1996 to 1998, I lived in a small Chicago apartment building. Upon exiting, everyday, a squirrel (with an evident tumor(?) upon his head) sat upon the outdoor-welcome mat.
He/she didn't scurry, as I would walk past, and on my way. He looked up at me, sweetly. Eventually, I carried a pocketful of unsalted walnuts/almonds, from my stash, to gift, daily.
Always thought I was the only one appeasing the cutie-pie. Others talked to me about this squirrel, months later. Turns out we were all enamored by that furry sweetie gracing our front door, and accenting his wild foraging with a variety of nuts.
He/she never brought family/buddies, we were that one squirrel's best friends.
Pam and I attended PHC at the Ryman last week. It was even more than we had hoped, shared in a room full of friends we’d never met and probably don’t agree with about much. Just like heaven will be, I imagine. Anyway I hope so. Thank you to you and the whole team.
“The phone is my favorite medium, and also the postcard.” I’ve been sending Older Daughter a postcard at least once a week for over a decade now, ever since she moved away to college-whether I had anything important to communicate (beyond we love and miss you) or not. The medium was the message. Now she’s in California, we rarely see her. But every Monday morning, I walk to the mailbox with postcard in hand and feel just a little more connected. A while back, she sent me a photo of a little shrine of those cards on her wall and ceiling. So gratifying. As your old Writers Almanac signature suggests, keeping in touch is vital. I hope postcards endure.
Mr. Keillor, I can only think about how Mr. Twain traveled from stage to stage across our fair land and other English-speaking invites to talk of his tales which engaged his listeners.
Here’s what Google has to say about his treks: "After he returned from his trip around the world, a journey he undertook when he failed in business as a publisher, Clemens could barely earn $6,000 a year. I had a talk with him which resulted in a contract to pay 30 cents a word for everything he wrote, whether it was printed or thrown away. No author had ever received more than 10 cents a word on a long contract.
A. Conan Doyle, the Scotch writer and physician, was paid $1 a word within a year or two for a new series of detective stories, but the engagement was short, and a number of publishers were concerned. Mark Twain earns $59,000 a year. Indeed. I think his income in 1907 will reach $70,000.
You do better, methinks, Mr. Keillor…..but what do I know. You bring the good shows to those who would know the stories and hear that Gospel music and ballads that make the toes-tap. You make a little more but overhead is a lot higher, too. And how you manage to do all these shows is another form of Neil Diamond’s “Brother Loves Salvation Show," but even more, I think.
All I know is I’ve been there and, if I still got around well here in St. Paul, I’d visit you again. It’s been years and I’m still mesmerized. Bless you, and stand and deliver those captivating songs and stories.
God has blessed this country and our people have given so much to the world and we ought to be grateful. I take a blood thinner twice a day that has given me twenty years of life that my uncles who had the same heart problem did not enjoy. This fact alone dawns on me every single day. GK
Alles hat ein Ende nur die Wurst hat Zwei!! And I am also told, by my daughter's German boyfriend, that it is also a song in German. Which is probably why it is funnier to the Germans!!
Regarding your use of the f-word in a performance, which you explained in context and I understand (although saying "eff" or "effing" might have sufficed), I am reminded of discussion in an American Lit class in the 1970s. Some of us could not condone Mark Twain's (Huck Finn's) use of the n-word, especially with reference to his black companion, Jim. They could not be convinced that it was essential to the character, a benign racist typical of the time, whose use of the term in context demonstrated extraordinary enlightenment for Twain, an author ahead of his time. Interestingly, it seems context is less of an excuse, as a university chancellor's recent experience indicates. Some folks are picky as hell.
That sounds to me like an attempt to persuade, not to convince. There was nothing objective going on, after all. I suppose I'm merely being picky as h-word.
