GaryOsberg.com

I am in the habit of listening to a podcast every morning with my first cup of coffee. The host highlights important birthdays and other anniversaries and ends the broadcast by reading a poem. One day a few years ago, the poem was “Yard Sale”, by George Bilgere, the first line of which is “Someone is selling the Encyclopedia Britannica in all its volumes, which take up a whole card table”.

I wish that I could remember the name of the salesman that came to our basement apartment in Richfield in 1965 and refused to leave until I signed the sales agreement. For only $10 a month, for three years, we could own a 30 volume set of the “Encyclopedia Britannica” and for only $1.50 more each month, we could get a genuine walnut bookcase to hold the set of invaluable information. He guaranteed that our children would be brilliant and success in life would be theirs, if only I would sign the contract. I held out until 11:30 PM. Today the 30 books, in the original bookcase, are in the finished attic room of the 130 year old Parsonage that my daughter owns in Upsala, Minnesota. By the way, both of my children are brilliant and cute too.

The Canadian Brass along with organist Greg Zelek, will be in concert this Saturday evening at 8 in the St. John’s Abbey and University Church. This is your chance to hear the newly renovated organ.  Attendees must be masked and vaccinated. Details are at Saint John’s Abbey dot org.  Tickets are available at www.csbsju.edu/wow 

“No one can excel in everything. The decades demand decisions. Choose wisely. Your choices pinpoint your priorities and determine your destiny. Use it or lose it.” Patricia Souder