GaryOsberg.com

Good morning from Collegeville,

The last time there was a tree lighting in The Great Hall here on the campus of St. John’s University was in 1999, the first Christmas that I was working in Wimmer Hall for MPR. On Monday, there was a tree lighting of a new age. The insurance company had taken the position that if they wanted to continue with the tradition of a huge live tree in The Great Hall, that the Abbey would have to install a 1,000 gallon water tank in the attic space above the tree. The decision was made to invest in a new tree that would serve for years to come. I have attached video taken with my iPhone 6 for your pleasure. Note: I learned a lesson. Don’t take video in the vertical position. This video is fun to watch on your smart phone or your tablet, but not so much fun on a desktop screen. Sorry.

The APHC show this week is another live show from The Town Hall in New York City. Rob Fisher is bringing the Coffee Club Orchestra for some hot jazz and wistful tunes from the middle of the 20th century. Singer Heather Masse joins the gang from upstate New York to sing duets with the host and a few tunes with Rob and the orchestra. The usual cast of characters will entertain. Garrison will bring us up to date on what is going on in Lake Wobegon.

“Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure… than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much, because they live in a gray twilight that knows not victory nor defeat.” Teddy Roosevelt