Wilderness Blues- Ramblings from the Great Land

            I suppose the title probably doesn't line up with the picture when one thinks of peep shows. I did a little research and found out that peep shows have actually been around since sometime in the 1500's. The first known version was traced back to Europe to one Leon Battista Alberti. I think they started innocently enough.  Apparently, a vendor would wonder around the country with a box on their back. Inside the box would be drawings of far off places or miniature figurines, or theatrical scenes or other things of interest. A candle would be lit and for a small fee the customer could look inside the box through a hole. They used to be called Rarees short for rarity shows. In the 1890's, machines were created that projected slides of naked ladies. Go figure They eventually were given the name Peep Shows after a tailor, who allegedly cut a hole in the shutters in order to get a glimpse of Lady Godiva as she came riding by naked on her horse. Wh...

  Well, Christmas has come and gone and we're starting a new year, which I hope will be much better than the one we just experienced, although if the news is any indication of what the future holds, it may be more of the same. If last year left you with a bad taste in your mouth, please do yourself a favor and look up the Washington Post magazine article by humorist Dave Barry. I believe it's titled A Review of 2020. It was one of the funniest things I've read in quite awhile. He totally captured the year, describing it as "one long, howling Category 5 crapstorm." Honestly, if you're feeling down, having a bad day, mad at your spouse, your boss, your kids, the government, the neighbors or just life in general, please look it up. You'll be glad you did. OK. Now that that's out of the way, I'll continue on. Like many other Americans, I left Dr. Fauci flapping his gums behind an N95 mask and enjoyed a pleasant time with my family over the Christmas ho...

As most of us who live in the U S know, last night was Halloween. It's a night when multitudes of children dress in costumes and go around the neighborhood knocking on doors and asking for candy. Of course the popular phrase when someone answers the door is "Trick or Treat! I recall years ago hearing from some friends, that the neighborhood where they used to live had one old grouch who, when the kids spouted their usual phrase shouted "Trick!" and poured soup in their bags. No doubt he would have been a candidate for the flaming bag of dog crap landing on his front porch. I have to admit that Halloween isn't my favorite holiday, but I go along with it. I remember it being a highlight of the year when I was a kid, and I don't want to rob other children of the chance to enjoy it. I do, however, like to have a little fun too. Last year when one group of kids came knocking, I answered the door and said that we didn't have any candy, but I'd be glad t...

 On my desk in the office I have a sticky note with the words- expanding toilet seats. It was an idea that Jen and I were talking about several days ago; I can't remember why. It had something to do with people who had large behinds and how a standard size seat wouldn't seem to fill the bill. I don't want to get too graphic here, but I would imagine that an exceptionally large person would have a good bit hanging off the seat- thus the need for an expanding seat. It's probably the next million dollar idea. However, the above picture doesn't look anything like a toilet seat- and for good reason. What we have here is a basket of Dum Dum pops. I don't know why they're called pops.  I always referred to them as suckers. I do, however, know why they're called Dum Dums. Back in 1924, I C Bahr, an early sales manager for the Akron Candy Company coined the name Dum Dums figuring it was a word that any child could say. I don't know how well it would go o...

Well, Halloween has come and gone. I'm kind of glad. I'm sure the dog is. He had to suffer through the embarrassment of wearing this ridiculous pumpkin costume for a while on Halloween night. When he saw it he ran under the table and had to be enticed with food to put it on. Unfortunately the Jack O' Lantern is just the beginning of sorrows. I think there is a Santa costume and something that looks like a clown one hanging in a closet upstairs. How humiliating. Dogs have feelings you know; although a piece of cheese can go a long way in helping to offset any loss of dignity. I don't know how anyone else fared, but here in Hoonah we had such a dreadful wet, cold, blowy evening that we hardly had any kids come by. Wouldn't you know it? I had gone to Walmart several weeks ago so I was all stocked up with stuff and ready for the big onlslaught. Of course it didn't happen. If I had forgotten to get anything for Halloween, there probably would have been a warm fron...