Not as old as I thought: Elvis Costello.

Elvis Costello

I would guess nearly all of us are familiar with the name "Elvis Costello." The first name just like Presley. But this other guy does not have the over-arching fame. I use present tense because he's still alive. No date of death on the Wikipedia entry. 

My first thought upon hearing the name goes back to one of the "Austin Powers" movies, I think the first one. Of course Austin Powers was all about propping up the 1960s. So is this a name we should associate? Elvis Costello? If so, the guy would have to be quite up in years. 

I remember the '60s well and I'm up in years (70). We can feel tremendous nostalgia if we try to blot out the Vietnam war. That's quite the heavy lift. But what's done is done. The war happened and countless lives were shattered. If we can be entertained by a big Hollywood blockbuster about the D-Day invasion ("The Longest Day"), then we can have less-than-ghoulish thoughts about lots of things that are separated, compartmentalized, whatever. 

Erase Vietnam and we can remember the advance of such uniquely appealing popular music. Many of us can rattle off names. These were good and talented people but they had more help than we realize. The big record companies made sure the artists put out the best product. And so there were elaborate studio operations and "studio musicians." The genius of these folks was surely known by the record execs, not so much by the fans, especially the young fans. 

It was a commercial machine brimming with talent and commitment. Kudos to all. 

How many people could tell you something substantive about Elvis Costello? I would guess that outside of name recognition, not much is really top-of-mind. A special talent without a doubt. So how old is the guy now? How about that: he was born in the year before yours truly. I'm 70, born in '55. Mr. Costello came into the world in August of '54. I'm five months younger. He grew up in the same milieu of experiences as me. 

We have recognizable spots, people our age. We were imbued with more than the usual cynicism when young. The war definitely fed into that. The "generation gap" was surely a reflection. Our favored music was a stark departure from our parents. So different that it's almost mystifying to consider. 

Rock 'n' roll was controversial in the 1950s. The surface impression of America was that surely our citizens were not going to countenance this new pulsating music that reflected - gasp! - African rhythms! Elvis Presley could only be shown on TV from the waist down! 

I cited "surface impression." Cultural changes and evolution so often get developed below the surface. Such was the case of the "counterculture." Rock 'n' roll was suppressed for a time, to a degree anyway. We called the older generation "uptight." But they were going to pass from the scene as all generations do. The new standards made strides. 

The counterculture was attached to "The New Left" for a time. That's a political reference of course. Historians note that the counterculture survived quite fine and thrived. But the "New Left" did not. My generation has blamed capitalism for the Vietnam war. Capitalism is in fact the best economic system there is for lifting up our standard of living. No, I don't think the raw principle of capitalism was at fault, rather it was largely the "military industrial complex" which President Eisenhower had pointedly warned us about. So we're still talking profit motive. 

I guess the military industrial complex was a legacy from WWII. It spilled into new military adventurism while Americans were not paying enough attention. Too many of us associated war with glory and success. "War is hell," not that General Sherman spoke those exact words. It's a famous quote which is actually a paraphrase. It's an accurate paraphrase. 

 

Talent across the board

Elvis Costello is an English musical whiz with involvement in several phases of the entertainment craft. My, he would have been a mere 16 years of age when the decade of the '60s ended. So I'm not quite processing why Michael Myers in "Austin Powers" was eager to put him forward. Burt Bacharach, yes most certainly. 

Costello is a singer/songwriter and actually quite a bit more. He turned out his first album at age 23. It was called "My Aim Is True." He became a groundbreaker with "new wave." His biggest hit in the USA was "Veronica" from 1989. He has had hits with covers of songs. Even more impressive, his own original songs have been recorded by many others. The "many others" might read like a who's who. So his resume is stellar, even though I do not think his name is a household word. The name "Elvis" grabs your attention because of the likeness with the more famous guy. 

 

"My Brave Face"

Costello's collaboration with Paul McCartney fascinates me. McCartney had extensive experience writing music as part of a collaboration of course. That was with his fellow Beatle John Lennon. Costello fit right in as a fellow Brit. Lennon left us too soon of course. And his split with McCartney was unfortunately not amicable. 

McCartney and Costello worked together to craft "My Brave Face," a song I love. Here I'll confess that back when it was current, I could not have told you much about it. A common condition with music fans: enjoying the "sound" of a song while never really exploring the lyrics at all. 

A further confession: I could not even make out the words "My Brave Face" from the refrain. The song had the unusual touch of beginning with the refrain. In this respect it's just like the Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love." 

If you're listening to the song for the first time and you don't know the name, can you really make out the words "My Brave Face?" And keep in mind that my generation grew up consuming so much music from the radio which meant that the sounds were in the background of our lives. Our attention could be diverted. The music might have to compete with background sounds. 

Today if we really like a song, we can access it from our online device, replay it and analyze it all we want. My generation did not have these luxuries. We'd listen from the radio and buy our vinyl records. People ought to feel real spoiled today. I doubt we realize, as change proceeds slowly and we embrace the new norms. 

