They Call it Tact, and It's Definitely Old School

Darkling Plain wrote:

You've not quite looked your chipper self. No need to explain *that*.
I am sure that in class you are "concentrating on the material" and that marriage (and cigars?) have their compensations (I wouldn't know, wish I did). But it strikes me as absurd in the extreme that instead of asking you how you are, I went to your blog, and I did this because I was concerned that if I asked you, face to face, then it would be embarrassing if in fact, say, your mom were no longer with us. Bad form. Which means that I am saying -- this cannot be so, can it? -- that I feel I must keep up to date with the blog, not you, in order to have a conversation with you or to ask after your well being.