I had a small, strange epiphany, for lack of a better word, at work. I think the 'Cat is the only place where at least some people will understand it, as it touched on the two main aspects of my life, folk, and librarianship. The 'Cat has both, and enough scholar folkies who love to get that *special* song or bit of lore to the person who really needs it can also see what I mean. I was reading a back issue of a professional magazine on my break when I found an article on the difference between something being humorous and something being funny. I hadn't even finished the first page when I thought enthusiastically, "This would be perfect for Marshall Dodge and his work on the philosophical underpinnings of humor!" I could see the look of delight on his face when he got it...and then I remembered suddenly, with a jolt, that he'd died. It was a little bit like starting to mourn for him all over again, and it was a little bit scary, because he died in a hit and run accident about twenty years ago.
For those that aren't familiar with his work, he was a storyteller and monologuist who was instrumental in what is now thought of as the storytelling renaissance in the USA. He truly was "a scholar, a gentleman, and a fine judge of women", and he was a very funny performer.
I'm still chewing on what this all means. Thanks for listening.