McCartney and Costello are credited as co-writers of the song "My Brave Face" from the 1989 album "Flowers in the Dirt." The song is known for sounding very "Beatle-y." Man, that would seem to be a huge strong suit. 

"My Brave Face" was McCartney's last Top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 until his 2014 collaboration with Kanye West. It was the last Billboard Top 40 hit by any former Beatle as a solo artist. The passage of time makes it harder. Pop music is really the province of the young. 

McCartney would say that it was Costello who pulled the song in the direction of being Beatle-ish. Linda McCartney is heard on background vocals. 

 

They have to make the grade

Don't think that big names in the music field are a slam dunk for having their compositions succeed! No, they can be humbled by rejection like anyone else. But they probably don't get knocked down much. That's because they have a passion for what they do. It has been said of pro athletes that they "have no fear of failure." I suspect it's the same in the music world. 

So Costello was probably able to recover fine when a tune he wrote for Agnetha Faltskog got rejected. Costello had long admired ABBA. Costello submitted a track "Shatterproof" for inclusion in Agnetha's second album, "Eyes of a Woman." The album was released in 1985. 

"Shatterproof" did not go quietly into the night. Billy Bremner of "Rockpile" released a super version. 

Now maybe you're curious about what "Shatterproof"  is about. Well. . . The song portrays a couple living in a rented apartment, constantly patching up the cracks and pretending to be happy. "Shatterproof" refers to the longing for a genuine, unbreakable home and relationship, contrasting with the fragile rented apartment. Can you relate? 

 

Bremner kills it

Well, I just love the driving sound of "Shatterproof" as performed by Billy Bremner. I'm not sure if it would have worked for Agnetha, but we'll never know. 

"Shatterproof" would describe Costello's faith in his own songwriting talent. He and McCartney sure clicked on "My Brave Face." 

I believe I have read that "My Brave Face" is the last McCartney hit from a particular phase in his career. Let's say it's his last song from his young adult prime. Subsequently to be "retro." So you might say the album "Feathers in the Dust" rode the coattails of "Wings." I was 34 years old when "My Brave Face" was current. I guess I was set to evolve into a new and older phase myself. 

Pop songs are of course markers in our lives.

 

Addendum: In "Shatterproof," I think the little clause "unaccustomed as I am" has Costello written all over it! 

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Rhythm of life continues in Morris, with hiccups

The "good old days' of a standard full band for the UMN-Morris graduation. Yours truly took the photo in 2010. The director is Martin Seggelke. For so many years we were treated to UMM musical talent in this fashion. The scene in the image is no longer repeated. Gone forever? What can we count on? The enrollment at UMM now is what? A thousand? And from that we can't put together a band like this? Students should be enthused about the opportunity. They do not have to be serious music students at UMM IMHO. How about an extracurricular type of attitude? Certain people might tell me my thoughts about this are hogwash.

 

The UMN-Morris academic year ends sooner on the calendar than it used to. The graduation is a signal that things will be slowing down in Morris. I think this used to be more noticeable in past times. And then when the high schools have their graduations, that really paves the way for the subdued summertime. 

The first signal that my church of First Lutheran was in decline was when we decided to have just one Sunday service "in the summer." Of course this was to be followed by the complete end to the two services routine. 

My family used to weigh: early or late service? I remember as a kid, Mom saying that communion would be held at only one. So she preferred the other service. Communion is a rather odd ritual, don't you think? "The blood of Jesus." Might strike a kid as a little creepy. That part hardly registers with me but I have a separate issue: the logistics of going up to the front and handling the tiny piece of bread ("the body") and the tiny cup of, well, grape juice. And then you put the empty cup in a basket held by an acolyte. 

Hey, no one is compelled to go up for communion. I have opted not to at times. When you're done you are expected to go back to your spot in the pews. Oh and it would be easy to lose track of that, right? So I'll set something in my spot that I can recognize as I come back, maybe my reading glasses. Oh my, the embarrassment of taking someone else's spot! 

Go ahead and skip communion. 

Standing up when the pastor requests this, is also voluntary. A friend who watches services on YouTube noticed that I wasn't always standing up. He nudged me on that. Is this a societal faux pas? My excuse is that my parents did not stand up in their fading years. They'd have communion brought to them. I'd stay seated too and be served that way. 

Attending church at all is of course a voluntary thing. I often remind people of when First Lutheran was really in its prime and we had "UMM Sunday" in the fall. A little group of UMM students would be present and would address the congregation. And then there was the big "pot luck" lunch. It really was a big deal in its prime. 

First Lutheran Church (B.W. photo)

But then you know what happened. The once very proud and robust First Lutheran with its two Sunday services suffered erosion. Rather slow but I sure noticed it. In one sense I could relax more - the decline made everything seem more informal. One got the sense that what was left of the place appreciated everyone who came. 

In the last year of "UMM Sunday," the number of people coming downstairs for the pot luck was no more than if we had our standard coffee hour. Without a doubt the writing was on the wall. "New Wine" ended. Eventually the church choir had to be discontinued.

(The catalyst: gay rights.)

