Nostalgia s better than they think.

Today's Tids Issue 4,172

For What Was:

The other day somebody wrote to me on paper, using a pen; she sealed it in a nice envelop and mailed it. It was so refreshing, I immediately texted her back. Oops, their goes a return to civilized communications.

Another missive I received from a cousin ended with, “I hope you are enjoying this old-fashioned summer.” I would be enjoying an old-fashioned summer if I could see it through the crowds of tourists. Old fashioned summers were lazy. When we took time off, vacated was the word. Watching flowers grow was the norm. Finding clam holes in the hard sand was the excitement. Defined stupors loosened the tension. “Wake up you old fart, and stop thinking about the past,” some youths might say to me today . But, of course they were never there. They never enjoyed the minimalism.

Insomniacs will never find a girl of their dreams.

The only way to watch America’s Got Talent is with a DVR remote in hand.

The Question:

What is George Gershwin’s most memorable composition?

The Headlines:

--Futures Tumbled, But Stocks Open Higher Despite Earlier Warnings Of Down Day Due To China Retaliation To US $200 Billion Tariff Proposal; Could Be Agita Day.

--Trump Gets In The Face Of NATO Partners; Voices Concern About Germany/Russia Relationship; Angers Everyone At Summit.

--Thailand Boys And Coach Proclaimed In Good Shape.

-- News On Kavanaugh Selection Still The Same: Dems Hate It.

--Tesla To Build Big Auto Plant Shanghai.

--US Job “Quit Rate” Highest In Seventeen Years; Indicator Says Workers Confident In Economy, Finding Better Jobs.

--Trump Pardons Hammonds, Ranchers Involved In Bundy Takeover Of Oregon Refuge.

--Jeremy Hunt takes Over As Brexit Secretary.

--Southwest Airlines Ending Decades Of Free Peanuts; Pretzels Will Be The choice Over Allergy Possible Goobers.

--Pfizer Lowers Prices After Trump Jawboning.

I have been backing Belgium as my winner of the World Cup. Oops. This basically means nothing, as I know little about the sport of the world. But, I have to say I am seeing some amazing skills on that field of play. So, now I will be rooting for England over Croatia and then over France if they win this afternoon. Wadda classic battle – France versus England. I may have to go out and buy a waistcoat!

The hot new restaurant chain could be coming to your neighborhood. True Food Kitchens has been hailed by healthy eating food critics, and savvy Oprah just jumped in with a big investment. TFK is said to be an Anti-inflammatory restaurant. So, don’t expect protests in or outside.

A melancholy robot is a sighborg.

I watched AMT last night and was not terribly excited about anything. I liked the Rube Goldberg contraption, but it wasn’t that great. There was a pretty good young boy singer, and chorus that was just ok. Judge Heidi Klum pressed her golden confetti button for a rather ordinary15 year old girl singer who was mediocre; an average singer who would have been ousted early on The Voice. The judges went gaga over a weird little comedian who didn’t do much for my funny bone. I liked a country singer who sang is his own tune. I ran for my remote when the judges, decided to put him on a psychiatric couch. The dance groups are all looking pretty much the same to me, year in and year out. Not that they are bad, it’s just that they have become Ho-Hum to this hardheaded cynic. Maybe I’ll be captivated next week. If so, you’ll know it when I push the golden confetti button.

It seems as though we have gone a little overboard on standing “O’s”! People leap out of their seats for any performance that ends on a high note or with a crescendo! Is this another result of that “Trophies for All” era of childhood coddling. Let’s save the leaping for the bleeping true achievers.

The PGA will now have all of its major championships between April 8, The Masters and July 15, The (British) Open. They have moved the PGA tourney from mid-August to mid-May about 3 weeks before the US open. All of this is to hopefully get it done before highly rated football dominate the screen. I wonder if MLB execs are feeling a bit slighted.

Of all of the most useless roles on TV, Tyra Banks’ spot on AMT is the most useless of all. She just gets the way.

The Answer:

There is something about Rhapsody In Blue that just makes me want to stop everything and listen.

Isn’t rhapsody great word? It is just so up, so positive in a blissful rapturous way. I guess “Rap” music just stopped short of getting there.

Think about your beautiful past; those special moments. Vacate your mind from the present. It’s like standing by a mountain stream, a crystal lake; walking quietly through oceanside dunes. Just you inside your most beautiful memories.

I’ll never forget my old gray wooden dory.