Uncle Garabed’s Notebook (May 24, 2014)

Sight and Sound

When a woman is speaking to you, listen to what she says with her eyes.

… Victor Hugo

Armenian Proverb

For every one thing the priest knows, his wife knows two.

From the Trivia File

Lord Byron’s mail often contained locks of hair from adoring female fans. Some of the clippings he sent them in return actually came from his pet Newfoundland dog, Boatswain.

Hail to Acidophilus

It gives milk character by turning it into madzoun.

She Feign Would Reign

A gallant young blade from Dequesne

Went home with a girl in the ruesne

Said she with a sigh

“I wonder when Igh

Shall see such a rain-beau aguesne.”

An Admirable Toast

No amount of planning can ever replace dumb luck!

A Real Leader

“Keep on fighting, boys,” said the general. “Never say die. Never give up till your last shot is fired. When it is fired, then run. I’m a little lame so I’m starting now.”

What’s in a Name?

Karahissarian: Turkish in derivation, identified as a place of origin, Karahissar applies to both Afyon-Karahissar and Shabin-Karahissar, two cities in modern Turkey. Karahissar is defined as black fortress or castle, and Afyon is defined as poppy, whereas Shabin, from shap, is defined as alum, a mineral used in fixing dyes in fabric.

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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
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• Uncle Garabed’s Notebook (July 22, 2017) - July 22, 2017