Thursday, 12/4

I don’t mind birthdays. It’s the part about getting older that I don’t like.

Some of you may know that it’s my birthday today, and I guess I’m okay with that. I don’t expect people to make a big deal out of it; it’s nothing more than the anniversary of me finally relieving my mother of the burden of carrying me around for ten months. If anything, she’s the one who deserves the honors, since I wasn’t born until a month after my due date, and this was the day she was finally relieved of that misery.

So thanks for the extra 30 days, Mom!!

But whenever you have a birthday you’re forced to confront the fact that you’re getting older, and if there’s one thing you might have learned by reading this ramblings over the past however many years it’s that members of the Koski family don’t like to confront the fact that there’s nothing you can do about getting older. It just happens, whether you want it to or not.

Who do we see about changing that, by the way?

As I’ve gotten older I’ve noticed, despite my best efforts, more and more signs popping up reminding me of that fact that I am indeed getting on in years. Of course, the latest popped up last night, right before my birthday. I finished working out and was about to go through a few pages of a magazine (yes, another one of those signs that I’m “old”) and I noticed that I couldn’t quite make out the print on the page, which I found odd, because I usually have no trouble making out the print. It was then I realized that I wasn’t wearing my glasses, which, as for most “old” people, are bifocals. I slipped them on, and then had no trouble reading the print.

Aside from the heavy sigh the incident provoked, a bit of curiosity bubbled to the surface, as well. Even without glasses, I’m usually able to read things with no problem. In fact, when I read magazines or newspapers after working out or when I read in bed every night it’s usually without eyewear. Yet for some reason yesterday I couldn't read the print in the magazine until I put my glasses on I don’t know if it’s because the print was smaller than usual or because the room was rather dark or if (gasp) my eyes are just getting a little worse as time (gasp) marches on, but I couldn’t focus on the type well enough to read what was on the page. It didn’t matter how close I got to the page, or how far away I held it, something just didn’t work out until I used my glasses.

Oh, woe is me.

Since then, I’ve read a few other things—including the same magazine —without wearing my glasses, and I’ve been able to see them just fine. But that fact that I had this particular problem a day before turning another year “older” affected me in the way that all incidents related to aging affect me—with me not handling it like an ”adult” would.

So at least I’ve got that going for me.

Don’t worry; I’m sure that as these incidents keep popping up, I’ll (hopefully) get a better grip on them. After all, as I’m always told, these incidents DO pop up more and more as you age more and more, and, as I’ve found, there’s nothing you can (yet) do to stop that. So like I said, while I don’t mind birthdays, this whole getting “older” thing is just not my cup of tea.

Sigh. . .and make it a heavy one, if you’d like.

Since it IS my birthday today I have tomorrow off, and will be back with a new one of these on Monday. Have a great weekend!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Wednesday, 12/3

Because I have “High School Bowl” in a little bit, and because I haven't really shared any of them yet, I'm gonna take the easy way out today.

I hope you forgive me.

Actually, technically, it's not the “easy” way out, considering how much time I've spent putting this year's “season” of “Pieces of the Past” together. I've been writing about them in here since, what, February, and working on them pretty much since. Thankfully, they're all done, and we've been in the process of rolling them out the past month. I shared the first one—the epic “...And Put Up a Parking Lot”--with you, but I haven't said anything about the three we're premiered since them.

So, I guess, that serves as today's “easy way out”.

The first “Pieces? The story of how an iconic Marquette building—the building where my parents actually met, meaning it was kind of important to my existence—almost burned down--

The second? The story of how one company shaped downtown Marquette more than anything other than the hills and the Great Fire of 1868--

And finally, the story of the most unique school in Marquette history--

With that, I'm off to be a dork on TV. More tomorrow!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Tuesday, 12/2

I shall wear my badge of, uhm, oxymoronism with pride.

First of all, yes, I DO know oxymoronism isn't a word. Or, at least, it wasn't a word until I just made it up. But it was the central theme of my TV piece last night and, as you may recall, also played a part in the snow pictures I posted yesterday.

