The Making a (Tennis) Racquet Edition

Good God It's Already September, 2024

I’m back from a brief but jam-packed (at least, by my standards) visit to New York City. More about that down toward the bottom of this edition of the newsletter.

The big news (at least, by my standards) is that I have two (mercifully) short and (allegedly) humorous essays in a new anthology! Here’s the book cover:

Editor Desiree Miller is a travel writer/editor/podcaster whose acquaintance I first made at the Erma Bombeck Writers’ Workshop in 2022. The idea for this book was hatched on her way traveling to that conference. We became fast friends upon meeting, and shortly after seeing her again at the 2024 edition of the workshop, this book completed its transition from a burst of inspiration into a real, physical thing.

I have two short (you’re welcome), humorous (so I say) essays in the book: one about incurring the wrath (genuine) of a flight attendant as I returned from a junior high school trip to Spain, and other about incurring the wrath (a put-on, but it didn’t feel like one initially) of a gate attendant while trying to board a connecting flight from Boston to New York City (that destination being the reason for the faux tongue-lashing).

I’m in the company of dozens of talented authors and, as the title promises, just over a hundred entertaining/amusing/touching stories — all relating in some way to air travel! You can order your copy from Amazon or Barnes & Noble. Perfect to tide you over on your next delayed flight or extended bathroom respite.

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As usual, let’s get the politics outta the way first:

In A Color Bind (August 1, 2024)

Trump supporters see the number “45” above; Harris supporters also see it, but in the rear-view mirror.

We recall how Trump initially reacted to Kamala becoming the Democratic nominee, by questioning her racial identity. This left no question as to his identity as a racist.

Aversion Control (August 6, 2024)

Mel Brooks as Moses explains how we came to settle on just ten.

A guest appearance by politicos other than the Orange Menace — not just one, but two of Louisiana’s “leaders” explaining how those who may not embrace the display of the Ten Commandments (or, at least, one version of them) in public school classrooms can just look askance. Literally.

A (Mis)pronounced Bias (August 9, 2024)

I picked this meme to illustrate the verse because of the “-MA.”

Trump made/makes/will continue to make fun of how he chooses to pronounce Kamala’s first name. Hmm — if only we could think of anything that rhymes with “Trump”…

I’ll Copter To It (August 9, 2024)

We can only hope Trump’s campaign will crash and burn like this.

Has Trump released the flight log yet that proves his version of this harrowing event? I sure hope George Slopadopoulos asks him about this at the upcoming debate.

Fool Medal Racket (August 16, 2024)

If breakdancing could become an Olympic sport, can flonkerton be far behind?

Medal of Honor recipients (there’s no “Congressional” in its name) are either all shot up and/or dead, according to you-know-who — therefore, living and flesh-intact civilian recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom get something “better.”

In the Ire of the Beholder (August 18, 2024)

I actually think Trump *would* look better — in an orange jumpsuit…

Nobody’s smarter or better-looking than Donald John Trump. He could have been a doctor/nuclear engineer/professor/beauty contest winner — in fact, he could have been anything he put his (genius-level) mind to. If only POTUS hadn’t been on his imaginary list…

Hair-Raising Experience (August 25, 2024)

But I thought he did his own hair? $70K worth of hairspray listed as a tax deduction!

Trump begins to clearly identify what he considers to be a “Black job” — please, someone give him a pair of scissors and encourage him to run with them.

Grave Mistake (August 31, 2024)

It’s “hallowed” — not “hollowed” — ground.

Whether the families involved invited Trump or not — their request doesn’t supersede the rules put in place to respect the final resting place of all the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our nation. As the former Commander-in-Chief, he should know that.

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Now, on to the im-politic (not sure that means what I think it does):

Golden Stumblers (August 15, 2024)

“Is this a knee? I’m an OB-GYN.”

This is one of the pieces I’ve salvaged from my big book project planned for this year that collapsed under my typing fingers.

Vocabu-wary (August 18, 2024)

Add lettuce to make a delicious word salad!

I came across this sitting in my Drafts folder and decided to give it another go to improve it. I can’t say I improved it, but I did make it longer. After posting it, I realized I’d *already* posted the earlier version back in February. Let’s just call it a “re-launch” and let it fade away again…

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So, back to the NYC trip: Carol and I spent three nights in midtown Manhattan (traveling via bus from Portland, ME — no new flight-related anecdotes), serving as our launch pad to a Tuesday evening session of the US Open tennis tournament…

… and a Wednesday evening performance of the Broadway revival of “Once Upon a Mattress,” starring (among others) Sutton Foster:

We also traipsed through MoMA and the American Museum of Natural History — while working in a stroll along most of the High Line. We left the city both elated and exhausted.

That trip — along with the publication of the “101 Etc. Etc.” book — were the highlights of the month. Tomorrow is Labor Day, and then it’s a sprint to the finish line, i.e., the election. I’m trying to remain positive about the Harris/Walz ticket, but who knows what Trump has up his sleeve.

That’s a wrap. Thanks for reading; please share if you’re so inclined. And, as Bob & Ray used to say, “Keep those cards and letters.”

JB