Tuesday, 2/28

Well...this is one temporal paradox I never thought I'd find myself in.

Welcome to the end of February, a time when I'm usually a little excited because it means that we're six months away from our next adventure over in Europe. Because we usually leave on the 27^th or 28^th of August (or, some years, the first or second of September) we get to a little “moment” marking the fact that we're halfway to our next trip.

But not this year.

Nope; this year, we leave for Germany on August 30^th, which means that the six-month date for our little “moment” would be February 30^th. However, as some of you may know, February has, at most, 29 days. There has never been a February 30^th, which means that this year, we'll never get to the six-month mark before we leave for Europe.

And if we never get to the six-month mark, does that mean that we'll never get to the actual date we leave?

Don't worry; we're leaving on August 30^th, whether or not we ever actually get to celebrate our six-month “moment”. But I am curious—just how WOULD you celebrate a six-month anniversary when it falls on a month where that date doesn't exist. I mean, say you were married on March 31^st. If you were so inclined, when would you celebrate your six-month anniversary? There is no September 31^st, so technically you couldn't do it. You could celebrate your “almost” six-month anniversary on September 30^th, or your “just over” six-month anniversary on October 1st, but you couldn't celebrate your actual six-month anniversary on September 31st because there is no September 31^st.

Just like there's no February 30^th to celebrate the six-month “moment” before we head back to Europe.

Yes...I know I'm devoting way too much thought to this. And, in the scheme of things, it really isn't important. We can celebrate our six-month “moment” whenever we feel like it. Heck, we could celebrate it both today and tomorrow because, like if you get married on March 31^st, there's no real way to celebrate your six-month wedding anniversary.

The laws of physics—or, in this case, the arbitrary laws of a calender thought up hundreds of years ago—won't allow it.

So here's the logical thing to do. I'm sure people who are born on leap days do this all the time. August 30^th, the day we leave for Europe, is the 242nd day of the year. If half of a year—six months—is 182 and a half days—that means we celebrate the “halfway” mark before we head to Europe anytime past noon on March 1^st. So we don't have a February 30^th to celebrate our little six month “moment”, but we do have a 12-hour window tomorrow during which we can celebrate the “halfway” movement.

I guess that will have to do.

(jim@wmqt.com), who wonders how much I could actually accomplish if I devoted as much brain power to a real problem as I did this one!

Monday, 2/27

The Billy Bob Thornton comparisons keep coming.

I think I've written in here before about how some people seem to think that I bear a vague resemblance to the actor/Academy Award winning writer. It's usually an attractive college aged woman who makes the remark, and when they say it they usually mean it in a good way, such as “he was married to Angelina Jolie so he must have SOMETHING going for him”. I'm still kind of ambivalent about the comparison; however, if it's cool to attractive college-aged women, I guess I'll deal with it.

After all, I'm not stupid!

8-)

Aside from the fact that we both seem to have bizarrely small heads (at least as compared to the rest of our bodies) I personally don't see the resemblance between Mr. Thornton and myself. That, however, doesn't mean anything. After all, I see me in a way much different than most people. So even though I don;'t think I look like him, I'm willing to give other people the benefit of the doubt. And that's a good thing, because three more people in the past two weeks have made the comparison.

One of those people was Loraine's older brother, who noticed the similarity while watching “High School Bowl” online. Another was a parent of one of the students at a “High School Bowl” taping. The third was someone I ran into at the History Center. Three people, seeing me in three different settings, and they all made the same comparison.

And yet I don't get it.

I mean, part of me is actually flattered by the comparison. After all, the gentleman to whom I'm being compared won an Oscar for writing a movie, and has been in the company of some of the most important people on the planet. So who wouldn't want to be compared to someone like that? The other part of me, though, keeps thinking of THIS Billy Bob Thornton--

For some bizarre reason, whenever someone (especially an attractive college-aged woman) says I look like Billy Bob Thornton, THAT is the Billy Bob Thornton to whom I think I'm being compared. I know that's not what the person telling me is thinking, but that's what pops into my head. Call it a personality quirk on my part; heck, call it a major mental deficiency on my part. But whenever someone says I look like Billy Bob Thornton, THAT'S the Billy Bob Thornton I think I'm being compared to.

Even if/when it's not.

I'm sure that if the years wear on and I'm still being compared to him, I'll learn to deal with it a little better than I currently am. For now, it still seems weird, and I still don't quite understand. But that's just me. As we all know, you guys are much smarter than I, so if you say I look like Billy Bob Thornton, then I guess I look like Billy Bob Thornton!

And that's that.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Friday, 2/24

Have I mentioned what I'm doing four weeks from tomorrow? For the first time in an eternity, I'm going on spring break.