You mean you haven' read yesterday's entry yet? Well, scroll down and do it. We'll wait.

(imagine a little whistling or thumb twiddling right here while we're waiting).

Okay, so you saw the pictures, right? As I mentioned, I don't like the cold & the snow but even I will admit that what I saw Friday was kinda cool, which made me start to think.

And that, as we all know, can be a dangerous thing.

What came out of my thinking? Well, it was this week's TV spot. And I'll be kind of curious to see what kind of reaction I get to it. Why? Well, it wouldn't surprise me if there were a lot of people out there who consider themselves “Oxymoronic Yoopers”, like I do. In fact, I wouldn't be shocked if MOST people who live in the UP exhibit at least one or two symptoms of that oxymoronism.

I guess we'll find out, at least as soon as people see this--

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 12/1

It’s nice to know my stupidity–and my bad luck–paid off.

First of all, hope you had a good weekend and that, unlike me, your food coma has finally worn off (seriously; I’m still not really hungry four days after the holiday). As you may have heard, we had us a biiiiiiiig storm Turkey Eve and Turkey Day, and by the time Friday rolled around I decided to take advantage of the snow.

And that’s when the comedy of errors began.

I went down into the basement of our apartment to grab my cross country skis and walked over to the Fit Strip. When I got to Fit Strip I realized that I, uhm, forgot my ski poles (it’s the first time in a couple of years there’s been enough snow for skiing, so I might have been a little rusty in that regard). I walked back home, got my poles out of the basement, walked back to the Fit Strip, put my skis on, and started to finally ski.

Less than three minutes later one of my ski poles broke.

I walked back home (again) traded out my skis for my snowshoes, walked back (for the third time) to the Fit Strip, and finally got in a little exercise, where I was met halfway through by a couple who were wondered why I was snowshoeing when I “already skied it”. You see, they saw me carrying my skis at least one of the two times I walked over there, and assumed I had skied around it.

At least they got a good laugh out of my travails.

One good thing (aside from amazingly sore legs on Saturday) came out of the comedy of errors. The first two times I was at the Fit Strip I noticed that the snow actually had an ethereal beauty all its own, and that even though I don’t like the white stuff I kinda wish I had a camera with me. So when I swapped out my skis for my snowshoes I also grabbed my phone, which allowed me to take a few shots like these–

Knowing that people who don’t live in Marquette any more might enjoy the sight, I stuck them on Facebook where, as of last count, almost 3,000 people have “liked” or commented on them, more than anything else I’ve ever put on social media. It also gave me an idea for my TV spot tonight…but we’ll discuss that tomorrow.

In the end, my little “adventure” paid off in ways I couldn’t have imagined. I mean, I still don’t like snow, and I AM still shaking my head at forgetting my ski poles the first time I went out, but you know what?

Everything that came afterward was probably worth it.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Wednesday, 11/26

I'm sure there's something to be thankful for this year, right?

First of all, just let me say that there really IS a lot to be thankful for is you're doing the simple act of reading this. That means that, at a minimum, you have your health, you have an internet connection, and you have a passing interest in what's going on in the outside world. And I really DO subscribe to the theory that as long as you wake up in the morning you have something for which to be thankful.

Looking at it that way, there is a lot to be thankful for this year.

However, you can also make the argument that there isn't a whole lot to be thankful for this year. 2025 has been something...different. The partisan divide between Americans seems to be growing instead of shrinking. The gap between the haves and the have-nots is bigger than it's ever been. And on a daily basis we see just how much we've effed up our planet's climate (today's wacky snow forecast included among that)

So, if you're one of those people who thinks there isn't a lot for which to be thankful, I will grant you ever single fiber of your opinion. If you look at the today of here and now, you can make a (strong) case that there isn't anything for which to be thankful.

