Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Day #585 Uncommon Sense


8/29 UnCommon Sense

In 1986 I bought a book. I read it and underlined a lot of passages. The book was a series of common sense essays. When I moved from Vermont to Georgia in 1993, I packed the book away in a box.

I did finally unpack it (probably in about 1997 or 8), stuck it on a bookcase, and pretty much forgot about it.

Kim Williams’ Book of Uncommon Sense: A Practical Guide With 10 Rules for Nearly Everything sat there for a while, got put into another box seven -- almost eight -- years ago when I moved to this house, and has lived on yet another bookshelf for quite a while.

What on earth must Ms. Williams think of me for ignoring her such a long time? And what a lot I’ve missed. The book appears to be out-of-print now, which is a real shame.

It’s been interesting to review the things I underlined all those years ago:
  • In one essay, next to the phrase “eat a turnip,” I wrote, “Yuck.” Now, why would I write that? To the best of my knowledge, I’ve never eaten a turnip.
  • In another, an essay about the fun and practicality of pot luck dinners, she wrote that the best invitation is “I have the spot. You bring the pot” -- even if it’s for a wedding reception.
  • “Eating bean sprouts will not save your soul.”
  • And - one of my favorites -- “I will not fall into the toothpaste trap. I will write down how much money I spend on toothpaste in a year; then I will spend it on something else.” -- I vote for this one because my teeth have done quite well for years on a "tooth-cleaner" mixture of salt and baking soda.
  • Another little gem - talking about a mountain spring that had a frog living in it -- “Funny that we never thought to question the right of that frog to live in our drinking water.”
I’d like to keep a little uncommon sense in my life.

If I’m missing any, I’d like Ms. Williams to help me usher it back in. 

Just wish she were around to bring me a turnip.


BEEattitude for Day #585:
       Blessed are those who provide water for us bees in the summertime, for they shall have the joy of watching us drink and flap our little wings.

2 comments:

AggiePete said...

Sounds like such a great read - the quotes put a smile on my face and really got me to thinking. Will start hunting for it in bookstores next week while I'm on vacation with Katie (twin sister). Just going to her house near downtown to do a 'twin week': Chinese take-out, thrift store shopping, book store browsing & last but certainly not least: BLUE BELL !!!!

Fran Stewart said...

Have a great time!