I have felt that you were unjustly treated as were others. Let's be honest. It took you a long time to reach the state of tune out that you say you are in today. Old age is not the answer or the excuse. Enough already. Balance and civility do not Just happen by walks in the park. If we pull back too much, there will be nothing to return to, and in your heart of hearts, you recognize that. It is all a bit frightening.
I agree that anger is corrosive. That’s why I urge you to drop your (natural) resentment, which emerges quite frequently on this website. You were screwed, but it’s over and you not only survived but thrived, with people you love who also love you and many others who admire you and will never stop attending your performances or reading your columns or stories. There are more than a few innocent victims who did not have the resilience nor the grit to overcome the power of the media-driven group, which became a latter-day lynch mob. Those victims were completely destroyed by the madding crowd. So for your own well-being, I strongly advise you to stop talking about it and let it die, as the historically stupid, sad moment in time that it was.
All is well on this crystal clear, rosy reddish-imbued sunrisen morning, which means sailors should take warning, we're told. I'm more worried about the hunters who'll be out there hunting deer with their rifles. So, I prefer to keep safe here in my own environs. If you're in NYC, you can walk in your lovely Central Park and worry not. All is well for you! there . Back in Woebegon, I'm not so sure.
I like your comment "Trouble may turn out to be good luck. GK" I found a way to retire a few months on the sunny side of 60- we really couldn't afford it- but it has worked out. I was the head of a small non profit hospital and clinic and I had to get rid of two doctors- both were incurable trouble makers with both the rest of the medical staff and the other employees- but were loved by the public. I decided that although our board of directors who were community small business people were very supportive of me, they needed some cover. So for that reason and for my own sanity I retired. The last 16 or so years since I made that decision have been the happiest years of our lives. Not overly productive or financially rewarding, but we still can pay our bills and travel a bit- and are looking forward to another 51 years of marital bliss.
Hi Garrison! Pay no attention to the beardy-weirdy in front of the urinal. This is the enlightened age of Aquarius, where it's okay to sport long or short ( or no) hair; and beards, mustaches, or smooth as a baby's bottom, without fear of discrimination or ostracizing (ostracism?)....anyway, having to live on the edge of town, as Pete Seeger said. Let's sing a couple choruses of "My Father's Whiskers"..... "They're always in the way, the cows chew them for hay. They hide the dirt on Father's shirt, they're always in the way!" and let it go at that.
Wow, my uncles weren't the only ones to do that! "That" meaning "My father and his friends were active in Anoka back then and liked to tip over privies and once they disassembled a Model T and reassembled it atop the roof of a shed." Although what they did with the privies is worse: they just moved them back a few feet so when the owners stumbled out in the dark....you can fill in the blank here. As for the car I believe it was a wagon that my mother told me her brothers had taken apart and re-assembled on the top of a haystack. She said the owner wasn't that angry because as he said they had to do more work to put it up there than he did to get it down.
Mr. Keillor, in the comment from Carol Flegel, about Haines, Alaska. I just finished a book about that town- written by Heather Lende, she is the small town obituary writer and also some other ariticles. i highly recommend the book, its very interesting, funny, sad at parts, keeps you interested and wanting to go for a 2-3 hour visit. She also has some other books out. This one is called- If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name. I enjoy reading your post. Thank you!
You've done it again. We met briefly after your "first" retirement out on the street in front of the World Theatre. Realizing I would have only the briefest of moments I said "Thank you for opening up so many wonderful musical doors for me". You responded "keep the doors open" and I after becoming familiar with Greg Brown, Iris Dement, Lake Street Dive, Chris Thile, etc. you have now introduced me to Tuba Skinny. Keep it coming! Thanking you once again for holding the door open for me.
I loved hearing about Tuba Skinny. I grew up in New Orleans but never liked the Dixieland music, preferring blues and zydeco. Now at age 70 my musical tastes have evolved to where I can appreciate everything except Rap and macho fake-accent Country. Tuba Skinny really floats my boat and I'm impressed that they all came here by choice!
