Born in Hoboken, New Jersey, on December 12, 1915, Frank Sinatra made an indelible mark on the entertainment industry.  He began his musical journey as a band singer in the 1930s and his melodious voice and charismatic personality made him a legendary figure in the history of music.  Throughout his career, Sinatra was known for his rich baritone voice and his impeccable showmanship.  He released numerous albums, produced countless hits, and his awards included nine Grammys.  He was also a successful actor, and many of his films became classics in the industry.  In addition to his successful entertainment career, Sinatra was also a painter, and his work Fourth of July Fireworks (oil on canvas) sold at auction for $223,500.  He died on May 14, 1998, at the age of 82.  See some of his works at Frank Sinatra | Artnet  Thank you, reader.   

To understand the difference between a graveyard and a cemetery, start by taking a look at the definitions of each term.  A graveyard is an area of land, often next to a church, where people are buried.  During the Middle Ages, wealthy or otherwise influential Christians were generally interred inside a church after they died, often in a crypt beneath the floor.  Less wealthy congregants were buried outside in the churchyard, and that section came to be known as the graveyard.  This practice continued for many centuries.  The compound word graveyard stems from the proto-Germanic “graban,” which means “to dig,” and “gardan,” which refers to an enclosed area of land.  Like a graveyard, a cemetery is also defined as a place where the dead are buried, but it’s a relatively newer concept.  By the early 19th century, population growth was rapid.  Church graveyards filled up, and there was a need for new burial grounds.  Thus, independent sites called “cemeteries” became more common as designated final resting places.  Cemeteries are typically not affiliated with a specific church, so you don’t have to be a congregant to be buried there.  They’re also often located away from a town or city center to allow for more space.  As for the etymology, the word “cemetery” stems from the Greek “koimeterion,” which means “dormitory” or “resting place.” Early Christians came to use the term to refer to a person’s final resting place (rather than in the literal sleep context).  To be clear, using graveyard and cemetery interchangeably is acceptable by today’s standards, but graveyard still primarily refers to the area of a churchyard used for burial.  Here's The Difference Between A Cemetery And A Graveyard | HuffPost Life  Thank you, reader.    

sarsaparilla (countable and uncountable, plural sarsaparillas)  noun  The first r in the word is silent.  Any of various tropical (Central and South) American vines of the genus Smilax, such as Smilax aspera, which have fragrant roots.  Dried roots of these plants, or a flavoring material extracted from these roots.  A beverage (soft drink) flavored with this root, such as root beer.   Any of several North American plants, of the genus Aralia, having umbels and small white flowers.  https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/sarsaparilla    

Books by Richard Bach about barnstorming

Illusions:  The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah:  This novel is about a barnstorming pilot named Richard who meets a mysterious fellow pilot, Donald Shimoda, who claims to be a messiah.  It explores the idea that our world is illusory and teaches how to manipulate it.  Nothing by Chance:  This book chronicles one summer Bach spent flying an antique biplane as a barnstormer, sleeping under the wing and giving joyrides to passengers.  It captures the adventure and insight of the experience.

Biplane: This is another of Bach's early books that celebrated his experiences as a barnstormer. 

As for the first of those books, In Richard Bach's book *Illusions:  The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah*, the "mystical hills east of Fort Wayne" are where the character Donald Shimoda, the reluctant messiah, was said to be raised.

Key details from the book:  

   - A "holy land of Indiana":  The book includes a passage that states,    "There was a Master come unto the earth, born in the holy land of Indiana,    raised in the mystical hills east of Fort Wayne . . .  and he smiled upon the    multitudes and said pleasantly unto them, 'I quit'". 

   - The character's origin:  This passage establishes the mythical, midwestern origin story of the character Shimoda, the former mechanic turned messiah whom the narrator encounters.

   - A metaphor for inner truth:  While Fort Wayne and the surrounding landscape are real, the book uses this setting to ground its philosophical and spiritual themes in a familiar, down-to-earth backdrop.  The setting serves as a literary device to show that profound truths can be found in ordinary places.  Thank you, reader.   

October 28, 2025