As a resident of Maryland since 1979 (originally from Syracuse) I have to tell you that Easton MD is on the Eastern Shore, not the East Shore! It was something that confused me when I first moved down here because to me eastern meant it's on the east side of something and it's actually on the west side of the peninsula. You have to use the Chesapeake Bay as your reference point, not the land. Given a choice I prefer it to what I thought was the Eastern Shore when I first got here which is the ocean shore in Delaware.
I so much enjoyed your show In Highbpoint North Carolina this past Friday. The Gospel Quartet was awesome! I couldn't believe my luck either with having Seat B11. I had no idea that B11 was in the center of the very front row of the Highpoint theater nor that it was even a front row seat. Best seat in the house!
Earlier that afternoon I arrived at a municipal parking lot across from the theater 3 hours before the start of your show. As I write this I'm listening to your 1987 good-by show. I'm incredibly glad that wasn't actually your last show! I had never been in Highpoint before but had to find a bathroom and kill some time.
After a couple false starts I found my way to the Harbor something fish restaurant maybe a mile away on foot. I had some excellent fried shrimp and surprisingly delicious slaw. When I left there the gentlemen at the register asked me how my dinner was on the way out and I told him and he was grateful of my good review of his slaw. He said he works so hard to grind it up and was happy to know someone was really enjoyed it.. I felt good to be able to make my way back to the municipal lot in the dark to retrieve my ticket. By then folks were entering the Theater which was good as I wasn't sure which side of the building the entrance was on.
I live in a world surrounded by Republicans. My two best friends are Republicans. I stand up to his negative comments about Democrats but still we are good friends. He isn't used to hanging out with a Democrat but he seems to be getting used to it. A week or so ago we were riding in his truck and he needed gas and complained how the Democrats had caused the gas prices to be higher but I didn't say a thing. But a short while later he complained about the cold and snow at which time I complained about the Democrats causing the bad weather. He got the message.
Getting back to Friday's show everything was great. I even enjoyed the intermission, even though you tricked us out of it and got us up and singing which actually felt very good to do. The humor was welcome too. If I could just get my wife to sit on my lap in the morning like your wife does it would surely help make my day too. I just realized how that sentence might be taken by some and I assure you your wife doesn't sit on my lap.
Your answer to Mr. Hartnett was right on point, and represents my feelings to a tee. I am 85, grew up on a farm in southern Michigan and was attracted to conservative views, being an old order Lutheran. My first vote ever cast was for George Romney who was running for Governor, he being on the top of the ballot in my first election. Rightly or wrong, I associate the political decline in decency with the elimination of the earmark in congress. No longer being able to bring home the bacon through legislation, both parties depended more and more on financial supporters (read lobbyists) in order to buy voters attention. I would gladly support many more "bridge[s] to no where" if we could return to a more collaborative political environment. Not very likely I am afraid.
PS Run-on sentences serve a purpose, especially when used to convey a conversational tone.
Since you're not opposed to the run-on sentence (response to Don Buck), I thought I'd share with you a sentence I came across last week which to my mind is one of the greatest ever written. It's the opening sentence of the first review of Van Gogh's work and was written while he was still alive. It was probably one of the last he ever saw because he died not long after it was published. It's translated from the French.
Albert Aurier
Mercure de France, January, 1890
"Beneath skies that sometimes dazzle like faceted sapphires or turquoises, that sometimes are molded of infernal, hot, noxious, and blinding sulfurs; beneath skies like streams of molten metals and crystals, which, at times, expose radiating, torrid solar disks; beneath the incessant and formidable streaming of every conceivable effect of light, in heavy, flaming, burning atmospheres that seem to be exhaled from fantastic furnaces where gold and diamonds and similar gems are volatilized--there is the disquieting and disturbing display of a strange nature, that is at once entirely realistic, and yet almost supernatural, of an excessive nature where everything--beings and things, shadows and lights, forms and colours--rears and rises up with a raging will to howl its own essential song in the most intense and fiercely high-pitched timbre: Trees, twisted like giants in battle, proclaiming with the gestures of their gnarled menacing arms and with the tragic waving of their green manes their indomitable power, the pride of their musculature, their blood-hot sap, their eternal defiance of hurricane, lightning and malevolent Nature; cypresses that expose their nightmarish, flamelike, black silhouettes, mountains that arch their backs like mammoths or rhinoceri; white and pink and golden orchards, like the idealizing dreams of virgins; squatting, passionately contorted houses, in a like manner to beings who exult, who suffer, who think; stones, terrains, bushes, grassy fields, gardens, and rivers that seem sculpted out of unknown minerals, polished, glimmering, iridescent, enchanting, flaming landscapes, like the effervescence of multicoloured enamels in some alchemist's diabolical crucible; foliage that seems of ancient bronze, of new copper, of spun glass; flowerbeds that appear less like flowers than opulent jewelry fashioned from rubies, agates, onyx, emeralds, corundums, chrysoberyls, amethysts, and chalcedonies; it is the universal, mad and blinding coruscation of things; it is matter and all of Nature frenetically contorted . . . raised to the heights of exacerbation; it is form, becoming nightmare; colour, becoming flame, lava and precious stone; light turning into conflagration; life, into burning fever."
