Hey Gary, I noticed you applied the word "cult" to the religion of your youth. Having heard definitions from such noteworthies as Billy Graham and Andy Rooney, I wonder if you would offer yours?
We moved to the US after living in Germany for several years and joined a Lutheran Church. We listened faithfully to your broadcasts for many years and really got a laugh out of the Lutheran potlucks and the pastors. I also attended a Thanksgiving show in NYC and two of your shows in Charlotte, NC. It is sad that you were caught up in the “me too” period, but such is life. I love the song alongs but would ask that “The Battle Hymn of the Republic be removed from your shows as it brings up unpleasant memories of the Civil War and the far right evangelicals of today.
I hope you continue to entertain us for many years.
I'm so old that the arm on my shoulder is one that helps me up, for which I am very grateful. or pats me for something I can no longer remember. Nonetheless....
As for your one day beginning the reading of the Rabbit Series, waste not your time, sir. It's got about the the same mentality as a dumb bunny.
Instead go to the brain-clicking works of John Irving, or to the story-telling of our own Jon.Hassler author right here in our own MN. Among his many stories is "Staggerford." No, it is not about staggering, even though we may be at that time. Let us be grateful then for the gentle shoulder life/
That 80 year old Marine knows 5 ways how to incapacitate an enemy with his bare hands, and would do so again if his nation asked him to do it, that’s why he’s a Marine...
Many years ago I enjoyed seeing a PHC show live at the Chautauqua Institution near Jamestown, NY when I was in (summer) residence as a cellist. Today’s discussion of a Grateful Dead tune in a string quartet arrangement was coincidental for me in that on Feb. 21 at Temple University in Philadelphia, I will be performing “Dead Cello” by Aaron Minsky - 4 Grateful Dead songs arranged for solo cello - a work that I premiered in 2006.
For those that may be in Philadelphia on Feb. 21, Beyond the Notes: "From Bach to the Grateful Dead" will take place in the Charles Library performance space at noon.
Regarding your reluctance to call former military personnel 'soldier' &c., a late friend of mine was always amused by retired military in his neighborhood (in N. VA) who went around addressing one another as Major &c. He would respond by clicking his heels and saying "Sgt. Zuntz at your service!" He was one of the 'Ritchie Boys', but that's a whole 'nother story ; - )
My apologies, but I have make an obvious point concerning one of the questions for GK...
...but one of the most, well, “astounding” results of the Trump legacy is that it could make the likes of RFKjr (or, to pick another obvious example, Nikki Haley) look sane; or they could even actually be seriously discussed as a candidate for the President of the United States.
Hi Garrison: FYI about the letter from Matthew T. Piccaver, the ill doctor. He would be a PhD as medical doctors signify their qualifications by adding M.D. after their names. I was a hospital administrator for much of my career and physicians are very picky about this distinction. Best - john
Your observation, “We used to do a standing, singing intermission at the shows but some people argued that audiences like to have a real intermission,” made me shake my head. They don’t want to do what others are enjoying, but don’t want to miss anything, so stop it?
Those stand-and-sing-and-move-your- limbs intermissions were an extraordinary extra gift from you, and helped managed the length of the ladies room line too.
I wonder if the, “I’m just thinking of others” folks can really be happy with the result: no one gets the experience? It’s like the (magical) early APHC cruises when we would stumble around the ship from one stellar small performance to another, drunk on the cornucopia of talent you had assembled for us. And then, shore excursion devotees demanded there be no performances when they were off the ship ‘cuz it wasn’t “fair” that they missed them. Or Brancusi’s reconstructed studio in Paris where you could sit on the sofa he carved and look through his books and tools and stand amid his columns and Coqs and birds and soar… but that couldn’t accommodate masses of tourists, so now it’s a plexiglass cube you can peek through from a distance. Sigh. If schadenfreude is taking pleasure in other’s misfortune, what’s the word for drawing pain from others’ good fortune?
In any case, I’m glad you’re flourishing again. Your mellowing attitude and ability to let go and move on are inspirational to me. I’ll be listening Thursday, and hope to see you again.
P.s. Seattle in late September can be weather to remember (fondly).
This sounds sort of cultish, like some of the divisions within the Sanctified Brethren. I've been at this game for so long that I come to regard fans as friends rather than fans. It's mysterious. We seem to have odd things in common. I'm still trying to figure i9t out.
