Brabec Bulletin Tidbits On Life
November 19, 2025
The First Tidbit
Tim Conway’s Humor
The Meaning of “Repent”
New Definition of Truth and Justice
The First Tidbit
The first issue of Brabec Bulletin Tidbits on Life was published in March 2023. Until then, my problem as a writer was that I was collecting bits and pieces of interesting information I couldn’t find a way to share; thus, this mid-month supplement to my monthly Bulletin was born.
The word “tidbit” first appeared in English in the 17th century as “tydbit,” and those in the UK say this word is properly spelled “titbit," which made a few readers chuckle. I did not archive any of the early Tidbit issues, just saved a copy for my reference. This month, I decided to publish a sampling of one Tidbit from four different 2023 issues and add a little reader feedback.
“I vote YES! on more Tidbits! Awesome.” – Marianna B.
“You are a true word philocalist, one of the words I recently added to my ‘Dictionary Discoveries’ file. In case it’s new to you also, it basically means a lover of beauty, and in your case in reference to your Tidbit story, a lover of the beauty of words. When I was in high school. I would peruse the dictionary to discover words that were interesting and jot them down. Amazingly, I still recall many of them. Now in ‘Codgerhood’ I keep a file with new words, often from websites on words of the day: fun words like tootle, tickety-boo, and flibbertigibbet. Thanks for sharing your Tidbits. I’ll share it onward.” – Author Duane Keilstrup
Tim Conway’s Humor
This Tim Conway clip of “The Worst Mic Ever” from The Carol Burnett Show offers a few minutes of hilarious laughter that will be good for your soul. And if you happen to be a public speaker, you’ll appreciate the reminder of how important a good microphone is to your performance.
The Carol Burnett Show ran for eleven seasons (1967–1978), and complete shows and clips will be found on the internet with a few keystrokes. Conway joined the show in 1975, and viewers loved his ability to keep a straight face when everyone around him was in stitches. He and Lyle Waggoner left us a legacy of laughter in many scenes that fans of the show never tire of seeing again. Two of my favorites are “The Dentist” and “The Oldest Man Takes a Reaaally Slow Tumble.”
Conway once said, “I think there are a lot of things out there that are humorous that people don’t realize until you actually show them what is going on. Take Saran Wrap® for one thing. You know, you could pull enough of that out of the box, and it will actually kill you. It will get a hold of you, stick to you, and choke you to death.”
“Lots of fun tidbits in this issue that I enjoyed. Especially loved watching Tim Conway again!” – Rita W.
Happy May Days, Barbara! I, like you, enjoy the antics that Tim Conway shared with viewers all those years. Thanks for the reminder and laughs this morning. Cheers from ‘Your forever fan.’” – Martha O.
The Meaning of “Repent”
Did you know that “repent” is a nautical word? I heard this in a sermon, and an online search revealed that “repent” is an old nautical term for when a sailing ship is sailing against the wind. A sailboat cannot sail directly into the wind. It must take an angle against the wind for a time and then turn 180 degrees to the opposite angle against the wind.
When a command to “Repent!” was given to the helmsman of a sailing ship in olden days, it meant to make a 180-degree turn. Ironically, today’s repentant American Christians are now sailing against the winds of an unraveling culture gone crazy, making it impossible ever to make this kind of turnaround.
“I’d like to think the world can do a 180 without a disaster, or at least have the pendulum swing somewhere to the middle. The origin of words is ever interesting. Repent/nautical. Who knew? Thanks to you … now!” – Sylvia H.
Can’t Sleep?
I fall asleep quickly every night, but a bathroom run in the middle of the night wakes up my brain, and I can’t go back to sleep because I start thinking about the next day’s to-do list or some problem I’m dealing with. This has been a lifelong problem for me, often dealt with by grabbing the clipboard at the side of my bed and putting my thoughts on paper. (I titled two of my best-selling books this way, so there are some benefits here, too.) Something that is working for me now is the 4-7-8 go-to-sleep method popularized in 2015 by Dr. Andrew Weil, which is all over the internet today. I liked this article on the Cleveland Clinic’s website that explains how to do this breathing-counting exercise and the health benefits of good sleep.
“I am going to try your 4-7-8 breathing. I use neurofeedback and biofeedback anyway. I think the stress part is relieved by counting because it engages the left part of your brain, shifting away from emotions. I do the same thing you do: I write it down in my phone so it is off my mind to sleep.” – Sandy C.
New Definitions of Truth and Justice
“We all know that simple words like ‘truth’ have been redefined, with half the country believing one thing and the other half believing the opposite. But what happened to justice for all? What the prophet Isaiah wrote in the 8th Century BC precisely describes where we find ourselves now:
“So justice is driven back, and righteousness stands at a distance; truth has stumbled in the streets, honesty cannot enter. Truth is nowhere to be found, and whoever shuns evil becomes a prey” (Isa.59:14-15 NIV).
As you move forward in today’s “new normality” wondering what the future holds for you, consider this wisdom from Yogi Berra, who was years ahead of his time when he wryly observed, “The future ain’t what it used to be,” and also shared this profound advice: “When you come to a fork in the road, take it.”
May God richly bless you, whichever fork you choose!
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