Ogden was a treasure, so are your Sunday posts Greg!!
With all the fuckery that exists in this epoch, it’s good to smile toss salt over your shoulder and welcome the next iteration. Happiest of New Year’s wishes to you and yours!!
Brilliant Greg! I'm a big fan of Nash. 'Hope for the best, expect the worst' has helped me through life thus far. Happy New Year to you and your family and thank you for a year of fine wit and wisdom 🥰
Your posts resonate so often. I have a book of Ogden Nash poems, probably it was my dad’s, that’s so old the pages are brown and coming loose. AND we have a friend in common (she wrote some stuff for The Nervous Breakdown) who, years ago, gave me a Michael Gondry DVD as a gift. I just pulled it off the shelf, there's Lucas with the Lid Off.
How lucky I feel to be able to connect with thinkers/writers/creators like you, Greg, over the Internet. Thank you for sharing your insights and inspiring us. Here's to another exciting year.💕
Thankful everyday for the community you and LB have built around the Five 8. Prevail has introduced me to some favorites as well, Arthur Snell and Aja Raden, to name just a few. Ready to face the fight ahead in 2024 to save our democracy. Strength in numbers!
This is probably mostly a personal thing, but 2023 sucked ass! My mom was in pain due to back problems for four months until a surgery, my dog had to be put to sleep, Trump was STILL in the news every goddamned day, and I'm SO looking forward to going around the house and changing the calendars as soon as this post is done, I can't even WAIT!
Yes, 2024 will probably end up being a shitshow, especially toward the end, but I'm still looking forward to it. I've made peace with the fact that we really CAN'T trust our media to tell us the things we need to hear, and that Trump will be the nominee. As you and LB were discussing the 2024 election on the Five-8, and the possibility that "if something happens to Trump," Nikki Haley would probably be the nominee, I came to realize that we'd better ALL hope that nothing happens to Trump. If Haley was the nominee, she'd more than likely win. It would be, I think, just as bad if she won as it would be if Trump won. And I think if Trump were out of the picture, the Republicans would love nothing more than saying they elected the first female president, and more importantly, they could control her, unlike Trump. She talks a big game, but she does what she's told. Project 2025 would still be full speed ahead.
So, those of you that pray, get on the PRAYING Train that nothing happens to Trump until AFTER the election. That last caveat may be frowned upon by the Lord, so maybe just pray. In the meantime, the resistance to this shit must continue!
On that happy note (!), have a happy and safe new year. I'm doing nothing but watching "The Crown." New Year's Eve TV bullshit is long past my interest. Another year of Ryan Seacrest thinking he's Dick Clark? Please. I have calendars to change!
Happy New Year, Gail! You're not going into the city tonight, are you? It looked like it would be a huge hassle and I know I'm way too old and cranky for that stuff, fireworks or not. I was never a big party kind of guy, crowds make me insane! lol
Ha! I too am way too old and cranky to leave the house on NYE! I actually won tickets to see Mt. Joy at the Salt Shed - I was so excited, until the reality of getting down there and staying out late, set in. We are staying in and watching Mt. Joy on the NBC5 countdown instead - if I can stay up that late! Happy New Year, Steve!
I hope that 24 is better than 23 for you, Steve. I'm also happy, on a personal note, to turn the page on 23.
One of the first posts I wrote for PREVAIL, which we discussed on the show, was about Nikki Haley. I'd forgotten about it completely. At the end, I talk about the danger of "panic-nominating" Biden (oops), because the GOP would counter with Haley, and we'd be in trouble, for reasons you cite. I really hope I'm not right about that, because I agree, she would be terrible. She has zero backbone.
Enjoy The Crown! My wife binged it when she was sick a few weeks ago and loves it.
Thank you for the Nash grins and for your own version - which was perfect. This past year is one year I won't be celebrating nor spending any time "looking back." I'm just thankful it's over and almost done. Next year will be a challenge, but maybe if we rest up a bit, we'll be up for it. Happy 2024 to you and yours!