When this was published, poor Vincent was locked in a room in an asylum having one of his increasingly frequent mental breakdowns. When he came to and read the review he said it was all nonsense but not before he sent copies to everyone he could think of including his mother.
It is so nice to hear (read) a cheerful yet discriminating voice in your responses to the "Post to the Host". You are six years my senior, yet in my youthful naivety, I still agree and "at a boy" you in most all of your comments. It must be a Midwestern thing.
I think they mean you're as good a story teller as Mark Twain. Many years ago after enjoying one of your early books I remember saying to myself, "this guy is a new Mark Twain." It's too bad you've not read Twain's Joan of Arc, I encourage you to do so. I've read it twice. Twain said it was his best work; I agree.
I have read "Innocents Abroad" twice and enjoyed it both times. I enjoyed it more the second time because I had been to several of the places mentioned in it.
Inasmuch as I am directing a discussion of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I write to suggest that its being banned must have amused Twain. The prodigious use of That Word was done not at all casually. Twain hated the word and felt it was used only by lower class folk. If we trace the use (some 240 odd times in the book) we see that this is one of the earliest Black Lives Matter novels. Huck evolves from not recognizing Jim's humanity to embracing Jim as his best friend, far more of a friend than Tom Sawyer, who could only see the world through his romantic fantasies.
"I get to go around and do shows in small towns now that my career is in decline..."
THROUGH NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN! I doubt that I'm the only one of your loyal fans who believes that those Bigwigs of Corporate America decided to sacrifice your career in favor of "The Sacred Bottom Line!"
As a former employee of "Big Oil" I had a friend in a department that had to handle the shutting down of productive oil fields in rural locations. Sometimes there was no good reason to "cement in" actively producing wells, except, perhaps, that it was costing a few cents per barrel to get the product where the refineries/consumers were. If you, Dear Host, were to sit down with some colleagues from large corporations and air your grievances, you might be surprised how similar your hard times were!
When it comes to appearing in small towns, I wouldn't be surprised if there are thousands of folks out there who are breathing sighs of relief! "At last! We can get to see GK in person, and at a ticket price that we can afford!" they'll be exclaiming.
I remember, once, that I drove maybe five hundred miles, round trip, to see APHC in Nashville, TN in the Ryman Auditorium. When I arrived, the tickets were already all sold out. I ended up paying a scalper a $50 markup, just for a seat behind a pillar! But what a show that was! Brad Paisley, Sam Bush and Elvis Costello were on the program! It was worth every cent of that scalper's markup!
If I were you, I wouldn't look at this as the twilight of your career! Instead, think of the opportunities you're giving so many of us who have formerly been "In Geographic Isolation!" It's an extension of your audience's "In Person" memory bank, and an inordinately valuable one at that! And, as you've been pointing out, it's a chance to meet some of your multitudes of adoring fans in person, too!
During your visit to Carrollton GA, I hope you had a chance to visit Horton's Book Store on the square with its three resident cats Dante, Poe, and Savannah. The three roam the square when not sleeping on a pile of books and are "always on hand to help a customer choose the right book or gift." Pictures available on Horton's website.
As a resident of Maryland since 1979 (originally from Syracuse) I have to tell you that Easton MD is on the Eastern Shore, not the East Shore! It was something that confused me when I first moved down here because to me eastern meant it's on the east side of something and it's actually on the west side of the peninsula. You have to use the Chesapeake Bay as your reference point, not the land. Given a choice I prefer it to what I thought was the Eastern Shore when I first got here which is the ocean shore in Delaware.
