawah wah wah? Wah weft wah wah wawahly wah, wahwah wah wawah wocialist wawahs wah wahd wah wump's wawection wawah wah wah waaawah wawah who wahnt wah wah wah wah wah.

abra
April 21, 2021, 6:02 pm
Tacos, beer, and Guacamole, no politics. Let's party.

gracefulghost
December 18, 2021, 12:38 pm
That reminds me, I bought some (too expensive) avocados yesterday--I need to go make my special guac. I'll think of you all while I eat it.

abra
April 29, 2022, 2:35 am
gracefulghost, why not come and bring your avocados with you? Beer, guacamole, tacos, should be good.

Wordigo
January 6, 2023, 6:29 pm
Time to party. I’ll bring the chips.

TPaineRedux
October 23, 2023, 11:06 am
Talk is cheap, but I have Hatch chiles.

hrossa
October 29, 2024, 8:52 pm
Yes!! Spontaneous party in the comments! I'll contribute Miss Vicky's Ketchup chips--they are dynamite with quac. They were introduced to me by my Victoria niece as her favorite! So far I haven't found them in the US but I keep hoping.

[Eureka]

(I love that we have collectively decided that Unattributed is one person.)

"Politicians should never put themselves first: governments should put people first and all of us should put our country first. " — Unattributed

Queethebean
November 15, 2017, 11:33 am
Unattributed for President!

abra
April 26, 2018, 1:12 pm
Nah, he might have something here, but the body of his work disqualifies him.

imsoeasy
July 9, 2019, 12:11 am
Unattributed is most likely an Independent. Other quotes indicate that Unattributed is a gardener who owns a flower shop that a daughter works at. If you have more information, please help identity Unattributed.

LLapp
May 23, 2020, 2:52 am
Abra - that made me laugh.

[hrossa]

"Sarcasm: the last refuge of modest and chaste-souled people when the privacy of their soul is coarsely and intrusively invaded. "
— Fyodor Dostoyevsky

pootie49
March 26, 2009, 2:59 pm
modest and chaste-like, sounds just like me
QuexUl
December 2, 2014, 2:23 pm
Now THAT sarcasm I got, and in less than 285 seconds.
abra
April 4, 2015, 9:26 am
I didn't, my kitchen timer went off, by the time I was through, it took me 331 seconds.
LLapp
June 13, 2018, 4:23 pm
Whoa, you use a kitchen timer for these things?
celticbum
September 5, 2018, 5:46 am
You still use a kitchen timer?
abra
July 7, 2021, 1:40 am
Pretty sure that my kitchen timer went off and I had to attend to whatever. I let the Baron time me.
gracefulghost
October 4, 2021, 2:03 pm
You still use a kitchen?
Sleepyshirley
September 7, 2023, 1:25 am
Ha!

[LLapp]

So, abra does seem to be a time traveler somehow. first the premonitory comment about glassguy, (Or did he have the record time for the quote?) and then an early stop to a comment, knowing (?) sh'ed be there 2 minutes later to finish the comment?!

I think glassguy must have had the record when abra first commented. Her 1/5/21 return a few minutes later was on purpose, after she (I assume) hit the "Submit" button by accident. There's a comment thread somewhere where abra first figured out how to come back and post a second comment. The return comment said something like, "I just want to try something here...".

[kb83]

So, abra does seem to be a time traveler somehow. first the premonitory comment about glassguy, (Or did he have the record time for the quote?) and then an early stop to a comment, knowing (?) sh'ed be there 2 minutes later to finish the comment?!

[LLapp]

"Managing is getting paid for home runs someone else hits." — Casey Stengel

skeeter
August 24, 2015, 1:53 pm
I miss the mid-1970s, watching Carl Yastrzemski play at Fenway Park for the Sox. That was back when you could just walk up to the dugout and get an autograph (which I did). I miss the Green Monster and the "Big Beers."

darkyr
December 28, 2016, 5:28 am
Do I have to watch the game?

abra
July 23, 2018, 6:19 pm
Go, Cubbies.

Eureka
March 11, 2019, 2:19 pm
No you don't, darkyr.

Wordigo
August 13, 2020, 2:40 pm
I rather play than manage.

abra
January 5, 2021, 9:12 pm
My dad was a really, really die hard Cub fan. He was so upset by friends that became White Sox fans that he became a Yankee fan too. He and a friend ordered tickets for Yankee/Sox games every spring. Skeeter at one game he just stood by the door to the visitor's locker room and got his program signed by Micky Mantle, Yogi, Whitey Ford and others. He gave it to my older sister. Don't know whatever happened to it. I did ask him once what if the Cubs and Yankees were in the World Series. I could tell that question irritated him. ''I am first and foremost a Cub fan''. I used to root for the Yankees when the Cubs were eliminated, but my

abra
January 5, 2021, 9:14 pm
...husband and son are Yankee haters. I gradually forgot about them.

[LLapp]

Abra and others, on being married to your best friend...
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"All love that has not friendship for its base, is like a mansion built upon the sand." — Ella Wheeler Wilcox

montyb
July 13, 2012, 1:44 pm
Expensive, beautifully scenic, and difficult to maintain.

SippyGirl
September 9, 2013, 6:53 pm
a billion years ago, when i was young, a model, of all people, was one of the first to tell me that her man - perhaps her husband? - was her best friend... that it was silly and even insulting to introduce him as anything but. it made a tremendous impression on me at the time

wordfairy
March 6, 2015, 12:18 am
Sweet, SippyGirl. Thanks much for sharing.

abra
July 3, 2015, 2:23 pm
It's kind of a cliche these days to say that you're married to your best friend. I've known my husband since I was 15. We were not high school sweethearts. We were really good friends. We knew each other for years before it became romantic. I am married to my best friend.

skeeter
October 23, 2015, 3:42 pm
Been with my husband since we were 16 years old, 48 years ago this week.

marnita
July 31, 2016, 3:02 am
Congratulations, Skeeter - that's inspiring.

cherylab1963
October 15, 2016, 1:06 am
My parents were married for 61 years when my Mom died. They were still each other's best friends. Marriages can work AND be healthy, but it takes two healthy (I don't mean physically) people who decide that giving up isn't an option. And don't say 'what about abuse or infidelity'. Hence the healthy part.

oddcouple
July 2, 2017, 5:08 pm
:Like others, I married a woman who was my friend first for about three years before I asked her to marry me. That's going on 37 years now.

GramBow
October 18, 2017, 2:12 pm
Matthew 7:26 - 27 26 But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. 27 The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.

LLapp
July 15, 2018, 4:42 pm
Well I had a crush on my guy for about 10 years before we finally had conversations for longer than a minute or two . . . and I was so delighted to find that there was a friendship in there that I was sensing all that time.

abra
June 14, 2019, 11:15 pm
We celebrated 51 years, 3 weeks ago. As Cheryl said, we took ''divorce'' out of our vocabulary. Things aren't always perfect, but having the underlying friendship keeps things from getting too angry. It keeps you from giving up and walking away. I agree with the quote.

Synonymous
May 6, 2022, 1:22 pm
Nice comment thread, refreshing. Bio has been corrected.

dmford60
January 1, 2023, 1:13 pm
My man and I have been a couple for 31 years, but only lived together for the first five; after that we realized we'd do better living apart. And he is still my best friend.

montyb
January 8, 2023, 2:44 pm
I met my best friend 45 years ago this month, not long after the blizzard of '78.