November 4th, 2022 by Gary Osberg
Years ago I met a woman whose father was a doctor in Cold Spring. His brother was also a doctor and they would take turns covering for each other during vacations. One year the brother and his family drove to California in their “woody” station wagon. At the end of the first week the doctor received a telegram from his brother in California telling him how great a time they were having and asking him to wire some money so they could stay a little longer.
The next week another request for more money arrived. This time, the doctor sent a telegram back to his brother telling him that there would be no more money and that it was time for him to come home.
Some time went by and one day the railroad station manager called the doctor and told him that he should come to the depot. There was a C.O.D. for him. The doctor argued that he had not ordered anything C.O.D. The station manager told him to get down there, that there was no doubt that the package was for him. When the doctor got to the train depot, he discovered that his vacationing brother had loaded the “woody” onto a railroad flat car and shipped himself and his family home C.O.D.
Special note: Madison Symphony Orchestra’s principal organist and virtuoso, Greg Zelek will perform in the Abbey Church, this evening at 8. Information at Saint John’s Abbey dot org
“We judge others by their actions and we judge ourselves by our intentions.” GMO
October 28th, 2022 by Gary Osberg
I am a recovering entrepreneur. I couldn’t work for the man, I had to be the man. I have a collection of 44 calling cards from 22 different companies. The time I got the closest to the “Brass Ring” was when Jimmy Dorr and I started the Knoll office furniture dealership, Corporate Environments. Knoll is the Mercedes Benz of the office furniture industry. In 1986 both Jimmy and I were salesmen for Dayton’s Commercial Interiors. (My wife Marcia was happy with this one since it came with a 20% discount from the Dayton’s Department Store.)
Knoll was represented by both Dayton’s Commercial Interiors and General Office Products but the Knoll share of the commercial furniture business in Minnesota was tiny. Bill Perry, a Knoll executive, came to town and approached Jimmy about starting a new dealership and taking the line away from Dayton’s and GOP. Jimmy approached me and with the help of a few friendly investors and a second mortgage on Jimmy’s house, we opened a showroom on the fourth floor of International Market Square. We won a design award for the showroom and we managed to score some big orders, but by 1988 we were forced to bow out and turn the reins over to others. Someday I will write a book about the experience.
In 1994 I joined Albinson Inc. as the Xerox rep in the St. Cloud market. Life was good and in April of 1999 I was promoted to Sales Manager. On July 14, 1999 Albinson and Xerox parted ways and I was let go. I spent the summer painting old buildings in Upsala.
In August I saw an ad in the St. Cloud Times for a position with Minnesota Public Radio. It took two and one half months and seven interviews to get this job, but today is my 23rd anniversary of selling on-air messages, web ads and pre-roll messages for MPR in central, western, southwestern Minnesota, Sioux Falls and Sun Valley, Idaho.
Now there is an opening for an “Account Executive” in Rochester, Minnesota. If you are interested, here is the hotlink AE position in Rochester Please mention my name in your cover letter. Call me if you have any questions about the job.
“It will be fine, in a little while.” Jimmy Dorr
October 21st, 2022 by Gary Osberg
I spent a lot of my youth in Upsala, Minnesota. At school there were “Farm Kids” and “Village Kids”. Some were “summer kids”. They were kids whose parent or parents grew up in Upsala and who were sent to Upsala to spend some time with Grandma and Grandpa during the summer. Some stayed for a few weeks and some stayed for the whole summer. In one situation that I knew of, the son was getting into too much trouble in the “cities” and they thought hard work on a farm would be a better way for him to spend his summer.
Larry was a “summer kid” and he ended up marrying one of the Upsala beauties. She was chased by all of the boys, but Larry won her heart. He was also one of the eight couples that camped on our lakeshore on Cedar Lake west of Upsala every fourth of July. He was a fun loving fellow who died way too young.
MEA weekend is a special time of the year. Many a father/son(daughter) combo head for the woods or ponds to bring home the “bacon” in the form of grouse or duck. Larry knew that I had never taken up hunting, but he wanted my son Erik and myself to experience a weekend of grouse hunting up north at “the shack”. Larry invited our friend Ron and his son Matt, my son’s best friend, to join him and his son Danny. So there were three dads and three sons along with a black lab, “Bear”. We formed two teams and I was the “bird dog” on the DADS team. Bear went with the boys.
The first day we brought back 17 grouse and Larry fixed a meal of grouse with wild rice and cream of mushroom soup in the giant iron skillet that hung from a nail in “the shack”. It was one of the most memorable feasts of my life. I trust that you are doing something special with your family this weekend.
“Remember, it’s not about having time it’s about making time.” Erik Osberg
October 7th, 2022 by Gary Osberg
In October of 1956, Ma was 36 years old. Two months earlier she had given birth to her sixth child, a boy. Our family of eight lived in a small house at 1620 Colorado Avenue in St. Louis Park. Dad had just smashed up his third car in as many years. Ma’s mother, Grandma Ramlo, drove her 1952 Chevy to St. Louis Park from Upsala, placed Dad in the backseat and drove him to the Chemical Dependency department at the VA Hospital in Minneapolis. She said, “He is a veteran, he is a drunk and he is your problem now.” Then she packed us all up and moved us into the apartment above the Ramlo Grocery in Upsala, Minnesota.
