If some of you have not read ... or listened to
Light on Main Street, a book written by our very own Rudy Taylor, you have something to look forward to.
I read it.... a couple of weeks ago and it was a treat. It has been a long time since I started reading a book and decided that I will spend the hours reading it all the way through.
One of my favorite chapters is called "Skip the Milk".
Rudy has given us permission to let you all listen to a track from the CD that comes with this book.
I know copies are available at Batsons in Howard and can also be ordered here:
http://www.rudytaylorbooks.com/
Click on the play button below and enjoy an intro by Rudy and a chapter read by his daughter Jenny. If you are using Internet Explorer, you may need to click twice to get it to play.
Enjoy!
Rudy, your book sounds wonderful. I want one. I'll sent a check and a note soon. Will you autograph it for me?
Here are some reviews found on the net:
http://gregtaylor.wordpress.com/2006/12/25/light-on-main-street/
http://skyways.lib.ks.us/news/publish/article_00343.shtml
The player has been updated with a new intro.
;D
I am reading the book. It is absolutely wonderful.
:)
I received a copy of the book last year for my birthday as a gift from my sister there in Howard. I must say, it is quite interesting and even thought I didn't have the time to devote to reading it at one sitting, I could hardly wait until I could get back to read some more.
Myrna
Diane, I'll be back in my office tomorrow and I'll send you an autographed copy.
You folks surely know how to make an old editor feel good.
This book is one that makes you feel all warm and calm and nostalgic inside.
The perfect way to read this is to put your bath robe on, make yourself a cup of coffee, hot tea, or hot chocolate.. get comfortable on the divan and just tune the real world out and take a trip to when "times were different".
I love it, and you will definitely not be sorry you bought this one to enjoy.
Rudy... you did gooood.
I'm really looking forward to reading it.
A copy of this book has been dedicated to the Howard City Library in memory of Dale Brenner, who passed away a couple of weeks ago. It has been checked out several times already.
The more I read, the better the book gets. It shows at least three things about Rudy Taylor. He is a good writer. He is a good man. He has been paying attention his entire life. Those three things are much more than many people can claim for an entire lifetime. Rudy has a long time yet to be Rudy, which will continue to make the world a better place for us to live.
Oh, good grief, Kermit. You've been sipping too much pond water.
But (trying my best to sound modest) thanks so much, my friend.
But it's such GOOD pond water!
;D
See there? Now, doesn't that sound like something a dang frog would say?
Ya know, my mom said something very similar...
I've been waiting for the right place to post this.
That is so perfect! ;D ;D ;D
Ooh, ooh! A Kermit cartoon I hadn't seen before! Thanks, kfclark!
If I showed that to my wife, she'd think the hand was hers. If I showed it to my dad, he would think it was the hand of genetics. The paranoid will think that it is the hand of Michael, proving the validity of the entity as a regular feller in a frawg suit. But my friends and I know that it is the hand of Universal Randomness at work.
That explains a lot!
;D
Mama.... Are you done with the book yet?
Isn't it just the best reading?
Makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.. :D
... or it could be the greasy french fries you devoured after midnight. They'll make you "really" warm and fuzzy inside.
Nope, it's the book. I have been reading it in that twilight period when it get halfway pleasant to read out on the deck, but is almost too dark to read. I am taking my time. When it's over, I will miss it, and we'll have to get Rudy to write another one.
;)
Thanks so much, everybody. I think this will be my first and last book.
My next project is to write a screen play with "Light On Main Street" as the theme. It will be written as a television series but entirely for my own entertainment. I'd just like to play with the theme, see what I can develop then drop the script in a wooden box that I moved to our attic years ago. There it will gather dust and someday be thrown away, along with a half dozen old pipes that I once smoked, a photo of me standing on my head atop a 1951 Mercury, and an old draft card from the 1960s with my name on the front.
As for the screenplay, it won't be silly enough for Hollywood to consider.
Quote from: Rudy Taylor on August 04, 2007, 06:58:16 PM
As for the screenplay, it won't be silly enough for Hollywood to consider.