Speaking as a true fan, though sometimes a skeptic, I think you gave us all a benign vision of the heart of rural (pioneering) America at a time when some of the harsh divisions in our land were beginning to fester and hurt us. My word for your humor would be "Chaucerian," because you, like he, viewed people as basically lovable, with fundamentally good motives and very basically human, and humorous, flaws. You're free of visceral anger and ready to embrace the essentially well-meaning attitudes we all have. And if that's what "cheerfulness" means, then cheers!
Agreed, and it describes many religions today, including increasing numbers of fundamentalist frisbees from mainline denominations. The few Brethren I have met, however, communicated freely and openly with me, and somehow I can't regard your parents, as you describe them, as cultists, despite their strongly held beliefs. Just sayin'. Best wishes.
I agree about my parents. They were very relaxed parents. They were a big influence but didn't try to control us. There wasn't much to rebel against us. I wish they had expressed their love of their children more freely but I have the same problem.
I just got the good news that you are coming to town and I was ecstatic and then saw the date July 13, the date that I had to sell my soul for, in order to book the Up North Cabin. I know it will be a tad inconvenient, but can you please push the whole show back by a couple of weeks so that I can attend? I have my ticket stubs from the 12/18/04 show as well as the 5/21/16, so I am a devoted fan and I am sure you understand the power of the week at the "family cabin". I appreciate your sincere consideration. If this is inconvenient, please know that I will be faithfully waiting for your next appearance, along with that of Sue Scott and the rest of the great PHC.
Hey Gary, I noticed you applied the word "cult" to the religion of your youth. Having heard definitions from such noteworthies as Billy Graham and Andy Rooney, I wonder if you would offer yours?
A cult is locked into its beliefs and it raises a wall against the world and is very resistant to free and open discussion.
“It’s not that I don’t believe in exercise.
I’m pretty sure it exists.”
--RMJ
If you wish Jamie a happy 25th Thursday, maybe you can squeeze in a happy 67th for Sharon?
Looking forward to the show, we loved your cave performance in October.
We moved to the US after living in Germany for several years and joined a Lutheran Church. We listened faithfully to your broadcasts for many years and really got a laugh out of the Lutheran potlucks and the pastors. I also attended a Thanksgiving show in NYC and two of your shows in Charlotte, NC. It is sad that you were caught up in the “me too” period, but such is life. I love the song alongs but would ask that “The Battle Hymn of the Republic be removed from your shows as it brings up unpleasant memories of the Civil War and the far right evangelicals of today.
I hope you continue to entertain us for many years.
The far-right evangelicals are Confederates. The Battle Hymn is a Union song, the folks who overturned Southern slavery.
Thank you! Some churches here in the south have co-opted it! I love your comments about the oranges-haired one.
Updike! Yes! My own heroes are Updike and Henry James. Hugging The Shore one can savor for quite a while.
I'm so old that the arm on my shoulder is one that helps me up, for which I am very grateful. or pats me for something I can no longer remember. Nonetheless....
As for your one day beginning the reading of the Rabbit Series, waste not your time, sir. It's got about the the same mentality as a dumb bunny.
Instead go to the brain-clicking works of John Irving, or to the story-telling of our own Jon.Hassler author right here in our own MN. Among his many stories is "Staggerford." No, it is not about staggering, even though we may be at that time. Let us be grateful then for the gentle shoulder life/
Ah, it should close with "shoulder-lift-life"....should we get there.
You lost me at the words "dumb bunny."
GK: What does Google know, but darned if I still don't use it: "What does the idiom "dumb bunny mean?'
A stupid person! So says Google. You likely grew up above the 45th parallel where it was "dumb as a rock/"We're all dumb somewhere....TK
That 80 year old Marine knows 5 ways how to incapacitate an enemy with his bare hands, and would do so again if his nation asked him to do it, that’s why he’s a Marine...
If you say so. The Marines (ret.) I've met struck me as non-aggressive gentlemen.
Many years ago I enjoyed seeing a PHC show live at the Chautauqua Institution near Jamestown, NY when I was in (summer) residence as a cellist. Today’s discussion of a Grateful Dead tune in a string quartet arrangement was coincidental for me in that on Feb. 21 at Temple University in Philadelphia, I will be performing “Dead Cello” by Aaron Minsky - 4 Grateful Dead songs arranged for solo cello - a work that I premiered in 2006.
Wish I could be there. I'll try to look it up.