 

Brethren with Federated

Looks like Federated Church which has also experienced erosion is hanging in there with a choir. They were our guests last Sunday. This as the rumors circulate about how maybe, maybe, First Lutheran and Federated will join together as a two-point parish. For a while I accepted this as fact already. Depends on who you talk to of course. When I was with the newspaper I had standing that allowed me to get a heads-up with "official" news. Oh my, today I just go out and about and "talk to people." You can swear something is a fact and then. . . 

I told a church leader last Sunday that I approved of the two-point parish thing with Federated. He knew what I was talking about. So the proposal did not come out of thin air. 

I suggested we proceed quickly with this. If we don't, we will have an unsteady and slipshod arrangement to get pastoral services, not that many of these people are not good. I feel better with an anchor pastor who we know will be there on most Sundays. Just as, I was an "anchor" representative for the newspaper once, showing up all over the place. I still feel like a fish out of water, not being able to do that any more. I'll never get over it. It's who I really am, or was. 

The last newspaper owner I worked for ended up leaving town. Not the most classy operation. 

 

Rev. Matt Orendorff

Rev. Orendorff

The two-point parish would be served by Pastor Matt. He was a mass communications major in college just like I was. He matriculated at University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. That's the home of the "Blugolds." Me, I got my mass communications degree at St. Cloud State. Huskies!

Isn't it crazy how SCSU is making the news these days? I'm sure there's nothing the St. Cloud Chamber of Commerce can do about it. Cascading decline. Insult added to injury with a whole list of buildings set to be torn down. 

I can understand some of the dormitories being razed because clearly the entitled young people of today wouldn't accept living in the 1960s style of dormitory. We weren't exactly fans of that ourselves. The idea was just to crowd kids in. A common bathroom on each floor. 

Outside of the dorms, I think it's sad and really not defensible for some of the other major buildings to meet the wrecking ball. In the wake of all that, more "open space?" Is that all? I have read that touted as being nice. However, open space in and of itself is nothing, does not produce anything. I would say potential for new residential development is nil because the neighboring part of town is run down to the extent that I've read you wouldn't want to take a walk after dark. 

 

Shift outward

The nice new residences of today are built on the periphery of communities. Commuting has been made so routine due to cars being built to be so much more dependable. Cars don't even come with spare tires now. Detroit got competition. 

In the days of the Detroit primacy, there was a norm of trading your car every four years. Technology has sure sharpened and transformed that industry, as it has everything else. 

Well, I hope St. Cloud enjoys its new "open space." Doesn't sound too good for the tax rolls. Meanwhile, as the wrecking ball goes to town at SCSU, our Morris campus is trying to get an elevator for the multi-ethnic building.

 

On the edge maybe

Multi-ethnic building? Can we really risk continuing to have such a thing? Surely you have read about the intense crackdown on "DEI." And the Supreme Court, bolstered by the DJT appointees, has shot down affirmative action. Can we survive with our Native American policy? 

Two ways of looking at the policy: It's good in that it keeps our enrollment up or at least stable or at least not shrinking so fast. Fine, but the Natives do not pay tuition. It's an old policy meant to remedy the serious injustices done to Natives. Well, all of affirmative action has as its foundation the cause of remedying past injustices. That's the whole point. But the Supremes have said "no more." 

I think affirmative action and DEI have really done a lot of good. So I frown on the door being slammed on it. Even if you frown too, you must acknowledge where the power is now. Republicans have more than a foothold now. We're really not used to this. Many of us assume the pendulum will swing back. That is merely an assumption or wishful thinking. 

Republicans on the basis of naked principle do not approve of publicly-funded education. 

So whither UMM? We'll have a long summer to think about it. Let's look forward to the "welcome UMM picnic" at East Side Park next fall. Will East Side Park be preserved "as is?" Can we get more use out of the Killoran stage? It's too bad how feelings developed over the recent proposal for the place. Intentions were good. 

What makes such matters so sensitive is that the residential neighborhoods are so close. Sometimes I'm scared of the expansion of Superior so close to my place. But what a burgeoning company that is. There is always a trade-off with industrial development. The environment always suffers in some way. 

 

Music really matters

Is anyone besides me really concerned that there is no longer a band for the UMN-Morris graduation? I mean a real bona fide band with all the usual sections composed of current students. It sure was the norm for a long time. Just as First Lutheran Church went through stages of decline, are we left whistling past the graveyard in connection to UMM? 

What if the affirmative action thing really bites us at some point? What if the no-DEI policy really comes at us? I think these things are more likely than not. Can the State of Minnesota give us a protective umbrella to a degree? We really answer to the state, don't we? 

I'm just saying we need to be scared. Or vigilant. 

Everyone assumes that the UMM enrollment is a thousand give or take a few. A thousand students, and then can we assume that a good percentage of the kids played in their high school band? So why can't UMM come up with a band again? Does it have to be composed of serious music students? Like music majors/minors? Or could it be treated more like extracurricular? You'd have to let the students pick up some credits for their efforts. The experience would be fulfilling for them and enhance the overall campus atmosphere. 