Dec 31, 2023·edited Dec 31, 2023Liked by Greg Olear
Happy New Year, Olears and Olear-ites! Patrick said it best, Greg; you are a treasure. And so is your wife Stephanie whose talent should not be hidden anymore!
Ogden Nash is cool, and so is your adaptation! On to my end-of-year musings: Day follows night follows day … and Nature knows nothing of this calendar hoopla. To this planet we live on the last umpteen days and the next umpteen days are exactly the same. All that will have happened when we pass GO again on our trip around the sun is the adding of 1 to the yyyy part of the date on our man-made calendar. But in terms of human affairs, a year can have an unmistakable energy—and 2023 sucked in many ways. I hope that this time around the orbit people will behave with a little more love and a little more sensibility—especially in the November election!
Ogden was a treasure, so are your Sunday posts Greg!!
With all the fuckery that exists in this epoch, it’s good to smile toss salt over your shoulder and welcome the next iteration. Happiest of New Year’s wishes to you and yours!!
Yes.
Oh, my, Patrick. Thanks for the reminder to toss salt over our shoulders!
Unfortunately the number of evil spirits appears to be on the rise!
Thanks, Patrick. You too!
Happy New Year! Love the poem
You too!
Happy New Year dear Greg. I love you.
You, too, Sharon...right back atcha. Wishing you continued good health in 24!
Happy New Year to you, Greg, and all here. ❤️
You too, William!
Brilliant Greg! I'm a big fan of Nash. 'Hope for the best, expect the worst' has helped me through life thus far. Happy New Year to you and your family and thank you for a year of fine wit and wisdom 🥰
Thanks, Helen. I love him. The wordplay, the coinages, all of it. I think "Columbus" is my favorite, but there are so many.
Your posts resonate so often. I have a book of Ogden Nash poems, probably it was my dad’s, that’s so old the pages are brown and coming loose. AND we have a friend in common (she wrote some stuff for The Nervous Breakdown) who, years ago, gave me a Michael Gondry DVD as a gift. I just pulled it off the shelf, there's Lucas with the Lid Off.
Lucas with The Lid off! Yes! I love those old, brown-paged volumes.
Which friend is this, I wonder?
The one and only Rachel Pollon.
Say hi for me! It's been a minute.
Happy New Year! Best wishes for 2024 to all!
You too!
How lucky I feel to be able to connect with thinkers/writers/creators like you, Greg, over the Internet. Thank you for sharing your insights and inspiring us. Here's to another exciting year.💕
Thanks so much, Judy. Happy New Year!
Thankful everyday for the community you and LB have built around the Five 8. Prevail has introduced me to some favorites as well, Arthur Snell and Aja Raden, to name just a few. Ready to face the fight ahead in 2024 to save our democracy. Strength in numbers!
Thank you. I'm glad to hear it. And those ate two of my favorites as well.
Happy New Year!
This is probably mostly a personal thing, but 2023 sucked ass! My mom was in pain due to back problems for four months until a surgery, my dog had to be put to sleep, Trump was STILL in the news every goddamned day, and I'm SO looking forward to going around the house and changing the calendars as soon as this post is done, I can't even WAIT!
Yes, 2024 will probably end up being a shitshow, especially toward the end, but I'm still looking forward to it. I've made peace with the fact that we really CAN'T trust our media to tell us the things we need to hear, and that Trump will be the nominee. As you and LB were discussing the 2024 election on the Five-8, and the possibility that "if something happens to Trump," Nikki Haley would probably be the nominee, I came to realize that we'd better ALL hope that nothing happens to Trump. If Haley was the nominee, she'd more than likely win. It would be, I think, just as bad if she won as it would be if Trump won. And I think if Trump were out of the picture, the Republicans would love nothing more than saying they elected the first female president, and more importantly, they could control her, unlike Trump. She talks a big game, but she does what she's told. Project 2025 would still be full speed ahead.
