Garrison, you keep mentioning your 80th birthday with some misgivings. I agree with you. I was 80 once, twelve years ago. It's a terrible age. I'm so glad I'm not 80 anymore.
Would you please help me complete this sentence: "He/She had a humor so dry it ..."
Thank you, and Happy Birthday to us this past Sunday. I too spent the morning on the deck, did some things, and spent the evening on the deck, reflecting on how fortunate I am to start another trip around the sun.
Didn't know Erica Rhodes was your niece, always enjoyed her performances on the show. Happy birthday! What will your next milestone-decade book be called, after serenity at 70 and gaiety at 80? Benignity at 90 might work.
We didn't make it to see you at the Ryman again in July, but did thoroughly enjoy Vince Gill's show there last Thursday. You'd have liked it. His paean to old Brown's Diner* was a highlight for us, that's where my groomsmen and I toasted my last evening of singularity before our wedding in '93. There really aren't many places like that left, and it really is one of the dispensations of age to recall happy times in good places.
Best of luck with your heart procedure. Keep on ticking, sir.
Thank you for sharing your beautiful heart, mind and soul with us over the years. We listened happily to your shows beginning in the 70's, and have so enjoyed your Writer's Almanac and wonderful books. We had the pleasure of seeing you live in Steamboat Springs, Colorado years ago, and recently in Denver. Your wisdom, kindness and common sense have always been appreciated, and much more so these days. Your insight into human nature, your imagination as a storyteller, and your kind, true humor - never mean or crass - have so enriched my life and my family's.
I grew up in the Midwest with Norwegian relatives from Bergen, Norway, and it certainly felt like Lake Wobegon there. I greatly enjoyed reading Boom Town to catch up on the news from that dear town. I loved my home town, but have also moved away. I still explain my political views with excerpts from "Homegrown Democrat", which so eloquently explained the heart of a kind, common sense Democrat. I think there are kind, common sense Homegrown Republicans out there, but extremism (some on both sides, but weighted heavily to the right) seems to be drowning out so much kindness, common sense and just common agreement on what is true - and truly important. You are amazing in your rational replies to the most irrational posts. I do worry about the future for my grandchildren, but it's also my grandchildren who give me hope that the younger generation will find that kind, common sense path to making things better in this beautiful, awesome world.
I've given your "Good Poems" and "Good Poems for Hard Times" as gifts to many family and friends, and find it's comforting to read from them most evenings. Thanks for instilling a love of poetry!
This is my first time writing and finally telling you thank you for all you've given us over the years. You've brought so much joy, kindness, beautiful music, wisdom and love into the world, and made it a better, more lovely world.
Dear Mr. Keillor, well I goofed! I wrote my last comment on (I'm very old, as God knows, and he's watching) there, that day! Now I see people to day 'Monday,' are commenting on that post. I thought that day, there would be a new one today to comment on? What ever I wrote on that Friday means squat today! By the time I finished reading all the comments on Friday, that was when I read about this new thing your offering for snappy posts, so now I'll wait not holding my breath because I need all the '02' I can get! I'm thrilled for you, you spent a lovely Birthday over the weekend with your family, I envy you that. And I envy all the people here who have seen your shows or plan on going to one. I'm afraid none are in my 'distance range.' I think it would be a real joy to run into you at a restaurant, and brave soul that I am, I would stop and I wouldn't care if you did talk with your mouth full... I like to imagine you in Paris with Hemingway and his pals discussing that time in Paris, all of you struggling with your writing or bragging raising your glasses doing your best to best the rest! I'd like to be that single woman sitting within ear shot, who knows I might have gotten a wink or two? I will add both my ears would have been cocked! I am not an ease dropper, I would have wanted to learn! I admire all those guys, most of all Hemingway, I never get enough of Hemingway. The only other writer in my life time (besides YOU of course) was a foul beast of a man, but gad, What a Writer - Charles Bukowski! You my fine feathered friend are a breed all your own, oh how I admire that! To stand or sit with best of the best, to imagine your self going toe to toe with such, well I envy any and all here who get that opportunity, I will until my last breath wish I'd had that knowing full well my flapping jaw would be doing its best to get a word in edgewise, questions sir, I'm always over loaded with questions.....
Garrison, may your birthday be a happy one. My last one was, and I'm 93. When my kids were growing up we'd listen to the Prairie Home Companion on the way home from church, which was not supposed to be called a church, it was an "assembly" and I, because I was female, was not alowed to preach which is why I joined the Episcopal church where women can do what they like and exercise their gifts, spiritual and otherwise. I love the collection Good Poems and wish you'd do another like it.
A week late keystroking this wish for all the best with your mitral valve replacement. The announcement was especially poignant for me, since I've known for 40+ years that you and I were both born in 1942, although you beat me by roughly five months. Have attended almost all of your live performances in Seattle and its environs since you first set foot here.