The one bright spot for me was that I would not have to serve the 20 hours of detention that I had racked up in eighth grade at St. Louis Park Junior High. I had two paper routes in St. Louis Park, so I was able to buy a brand new Schwinn complete with a tank, a horn and mud flaps. The first day of school I rode my shiny red and white bike to school. When I got out, the tires were flat. That evening I stripped the fenders and all other fancy stuff off of the bike. The kids left my bike alone after that.
Next Friday is Homecoming at Upsala High. I plan to be there in my shiny red and white lettermen’s jacket.
Also next Friday, October 14th , Great River Arts, in Little Falls, will host the annual Charles Gilbert Kapsner Salon, Collaborations V, with an opening reception from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. This year marks the 12th year of the Salon, given the pandemic prevented in-person Salons for the past two years. The opening reception and gala will feature a wine sampling by Coborn’s Liquor and lively music by the Pierz Jazz Band, under the direction of Joel Pohland. This event is free and open to the public.
On Saturday night, October 15th, you can enjoy Tonic Sol-Fa at the Paramount Center for the Arts. I have a couple of tickets that I can mail to the first person to respond to this email.
“If you are going to expect, you have to inspect” Grandma Ramlo
September 30th, 2022 by Gary Osberg
The MPR Net Team annual sales retreat at Breezy Point is back. We gather this Sunday for two wonderful days of learning and sharing.
One of the cabins at Breezy Point that is available is the 11 bedroom Fawcett House. It was Breezy Point Resort’s founder Captain Billy’s personal residence. My mother, Bernice “Bee” Larson was a nanny for the grandchildren of Captain Billy Fawcett in the 1930s. She had a bedroom in the Fawcett House and spent the winters in Los Angeles with Captain Billy’s son Gordon Fawcett, his wife Vivian and their two children, Gordon Jr. and Dennis.
Wilford Fawcett, better known as Captain Billy, was a millionaire publisher from Robbinsdale, Minnesota. His most famous publication was the Capt. Billy’s Whiz Bang magazine. The book “Humor Magazines and Comic Periodicals” noted that “Few periodicals reflect the post-WW I cultural change in American life as well as Capt. Billy’s Whiz Bang. For much of the 1920’s Capt. Billy’s was the most prominent comic magazine in America.” Harold Hill refers to the magazine in the song “Ya Got Trouble” in “The Music Man”.
Captain Billy purchased Breezy Point in Pelican Township, from Fred LaPage in 1920 and soon the main lodge was built along with his personal residence. The original lodge was destroyed in a fire in June of 1959. Of course he rebuilt the lodge and the “Fawcett House” still stands. With 11 bedrooms it is perfect for large family reunions. It was recently renovated. For details on rates and golf packages, go to www.breezypointresort.com
“This time, like all times, is a very good one, if we know what to do with it. Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be encumbered with your old nonsense.” Emerson
September 23rd, 2022 by Gary Osberg
Quotations are a great way to get an idea across or to remind ourselves and others just what is important. Many years ago a friend of mine published “A Collection of Inspiring Thoughts” subtitled “For Business & Professional People”. Every week I try to find a quotation to use at the end of this blog. I use a copy of Norm’s booklet and record when I use one of my favorites.
For 22 years I sold office furnishings beginning with General Office Products in 1972. One of our suppliers carried a calling card with a quote on the back of the card. Ron measured offices for carpet installation and his company was not the cheapest, but they did great work. The card read: “The bitterness of poor workmanship remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten” Longfellow
One day, I found out that it was not Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, but Benjamin Franklin who said that. It goes to show that checking your sources is always the right thing to do. Thanks to the English major who corrected me. She also was the one that told me that when I stopped to use a restroom in a gas station, I had to at least purchase a bag of peanuts if I didn’t need any gas.
An article in USA Today about the passing of Yogi Berra was full of his best sayings. “When you get to a fork in the road, take it” is one of my favorites.
If you would like a copy of the booklet “A Collection of Inspiring Thoughts”, let me know.
“You should always go to other people’s funerals, otherwise, they won’t come to yours.” Yogi Berra
September 16th, 2022 by Gary Osberg
This weekend I plan on visiting “Hippe Landing” west of Upsala near the American Legion Memorial Park on Cedar Lake. The park has one of the best swimming beaches in central Minnesota. There are camping spots also, but I understand there is a long waiting list.
Next to the entrance to the park there is a Public Landing with a sign “Hippe Landing”. There used to be an old store without any signage located where the landing is now. At one time it was called Cedar Lake Pavilion. The store was owned and run by Emie Hippe. Emie was a real character and for many years she served ice cream, candy and pop to kids from the park and 3.2 beer to the adults. The PayDay candy bar was a favorite of mine.