Then perhaps 'it' should be made in Kansas, by Kansans, for Kansans -- rather than put to sleep - never to shine? C'mon Rudy. Think BIG.
I learned long ago to realize my limitations, and this definitely would be among them.
I'd just like to play with a different type of writing.
Rudy, as I posted earlier that Teresa and Kjell had loaned me their copy of "your book". When I got it home, I told Fred that I was going to read it and for him NOT to pick it up and start reading it until I had finished...because, I did not want to have to wait when I had a minute to read. So he very graciously granted me my request -- but once or twice he would say, "Are you about finished with the book"? Well, I savored every page and related to many of them. As soon as I said, "I finished reading Light On Mainstreet", he said "Here", and held out his hand. He read it through and was as pleased with it as I was.
THANK YOU, RUDY -- and Thank you Kjell and Teresa.
WONDERFUL READING !!
Thanks, Jo. I recently sent a copy of the book to Diane Amberg, and I sent a full page of apologies for it. For a "purist" reader, the book surely is a light-weight read. There are only two things I can about "Light On Main Street:" It is a book, and I wrote it.
I can tell from Diane's posts that she's quite well-read, can't you?
Anyway, thanks so much.
Now I am totally embarrassed. Rudy, the book arrived yesterday and I love it. There is nothing to apologize for!. I haven't finished it yet, but it is exactly what it needs to be. The title is perfect and a good pun too. "Light'' as in illumination, and also "light" as in unassuming, uplifting, gentle and fun, and of course, the physical light showing through the the window of a very hard working person. Now I feel that you all think I'm an intellectual snob. I don't mean to be at all. If I have taken my kidding around too far, then I deeply apologize. I did work part time at a little printing business years ago.( Printr's (sic) Ink. I worked in the bindery and did some editing and copy proof reading. My girlfriend, who worked there full time, eventually went on her own and started Communigraphics, which is still thriving today. I helped her a there a bit too. Also, together we did the fire and ambulance fund drive for 25 years. I wrote the copy and took the photos, she helped me with the layout, paste up, and printing. I learned a lot from her. Rudy, your next book should be "Llght From The Dairy Barn. It could be a collection of fun stories about the long days of the dairy farmer and goofy things related to cows. Then, Light From The Hen House......only kidding, honest! :laugh:
Your feelings about the book are much the same as mine, Diane. And one thing that you said is perfect, absolutely perfect: "it is exactly what it needs to be." And so it is.
:)
NO kidding, Diane, I think that is a wonderful idea. Quite suited to this area. It could be as big a hit as "The Cowpokes". Think about it, Rudy.
I finished Rudy's delightful book today and I have only one complaint....It's 50 pages too short! I really wasn't ready for it to be over. It ended in a very nice way, but I would have liked more. Rudy can there be a Part Two in a few years?
Hey, Kermit...ya want to laugh at me again? When I was teaching an EMT class, we were talking about the drugs the paramedics use, and Epipens and such, and my mouth took off on its own and I said "hypodemic nerdle." I turned about as red as anyone could. I broke down laughing so hard, I started coughing and couldn't talk. To this day I avoid using that word, and use "needles''or "syringes" for fear I'll screw it up again.
Isn't it odd how some words just won't come out straight? I think most people have at least one. I believe that I have outgrown mine, but with my lisp you can't exactly call my diction good. One word that seems to give a lot of people difficulty is "linoleum." I can't tell you how many people I have known that wound up settling for "loleum."
;)
I just want to share that I have written a check for Rudy's book and will mail it tomorrow, so, I too, can enjoy the book from my friend, Rudy Taylor. I asked him to autograph the book to Wilma and Ta-Ta. I can't wait.
That's so nice, Janet. I hope you enjoy reading it.
I really don't want to make my presence on this forum a commercial venture.
It was so generous of Kjell and Teresa to give me such high billing.
Quote from: Kermit on August 12, 2007, 06:56:25 PM...One word that seems to give a lot of people difficulty is "linoleum." ...