Thank you for your response! I am pretty sure it will be videoed and posted on YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/live/aKPlj2vodBs?si=9rIG7Fmu4YEPWIpo
For those that may be in Philadelphia on Feb. 21, Beyond the Notes: "From Bach to the Grateful Dead" will take place in the Charles Library performance space at noon.
Regarding your reluctance to call former military personnel 'soldier' &c., a late friend of mine was always amused by retired military in his neighborhood (in N. VA) who went around addressing one another as Major &c. He would respond by clicking his heels and saying "Sgt. Zuntz at your service!" He was one of the 'Ritchie Boys', but that's a whole 'nother story ; - )
My apologies, but I have make an obvious point concerning one of the questions for GK...
...but one of the most, well, “astounding” results of the Trump legacy is that it could make the likes of RFKjr (or, to pick another obvious example, Nikki Haley) look sane; or they could even actually be seriously discussed as a candidate for the President of the United States.
Hi Garrison: FYI about the letter from Matthew T. Piccaver, the ill doctor. He would be a PhD as medical doctors signify their qualifications by adding M.D. after their names. I was a hospital administrator for much of my career and physicians are very picky about this distinction. Best - john
..and if he had an MD and PhD, both would follow his name separated by a comma.
Your observation, “We used to do a standing, singing intermission at the shows but some people argued that audiences like to have a real intermission,” made me shake my head. They don’t want to do what others are enjoying, but don’t want to miss anything, so stop it?
Those stand-and-sing-and-move-your- limbs intermissions were an extraordinary extra gift from you, and helped managed the length of the ladies room line too.
I wonder if the, “I’m just thinking of others” folks can really be happy with the result: no one gets the experience? It’s like the (magical) early APHC cruises when we would stumble around the ship from one stellar small performance to another, drunk on the cornucopia of talent you had assembled for us. And then, shore excursion devotees demanded there be no performances when they were off the ship ‘cuz it wasn’t “fair” that they missed them. Or Brancusi’s reconstructed studio in Paris where you could sit on the sofa he carved and look through his books and tools and stand amid his columns and Coqs and birds and soar… but that couldn’t accommodate masses of tourists, so now it’s a plexiglass cube you can peek through from a distance. Sigh. If schadenfreude is taking pleasure in other’s misfortune, what’s the word for drawing pain from others’ good fortune?
In any case, I’m glad you’re flourishing again. Your mellowing attitude and ability to let go and move on are inspirational to me. I’ll be listening Thursday, and hope to see you again.
P.s. Seattle in late September can be weather to remember (fondly).
"Not sure what to call those of us that catch as many of your shows as we can — Keillorites?" How about Serial Keillorites?
This sounds sort of cultish, like some of the divisions within the Sanctified Brethren. I've been at this game for so long that I come to regard fans as friends rather than fans. It's mysterious. We seem to have odd things in common. I'm still trying to figure i9t out.
Speaking as a true fan, though sometimes a skeptic, I think you gave us all a benign vision of the heart of rural (pioneering) America at a time when some of the harsh divisions in our land were beginning to fester and hurt us. My word for your humor would be "Chaucerian," because you, like he, viewed people as basically lovable, with fundamentally good motives and very basically human, and humorous, flaws. You're free of visceral anger and ready to embrace the essentially well-meaning attitudes we all have. And if that's what "cheerfulness" means, then cheers!
Agreed, and it describes many religions today, including increasing numbers of fundamentalist frisbees from mainline denominations. The few Brethren I have met, however, communicated freely and openly with me, and somehow I can't regard your parents, as you describe them, as cultists, despite their strongly held beliefs. Just sayin'. Best wishes.
I agree about my parents. They were very relaxed parents. They were a big influence but didn't try to control us. There wasn't much to rebel against us. I wish they had expressed their love of their children more freely but I have the same problem.
Your response to the kind limerick from Rich Borofsky was laugh-out-loud funny. Thank you.
I just got the good news that you are coming to town and I was ecstatic and then saw the date July 13, the date that I had to sell my soul for, in order to book the Up North Cabin. I know it will be a tad inconvenient, but can you please push the whole show back by a couple of weeks so that I can attend? I have my ticket stubs from the 12/18/04 show as well as the 5/21/16, so I am a devoted fan and I am sure you understand the power of the week at the "family cabin". I appreciate your sincere consideration. If this is inconvenient, please know that I will be faithfully waiting for your next appearance, along with that of Sue Scott and the rest of the great PHC.