Three Pekingese dogs lived three doors down from me when I was a kid. They were what my mama would've called "Spoiled Rotten". In my adult life I had a brilliant Border Collie mix who learned to read American Sign Language (ASL). Keep on keeping it real, GK.
Garrison, I am so out of step with modern American civilization and culture that I probably should not be commenting. Many of the young people that I come in contact with seem to spend all of their time either talking on the phone or texting and they are not calling people trying to sell something. How do they hold down a job and make a life?
You bring up the dog show which calls to mind my dislike of our culture of prizes and awards. We have the Grammys, Oscars, Pullitzers, etc. but I don't think that life and music and so forth should be reduced to a contest. At one time I tried not to listen to musicians who had won awards but then Norman Blake won one or was nominated for one and I broke that rule. But was Doc Watson a better musician than Norman or Johnny Gimbel better than Earl Scruggs? It all comes down to peoples' feelings and opinions. My opinion about who I like is just as valid as the opinion of anyone else.
At the moment I think that Hillary Hahn and Itzhak Perlman are the two best musicians in the world. One of my favorite pieces of classical music is Brahms Violin concerto in D. Hahn and Perlman both can walk out on stage and play the violin part for the entire piece perfectly without looking at a piece of paper. And the concerto is almost an hour long. I don't know how they do that.
Actually, if someone wins an award or is put on the NYT best seller list, it often means that their work or writing has been homogenized to the point that a mass audience will like it. Most of the books on the NYT best seller list are not worth reading.
Enough rambling for today. Best wishes to Garrison and wishing all a happy life.
Garrison, Garrison, Garrison. What are we going to do with you? You know that old saying in Real Estate: location, location, location. Well, the same premise applies in the entertainment industry, and you are not taking advantage of it. It is called promotion, promotion, promotion.
For example, you are playing:
Nov 5 Carrollton Cultural Arts Center, Carrollton, GA
Nov 12 High Point Theatre, High Point, NC
Now I am positive lots of your readers would like to go but nowhere on your site or in your emails is there any notice of these events, even though tickets are available. We found out through Robin & Linda Williams Newsletter. See, they know how to promote!
Your parking lot days have been resurfacing recently. I wouldn't be surprised if many of us think back to our "first REAL job" at times. For me, my first "job" was a counter waitress at "The World's Best Hamburgers" - an open-air set of picnic tables under an awning with a chest-high counter to put the goods on. The burgers were good- beyond a doubt. The woman in charge, Faith, though, was something else. She conducted her business "By Medium." That is, she would go and get her palm read once a month or so, and whatever her seer said became law. Turnover among the staff was rapid. One waitress, Olga, was on the good side of the lines on the boss's hand. The rest of us - it was a matter of time - and not much of it.
For me, being an "orderly librarian type" on occasion was my downfall. We'd have a busy lunch hour while the nearby factory was on break, then calm after the storm. Faith decided that our cash register drawers were too chaotic. She ordered us to straighten out the bills - heads up, like denominations gathered together and all. Once after a lunch "Charge," I was putting the cash drawer in order. Her mystic had convinced her that someone was robbing her, and she saw my fingers in the till. "You're robbing me! You're Fired!" she said. Just like that! I asked a couple co-workers if there was anything I could do about her arbitrary decision. "Well, you could put in a petition at the Department of Unemployment, but nobody's had any luck there so far," was the answer.
My "Career Path" that followed wound around a bit, but ended up a good distance away from Olga's permanently "safe" position. In "That Time of Year", you wrote that you were a dishwasher once upon a time. I wonder if you have any tales to tell about working in a restaurant? Any machinery going wild, or curious fellow workers, etc.?
There are lots of walks of life we take for granted, without seeing the human beings behind the working hands. Having a real "starting job" can open our minds to the pains of the "lowly" as well as the exaltations of the "high!"
Three days out of double-back surgery, I second your point about medical competence. Reminds me of Daniel Dennett's wonderful little post-operative essay "Thank Goodness"... But there's nothing wrong with lapdogs, mine's seeing me through a rough convalescence. I second "lay off" too.
Some people find your writing simply humorous in a droll mid-western way. I'm among that group; your writing always brings a smile. However, this column shows the true grit of the GK I love and admire, drollery with a sharp point added. Bring the vaccine. Right on.
Why watch a dog show if you are so pained by it? It is not a popularity contest, so go watch popular dogs on YouTube if that is what you want.
Been there done that myself, and you end up appreciating how hard it is to breed quality dogs. It is an art and a craft, and then handling them under any and all conditions, without falling on your ass is also a big accomplishment.
Three Pekingese dogs lived three doors down from me when I was a kid. They were what my mama would've called "Spoiled Rotten". In my adult life I had a brilliant Border Collie mix who learned to read American Sign Language (ASL). Keep on keeping it real, GK.
Didn’t you learn anything when you took on the birdwatchers. They are minor league compared with the dog lovers.