 

The concept was floated

I remember when a UMM student caused some controversy maybe ten years ago by pushing the idea of an "intramural" jazz band! He had an op-ed in the campus newspaper. The experiment started but was met with resistance by the music discipline. So determined these young people were, they tried a rehearsal in the HFA hallway, whereupon an opponent in the music department contacted campus police! 

I found the email address of the student promoter (instigator?) and told him I endorsed his project. But I think it disappeared. His op-ed noted how so many UMM students had been in high school jazz band but were not music majors in college. They'd really enjoy the outlet. 

And allow me to whisper here: maybe this "intramural" group could sharpen its style to where it'd be on the same level as UMM's official jazz group? Uh-oh, maybe even better? Competition is always good for people. The higher the standards the better. 

But then there's the bureaucracy. I could not see my late father objecting to this "rebellious" idea. Let there be music! 

But now we have to settle for a mere small group - not current UMM students? - performing for graduation. "Pomp and Circumstance" does not sound right unless it's played by a full "band." Hancock High School can do it. In fact they do it pretty well.

 

Addendum: Why not a UMM pep band too? Just a big enough band to produce the desired sound, not real big. Play for football and basketball. It won't be all things to all people. The perfect is the enemy of the good. 

My father, as the original UMM music faculty, directed a pep band for basketball at the old "P.E. Annex" which has been razed. He directed the original UMM fight song. I think if we adjusted the second line of lyrics in the song, it could be resurrected. May lightning strike me for suggesting that. But I'm just trying to revive it. I have long had a suggestion for the adjustment. Me? Well, the song isn't doing anyone any good if it isn't used. It is my assumption that the second line of lyrics is the problem. But I always venture forth with my ideas. My blogging doesn't cost me a penny. A friend tells me I probably have "lurkers" on my blogs.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

The chameleon-like nature of actors

The image shows Leslie Nielsen in the comic "Dracula, Dead and Loving It." 

 

Actors can go from being bad guys to good guys. Would anyone want to do it the other way around? It has been said of Vince Vaughn that he has a problem of not being able to vary his acting technique. 

An actor can be so impressive in a role, the role sticks in our head in a way that makes it harder to accept new roles by the actor. With me I'm thinking of Matthew Broderick. And no, I'm not thinking of "Ferris Bueller's Day Off," I'm thinking of "WarGames" which also gave us Allie Sheedy in an equally appealing role. 

I must have had time on my hands when I saw "WarGames" because I saw it twice. So when Broderick showed up in subsequent movies like "Godzilla" and "Glory," I couldn't help but remember "WarGames." 

Versatility as an actor: Just think of Leslie Nielsen! He played both serious and comical roles in his long career. The comedy came in the closing stages and he was an absolute master. My generation of the boomers really couldn't get enough. It started with "Airplane." Such an impression was made, was it literally impossible for the guy to play a straight role again? 

 

Try this

A curious phenomenon is when you have occasion to watch an older movie with Nielsen "straight." We are highly distracted. The best example is "The Poseidon Adventure" because Nielsen looked the same as in "Airplane " and his subsequent comedy roles. He of course played the top officer on the ship. And as we anticipate each new line, we can't help but anticipate an absurd comedic line, maybe a pun. 

"You can tell me, I'm a doctor" (from "Airplane"). I would argue it is impossible for many of us to resist an urge to have our attention disrupted this way. 

Will Nielsen be remembered best as a comic actor? If my generation has anything to say about it, yes. Boomers' perceptions carry lots of weight. 

Nielsen wasn't alone in putting his serious persona aside. These guys were told by the director to say their (comedic) lines just as they would always say their lines. And of course that was a big part of what made it funny. "And don't call me Shirley." 

The boomers had troubling impulses in their movie-watching IMHO. They wanted to see old concepts made farcical. It's like they (we) wanted to tear everything down. Maybe we did, in a sense, because we saw aspects of our parents' values that we questioned. Well, first and foremost, for U.S. forces to go over to Vietnam. It went beyond that to outrage over racism and sexism. 

It has been said of "Woodstock" that it was primarily a "multicultural celebration." We refused to countenance racial or ethnic stereotypes. A women's place was not in the kitchen. The attitude carried over to entertainment where we really let our hair down. It reached troubling levels IMHO. 

I have read that the movie "That's Entertainment" with narration by Frank Sinatra had a purpose of trying to get people to pine for the previous era when things were taken more seriously. Things like movies. 

Deconstructing the western

I mean, movies had devolved to where "Blazing Saddles" was a sensational hit. Not that Mel Brooks himself was like the boomers, he just had a sense for mining the boomers' attitudes. It was a reflection, as is much of what Hollywood gives us. 

"Young Frankenstein" made a joke out of what was really a serious sci-fi story. The horror movies of an earlier time, at least outside of low-budget, were to be seen in a serious light. Let's assume the actors then were all just professionals coached on how to deliver a product. 

And in this vein I'll remember Rodney Dangerfield from about 1980. He became huge in the eyes of the boomers. But I vividly remember watching him at the Minnesota State Fair and seeing obviously that he was fed up with his silly boomer audience. It became not so subtle. 