Well, I don't know if you consider a four-day jaunt “spring break”, but I'm taking advantage of way too many airline miles I've stacked up going back and forth to Europe to hop down to Florida to visit my parents for a few days. I'm leaving on a Saturday and flying back on a Tuesday, so I don't know if you'd consider that an official spring “break”, but that's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Besides, it's costing me a whole $11 to fly down there and back. I'm not gonna complain about it too much!

I was hoping to accomplish three things by going down there, but one of them was rendered almost moot by the sun & warm weather we had here last weekend. Still, though, I'm guessing whatever the weather in Florida is like the last weekend in March will be much better than the weather we have here the last weekend in March, although these days, you never know.

So that's one thing I'm hoping to do. The second is to visit the Kennedy Space Center for the first time in, like, 13 or 14 years. Last time I went down there I was able to combine a visit with a shuttle launch, but seeing as how there aren't any launches scheduled for my short visit, I'll just have to make do with all the other stuff I can see (and geek out over) down there.

I'm thinking I won't be disappointed.

Thirdly, and most importantly, I'll be able to spend a few days with Chicky-Poo and Dar. So even if the weather wasn't gonna be warm and the Space Center was gonna be closed, I'd still hightail it down there for a few days. The sun & the rockets are just bonuses.

That's what I'm doing four weekends from now, if you're interested. This weekend I'm just planning on standing outside and cursing the fact that it's not a sunny & 64 degree February weekend like it was last weekend. Hope your weekend is just as productive!

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com)

(ps—I had the chance to interview a Marquette woman who'll be on the red carpet at the Oscars Sunday. Take a listen to her amazing story by clicking here)!

Wednesday, 2/22

Even if I did have a bad day, why would I bother anyone with it?

Over the past few years I've received comments from people regarding something I do on the air, and it happened again yesterday after talking about my sore post-dental visit mouth, a mouth that wasn't allowing me to speak with all its normal fluidity (not that I'm a very fluid speaker to begin with, but, you get the idea) Anyway, the comments are something I never really thought about, but it must make an impression on some people. The comments have to do with how I never seem to have a “bad day” when I'm on the air, how I always seem “to have a smile in (my) voice”. Apparently I always sound like I'm happy and having fun when I'm on the air, and people notice that.

And from the sound of it they appreciate it, as well.

Trust me, I do have bad days. Some days, I'm dealing with recalcitrant equipment, other days, it's dealing with a personal situation. So I do have bad days. But I don't let it affect my on-air performance. My job is to entertain people, to make sure they have a good time getting through their days. They may tune in to try and make their own bad day better; why would I add to their troubles with troubles of my own?

I mean, I'm really lucky. Being an optimist by nature I really don't have a lot of bad days, and even if something is weighing upon me I have this freakish ability to compartmentalize. I seem to be able to shove whatever's bothering me to the back of my head for a few minutes when I need to do something else. I don't know if I'm lucky in that respect or if it's a sign of some serious mental instabilities (neither would surprise me). All I know is that if people are tuning in for fun or to relieve their own troubles, it doesn't do much for them if I'm a major bummer.

And it's something, apparently, that people notice.

So, if you don't mind, I'll just continue being me on the air. In all honesty, I wouldn't know how to do it any differently, anyway, so I guess you're stuck with an optimist with a smile in his voice.

Even if my jaw aches or I'm having a bad day.

*****

For whatever reason this event hasn't received a lot of publicity, but my (much) better half is doing a program tomorrow night! That's right; Loraine will be doing a presentation for the Northern Center for Lifelong Learning on the writing of her two books. It gets underway tomorrow (Thursday) night at 7 at Peter White Public Library. I know I'll be there!

(jim@wmqt.com)

(p.s.--the episode of “Bizarre Foods” that The Travel Channel shot in Marquette County last summer? It airs Tuesday night at 9, if you're curious)

Tuesday, 2/21

Quick question--what do YOU do with your tax refund?

You mean, you DON’T buy a bunch of European chocolate with it? Isn’t that what tax refunds are for? Well...shows what I know, I guess.

I know I write about chocolate quite a bit , but I have to mention it again today. We’ve received our refund a couple of weeks ago and like every year immediately paid a visit to a couple of our favorite web sites to stock up on our collection of Galler, Callebaut, and Cote D’Or. Sure, we’ll be able to buy them in person in Belgium in a few months, but what are we supposed to do until then? Go without?

Yeah, I know. One of these days we’ll turn in to responsible adults. But don’t hold your breath waiting.

Actually, we use a very small percentage of our tax refund for chocolate. Most of it goes to mundane things, like car rental or travel insurance and Euros for our trips, but we always manage to set aside a little for a small taste of decadent goodness. After all, isn’t this the time of the year that you need a little something like that? It sometimes seems like we haven’t seen the sun for several months, and I can’t think of anything that would serve as good of a remedy for that as would chocolate.

Well, okay, maybe a trip to Aruba would. But our tax refund isn’t THAT big!

