I agree that bacon needs no embellishment! Our industrial food system loves to sell us more "flavors" of processed food, when the real thing does just fine.
I have a follow-up question to the one I asked you about Wendell Berry a few months back. Now that I've read "The Unsettling of America" (and written about it a fair amount too), I'm wondering how you apply Berry's philosophy to your own life? He advocates for us to be small, local, and working with our hands. For those of us in entertainment and media (you and me both), our work is by nature big, international, often resource intensive, and at times can feel less tangible than working the land with a plow or harvesting produce from the vine. How do you square being a student of Berry (and perhaps an adherent to his philosophy) without converting to a full practitioner of an agrarian lifestyle?
I really enjoyed your words this morning, as I have so many mornings. Thank you for continuing to sit down with a mic and/or camera and engage with us on the regular.
Apologies if I’ve missed this question in the comments recently, but could I bother you for a rambling tale of your Halloween costumes through the years? Is there one that you particularly cherish the memory of upon reflection? Or perhaps a spectacular, character building disaster of a costume?
Hola Nick! My question is, outside of Ron Swanson, are there any characters you’ve played that you wish you had more time to explore? You had 7 seasons as Ron, enough to build up a whole mythology around him. Is there another role you wish also got that opportunity?
Hi Nick! The segment in your latest book involving your family travels in the air stream deeply and pleasantly reminded me of John Steinbeck’s non-fictional, “Travels With Charley in search of America.” My question is: are you a John Steinbeck fan? And while we’re on the topic of great artists from Northern California, are you a fan of the Grateful Dead? - Alex from Durham, NC
Bacon (pork belly) and otoro (tuna belly) are gifts to humanity. Add a slice of bread. A pint of amber/stout for bacon, a pils for tuna, and you have a few moments where all is right in the world. Which reminds me of a good sci fi read from years back, about colonizing on an inhospitable world, where humans arrive only to become ‘sex toys’ and ‘the bacon’. I’ll see if I can find title and share.
Bacon jam. Since bacon is not a produce product, I am now going to research bacon jam. If you and Megan ever grace the high or by-ways of southern Minnesota….I’ll gladly set you up a bacon themed geo-cache or old school scavenger hunt. Or something.
Much appreciated.
Looking to being whole by the time I hit the century mark! 😵💫🤣🤣🤣 (I chose to memorize “If at first you don’t succeed…” because it was short. Never did I think my subconscious would embrace it as a life theme)
Thanks for trying to keep a dialogue going. I'd like to figure out how a community of people with similar interests forms IN REAL LIFE, outside of organized religion and workplaces. (Like back in the day people would go to hear philosophers speak.)
I tend to find myself busy with work, then family, and a bit of Me/Free time each week. I feel myself wanting to connect socially in my community, and am looking for something to do to distract me from the shitshow of Modern American Healthcare. (But not at a bar.) I'm imagining some type of service league or farming co-op, but I live in the Chicago suburbs where... land isn't quite abundant and there are rules and hoops to jump through to start anything up. Plus, money. If I could garden all year, I would.
Long story in the form of a question: Can you suggest some action items for folks with the time, desire, and means to do good in their communities, but who are having a hard time finding a starting place? This nurse needs to reconnect.
I'm aghast. You seem like a nice man, we have similar interests, your views on the way the world should be aligns to my values and hence we should be able to have a nice chat if we ever meet.
Until 9 minutes ago.
Possible future ideas of sharing drams of single malt and well cooked bacon whilst discussing fishing or the merits of a Japanese oak saw are paused...
Full English Breakfast. Check.
Full Irish Breakfast. I've had one of those.
Full Scottish Breakfast. Yes that's a thing.
{pregnant pause}
Let me rewind, maybe there was a glitch in the matrix...No, no, he went straight from there to something about water bottles... I stopped listening..
Wales. You forgot Wales.
No matter how you describe the small dry bit on which we live : the UK, the British Isles, Great Britain : Wales is in all of them.
In the interests of US / Wales relations and the future of Lagavulin sipping quietude, please make amends to the Welsh in some small way in future podcasts, blogs, books or acting appearances.
I have nothing to add. All I can say is that I concur. For a long time, I’ve always had a Carhartt or Dickie’s piece apparel as a part of my work clothing. Now that I am unable to work like that anymore, I still have a piece or two in the wardrobe. Currently, I’m wearing my favorite work shirt: short sleeves Dickie’s button up.
Plus, YES, please read a book. I think I may purchase a Wendell Berry book.
Reading, a dram, and companion Dexter the cat take me to my happy place where swashbucklers of yore, aliens, drunkards and sex workers, etc. all fire my synapses. Cheers!
Always enjoy the commentary here in Atlanta and I generally agree with you on bacon and I share similar sentiments about my world growing once I visited the UK and became a proponent of the "English Breakfast."
A question I have for you is on beard care. I've worn a beard of some sort for the past 25 ish years, basically as long as I could grow one. Currently I am enjoying letting it grow longer and thicker. I'm also watching it rapidly turn from black to grey. Have you done any maintenance to address that in yours? or do you allow nature to take its course? Also are there products, or a care plan you employ to keep yours soft and acceptable for your partner?
I agree that bacon needs no embellishment! Our industrial food system loves to sell us more "flavors" of processed food, when the real thing does just fine.
I have a follow-up question to the one I asked you about Wendell Berry a few months back. Now that I've read "The Unsettling of America" (and written about it a fair amount too), I'm wondering how you apply Berry's philosophy to your own life? He advocates for us to be small, local, and working with our hands. For those of us in entertainment and media (you and me both), our work is by nature big, international, often resource intensive, and at times can feel less tangible than working the land with a plow or harvesting produce from the vine. How do you square being a student of Berry (and perhaps an adherent to his philosophy) without converting to a full practitioner of an agrarian lifestyle?
