Sample Snippets
THE BOOK PROPOSAL for "Personal/Travel Snippets of Jim and Emmy Humberd"
Your comments would be appreciated at jimhum@sbcglobal.net
These are the two front covers on the Snippet book, so as you can imagine, as you leaf through the book, part is printed right-side up, the other appears upside down. That is, until you flip the book over and read from the "other" front page.
This Book is dedicated as a Memorial to Emmy, my most Beautiful, most Fabulous Wife for nearly 55 years.
Information about creating the book, about the authors, the idea behind the book, and how the book was prepared, follows these samples of the writing.
jimhum@sbcglobal.net
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SAMPLES OF THE WRITING
This first portion contains what I choose to call “WRITING GEMS,” phrases or a sentence selected from a Snippet, shown here to give a hint of the writing style of the book. COMPLETE SNIPPETS FOLLOW, a page or two down.
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The eye can see and the heart can love what the word cannot describe.
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A picture is worth a thousand words, a visit is worth a thousand pictures, the video is priceless.
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a record of all owners of this home, since 1450. (Columbus wasn’t even born yet.)
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a selective memory is a great thing. I can’t tell you much about it because since I have one, I can’t remember what
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accent, and his syntax were perfect. Wonder where he learned to talk like that, he must go to a lot of movies
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African man tramping in a tub as if he were stomping grapes, they found the barefoot man, with dirty bare feet, was stomping on dates
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After a party, Venetians don’t worry about a ticket for drunk driving, but they may fall into a canal and hope they quickly become sober.
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Cast your “bread” upon the broken water pipe, and it will come back to bless you.
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Cast your cake and pies on the chow line, and it will come back to haunt you!
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Do you realize how lucky you are to be living in America? Yes, we truly do
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Drei frauen? (Three women?) I answered “Yes.” Whereupon the guard rolled his eyes skyward, clasped his hand to his cheek like Jack Benny, as if to say, “You poor fellow.”
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For better or worse, most everybody agrees that in both its positive and its negative connotations, my word is accurate. My word? Curious!
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Going to a college in New York City to learn about the political health of the US, is like going to a Doctor for a physical exam, and he only looks at your armpits.
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Here I am sitting at a sidewalk cafe talking with my friends, and what could be better.
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hundred years to build, few cathedrals were ever completely clean and completely built, at the same time.
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looked like the “Leaning Tower of Humberds,” as we tilted into the wind and struggled
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One time I gambled and doubled my money. The problem was, I only bet a nickel.
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remember about Martinsburg, PA (at about the age of 4) was that Ruthy, my next door neighbor and I ran away from home together.
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students were finding both small items of interest, and items of small interest
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The officer laughed, then asked, “How did you find Germany?” I replied, “I just looked out the window and there it was.”
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the parable that “An Emmy shopping delay is a synonym for momentary.”
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There’s the locks.” Her response, “Wonderful, where are the cream-cheese and bagels?
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They really are very different to the eye, but the English language doesn't know that.
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We were so queasy and flustered about what we did and how we did it while we were doing it, that it wasn’t until a couple of years later when we talked about, and reviewed
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what colors. What form. What beauty. And that was just Emmy in her swim suit.
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young lady who would have been considered exceptionally gorgeous even if she hadn’t lost most of her swim suit
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PERSONAL SNIPPETS
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At an US Army surplus store I paid $13 for a new US Army Uniform (I was on active duty). Emmy had borrowed a dress from a girlfriend at work. On June 2, 1951, the large church was being decorated by 10 or 12 men, some high on ladders, for a wedding later that day. As we approached the Altar, the pastor yelled, “Hey you guys, quit hammering for a few minutes, doesn’t hurt to use this stuff twice.” The Wedding took 5 minutes, the Marriage lasted 55 years.
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During one very windy ferry boat ride, from Seattle to Bremerton, Washington, I would have helped Emmy hold down her skirt, but I was too busy leading the applause. Marilyn Monroe received fame and fortune for a similar scene, but Emmy did it best. This happened more than once (Hooray!!), so certainly we must blame the windy weather, not the beautiful full skirted dresses my Sweetie loved to wear. On the ferry boat I did not have the camera available, but two photos, one in Yosemite National Park, and one in another park somewhere, are proof positive. You are in second place, Marilyn. (1967)
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In 1950, it was not Love at First Sight, it was LOVE AT FIRST GLIMPSE, for me as soon as my Sweetie opened the door when I arrived for our blind date on Nov. 3. I had to report to the Army in a few days, but I was able to visit her on Christmas and a few weekends. Seven months later — minus one day — on June 2, 1951, after we had seen each other maybe 10 to 15 times, we were married.
