Random Thoughts about Bob Dylan on His 84th Birthday

 

• At age 84 he is still touring.  He must really enjoy it as he obviously does not need the money.  Tonight he will be playing in Ridgefield, Washington.  I assume that many of my Dylan fan friends will be there.  They will either sing or hold placards wishing him a happy birthday.  I doubt if Bob will acknowledge them.
• There are Dylan fans who travel around the world to see his concerts.  For me, once a year is enough.  I will see him at Jones Beach on August 1.
• On Substack, writers and creators can publish their work and profit from paid subscriptions.  I just refuse to pay to read people's thoughts on Dylan.  There is enough free stuff to read.  I do subscribe to Bob Dylan Isis magazine.  How much can you read about him?
• I attended the World of Dylan symposium in Tulsa in 2019.  There was a mix of fans and scholars.  I also attended the 2021 conference, which was completely online during the COVID pandemic.  I was told the attendance at the 2023 meeting was lower than the one in 2019.  I am not going to the one this coming July since it will too scholarly for me.  I did visit Tulsa again in 2022 to see the Bob Dylan Center.
• I run an online video meeting every month.