That reminds me of my aunt. She gets furious if we try to get her to say linoleum or aluminum or even spaghetti. She doesn't have a speech problem, just some kind of mental block with certain words ~ and oh, how she can mangle them!
I can do linoleum and aluminum, but sometimes spaghetti comes out skabetti. I've noticed the older I get, the worse (and funnier) it becomes. When I took my first EMT class back in 1970, there was a darling old gentleman who taught the class. He had a hard time with some words and we all had trouble because he didn't know he was doing it. I've forgotten many of them, but he insisted on calling a tongue depressor a "tongue dispenser"....Well, you can imagine! Many a night I thought I'd choke to death trying not to laugh.
OK, Kermit, come out and play. Diane is telling tongue jokes and you're not here to respond on behalf of the frogs in this world.
Rudy, we all know that you never meant to advertise on the forum, but, we are having such a fun time with this book. Like I said, I can hardly wait and I will listen to the CD in the car on the way to work. At least I hope I can. Will it work in a car CD player?
And I should mention here that the Howard City Library also now has a copy of your book on its shelves. It was purchased by the Library Board in memory of Dale Brenner. We have been unable to keep the book on the shelves........Very popular.
That is a nice memorial to Dale Brenner.
I ordered two of Rudy's books at Christmas time to give to my husband and my brother. Rudy kindly autographed them both, and they have brought back so many fond memories of growing up in "Small Town America", especially "Small Town Kansas". Job well, done, Rudy!!!
In memory of Dale Brenner. That is really nice because that is just what Dale was, small town Kansan.
:-\ hate to admit this, but I do not own, nor have I read Rudy's book. However, reading these postings, (trying to, anyhow, have had three phone interruptions), as I was saying, reading these postings, I gotta go get the book. Think Batson's may still have some, hope so anyhow. Then I can get the "author's" autograph at the gathering. How good is that! :D
Well, shucks. You all make me feel so good.
And, Janet, your car CD player will work fine as long as it's an Mp3 player. All new cars (made
the past two years, at least) include the Mp3 feature.
Or, as a second option, I could ride to work with you and just read it aloud. (You wouldn't dump
me at the prison, would you?)
My car is a 2006 Toyota Matrix, so I hope it will work in there. Not that I wouldn't like to have you come and read it aloud on the way to work and on the way home. How many days would you have to ride with me to get the book read? Remember, I always ask questions, so you would be interrupted many many times.
As for dumping you at the prison, I wouldn't do that. It would be a hoot to have you shadow me at work for a whole day. However; I doubt that the officials would allow that because of liability purposes. ha I think it would be fun, though.
Rudy - as fond as I am of Janet ummmmmmmmmm why don't you just tell her how sorry you are that you will be unable to ride to work with her and read aloud on the way--- you never knw, just one little slip of the lip and you may be wearing Orange Jumpsuits...Ohhh dear me, we DO NOT WANT OUR AUTHOR wearing orange.
:o :o :o :o
oh I don't know Mama.. orange is nice .. ( if you're a pumpkin.. ) :) And maybe they would give Rudy one of those matching "Press hats" in that color too. :police:
Quote from: Janet Harrington on August 14, 2007, 08:15:27 PM
Remember, I always ask questions, so you would be interrupted many many times.
Does she ever............. ::) Can't get a story told without her questions and just "having to know" all the details..
Jeepers..... never in all my born days have I ever known anyone any more nosy. or wanting to get in on the scoop. ::)
;D
Just the facts, Mam, just the facts.
I love the way Janet takes the brunt of kindly-intentioned jokes on the forum. It's funny, my past
experiences with Janet were almost all by telephone and e-mail while she was Elk County Sheriff,
although I did get to meet her on several occasions.
I remember going to the courthouse late one night after some doins at the Cox Building, and we
started talking and swapping stories. I was really late getting home that night, which was OK.
Wasn't there a friendly courthouse dog in her quarters? I think I remember that.
Anyway, you're all so cruel to Ta Ta and I've enjoyed joining your circle. This is fun!
I sent Janet and Wilma a book and CD this morning. The woman who sends out my books is
actually in our Oswego newspaper office and she handed me the book to sign. "Do you know
somebody named Ta Ta?" said asked.
