I have only visited NYC once and it planted a desire for more visits which i must attend to. So happy you love your new home and can share it with us. I enjoy your posts. You've been in our lives for over 35 years. Thank you!
As a long time twin cities-dweller … I love reading about your experiences as a New Yorker because I know you have great fondness for St Paul, for MN, for the very *participatory* nature of the four seasons here in the upper Midwest. And I see the glorious relief that would come from living in a ‘walking city’ where I no longer had to worry about the snow plow coming by 10 min after we had banged a way through our driveway to the street in order to get us out of the house and children to the school. No longer worrying at night about opposite side parking on streets narrowed to a single lane of driving and a single lane of ice-caked snow. Waking at 4a to pray the car starts at 10 below and then driving around for an hour to find a spot open near Grand Ave on the ‘correct side of opposite’ … whatever that might mean- I’ve always thought it would be a great book title. 😉
I am so happy and thrilled you are cozy with your beloveds, a kind doorman and some hot and delicious pad thai !!!
Seems like if Felipe was really any kind of well-equipped NYC doorman, he would have had a special broken hearing aid extraction tool. He even could have had one by bike courier in less than 30 minutes. Save the Doctor money for more crispy calamari and drunk noodles!
That reminds me the time in Bangkok when the city authorities decided to trial installing a pedestrian crossing with traffic lights so people could cross the road despite the crazy traffic.
The first morning they activated the traffic lights a German couple pushed the button, stepped onto the crossing - and were squashed flat by a truck.
The driver claimed he never saw them and besides, why would pedestrians be on a road?
So the authorities resumed building pedestrian overpasses. Much safer.
I want from you two photos from the past: One showing you mowing the lawn, any lawn, the other showing you shoveling snow, any snow. Your description of NYC traffic hazards was hilarious.
You have a PhD and so I hope you may be able to help me with this. Why do some medical doctors have such a strong desire (if that is what it is?) that others know their profession that they attach it to their name in all contexts? Thank you for your thoughts.
I am glad you are comfortable living in NYC. Its not for me, I lived for almost two decades in a city of more millions than anyone could count. Had enough and moved back closer to home. Now I live in the extreme outer suburbs of Park Rapids, MN, anxiously hoping for the opportunity to shovel snow, go ice fishing and ride my snowmobile…things denied us by El Niño and other unseen forces in the winter of 2023-4. Although forecasters say we can expect a wetter, colder winter this year, this part of the state remains locked in an extreme drought. The child in me wants to believe that the big snow is just days away, but then I also had hopes for a better election outcome.
Garrison, I’ve resubscribed as you can see after I had unsubscribed a couple or more times in a tiff or two during all the recent unpleasantness. We may or may not see you in Tucson or Irvine next month, but if we don’t, it won’t be because I’m ticked off at you like I was last month. If we don’t make it to either of your shows, it’ll be because my work has gotten awfully heavy for January all of a sudden, but we will gift our seats to some soon to be happy fans if we can’t use them. I have a question that I hope you will answer. You’ve lived an amazing American life. So who would you like to have write your definitive biography one of these days after you’ve gone on to your reward, but none too soon, I hasten to hope? You could even choose to name an author who is already dead, if you like. Who?
As it turns out, my work this week just pushed out the plans we'd made to travel to Tucson or, even, to Irvine, each one a five-hour drive and an overnight stay for us . . . which we were very much looking forward to until we weren't and then we were again. It's just been that kind of year. I'll gift our tickets to some appreciative fans. Maybe another time, maybe not. But please do take care. You've lived an eventful life, Mr. Keillor, to say the least, and you have your regrets, as do we all. But mostly, you brought love and joy to millions of people. That's a good legacy even if you stopped right now, which you're not doing, so more power to ya! Vaya con Dios, mi amigo. I mean that from my heart.
I'm much more frightened of the privileged white eCitibike riders than the delivery guys. They think they own the streets, and in some instances, the sidewalks. Red lights don't even slow them down, and they curse at pedestrians that have the audacity to get in there way.
heh heh. I remember staying with my oldest daughter in NYC in 1998. By the time I left, I had learned the WHITE WALKING MAN sign on the street corner really meant "RUN."
The universe is healing! A complete (and typically excellent) column without a single sneering reference to the incoming President of the United States, who was democratically elected by the American people.
Like Richard Nixon only much, much worse. A stain on our history, that so many Americans (though not a majority) would vote for a felon, a fraud, a liar, an election denier, a racist, a rapist, an insurrectionist who is about to pardon thugs who desecrated the U.S. Capitol. Trump voters blissfully, cynically, sickeningly turned a blind eye when he accused a vulnerable population of eating our dogs and cats, and they are doing the same now as he nominates a funhouse of unqualified sycophants to his cabinet. It's a disgrace that he was elected, and we will all regret it. Don't kid yourself--the "universe" could never "heal" as long as Trump is a factor in American life. He is and he deservedly will remain the most hated U.S. president. His core strategy has been to bitterly divide us, and now he (and we) will have to reap what he has sown.
My computer refuses to allow the "Like" or the "heart" to tell another person of my praise for their post. Apparently I have a very cold-hearted computer, and I don't like that. However, I am at its mercy in this regard and so, I am here using words to say that I "like" your post, although its subject is not at all likable; in fact, he is more than un-likeable, he is nauseating.
You’ve made my morning, Garrison. I love New York and the picture of the subway brought back many wonderful memories. Soon come!
I have only visited NYC once and it planted a desire for more visits which i must attend to. So happy you love your new home and can share it with us. I enjoy your posts. You've been in our lives for over 35 years. Thank you!
