Every life is in many days, day after day. We walk through ourselves, meeting robbers, ghosts, giants, old men, young men, wives, widows, brothers-in-love, but always meeting ourselves.
brilliant! Thank you for doing this. Let’s go, I’m looking forward to hearing all of them and looking forward to them showing up in full video. I love seeing and hearing together, Live or live recording.
I look for a sign or something to confirm that what I am thinking about or considering doing is right. This morning as I began reading your note I was looking for anything that had to do with poetry. Voila, you ended with a poem. So I include the poem that I have just completed in advance of a marriage tribute this Saturday, north of Toronto in the Muskokas. So often one tends to live in the past, ‘remember when’ or dreaming about the future when all we are actually living is in the here and now. Being in the Moment is often times, elusive.
So
Here you go….to the Bride and Groom on the eve of their wedding
It's always comforting to hear your voice, but why are you speaking so slowly? Did the audio engineer slow it down or was it on purpose? Maybe as I approach 70 I want to hurry things up because - well, who knows how long we have, and I don't want to miss anything. But geez - this is dirge-like speed.
That's not "slow talk" for GK! Maybe you haven't had the good fortune to be in his audience in person. When we went on APHC cruises, once in a while he'd laugh at himself for his "Slow Talk!" We'd just clap and encourage him to Keep On Keeping On!
If you want my take on it, think of a real, physical, ORGAN in a church. What size are the soprano pipes? Tiny, like little babies. What size are the deep Baritone pipes?
"Pipes may vary from 32 feet (10 metres) long to less than 1 inch (2.5 cm), giving the organ a possible range of nine octaves—larger than any other instrument. "
Scaling | organ pipe - Encyclopedia Britannica
I don't know, David, if you've had the pleasure of standing next to Garrison Keillor? One could say "He's a long drink of water!" I'm 5'6" tall, and I come out somewhere below his armpits. And, to continue with the organ pipe simile, if you look at the music that has been written for the organ, versus, say, the piccolo, I doubt if an organist would ever attempt to play , say, "The Dogfight Section" of "The Stars and Stripes Forever" on the organ's lower ranges. Greig's "In The Hall of the Mountain King" is a more practical pace when it comes to delivering air through extended pipes.
My advice to you, David, is to "Enjoy the Music, Just as it Comes!"
Thanks very much for your advice. But I beg to differ - this was much slower than any of the times I've listened to him speak or seen him in person and, so much so, that I feel compelled to say something. I have been listening to Garrison for many, many years. In fact, I think I caught his very first PHC broadcast, which I've always thought was a stroke of extreme luck as I was driving from Florida to Ohio on a Saturday night and trying to find something to listen to that wasn't overly sanctimonious.
Oh, No! Down with the Fast Talk! For one thing, David Kramer might consider a l=ittle thing called "Physics!" David - imagine in your mind, if you can, the last time you were in a church with a genuine pipe organ in it! Which size did the high, squeaky sounds come from>? And How About Those LOW TONES? In Salt Lake City, the Mormon Tabernacle (home of the famed choir!) has an organ with enormous bass pipes! Measure yourself against Garrison Keillor. If you're thinking about a "faster talker" such as yourself, he might have to be two feet shorter to comply with your requirements! Look a a few scores for Johann Sebastian Bach's choral music, and you'll find a whole lot of "whole notes" for the bass cleft. The voice needs to produce for a bit in order to get the proper resonance!
Speaking personally, I'd much rather listen to Our Sonic Host than "Fibber McGee's "Molly" or Jack Benny's "Mary!" But, then again, I'm a female, and I like "Macho Men!" And what could be more Macho than a baritone voice like his!
Make 'em laugh! That's what I did and often still do, but not professionally. I'm glad you're OK and sent this-here Podcast to us with words and sentences and poetry. I'm not bored, GK!
That's just one opinion! I really, really, really LIKE GK & Friends! In the non-substack days, we got to read "The Writer's Almanac" and such, but it wasn't really interactive. With this new form of access, we can end up in extended conversations, meet new friends, and encourage each other in our efforts! Thanks so much for expanding our friendship group! It's almost as good as being on board HAL for APHC Cruises a once again!
I very much enjoy your words, written or spoken. Recently I think the enjoyment has even increased what with the deluge of political noise, and you try to stay away from political topics. When you do mention something, it turns out I agree with you, so that’s okay, too. Thank you for sharing.
So happy for this audio!
Every life is in many days, day after day. We walk through ourselves, meeting robbers, ghosts, giants, old men, young men, wives, widows, brothers-in-love, but always meeting ourselves.
James Joyce, Ulysses
It's a rainy night and I'm celebrating hearing the cadence of your voice again. 🌌🪔📻
I will tell my wife who hears the cadence every day and still laughs when appropriate.
brilliant! Thank you for doing this. Let’s go, I’m looking forward to hearing all of them and looking forward to them showing up in full video. I love seeing and hearing together, Live or live recording.
Thank you!
Lovely, I remember this story and it is wonderful to hear it from Garrison's own lips. Thank you so much!
While Norman Rockwell told a story with a brush and paint, you paint a story with your voice. Quite a gift you give us, many thanks and much obliged.