But the coincidence goes beyond that, because I've just learned that I, too, will likely get the same mitral valve procedure sometime in the next few months. Regardless of the coincidence, I vow not to forward any photos of my scars. All the best, and many blessings.
re: the question, whether to approach a celebrity when you come across them in a public space? This situation would come up for all of us living in the Los Angeles area at one time or another. Once I was at the baggage belt when I saw Alfred Hitchcock picking up two tiny white miniature poodles. It seemed as if he had had a traumatic flight by having to endure their absence. I briefly weighed the pros and cons of "recognition." For one thing, I had mixed feelings about Htchcock's approach to "Thrillers." Sometimes it seemed as if it were his "ego trip" and that he was going too far in trying to induce "FRIGHT!". For another, his body language toward those two dogs was so full of adoration, as if he might not have survived if something had happened to his darlings, that I'd only be interrupting a "critical moment" in his private life by "recognizing" him..
Quite the other thing happened to me on a different flight. We were embarking for a flight from LA to New York Kennedy Airport. At the end of the waiting line, there stood Peter Falk. Now, I was a HUGE Columbo fan at the time! I went up to him like a puppy dog wagging it's tail, ready to gush over with enthusiasm for the role he plays as a laid back cop. When I got closer, though, I noticed that one of his eyes was as bloodshot as a raw steak! It turned out that he was flying to New York so a specialist could treat his eye. One thing that most of us, "We The People" - his fans, didn't realize, is that all the time we were watching him on TV, his squint inclluded one glass eye. It was his actual, "God-Given Eye" that was infected - the cause for his frantic flight.
It was one of those moments in time! Just to be recognized, just to be speaking with someone who saw him as an "EXTRA-Ordinary member of the flying public, gave him a very needed psychological pick-up! It took his mind off of the frightening reality that very soon he could become completely blind - without an occupation - heading into a much more restricted lifestyle in which "Lieutenant Columbo" would be only a distant memory. As it was, the operation was successful and he continued with his career - thankful for the ability of gifted surgeons. As I recall, Peter Falk returned to his pseudo-sloppy gumshoe role and continued being the most wanted "Cop" in Screenland for a decade or more!
Speaking of "God-Given" - it seems to me you, our Gracious Host, have a God-Given voice in our Political Jungle out there. If I were you, I wouldn't worry a bit about this upcoming operation! It seems to me that Your Voice is so important these days, God has already guaranteed a successful operation for you! Thumbs Up!
Good Monday afternoon and belated Happy Birthday from the Brozowski family in Texas.
I remember well those early morning shows on KSJR…as a youngster I enjoyed listening as I got ready for school. Too bad the tapes disintegrated!
Garrison, you keep mentioning your 80th birthday with some misgivings. I agree with you. I was 80 once, twelve years ago. It's a terrible age. I'm so glad I'm not 80 anymore.
Gene Newman
Dear Garrison,
Would you please help me complete this sentence: "He/She had a humor so dry it ..."
Thank you, and Happy Birthday to us this past Sunday. I too spent the morning on the deck, did some things, and spent the evening on the deck, reflecting on how fortunate I am to start another trip around the sun.
Lisa
Didn't know Erica Rhodes was your niece, always enjoyed her performances on the show. Happy birthday! What will your next milestone-decade book be called, after serenity at 70 and gaiety at 80? Benignity at 90 might work.
We didn't make it to see you at the Ryman again in July, but did thoroughly enjoy Vince Gill's show there last Thursday. You'd have liked it. His paean to old Brown's Diner* was a highlight for us, that's where my groomsmen and I toasted my last evening of singularity before our wedding in '93. There really aren't many places like that left, and it really is one of the dispensations of age to recall happy times in good places.
Best of luck with your heart procedure. Keep on ticking, sir.
* https://twitter.com/OSOPHER/status/1555652524824313856?s=20&t=7PTUEwaD_HuvXDhshhenjg
Happy belated birthday, dear Garrison!
Thank you for sharing your beautiful heart, mind and soul with us over the years. We listened happily to your shows beginning in the 70's, and have so enjoyed your Writer's Almanac and wonderful books. We had the pleasure of seeing you live in Steamboat Springs, Colorado years ago, and recently in Denver. Your wisdom, kindness and common sense have always been appreciated, and much more so these days. Your insight into human nature, your imagination as a storyteller, and your kind, true humor - never mean or crass - have so enriched my life and my family's.
I grew up in the Midwest with Norwegian relatives from Bergen, Norway, and it certainly felt like Lake Wobegon there. I greatly enjoyed reading Boom Town to catch up on the news from that dear town. I loved my home town, but have also moved away. I still explain my political views with excerpts from "Homegrown Democrat", which so eloquently explained the heart of a kind, common sense Democrat. I think there are kind, common sense Homegrown Republicans out there, but extremism (some on both sides, but weighted heavily to the right) seems to be drowning out so much kindness, common sense and just common agreement on what is true - and truly important. You are amazing in your rational replies to the most irrational posts. I do worry about the future for my grandchildren, but it's also my grandchildren who give me hope that the younger generation will find that kind, common sense path to making things better in this beautiful, awesome world.
I've given your "Good Poems" and "Good Poems for Hard Times" as gifts to many family and friends, and find it's comforting to read from them most evenings. Thanks for instilling a love of poetry!