It’s always a joyous day in our apartment when the Belgian Shop or the German Shop box arrives, and yesterday was no exception. Yesterday's shipment from German Shop 24 was greeted with much joy in the Koski household. We tore open (carefully, mind you) the box and out popped chocolate from Ritter and Milka and Schoegetten, all meticulously wrapped in that way that Germans are meticulous about everything. We now have all of our favorites, plus Loraine has some espresso bars that are a little too strong for me and I have some marzipan bars that I first found in Leipzig a few years ago, bars where the chocolate and marzipan are actually soaked in alcohol, something we both find quite funny seeing as how I don't drink.

But they taste GREAT!

Also in the packages were two boxes of cereal, both from Kolln, which would be the German equal to Kelloggs or to Post. Both Loraine and I had to get a box of perhaps the best cereal on the planet, Kolln's Schoko-Kirsch Muesli--

This is a cereal with granola, little chocolate puffy bits, shaved pieces of dark chocolate, and dried cherries in it. I discovered it one of the first times we stayed in Germany, and I've always made a point of bringing back a box or two of it, even if I hafta toss some underwear or an old tube of toothpaste to make room.

After all, I know what's REALLY important!

I know a lot of people complain about having to do their taxes, but when you use part of your refund for goodies like that, you actually look forward to filing them. Trust me--it helps!!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 2/20

Happy President’s Day. Or, as most people consider it, another day where we keep staring out the window, eventually asking each other, “How come the mail hasn’t shown up yet”?

You know--one of those days!

Instead of spending the day celebrating the achievements (or lack thereof) from everyone from Millard Fillmore to Gerald Ford, most people will simply shrug and wonder, if you were to ask them, just who the heck Millard Fillmore and Gerald Ford were. And that’s kind of sad. I mean, I know I’m a history geek, and knew who all the Presidents in this country’s history were at a young age, but I’d like to think that names like James K. Polk, James Buchanan, and Rutherford B. Hayes should at least spark a tiny flame of memory in most people. I mean, I know they don’t, but I’d like to dream that they would.

And as long as I’m dreaming, can we have beach weather tomorrow, too?

I know you guys are among the smartest people in the world, so here are two tests for you. First of all, who was the only U.S. President to be elected to non-consecutive terms? In other words, he was President, then he wasn’t, then he was elected again? The answer to that comes at the end of this.

Secondly, going backwards from our current President, how many in a row can you name until you stump yourself? Go ahead, give it a try. I’ll wait for you.

(By the way, this is just me, waiting until you stump yourself).

(Stump yourself yet? Good. Keep going).

(Now are you stumped?)

From a statistic I saw, the average person can only go back FIVE Presidents before failing. FIVE. That means that they have no idea who was President before the first George Bush. I mean, they may know the names of Nixon and Kennedy and at least one of the Roosevelts, but they don’t know where they fall in that order. And that’s kind of a shame. I don’t expect everyone to be able to name all 45 Presidents in reverse order--heck, even I can’t do that--but it is kind of nice to know who falls where and what effect that had on the growth and the history of this country.

And for the record--I can go back 19 Presidents. I always forget who came before William McKinley. I know; dorky, right?

So have yourself a great President’s Day. If you wanna impress the people around you, slip into conversation how interesting you believe it to be that Grover Cleveland was the only President to be elected to non-consecutive terms. And if you REALLY wanna impress the people around you, add to the conversation the fact that during his second non-consecutive term Cleveland asked Peter White to head what would now be the Bureau of Indian Affairs, but that White turned him down because he was too busy being, well, Peter White.

President’s Day. More than just another day you don’t get mail!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Friday, 2/17

I wonder how many people will be at the dog sled races this weekend wearing shorts?

I remember UP 200 weekends where it was so cold that your fingers fell off. I remember UP 200 weekends where it was so snowy that you could barely see the spectators standing across Washington Street from you. But I don't think I ever remember a UP 200 weekend where the forecast was for sun and 50 degrees.

You know---February shorts weather.

It should be an interesting weekend here in Marquette with the “heat”. All the races (including the UP 200, Jackpine 30, and Midnight Run) are still scheduled to run as usual, although organizers say they make take precautions to ensure the dogs don't get overheated. And for once, some of the other outdoor events going on, like Glacier Glide, should be events where you might actually find yourself removing clothing instead of piling on more layers.

Not that I'm complaining.

We've had another wacky winter this year, veering from extreme cold to extreme warmth, from no snow to a bunch of it in one day. But it seems to be coming to a premature end. The long range forecast calls for temperatures in the 40s or 50s for at least the next week, and it wouldn't surprise me if whatever snow we have now is gone by the end of the month. That might be good for those of us who are eagerly awaiting summer, but for those people looking to partake in winter events, like the UP 200, it looks like those opportunities may be few and far between.

