To get our minds off the current Trumpicle (hereafter Trumpickel), I went back to two of the bookcase shelves in my home office to look at what I have placed in front of the books.

Here is some of it:

Roman Catholics: Want beef on a Friday? Fly American Airlines. (I guess this is what was meant)

It’s a fake USSR passport holder, and I have no idea why I have it.

A small marble box. Maybe from the days when the Coloseum was brand new?

Southwest Airlines playing cards. Unopened. I never play cards.

A very nice card from former French President Jacques Chirac. Why do I have it? Where did I get it? You know as much as I do.

A few years ago, granddaughter Joan (now 9) portraying our online book business, ARichard Books and More.

The Capitol dome, Waterford version, which I received from the National Leased Housing Association,  after my year as president. A long time ago.

Speaking of a long time ago, here are Edie, Michelle and Hannah. Yes, the picture looks blurry here, but so is my memory.

A clown. A gift from my Aunt Loraine. She gave a lot of gifts. Most looked like this one.

An old Jewish Nation Fund tzedakah box. It makes noise when you shake it. ( A propos of nothing, do you know that Neil Sedaka’s name is a variation of tzedakah?)

We will end here. Five pens. Three belonged to my father, including one marked St. Louis University. The bottom Washington pen has a photo of the Capitol on its other side. The 5th pen is Zim Shipping Lines, and has a floating SS Herzl, a Zim ship.

As an aside, I was watching Anne Applebaum on Morning Joe while putting this together. She was sitting in front of one of her impressive bookcases. You know what she puts in front of her books? Nada.