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In addition to learning about IBM machines, in 1951 I was a secret spy for the FBI, looking for members of the Julius and Ethel Rosenberg spy ring at Ft. Monmouth, NJ. The Rosenbergs had worked at Ft. Monmouth, and had stolen some sensitive information while working there in the 1940s. The Government thought there might still be some Russian spies at Fort Monmouth, in addition to the Rosenbergs. Sounds like an exciting story, but all my weekly reports mailed to the secret FBI PO Box number in a phony town name, said, “Nothing to Report.” In 1953, after I had left the Army, Senator Joe McCarthy focused his Anti-Communist hearings on past spy rings at Ft. Monmouth, NJ. Both Rosenbergs were executed as spys on June 19, 1953.
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Since my formal education consists of 2 years at Cove High, sleeping in class (Ruthy tells me!) after getting up early to help milk the cows at Ritchey's Dairy, no one can imagine how I was able to work so successfully in the computer industry. Ruthy’s father was a teacher, and she says he would thump my head with his finger just like he was checking a ripe watermelon, to wake me. I later did application and computer design, programmer training, performed consulting contracts, and sold both hardware and software to a grand variety of organizations. For example, one of my computers was used to develop the medical device, called the CAT scan. Others were at Cal Tech, Jet Propulsion Lab, U of Calif., McDonnell Douglas Aircraft, the Electric Company, a Telephone Company, Insurance Company, and many more. You can see my job required a lot of curiosity, and a wide range of knowledge. I did have to understand what they were going to do with it, at least a little bit. (1960-’70s)
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TRAVEL SNIPPETS
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A funny thing happened while we were on a ferry boat crossing the English Channel. It was somewhat of a shock to hear those ladies’ voices, as several women entered the room where I was already hardly at work. Well, I just finished what I was doing (thank goodness), and walked through the room and out the door, just as if they were the ones who were wrong. I don't remember seeing a sign, but maybe I thought I was on a Scottish ferry and L-a-d-i-e-s spelled “Laddies.” (1980)
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After Emmy’s German Cousin Bärbel's wedding, we went to the Ellerhof in Merzig, Germany, for a dinner and reception. To get a breath of fresh air I was standing near a tree looking over the city of Merzig. There were steps down to a lower level, to a pasture where sheep were grazing. I saw a lady come from the Ellerhof, and run down the stairs. She reached down and pulled up her long formal gown, pulled down her panties and — well, perhaps there was a line at the ladies room. Emmy’s Cousins got a kick out of what I said was my excuse it took so long to get a breath of fresh air. (1985)
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Enter the town of Mont-St.-Michel, France, through the Outer Gate, then follow the Grand-Rue, the narrow uphill main street lined with old houses, restaurants, and souvenir shops. The street ends at a long flight of steps leading to the Merveille (the Marvel), the superb Gothic buildings on the north side of the Mont, and at the very top, the Abbey Church culminates in a tower whose tip is 500 feet above the sea. It is quite a climb to the entrance of the church. The walk up the steep street, followed by uncounted steps, leads to a need to sit and rest. The Mont, with the Abbey Church at the very top, is in sight of our RV in the campground located where the causeway meets the mainland. The sunrise and sunset glistering on the buildings on the Mont, as seen from the RV’s dining or bedroom window, is splendiferous. (1980)
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From Riomaggiore, Italy, a 15 minute walk along a picturesque, curious, narrow path, a niche hewn out of the rocky cliff and overhanging the Mare (Sea) Ligure (Italy’s west coast), brought us to Manorola, the next Cinque Terre town to the north. This trodden path is called the Via dell’Amore, or “Road of Love.” I had high hopes both times we were here, but we just walked. (1988-1995)
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I stood in an “Italian line” at Pescara, Italy, to buy tickets, and what a line it was. Everyone was just jam packed next to each other, jam packed together from “tosies” to “nosies.” Where are Gina Lollobridgia or Sofia Loren when they are needed most. No one was pushy or unhappy if someone got ahead of them, or behind them, or next to them, or perhaps on top of them, everyone just pushed and pulled until they had a chance to buy a ferryboat ticket to Split, Yugoslavia. I was sure some Italians weren’t going anywhere, they just liked to “participate” in this kind of line. I hadn’t been in a line like this since I bought nylon stockings for my sister, at the end of WW II. (1985)
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In Fréjus, France, we found no parking space within a distance from the shopping area that appealed to Emmy’s spirit of adventure, as modified by her gumption for walking. She demands some reasonable association between effort and excitement, even in shopping. We finally found a place to park near the amphitheater, so walked around inside the Roman Arena in Fréjus. This is the oldest amphitheater in France, and it held about 10,000 spectators, about half as many as the Arenas in Arles or Nimes. We had seen the remains of the Roman aqueduct, as we arrived at Fréjus. (1995)
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In the Zoll (Customs) office in Merzig, Germany, there were three large desks, each well supplied with long wooden-handled rubber stamps, there was but one official. We had to stifle our laughter as he sat himself behind each desk in turn, came to attention, and applied, with gusto, the needed approvals for our RV’s license plate. (1983)