Dangerfield had a background just like Sinatra. The boomers got turned on to Dangerfield in various ways but mostly from the movie "Caddyshack." "Caddyshack" catered to the boomers at their irreverent best (i.e. worst). Make people look like idiots, especially the older (vain and stuffy) people. 

The young people of today are so different: they do not poke fun at traditional images or at the older folks at all. 

I sensed the weakness of my generation at the time but hardly dared to say anything about it. The peer pressure was enormous to go along with it, like to laugh almost continually through "Blazing Saddles." The movie gains increased notice today for how it used  objectionable racist terms (but did so actually to demean racism, to cheapen it). You simply CAN'T DO THAT today. 

P.J. O'Rourke did the same thing for humor effect in his famous newspaper satire "Dacron Republican-Democrat." It has been called the Rosetta Stone of newspaper satires. The metropolitan daily newspaper was at its peak. Hey, are newspapers still around? 

 

Neville Brand as "Reese"

Neville Brand in "Laredo"

Finally, let me cite a prime exhibit of an actor going from bad guy to good guy. This is Neville Brand. He had a long acting resume before taking a role in a 1960s TV western. A prime time network show back then made the actors huge stars, gave them defining roles even if those roles weren't totally consistent with what they had done previously. 

Brand was on call to play the "heavy" for a long time in movies such as "film noir." He was perfect for film noir, an example being "Kansas City Confidential." 

The boomers learned who Brand was in the late '60s TV western "Laredo." It happened to be my favorite western. It often had a light tone. And there was Brand who emerged with his crusty nature. He was a character actor. 

He made such an impression, I'm sure this was why he was enlisted for a cameo in "Tora Tora Tora," the movie about the Pearl Harbor attack. My generation could embrace Mr. Brand as a likeable, hero kind of guy. Good for his legacy. 

A footnote about Brand is that he was one of those celebrities who had commendable military service in WWII. Unfortunately he was a heavy smoker. In "Laredo" he played the character "Reese Bennett." "Laredo" came along when the Vietnam war was at its worst for America. Ironic how so much good cinema and music could be created during the worst of Vietnam. But it's in the record. 

"Laredo" came along toward the end of the primacy of TV westerns. The cutoff was in 1970. Brand made his mark in the genre. 

Today we are reminded of westerns with the movies "Horizon" and "Rust." I'm glad the genre is now taken fully seriously, unlike what "Blazing Sales" gave us. Boomers, hang your heads in shame over having been entertained so much by totally irreverent stuff.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

East side, west side, all around Morris

Days of yore in west Morris: "La Grand Hotel"

West Morris is getting the radio station now. A friend informed me the station is re-locating to the "Just Chillin' " building. It's just on the other side of the railroad tracks. 

Need we be conscious any more about a sense of separation between east and west Morris? There was a high level of awareness early in the town's history. 

Right now the tracks separate the ELCA Lutherans of Morris. This denomination was once so mainstream, so unquestionably high-standing. But along came gay rights to muddy the waters. Was it worth the trouble or fuss? The issue sent the ELCA division into distress. Has it now stabilized after the worst of that? The ELCA churches have so much trouble finding pastors these days, they might someday be highly thankful that gays are available. 

I have long felt that if pastors can keep their private lives private, well then so what? What we don't need is open gay activism, any more than we would want heterosexual sex to be acknowledged. Then again, the Victorian sense of shame we associate with sex can harm young people. The young people at least need to know what it's all about. It can be difficult to deal with even then. 

East Morris has First Lutheran, the west side has Faith. And both are seeking a full-time pastor at the present time. Welcome to the club. I hear of a shocking number of ELCA churches in this boat. The Lutherans did not even allow female pastors until 1970! Can you imagine church life without them today? Can you even stomach the idea of such blatant discrimination against the female gender? Well I assure you, "there was a time." When I was young you'd still hear jokes circulating about "women drivers." Echhh, 

I remember that after Pastor Todd Mattson left my church of First Lutheran, we got thrown into a "searching" scenario and had a high-standing rep from the synod visit one Sunday. This individual - a woman! - advised us strongly to not rule out "gays and lesbians" as candidates. Also, not to rule out pastors from a foreign background who might have a difficult accent. Well, we are a rainbow of cultures and nationalities nowadays. 

 

Faith Lutheran Church, west Morris

Could gloat for a while

Hey, it seemed for a time that Faith Lutheran "had it made" with a pastor who was theoretically "permanent." 

I guess permanence means there are no short-term limits on that person's service. Faith Lutheran was justifiably proud. So we had "Pastor Emmy." I attended a couple services with her presiding. 

Of course all kinds of complications can arise. Morris is not the most attractive place to settle, it really isn't. Special amenities? No, there really aren't any, although we're thankful for how relatively quiet and safe we are. This is while headlines roll at us from the Twin Cities like after the George Floyd incident. 