So on that note, have yourself a great February weekend. It might be the last of “winter”. And it is, for sure, one of the busiest of the year in Marquette, with all kinds of things to do, so make sure you get out and enjoy them. And feel free to wear shorts, if you'd like. After all, how often do you get to do that in February?

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com)

Thursday, 2/16

You know, at least the spammers could put a little effort into it.

I don't know about you, but I've seen a marked increase in the amount of spam reaching my e-mail inbox the past month or so. It's actually getting to the point where I have to spend five minutes a day weeding out everything from offers for magazines I've never heard of to promises that I can make “(my) partner scream for hours”, which is something Loraine already does, at least when it comes to reading some of the subject lines in the spam that she herself gets.

I never actually open any of the spam I get; I just click “delete” and it's all gone. But someone, somewhere, must click on the spam and then actually reply to it. I mean, all it takes is for one sucker to justify sending out 10 zillion pieces of junk, right? However, I received one piece yesterday that made me laugh, and I had to open it, if only because it seems like whoever put it together wasn't even trying.

Now, I know almost all spam comes from a country other than the U.S. But it seems to me that the more savvy spammers make it sound like they know what they're talking about. After all, they're trying to reel in a sucker or two, and it's usually easier to do that when you look and sound like you know what you're talking about. Not the e-mail I received yesterday, though. First of all, it came from a company that called itself “Tax Releif” (spelled that way), and had as its subject line this--

“Taxes is our business”.

Like I said, I don't expect much out of spam (aside from the occasional laugh) but anyone in their right mind would know that, based on spelling and grammatical errors, this ISN'T a company that's legit. However, the errors were so egregious that I just had to see from where the e-mail came. So I opened the e-mail, which promised to get me “maximun (sic) savings on my taxes” sent directly to my bank account. And all I'd have to do is sent my Social Security and bank account numbers (nothing else) to a website that ends with a “.ru”. What does that all mean? Well, it means two things—that someone promised to do my taxes without needing to see any W2 forms.

And that “.ru” means the company is located in Russia.

Needless to say, I don't think I'll be having that particular company do my taxes this year. And I would hope that no one—absolutely no one--would get suckered in by such a low-rent, low-quality, obvious sham of a scam. But then that's the thing about spammers and scammers—it only takes one. Like I said before, it doesn't cost anything (aside from server time, which is usually pirated) to send out ten zillion e-mails, and if even ONE person decides that sending their Social Security and bank account numbers to a Russian company will give them a little “tax releif”, then they've succeeded without even putting much effort into it.

I know you're all smart and that you'd never fall for anything promised by spam, but just let me say this—if you ever DO fall for a spam scam, at least make sure you fall for one where everything's spelled right, okay?

Thanks.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Wednesday, 2/15

The scales have now been tipped.

As you know, I've been doing this job for a long time now. A long, long time. But today marks a turning point in that long, long time. I'm probably the only one who would even think to mark it; after all, I'm sure a normal person wouldn't even notice. But it's something that made me sit down & do math to mark the occasion, so mark it I shall.

When I walk in the door to go to work today, I will have worked one day longer in Marquette than I did in Ishpeming.

Let me explain—when I started doing this job way back last century (1988, to be specific), the studios were located in Ishpeming. I would have to drive up once (or twice) a day to go to work, and to take care of whatever issues needed taking care of. The studios were in a dusty warehouse of a building, a building where the only view was of a cemetery or a parking lot, a building where the air conditioning didn't work well during the summer and the heating didn't work well in winter. Computers would break down because of the dust, heat, or cold, and things were starting to get untenable. Our fearless leader at the time, Joe Blake, decided we needed to move to place where both the computers and the people would be happy, and the day before Thanksgiving, 2002, we finished a big project and started broadcasting from here in downtown Marquette, a moment I marked by playing U2's “Beautiful Day” as the first song from our new place.

And yes, I did it on purpose.

Late last year, I started wonder how long I had worked in Ishpeming, and realized that I was coming up on pretty much the same length of time as I've worked here in Marquette. So I sat down, did the math, and realized that today is the day the scales tip. After today, I can now say that I've worked longer in Marquette that I did in Ishpeming. And those 14 years, two months, and a couple of weeks have been a blast; our location here in the middle of everything has allowed us to do all kinds of fun broadcast events (everything from New Year's Eve Ball Drops to cooking S'mores & grilled cheese sandwiches on a 95 degree sidewalk). It's also made our computer equipment happy; instead of replacing parts or machines every few months, we've gone over a decade using mostly the same equipment. And on those rare occasions when things do break, I can walk three blocks to fix whatever needs fixing, as opposed to having to get into a car, clean it off if it's winter, and spending 20 minutes getting to where I need to go

In fact, I did one other piece of math. By walking seven minutes to work & back every day, instead of spending 45 minutes driving, I've been given an extra two thousand hours back in my life that I didn't have to spend commuting. That's over 90 days of my life not spent in a car, and instead spent in the fresh air.