Note to Thomas Allison: Wasn't there, but I agree that vulgarity is a problem in all public discourse these days. Especially in New York where Mr. Keillor now resides, and whose identity he embraces. I'd say public discourse has coarsened considerably since PHC went off the air, and in that sense it is an echo of yesterday's America. I'd like to think one could find absence of crudity in discourse outside of services of worship, even if Mr. Keillor doesn't think so.
My New York friends know that I'm nowhere near being a New Yorker. I wrote for the magazine NYer back when it eschewed coarse language and everyone who knows me know I do too. I did it at the Ryman for a joke. It was funny.
A friend is having aortic valve surgery and 2 bypasses in February. I found your posts about your heart procedure incredibly positive and inspiring. Are they collected anywhere? How would I locate them?
Medicine has come a long way with heart surgery since the first one in 1952 and now it's as common as shoe repair. Tell your friend to go through cardiac rehab faithfully and do all the exercises.
Just a comment on earworms...I'm sure most people are affected from time to time buut I read an interesting note the other day where earworms and tinnitus are a connected problem in that a song will go on and on when trying to go to sleep at night. The article caught my eye because I am so afflicted, although I do have the ability to change tunes from time to time.
We drove to Nashville from Little Rock. 10th time to see you perform in person. Just Wonderful. If anyone thinks otherwise, WTF? Thinking about July in St Paul. My sole visit to the F Scott was a young talent show. Nothing against the kids but i prefer the good old standard PHC. Keep on keeping on
1996 to 1998, I lived in a small Chicago apartment building. Upon exiting, everyday, a squirrel (with an evident tumor(?) upon his head) sat upon the outdoor-welcome mat.
He/she didn't scurry, as I would walk past, and on my way. He looked up at me, sweetly. Eventually, I carried a pocketful of unsalted walnuts/almonds, from my stash, to gift, daily.
Always thought I was the only one appeasing the cutie-pie. Others talked to me about this squirrel, months later. Turns out we were all enamored by that furry sweetie gracing our front door, and accenting his wild foraging with a variety of nuts.
He/she never brought family/buddies, we were that one squirrel's best friends.
Smart squirrel!
Pam and I attended PHC at the Ryman last week. It was even more than we had hoped, shared in a room full of friends we’d never met and probably don’t agree with about much. Just like heaven will be, I imagine. Anyway I hope so. Thank you to you and the whole team.
“The phone is my favorite medium, and also the postcard.” I’ve been sending Older Daughter a postcard at least once a week for over a decade now, ever since she moved away to college-whether I had anything important to communicate (beyond we love and miss you) or not. The medium was the message. Now she’s in California, we rarely see her. But every Monday morning, I walk to the mailbox with postcard in hand and feel just a little more connected. A while back, she sent me a photo of a little shrine of those cards on her wall and ceiling. So gratifying. As your old Writers Almanac signature suggests, keeping in touch is vital. I hope postcards endure.
You're a good man. Keep on.
Mr. Keillor, I can only think about how Mr. Twain traveled from stage to stage across our fair land and other English-speaking invites to talk of his tales which engaged his listeners.
Here’s what Google has to say about his treks: "After he returned from his trip around the world, a journey he undertook when he failed in business as a publisher, Clemens could barely earn $6,000 a year. I had a talk with him which resulted in a contract to pay 30 cents a word for everything he wrote, whether it was printed or thrown away. No author had ever received more than 10 cents a word on a long contract.
A. Conan Doyle, the Scotch writer and physician, was paid $1 a word within a year or two for a new series of detective stories, but the engagement was short, and a number of publishers were concerned. Mark Twain earns $59,000 a year. Indeed. I think his income in 1907 will reach $70,000.
You do better, methinks, Mr. Keillor…..but what do I know. You bring the good shows to those who would know the stories and hear that Gospel music and ballads that make the toes-tap. You make a little more but overhead is a lot higher, too. And how you manage to do all these shows is another form of Neil Diamond’s “Brother Loves Salvation Show," but even more, I think.
All I know is I’ve been there and, if I still got around well here in St. Paul, I’d visit you again. It’s been years and I’m still mesmerized. Bless you, and stand and deliver those captivating songs and stories.
