Pocket Words

Mrs. Read, my first grade teacher, told my class that we should always have a clean hanky or tissue handy.  I think that's a mighty good rule and I try to abide by it. 

I think we should also always have a meaningful quote handy just in case we're caught without words of our own.  Here are a few that I find particularly helpful.  Feel free to use them.

1) Life is like a waterfall.  I don't know to whom I should attribute this.  But it's a good one to use if you need some time to think and you really don't care if the listener thinks you're a bit off center for not really knowing just what the two have in common.

2)  Help me, Rhonda, Help help me, Rhonda - The Beach Boys.  This is especially useful when you want to express exasperation without dropping a naughty bomb.

3)  I shall be telling this with a sigh, somewhere ages and ages hence. - Robert Frost.  This one is appropriate if ever you should catch yourself doing something that you know will be branded into your memory and you aren't quite sure if it will be a good memory or a regret.

4) Thank you Jesus, I've been to Jersey! - This was said by a student in a class I taught in response to understanding that I meant water fountain when I said bubbler.  I think it's appropriate whenever I surprise myself by knowing an answer to anything.

5) Don't poke no beans up your nose. - My grandmother.  It's just a nice way of saying Goodbye.  Be careful.

6) Yook dem cwouds, Edie. - my friend, Edie's 4 year old niece.  This is a very flexible saying.  You can substitute any noun for cwouds.  For example, in heavy traffic you might say Yook dem cars, Edie. If you're at the zoo you might say Yook dem tigers, Edie.  And the real beauty of it is, you don't even have to know anyone named Edie. It will always make you appear intelligent.

7) You can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need. - Mick Jagger  It's nicer than just saying quit yer bitchin', but it means the same thing.

8) This, too, shall pass. - Sufi poet.  I say or think this at least once an hour.  It's always true and good to remember lest we get too attached to or too frustrated with some thing, person, or situation.

So thanks for reading.  Until next time, don't poke no beans up your nose.