146 Comments
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Octavia Redwood's avatar

My late father, who had had 2 strokes and could hardly think of the word he wanted, could still occasionally come out with a sentence. One day (at 87) he said to me, "You're the best everything."

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

Well, THAT is so wonderful, it is IMPOSSIBLE to ever hear a better, Octavia!

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Morgaan Sinclair, Ph.D.'s avatar

"You do a magnificent impersonation of light." ... (a long time ago, from a wonderful boyfriend, who, soon after, died in Vietnam).

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

Gorgeous. Absolutely gorgeous.

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Morgaan Sinclair, Ph.D.'s avatar

Paratrooper. Very romantic. He wooed women by singing to them, accompanying himself with a guitar. He was *terrible*. He couldn't sing and didn't have enough of am musical ear even to know it (!) and also apparently could not tune the guitar. He was spectacular. He was so earnest and kind-meaning that women just loved him. It's 57 years, and I still miss him. He died the day after his 24th birthday trying to save another person's life.

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Lorraine Evanoff's avatar

What a poet. That's beautiful.

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Morgaan Sinclair, Ph.D.'s avatar

Yes. We'd known each other as friends of a friend for almost a year before I was treated (subjected) to my first serenade. And at the end of this concert of early '70s protest tunes, I asked him to what I owed the honor. And he said, "I had to find a way to tell you that you are sooooooo beautiful. For a moment, it was hard to say out loud."

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/anne...'s avatar

Best blurb: a boss that hired me to work on another project said he thought I would be perfect because I was kind.

It seems a little thing, but in my industry - IT - kindness is rare and unappreciated.

How to annoy the felon: there's a description in Australia for a completely inadequate, skimpy and unimpressive attempt at a beard - bum fluff.

He's terribly vain about his hair, but honestly, every time I see him, that's all I can (unfortunately) think of.

It would be interesting to see the effect if it became a popular description 🤣

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

Bum Fluff......

.......Bum Fluff

. . .

. . . . . . ..

Yes.

BUM FLUFF IS PERFECT.

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patti sepich's avatar

Well hells bells and banjos. Bum Fluff. Hahahahaha

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D4N's avatar

🤣

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Ellen L Wright's avatar

Having been in healthcare and seen an inordinate number of hairy male bums, your observation is spot on. I just never made the connection. Bum fluff, it is.

Separate question: how long before some person names their dog, cat, or race horse that?

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David Holzman's avatar

My border collie's name is Natalie. She's a beautiful dog, and Natalie is a beautiful name. I would not name any animal I loved Bum Fluff! It might be a suitable name for an old jalopy--say, a 1949 Ford. And I said, "might."

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David Holzman's avatar

But I do love the southern hemispheres on women.

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Lorraine Evanoff's avatar

🤣🤣

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lkaq7747's avatar

Haaa! LMAO!

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Carolyn A Wolfe's avatar

Blurbs win the contest by a mile.

Then again, who would print or reveal a bad blurb -- "A torporous snooze-fest exists within these covers" or "You won't know whether to rip out your hair or the pages to line your birdcage".

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

oh, those are so bad, they're good, Carolyn!

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Carolyn A Wolfe's avatar

E. Jean!! How did you know!?

Reminds me of a long-forgotten boffing comment: "You are so bad, you're good"! ☺️

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Roberta's avatar

When I was in college, I spent a lot of time with an associate professor, a Russian emigre. He was so interesting, and in retrospect I should have made our relationship a romance, but not to be. He gave me an artifact from his family, and I kept it for decades. It went around the world with me, and resided in sock drawers from Germany to Japan and back. Last year, I Googled him and found an address and mailed it to him with a note telling him that. He sent back a card with this, "I opened up your package and as soon as I saw who it was from, the room lit up." I have a loving husband and dear friends, but that comment will keep me smiling the rest of my days.

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

Marvelous. I lit up reading your story, Roberta!

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Roberta's avatar

Thank you so much. I loved reading your book, and am sending it on to a friend.

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Skitealwedrop's avatar

That’s a wonderful story.

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Liz Freeman Floyd's avatar

“You’ve helped me so much. I’m ready to take it from here.” From a client wrapping up psychotherapy. Boffing is big fun, but it pales in comparison.

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

A most HEADY and joyful declaration!

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David Holzman's avatar

That is quite a statement.

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Maryl's avatar

As i was talking with a gentleman at a state department party in Bonn in the 70's and sharing in my best german, Meine eltern kaeme aus Oesterreich (my parents came from Austria), he responded, spoken without accent! I was glowing!

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

AHHhhh! A magic moment, indeed!

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Beth's avatar
2dEdited

An elderly man, in the costume of an old train conductor, approached me backstage. We had just finished the last scene of a Thornton Wilder play. He gently put his gnarled hands on my face and with tears in his eyes he whispered "you have moved me, with your speech and performance unlike any actor I've ever seen before."