Pastor Emmy left because her spouse got a prime job opportunity in North Dakota. I wondered why she couldn't just stay here while her husband could take any job he might find. Easy for me to think that - I live alone, keeps the costs down, at least up to now. The cost of living appears to be a more daunting challenge all the time. 

Pastor Emmy and her husband seized the opportunity and I guess we can't blame them. She had the opportunity here in Morris to potentially establish herself as a very important and appreciated leader for years and years. Would seem a good enough arrangement for me. Pastor Emmy's experience here is now just tucked into her resume. Another "hitch" on the way to wherever. 

On the way to Minot I guess. BTW that's where the North Dakota State Fair is held. I remember when Bruce Burnes left the UMM faculty and Chancellor Imholte announced this at graduation. "I had a hard time getting that out," Imholte said after making the announcement of Burnes' departure for Minot State. Leaving for Minot would hardly appear to be a plum. In Morris we have the bona fide brand of the U of M. 

I'm not sure at present we should feel that confident about UMM's future. We might need a little sleight of hand. Politicians are of course known for pulling this off. But can we pull it off in the face of such strong national leadership coming out of D.C. that seeks to wipe out "DEI?" Here's a little secret, or maybe not: the Republican Party does not favor publicly-supported education at any level. Nor things like libraries. 

 

It won't stop there

And now major conservative leader Mike Lee out of Utah wants to ban pornography. Here we go again. Let's start by trying to define "pornography." I think maybe it's becoming a dated term. The porn industry itself prefers "adult videos." Which of course you'd never watch, right? You'd feel nothing but disgust about them? Nice public front you can put on. 

I have long asserted - does anyone listen? - that progressive women (once called "women's libbers") should be thankful for adult videos or "AVs." I'll state the reason should be obvious: the easy availability of free porn works to "desensitize" men. This is absolutely true. So, their urges get way toned down. Thus they are far less likely to "objectify" women. And what could be more in line with progressive notions for the interests of women? 

Am I desensitized myself? You can speculate. But if the answer is "yes," it's a positive thing. There, now many of you would want to grumble in disgust about me. 

And after the Republicans attack porn online, don't think they'll stop there. Why not just leave the Internet alone? Parents can put filters on their computers. 

 

Morris and Benson diverged

East and west Morris were originally set up to be co-equal. We'd be like Benson. Benson followed the original plan. You probably want to frown about that. Morris instead gravitated to the east side when it came to commerce. West Morris became a bastion for the residential life. The problem is that many west side neighborhoods have become rather rundown, sorry. 

Faith Lutheran had to make a big plea to the city council to try to get the area around their church cleaned up. There was even concern about a potential rodent uptick. You'll note that's how Gene Hackman's wife died. 

A friend tells me the city is finally responding to the pleas. Action is being taken. It took a while and it took special pleas, which means what? Everything means something. It means that the interests of west Morris don't rank that high because of its lower standing in terms of quality of residence. I guess I'm thinking of the residences closest to Pacific Avenue and certainly Pacific Avenue itself. 

This isn't to say there aren't a lot of happy people living in the homes over there. Let's not get too materialistic. The area around the cement plant produces what I would consider to be some "noise pollution." I notice that because I sometimes shoot baskets at Wells Park. However, I think the people deal with that just fine, just like the people living in the apartments right by the railroad tracks (e.g. in Sarlettes' building). My point is that people get used to the sound. 

Morris residents by and large did not get used to the infamous "cemetery chimes," though. What a chapter in Morris history. 

 

Wells Park of west Morris

Topics flare up, alas

We have some new chapters going on right now, one being the mess by Faith Lutheran which is getting addressed (belatedly). Another chapter involves the public library. And another involves East Side Park of course. West Morris has Wells Park. 

Is Wells actually a larger park than East Side? It seems much more low-profile. It has gotten famous as the home for Little League baseball. I personally question why so much space has to be devoted to the two ball diamonds. Many big cities have been removing the ball diamonds from their parks. It's not so much a preferred activity any more. 

Little League baseball was developed to "ape" major league ball back when baseball was king. It no longer has that prominence. The kids try to "ape" the pros but mainly they just stand around. Hardly any exercise. So I'm just not seeing it. High school softball was played there often in the days before this "complex" thing over by UMM. 

The "complex" is problematic. Wells Park actually seemed superior in some ways. But life goes on and we adjust to Morris the way it is. "There's a million stories in the naked city." Will we ever get the full story about the library? If not, we can write this off as another befuddling spectacle, probably involving personality conflicts. 

I see no need for conflict among the town's ELCA Lutherans. The Catholics have it made: one church, one building. Lutherans have always been in disarray. I think all of Christianity will be better off when it detaches from Donald Trump.

  

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Assessing UMN-Morris for its 2025 graduation

("Morris MN Tourism" image)

It's always good news for the UMM graduation to be held outside on the mall. Can't help but feel cheered if you were there. It was nice to see a return of some instrumental music. For so much of UMM's history we simply took that for granted. 

I took for granted that there would always be a printed graduation program. I was even saving these as souvenirs. My family kept a copy of the first-ever graduation program from 1964. I am Internet literate but I do not have a "smartphone." I was told three or four years ago we needed such a device to follow the program. I found that disheartening. 