That might be the best thing about this whole day.

So, like I said, today's kind of an important day. I mean, it's important to no one but me, but still...it's a turning point. From here on in, the scale starts tipping the other way.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Tuesday, 2/14

I wonder...where IS the best place in Marquette to go on a first date?

Happy Valentine's Day, first of all, a day when thoughts turn to things such as first dates. This whole train of thought came up when Loraine and I went to the Delft Bistro for the first time over the weekend. They did an amazing job turning an old movie theater into a restaurant; both the risotto and the citrus salad, by the way, are to die for. But leaving the restaurant we came away with the idea that it wouldn't be a very good place to go on a first date. Why, you ask? Well, I answer, there's one simple reason--

You're too busy watching the movie and (probably) not paying enough attention to the person with whom you're dining.

At least that's what happened to us Sunday, when the original “Shrek” was up on the big screen. Loraine and I would start to talk about something, then have our attention diverted when Fiona changed into an ogre or Donkey found out he could fly. I mean, I guess that's not a bad thing when you're on your 1,000^th first date, like Loraine and me. But if you were on your actual “first” date, when you're trying to get to know someone?

Maybe not so much.

And that got us to thinking—where would you go in Marquette for a “first” date? Now, it's been a while since either of us went on one of those, but if memory holds, you want someplace nice, but also someplace where you can get to know the person you're with. You probably don't want someplace too loud, lest your date devolves into a night where you both use the phrase “what?” more than you ever have in your entire life. So on our walk home, we tried to come up with places in Marquette that meet all of those requirements. And you know what?

Between us, we couldn't think of one.

Maybe we're just being too picky. Maybe we're thinking that the location for our “first” date needs to be perfect, and there is no place on the planet that would meet our criteria. We went through all of our usual haunts downtown and on Third Street and even places where (gasp) we'd have to drive, and we couldn't come up with one place that was “perfect”. A lot of places have great food and/or ambiance, but might be a little too loud. Those places that might be quiet might not have great food and/or ambiance. And some places might not have either.

So with no “perfect” place that immediately comes to mind, where WOULD you go if you were taking someone on a first date?

Since its been a while since our last first date, maybe we're just overthinking it. Maybe things have changed. Maybe you don't need a place where you can get to know the person with whom you're dining. Maybe a good first date now consists of an “experience”, of something fairly unique the two of you can do together. In that case, I could think of a lot of interesting places in Marquette for a first date, the Bistro included. But, thankfully, that's nothing I have to worry about any time soon. Maybe this whole thing was nothing more than an interesting thought experiment (you know, our version of a date “experience”) for me and the person with whom I went out.

You know...on our 1,000^th first date.

(jim@wmqt.com), who does highly recommend the Delft Bistro for a 1^st date or a 1,000^th!

Monday, 2/13

All I need is a billion dollars and I'm good to go.

Friday at the taping of “High School Bowl” one of the teams (I won't mention which one in case you're watching and don't wanna know who's moved on to the next round) showed up with buttons attached to their clothing. They gave me one, too, and it made me laugh--

Sorry for the quality of the picture; phones just don't do things justice.  But when I asked why, they say my communications skills were the main reason, which made me laugh because as anyone who listens knows I don't always have the best of those skills. But like I told them, give me a billion dollars to run a real campaign and I'm in. I don't know that I'd win, because I'm probably too nice of a guy, but I'd give it my best shot.

Jim 2020. I'm gonna go have to register the domain name for the website when I finish typing this, aren't I?

It's funny, because the “High School Bowl” members aren't the first person to tell me I should run for President. Nope; in France last summer, our friend Theirry (hi, Theirry!), not happy with who was running to lead this country, opined that I would be the perfect candidate. I told him I needed the aforementioned billion dollars to run, but he didn't seem to think that would be much of a problem.

Unfortunately, it would be kind of a big problem. Just one of, what, 22 million different problems for anyone considering a run?

Don't worry; even in my wildest dreams I wouldn't even consider it. I don't think I'm ruthless enough, tough enough, or demented enough to even be in the top 10,000 candidates for the office. But I do find it funny that several different people on several different continents think I would be good at it, even though they don't know where I stand on the issues or how effective of a President I would be. But maybe I shouldn't be too surprised. Like I said,I'm too nice of a guy to hold the office, but maybe (just maybe) that's what people are looking for in a leader right now. Maybe they're just so sick of whatever it is we've had for the past month that they're already looking for something else.

Maybe a nice guy (or nice girl) has a leg up for 2020. So who knows...maybe I SHOULD start on raising that billion dollars.