Dear Garrison
Often times, when I have a hunch or an inkling
I look for a sign or something to confirm that what I am thinking about or considering doing is right. This morning as I began reading your note I was looking for anything that had to do with poetry. Voila, you ended with a poem. So I include the poem that I have just completed in advance of a marriage tribute this Saturday, north of Toronto in the Muskokas. So often one tends to live in the past, ‘remember when’ or dreaming about the future when all we are actually living is in the here and now. Being in the Moment is often times, elusive.
So
Here you go….to the Bride and Groom on the eve of their wedding
In the Moment
Now Now
Tomorrow your lives
Will be different
Tomorrow, there’ll be plenty to say
But please
Remember that
there is No tomorrow
Without today
With These moments
To celebrate, To Be grateful 🥲
Have fun, Let loose
Even play
Tomorrow your love
as commitment
Will be
On the record
With I do’s and we know
Are not only words
Ceremonially stated
But heartfelt, sincere
Eternally rated
Tomorrow is then
But right here
we are
now, now
Here here
Sorry you had a fall, bro. Mine is coming...
It's always comforting to hear your voice, but why are you speaking so slowly? Did the audio engineer slow it down or was it on purpose? Maybe as I approach 70 I want to hurry things up because - well, who knows how long we have, and I don't want to miss anything. But geez - this is dirge-like speed.
Sorry about that. I will try to talk faster. Or maybe I should put out Largo and Allegro versions.
That's not "slow talk" for GK! Maybe you haven't had the good fortune to be in his audience in person. When we went on APHC cruises, once in a while he'd laugh at himself for his "Slow Talk!" We'd just clap and encourage him to Keep On Keeping On!
If you want my take on it, think of a real, physical, ORGAN in a church. What size are the soprano pipes? Tiny, like little babies. What size are the deep Baritone pipes?
"Pipes may vary from 32 feet (10 metres) long to less than 1 inch (2.5 cm), giving the organ a possible range of nine octaves—larger than any other instrument. "
Scaling | organ pipe - Encyclopedia Britannica
I don't know, David, if you've had the pleasure of standing next to Garrison Keillor? One could say "He's a long drink of water!" I'm 5'6" tall, and I come out somewhere below his armpits. And, to continue with the organ pipe simile, if you look at the music that has been written for the organ, versus, say, the piccolo, I doubt if an organist would ever attempt to play , say, "The Dogfight Section" of "The Stars and Stripes Forever" on the organ's lower ranges. Greig's "In The Hall of the Mountain King" is a more practical pace when it comes to delivering air through extended pipes.
My advice to you, David, is to "Enjoy the Music, Just as it Comes!"
Thanks very much for your advice. But I beg to differ - this was much slower than any of the times I've listened to him speak or seen him in person and, so much so, that I feel compelled to say something. I have been listening to Garrison for many, many years. In fact, I think I caught his very first PHC broadcast, which I've always thought was a stroke of extreme luck as I was driving from Florida to Ohio on a Saturday night and trying to find something to listen to that wasn't overly sanctimonious.
Oh, No! Down with the Fast Talk! For one thing, David Kramer might consider a l=ittle thing called "Physics!" David - imagine in your mind, if you can, the last time you were in a church with a genuine pipe organ in it! Which size did the high, squeaky sounds come from>? And How About Those LOW TONES? In Salt Lake City, the Mormon Tabernacle (home of the famed choir!) has an organ with enormous bass pipes! Measure yourself against Garrison Keillor. If you're thinking about a "faster talker" such as yourself, he might have to be two feet shorter to comply with your requirements! Look a a few scores for Johann Sebastian Bach's choral music, and you'll find a whole lot of "whole notes" for the bass cleft. The voice needs to produce for a bit in order to get the proper resonance!
Speaking personally, I'd much rather listen to Our Sonic Host than "Fibber McGee's "Molly" or Jack Benny's "Mary!" But, then again, I'm a female, and I like "Macho Men!" And what could be more Macho than a baritone voice like his!
As a poet myself, I appreciate what you said about poetry vs computers. And I agree! ✍️
Delighted to hear GK's voice again.
This is a lovely essay, but Mr. Keillor delivery falls into the category of “droning”, making it unpleasant to listen to.
Thanks. I'll try to put more feeling in it.
Make 'em laugh! That's what I did and often still do, but not professionally. I'm glad you're OK and sent this-here Podcast to us with words and sentences and poetry. I'm not bored, GK!
I used to love his voice, absolutely adore the sound of his soft cadence
and bright tempo. Perhaps it is I who is too old to listen to this. At 70,
however, I search for the
meaning, the humor, the
delight. Alas, the thrill is gone. And I am saddened. 😢
Oh dear. What can I say.
That's just one opinion! I really, really, really LIKE GK & Friends! In the non-substack days, we got to read "The Writer's Almanac" and such, but it wasn't really interactive. With this new form of access, we can end up in extended conversations, meet new friends, and encourage each other in our efforts! Thanks so much for expanding our friendship group! It's almost as good as being on board HAL for APHC Cruises a once again!
agree....put I prefer the non-substack days....more sincere they were....
I very much enjoy your words, written or spoken. Recently I think the enjoyment has even increased what with the deluge of political noise, and you try to stay away from political topics. When you do mention something, it turns out I agree with you, so that’s okay, too. Thank you for sharing.