And while it was nice to hear the little brass group play for the 2025 event, there's still no substitute IMHO for the real "symphonic winds" composed of current UMM students. You can't dispute me about how it's always best to showcase the current students. Oh, some people in this town will dispute me anyway. 

I wasn't exactly captivated when the chancellor early-on in her remarks gave us profiles of the retiring faculty members. I slipped into boredom and wandered back to the parking lot. 

Overall I came away with the sense that UMM graduation has lost some of its old scale and luster. It was once assumed to be a huge deal in the community. You could sense it downtown. Not sure that sense exists at all now. We used to have the understanding too that the atmosphere of Morris had a slowdown after graduation. Do you sense any difference today (Monday)? We want UMM to stimulate the community as much as possible. 

Everyone assumes that the school's enrollment has shown erosion. Significant erosion? Some would say yes. I think it's hard interpreting the numbers for various reasons. How can we not feel fearful about what the anti-DEI stance among out nation's leaders might do to UMM? We have to be whistling past the graveyard some. 

How does the State of Minnesota assess our role? Obviously so much comes down to money. Doesn't everything come down to that? Whither the institution's policy of free tuition for Native Americans? And this prompts the question: How do you identify a Native American? One-fourth good enough? And can this always be clearly documented? 

And tell me this: Is UMM policy on this based on a real literal "treaty?" Or not? I have always told people that if it's a treaty, it is "insulated." Insulated from what? Well, from the Supreme Court's clear ruling that bans affirmative action. If you ask a UMMer if a real treaty is involved, I'll guess they won't say yes or no. They'll launch into a non-direct answer about how the policy is based on some measure taken long ago to remedy past injustices done to Natives. 

Which is all fine and dandy, of course. Policies have their reasons behind them. But the thumbs-down on affirmative action seems pretty transparent. Given the ideological stances of top people in government now, I don't think much slack is going to be given. Quite the opposite in fact. 

The late Mike Miller (the Native American) who I had the pleasure of knowing pretty well, told me long ago that there was serious talk among UMM leaders about whether the policy should be encouraged for continuing. And wouldn't you know there's a good reason: "Free tuition" means the revenue flow is limited. Money is honey as they say. We'll see how UMM stacks up in the fall. 

 

Staying attuned

I try to go out of my way to be positive, like this past spring in putting a couple of music faculty recitals on my calendar. Unfortunately I'm surprised on the downside. One of these recitals showcased the incredible talent of Robert Skoglund on percussion. We're so fortunate in Morris having people of this caliber come out here to spend part of their career. I am guessing that Skoglund was perplexed by the negligible turnout of people for the recital. I had the chance to congratulate him afterward, and I added: "too bad there weren't more people here." 

I wondered with a friend a couple days later: "Isn't there a music class where the students could be required to attend an event like this?" Well if UMM is showing erosion to the extent that it cannot produce a band for graduation, maybe there isn't much that can be done. 

And then I had this thought: Does UMM really want to "require" a whole lot from its students now? I mean, to "push" them? 

I am a boomer and when I was in college, the institutions had the embarrassment of riches of so many kids all over campus all the time. Kids are more rare now. And so, the institutions pull out all stops to keep them, i.e. to keep getting the money for them being there. But can the institutions claim to be providing a "rigorous" education any more? And without the "rigors," wouldn't the experience lack value? 

 

Is this what it is?

Cutting to the chase: Is college just an "experience" now? And can government keep underwriting it to the extent that it does? I think a lot of the old faculty who got "bought out" were going to be incapable of adjusting to the transformative change. They literally wouldn't be able to do it. So, on comes the new and very well-intentioned faculty that stresses the "experiential" side. Nurturing kids in our multi-cultural environment. 

And yes this most certainly involves DEI. I don't care if it gets wiped out or not. But if it does, UMM had better have a plan B. 

 

Has to be disheartening

Oh, back on the subject of faculty music recitals: about a week after the Skoglund event, I visited campus again and found a sign in front of the recital hall: "postponed until next Tuesday." Another dispiriting experience for yours truly. I did not attend for the rescheduled date. 

Man, think of the days when we had the "University choir" directed by Melissa Hanson. This was the non-auditioned choir but it was very sharp. Admission for their concerts was free and I took my late mother to some. Lots of students packed into the venue and they were a little, well, raucous and that was nice! 

And what about the late Jim Carlson's jazz program? Wasn't that a unique institution unto itself in this community? 

 

Instagram image captures the festive air

People = support

An institution that wants financial support should strive to keep such things going. We need events on campus where the campus can almost seem "overrun." It's all about people and excitement. If you just hold your breath and hope the state keeps the money coming, you might encounter hardship. Or maybe even closure? I don't think UMM supporters have ever been able to rule that out. 

The head of St. Cloud State University says there will never be a return to the old days. Looks like about half that campus is being torn down. We all know the U of M is special. We might simply have to bank on that.

 

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com

Put aside romantic notions of living in country

Has yours started routinely?