On second thought, no. Nope. Not gonna do it. Even on my best day, I don't think I'm masochistic enough to run for any kind of office. So sorry, everyone. You'll have to find another nice girl (or guy) who wants the job. Rest assured, though...I WILL endorse them on jim2020.com!

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com)

(ps—when I asked the kids who put the button together where they got the picture, they said they found it in Google Images. I'm on Google Images? Now THAT'S a scary thought!)

Friday, 2/10

Because I have to head off to shoot the third-to-last episode (!) of “High School Bowl” for this season in a few minutes, I'm gonna leave you with something I wrote back in 2012. But because it involves the Fit Strip, the location that inspired the first two blogs of this week, I figure it's appropriate.

Have yourself a good few days, and don't worry. I don't plan on getting another black eye THIS weekend!

(jim@wmqt.com)

*****

(originally posted February 23^rd, 2012)

The dreams have started again, right on schedule.

Every year for the past ten or so, I’ve had the same dream popping into my subconscious right around the same time of the year; namely, late February or early March. The dream is some variation on this--I’m running through Marquette’s Fit Strip, it’s warm out, and it’s green everywhere. Sometimes, there are variations on the dream, like I have to run up & down trees instead of up & down trails, or I sometimes find a lost “downtown” within the Fit Strip, but the dream always involves me running, heat, and green.

Every single time.

I’m in no way surprised; after all, during the summer, when it’s warm and everything’s green, part of my long meandering Saturday runs involve running around the Fit Strip several times before heading to other locations. It’s a great way to cool off just a little after running through the shimmering heat of downtown, and it’s amazing what going up & down those dirt hills do for your endurance (and your calf muscles). It’s one of the two parts of the run to which I look most forward.

Now because I can only run on the Fit Strip for 8 or so months a year, and because it’s only hot & green for two or three of those months, those times when it’s “perfect” are fleeting and few. So right around now, when it’s been six months since the conditions were “perfect”, I’m starting to miss it. I’m REALLY starting to miss it. And that, I’m guessing, is why the dreams always pop up right around this time of the year. It’s been cold and (usually) snowy; I’ve either stopped running for a bit in favor of skiing or like this year, have been forced to alter my running route to stay on plowed city streets. And while I often admit in here that I’m much more a creature of concrete than I am of the wilderness, there’s something about a little bit of nature in the middle of concrete--like Marquette’s Fit Strip--that makes venturing into it something special.

Especially when it’s hot & green, and I get to run up & down its hills.

That’s why I kinda like the dreams I have this time of the year, and that’s why I’d miss them if they didn’t show up on schedule. It’s my inside reminding my outside that the countdown has begun. That winter won’t last forever. And that, hopefully soon, I’ll be reunited with the heat and the green.

And with the Fit Strip.

Thursday, 2/9

I haven't had to do it much so far this year, but today was definitely a day I had to walk the dog.

No; I haven't done anything totally out of character like go out and get an actual dog. As you know, if you've been reading these at all, I would never do that. Instead, “walking the dog” has become, between me & Loraine, synonymous with an occasionally daily chore neither of us wants to do yet still needs to be done--

Taking the car out for a spin.

As you may know, we both walk to work every day. We've toyed with the idea of getting rid of our one remaining car, but we both realize that we DO need a vehicle on occasion. So we've kept Loraine's car, which just sits in our driveway when not being used, which is basically six days a week. And since we actually want it to start on the one day we use it, when we hit a cold day like today or a cold snap like earlier this winter, when the temperature gets or stays below zero, one of us needs to get into the car, crank it up, and take it for a little spin.

And guess who that person usually is?

I don't mind doing it. After all, I want the car to start when we need to go to the grocery store or if I need to go shoot an episode of “High School Bowl”. Besides; over the years I've had enough car batteries killed off by extreme cold. I don't need to it happen to a car of Loraine's. So I'll carve out a few minutes of my day to make sure it doesn't happen.

Luckily, I haven't had to do it much this year, but even when I only have to do it once—like today--it can still be a bit of a chore. It's almost exactly like owning a dog—you know you have to get up in the morning, get dressed, and take it out for a walk. The only difference is that I don't need a leash and I don't have to pick up any poop.

Other than that, it's exactly like walking a dog.

Of course, there is an upside to having to go out occasionally and walk the dog. For instance, we've only had to fill up the gas tank once since before Christmas, and even then we only had to put $12 bucks worth of fuel in. So, I guess when you think of it, having to “walk the dog” once or twice a month could be considered a fair trade-off.

Thankfully, I really believe we're starting to run out of occasions that'll necessitate walking the dog. After all, Spring should be springing some month soon, and then we won't even have to think about it until, you know, next winter. Let's hope the forecasts hold, the temperatures remain above zero after today, and the dog gets to stay in the driveway.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Wednesday, 2/8

It's looks like Jeremy's gonna be okay after all.