Garrison, I am so out of step with modern American civilization and culture that I probably should not be commenting. Many of the young people that I come in contact with seem to spend all of their time either talking on the phone or texting and they are not calling people trying to sell something. How do they hold down a job and make a life?
You bring up the dog show which calls to mind my dislike of our culture of prizes and awards. We have the Grammys, Oscars, Pullitzers, etc. but I don't think that life and music and so forth should be reduced to a contest. At one time I tried not to listen to musicians who had won awards but then Norman Blake won one or was nominated for one and I broke that rule. But was Doc Watson a better musician than Norman or Johnny Gimbel better than Earl Scruggs? It all comes down to peoples' feelings and opinions. My opinion about who I like is just as valid as the opinion of anyone else.
At the moment I think that Hillary Hahn and Itzhak Perlman are the two best musicians in the world. One of my favorite pieces of classical music is Brahms Violin concerto in D. Hahn and Perlman both can walk out on stage and play the violin part for the entire piece perfectly without looking at a piece of paper. And the concerto is almost an hour long. I don't know how they do that.
Actually, if someone wins an award or is put on the NYT best seller list, it often means that their work or writing has been homogenized to the point that a mass audience will like it. Most of the books on the NYT best seller list are not worth reading.
Enough rambling for today. Best wishes to Garrison and wishing all a happy life.
What is more important in a writer, attitude or competence? Is little richard attitude or competence? Dogs are fountains of love. Lay off.
Garrison, Garrison, Garrison. What are we going to do with you? You know that old saying in Real Estate: location, location, location. Well, the same premise applies in the entertainment industry, and you are not taking advantage of it. It is called promotion, promotion, promotion.
For example, you are playing:
Nov 5 Carrollton Cultural Arts Center, Carrollton, GA
Nov 12 High Point Theatre, High Point, NC
Now I am positive lots of your readers would like to go but nowhere on your site or in your emails is there any notice of these events, even though tickets are available. We found out through Robin & Linda Williams Newsletter. See, they know how to promote!
C’mon Garrison. Get with it!
Neil & Jennifer
Charlotte, NC (See you in High Point)
My Old Dad..........mine gets more iconic every year hes gone. But at the time it was tough
Its good to remember the good points
Thanks for the remembrance of your Dad.........
Indeed.
Your parking lot days have been resurfacing recently. I wouldn't be surprised if many of us think back to our "first REAL job" at times. For me, my first "job" was a counter waitress at "The World's Best Hamburgers" - an open-air set of picnic tables under an awning with a chest-high counter to put the goods on. The burgers were good- beyond a doubt. The woman in charge, Faith, though, was something else. She conducted her business "By Medium." That is, she would go and get her palm read once a month or so, and whatever her seer said became law. Turnover among the staff was rapid. One waitress, Olga, was on the good side of the lines on the boss's hand. The rest of us - it was a matter of time - and not much of it.
For me, being an "orderly librarian type" on occasion was my downfall. We'd have a busy lunch hour while the nearby factory was on break, then calm after the storm. Faith decided that our cash register drawers were too chaotic. She ordered us to straighten out the bills - heads up, like denominations gathered together and all. Once after a lunch "Charge," I was putting the cash drawer in order. Her mystic had convinced her that someone was robbing her, and she saw my fingers in the till. "You're robbing me! You're Fired!" she said. Just like that! I asked a couple co-workers if there was anything I could do about her arbitrary decision. "Well, you could put in a petition at the Department of Unemployment, but nobody's had any luck there so far," was the answer.
My "Career Path" that followed wound around a bit, but ended up a good distance away from Olga's permanently "safe" position. In "That Time of Year", you wrote that you were a dishwasher once upon a time. I wonder if you have any tales to tell about working in a restaurant? Any machinery going wild, or curious fellow workers, etc.?
There are lots of walks of life we take for granted, without seeing the human beings behind the working hands. Having a real "starting job" can open our minds to the pains of the "lowly" as well as the exaltations of the "high!"
Yes!!! I am literally standing and cheering with my fist in the air!
Three days out of double-back surgery, I second your point about medical competence. Reminds me of Daniel Dennett's wonderful little post-operative essay "Thank Goodness"... But there's nothing wrong with lapdogs, mine's seeing me through a rough convalescence. I second "lay off" too.
GK,
Some people find your writing simply humorous in a droll mid-western way. I'm among that group; your writing always brings a smile. However, this column shows the true grit of the GK I love and admire, drollery with a sharp point added. Bring the vaccine. Right on.
Folks, i think the Pekingese bit was what writers call - what? - a metaphor?
Why watch a dog show if you are so pained by it? It is not a popularity contest, so go watch popular dogs on YouTube if that is what you want.
Been there done that myself, and you end up appreciating how hard it is to breed quality dogs. It is an art and a craft, and then handling them under any and all conditions, without falling on your ass is also a big accomplishment.
I found it frustrating to watch the dog win, I couldn't tell which end was front or back!
Pulitzer has one "L" (see Kenrick)- competence. Attitude nearly had all of the US drinking bleach. There goes the double-speak. Keep talkin', Keillor.
Couldn't agree more.