Tom King
Thank you for the recent livestream at the Ryman theater. It was a wonderful gift.
My sentiments exactly.
Thanks.
Have you seen Garrison in person?
He was always so generous with how long his shows ran even in extreme heat.
God has blessed this country and our people have given so much to the world and we ought to be grateful. I take a blood thinner twice a day that has given me twenty years of life that my uncles who had the same heart problem did not enjoy. This fact alone dawns on me every single day. GK
Amen.
Even one moment of gratitude each day can be very powerful.
You know I agree, Geoff. I know I have so much to be thankful for and I feel it every day.
Aside from the choice of communicators, that was a great Blue Grass clip!
Thanks
Dickey Betts and Vassar Clements.
What nicer surprise can there be on a snowbound Monday morning in southern Vermont, I ask you?
Alles hat ein Ende nur die Wurst hat Zwei!! And I am also told, by my daughter's German boyfriend, that it is also a song in German. Which is probably why it is funnier to the Germans!!
Regarding your use of the f-word in a performance, which you explained in context and I understand (although saying "eff" or "effing" might have sufficed), I am reminded of discussion in an American Lit class in the 1970s. Some of us could not condone Mark Twain's (Huck Finn's) use of the n-word, especially with reference to his black companion, Jim. They could not be convinced that it was essential to the character, a benign racist typical of the time, whose use of the term in context demonstrated extraordinary enlightenment for Twain, an author ahead of his time. Interestingly, it seems context is less of an excuse, as a university chancellor's recent experience indicates. Some folks are picky as hell.
That sounds to me like an attempt to persuade, not to convince. There was nothing objective going on, after all. I suppose I'm merely being picky as h-word.
The Germans are laughing so hard at the unfinished joke because they know what the verb is going to be.
Note to Thomas Allison: Wasn't there, but I agree that vulgarity is a problem in all public discourse these days. Especially in New York where Mr. Keillor now resides, and whose identity he embraces. I'd say public discourse has coarsened considerably since PHC went off the air, and in that sense it is an echo of yesterday's America. I'd like to think one could find absence of crudity in discourse outside of services of worship, even if Mr. Keillor doesn't think so.
Mr Bradford, I respect your opinions and point of view, and for me, I see word usage disagreements as a Titanic deck chair.
My New York friends know that I'm nowhere near being a New Yorker. I wrote for the magazine NYer back when it eschewed coarse language and everyone who knows me know I do too. I did it at the Ryman for a joke. It was funny.
A friend is having aortic valve surgery and 2 bypasses in February. I found your posts about your heart procedure incredibly positive and inspiring. Are they collected anywhere? How would I locate them?
Medicine has come a long way with heart surgery since the first one in 1952 and now it's as common as shoe repair. Tell your friend to go through cardiac rehab faithfully and do all the exercises.
Whatever Garrison wants to share is fine with me. Like his wife, I would drive with a foul mouth and some anger. I was actually
controlled and aware that I could be killed
because of others bad driving.
If that doesn't make you swear, then nothing will.
I have toned it way down though as some people will pull a gun on you. I do not gesture at people or get nuts when others are in the car.
Signed,
Another Christian woman who swears at times. So what?
Lisa
Just a comment on earworms...I'm sure most people are affected from time to time buut I read an interesting note the other day where earworms and tinnitus are a connected problem in that a song will go on and on when trying to go to sleep at night. The article caught my eye because I am so afflicted, although I do have the ability to change tunes from time to time.
We drove to Nashville from Little Rock. 10th time to see you perform in person. Just Wonderful. If anyone thinks otherwise, WTF? Thinking about July in St Paul. My sole visit to the F Scott was a young talent show. Nothing against the kids but i prefer the good old standard PHC. Keep on keeping on
Two shows at the Fitz sold out so we're adding a Sunday matinee.
But beware of scalpers who are very clever, work from a website that looks like ours, and charges $700/seat.