Yes, Sandra, I think you’ll find a lot of consensus among GK and Friends participants that things are pretty screwed up these days - especially after the havoc that fellow from New York City wreaked while he was in the White House.
Our Respected Host has spoken well in favor of temperance and perspective. To add to that, I’d suggest that you read William Strauss and Neil Howe’s book: “The Fourth Turning: What the Cycles of History Tell…” It looks at American History with respect to the flow of generations – how the events of our grandparents’ and parents’ generations set us up for inappropriate responses in present times.
When I read this book, I hadn’t really noticed that it was published in 2018, halfway through what was already becoming a very worrisome presidency. Perhaps the authors saw the writing on the wall before many of the rest of us did!
If there was a hopeful message in Strauss and Howe’s book, it was that the American public, over time, somehow manages to heal the wounds left by individual “Presidential Misfits.”, We manage to get back on track again as a thriving democracy and leader among the nations of the world. As our Thoughtful Host suggests, we owe it to our national stability, to continue to hope and to seek out rational, reasonable leaders. "This, Too, Shall Pass!"
Though painful, I have been unjustly "kicked to the curb"
in a variety of ways, and know it has lead me to appreciate the new directions I took.
You worked so hard as I wondered to myself, I wonder when he will slow down and take it easier.
So, I saw what happened to you as
what happened to me, as a chance to be less stressed with activity and go in a new direction.
I am very appreciate that you are back and I get to listen to and share your programs. My father used to take me to your shows, and now I share your programs with him in his dotage.
Listening to a hymn that I never thought I would see, I found out that they played that hymn at his mothers' funeral, and he enjoyed
I have felt that you were unjustly treated as were others. Let's be honest. It took you a long time to reach the state of tune out that you say you are in today. Old age is not the answer or the excuse. Enough already. Balance and civility do not Just happen by walks in the park. If we pull back too much, there will be nothing to return to, and in your heart of hearts, you recognize that. It is all a bit frightening.
Anger is corrosive. Besides, I'm in love. And I'm enjoying my work.
I agree that anger is corrosive. That’s why I urge you to drop your (natural) resentment, which emerges quite frequently on this website. You were screwed, but it’s over and you not only survived but thrived, with people you love who also love you and many others who admire you and will never stop attending your performances or reading your columns or stories. There are more than a few innocent victims who did not have the resilience nor the grit to overcome the power of the media-driven group, which became a latter-day lynch mob. Those victims were completely destroyed by the madding crowd. So for your own well-being, I strongly advise you to stop talking about it and let it die, as the historically stupid, sad moment in time that it was.
Advice taken.
Thanks for introducing Tuba Skinny.
All is well on this crystal clear, rosy reddish-imbued sunrisen morning, which means sailors should take warning, we're told. I'm more worried about the hunters who'll be out there hunting deer with their rifles. So, I prefer to keep safe here in my own environs. If you're in NYC, you can walk in your lovely Central Park and worry not. All is well for you! there . Back in Woebegon, I'm not so sure.
I like your comment "Trouble may turn out to be good luck. GK" I found a way to retire a few months on the sunny side of 60- we really couldn't afford it- but it has worked out. I was the head of a small non profit hospital and clinic and I had to get rid of two doctors- both were incurable trouble makers with both the rest of the medical staff and the other employees- but were loved by the public. I decided that although our board of directors who were community small business people were very supportive of me, they needed some cover. So for that reason and for my own sanity I retired. The last 16 or so years since I made that decision have been the happiest years of our lives. Not overly productive or financially rewarding, but we still can pay our bills and travel a bit- and are looking forward to another 51 years of marital bliss.
Very well described, I think. You did a generous thing for your Board.
Sandra Thomasin calls it "complacency." I call it "indifference." Either way, I agree that those who think long walks are the answer will regret it.
I miss your voice so much, and I can’t believe NPR never interviewed you. I’m glad you’re happy and love your columns and books. Thanks!
There was a young man from Boston
Who bought himself a tiny Austin A limerick my mother taught me many years ago
With only room for his ass and a tank of gas Joyce Dukes, Knoxville, TN age 87
He put his balls outside and he lost 'em.