This is my first time writing and finally telling you thank you for all you've given us over the years. You've brought so much joy, kindness, beautiful music, wisdom and love into the world, and made it a better, more lovely world.
Warmly with deep thanks,
Janet Johnson
Dear Mr. Keillor, well I goofed! I wrote my last comment on (I'm very old, as God knows, and he's watching) there, that day! Now I see people to day 'Monday,' are commenting on that post. I thought that day, there would be a new one today to comment on? What ever I wrote on that Friday means squat today! By the time I finished reading all the comments on Friday, that was when I read about this new thing your offering for snappy posts, so now I'll wait not holding my breath because I need all the '02' I can get! I'm thrilled for you, you spent a lovely Birthday over the weekend with your family, I envy you that. And I envy all the people here who have seen your shows or plan on going to one. I'm afraid none are in my 'distance range.' I think it would be a real joy to run into you at a restaurant, and brave soul that I am, I would stop and I wouldn't care if you did talk with your mouth full... I like to imagine you in Paris with Hemingway and his pals discussing that time in Paris, all of you struggling with your writing or bragging raising your glasses doing your best to best the rest! I'd like to be that single woman sitting within ear shot, who knows I might have gotten a wink or two? I will add both my ears would have been cocked! I am not an ease dropper, I would have wanted to learn! I admire all those guys, most of all Hemingway, I never get enough of Hemingway. The only other writer in my life time (besides YOU of course) was a foul beast of a man, but gad, What a Writer - Charles Bukowski! You my fine feathered friend are a breed all your own, oh how I admire that! To stand or sit with best of the best, to imagine your self going toe to toe with such, well I envy any and all here who get that opportunity, I will until my last breath wish I'd had that knowing full well my flapping jaw would be doing its best to get a word in edgewise, questions sir, I'm always over loaded with questions.....
Garrison, may your birthday be a happy one. My last one was, and I'm 93. When my kids were growing up we'd listen to the Prairie Home Companion on the way home from church, which was not supposed to be called a church, it was an "assembly" and I, because I was female, was not alowed to preach which is why I joined the Episcopal church where women can do what they like and exercise their gifts, spiritual and otherwise. I love the collection Good Poems and wish you'd do another like it.
Thanks again, Garrison. You always make my day a little brighter. An 80 year old in Marietta, GA.
A week late keystroking this wish for all the best with your mitral valve replacement. The announcement was especially poignant for me, since I've known for 40+ years that you and I were both born in 1942, although you beat me by roughly five months. Have attended almost all of your live performances in Seattle and its environs since you first set foot here.
But the coincidence goes beyond that, because I've just learned that I, too, will likely get the same mitral valve procedure sometime in the next few months. Regardless of the coincidence, I vow not to forward any photos of my scars. All the best, and many blessings.
Dave Baylor
Seattle
re: the question, whether to approach a celebrity when you come across them in a public space? This situation would come up for all of us living in the Los Angeles area at one time or another. Once I was at the baggage belt when I saw Alfred Hitchcock picking up two tiny white miniature poodles. It seemed as if he had had a traumatic flight by having to endure their absence. I briefly weighed the pros and cons of "recognition." For one thing, I had mixed feelings about Htchcock's approach to "Thrillers." Sometimes it seemed as if it were his "ego trip" and that he was going too far in trying to induce "FRIGHT!". For another, his body language toward those two dogs was so full of adoration, as if he might not have survived if something had happened to his darlings, that I'd only be interrupting a "critical moment" in his private life by "recognizing" him..
Quite the other thing happened to me on a different flight. We were embarking for a flight from LA to New York Kennedy Airport. At the end of the waiting line, there stood Peter Falk. Now, I was a HUGE Columbo fan at the time! I went up to him like a puppy dog wagging it's tail, ready to gush over with enthusiasm for the role he plays as a laid back cop. When I got closer, though, I noticed that one of his eyes was as bloodshot as a raw steak! It turned out that he was flying to New York so a specialist could treat his eye. One thing that most of us, "We The People" - his fans, didn't realize, is that all the time we were watching him on TV, his squint inclluded one glass eye. It was his actual, "God-Given Eye" that was infected - the cause for his frantic flight.
It was one of those moments in time! Just to be recognized, just to be speaking with someone who saw him as an "EXTRA-Ordinary member of the flying public, gave him a very needed psychological pick-up! It took his mind off of the frightening reality that very soon he could become completely blind - without an occupation - heading into a much more restricted lifestyle in which "Lieutenant Columbo" would be only a distant memory. As it was, the operation was successful and he continued with his career - thankful for the ability of gifted surgeons. As I recall, Peter Falk returned to his pseudo-sloppy gumshoe role and continued being the most wanted "Cop" in Screenland for a decade or more!
Speaking of "God-Given" - it seems to me you, our Gracious Host, have a God-Given voice in our Political Jungle out there. If I were you, I wouldn't worry a bit about this upcoming operation! It seems to me that Your Voice is so important these days, God has already guaranteed a successful operation for you! Thumbs Up!