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Ted Kettler's avatar

When I was a kid I wanted to be a baseball player. I practiced really hard, but I never made the high school team and I was horrible in the intramural league. The only records I would shatter would be the number of times I struck out or pitched a pretty imperfect game.

Then when in my teens, my musical abilities came to be and I thought it would be great to be a full-time musician, become a rock star and make millions. For me it was about the money and the travel, who cares about fame? Fame doesn't pay the bills or put toys in the garage. I've written hundreds of songs and released my own CD 9 years ago, it went nowhere. Then I soon realized that the market was flooded with a gigs-a-million other nincompoops who had the same big hair brained idea, and once again I learned I was not nearly as good as some of the other guys and gals. I needed to be gooder. And even now at 63, I'm waiting for gooder to arrive but I fear the rock star tour bus has long departed.

As a young artist, I realized that I enjoyed the daily comics so much that I wanted to make a living doing it. I created cartoon after cartoon, created 4 different cartoon strips, shopped them to all the syndicate's. I got call backs, I got requests for more artwork...... I got told there are thousands upon thousands of other cartoonists trying to do the same thing and we're going to go with this guy who did a cartoon strip about a cat, dog and squirrel that share an apartment in Miami. Your strip isn't quite that unique. Ugh.

Then one day I realized I had a penchant for writing and more importantly, I liked doing it. Crafting witty stories and brilliant dialog that would make the likes of my literary hero Douglas Adams proud. Not to worry Mr. Keillor, you are running a very close second. I crafted 4 screenplays that went nowhere, I've written one book that has yet to be published, I've started 4 others and am currently working on another. Am I doing this for my own amusement, I wonder?

During all this silliness I also started a podcast about motorcycles and I make no money doing it but I do it because it is fun and I've been told enough times that I have a great voice and face for radio. The podcast is approaching its 7th year and has over 300 shows and it sits in good company of thousands of other Don Imus and Howard Stern wannabe's. Is my show as good as those others, not really, but who cares. My show is different and it entertains and that's all my thousand-ish fans want. But I am the only podcast that has a listener in the South Sandwich Islands. Be unique.... I think I can check that off and while I'm at it. Take that Joe Rogan.

So instead of being successful in a career that I would have loved or liked, I have opted instead to get into a field that I have grown to loath, like dry socks that suddenly become wet when your dog slobbers on the floor or when you pay a bill only to realize you've already paid it and now you bank account is smaller than it should be. Plodding along in a career that one hates for over 30 years to pay the bills was the accompanying scenario to: "Oh so you're a musician/writer/artist/baseball player.... what's your backup plan?"

The backup plan.

So, like you, I continue to be unique in what I do, whatever it is. Be different, if not for fame or money, be different so that your family and friends are justified in their "Oh, that explains it" comment. As I explain to my bride, I will not be able to retire since the cost of living has kept an even pace with my salary and I should be working up to lunchtime on the day of my funeral, where I will not be buried in a fine suit but rather set ablaze in my best ratty old jeans and Harley-Davidson t-shirt.

Go forth and dance your soft shoe, you're allowed.

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Sue Leaf's avatar

Mr. Keillor-- I recently wrote you, defending the elegant pasttime of birdwatching, but now I write to let you know how your reference to Lyle Bradley made me smile. His name is still on my bulletin board as someone to contact and interview regarding T. S. Roberts. Bradley had Roberts for Ornithology at the U of M. I never got around to interviewing him. Perhaps I was given the name too late, and. the book had already gone to press. But Mr. Bradley had a first-class bird education from Roberts and I am sure he was a legendary teacher. Lucky you, I'm quite envious-- though when I think about it now, my ecology professor from Gustavus was also a Roberts student. The man's reach was long. That's all! Sue Leaf

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