That moment is forever frozen in my mind. And while I'm too old to ever be on stage again, that compliment was better than winning any award!

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

Zounds!

Thornton Wilder himself would love it!

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Beth's avatar
20hEdited

"I never used to talk like this...I'm so homely now... I never used to have the courage to talk (write)...until now" ....Wilder 💞

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David Holzman's avatar

What a wonderful experience that must have been.

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Beth's avatar

It was a very special gift. ✨

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J. Rose's avatar

The most unforgettable, stellar review I've ever received was (indirectly) from a teacher at a Manhattan art school my mother enrolled me in when I was about 10 years old.

After looking at an oil painting of an imaginary landscape I'd just completed, I overheard him saying to my mom in the corner of the classroom, "Your daughter has a special gift -- it's like a sixth sense! '

That compliment was a 'golden Oscar' to me, a reward that could never be melted, broken or stolen.

An exception to the mostly forgettable, short and not-so-sweet boff-ages I've experienced in my 70+ years was the very belated, rare, and delightful combo of pleasure and love that began my now decades-long relationship.

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

Totally Oscar!!!

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L.D.Michaels's avatar

The greatest blurb I've ever been flattered with was "He's not a moron!"

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

HAR!!!!!

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Morgan OCailleigh's avatar

And these days, that's a high compliment !

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

Heeee.

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L.D.Michaels's avatar

Thank you. In comparison to the current occupier of the White House, it is indeed an extravagant compliment!

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Tracy's avatar

"Out of the three of you who thought you'd be my most well-adjusted", my Mom. Yeah, I was a hell raiser in my younger years.

As to boffing, I don't remember. Seven years since my husband passed & two years before that was my last boff.

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

Tracy! Ya know "well-adjusted" is a supreme compliment.

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Tracy's avatar

Especially from my Mom. Thank E Jean!

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Morgan OCailleigh's avatar

As a woman who's boffing life has expanded in the recent past, I'm finding the private blurbs from lovers can be exquisite and so good for my self esteem. Sometimes it's just the looks they give me that scream, oh my fucking gods, you are amazing !!!

And for this woman who is way over what's considered a "certain age," it's so much fun...!!!

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

Yup, it absolutely the "looks" they give you after.....

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Wild Lion*esses Pride by Jay's avatar

Perfect glad you experience it again.

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Julie's avatar

My husband returned from a 3 week motorcycle trip across the country on the Lincoln Highway last night. He said, “How is it possible that you got even cuter?” Aw, shucks!

As for boffing—some of the gymnastics my husband and I performed 16 years ago when we first met are etched in memory forever. We were both too tired to try to recreate the magic last night!

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

Be still my heart! What a glorious thing to say!!!

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David Holzman's avatar

I've crossed the country probably at least 15 times, the first, three times in parental vehicles at ages 4, 7, and 8, the last time on my bicycle, from Seattle to Boston by a northern route and going into Canada from Sault St. Marie Upper Michigan into Canada, and from there to Montreal and down into New England. I've almost certainly been on pieces of the Lincoln Highway, although not on the bicycle trip. If your husband has been on other cross country trips, I'd be interested to know whether he found the Lincoln Highway special, scenically, or culturally or historically (I strongly suspect), and if he'd recommend taking it, and also, if more of it is 2 lane (one in each direction) than is the case with other x-country routes. I'm hoping to drive cross country again. And so you don't have to look for this post, you can just email me directly at holzmandc@outlook.com. And it's very nice to hear how your husband appreciates you!

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Auntie_beans's avatar

The best thing anybody ever said about me was that people didn’t always agree with what I said but I always made them think about things differently. I figure that’s why I was put on this earth.

Best boff: always the latest one (happy anniversary to us on July 4!). At my age, I’ve had some fabulous, wonderful, lovely boffing… it’s still always a wonder but I occasionally wonder if it’ll be the last time.

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

Best blurb---BOY! THEY GOT YOU PERFECTLY, Auntie Beans!

And if that was the last time, it was a July 4th humdinger!!

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Auntie_beans's avatar

Well, so not the last one yet …. there was this morning too … Happy Sixth! Gawd, I adore this man.

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Nicole's avatar

E Jean I just want to say— your bravery, perseverance and grace is admirable!

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

And I just want to say, Thank you, Nicole!

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Pamela Tracey's avatar

"I miss you all my heart" . . . spoken by first grader Juan, after I had been away from my classroom for a few days

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E. Jean Carroll's avatar

Awwwwww, have you EVER?????

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Pamela Tracey's avatar

I'll never forget! Juan had some challenges. Dad in and out of jail, his attendance at school was spotty. But Juan will do well -- on his CHARM alone!

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