Blowing One's Own Trumpet

A new salon opened round the corner. It's practically next-door, but I am not going to patronise it, ever.

Why? They advertise themselves as 'Professional Unisex Salon' on their signboard.

I have no trouble with the 'Unisex' part of it. My regular salon is unisex, too.

My issue is with the "Professional" bit. Are they trying to convince the clientele or themselves? They started the business because they are professionals, surely? Or did they invest in fancy equipment and premises in the hope of learning as they went?

That is the reason why I am wary of ever patronising a confectionery that calls it 'high class', too. A truly high-class establishment wouldn't feel the need to call itself that. It doesn't have to.

Such adjectives ought to be bestowed on places by the users, or critics. If a business pointedly says it is special, I refuse to believe it. It is up to me to make that judgment, and I resent that right being usurped.



Okay, folks. Having vented my ire, I will move on to a lovely clue I solved recently.

Proverbially prince on river with fool excels aristocrat at study (4,1,4,2,6,4,2,5)

Solution: Half a loaf is better than no bread.

Explanations are necessary, I think. The feedback I got is that I ought to explain how the solution is arrived at.

Prince= Hal. A short form of Henry.

Fal= A river in England.

Oaf= A fool.

Is better than= Excels.

Nob= An aristocrat.

Read= Study.

The clue's definition 'Proverbially' is all the help you get. :D.

This is one of Araucaria's, of course.

I was asked about 'Fat girl lit up?', too.

'Broad', as in the American usage is the girl; 'in the beam' as in under the lights; which leads to the phrase 'broad in the beam', which is fat. Okay?


Cheers!