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One Sunday morning we arrived in Naples, from Pompeii by train. As we walked on the main streets, we asked a man who was walking his dog, to confirm directions to the National Museum. He spoke enough English to warn us to be careful. A block later we met members of the US Navy Shore Patrol, and they were unhappy we were walking in Naples. Soon we heard a “beep, beep,” and a car pulled to the curb. The man had taken his dog home, and came to take us the remaining few blocks, he was that worried. We knew things were bad in Naples, but not this bad, or in his case, this good. He refused any payment for his good deed, but later Emmy wondered how we could have been sure HE was okay and was not going to rob us. We took no more chances, rode the streetcar from the museum, directly back to the train station. (1980)
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Sometimes a basket, lowered from an upper-story window, is treated as a mailbox by the postman in Venice, Italy, who blows a whistle to announce his arrival. A basket is used to exchange fruit and vegetables for money lowered by the housewife on an upper floor, to the marketer in his little boat, far below. But one time we watched a basket being lowered with no sign of anyone at street level. Imagine our surprise when a small dog got out of the basket, did his business, got back in the basket for the ride home, provided by his mistress. (1980)
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The approach to Piazza San Pietro, in the Vatican, is awesome. Our eyes are busy as we walk the Via Conciliazione toward St. Peter’s, trying to take in the most striking features of the Piazza San Pietro — St. Peter’s Basilica with Michelangelo’s dome, and Giovanni Bernini’s Colonnade of 284 travertine marble columns that partially encircle the Piazza San Pietro. Like a pair of parentheses the Colonnade encloses a fountain on each side of the Piazza San Pietro, and the obelisk in the center. The Piazza is always filled with foot and vehicle traffic — taxis, city buses, tourist buses, two Americans in their RV, and people walking by the thousands — including the two Americans after they found a parking place. It was especially crowded on Wednesdays, when Pope John Paul II held his afternoon audience with the people. (1980)
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The hills of Portofino, Italy, surround the harbor on three sides, just like the seating area in a Greek or Roman theater. The yacht harbor is the stage; the beautiful yachts are the star performers; fishing boats play supporting roles; the row boats are the extras. Portofino has no streets, only restaurants, bars, stores, apartments, homes, mansions, churches, a parking lot, a bus stop, a yacht harbor, and places to walk.
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Tried to find the Paris campground where we stayed in 1970, but found nothing. We saw a French family, complete with dog and kids, starting out for a drive somewhere. We asked if they could direct us to the Paris campground. The son was happy to use his High School English, the father signaled, “Follow me,” and drove to the campground on the Marne River, just before it merges with the Seine. There are two rivers in this part of Paris, I knew we were on the right street and knew the campground was on a river bank, we were just at the wrong river. When we got to where we were going, the whole family, including the dog, got out of the car and shook our hands (yes, including the dog, that was cute) and wished us good luck. So much for the myth of the unfriendly Frenchman.
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We crossed the St. Bernard pass on the border between Switzerland and Italy, and visited the kennel at the hospice established by St. Bernard, at the mountain top. We found several large St. Bernard dogs on display, and enclosures that held a half dozen puppies. The atmosphere, the surroundings and the equipment were incongruous, not quite what one would expect at this ancient, storied mountain top. The unexpected? In this centuries-old monastery, the pans containing the puppy food were Coca-Cola trays. How’s that for a piece of trivia. (1988)
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We were admitted to a dress rehearsal of the operetta, “The Student Prince,” on the grounds of the Heidelberg Castle, the scene of the original operetta. Singers would appear on this balcony and that, flood lights appeared as if by magic, and the orchestra filled the old castle grounds with glorious music. What a contrast from the last time we had seen this operetta, at the High School Auditorium in Palm Springs. (1979)
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While on the Island of Saipan in the Northern Mariana Islands, we visited Garapan Prison where Amelia Earhart and her navigator Fred Noonan had been held prisoner. Some people insist they were not imprisoned here, but an elderly lady who lived next door to the Garapan Prison, took us to their cells and told us she had delivered food to them many times. The prison ruins include walls, windows with bars, and full grown trees growing from the cells that have no roof today. This story was published in the Los Angeles Times, and I got a dozen phone calls from Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and my Brother Jesse, who were all aware of Amelia's imprisonment and her grave, when they captured Saipan in WW II. One time I taped a TV program about her, so imagine our surprise when we saw a scene from the mid-1930s showing Amelia sitting at our desk, or at least an exact copy of our desk — no doubt about it. (1980)
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While visiting St. David, Wales, we saw the magnificent cathedral, the beautiful little town, and green rolling hills to the horizon. A few years after that trip, the TV news included a story showing Prince Charles at the entrance to this beautiful old cathedral. That's all most people saw, but not us. Our ear “caught” the name and our eye “caught” the picture of the doorway of the cathedral, and in our minds-eye we “saw” the unusual three-dimensional wooden ceiling of the old cathedral; we “saw” the cemetery that extends down the hill right to the church walls; we “saw” the ruins of the abbey next door; we “saw” a row of houses, almost hidden behind hydrangea of various colors; and we “saw” an elderly lady polishing the brass mail slot in the front door of her old stone house. Name and picture catching, the everlasting joys of travel, an added reward for our years of travel. (1980)
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Book written by
Jim Humberd
Email me at
jimhum@sbcglobal.net, http://www.travel-tidbits.com/
A response by Email, telephone, or regular mail would be appreciated.
