The epitome of cool

...back in the 1960s was to have Stan Getz and Astrud Gilberto together on the same stage at the same time.

Here they are in 1964 performing “The Girl From Ipanema.”

I am a very big fan of Getz’s saxophone virtuosity but not a fan of Gilberto’s voice at all.

Because even coolness has limits.

For example:

1. Today is Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. (Cool)
2. Tonight, President Obama gives his annual State of the Union address. (Not cool)

1. The deluges we’ve been having here in Georgia lately will make the flowers grow. (Cool)
2. The deluges we’ve been having here in Georgia lately have made my back yard extremely soggy. (Not cool)

1. Someone -- probably either Louis XV (1710-1774) or Madame de Pompadour (1721-1764) -- once said, “Après moi, le déluge.” (Cool)
2. Between my soggy back yard and tonight’s State of the Union address, it (the deluge) is here. (Not cool)

But the coolest thing of all is that in preparing this post I found this site, which will tell you more about “Après moi, le déluge” and its classical antecedents than you could ever want to know.

It’s right up my alley.

And speaking of allez, I have to go now. I shall either be listening to more of Stan Getz’s saxophone playing or delving further into my new favorite website.

Perhaps I will do both.

They’re really cool.