Uncle Garabed’s Notebook (Sept. 12, 2015)

Projected Values

Self-confidence is at the root of most of our confidence in others.

… La Rochefoucauld

Armenian Proverb

Whoever drinks on credit gets drunk more quickly.

Candid Politicians

Two opposing county chairmen were sharing a rare moment together. The Democratic chairman confided, “I never miss a chance to promote the party. When I take a cab, for example, I tip the driver handsomely, and say, ‘Vote Democratic.’” His opponent replied, “I have a better scheme. I don’t give any tip, and also say ‘Vote Democratic.’”

From the Trivia File
Long associated with medical quackery, the use of snake oil in America dates back to at least the 1860’s. But apart from its sordid history, snake oil does actually have some health benefits–that is, if the product actually contains a serpentine blend.

Force of Habit

Then there was the sad case of the actor who fell off a ship passing a lighthouse. He drowned swimming circles to keep in the spotlight.

Ritualistic Armenian Sayings

When someone sneezes, Dikranagerdtsi Armenians respond with the following:

Kher eghna (May it be good)

Makinirti ker eghna (May your sheep be fat)

Nishanadzti der eghna (May your betrothed be lordly)

Asdvadz dadan bahaban eghna (May grandfather God be guardian)

What’s in a Name?

Manasian/Manaseian: Hebrew in derivation, identified as a descriptive term, menashe is defined as causing to forget.

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CK Garabed

Weekly Columnist

C.K. Garabed (a.k.a. Charles Kasbarian) has been active in the Armenian Church and Armenian community organizations all his life. As a writer and editor, he has been a keen observer of, and outspoken commentator on, political and social matters affecting Armenian Americans. He has been a regular contributor to the Armenian Reporter and the AGBU Literary Quarterly, “ARARAT.” For the last 30 years, Garabed has been a regular contributor to the Armenian Weekly. He produces a weekly column called “Uncle Garabed's Notebook,” in which he presents an assortment of tales, anecdotes, poems, riddles, and trivia; for the past 10 years, each column has contained a deconstruction of an Armenian surname. He believes his greatest accomplishment in life, and his contribution to the Armenian nation, has been the espousing of Aghavni, and the begetting of Antranig and Lucine.

Latest posts by CK Garabed (see all)

• A Reminiscence: John Najarian - February 19, 2020
• Uncle Garabed’s Notebook (Aug. 5, 2017) - August 7, 2017
• Uncle Garabed’s Notebook (July 22, 2017) - July 22, 2017