"It Might as Well Be Spring" is a song from the 1945 film "State Fair." It was written by Rodgers and Hammerstein.

 

Feeling rather proud and relaxed today. Yesterday was the big day when I get my mower equipment outside and see if they respond after the long winter. We can state with resolution that spring is here. Should be a most upbeat comment. However, there is some breath-holding to see if your lawn care equipment can get going. 

I do not have a token piece of property. We are mostly rural even though we're in the city limits. The property is large compared to the typical in-town lots. I'm thinking of the in-town lots in the older core residential parts of Morris. And we're seeing an evolution with more people setting up residence in the fringe of town, if not even further out. I see earth being moved for further development out by the bypass. Interesting little community unto itself being formed out there. 

So, I think more and more people are dealing with rural issues. What I'm pointing to here, mainly, is dealing with wildlife. You learn quickly in such a setting that it is no routine matter. I remember that during (the worst of) covid, a "prestige" magazine had a feature on big city people sort of retreating to the peaceful country. "Peaceful" yes but only to an extent. 

A family was interviewed where their existence was shattered by beavers! The father seemed to break down and he uttered the pronouncement "beavers come right out of hell." I can fully understand such feelings. Last spring I had my second episode of dealing with skunks. Mention skunks and so many people have their stories to tell. 

I'm writing this in May which is when the black and white creatures have their young ones. Your first impulse would be to kill them. I suspect that's what my father would have done. And it's so tough to let weeks go by and do nothing. I figured I had to, as I did not want to risk having a dead animal under a structure. Skunks do not dig tunnels but they will widen an existing opening. That's how I spot one. 

But after my little "scare" of last year, I think my whole property has been addressed so there's no re-occurrence. I should have known better last year because I had one previous scare. But last year I wanted to keep my storage shed easily accessible so I left a small spot "open." I hadn't seen the creatures around for a couple years. I could tell one morning that a creature had dug under. Good assumption it's a skunk. And it was. 

 

Keep an eye out

I saw skunks along the north end of the biking/walking trail last spring too. I advised Sharon Martin of this and she later told me she had seen them as well. 

Skunks actually have a pleasant disposition. And they can afford to, because they know they have the most powerful weapon against any predator, no matter how big. 

The "kits" finally came out last spring at my residence - four cute little buggers - and I must say, they with their mother were about the cutest sight you could imagine! It would be nice to appreciate them that way. But they are skunks. Killing them is risky. 

I have found that they do "move on." 

I have gotten reports from neighbors who have live-trapped them and then either release them elsewhere or shoot them. And be careful when killing them of course. I imagine prompt burial is a must. But enough about skunks. Because there is such an array of nature. 

You'll see mink east of town

The east coast media has also given us Dana Milbank of the Washington Post, columnist, who has flown off the handle just like the guy who talked about the beavers. In Milbank's case his grievance was about overpopulation of deer. So I guess there are probably serious consequences of this. We are reminded that hunting seasons exist for a reason. 

There is a season for predator hunting. I learned when I was with the Morris newspaper that some people get angry at photos of coyotes and foxes who have been "bagged" by hunters. Well, they're "dogs" and thus objects of affection for lots of people. Probably best not to share such photos in mass media. The same might be said of pictures with the "triumphant" deer hunters holding up the head of a nice "buck" they bagged. 

I have now dealt with nature enough that I cannot second-guess hunting activity. We should never develop an emotional attachment to creatures in the wild. Never weep for a death. Just let these creatures deal with the vicissitudes of their wild state, with "natural selection." It's God's plan. 

 

(Carleton College image)

Foxes, rabbits in the mix

Looks like there's a fox close to our neighborhood of Northridge Drive again. I have seen the fox scamper through my back yard twice recently. Often these animals do not look real healthy. A couple years ago I saw a fox lying in my back yard for a few minutes. Otherwise they are always bounding along and I get only a fleeting look. 

I know many people hate rabbits. Many kill them with no hesitation. We certainly get rabbits where I live, and if anything I have felt tempted to feel affection for them - cute. But I have to resist that. I do not kill them. They have never encroached on the zinnia flowers that I like planting in front of the portico. I know many gardeners consider them like Mr. Milbank considered deer. 

Once the natural world has encroached on you in some way, you'll be resolved to eradicate the problem. By any means necessary. 

I have never seen coyotes out along the biking/walking trail. But I know someone who has, former pastor at my church in fact. We cannot feel 100 percent certain that they are not a menace to human safety. We cannot even rule out seeing a bear out there. No reports of that yet. I think chipmunks are harmless. 

The wild world is impressed on us in this spring time of year. 

 

Good fortune

I had a good day yesterday because my mowing equipment got started and performed. Now I have to worry about just what kind of gas to use! You'll hear people debating "87" gas versus "91" gas. They will swear by one or the other. I'm nostalgic for the days when gas was just "gas." And now we have to wonder if we should switch over to battery-powered. I scratch my head sometimes.

- Brian Williams - morris mn minnesota - bwilly73@yahoo.com