Friday, 9/29

Wait. September’s almost over?????

I seem to recall writing something similar back at the end of either May or June, and I also recall ending that something I had written with the prediction (or warning) that come the end of August or the end of September I’d be doing the same thing, because by the end of August or the end of September I’d still be shocked at how quickly time has flown past.

Well, it’s nice to know that I can accurately forecast the future, right? Either that, or I’m just really too predictable in the things about which I whine. I’ll leave it up to you to choose which is more correct.

Saying “goodbye” to September really is like saying “goodbye” to summer, even if this year we didn’t really have much of a summer to say “goodbye” to until, you know, the past couple of weeks. Heading into most Octobers you know you may have a nice day or two pop up here or there, but you also know that there’s an equal (if not better) chance that you’ll see the first snowflake of the year, even though it seems like the last two snow days we had May 1^st and 2^nd seemed like just yesterday (and even knowing the last snow day was May 2^nd shows that you have some deeply rooted problems!)

I know that there are some people—heck, I know that there are many people—who just love October, who think it’s the greatest month of the year. They like the cooler temperatures; they love the colors and the crisp, sharp smell you get when out walking among the falling leaves. And I can see the appeal in all that, especially in the changing colors. But it also means that my favorite time of the year is over.

Much in the same way skiers mourn April or deer hunters mourn December, I kind of mourn the end of September. Like I mentioned before, it signals the end of my favorite time of the year. And it means that, unless we have another weird and wacky year like 2023 (which I’m not in any way ruling out), it’ll be another seven or eight months before we can head outside and play in the warm sun. I know that for most people that’s not that big of a deal, but apparently I’m special in that way.

Aren’t I lucky?

Don’t worry; after today, I shan’t bring it up again. After all, I whine about the weather enough in here, and if I can remember back that far, I believe my New Year’s resolution was to try to cut down on my whining about the weather and things way out of my control. However, today marked a significant cut-off point in that regard, and I just felt that it should be observed.

So I’ll shut up now. Have a great weekend. And if things actually turn out as forecast, enjoy the almost summer-like weather we'll (hopefully) get!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Thursday, 9/28

Wow. I forgot I even had come up with those.

I stumbled upon a computer file yesterday when going through an old flash drive, and it was a computer file that had ideas, concepts, and fleeting thoughts about topics for these daily ramblings. Some of them I had used, some of them ended up being not good enough to use, and then there was the one about “first lines”.

I’ve always thought that the first line of an essay was the most important. Not only does it have to impart information about the essay, but it also has to reel you in and make you want to read what’s coming up. I think I’ve been lucky in that regard; I’d like to think that I have a little talent in that area. I mean, I’ve come up with lines like “I now know what the inside of a seagull smells like” (following a kayak trip to Ripley’s Rock) and “I woke up yesterday and realized that I misplaced the 1990s”, following a morning in which I woke up, and well, realized that I had forgotten much of what I did during the 1990s. Of course, none of that tops what may be the single greatest first line ever written, a line in a 2007 California newspaper story that read, and I quote, ““A jazz musician was injured Friday after jumping from a burning motor home driven by a one-time roller skating stripper“.

See? A great opening line and, perhaps, a TV reality show just waiting to be made.

Anyway, I’m bringing this up because the note I found contained what I thought would be a couple of great opening lines. I mean, when you read them you know that they’d never actually happen and are the product of an obviously demented mind, but I’d like to think that they’d draw you in to read what’s next.

And those lines are?

“I didn’t think the explosion would be quite THAT big. . .”

“I thought it would stop oozing after a day or two, but I guess I was wrong”.

“I know how the world is gonna end”.

Like I said, these are lines that would obviously never actually occur in reality (at least I hope they wouldn’t), but they’re lines that could, in a proper context, hopefully make you want to read on. And that’s what’s important in a first line, right?

It’s amazing what you can find hidden on computer flash drives, isn’t it? It really is.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Wednesday, 9/27

I like my cities weird. What can I say?

As promised yesterday, more pictures today from our jaunt to Chicago. Yet another one of the ways in which Marquette and Chicago are similar is that you can walk around, pay attention to your surroundings, and then notice certain things that might be considered out of the ordinary in other places.

That might range from one set of businesses that you might not necessarily think would go together--

To another...

Although, when you think about it, doesn't it actually make sense to combine a psychic and an insurance agent? After one, one might be able to tell you when you'll need the services of the other, right?

8-)

You can also see notes from store owners who (I think) are trying to be helpful--

Pharmacies getting into the spirit of Greektown--

A pigeon eating a scone--

Helpful grammar notes for for anyone who's spelling challenged while putting up graffiti--

To, uhm, whatever the heck this is--

So remember, if you're ever in a new city, look around, because you'll never know what you might see. Unlike, say, these people.--

(jim@wmqt.com)

Tuesday, 9/26

As promised...details on Chicago!