Strangely, you could not buy a Coke there and I always wondered why. One day my brother Craig and I went in to have a drink and I finally had the nerve to ask her, “Emie, why don’t you serve Coca Cola?” She slammed her hand on the bar and said “The dirty rascals. My husband Ben used to travel all the way to Brainerd with the empty bottles and bring back the full ones. Then during the war, they asked us to simply hold on to the empties and they would pick them up later.” So what happened Emie? “The dirty rascals changed their mind and would not pick them up.” “What did you do with them Emie, they would be worth a lot of money?” “You will never find them!” she proclaimed, “We buried them under two ton of rock!”
For over 60 years no Coca Cola products were sold from this store, all because someone broke a promise. I am sure that the Coca Cola route driver tried a few times when he would see the Pepsi truck out front, but she never let them put Coke back on the shelf.
“In the best institutions, promises are kept no matter what the cost in agony and overtime.” David Ogilvy
September 9th, 2022 by Gary Osberg
It has been nine years since Auntie passed. There are many stories to tell about Auntie, but my favorite comes from her son Kevin. They had been visiting Kevin’s uncle in Alexandria and Kevin told Auntie that he wanted to get back to her house in Upsala so he could watch the Preakness horse race on television.
The speed limit on County Road 17 is 55, so Kevin was doing 60. Auntie said, “You drive slow Kevin”. Kevin stepped it up a bit and a little while later, Auntie spoke up again. “We’ll never get there on time at this speed.”. Kevin responded: “Ma, I don’t want to get a ticket.” , but he dutifully stepped it up again.
There was silence for a while and then: “Kevin, why don’t you just pull over and let me drive”. Kevin was driving a four wheel drive pickup. Auntie was 90 years young at the time. We miss you Auntie.
“I was born to have fun”. Leone Larson Hagstrom 1922-2013
September 2nd, 2022 by Gary Osberg
This note was cut and pasted from my son’s website, The Outdoor Report. He wrote it in 2013.
“In our family, Labor Day weekend means a trip to Uncle Brian’s Cabin. It’s our way of saying goodbye to summer & one last weekend dedicated to feeling Minnesota. What I mean by that is a celebration of why we live here, sky blue waters, great food, fantastic fishing & family fun. This year, the weekend began with temperatures in the mid 80’s which lead to perfect swimming weather. Eventually the temperatures dropped far enough to make fishing the favorite activity. “The Cabin” is a gorgeous log cabin nestled in the woods on a small environmental lake near Aitkin, MN. It’s a great place to get away from it all, and the warm orange glow inside the cabin has a way of refreshing your soul.
This little lake doesn’t have much in the way of BIG fish, but it does have a healthy trout population. We’ve never really tried to fish for trout over Labor Day weekend, however, this year my son Willie demanded we give it a shot. Uncle Brian took Willie & I out in his 14 foot boat powered by an electric motor. We trolled the deep water with small crankbaits & “cow bell” rigs with crawler harnesses. Sometimes keeping it simple makes for a more enjoyable day on the water. No electronics, no big boat, no big motors. Just three guys trolling around hoping to feel the heavy strike on the end of the line. Low & behold, it worked. We managed to catch 3 nice eater sized trout that made the annual Labor Day feast even more memorable.
Keep in mind, just because Labor Day has come & gone, & it feels like summer is over, that doesn’t mean we are going to stop “feeling Minnesota”. Fall brings some of the best fishing of the year & hunting is going to be in full swing soon. As always, remember it’s not about having time, it’s about making time!” Erik Osberg
“The willow which bends to the tempest, often escapes better than the oak which resists it; and so in great calamities, it sometimes happens that light and frivolous spirits recover their elasticity and presence of mind sooner than those of loftier character.” Walter Scott
August 26th, 2022 by Gary Osberg
On Monday my daughter Kerry will be driving my granddaughter Christen to the University of Minnesota, Main Campus. Christen will be going from a class of 34 at Upsala High School to a class of over 5,000.
I arrived on campus of the University of Minnesota, Main Campus in the fall of 1961. Coming from a class of 33 in Upsala and going to a class of thousands was overwhelming for me.
My two quarters at the “U” were a disaster. The Institute of Technology was certainly a bad choice. My worst performance was in English 101. Every week I would turn in the blue composition book and every week I would get a “D” or a “F”. Not paying any attention to Miss Krier in my 11th and 12th grade English class at good old Upsala High had caught up with me. Spending a lot of time playing pool and drinking beer did not help either. Remember, my nickname at Upsala High was “Alkie”.
The highlight of the fall of 1961 was the Gopher football team. They were coached by Murray Warmath and lead by quarterback Sandy Stephens. They compiled a record of 8 wins and 2 losses. On New Year’s day 1962, they beat the UCLA Bruins by a score of 21 to 3 in the Rose Bowl.
When I came home to Upsala in the spring of 1962, defeated and broke, Bob Soltis nicknamed me “Murray” and he called me “Murray” from that time forward. I liked it better than “Alkie”.
I am confident that Christen will do well. When she graduated Upsala High she already had 60 college credits from Central Lakes College.
“It’s what you learn after you know it all that counts.” John Wooden and Earl Weaver
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