Uncle Garabed’s Notebook (Dec. 24, 2011)

A Feeble Voice

I would not like to be a political leader in Russia. They never know when they are being taped.

… Richard Nixon

Sign in Restaurant Window

Come in, or we’ll both starve.

A Toast

Count not the cups; not therein lies excess

In wine, but in the nature of the drinker.

… James Monroe McLean

From the Trivia File

A Walking Polyglot: Cardinal Mezzofanti (1774-1849), who knew 58 different languages.

Caterina’s Conveniemt Mourning Manner

In the city of Forli, Countess Caterina had just put her children to bed for their afternoon nap, and was enjoying a quiet moment in the castle, when suddenly a group of musicians struck up a merry tune outside the children’s bedroom window. Furious, she summoned her maidservant. “Tell those musicians to leave immediately,” she ordered. “My uncle died and I am in no mood for music.” The servant quickly completed her errand and returned to offer her condolences. “When did your uncle die, Your Ladyship?” she asked in a properly subdued voice. Replied the countess, “Twenty years ago.”

… Ludovico Domenichi

A Discriminating Reader, That Is

If you read a lot, people will think you are smart, whereas you are merely well read.

What’s in a Name?

Kzirian: Armenian in derivation, identified as a profession or calling, kzir is defined as a burgomaster, mayor of a village, village headman’s helper (mukhtar).

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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