Influence
Posted at 5:25 AM on August 4, 2009
by Dale Connelly
(19 Comments)
It's Important Birthday week here at Radio Heartland.
Since Dr. Kyle and I made a fuss over Tony Bennett yesterday, it would be an oversight to ignore today's significant birthday musician - Louis Armstrong.
I am personally relieved that Dr. Kyle didn't have the same access to Mr. Armstrong's DNA that he had to Mr. Bennett's. No slight to Tony, but one cringes at the thought of what a mad scientist might do with the genetic blueprint of a legend.
There are numerous You Tube videos of Louis Armstrong, but this one caught my eye for the joy and energy in the performance (he was in his early 30's) and the time and location. The year is 1933, and he's in Copenhagen.
Leading up to this moment, Louis Armstrong had suffered under bad management (overwork, unpaid taxes) and health problems (injured lip), but things had started to turn around with new representation and a performance schedule that allowed some time for his lip to heal. There was talk he would base himself in London and work in Europe, making the occasional trip back to the USA. Things didn't work out that way, but this might have been one of the happier moments in the early part of a long and influential career.
Anyone here ever travel overseas and seriously entertain thoughts of staying?
Comments (19)
Good morning, RHers - just checking in before i go out to see the Girls and Boys. interesting question today, about going somewhere and deciding to stay... Kay H kind of is doing that, right? but did come back to get things in order before she leaves for Utah again. i admire that ability to know what's best and do it.
on the Dale-never-retiring-issue: when you are ready to get your goats, i can help you with that :-)
someone (sorry i'm so forgetful) mentioned a really big kitchen where we can all sit around and play good music between milkings, feedings, cleaning the barn, etc. no money but plenty of sweet milk and all the good things made from it.
A year after college, I spent 9 months in Europe, most of it in Switzerland. Certainly did contemplate staying there. Wanted to return to Paris and live there. But a bit too American, i guess, I got homesick and returned.
Recently visiting Norway....a home by a fjord is certainly appealing. At least half a year. My relatives offered to take care of the house the rest of the time.
But here I stay in Mahtowa, 15 miles from where I grew up.
Sadly (or maybe fortunately?) no, but every book I read or movie I see in which the setting is prominently featured makes me want to move to that place/time period. I remember the first time I saw Disney's The Parent Trap and wanting to live at a summer camp. Apparently this might be at least partly intentional - my brother told me yesterday (though I'm not sure where he heard it) that movies have become the most effective PR and marketing tool for cities. It makes me wonder why we haven't seen anything from Hollywood that does justice to the paradise of summer in Minnesota. Then again, perhaps it's better as a best-kept-secret sort of thing.
I am a bit too much of a homebody to seriously entertain living anywhere but Minnesota. I once contemplated a move to Illinois and changed those plans after I had a panic attack about the move (and called my mom at midnight mid-attack...she was just glad no one was dead and talked me down). And I'm glad Mr. Armstrong came back to the U.S. - but I'm selfish that way.
BTW Dale - Sorry I wasn't able to get back to the banana discussion earlier yesterday. The banana water recipe I use is basically the one Mike in Albert Lea found - it lends itself well to proportioning based on the number of available bananas (e.g., only 2 bananas? not enough for muffins - throw 'em in the blender, add water to almost the top of the blender and a little sugar, puree to a frothy banana goodness).
I hang onto summer as long as I can. In the last few years I have employed a denial technique that has made me quite happy, but drives my family and friends insane. I don't acknowledge the 9th month of the year by name until a couple of weeks into the month when adding days to August gets cumbersome. Example: Labor Day is on Aug 36th this year. Anybody else have useful tips for hanging onto the summer months?
Greetings Heartlanders! I've never been overseas, but I too get carried away by lovely settings in movies of places I see.
But for now, I'm seriously thinking of Ecuador as another place to live or retire. Beautiful area, lovely temperate weather year round, very inexpensive to live, friendly people, healthy soil, fresh air & water, etc.
Teri, I like your idea for hanging on to the summer months. I just keep hoping for warm weather into October (for my birthday).
After I lived in Germany for a while, I did not want to return to the US. My husband and I would love to relocate to France, but it isn't so easy. Also, our children are not as keen on the idea as we are.
Both times I was in Copenhagen, people stopped me on the street (both Danes and tourists) asking for directions.
I must look like a native. And unthreatening. And friendly.
Anyway, the place was beautiful and friendly, I thought it might be a place to live.
Then I tried to learn the language.