Beautiful.
Hi Garrison! Pay no attention to the beardy-weirdy in front of the urinal. This is the enlightened age of Aquarius, where it's okay to sport long or short ( or no) hair; and beards, mustaches, or smooth as a baby's bottom, without fear of discrimination or ostracizing (ostracism?)....anyway, having to live on the edge of town, as Pete Seeger said. Let's sing a couple choruses of "My Father's Whiskers"..... "They're always in the way, the cows chew them for hay. They hide the dirt on Father's shirt, they're always in the way!" and let it go at that.
Roger "Clean Face" Krenkler Westlake Village, CA
Wow, my uncles weren't the only ones to do that! "That" meaning "My father and his friends were active in Anoka back then and liked to tip over privies and once they disassembled a Model T and reassembled it atop the roof of a shed." Although what they did with the privies is worse: they just moved them back a few feet so when the owners stumbled out in the dark....you can fill in the blank here. As for the car I believe it was a wagon that my mother told me her brothers had taken apart and re-assembled on the top of a haystack. She said the owner wasn't that angry because as he said they had to do more work to put it up there than he did to get it down.
Mr. Keillor, in the comment from Carol Flegel, about Haines, Alaska. I just finished a book about that town- written by Heather Lende, she is the small town obituary writer and also some other ariticles. i highly recommend the book, its very interesting, funny, sad at parts, keeps you interested and wanting to go for a 2-3 hour visit. She also has some other books out. This one is called- If You Lived Here, I'd Know Your Name. I enjoy reading your post. Thank you!
You've done it again. We met briefly after your "first" retirement out on the street in front of the World Theatre. Realizing I would have only the briefest of moments I said "Thank you for opening up so many wonderful musical doors for me". You responded "keep the doors open" and I after becoming familiar with Greg Brown, Iris Dement, Lake Street Dive, Chris Thile, etc. you have now introduced me to Tuba Skinny. Keep it coming! Thanking you once again for holding the door open for me.
Isn't that a great band? I love them. I think they're having a great time on the road.
So good to see you back in media again. Makes my day!
I loved hearing about Tuba Skinny. I grew up in New Orleans but never liked the Dixieland music, preferring blues and zydeco. Now at age 70 my musical tastes have evolved to where I can appreciate everything except Rap and macho fake-accent Country. Tuba Skinny really floats my boat and I'm impressed that they all came here by choice!
Yes, Sandra, I think you’ll find a lot of consensus among GK and Friends participants that things are pretty screwed up these days - especially after the havoc that fellow from New York City wreaked while he was in the White House.
Our Respected Host has spoken well in favor of temperance and perspective. To add to that, I’d suggest that you read William Strauss and Neil Howe’s book: “The Fourth Turning: What the Cycles of History Tell…” It looks at American History with respect to the flow of generations – how the events of our grandparents’ and parents’ generations set us up for inappropriate responses in present times.
When I read this book, I hadn’t really noticed that it was published in 2018, halfway through what was already becoming a very worrisome presidency. Perhaps the authors saw the writing on the wall before many of the rest of us did!
If there was a hopeful message in Strauss and Howe’s book, it was that the American public, over time, somehow manages to heal the wounds left by individual “Presidential Misfits.”, We manage to get back on track again as a thriving democracy and leader among the nations of the world. As our Thoughtful Host suggests, we owe it to our national stability, to continue to hope and to seek out rational, reasonable leaders. "This, Too, Shall Pass!"
Though painful, I have been unjustly "kicked to the curb"
in a variety of ways, and know it has lead me to appreciate the new directions I took.
You worked so hard as I wondered to myself, I wonder when he will slow down and take it easier.
So, I saw what happened to you as
what happened to me, as a chance to be less stressed with activity and go in a new direction.
I am very appreciate that you are back and I get to listen to and share your programs. My father used to take me to your shows, and now I share your programs with him in his dotage.
Listening to a hymn that I never thought I would see, I found out that they played that hymn at his mothers' funeral, and he enjoyed
listening to it.