So, those of you that pray, get on the PRAYING Train that nothing happens to Trump until AFTER the election. That last caveat may be frowned upon by the Lord, so maybe just pray. In the meantime, the resistance to this shit must continue!
On that happy note (!), have a happy and safe new year. I'm doing nothing but watching "The Crown." New Year's Eve TV bullshit is long past my interest. Another year of Ryan Seacrest thinking he's Dick Clark? Please. I have calendars to change!
Hey, Steve. Hang in there!
Yes, Steve, I agree! But, I do think her hypocrisy will continue to be exposed.
Hypocrisy is a feature now!
Happy New Year, Gail! You're not going into the city tonight, are you? It looked like it would be a huge hassle and I know I'm way too old and cranky for that stuff, fireworks or not. I was never a big party kind of guy, crowds make me insane! lol
Ha! I too am way too old and cranky to leave the house on NYE! I actually won tickets to see Mt. Joy at the Salt Shed - I was so excited, until the reality of getting down there and staying out late, set in. We are staying in and watching Mt. Joy on the NBC5 countdown instead - if I can stay up that late! Happy New Year, Steve!
Love every word
I hope that 24 is better than 23 for you, Steve. I'm also happy, on a personal note, to turn the page on 23.
One of the first posts I wrote for PREVAIL, which we discussed on the show, was about Nikki Haley. I'd forgotten about it completely. At the end, I talk about the danger of "panic-nominating" Biden (oops), because the GOP would counter with Haley, and we'd be in trouble, for reasons you cite. I really hope I'm not right about that, because I agree, she would be terrible. She has zero backbone.
Enjoy The Crown! My wife binged it when she was sick a few weeks ago and loves it.
Thank you for the Nash grins and for your own version - which was perfect. This past year is one year I won't be celebrating nor spending any time "looking back." I'm just thankful it's over and almost done. Next year will be a challenge, but maybe if we rest up a bit, we'll be up for it. Happy 2024 to you and yours!
Thanks, Ellen. I'm with you. To 2023, I do the Bill Belichick "On to Cincinnati" response. 2024 has been dellightful so far,.,,
As I recall, Ogden Nash updated his two-line well-known poem to a three-liner with a 1960s warning:
Candy is dandy
But liquor is quicker
Pot is not
And my take on Nash’s “The Panther:”
The Trumps started out as Drumpfs
Crossing the Atlantic Ocean
To cause all sorts of commotion
Get a call from Donald J Trump
Best you have a bad case of the mumps.
Love the use of "mumps." I did not know the revision, although he's right.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year and looking forward to another year of interesting, highly entertaining and educational discourse.
Happy New Year, Olears and Olear-ites! Patrick said it best, Greg; you are a treasure. And so is your wife Stephanie whose talent should not be hidden anymore!
Happy New Year, Lynell! 🎉🕊️
And you as well, Marlene! I look forward to seeing you on the substacks in 2024!
You know I’ll be there come hook or crook!
Thanks, Lynell! Much appreciated. Happy New Year to you and yours!
Happy & Peaceful New Year to all! 🗽
You, too, Kirsten!
Ogden Nash is cool, and so is your adaptation! On to my end-of-year musings: Day follows night follows day … and Nature knows nothing of this calendar hoopla. To this planet we live on the last umpteen days and the next umpteen days are exactly the same. All that will have happened when we pass GO again on our trip around the sun is the adding of 1 to the yyyy part of the date on our man-made calendar. But in terms of human affairs, a year can have an unmistakable energy—and 2023 sucked in many ways. I hope that this time around the orbit people will behave with a little more love and a little more sensibility—especially in the November election!
Thanks, Earl.
I'm always reminded of how Ambrose Bierce defined November in the Devil's Dictionary: "The eleventh twelfth of a weariness."
I’ve never had a better year.
But the restayez
Tink da endodaze
Is near.
Let’s love life
And hate strife whilst stayin’
Strong and ready to
Ado, ado, ado.
Love it!