Okoboji: Only Connect

Sunset and sky bird on Lake Okoboji

Julie Gammack extended an invitation to me to talk at the Okoboji Writers and Songwriters Retreat last week, and I am so glad that she did. There was so much to do and so many welcoming people at the Retreat, that it’s not easy to distill it all. If there is any way I can sum it all up, it’s with the title of one of my favorite quiz shows: “Only Connect!”

I stayed on campus at Lakeside Labs, and it reminded me of going to Christian summer camp for so many years in my youth. Because of the venue’s history as a Presbyterian retreat, some of the buildings still contain religious elements for rituals and prayer, and display Bible verses. These spiritual surroundings were certainly not lost on the attendees: in addition to the stone buildings and the serenity of the campfire, forest, bluffs, and huge lake - there was a large tent, set up in the middle of the grounds, with folding chairs … very reminiscent of religious tent-revival meetings. Fellow guest speaker, well-known Iowa radio DJ and voiceover artist, Maxwell Schaeffer, spoke to the crowd of a memory of the first time he was at an event of that nature, having grown up in a Roman Catholic tradition. When I said, “Brother Love!” his eyes lit up, and he agreed: “Yeah!” I knew he’d know I was referencing the Neil Diamond song, “Brother Love’s Traveling Salvation Show.” It wasn’t exactly a “Hot August Night” – but we did have a few unseasonably hot, September and October nights! - And the relational, emotional, and spiritual neurons, sparking and searching for connection, were most certainly present throughout.

The Weary Ramblers perform in the big tent

Some folks I already knew from the Iowa Writers Collaborative and/or, I had met at other events: including Marianne Fons, Art Cullen, and Sarah Scull. I attended workshops conducted by my fellow Collaborators Laura Belin, Rekha Basu, and Robert Leonard, and I was even the sounding board for a Substack post for another: Chip Albright. I attended a session and got to have a couple of small conversations with the playwright, book, and screenwriter, Peter Hedges, though he was in high-demand. And outside of our Collaborative: I had great conversations with entertainment and media law attorney, Peter Strand, mostly discussing my work in IP rights and clearances; and some philosophical and spiritual talks with the lovely Naz Pankey. Demonstrating some six degrees of separation beyond the event: I spoke for a few moments with Beth Howard after having watched her documentary, PIEowa: A Piece of America. One of the places featured in the documentary is an eatery in Ottumwa, Iowa, called The Canteen in the Alley. I knew I had to tell her that a mere few days before, I had conducted an interview with a British writer (watch this space carefully, readers!) and he had mentioned his favorite sitcom is Roseanne. I told Beth that I had made a special point to go to the Canteen and take photos, and send them to this writer, explaining that the Canteen in the Alley formed the basis for “The Lunch Box” canteen depicted in the show. I also had to mention meeting one of her film’s producers, Steven Schott, a mere couple of weeks before.

I certainly didn’t set out to tell people who they look like upon arrival, but once I saw some folks, I just couldn’t help it. The first person I spoke to with a known duplicate (to me) was Bob Schrek, who already knew that I had thought at one point, that he might be the former editor of DC Comics. His doppelganger is what I started calling him: ‘Kevin from Coronation Street,’ every time I saw him. This, he welcomed, in an extraordinarily good-natured way. And I was more than happy to tell Mary on staff at the venue that she looked a lot like the actor/comedienne, Pamela Stephenson; and another attendee that she looked a lot like Camille Coduri! Fortunately, when I showed these people photos of their clones, they were all very flattered.

Some Iowa Writers conduct a morning workshop

I had hoped to talk with musician Will Calhoun about a doc I worked on regarding the Afrobeats musician, Fela Kuti – alas, time did not permit this, but I did manage to tell him about my call from a random person claiming to be from the production team on Jimmy Kimmel Live! around six weeks ago; and to wish him luck for his appearance on the show on Thursday, October 2^nd, with his the rest of his band, Living Colour. And to hear his extraordinary beats on Tuesday night, was mesmerizing.

Camaraderie and smiles

Sitting next to me to enjoy the evening music (as well as songs from The Weary Ramblers, Dartanyan Brown and Maxwell Schaeffer) was one Terri Hale, who I knew as a former Iowa PBS presenter. She and I had been in a joke-writing session earlier, where we were asked to improvise for 30 seconds, individually, by The Second City comedy-trained, Des Moines-based comedienne, Lisa Rossi. And sitting next to Terri’s husband John, was a chap called Dirk. I had thought I had recognized him, but as demonstrated earlier: I tend to think of who other people look like, and I wasn’t sure that I knew him. As we kept talking, he remembered me from a meeting in the autumn of 2022, at a training session for certification to judge Iowa High School Speech competitions. This was mostly largely due to my mother, whom he said he had just certified as a judge for another year, a mere three days before, in Des Moines! And I said to him and to Terri: “now you see where I get it from!” – referring (hopefully – eyes of the beholder, you know!) to my gregarious, talk-to-anybody nature!

Q&A with guest speakers

The last morning of the event, our organizer Julie had taken ill, so her organizing partner, Debra Engle, had taken up welcoming everyone with a morning affirmation. She had to take a call from Julie, and I saw my opportunity! I picked up the big-tent microphone and asked if everyone could hear me. Then I continued with something to the effect of: “you all may remember that I mentioned in the introductions that I lived in Britain. We had a sitcom called Hi-De-Hi, set in a holiday camp. The main catchphrase from the show involved the morning announcements, with a woman saying the words, “Hi-De-Hi!” and the campers responding, with ‘Hi-De-Hi!’” (You can see where this is going… Admittedly: I cheated this one a little bit, instructing the attendees merely to repeat after me – the actual line in response is, “Ho-De-Ho!”) Nonetheless, I did my best Ruth Madoc impression, and said, “Good morning, Campers! Hi-De-Hi!” and I got the reply, “HI-DE-HI!” And for me, that was Ultimate Achievement Unlocked!

After a hello and goodbye to Iowa U.S. Senator Emeritus, Tom Harkin; a great chinwag with the wonderful retired veterinarian author, James Kenyon; and some very long chats about Doctor Who and Star Trek: Strange New Worlds with EJ Philby Burton of Produce Iowa - there were many hugs and goodbyes, and a very long road trip home. I had a few car issues, which a few people helped me out with at the event (you know who you are, and big thanks to you). Throughout the four days, I had spent a lot of time close to nature, observing beautiful sunrises on Lake Okoboji, watching the rabbits scampering, observing the sunset peeking through the trees while cruising on the lake, and seeing turkeys in their little flocks meandering around. It was an enjoyable trip home, particularly: observing the combine harvesters in northern Iowa, with their grain clouds of dust drifting over the highways.

A casual word with evening refreshments

I can’t possibly mention all the interesting people I met, nor thank everyone for attending my training sessions, asking me questions about GenAI, ferrying me around, playing their music, sharing their stories, offering support, and eating their meals with me. Special thanks to Shadley Grei for joining me in leading a session. If I’ve neglected to mention you here, just remember that I’m glad to hear from you at any time. I hope you made connections and had just as enjoyable a time at the Retreat as I did.

To sum up in the words of author E.M. Forster, in his 1910 novel, Howard’s End, from which the quiz show takes its name: “Only connect the prose and the passion, and both will be exalted, and human love will be seen at its height. Live in fragments no longer.”

(All photos © the author)

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