Bruce's Smorsasborg

"I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived." Henry David Thoreau was one of my heroes growing up (and still is) and this quote from "Walden" is one of my favorite because it speaks to self-reliance and not being afraid to spend time alone with one's thoughts and filter out all the "noise" from friends, relatives, and most recently, from Internet influencers, bloggers, and the current head bullshit artist, Donald Trump.  Henry David Thoreau (born July 12, 1817 – died May 6, 1862) was an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher. He is best known for his book Walden, a reflection upon simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay "Civil Disobedience," an argument in favor of citizen disobedience against an unjust state. Thoreau's books, articles, essays, j...

Essay on Self Reliance There is a time in every man's education when he arrives at the conviction that envy is ignorance; that imitation is suicide; that he must take himself for better, for worse, as his portion; that though the wide universe is full of good, no kernel of nourishing corn can come to him but through his toil bestowed on that plot of ground which is given to him to till.... Society never advances. It recedes as fast on one side as it gains on the other. It undergoes continual changes; it is barbarous, it is civilized, it is christianized , it is rich, it is scientific; but this change is not amelioration. For every thing that is given, something is taken. Society acquires new arts, and loses old instincts. The civilized man has built a coach, but has lost the use of his feet. He is supported on crutches, but lacks so much support of muscle. He has a fine Geneva watch, but he fails of the skill to tell the hour by the sun. ---------------------------------- Emerson w...

 By Bruce Shawkey This book, by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin (left) is often cited as one of the bibles for those looking to save money while not sacrificing the quality of life. Now that I am retired, the book is as relevant as it used to be. I believe the most relevant section of the book offers specific tips for saving money, and they are seen below, with the occasional edit. 1. Stop trying to impress other people. Other people are probably so busy trying to impress you that they will, at best, not notice your efforts. At worst, they will resent you for one-upping them. 2. Don't go shopping. If you don't go shopping, you won't spend money. Of course, if you really need something from the store, go and buy it. But don't just go shopping. According to Carolyn Wesson, author of Women Who Shop Too Much, "59 million persons in the U.S. are addicted to shopping or to spending." About 53 percent of groceries and 47 percent of hardware-store purchases are "sp...

  Cool vehicle. Looks like a "Woodie," but the body is all steel. Uses for the vehicle, printed  on ad:

 By Bruce Shawkey The DuMont Television Network was one of America's pioneer commercial television networks, rivaling NBC and CBS for the distinction of being first overall in the United States. It was owned by Allen B. DuMont Laboratories, a television equipment and television set manufacturer and broadcasting company. Lesser known, perhaps, is the company made television sets, as seen in the ad above from a 1947 issue of Fortune magazine. Here is a photo of one of their TV models, called the "Dumont 180." A more quirky model is the dual screen model, called the Duoscopic. Its inventor envisioned an end to arguments over what to watch. As radio was still much more popular than television, the dial also included FM from 88 to 108 megahertz, plus a few channels used for weather and aviation. The lower left drawer held a phonograph. It was an all-in-one entertainment center. DuMont pioneered both television manufacture and broadcasting. DuMont Laboratories were responsible ...

By Bruce Shawkey Coffee, reading, sitting by a window—why the simple becomes sacred There’s something sacred about that first cup of coffee in the morning. The steam curls up like a lazy ghost, and I sit there in my Laz=y-Boy recliner, a little like a retired philosopher.  I hear a 20-something moron racing his muscle car down the street, in a hurry to get nowhere because he hasn't got two nickels to rub together, but  inexplicably has enough money to buy gas. I sip slowly, savoring the flavor of the coffee. it brings back memories — breakfasts with my late wife (who was not a coffee drinker by the way), trips to Seattle and Hawaii and enjoying some really great coffee, although my own brew is certainly delicious. And so I sit, sip, and watch. And for a moment, despite all the turmoil going on, the world feels nicely brewed. Sufficiently caffeinneated, I can begin my day. Don't have to work any more; I am retired and can enjoy my own pursuits ... travel, reading, cooking, jour...