Some of you may remember the story of Loraine's nephew Jeremy; 3 and a half years ago he was diagnosed with A.L.L., which is a form of childhood leukemia. It's a form of childhood leukemia from which most people who have it recover, but that recovery involves almost three years of treatments, chemotherapy, and monthly doctor visits. Yesterday, Jeremy had his final visit, and his sister Katrina then posted this picture on Facebook--

After over three years of monthly visits to the U-M Children's Hospital, where he received his treatment, Jeremy's been given the all clear. Thankfully, the leukemia is gone.

Yay!

I can't imagine what he's gone through the past few years. I mean, can you imagine being a 12 or 13-year old, being told that you have a potentially fatal disease, and that the next three years of your life will be taken up fighting it? I know I can't. Yet he's come through the past three years in great shape, with good humor and an abiding love of “Star Wars”, which I guess are two amazing things to have in a battle like this. Now, he gets to resume the guise of a normal teenager and get on with his life.

And, hopefully, not drive his dad (Loraine's brother) TOO insane.

*****

In all the babbling about my black eye the past few days, I forgot to answer a note I received from daily blog reader Renee of Marquette Monday, who wanted to know how I was handling the outcome of the Stupor Bowl Sunday, If you recall, Friday I wrote I was looking forward to watching the Patriots lose, and Renee just wanted to know how the evening went.

Well, Renee, it went. And that's all I'm gonna say about that. Although you might be happy to know I'm down to crying just two or three hours a day now.

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com)

Tuesday, 2/7

If you wanna know where I get it, here's where I get it.

Like I said yesterday, it seems like I can be a bit of a klutz on occasion, especially when attempting to out-perform my limited abilities as an athlete. When you count bike accidents, ski accidents, and sprained or twisted ankles from running, the evidence does seem to pile up. However, I have yet to break a leg ski jumping, tear up a face from a running accident caused by a dog, or blow out a knee falling into a dirt hole.

That's what my dad does.

When they say the acorn does not fall from the tree, they may actually be on to something, at least in regards to this. Now, my dad is a much better natural athlete than am I, so I'm not quite sure what his excuse is, but over the years he has wracked up enough injuries from questionable sources to make me wonder if I've inherited more than his love of Bugs Bunny and his unnaturally small head. They say that as you get older you find yourself acting more and more like your parents. Usually, that means yelling things like “you kids get off my lawn”. In my case, though, it seems to be an ability to injure oneself without even trying.

Besides, I don't yell at kids and I don't have a lawn

It's not like I try to injure myself, just like I'm sure my dad doesn't try to injure himself, either. There just seems to be something passed down from father to son in this case. Thankfully, I haven't yet broken anything or caused myself to have any sort of reconstructive surgery, like the person from whom I inherited these abilities, but I'm still fairly young. Give me a few years, and who knows—instead of a black eye from skiing, I'll have to have surgery to remove a car mirror from a sensitive portion of my anatomy all because I was out running, saw something shiny, had my attention diverted by said shiny object, and then didn't realize that I was about to run into a parked car.

Not that I would ever do that, though. Right?

So, whenever someone asks what I've picked up from my dad over the years, “the ability to injure myself” is always one of the first things out of my mouth. It gets a big laugh, and then it allows me to brag about all the good stuff I've picked up from him. You know, the stuff that DOESN'T involve sprained ankles, black eyes, and reconstructive surgery.

On that note, happy birthday, Dad. Enjoy your big day, and try to get out of it without any broken bones, okay?

8-)

Love,

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 2/6

If you think I look bad, you should see the other guy.

Recall how, a few weeks ago, I was writing about how cross-country skiing on Marquette's Fit Strip was making me a better skier? Well, I was wrong. Or at least I was wrong as evidenced by then tumble I took down one of those short, sharp hills with a curve Saturday, when my skis got tangled up and I did a face plant into the snow, resulting in a black eye, a sore neck, and a whole lot of head shaking.

But at least I still have all my teeth!

When I went skiing Saturday morning I noticed that the trail hadn't been groomed for a while, and the tracks were kind of torn up. That should've been a warning sign right there; like I've often said, I'm not the world's most graceful skier. But in my determination to burn some calories I decided to try it anyway. And the first two and a half laps went fine, except for a few bumps here and there. Those bumps did make me think that I should take it easy, but my determination to finish the ski got the better of me and I pressed on, until I started going down the hill on my feet and ended up on my face.

And when I say “on my face”, I meant it. My skis got tangled up, my poles went with them, and I hit the snow face first, much like I hit the pavement face first during my bike accident four years ago, Luckily, snow is a LOT softer than pavement, which is why I have a puffy eye and a sore neck but still have all my teeth.

Yippee.