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I have “Self-Printed” this 450 page book as family history to present to friends and relatives, and to people who might be aware of a book agent or book publisher. I had selected a few paragraphs from our Journals as a biography of my Sweetie and I, for my 60th High School Graduation Anniversary. I enjoyed what I was doing, so added a few, then selected a few more, and more and more.
Most of these Snippets (paragraphs) were written ten, fifteen, or twenty years ago, then selected and edited for this book. I could not imagine what to do with them, so I separated them into two sections — Personal Snippets, and Travel Snippets. Then I hit the sort button on the computer and that put each section in alphabetic order by the first few words of each Snippet. Just a very few times it appeared necessary or best to violate the alphabetic sequence.
The book, as printed, has two front covers, with color photos of My Beautiful Wife and I — one at a Wedding Anniversary Dinner in Athens, Greece, the other a Wedding Anniversary Dinner on a Cruise Ship. The comments I have received from College Professors, Librarians, and dozens of others, are all more than just a simple “positive,” they were very complimentary. If you are a Book Agent or book Publisher, for a copy of the printed book, please send me an address.
THE IDEA BEHIND THE BOOK
The book contains paragraphs that I call Personal Snippets (autobiographical) and Travel Snippets (about our extensive world-wide travels). It is written as a Memorial to Emmy, my Beautiful Wife, and Wonderful Travel Companion for nearly 55 years. Dozens of Snippets tell, indicate, hint, express, insist, and broadcast my complete, intense, deep-felt love forever.
Read what you want, flip as many pages as you want, forward or backwards — the paragraphs are in random (alphabetic) order. They are separated by a dashed line, and there is no connection with the next Snippet, or the next page.
I opened the book to a random page and found stories about Berlin, Vienna, Rotterdam, Dresden, Prague, Norway, and Brussels, all without turning a page.
Opened at another place, you would read about Saipan, Norway, France, Switzerland, Calcutta, Poland, and Yellowstone National Park, again without turning a page.
THE AUDIENCE FOR THE BOOK
The Personal Snippet portion of the book is autobiographical and a 55-year love story, the Travel Snippets are stories of the joys of world-wide travel without a schedule.
THE AUTHORS OF THE BOOK
I was in the computer business starting in 1950, helped design early computer hardware and software, trained NASA about computers used to put men on the moon, and wrote technical manuals and proposals. I met my most Beautiful Wife on a blind date as I was called back into the US Army for the Korean War. I more or less retired at age 50, and we spent the rest of our time with Real Estate Investments, and traveling extensively.
Emmy and I knew each other for a total of exactly 55 years and 13 days. My Sweetie passed away on November 15, 2005 from complications of Alzheimer's Disease. Her illness lasted nearly nine years, with me as her nurse, the last few years on 24-hour duty. Her headstone tells the story of her life, it states: “Now the Angels have a Role Model.”
THE OVERVIEW, HOW THE BOOK WAS PREPARED, THE CONTENTS
Each Snippet is one paragraph long, about 150 words maximum length, and each is a complete story. The Snippets are in alphabetic order, as no other order seemed to work as well. My intention was to present only Snippets about what we did, what we saw, what we said, and about the people we met — there was no intention of showing descriptive tourist narratives. One thing you will find is my sense of humor.
It is not the intent of the Snippets to tell you how to travel, where to travel, or when to quit traveling. This is a “Why Not Travel” book, not a “How To Travel” book. I want to pique your curiosity, stimulate your interest, and prompt you to investigate details beyond those given in these Snippets.
Our years of travel have taken us to 41 countries on five continents, 29 major islands, and 49 of the United States (except Alaska). Cruise ships and ferry boats, with us aboard, have touched at perhaps 124 different points on five continents.
For more information about our life and our travels, visit our Web Site http://www.travel-tidbits.com/. It contains two thousand pages of stories and photos, each photo with a short story.
Information about our previous books can be found at http://www.InvitationToTravel.com.
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THE END — THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR READING THIS .
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