“Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared half to death.“   — Gen. Omar N. Bradley

Visual Description:  One bar buddy telling the other how he almost got married. (twice)

ZAUER  =  AZURE,  VUEMA  =  MAUVE,  EXFLAN  =  FLAXEN,  CORLLS  =  SCROLL   —   Giving us:  RMAENSR

Clue/Question:  The bachelor described his broken engagements as . . .

Answer:  NEAR MRS.

(I was ALMOST going to put this one up for you guys to give me the answer.  I was ready to guess “MANS ERR”, but without an apostrophe I knew that wasn’t right.  When you assume that each of the words need to have one of the available vowels it definitely makes it a head scratcher.  I guess part of the clue to the answer lies in the guy saying: “I said I wasn’t ready to both”.  Both what?  To love and to honor?  To have and to hold?  In sickness and in health?  Something from the wedding vows, I suppose, but I can’t see it being some things specific.  Only when I gave up on idea that both words had to have a vowel is when I was finally able to figure it out.  In this case, the word “MRS.” definitely should have quotation marks in the puzzle!  – - – There are some visual clues to near misses, as with the dart board and the TV screen showing a filed goal attempt – which looks good, to me – but they are pretty subtle.) —   YUR

(The extra “s” helps it to make more sense.  Thanks, for pointing it out to me, guys!  But, there still shoulda been quotation marks for “MRS.”!  Right?) —   YUR

“The main difference between men and women is that men are lunatics and women are idiots.“   — Rebecca West

Visual Description:  An exchange of ideas on the IRT (or the El, Metro, Underground, etc.)

YARDOP  =  PARODY,  YOCUTH  =  TOUCHY,  LIPPUT  =  PULPIT,  GROFER  =  FORGER,  GOAUNT  =  NOUGAT,  HERZIT  =  ZITHER   —   Giving us:  ARUHITOGNTTH

Clue/Question:  When the scholars took the subway, it became a . . .

Answer:  “TRAIN” OF THOUGHT

Whenever  we get a few days, like the last few days,  where there are such horrific stories (Fort Hood Massacre, Orlando Office Shooting, Ohio Serial Killer, etc.) that make you question the value of “human nature”, you just need some way to regain some sense of humanity.  It is one messed up, sick world we live in, but there is still the other side of the coin.  We are not always so desperate and depraved.  Occasionally, some of us DO do the right thing.  To remind myself of this fact I have bookmarked the following story.  It’s nothing on a par with a Mother Teresa, or anything that ultra-virtuous.  It’s just a simple story of compassion, class and sportsmanship that resonates with me.  Hopefully, it will touch you, as well.

(This isn’t a YouTube video, so please be patient with the obligatory commercial)

http://abcnews.go.com/Video/playerIndex?id=6926639

YUR

“Literature flourishes best when it is half a trade and half an art.“   — William Ralph Inge

Visual Description:  Hitchhikers getting a ride.

MULBA  =  ALBUM,  CIKHT  =  THICK,  BRUNAU  =  AUBURN,  BALTOC  =  COBALT —   Giving us:  BMHKUUCLT

Clue/Question:  What the hitchhikers always needed.

Answer:  “THUMB” LUCK

(Hippie-type hitchhikers, the word “album”, and what looks like an old VW bus!  Someone’s taking a trip down memory lane.  Only the guitar case stickers make this a 21st Century Jumble.) —   YUR

“At the timberline where the storms strike with the most fury, the sturdiest trees are found.“   — Anonymous

(It kinda has a Russian Proverb vibe to it.  Da?) —   YUR

Visual Description:  Teen girls bemused with an over-confident counter boy.

RASEE  =  ERASE,  VOARP  =  VAPOR,  ADJEGG  =  JAGGED,  INSECK  =  SICKEN   —   Giving us:  ASORJDKE

Clue/Question:  When he made the girls ice cream drinks, they said he was a . . .

Answer:  SODA “JERK“

“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without a spiritual life.“   — Buddha