May 18, 2021
It’s been a while since we’ve done word or phrase origins, so here is a trio to start the day (do pay attention because there will be a quiz later):
Eat humble pie: To make a humble apology and accept humiliation. In the Middle Ages there would be a huge feast after a hunt. The lord of the manor would receive the finest piece of meat, and the ones with a lower status would eat a pie filled with entrails and innards, which were also known as “umbles.” Those who would eat the “umble pie” were considered to be humiliated, since it symbolized their lower status.
Minding your Ps and Qs: Be careful to behave well and avoid giving offense. This expression has quite a few theories as to its origin, but the favorite refers to the practice of chalking up a ‘tab’ of drinks for later payment. The P refers to pints, and the Q is quarts. You would do well to correctly tally up the right amount in case there was a dishonest barkeeper pouring the drinks.
Rule Of Thumb: A broadly accurate guide or principle, based on experience or practice rather than theory. It is believed that the rule of thumb comes from 17th century England, where Judge Sir Francis Buller ruled that husbands can beat their wives with a stick if it is no wider than his thumb.
👉 And two from our “Humor: It is a Difficult Concept Department.”
Gladys attended church services one particular Sunday. The sermon seemed to go on forever, and many in the congregation fell asleep. After the service, to be social, she walked up to a very sleepy looking gentleman, in an attempt to revive him from his stupor, extended her hand in greeting, and said, ”Hello, I’m Gladys Dunn.” To which the gentleman replied, “You’re not the only one!”
Patrick went to the doctor and received terrible news. “You’re going to die within 24 hours” said the doc. Patrick went home to Bridget, his wife and told her the terrible news and then asked if they could make mad, passionate love all that night to which Bridget replied, “That’s all right for you Patrick but I’ve got to get up and go to work in the morning!”
👉 Here’s today’s movie misquote: “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” People mistakenly think this line is spoken by Dorothy Gale, played by Judy Garland, in the film The Wizard of Oz. Maybe a bunch of people in the 1940s got sucked up by a tornado and bumped their heads, but instead of dreaming about a visit to Oz, they dreamed Dorothy said, “I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore.” Perhaps they were frightened by the witch. You’ve heard this when someone with a bad memory (tornado-related injury or not) finds themselves in unfamiliar surroundings. What Dorothy actually says is, “Toto, I've a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore.” Poor Toto’s been dropped out of the quote. Don't forget the little dog, too.
👉 And since we’ve been talking about The Wizard of Oz, let’s look at Wicked, a Broadway musical, based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” a retelling of the classic 1900 novel, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank Baum and the 1939 Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film The Wizard of Oz.
The musical is told from the perspective of the witches of the Land of Oz; its plot begins before and continues after Dorothy Gale arrives in Oz from Kansas, and includes several references to the 1939 film and Baum’s novel. Wicked tells the story of two unlikely friends, Elphaba (the Wicked Witch of the West) and Galinda (whose name later changes to Glinda the Good Witch). The story also gives the backstory of the Scarecrow, the Tin Woodsman, and the Cowardly Lion, as well as a very different look at the Wizard.
On October 28, 2019, with its 6,681st performance, it surpassed Les Misérables to become Broadway’s fifth-longest running show. In March 2016, Wicked surpassed $1 billion in total Broadway revenue, joining both The Phantom of the Opera and The Lion King as the only Broadway shows to do so. A Universal Pictures film adaptation is scheduled to be released on December 22, 2021.
I looked through dozens of YouTube videos trying to find good clips of some of the song highlights of Wicked, and found the task daunting. The operative word being “good” clips. Official releases were few, but to give you a look at the musical, I found one piece that was done as a benefit for children’s charities, and another from the Emmy Awards.
“What is this Feeling?” is sung by Elphaba and Galinda, accompanied by the students at Oz’s University, expressing their loathing for each other’s contrasting personalities.
“Defying Gravity” is the signature song. It is mostly a solo sung by Elphaba, with two small duets at the beginning and in the middle of the song between Elphaba and Glinda, and a chorus part at the end in which the citizens of Oz sing.
No spoilers, but the ending gives a very different look to the story.
👉 Today’s close, “A Holy Pilgrimage,” is from “Christ Beside Me, Christ Within Me,” by Beth A. Richardson.
You walk a holy journey
You have never walked before,
Full of tears and gratitude,
Gentle conversations,
Silences filled with love.
No one knows the way,
But you meet each twist and turn
With discernment and courage,
Hope and faith.
You walk this pilgrimage,
In many ways by yourself
But you are never truly alone.
Others walk before you, behind you, beside you,
Surrounding you with love,
Wrapping you in hope,
Touching your spirit in peace.
You are loved,
You are held,
You are God’s.
-30-
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