Friday, July 23, 2010

"Brevity is the soul of wit..." Hamlet




Lady Nancy Astor (above and on rt) and joyriding pals... cruisin for burgers and guys?


Ever feel like you're just at your "wit's end"? Well just pull up to the tank here and refill your tired repartee by spending a few moments with my favorite quotable wit, Lady Nancy Astor. An American, who married a rich guy but didn't let that stop her, she became the first woman to hold a seat in the British House of Commons. FAmous for her wit, she once said (and don't I wish I'd heard this before I said yes, dammit. I might have thought twice.):

"I married beneath me. All women do."

Bullseye! God, that just cracks me up every time. Her hubby musta been a guy with a sense of humor. I'll check and let you know.

My other fave quote is Dorothy Parker's:

"If all the women at the Yale prom were laid end to end,
I wouldn't be a bit surprised."

Such deftness of speech is to be envied. Quick as a shell game. Women of wit and intelligence. Without appearing to be doing anything but having fun, they both managed to make major contributions to the societies they lived in. Heavy lifting, as it were, of very different kinds. Though they never would have described what they did as 'heavy lifting' as they weren't complainers and would have considered describing their efforts thusly as self important claptrap.

Here's some of what Lady Astor, who, when she awoke during her last illness to find her family standing around her bed asked, "Am I dying or is it my birthday?" , has to say to us from the grave. Spend a few delicious seconds with each one...

"Real education should educate us out of self into something far finer; into a selflessness which links us with all humanity."

I refuse to admit I'm more than fifty-two, even if that does make my sons illegitimate.."

"The main dangers in this life are the people who want to change everything -- or nothing."

"The only thing I like about rich people is their money."

"One reason I don't drink is that I want to know when I am having a good time."


AND last but not least...

My vigor, vitality, and cheek repel me. I am the kind of woman I would run from."


[Boy, I hear
that.]

[Here's one from her pal, Winston Churchill, with whom she shared this clever exchange:

“Lady Nancy Astor: Winston, if you were my husband, I'd poison your tea.
Churchill: Nancy, if I were your husband, I'd drink it.”


Doesn't that just make you wonder if men and women aren't really missing something these days when it comes to enjoying each others' company and wit? Everyone takes offense so quickly. Maybe it's the lack of wit, the crudeness, the low life quality of humor. But we have lost something to the telly's homogenization of our personalities. Non?

Mr. Churchill said: (and let's send this along to Mr. Boehner and a few others, shall we?)

A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.

They left out his "and then pours a drink and thinks about it."


So ... what's in your closet? Here's a fun activity to fill out your summer dance card...

Just for the heckuvit, why not go on a Shopping Diet? It's amazing the difference between how little people will notice you've done this and how much you'll notice a difference of another kind. Try wearing the same 6 things for a month and see what happens. It's a great idea!! I've been doing it for five months pretty much cause I"m traveling, but you can do this at home. Important lessons to be learned by all of us from this.


Check this out. I was looking into low blood sugar ( I know, hard to believe, isn't it?) and found this. Who knew we had (scroll down to this) a sugar craving gene??

[Not I, said the Hen...]

Remember that old dieting adage: A moment on the lips, forever on the hips?

Well, listen up, all you Twitterers and Facebookers to what evidence is showing about whatever you've got showing.. .. Whatever you put out there.. remember, it's f o r e v e r...

later, alligators and cowgirls!

4 comments:

  1. Hey Miss Catty!(I'm taking liberties w/ your alias'1/2C-Kitty and 1/2C-Cat, (seems like a rhyme
    should follow doesn't it?)Anyway,...Just read your blog,..and I'm grinning (a toothless grin)..from ear to ear!!!I love it..Thank You for the smile on my face,it does me good!!Where did you get those pictures..and quotes? From the library?..Well..wherever you found them, I'm glad you did. It was something and a lot of fun to read..Thanks!!!!! tk

    ReplyDelete
  2. It was something different and a lot of fun to read













    last line should have read...

    It was something " different" and a lot of fun to read...

    Thanks!!!!!! (I left out Different)
    tk

    ReplyDelete
  3. Okay...what's happening here???I've got lines appearing that I thought I erased.., a big ol' space for reasons unknown.This computer's messin'
    with me!! Bear with me..I'm a novice! tk

    ReplyDelete
  4. TK! nice to see ya! Glad you liked the quotes from the queen of wit! just like you to appreciate her brainy repartee. Patience with the computer clicks. give em time to respond to you.

    love you madly!!

    ReplyDelete