I think my great-aunt musta been Jewish.
I'll always remember this admonishment from a somewhat elegant family meal
"Eat the meat. Potatoes, the pigs can eat."
(no pigs within hundreds of miles, of course)
I am glad this topic got going again, I missed it. Don't ask.
I shouldn't ask you? You shouldn't ask me how I am. The schmerz in my heart, from my son. You don't want to know.
<<don't forget the hand gestures>>
(thanks to mrs. L for this one)
I am neither Jewish not Italian nor (nor whoever else is famous for using hand gestures). My own family was handgesture deprived. But I find that I gesture more and more as time goes by. Now I know why I am uncomfy keeping my left hand politely under the table at fine restaurants. What are they doing, picking gum from under the table?
Not only that, I think hand gestures, for good or evil or in-between, denote a kind of expansiveness, a large in life quality; I like people who talk perhaps too much and those who gesture vividly, not always the same people of course.
I have gotten over admiring, per se, strong thoughtful great word types. Well, perhaps you could have guessed that already.
I sometimes have to sit on my hands when I'm at 'big' meetings. My instinct is to talk and gesture. I'm overly fond of the 'two hands thrown up' move. Usually seen in conjunction with wide-eyes, or rolling eyes.
My first gesture that I remember and one I still use, unfortunately, is the hands clasped on the first grade desk gesture. Or, actually, stop-gesture. Once in a while when I am listening to people I clasp my hands in a very old fashioned way. Better I should hold them up and wave them.
Osso, You gotta be careful with hand gestures when you're eating. The food will fly. Better to gesture between courses.
this thread is brilliant!
my family reckon if you cut off my hands i wouldn't be able to talk.
By you, that's easy to say -- brilliant. By me, I'm suffering from the laughter already.
MA, So what's so funny? My knee hurts. Deb has magnets on her knees. This to you is amusing? So Vivien's family wants to cut her hands off. This to you is good for a laugh. Shame on you, already. (The hand gesture accompanying this--one pointer finger is rubbing across the top of the other pointer finger. Shame on you.)
Phoenix is right. What's not be be brilliant?
I know what you're doing, 'Boita. You're trying to work the old guilt trip on me. Sha! My mother you're not. Now there was an expert at earned and unearned guilt, a maven even.
It would be so bad for you to consider a new career? You could be a great doctor or a lawyer...just something to fall back on if this thing of yours doesn't work out, you know. You, you still have youth, it's too late for me, what with the pain, and all.
MA, I'm trying to make you feel guilty. Don't make me laugh. But if the shoe fits, buy it (if it's wholesale).
Cav, boobie, who you talking to. I'm not young. You talking to MA? A doctor no less. MA, if you become a doctor, you can maybe help me with my knee?
Oh, sorry, Roberta, that was my mother popping in for a quick chat with me.
So that's how you should talk to your mother? Your mother who always loved you, always had Gisela make soup for you. I don't know for what I did this. <<shake head in sorrow>>
(a good friend of the hamburgers had very curved index fingers. when she pointed at you, and wagged her finger in disapproval, it was difficult not to giggle - as you knew she was >>>>> targetting <<<<< you, but she was pointing at someone else)
A digital squint you should laugh at now?
Cav, honey, Your mother is here? And you don't even offer an introduction? A piece of cake. A glass of tea. Bupkis? Such a boy. Tsk, tsk.
My mother says: Oy! Cake and tea, like I have time for that? Like I need the calories? I'm here, I'm there, I'm everywhere, like some ferkakta Beatles song....
ferkakta? New one on me...