Thank you Mr Keillor.
I so much enjoyed your show In Highbpoint North Carolina this past Friday. The Gospel Quartet was awesome! I couldn't believe my luck either with having Seat B11. I had no idea that B11 was in the center of the very front row of the Highpoint theater nor that it was even a front row seat. Best seat in the house!
Earlier that afternoon I arrived at a municipal parking lot across from the theater 3 hours before the start of your show. As I write this I'm listening to your 1987 good-by show. I'm incredibly glad that wasn't actually your last show! I had never been in Highpoint before but had to find a bathroom and kill some time.
After a couple false starts I found my way to the Harbor something fish restaurant maybe a mile away on foot. I had some excellent fried shrimp and surprisingly delicious slaw. When I left there the gentlemen at the register asked me how my dinner was on the way out and I told him and he was grateful of my good review of his slaw. He said he works so hard to grind it up and was happy to know someone was really enjoyed it.. I felt good to be able to make my way back to the municipal lot in the dark to retrieve my ticket. By then folks were entering the Theater which was good as I wasn't sure which side of the building the entrance was on.
I live in a world surrounded by Republicans. My two best friends are Republicans. I stand up to his negative comments about Democrats but still we are good friends. He isn't used to hanging out with a Democrat but he seems to be getting used to it. A week or so ago we were riding in his truck and he needed gas and complained how the Democrats had caused the gas prices to be higher but I didn't say a thing. But a short while later he complained about the cold and snow at which time I complained about the Democrats causing the bad weather. He got the message.
Getting back to Friday's show everything was great. I even enjoyed the intermission, even though you tricked us out of it and got us up and singing which actually felt very good to do. The humor was welcome too. If I could just get my wife to sit on my lap in the morning like your wife does it would surely help make my day too. I just realized how that sentence might be taken by some and I assure you your wife doesn't sit on my lap.
Best Regards,
Terry
Dear Garrison,
Your answer to Mr. Hartnett was right on point, and represents my feelings to a tee. I am 85, grew up on a farm in southern Michigan and was attracted to conservative views, being an old order Lutheran. My first vote ever cast was for George Romney who was running for Governor, he being on the top of the ballot in my first election. Rightly or wrong, I associate the political decline in decency with the elimination of the earmark in congress. No longer being able to bring home the bacon through legislation, both parties depended more and more on financial supporters (read lobbyists) in order to buy voters attention. I would gladly support many more "bridge[s] to no where" if we could return to a more collaborative political environment. Not very likely I am afraid.
PS Run-on sentences serve a purpose, especially when used to convey a conversational tone.
GF
Since you're not opposed to the run-on sentence (response to Don Buck), I thought I'd share with you a sentence I came across last week which to my mind is one of the greatest ever written. It's the opening sentence of the first review of Van Gogh's work and was written while he was still alive. It was probably one of the last he ever saw because he died not long after it was published. It's translated from the French.
Albert Aurier
Mercure de France, January, 1890
"Beneath skies that sometimes dazzle like faceted sapphires or turquoises, that sometimes are molded of infernal, hot, noxious, and blinding sulfurs; beneath skies like streams of molten metals and crystals, which, at times, expose radiating, torrid solar disks; beneath the incessant and formidable streaming of every conceivable effect of light, in heavy, flaming, burning atmospheres that seem to be exhaled from fantastic furnaces where gold and diamonds and similar gems are volatilized--there is the disquieting and disturbing display of a strange nature, that is at once entirely realistic, and yet almost supernatural, of an excessive nature where everything--beings and things, shadows and lights, forms and colours--rears and rises up with a raging will to howl its own essential song in the most intense and fiercely high-pitched timbre: Trees, twisted like giants in battle, proclaiming with the gestures of their gnarled menacing arms and with the tragic waving of their green manes their indomitable power, the pride of their musculature, their blood-hot sap, their eternal defiance of hurricane, lightning and malevolent Nature; cypresses that expose their nightmarish, flamelike, black silhouettes, mountains that arch their backs like mammoths or rhinoceri; white and pink and golden orchards, like the idealizing dreams of virgins; squatting, passionately contorted houses, in a like manner to beings who exult, who suffer, who think; stones, terrains, bushes, grassy fields, gardens, and rivers that seem sculpted out of unknown minerals, polished, glimmering, iridescent, enchanting, flaming landscapes, like the effervescence of multicoloured enamels in some alchemist's diabolical crucible; foliage that seems of ancient bronze, of new copper, of spun glass; flowerbeds that appear less like flowers than opulent jewelry fashioned from rubies, agates, onyx, emeralds, corundums, chrysoberyls, amethysts, and chalcedonies; it is the universal, mad and blinding coruscation of things; it is matter and all of Nature frenetically contorted . . . raised to the heights of exacerbation; it is form, becoming nightmare; colour, becoming flame, lava and precious stone; light turning into conflagration; life, into burning fever."