I really enjoyed your words this morning, as I have so many mornings. Thank you for continuing to sit down with a mic and/or camera and engage with us on the regular.
Apologies if I’ve missed this question in the comments recently, but could I bother you for a rambling tale of your Halloween costumes through the years? Is there one that you particularly cherish the memory of upon reflection? Or perhaps a spectacular, character building disaster of a costume?
Be well,
CJ Claypool (he/him)
Newburgh, Indiana
Hola Nick! My question is, outside of Ron Swanson, are there any characters you’ve played that you wish you had more time to explore? You had 7 seasons as Ron, enough to build up a whole mythology around him. Is there another role you wish also got that opportunity?
Thanks,
Shane, from Milwaukie OR
Hi Nick! The segment in your latest book involving your family travels in the air stream deeply and pleasantly reminded me of John Steinbeck’s non-fictional, “Travels With Charley in search of America.” My question is: are you a John Steinbeck fan? And while we’re on the topic of great artists from Northern California, are you a fan of the Grateful Dead? - Alex from Durham, NC
Bacon (pork belly) and otoro (tuna belly) are gifts to humanity. Add a slice of bread. A pint of amber/stout for bacon, a pils for tuna, and you have a few moments where all is right in the world. Which reminds me of a good sci fi read from years back, about colonizing on an inhospitable world, where humans arrive only to become ‘sex toys’ and ‘the bacon’. I’ll see if I can find title and share.
Thank you
Bacon jam. Since bacon is not a produce product, I am now going to research bacon jam. If you and Megan ever grace the high or by-ways of southern Minnesota….I’ll gladly set you up a bacon themed geo-cache or old school scavenger hunt. Or something.
Much appreciated.
Looking to being whole by the time I hit the century mark! 😵💫🤣🤣🤣 (I chose to memorize “If at first you don’t succeed…” because it was short. Never did I think my subconscious would embrace it as a life theme)
Hi Nick -
Thanks for trying to keep a dialogue going. I'd like to figure out how a community of people with similar interests forms IN REAL LIFE, outside of organized religion and workplaces. (Like back in the day people would go to hear philosophers speak.)
I tend to find myself busy with work, then family, and a bit of Me/Free time each week. I feel myself wanting to connect socially in my community, and am looking for something to do to distract me from the shitshow of Modern American Healthcare. (But not at a bar.) I'm imagining some type of service league or farming co-op, but I live in the Chicago suburbs where... land isn't quite abundant and there are rules and hoops to jump through to start anything up. Plus, money. If I could garden all year, I would.
Long story in the form of a question: Can you suggest some action items for folks with the time, desire, and means to do good in their communities, but who are having a hard time finding a starting place? This nurse needs to reconnect.
Love,
Jessie Hammersmith, Lombard IL
I'm aghast. You seem like a nice man, we have similar interests, your views on the way the world should be aligns to my values and hence we should be able to have a nice chat if we ever meet.
Until 9 minutes ago.
Possible future ideas of sharing drams of single malt and well cooked bacon whilst discussing fishing or the merits of a Japanese oak saw are paused...
Full English Breakfast. Check.
Full Irish Breakfast. I've had one of those.
Full Scottish Breakfast. Yes that's a thing.
{pregnant pause}
Let me rewind, maybe there was a glitch in the matrix...No, no, he went straight from there to something about water bottles... I stopped listening..
Wales. You forgot Wales.
No matter how you describe the small dry bit on which we live : the UK, the British Isles, Great Britain : Wales is in all of them.
A handy guide can be found here...
https://www.britannica.com/story/whats-the-difference-between-great-britain-and-the-united-kingdom
In the interests of US / Wales relations and the future of Lagavulin sipping quietude, please make amends to the Welsh in some small way in future podcasts, blogs, books or acting appearances.
Please and Thank You.
1. Bacon (cig moch)
2. Eggs (wyau)
3. Sausages (seisig)
4. Tomatoes (tomatos)
5. Mushrooms (madarch)
6. Laverbread (bara lawr)
7. Cockles (cocos)
8. Oatcakes (bara ceirch)
A Full Welsh Breakfast
Will you consider providing a syllabus of books such as those you recommended in today's thoughts?
I was kinda meh-ing until I reread the "Nor Do BandAids" title. Glad someone invented Depends......
I have nothing to add. All I can say is that I concur. For a long time, I’ve always had a Carhartt or Dickie’s piece apparel as a part of my work clothing. Now that I am unable to work like that anymore, I still have a piece or two in the wardrobe. Currently, I’m wearing my favorite work shirt: short sleeves Dickie’s button up.
Plus, YES, please read a book. I think I may purchase a Wendell Berry book.
Reading, a dram, and companion Dexter the cat take me to my happy place where swashbucklers of yore, aliens, drunkards and sex workers, etc. all fire my synapses. Cheers!
Always enjoy the commentary here in Atlanta and I generally agree with you on bacon and I share similar sentiments about my world growing once I visited the UK and became a proponent of the "English Breakfast."
A question I have for you is on beard care. I've worn a beard of some sort for the past 25 ish years, basically as long as I could grow one. Currently I am enjoying letting it grow longer and thicker. I'm also watching it rapidly turn from black to grey. Have you done any maintenance to address that in yours? or do you allow nature to take its course? Also are there products, or a care plan you employ to keep yours soft and acceptable for your partner?