I responsed, "Yep, that's my friend Janet. Don't say anything bad about me to Ta Ta because
she always defends me."
Still, I like the way Teresa rip her, and vice versa.
There were 2 friendly dogs at the sheriff's office at different times. Both German Shepherds. Sam was the first one. He was friendly except when he perceived Janet as being threatened. He never left me from a visit without getting in at least one kiss, when I was least expecting it. The second one was Fritz. He was friendly enough except for the same reason Sam wasn't.
Colonel is the current German shepherd in resident. He is just one big friendly dog. Not an unfriendly bone in his body. I don't see much of him. We can't have him and Bud in the same room and since Bud lives here Colonel doesn't come to visit much. They were within reach of each other once, but Janet touched Colonel on the hip and he stopped. That gave her time to get to Bud. Bud was ready to whip the big bad dog but I am glad he didn't get to. Might have been traumatic.
Thanks, Wilma, for that info. I do remember being a bit scared ... but mostly of that talkative sheriff! The dog
didn't bother me at all.
You guys are so funny. Rudy, I believe that Fritz was the dog you got to meet. He lived to be 9 years old, I think, but when we moved from the sheriff's office to the house, I think the move was too much. He had a massive stroke one night and I had to put him down. All of my dogs have been wonderful dogs for me. I probably won't ever have anything but German Shepherds.
Yes, that was the one. I remember you telling me the dog was getting old and a bit irritable.
At least you have sweet memories of Fritz and all your pet.
Quote from: Rudy Taylor on August 15, 2007, 02:22:43 PM
I love the way Janet takes the brunt of kindly-intentioned jokes on the forum.
Anyway, you're all so cruel to Ta Ta and I've enjoyed joining your circle. This is fun!
Still, I like the way Teresa rip her, and vice versa.
OH FOR THE LOVE OF PETE!
I can not believe that you are all sappy and feeling soooo sorry for poor little Ta Ta.. ::)
I'll let you in on a bit of information.. TaTa can more than hold her own against bad rippy Teresa.. hahahaha
I learned "some" of my naughtiness from her.! ;D
So actually you should be feeling sorry for me! :'(
((seriously.... TaTa's and my friendship is pretty strong. I doubt that much could bother it..
and it's funny.. but I can call her anything I want to.. ( and mean it, even)
but let anyone else try to do it and it will be suicide for them! >:(
Soooo.. say what you want to to her.. but ya better have a smiley face behind it.. or I'll come lookin' for ya~! ;D ;D ;D :police:
...and visa versa for Ms. T and I. I would take the bullet for this gal. I would give her my last penny. I would give her my plate of food. (Wait. That's going to far. ha ha).
I can harrass Ms. T, tell her what I think, tell her I don't like something she is doing, but our friendship is such a bond with each other that, God forbid someone attack My Teresa and the tiger comes out in Ta Ta. I will fight to the death for her.
How sickening can you girls get? Me thinks thee protesteth too much.
It is getting sort of hard to walk around in here, Wilma, what with the syrup being about 18 inches deep everywhere.
Anyway, I think it's syrup...
You would have to see them together -- to disbelieve the "syrup" not being the Real McCoy !!!
Oh you guys. You just don't understand. LOL This is not syrupy. This is true, unconditional love/friendship/hate, I'll kill for you, type of friendship.l
Quote from: Janet Harrington on August 17, 2007, 05:41:53 PM
...and visa versa for Ms. T and I. I would take the bullet for this gal. I would give her my last penny. I would give her my plate of food. (Wait. That's going to far. ha ha)
I'll take your money... hahaha
you can have the food. lol lol
Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to ......
to celebrate the unconditional love between Ms. T and Ta TA ROMFLMAO
Quit rolling around on the floor ------------You are going to get all of that "stuff" in your mouth.
;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D :o :o :o :o :o :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Hey, Rudy. My husband just finished your book. He really enjoyed it and wants to meet the author.
That would be nice, Diane. I will look forward to seeing both of you some day.