Cryptoquote Solved – 11/04/22

“Count your age by friends, not years, your life by smiles, not tears.”   —   John Lennon

(It’s hard to believe that John Lennon would now be 82 years old, had he not been shot and killed outside The Dakota, where he and Yoko Ono lived with their son Sean.  I lived across the street and about five buildings down from The Dakota back in December of 1980.  I didn’t hear the shots.  And sirens are a daily thing when you live in Manhattan.  But, at around 2:00 AM I was awakened by the sound of people singing “Give Peace a Chance” and “Imagine”.  I looked out my window, down the block, and saw the crowd of people, but I couldn’t imagine what was going on.  Later that morning, getting ready for work, I heard on the radio that John had been shot and killed.  In a bit of disbelief, I had to make my way through the crowd of mourners to get to my subway.  It’s one of the most memorable recollections of my life.  Some things always stay with you.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 09/24/21

“To live is the rarest thing in the world.  Most people exist; that is all.”   —   Oscar Wilde

(It’s usually people who aren’t really satisfied with their lot in life who say things like this.  A lot of people just enjoy the simpler pleasures of life.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

 

Sunday Cryptoquote Spoiler – 04/18/21

“To give a man full knowledge of morality, I would send him to no other book than the New Testament.”   —   John Locke

(Because . . . God knows . . . you wouldn’t want to send him the Old Testament!  Nothing but begetting, and smiting, and magical nonsense going on in that old thing.  At the very least, the N.T. concentrates more on love and forgiveness.  All offense, but I’d rather have a nice John Lennon quote, any day.  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Cryptoquote Spoiler – 11/03/18

“Remember, if you ever need a helping hand, it’s at the end of your arm.”   —   Sam Levenson

(I guess this was Sam’s way of telling folks NOT to call him for help moving into that new house/apartment!  Just kidding, folks.  Self-reliance is a good thing, but everyone should realize that no one can do it all on their own.  Remember John Lennon, via Ringo:  “I get by with a little help from my friends.”  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

Image courtesy of Google

Jumble Spoiler – 04/05/13

Flat Tops sunrise (Photo credit: foto3116)

Visual Description:  “Here come old Flat Top, he come groovin’ up slowly.”

NOONI  =  ONION,  HETEM  =  THEME,  TUMEAT  =  MUTATE,  FERSUE  =  REFUSE   —   Giving us:  OONTHMMTTRFUE

Clue/Question:  The polygraph test was the . . .

Answer:  MOMENT OF TRUTH

English: There is to see a little red onion from Thailand. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

(Wow!  They closed out the week with Flat Top!  Nice going, guys!  Some great jumbling of the clue words and some so-so.  We already had “onion” just a short while ago, and I think it was with the same jumbling!  I thought “mutate” was the toughest word, but we’ve had this exact jumbling before.  “Theme” and “refuse” were easier, but not nearly as obvious as “onion”.  The answer letter layout was very good, and with 13 letters it could have presented a challenge, to some.  Though, with the dialog and the Clue it wasn’t too hard to figure out the answer.  Loved the drawing of Flat Top!  Be well and do good, friends.)   —   YUR

LENNONYC / “Come Together” Celebrating JOHN LENNON ‘s 70th Birthday – Rumsey Playfield, Central Park NYC – 10/09/10 (Photo credit: asterix611)

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Ahhh . . . The Age of Confimism

Oh, to be 22 again!

Look at yer uncle!  Young, handsome and full of confidence and optimism.  When you’re 22 you think you are ready to take on the friggin’ world.  There’s no such word as “can’t”, and you laugh at people who try to tell you what’s what in life.  It’s not gonna be that way for me!  I’m not gonna work in some stupid office.  I’m not gonna let myself get fat. Make fun of bald guys?  Yeah, why not!  I’ve got a full head of the stuff.  Conventional marriage?  That’s for chumps! I’m gonna be a star! Sounds silly, now, but back then they were – essentially – my core beliefs

Just when did it all go south?  It’s kind of hard to pinpoint.  It didn’t happen all at once, but it likely started with this strange sense of feeling all alone in the Big Apple.  And then . . . there was this middle-aged (+) woman at work, who told me that I was handsome enough, but I didn’t have “it“. “It“, huh?  Hmmm!  Why would/should/did I care what some retiring Yenta thought?  How could something said by somebody so relatively insignificant get in the way of my dreams and aspirations?  Couldn’t!  Could it???  There must’ve been something in the timing of her saying it.  I might’ve been feeling all alone at the time.  I might’ve let myself think that the old gal sorta liked me, and felt betrayed by her declarative candor.  It might’ve just rang true.  Who knows?  Ultimately, it was my fault for letting it affect me.  But, it did affect me.  I played the part of the banker for the next 23 years, always justifying why I didn’t have the time to go to any auditions.

But, life went on.  “Life’s what happens to you when you’re busy making other plans.”  Yeah, John.  I hear ya, brother.  So, I wasn’t the Zac Efron . . . thirty(ish) years earlier.  Zac’s look probably wouldn’t have worked in the early ’80s anyways.  Hey!  Maybe . . . I could still play the kid’s dad, or something!  Ginger, call my agent!

Your Uncle Rave