Like Garrison Keillor, I found cultural barriers I couldn't overcome, even with the help of a second cousin, once removed who I met. It should be noted that my "cousin" later moved to Singapore.
My husband and I tease that we'll take all our savings and buy an island in the sun. No more freezing cold, no grey cubicle, just me and my honey. It does sound fun, but we would eventually miss our friends and family. I think that's one of the main reasons people end up staying in the states. Being close to family is important for a lot of people. Have a great morning.
My fantasy for years was to live in Colorado in the winter, Greece in the spring, San Juan Islands in Washington in the summer and New England in the fall...of course, in quaint, lovely cottages in each place...
But every once in a while I can imagine the south of France from my screen porch.
Best of Tuesday, y'all!
Hawaii is the closest I've been to overseas. We met a guy in the back hills of the Big Island who had come for a visit 20 years before, and just NEVER LEFT -- had his kids sell his mainland home and ship a few things over!
How about something Hawaiian, Dale?
Everywhere we travel to/through, I am besotted and start making plans for what it would take to move there. Husband is now used to this and doesn't get alarmed unless it lasts 2 weeks after we return home.
My tactic for the S-month is to rearrange the house somehow, move things around so it feels like a new place. There are just 2 of here now so it works better...
I think I would like living in Bolivia for about the same reasons Joanne said she would consider living in Ecuador. I haven't been to Ecuador, but I have been to Bolivia and I think there are a lot similar things in these two countries.
Some Americans think we live in the best country, but there are lots of good things in other parts of the world. I particulary like the political leadership in some S. American countries and especially like the leader of Bolivia, Evo Morales.
It sure was tempting to stay in Europe. My girlfriend (at the time) and I did London, Paris, and Rome by ourselves (no group or guide) and we loved it. I'm not sure if we would have just wanted to stay -there- or if we just like traveling. Maybe we're nomads or gypsies at heart.
While in Paris, I took the opportunity to propose to her on the second deck of the Eiffel Tower. There is a Ben & Jerry's right there on the second deck as well. An Eiffel Tower proposal of marriage with your Grandmother's engagement ring is one thing. But when Chunky Monkey is involved, -that's- a serious commitment.
I've only been overseas twice--once to Europe (Vienna and Budapest)and once to South America (Bolivia, Chile, Peru). All were fascinating and beautiful, but Vienna was the only one I found even slightly tempting as a place to live. My Bolivian experience was a little different than Jim's. It was during one of their many military dictatorships. Beautiful country, nice people, but too many people walking around with big guns who wanted bribes.
I can't tell you, though, how many times I've found the thought of various places in Canada really, really tempting. Great people, vibrant safe cities, (mostly) progressive politics, and I can even speak fluent Canadian, eh?
I had the great privilege of seeing Louis Armstrong perform once. I was a high school student studying jazz piano, and I had been tipped off that he was going to show up at a concert of a former band member. Sure enough, he walked in just before the show started. He was old and in poor health--he had to be helped down the aisle. I went up to him at intermission and got his autograph which I hope I still have. At the end of the night he was asked up on stage. He couldn't play trumpet any more, but he sang "On the Sunny Side of the Street" and "Hello, Dolly!" The moment he started to sing, he was transformed into a younger man. He died six months later.
I heard about the military dictators in Bolivia that Don mentions. Evo Marales is very much not one of those. When I was in Bolivia more than a million people came to a rally near La Paz to show their support for Evo. He is in many ways a man of the people and this large rally supporting him was amazing. I didn't see the rally because the people mamaging my trip didn't think I should go there.
Wow, what a great story, Don! I can just see it.
Barb in Blackhoof, just read your last paragraph
about sitting around a great big kitchen between milkings... I'm nostalgic for 1981. Need any help up there? :)
when i had a real job i traveled all over this country and to several countries in Asia which made me appreciate how great we have it here; i do love san francisco and new york city, however
now that i'm retired i rarely drive any farther than st paul
in fact, the twins and i will shortly be on the way to the science museum
i believe we are blessed to live here
We really came to love Canada when we lived there, and probably would have stayed if given the chance and the proper visa status. Looking back, though, I'm glad we're where we are in North Dakota, particularly when I hear CBC Radio. While I came to appreciate the CBC when we lived in Winnipeg, I realize now that the CBC DJ's talk too much when they could be playing music. I think MPR and NDPR have the right balance between talk and music.
Barbara in Robbinsdale - Linda and Sophia Breitag first suggested the big kitchen idea. we always need help up here, but we need musicians because neither one of us plays an instrument right now. oh, and we need a big kitchen! :-) but otherwise we have everything we need.
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