Jack’s Winning Words 7/11/14
“Paris ain’t much of a town!”  (Babe Ruth)  Today’s problem for me---How do I find a quote that combines Bastille Day with the 100th anniversary of the Babe’s major league debut?  Ruth could pitch and hit homers, but he “struck out” on Paris.  A friend is now in Paris and writes, “Paris is beautiful and full of history and culture.  The people have a way of really enjoying everything.”  Have you ever had a Parisian experience?     ;-)  Jack  

FROM CL IN CALIFORNIA:  Jack, You still have. 3 days to solve the problem  :)====JACK:  I thought that you'd get it...I combined the Babe and his quote about Paris....IRONY!

FROM PLH IN MINNESOTA:  Jack, does this have anything to do with Paris Hilton?

FROM EDUCATOR PAUL:  This is very interesting and very appropriate for me at this very second! Got up a little a early today and decided to study my French vocabulary. I just took a little break this very second to read my morning email!  That's a Twilight Zone episode...Does this mean I should play baseball today, or, study French longer and harder?====I wonder why the Bambino went to Paris instead of Rome?

FROM RI IN BOSTON:  "Ever had a Parisian experience?"...you can bet I have.  The Babe probably never got there, or he had his eyes closed.  I'll go with Young and Lewis who wrote, "How yuh gonna keep 'em down on the farm after they've seen Paree?" ====JACK:  We see what we want to see.  The pussy cat went to London and saw a mouse under the throne.  I wonder what Babe wanted to see?

FROM SHARIN' SHARON:  Our family was living in Switzerland when my daughter was 2 years old. We decided to visit Paris and took the 4 hour train trip from Geneva to Paris. While we were in Paris we wheeled Brenda in her stroller from museum to museum, looking at all the art we could which we had only ever seen in pictures before. My recollection is we spent about 1/2 hour in each museum before she got fussy and we had to go out to the sidewalk cafes for ice cream, French fries, etc. It was a most memorable trip--the Mona Lisa is much smaller than you would think from looking at pictures. And it's behind glass. And old men were drinking red wine at 10:00 in the morning. No other place is like Paris.====JACK:  1/2 hour in a French museum  I'll bet Mona Lisa was smiling when she saw you pushing that stroller with a fussy child.

FROM HCC CHUCK:  great town   many lovely memories of our visits.====JACK:  Isn't memory a great gift of God?

FROM PEPPERMINT MARY:  i have never been to paris.  our beth was born on bastille day.  she was in paris a couple of years ago and loved it so much she said that if she could get a job there she'd move in a minute!====JACK:  So, were she and Babe Ruth commenting on the same "town"?

FROM PLAIN FOLKS CHESTER:  Love it. Genius!!====JACK:  Thanks for putting the idea in my mind.

FROM TONY THE TIGER:  Loved the city, did not like the people (because they didn't like me).  I tried not to be the Ugly American.  Many of us are, though, and the reputation precedes us despite our intentions.====JACK:  How could someone possibly not like you?

FROM KF IN MICHIGAN:  I have been enjoying it vicariously since May! From what I hear, Parisians really enjoy their chocolate! Our Parisian friend is coming home tomorrow; )====JACK:  Even tho it's be a relatively short period of time, I'm sure that Paris has rubbed off on our "friend."  I'll be interested to see...how.

FROM TARMART REV:  All in the eyes of it's beholder, Jack!! Very beholding to God and those who see some compelling good in me when I so often struggle with the negative . . . thanks for being a friend and may it always be a good Parisian experience?!?!====Eye hath not seen the things that God has prepared for us----better than Paris, I'm sure!

FROM HAWKEYE GEORGE:  Jack, nice research.====JACK:  Although it's didn't get into today's WWs, the research on Bastille Day showed the similarity with our Independence Day.

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  Not Paris, but British Columbia (Vancouver Island) is sure beautiful.  Have had the pleasure of enjoying it for the last 8 days.  Now back to the oven - aka Dallas.  But Dallas is home and home is good.====JACK: There are many beautiful spots in the world.  I could show you some in Detroit, too.  Don't laugh!

FROM WATERFORD JAN:  I saw Paris in 1985 with my husband.  It was our last stop in a seven-country tour that began with England.  At our return we were asked what was our favorite country and neither of us could or would pick a favorite--the "apples and oranges" difficulty.  Paris was definitely a highlight and we enjoyed the city tour--the Louvre, Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, the Arc de Triomphe, Sacre Coeur, Versailles, the Lido, and endless sightseeing.  We enjoyed memorable meals wherever we ate, and always friendly people.  Babe Ruth was a good ballplayer, but not so good as a travel reviewer. ====JACK:  The Swedes have a saying, "borta bra men hemma bäst."  To be away is good, but home is the best.