When this was published, poor Vincent was locked in a room in an asylum having one of his increasingly frequent mental breakdowns. When he came to and read the review he said it was all nonsense but not before he sent copies to everyone he could think of including his mother.
What great commentary!
Thanks for the good thoughts today, GK and for a whiff of the 50-60s with Rhonda - the teens dancing in the background really brought back memories!
Luisa in Boston
It is so nice to hear (read) a cheerful yet discriminating voice in your responses to the "Post to the Host". You are six years my senior, yet in my youthful naivety, I still agree and "at a boy" you in most all of your comments. It must be a Midwestern thing.
I think they mean you're as good a story teller as Mark Twain. Many years ago after enjoying one of your early books I remember saying to myself, "this guy is a new Mark Twain." It's too bad you've not read Twain's Joan of Arc, I encourage you to do so. I've read it twice. Twain said it was his best work; I agree.
I have read "Innocents Abroad" twice and enjoyed it both times. I enjoyed it more the second time because I had been to several of the places mentioned in it.
Inasmuch as I am directing a discussion of Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, I write to suggest that its being banned must have amused Twain. The prodigious use of That Word was done not at all casually. Twain hated the word and felt it was used only by lower class folk. If we trace the use (some 240 odd times in the book) we see that this is one of the earliest Black Lives Matter novels. Huck evolves from not recognizing Jim's humanity to embracing Jim as his best friend, far more of a friend than Tom Sawyer, who could only see the world through his romantic fantasies.
"I get to go around and do shows in small towns now that my career is in decline..."
THROUGH NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN! I doubt that I'm the only one of your loyal fans who believes that those Bigwigs of Corporate America decided to sacrifice your career in favor of "The Sacred Bottom Line!"
As a former employee of "Big Oil" I had a friend in a department that had to handle the shutting down of productive oil fields in rural locations. Sometimes there was no good reason to "cement in" actively producing wells, except, perhaps, that it was costing a few cents per barrel to get the product where the refineries/consumers were. If you, Dear Host, were to sit down with some colleagues from large corporations and air your grievances, you might be surprised how similar your hard times were!
When it comes to appearing in small towns, I wouldn't be surprised if there are thousands of folks out there who are breathing sighs of relief! "At last! We can get to see GK in person, and at a ticket price that we can afford!" they'll be exclaiming.
I remember, once, that I drove maybe five hundred miles, round trip, to see APHC in Nashville, TN in the Ryman Auditorium. When I arrived, the tickets were already all sold out. I ended up paying a scalper a $50 markup, just for a seat behind a pillar! But what a show that was! Brad Paisley, Sam Bush and Elvis Costello were on the program! It was worth every cent of that scalper's markup!
If I were you, I wouldn't look at this as the twilight of your career! Instead, think of the opportunities you're giving so many of us who have formerly been "In Geographic Isolation!" It's an extension of your audience's "In Person" memory bank, and an inordinately valuable one at that! And, as you've been pointing out, it's a chance to meet some of your multitudes of adoring fans in person, too!
During your visit to Carrollton GA, I hope you had a chance to visit Horton's Book Store on the square with its three resident cats Dante, Poe, and Savannah. The three roam the square when not sleeping on a pile of books and are "always on hand to help a customer choose the right book or gift." Pictures available on Horton's website.
"I was, however, alone." 🤣😂🤣😂
I thought that you may enjoy this posting to our local on-line bulletin board.
https://saltspringexchange.com/2022/01/03/obituary-randy-smith/