-
September 17
It’s kind of amazing that today, September 17, isn’t more widely commemorated as the day Norton I, Emperor of the United States, was crowned. As emperor of the egalitarian USA, it makes perfect sense that Norton I started life as a commoner. He was born Joshua Abraham Norton in England in 1818. Or sometime between Continue reading
-
A noggin of noggins
The word “noggin” has a longer history than you might expect for a slang term for your head. When the word is used today, it’s used the way it appeared in Landfall in 1951: “Thanks, chum,’ said Vic, ‘You used your noggin.’” Roald Dahl used it, too, in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar: “Of Continue reading
-
H.A. Rey
You might remember, from your childhood, an impish monkey named Curious George. He and his companion, The Man with the Yellow Hat, were born today. Well, sort of. Actually Hans Augusto Reyersbach, who was H.A. Rey, one of the authors, was born September 16, 1898 in Hamburg. Reyersbach and his wife Margret (who was Margret Continue reading
-
September 16 September 16
This is it. September 16. The very day that, in 1959, the first successful photocopier was introduced. This is it. September 16. The very day that, in 1959, the first successful photocopier was introduced. This is it. September 16. The very day that, in 1959, the first successful photocopier was introduced. It was the Xerox Continue reading
-
The dog optimist
Hayley just eats when she’s hungry.She says that she’ll wait for a while.I’m always ready for a treat or a snackAnd either one makes me smile. When I was a pupThere were bad folks aroundAnd I learned right awayI should eat what I found But Hayley has nevermet anyone meanAnd she doesn’t believeWhen I say Continue reading
-
Egalitarianism
Hayley and I,We like things to be fairLike the number of treatsAnd whose turn for the chair. When our family brings usNew toys from the store We check to be sureThat neither gets more But one thing they miss, (Though it’s only their fate):Some toys smell okayWhile others smell great! So that is one spotOf an overlap, Continue reading
-
Sorry, not sorry
I like my gamesto be the same.I always returnthe way I came. This frees my mindto contemplatephilosophiesin aggregate. Annoyance whenthings deviatecan turn my actionsreprobate. I do not meanto be the bearerof bad dogness;it’s just my terror coming outwhen things surprise —so in advance:I apologize. -Chocolate Continue reading
-
September 15
September 15 features a wide range of holidays and observances, some of them fairly unusual. First of all, of course, it’s global Free Money Day. The idea is simple; you just give away money (generally two bills or two coins) to strangers, or leave it someplace it will be found. You can share physically or Continue reading
-
My morning routine
A stretch and a shakeis a move that I makefirst thing in the morningas soon as I wake. Then out for a runand some other quick fun,a drink and some breakfast —my day’s well begun. -Chocolate Continue reading
-
This title is a placeholder
The names “John Doe” and “Jane Doe” are placeholders used in legal documents to represent people whose names are either unknown or can’t be revealed. There’s a word for placeholders like that: “kadigan.” And there are other kadigans besides Jane and John. Blackacre is a kadigan for a piece of property, like an acre of Continue reading
About Me
I’m Pete Harbeson, a writer located near Boston, Massachusetts. In addition to writing my own content, I’ve learned to translate for my loquacious and opinionated pup Chocolate Bossypaws. I shouldn’t be surprised, but she mostly speaks in doggerel. You can find her contributions tagged with Chocolatiana.
Check out my other blog, Techlimitics, where I’m grappling with the nature of simplicity.
Privacy policy
No trackers, no ads, no data collected or saved.
Contact
peterharbeson@me.com