But...we also live in a wondrous time. Unlike a century ago, when a deadly plague rolls around the planet we figured how we can stop it (even if not everyone seems to want to). Unlike a century ago, people can expect to live to see 100 instead of looking over their shoulder once they hit 55 or 65. Unlike a century ago, we can access family and friends across the planet with a device you can hold in your hand. And unlike a century ago, we can look at the night sky and wonder in awe at the fact that (as I write this) there are seven people living and working in a space station in earth orbit.

While it seems like there may not be a lot for which to be thankful this year, especially in the here and now, sometimes it can work wonders for your mental health to step back, at least in a metaphysical sense, and look at the big picture. Even with all the crap that's going on, crap that seems to expand exponentially on an almost daily basis, you really CAN make the case that there is a lot for which you can be thankful.

Have a great Thanksgiving. Try not to eat to much. Don't get buried in all the snow that's in the forecast. Like most people, I have a four-day weekend (another thing for which to be thankful). So see you Monday!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Tuesday, 11/25

It started with a joke, but I really WAS serious.

If you saw my TV piece a week ago you may have noticed that a boo boo in the graphics department gave me a new job at the station. Specifically, THIS job--

It was just an error, one of many that happens when you're putting together two newscasts a day. But it started to make me think, and that, as we all know, can be a very dangerous thing.

It made me think so much that, in fact, I was even able to come up with THIS week's TV piece, one about that vaunted Yooper work ethic.

I discuss the ethic and why it may or may not have started, but I do know first-hand about it. In a bit I had to cut out for time, I, like all good Gen Xers, (jokingly) blamed my parents for the fact that I have four jobs. They, of course, had to set an example by owning and operating multiple automotive repair facilities, and instilled upon me and my siblings the fact that if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing right.

In fact, when I was young and just starting to work my mom would always say “Do a good job tonight” whenever I headed out. I tried. And the example they were trying to make obviously took, as I have four jobs, my sister owns three grocery stores, and my brother travels across the county delivering stuff.

That's normal, right? But it's not a surprise, especially when you think about how people in the UP approach their working lives. So even though I WON'T be heading to Washington DC as TV19's new Washington correspondent, I am part of an almost mythical set of people these days.

You know—people with a work ethic.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 11/24

Hey, spell check. You trying to tell me something?

First of all, I had a very nice weekend, thanks for asking, even enjoying the (almost) October-like weather Sunday on the soccer pitch with Loraine (who's still basking in the glow of all of her birthday greetings).

But now, back to spell check, and why it tried to tell me something while I was enjoying my weekend. You see, whenever I type—be it emails, scripts, or even these blogs—I type very quickly, just letting the words flow out of (what passes for) my brain. But because I type very quickly and because I only use four to six fingers while typing (much to Loraine's eternal consternation) I often make mistakes. I'll hit the wrong key, I'll hit the right key twice, and I'll (on occasion) leave out entire words.

Well, I really don't have to tell YOU that, do I? After all, you read these every day and quite often see the results of my typing style.

Anyway, while quickly typing something over the weekend I managed to spell my last name wrong. That's not uncommon; like I said, I often do that (in fact, while typing this sentence I spelled “often” “foten”). When I tried to type “Koski” it came out “Koksi”. I was typing it on a machine that I haven't used that much, which means that the spell-check dictionary on that particular machine didn't know there's an actual name spelled “Koski”. So when I right-clicked on “Koksi” to correct my mistake what word did that computer's spell-check decide should be its replacement?

How about “sicko”? Yup...even though I don't use that particular computer much it apparently knows a thing or two, doesn't it?

8-)

I mean, I guess I can see the logic behind it. “Koksi” does have four of the five letters of “sicko”, if only in a different order, and maybe the computer just thought I wanted to play a game of Word Jumble. Needless to say, I added “Koski” into the dictionary of that particular machine, so the next time I make a mistake typing—which we all know I will do--”sicko” will NOT be a suggestion if my fingers mis-spell my last name.

Even if “sicko” might be one of the most appropriate choices the computer could make.

(jim@wmqt.com)