FROM OUTHOUSE JUDY:  We've traveled to many Paris' but not in France.  It's surprising how many places are renamed around the world.====JACK:  I've read that many of the French "privies" are in the middle of the busy sidewalks.  Did take any picture for your collection?

FROM ME IN NEWPORT BEACH:  I do not know where to find your problem quote, but look forward to what it will be.  Bastille Day remains a favorite to many of my good friends, including Clif L. ====JACK:  The problem was....Chester wrote that I should have a Babe Ruth quote of the 18th, because he broke into baseball 100 years ago on that date.  I was already prepared to do a quote on Bastille Day, July 18...so I solved the problem by using Ruth's Paris quote,  My mind works like that.====ME:  Isn't Bastille Day July 14?====JACK:  You're right!  I picked July 11 as the date from a newsletter that I received.  It shows to go ya, that you should check (and double check your sources.

FROM SBP IN FLORIDA:  My Parisian experiences have been/are vicarious and fascinating. My grandson is living in Paris. His "apartment" is on the seventh floor of a walk-up and was built over some catacombs. The book that I am presently reading is Metronome ...relating historical and wondersome details re Paris from underground up.(History, architecture, language, religion abounds.
Just finished Paris in the Past....politics, religious, architectural history train ride from Paris to the outskirts. Spurs that were built by reigning royalty.  And Hemingway's A Moveable Feast...a memoir of his time in Paris in the 20's.  All are delicious reads and provide me as I read and recollect with many "Parisian" moments.  I have to share this. A truly magnetic reading.....setting in France and Germany 1930's to 2014...All the Light We Cannot See. One of the most compelling beautifully written books I've ever read. ====JACK:  A 7th floor walkup makes me tired...but if it's in Paris, I might consider it.   Thanks for sharing your Parisian experience.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  ON OUR TRIP TO ENGLAND, FRANCE, SCOTLAND AND WALES, JAN AND I TOURED PARIS, VERSAILLE (SP?)  AND  THE AREA FOR 4 DAYS, AND LOVED EVERY MINUTE! THE LOUVE WAS FASCINATING, AND HUGE, BUT MONA LISA WASN'T BEHIND GLASS WHEN WE WERE THERE. HOWEVER IT WAS QUITE DARK, AND NOT LARGE, STILL A THRILL!  CLIMBING TO THE TOP OF THE TOWERS OF NOTRE DAME (PANT, PANT); MY TONGUE WAS HANGING OUT LIKE THE GARGOYLES ADORNING THE PARAPETS, BY THE TIME I LABORED UP THERE, AND YOU HAD TO PAY, TO CLIMB ALL THOSE STAIRS!. THE SACRE COER CHURCH ON  THE HILL ABOVE PARIS HAD A SERVICE OF FLAGS  WITH PEOPLE FROM MANY NATIONS MARCHING IN, AT THE SUNDAY  SERVICE WE ATTENDED. HAD DINNER AT THE TOP OF THE EIFFEL TOWER, WITH THE WHOLE CITY LIT UP BELOW US....ALL IN ALL A MARVELOUS EXPERIENCE, AND FRIENDLY PEOPLE. MANY OF THE BATHROOMS WERE COED, AND YOU HAD TO PAY TO USE THE SERVICES....TRAVEL IS ENLIGHTENING! :-) GAY PAREE, AH YES!! WHAT ON EARTH DID BABE RUTH WANT THAT WAS MISSING I WONDER?====JACK:  I guess, from one babe to another, you disagree with him on an evaluation of Paris.

FROM TAMPA SHIRL:  Paris is beautiful and the City of Lights.   It is a good thing that Hitler's generals did not obey him and did not destroy it.  My experiences have been many.  The first was Easter l954 when we were teachers enriching ourselves traveling in Europe for five months.  They in 1956 I was the leader of 20 college students for The Experiment in International Living.  We were riding our bikes there before heading out for Burgundy and the Loire Valley.  Then in 1985 we went as a family when Eastern flew to London, which made it easy for us.  We stayed for a week at a friend's apartment which was close to Rodin's studio.  The last trip was in 2006 with four grandchildren and their parents. t is amazing that each time you discover something new. ====JACK:  I just wonder what Babe Ruth was looking for when he went to Paris.  Maybe the city didn't have a baseball stadium.