Like I wrote a few weeks, ago, I thought that skiing the Fit Strip was making me a better skier. And I truly believe it was. I was handling that sharp downhill just fine, and was approaching the course with more confidence than I had in the past. But I will admit that I'm not the world's greatest skier when the tracks are torn up, which is what they were this weekend. That should've been the first thing in my brain when I started skiing. I guess the confidence that I had build up skiing there got the best of me, and I figured I could handle it.

I guess I was wrong.

Luckily, whatever injuries I have should go away quickly. My neck's already feeling better, and hopefully the black eye will go away by Friday, when I have to take the first two quarter-final matches for “High School Bowl”. If not...well, that should make for an interesting story to tell on the air, shouldn't it? And hopefully, the next time I go skiing at the Fit Strip, I'll know enough that if the course it torn up and the tracks aren't set, that maybe I should go home and do something else.

Hopefully.

So if, in the next few days, you happen to see me around and notice that my right eye is puffy and/or black, don't assume that I got into a bar fight, walked into a door, or that Loraine finally was finally pushed too far by me singing the same song over and over and over again.

Nope. It was just me being, you know, me.

(jim@wmqt.com), klutz (but one who still has all his teeth)!

Friday, 2/3

This should be a really, really good weekend. After all, I don't have to do ANYTHING, except watch the New England Patriots get their butts handed to them.

After everything that's gone on the past few weekends this weekend will be a welcome change. No presentations, no ski race announcing, no appearances, no nothing. The highlight of my weekend, in fact, aside from watching the Stupor Bowl, may be doing a couple of loads of laundry. Oh, although if I do get ambitious I might walk down to the library for a couple of minutes and look through a couple of old city directories as part of one of the History Center programs I'm putting together for this summer.

But that's only if I feel ambitious.

It's gonna be a weird feeling, this not having anything to do for two days. I mean I had a three-day weekend the first weekend of the year, and since then it's been pretty much non-stop. Hopefully, I won't have to remember to learn how to relax. Hopefully, buried deep inside my somewhat bizarre psyche I have the mental muscle memory to remember how to do it. If not, I'll just be wandering around our apartment all weekend, thinking I'm supposed to be doing something and driving Loraine insane in the process. And since I don't wanna get beat up by my dear wife, I'm hoping I'll remember how to relax.

So keep your fingers crossed about that!

In fact, the one thing that's on my schedule is a birthday dinner at Aubree's tonight, as my youngest niece Sydney turns (gulp) 18 this weekend. Syd, who's on the Marquette High School dance team and is getting ready to following in her uncle's footsteps by going to Michigan State this fall, is actually the person who introduced me to what is now one of my favorite pizzas at Aubree's—the Margherita—so I get to share a pie with her tonight.

Happy (almost) biurthday, Syd!!

So with that, I supposed I should head over to NMU and get ready to go. Have yourself a great weekend; I hope you have a few minutes in it to relax, as well. And even though I'm not a fan and I don't know much about the team, go Falcons!

(jim@wmqt.com), Colts fan and, therefore, despiser of the Patriots.

Thursday, 2/2

The point they had was fair.

After posting my pictures of sunshine & blue sky yesterday morning, I had several notes from people who pointed out, with quite an astute eye, that all of the pictures were from summer. They didn't think it was ”fair” to winter that I didn't include any sunny snow pictures; after all, I might be leading people to believe that the sun never comes out here during January and February.

Not that THAT would ever happen.

However, in fairness to the season through which we're currently slogging, the sun does come out every so often. It doesn't seem like it—this year, it SURE doesn't seem like it—but the sun has visited Marquette during winter. I even have proof--

I especially like that one, taken April 9^th, 2016, in the minutes after the huge snow 16” snow dump we had that morning, snow that was pretty much melted by the next day.

So there you go. Perhaps I was being a bit hyperbolic yesterday. The sun DOES come out in Marquette during January and February.  It just doesn't seem like it's come out THIS January and February.

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com)

Wednesday, 2/1

It sure would be nice if it came back for more than an hour at a time.

This probably isn't a problem if you're one of the people who read this from a location other than Marquette, but here we're now in our 13th straight day of no sun. That's right; except for an hour or two this past Monday we've been under heavy clouds, dense fog, and an all-around gloom that's taken even the most hardy of us and turned us into sallow-faced zombies wondering just what exactly a blue sky looks like.

So with that in mind, and because the forecast for the next five days doesn't call for one lick of sunlight at all, I give you a refresher course. This is what sunlight looks like. This is what a blue sky looks like.

This is what things SHOULD look like--

Like this...

Like this...

And like this...

Now, I realize this probably won't actually help one of those sallow-faced zombies I previously mentioned, but think of it this way. I took all those pictures last year, when the sun actually decided to visit us for more than an hour at a time. Who knows? Maybe we can persuade it to pay a return visit.

Well, a boy can dream, can't he?

(jim@wmqt.com)