Post to the Host
GK responds to queries on topics from childbearing to potato salad, with a little bookstore fetish in between.

Send your own post to the host.
Here's your chance to ask GK your most pressing questions—about the writing life, the radio life, Lake Wobegon, Guy Noir, whatever you like. Also, feel free to send feedback about the show. Honest comments and criticism are always welcome!

Hello, Garrison,
I'm 32 and feel that married life may be passing me by. What should a shy person do? I mean, I can join clubs and take classes and otherwise insinuate myself into society, but then... how do I show myself to be the caring, sort of exciting, fun person that I am? My little brother is my date to your Valentine's Day show in Spartanburg, SC. Thank you... for everything!
—Julie

Julie,
I'm glad you'll be at the Valentine's Day show, and I hope that all the love songs don't weigh heavily on you. Romance is just an operatic form of friendship, a conversation between two people that keeps rolling on. There are all sorts of ways that two people can fall into that, but I don't think you should be looking for a fall: I think you should go about enjoying your life to the fullest, which is what we should all do, live joyfully and cut our losses, dump as much baggage as we can, give up regrets, take long walks, get our hearts pounding, seek out the people who make us unaccountably happy and steer clear of self-pity and—well, you know what I mean. This all applies to me as much as to you. You could find a disastrous marriage tomorrow if you wanted that, but you don't. What you want is to be brave and funny and good, so do we all, and tomorrow, my dear, is a new day.

Dear Friends,
A listener inquired kindly about the shoes I wear on stage and I told her that they were Hyde Brooklyn Bowlers, a classic black leather shoe, and that Harry's in New York doesn't stock them anymore and so I am planning to retire when this pair wears out and become a Benedictine novice. Daddy needs shoes!

Countless of you sent me helpful e-mails about where to find the Brooklyn Bowler shoe and almost all of you directed me to eBay where indeed there are a couple hundred pairs for sale, many of them brown or red, many of them ladies' shoes, and the men's shoes are either size 10 or size 15. I am neither. Apparently this fabulous old shoe has vanished from the stores and is no more. How can this happen? I don't know. I am looking at my options. Meanwhile, thanks for all your help, useless as it was.
—GK

Mr. Keillor:
Say it isn't so!The NY Times recently profiled St Paul in its popular "Escapes" section featuring "Cool" and "Hip" getaway destinations. Are you bracing for a round of trendy restaurants, upscale boutiques, rising property taxes and overall gentrification?

—Tom

Tom,
All I can say is that when I drove downtown last night past the Winter Carnival Ice Palace that is almost built (20,000 blocks of ice from Lake Phalen), it took my breath away. It's bigger than the one Fitzgerald immortalized in his story, "The Ice Palace," and it's beautiful in the cold, with its turrets and towers and ramparts. That's what the "Cool" refers to and the "Hip" I believe refers to the style of the roof. We already have a couple trendy restaurants, a Canadian-Malaysian one and a Celanese, and lots of gentry and everybody's property taxes are rising, of course. But it's worth it.

Dear Garrison,
Speaking for the Dutch Calvinists of northwest Iowa, I'd really like to thank you for honoring us so favorably in your January 17th show. Your constant attention to the Lutherans sometimes irritated us a bit; after all, we're out here in the rural Midwest too. At the same time, however, we've never said a thing because we know, at base, our envy is pure covetousness. Now we'll have to fight off the pride, but you can be confident we'll work at it.

—Aunt Emma, who is a wonder with the needles, is already fashioning a doily for you with T-U-L-I-P set gracefully into the embroidery. We're sure you'll love it.

Thank you, Jim,
And let me remind the non-Calvinists that TULIP stands for Total Depravity, Unconditional Election, Limited Atonement, Irresistible Grace, Perseverance of the Saints. And that's John Calvin, not Calvin Trillin.

Dear Garrison,
While watching last Saturday's webcast from here in the UK, sacrificing a fine night at the pub to hear the news from Lake Wobegon, I noticed you were wearing a fine pair of sensible shoes. May I ask where you got them? My dad's birthday is coming up.
—Anne

Dear Anne,
Thank you, thank you, thank you, you are the first person to comment favorably on my shoes, and you've made my day. Most people look at them and say, "You going bowling?" They're terrifically comfortable, which is the main thing to a guy my age ---- when you're young, you can clomp around in cowboy boots, ten-pound wingtips, sandals, concrete blocks, anything, but in your Mature Years you only want comfort. They're black leather with rubber soles and I wear them with white laces and they look like athletic shoes, which maybe they are. I wear them everywhere, on stage, to black-tie affairs, to my daughter's school, carrying out the garbage, etc. They're in good shape after almost two years of constant use. The brand name is Hyde, they're Made in China, I bought them at Harry's on Broadway (around 82nd) in New York, and Harry's doesn't stock them anymore. I don't know who does. I'd give anything to own about six more pair. Let me know if you find some.

Dear Mr. Keillor:
Is there an undertaker in Lake Wobegon?
—Ed

Dear Ed,
Yes, there is. Old Mr. Lindberg at Lindberg Mortuary and his rates are extremely reasonable as he is getting old.

Garrison,
I must confess to being an 'on again/off again' supporter of public radio and I wonder if big donors demand more time with you—as in churches the more affluent members seem to expect more attention of the pastor? My family and I met you after a concert in Berkeley a few years back (the "First Annual Post-Millenium Tour", I think). You stood and talked with us, were very cordial, authographed stuff, and never asked about our past pledge history.

Just curious.
—Tim N.

Tim,
I remember meeting you in Berkeley—the handsome sort of brown-haired guy of medium height, right? ---- and my staff brought me up to date on your giving patterns beforehand and we discussed it and felt that you were in some financial difficulty due to your emu ranch investment and also the trips to Palm Springs with your wife. (Her name is Fawn, right?) But next time we meet, I'm planning to have a serious talk with you, so don't bring the kids.

Dear Mr. Keillor:

Your Minnesota weather seems to have leaked a little too far south. I live near one of Texas' forgotten seaports, and we can't quite cope with this weather. I've cranked the heater in the swimming pool all the way up, but the wind hitting my wet hair just ruins a good swim. It's thrown the daily routine totally out of whack. How do ya'll endure? No wonder folks from up north seem to always be in a hurry. If they slow down, they'll freeze solid and someone will mistake them for a street performer.

—Michelle

Dear Michelle,

I was in Houston on Saturday and Sunday, walking around carrying a topcoat, no scarf or hat, in 70ish weather, and did not detect any suffering in my vicinity. There seemed to be a lot of coping going on. Everybody was doing fine. If the water feels cold, try rubbing Vaseline petroleum jelly all over your body. Really slather it on thick. I believe Gertrude Ederle did this when she swam the English Channel. Maybe you have your thermostat turned too high. If it's 76 in the house and the pool is 64, then the contrast is bound to be jarring. Or you could move to Costa Rica for the winter and come back to Texas for the summer. These are all the suggestions I have at this time. Thank you for sharing your pain.