Original anecdotes, commentary, rumination, and occasional pontification.
NOVEMBER 27, 2022 – (Cont.) Although “Big Water” Grindstone Lake warrants a “noticeable blue dot” on a modest map of the United States, its configuration (basically oval, but in detail it’s like a Pilgrim’s shoe in profile) is such that you can’t get lost on it—at least for long. If you find your way into …
NOVEMBER 24, 2022 – Turkey Day has always been my favorite holiday of the year. As a kid, I savored the story of the Pilgrims and Wampanoags sitting down at a bunch of picnic tables against a backdrop of fall foliage and breaking acorn-squash-bread together in peace and amity. At the center of the whole …
NOVEMBER 14, 2022 – We’ve long been graced with Miracle Whip—for 90 years, to be exact, since the cheaper alternative to mayonnaise made its debut at the Century of Progress World’s Fair in Chicago in 1933. When I was a kid, Miracle Whip was a staple in our pantry. A coordinate miracle, I discovered, was …
NOVEMBER 10, 2022 – (Cont.) According to a story my dad later told, however, George Campbell was as thrifty as my Swedish grandmother was frugal. One fall day when the Campbells were closing up their cabin for the season, George hiked over through the woods to offer my grandmother a leftover, half-stick of butter wrapped …
NOVEMBER 9, 2022 – The directive was clear. Soon after Beth had left this morning in search of more inventory for her online-used book sales, she sent me a text: “Could you please try and get your car in the garage today.” Implicit was the sub-directive (or was it the main directive?): clear out all …
OCTOBER 31, 2022 – When I heard about the horrible incident in Seoul last Saturday, it stirred a terrifying memory. Exactly 22 years ago, our family was in Seoul on a tour with a half dozen other families with adopted, Korean-born kids. It was the trip of a lifetime, and we saw many wonderful sights, …
OCTOBER 18, 2022 – (Cont.) “[Mike],” I said. “I can win your goddamn case, but so far, you’re losing it. You’ve got to stop your notes and whispering. You’ve got to—got to—think of the table in there as a poker table. The judge and jurors are watching you, and trust me, you ain’t a pretty …
OCTOBER 17, 2022 – (Cont.) Later, when I appeared at Mike’s office to begin prepping him for trial, he asked how many “barroom brawls” I’d been in. I assumed he was asking figuratively, but when I started giving an account of my courtroom record, Mike cut in. “No, no, no,” he said. “I mean actual …
OCTOBER 16, 2022 – (Cont.) During the early morning flight, I did three things to prepare for my meeting: 1. Read The Art of the Deal; 2. Ordered two whiskey sours; and 3. While consuming the whiskey sours, reflected on instructive experiences representing my most challenging clients over the years, especially the one who was …
SEPTEMBER 28, 2022 – When I was a kid, I was inspired by “great people” whose reputations had withstood the test of time. As I dreamed about my future, I wanted to strive for “greatness” in the way that George Washington or Abraham Lincoln had achieved that status. Yet, I sensed that “greatness” transcended the …
SEPTEMBER 1, 2022 – (Cont.) When one is far out at sea, beyond the reference points of land, each day mimics another, except for the clockwork and declination of sun, moon and stars. This morning I slipped out of bed extra early for a 6:15 appointment with the Angels of the University. In the glow …
AUGUST 22, 2022 – (Cont.) Yesterday afternoon I joked to some friends that “I like going to the U of MN Cancer Center so much, I even go there on Saturday and Sunday.” Joking aside, this past weekend’s sessions, each for an infusion line flush, were brief and uneventful, except for the discovery that my …
AUGUST 20, 2022 – Blogger’s note: The gracious reader will accept my apologies for the poor self-editing of yesterday’s post. The explanation (versus excuse) is that our hyper-imaginative granddaughter was under our day-long charge. Among her plays, musical performances, story-telling, painting sessions, and backyard expeditions, all of which required audience/spectator participation, I assembled very few …
AUGUST 8, 2022 – (Cont.) Seventh grade took me to Anoka Junior High on the other side of town and a block south of the most happening part of Main Street. Boys who’d attended Lincoln Elementary added a whole new dimension to “cool”—manifest in their . . . shoes: English walkers, English “boots,” Clark suede …
AUGUST 6, 2022 – I once read that “shoes make the man.” Throughout life I’ve observed this fashion principle in practice. The first example was my dad. He owned several pairs of high-end dress shoes—shells and wingtips—and at an early age I noticed his treads more than his threads; doubtless because at two, I stood …
AUGUST 5, 2022 – (Cont.) The afternoon that preceded one of those “pie and ice cream” evenings at Moore’s is when John and Jenny discovered a talent for throwing rocks at the street lights and busting the big, glass orbs. The fun continued until they’d wrecked damned near every street lamp on Rice Street. That …
AUGUST 4, 2022 – (Cont.) If the police had been summoned to Matheny’s, it wouldn’t have been Jenny’s first run-in with cops. When Jenny was four, Mother had enrolled her in Mrs. Ward’s tap-dance academy in an old mansion a block south of the post office in downtown Anoka. The main thing Jenny learned in …
AUGUST 3, 2022 – I have three sisters, two older, one younger. The older ones have always been at the head of the class—any class in which they’ve found themselves. When we were growing up, each was my gold standard for brains, talent, and deportment. As far as I knew and observed, they always toed …
AUGUST 2, 2022 – (Cont.) At the time, I knew nothing about homeowner’s insurance, but as I now reflect on the event, I understand why horse people who invite their friends along should have plenty of liability coverage. Unlike Mother, who was fond of horses and had some riding experience in her upbringing, Dad was …
AUGUST 1, 2022 – (Cont.) On the subject occasion, whoever was leading—it might’ve been one of the hired hands—had the bright idea that when we reached the last field before returning to the stables, we should canter across. At the mention of the bright idea, Buster and I were in the middle somewhere—our usual placement. …
JULY 31, 2022 – When I was a kid, my mother would take my sisters—or at least one or two of them—and me horseback riding. About 10 miles due east of town was the “Circle Pines” horse ranch, and it seemed that on a regular basis during the summer, Mother would load us into the …
JULY 30, 2022 – (Cont.) I learned another business lesson at Matheny’s on one hot summer day when I was in fifth grade. For a nickel I went for a one-stick Fudgsicle instead of buying a two-stick Popsicle, which you could split into two, one-stick Popsicles by using the metal splitter fastened to the wall …
JULY 29, 2022 – (Cont.) At the checkout counter, Beryl rang up the groceries, then opened a drawer where a bunch of bound receipt books were stored, each with a family name written across the top binding. I recognized “NILSSON,” and by the end of first grade, I could identify the names of most of …
JULY 28, 2022 – You know you’re hearing from a codger when the story’s about the “good ol’ days” and bygone institutions such as . . . Matheny’s Corner Store. Matheny’s, as everyone called it, was at the corner of Benton and Ferry—one street up from ours and two long blocks to the east. My …
JULY 27, 2022 – Blogger’s note: In Monday’s post, I mentioned a an old banking colleague of mine, Bill McRostie. He was such an unusual character, I thought he deserved a post dedicated solely to him. In retrospect, I wish I’d asked him more questions. I’m confident he would’ve provided more answers. Bill was tall, thin, …