As a long time twin cities-dweller … I love reading about your experiences as a New Yorker because I know you have great fondness for St Paul, for MN, for the very *participatory* nature of the four seasons here in the upper Midwest. And I see the glorious relief that would come from living in a ‘walking city’ where I no longer had to worry about the snow plow coming by 10 min after we had banged a way through our driveway to the street in order to get us out of the house and children to the school. No longer worrying at night about opposite side parking on streets narrowed to a single lane of driving and a single lane of ice-caked snow. Waking at 4a to pray the car starts at 10 below and then driving around for an hour to find a spot open near Grand Ave on the ‘correct side of opposite’ … whatever that might mean- I’ve always thought it would be a great book title. 😉
I am so happy and thrilled you are cozy with your beloveds, a kind doorman and some hot and delicious pad thai !!!
☮️🎵🍜
Seems like if Felipe was really any kind of well-equipped NYC doorman, he would have had a special broken hearing aid extraction tool. He even could have had one by bike courier in less than 30 minutes. Save the Doctor money for more crispy calamari and drunk noodles!
That reminds me the time in Bangkok when the city authorities decided to trial installing a pedestrian crossing with traffic lights so people could cross the road despite the crazy traffic.
The first morning they activated the traffic lights a German couple pushed the button, stepped onto the crossing - and were squashed flat by a truck.
The driver claimed he never saw them and besides, why would pedestrians be on a road?
So the authorities resumed building pedestrian overpasses. Much safer.
"Like" doesn't capture it. Love, love, love it!
Writing at its best:
1. The author vanishes from the page.
2. The author moves and breathes on the page before my very eyes.
Both are miracles. Thank you for performing one of them this morning.
I want from you two photos from the past: One showing you mowing the lawn, any lawn, the other showing you shoveling snow, any snow. Your description of NYC traffic hazards was hilarious.
You have a PhD and so I hope you may be able to help me with this. Why do some medical doctors have such a strong desire (if that is what it is?) that others know their profession that they attach it to their name in all contexts? Thank you for your thoughts.
Ahhhh. That’s better. Back to gratitude! Thank you.
I am glad you are comfortable living in NYC. Its not for me, I lived for almost two decades in a city of more millions than anyone could count. Had enough and moved back closer to home. Now I live in the extreme outer suburbs of Park Rapids, MN, anxiously hoping for the opportunity to shovel snow, go ice fishing and ride my snowmobile…things denied us by El Niño and other unseen forces in the winter of 2023-4. Although forecasters say we can expect a wetter, colder winter this year, this part of the state remains locked in an extreme drought. The child in me wants to believe that the big snow is just days away, but then I also had hopes for a better election outcome.
Garrison, I’ve resubscribed as you can see after I had unsubscribed a couple or more times in a tiff or two during all the recent unpleasantness. We may or may not see you in Tucson or Irvine next month, but if we don’t, it won’t be because I’m ticked off at you like I was last month. If we don’t make it to either of your shows, it’ll be because my work has gotten awfully heavy for January all of a sudden, but we will gift our seats to some soon to be happy fans if we can’t use them. I have a question that I hope you will answer. You’ve lived an amazing American life. So who would you like to have write your definitive biography one of these days after you’ve gone on to your reward, but none too soon, I hasten to hope? You could even choose to name an author who is already dead, if you like. Who?
As it turns out, my work this week just pushed out the plans we'd made to travel to Tucson or, even, to Irvine, each one a five-hour drive and an overnight stay for us . . . which we were very much looking forward to until we weren't and then we were again. It's just been that kind of year. I'll gift our tickets to some appreciative fans. Maybe another time, maybe not. But please do take care. You've lived an eventful life, Mr. Keillor, to say the least, and you have your regrets, as do we all. But mostly, you brought love and joy to millions of people. That's a good legacy even if you stopped right now, which you're not doing, so more power to ya! Vaya con Dios, mi amigo. I mean that from my heart.
I'm much more frightened of the privileged white eCitibike riders than the delivery guys. They think they own the streets, and in some instances, the sidewalks. Red lights don't even slow them down, and they curse at pedestrians that have the audacity to get in there way.
heh heh. I remember staying with my oldest daughter in NYC in 1998. By the time I left, I had learned the WHITE WALKING MAN sign on the street corner really meant "RUN."
The universe is healing! A complete (and typically excellent) column without a single sneering reference to the incoming President of the United States, who was democratically elected by the American people.
Like Richard Nixon only much, much worse. A stain on our history, that so many Americans (though not a majority) would vote for a felon, a fraud, a liar, an election denier, a racist, a rapist, an insurrectionist who is about to pardon thugs who desecrated the U.S. Capitol. Trump voters blissfully, cynically, sickeningly turned a blind eye when he accused a vulnerable population of eating our dogs and cats, and they are doing the same now as he nominates a funhouse of unqualified sycophants to his cabinet. It's a disgrace that he was elected, and we will all regret it. Don't kid yourself--the "universe" could never "heal" as long as Trump is a factor in American life. He is and he deservedly will remain the most hated U.S. president. His core strategy has been to bitterly divide us, and now he (and we) will have to reap what he has sown.
"Wow, just wow," he said, as he mopped the flecks of vituperative spittle spewn on his face, "I guess not much healing of the universe here."
You seem to be confusing what I said in reply to your comment to what you've apparently helped do to the country. Healing cannot happen with Trump.
My computer refuses to allow the "Like" or the "heart" to tell another person of my praise for their post. Apparently I have a very cold-hearted computer, and I don't like that. However, I am at its mercy in this regard and so, I am here using words to say that I "like" your post, although its subject is not at all likable; in fact, he is more than un-likeable, he is nauseating.
Thank you
Wonderful writing here! “Stickups”!!! Such an evocative word so sadly long gone.