Britta's Letters from her life divided between city-life in German's capital Berlin and life in a Bavarian village

Friday 24 April 2015

Atonement and Acknowledgement to Mise


In her last blog Mise complained about not getting enough acknowledgement.
:-)     :-)      :-)    (Of course I would prefer little hand-painted periwinkles as on my Royal Doulton to these gross smileys, but on my computer there aren't that many left). In our modern and hectic life I learned that it is a fault not to use emoticons - nobody seems to  understand a little irony, especially the British people sadly lack it, though in former times it was one of their most famous literary virtues. (To be on the safe side:
:-)    :-)     :-)

The Irish people have kept their sense of humour. Especially Mise. See for yourself:

http://prettyfarwest.blogspot.de/2015/04/insufficiently-acknowledged.html

Oh, I got it a bit wrong: acknowledgement she gets, for her academic publications, but not elaborated and magniloquent enough, with far too few adjectives, on the whole far too tight-lipped - "insufficient" in one word.
Maybe you read my post "The Admirer" a few weeks ago - which I sent into the nirvana of blogland for some reasons I will not discuss here, where I spoke about my newly invented profession of "admirer" (well, after that I had some of them in my tows... they reminded me of Major Wilton-Smythe or Violet's husband Bruce. The Major has a way of conducting himself when in my presence that I do not always find helpful to me in my role as hostess. It is difficult to maintain one's dignity, which is so much part of my candlelight suppers, if one is continually being referred to as 'my little minx'.) 

Oh yes, it is a fact: nowadays people are praised far too little!
In my old blog "You are witty and pretty" (why did I ever give it up? http://www.youarewittyandpretty.blogspot.de/) I had a sort of column were I acknowledged my followers/bloggers from "The Bouquet residence - The  lady of the house speaking".
After that I became lazy with praise.

So I will make atonements here and praise Mise:

I love your blog - I should write "I LOVE your blog", because it always makes me laugh out loud, or at least smile.
Your writing style is as superb as that of the Provincial Lady (whom we both admire), it is not only about keeping up appearances, but also deeply profound.
As soon as your memoir or autobiography is on the market, Mise, I will buy it and put it into my book section: "Improving the Mind".
I mean "it would be entirely wrong of me to limit your social and cultural horizont by letting you know what I read and appreciate. However, since you have asked, I will admit that my favourite authoress is Dame Barbara Cartland. The fact that she has been honoured by Her Majesty to whom she has also been a kind of step-aunt-in-law, has nothing to do with the acceptability of her books, of course. But they are innocent, life-affirming and entirely without any untoward biological detail. And short. 
Other aristrocratic authors are less reliable. Ever since I once read something about Lord Byron, which I do not need to repeat here, I have been wary of members of the nobility who write. Sir Winston Churchill is a safe bet, of course. I have a picture of him on my dining room wall. His books were rather long, but entirely safe to lend, even to one's grandmother. 
Art is a different matter." 
To this delicate topic, might I refer to: http://prettyfarwest.blogspot.de/2015/04/a-cautionary-note-for-all-artists-on.html ) ?

Mise, I'm waiting for your memoirs or autobiography - "let us in on some of your more precious secrets, so that we too will learn how to become the focus of our neighbourhood, and to be considered as central to our own social whirl."
I'm absolutely sure: Your book (served in floral endpapers - I hope you choose PINK flowers!) will be "broadening the mind" - and our smile!
And when the numbers of your sold books soar up to the millions, which they will in a second, I will invite you to one of my famous candlelight suppers, given: "for all those who delight in sophisticated conversation in spotless surroundings with the best crockery and cutlery"


12 comments:

  1. Berlin, Bath, Budapest, Belgooly - what cosmopolitans we are.

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    1. Dear Tom, yes we are, cosmopolitans - and that is a very, very good thing: the more we see of each other (or read), the more we understand each other - thus losing fear, and creating friendship instead.

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  2. Very good, Britta. I tried to think of the opposite of "faint praise" to describe your homage, and concluded only cum laude will do. Mise will be so pleased; like scoring 150 or a possible 150.

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    1. Dear Joanne, I am proud of your compliment, thank you!! A wonderful grade/mark for my blogger-diploma!

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  3. I'm terrifically, immoderately honoured, Britta, feeling as thoroughly praised as the matchless Dame Barbara Cartland. Now I can dare to hope that one day I may, like her, be considered 'reliable'; there is surely no greater praise. It is because you know that I earnestly mean that with no smileys at all that you are my good friend.

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    1. Dear Mise, I'm glad that you like it! Let's raise our glass of Veuve Clicquot Rose (of course we three - I include dear Barbara - prefer the pink version). Slàinte! and cheers to our friendship, and may the bubbles of laughter rise in our chests and glasses!

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  4. This is a nice tribute to a blogging friend.

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    1. Dear Emma,thank you! I am so glad to read you all!

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  5. Oh dear, dear, have we lost our sense of irony. I had no idea. Perhaps that is why I am so often misunderstood. when I dare to write the contrary to what I mean, and assume the joke will be obvious. I am learning something from you about the English, thank you Britta. As for Mise, her autobiography, or her memoir, will be on my bookshelf, and on the coffee table when visitors are expected.

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    1. Dear Rachel, as you know I am really impressed by the honest and ironic quality of your posts, that's forceful (and no emoticons here). As an artist you have an antenna for subtle nuances - and those who have an ear (and eyes) for it, will notice and understand,
      As to the autobiography: the coffee table is a very suitable place for displaying it. Join us with a glass of the 'Old Widow', please!

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  6. What a wonderful tribute to dear Mise - I often laugh at her posts mainly because I haven't a clue what she is talking about - and I know she certainly doesn't take blogging seriously - her posts are all done a little tongue in cheek and it is quite right that she should have all the acknowledgement she deserves - very generous of you.

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    1. Dear Elaine, thank you! You know Mise so much longer - I discovered her blog only a few month ago - and love it.
      Mise and I are born at the same day - so I know what she's talking about - and tongue in cheek is one of the things that connects us.

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