Like I mentioned yesterday, we had a great time visiting my second favorite place in the United States. We actually stayed in the Loop for the first time, which gives you an entirely new perspective on the city, especially when you can see this when you walk out of your hotel--

It was a short walk to Greektown, which means that it was a short walk to Greek food--

And everywhere you strolled, you got to see some amazing architecture--

Speaking of amazing architecture, we paid a visit one of the oldest existing buildings in Chicago, one with a familiar name--

Where in the lobby they have mosaics depicting how Jacques Marquette was the first European to “discover” the Chicago River--

As I mentioned on TV last night, Marquette (the city) and Chicago have connections that no one ever knew or thought about, unless you pay really close attention.  Speaking of which, there's a display in the main branch of the Chicago Public Library that consists of dog tags for each of the 58,000 Americans killed during the Vietnam War--

And if you go into the display, you can search for the names of those who died, including those who came from Marquette--

And much like in Marquette, people were enjoying a nice first day of Autumn--

That's that side of the story. Tomorrow, just like you can see while walking around Marquette, the weird side of Chicago. And trust me—it gets kinda weird down there.

8-)

But before then, one more picture, if only because we took a LOT of them--

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 9/25

 If anyone cares, I'm back!

(And, I'm guessing, aside from my parents most people who read this are going "wait, you were gone?", but that's neither here nor there).

I don't have a lot of time to write this morning, as being gone for three days means there's a lot of catching up to do.  You'll get a far more detailed report tomorrow.  But just let me say that we had a great time, which means two things--we were really bummed that we had to come home, and that I'm never gonna eat again.

Yes, I know I say that every trip, but this time I'm serious.  We kinda sorta are a LOT this time around--

I do have one other thing to say, though--you know how every time we leave Marquette it gets nice for you guys and the rotten weather follows us?  While you were enjoying 78 degrees and sun Thursday, here's what we had--

So...you're welcome.  Hope you enjoyed your nice day.

8-)

Actually, aside from Thursday the weather was fine. Like I said, MUCH more tomorrow!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Tuesday, 9/19

See you in a few days, I guess.

I mentioned yesterday that Loraine's car will get a few more miles added to its odometer this week, and I wasn't kidding. It gets to go all the way to Sawyer tomorrow, where it'll sit in a parking lot for a few days while Loraine and I have a little fun in Chicago. Then it brings us back to Marquette and, in total, gets to add another 30 or so miles to the 10,000 it now has.

Exciting, isn't it?

Thinking about this, I'm pretty sure the trip will be much more exciting for Loraine and me than it will her car. This is our “vacation” for the year (the drive down to Loraine's parents a few weeks ago notwithstanding) so we're hoping to make the most of it. After all, we love the city and the things to do there, so if we haven't been able to go anywhere else this year at least we get to spend a few days in our second favorite place on the planet. And, as a bonus, the weather's actually supposed to be quite nice while we're there.

So maybe it was meant to be.

Needless to say, that means there won't be any more of these mis-typed ramblings for the rest of the week. Assuming there's not some huge failure of the airline system Sunday (which, sadly, always IS a possibility) I'll be back Monday with pictures, stories, and most likely, the need to lose a pound or two. But then that's what vacations are for, right?

8-)

Before I leave, though, I need to wish a happy anniversary to the two people without whom I would not be here. That's right; my parents are celebrating another year of wedded bliss, so if you happen to come across them either today or while I'm gone, wish them a good one.

Happy anniversary, kids!!!

Love,

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 9/18

It took five and a half years, but we finally got there.

As you know, neither Loraine nor I drive much. We both walk to work, bike to many other places, and, at times, seem to have a car just in case we ever need it. Loraine bought in the spring of 2018, and before we went down to her parents earlier this month it had just slightly over 9,000 miles on it. We thought the trip would bring the car to the mythical 10,000 mark, but it didn't. And even after running around taking care of a few chores this weekend, it was still a few miles short of five digits.

So we did something we hardly ever do. We went for a five mile ride just to watch the odometer flip.

Yes, I know we're weird. What's your point? But it's been five and a half years. And we figured that reaching 10,000 miles was a big deal, at least for her car. After driving to the Marquette Food Co-op (and only adding a half mile to the odometer) we decided to take the long way home, a drive along the lake where we first documented this--

And then, as we turned around near Lakeview Arena and began the trip back to downtown, the magical moment--

Five years, four months, and a handful of days after Loraine picked up her latest car, it has finally been driven 10,000 miles. Have I ever mentioned we're easily entertained?

8-)

We'll actually get to take it for a little spin later this week, and give it a few more miles on the odometer. Details tomorrow!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Friday, 9/15

Yes, it did actually happen. And no, it doesn't surprise me that the vehicle in question was a pick-up truck.

One of the ways in which I try to kill myself while working out is to do a series of high intensity sprints up & down a street near where I live. You run as fast as you can up the block, stop for a few seconds, go back from where you came, stop for a few more seconds, and then repeat as often as you can. In my case, it's somewhere between 24 and 30 sprints, and by the time you're done you're wiped out.

And, hopefully, healthier.

It takes me around a half an hour to complete that task, and when I was doing it a couple of mornings ago I noticed that there was a pick-up truck sitting in front of Third Street Bagel with its lights on and its engine running. That in and of itself isn't unusual; people will often do that if they need to run in and pick something up. As I kept continuing my sprints I kept noticing the truck was still running. By the time I finished my sprints--a half an hour later--the truck was still sitting there with its engine running and its lights on.

Now, when you consider the fact that it was like that before I started running and it continued to be like that after I finished, I have to ask this one simple question--

What the what?

Whoever owned the truck obviously wasn't just running in to pick up something. They were obviously there to eat, drink, or visit inside. And while I can see leaving your truck running for a few minutes, especially when it's cold outside, the air temperature that morning was in the 50s. There was no danger of their truck getting cold inside. Yet they let their engine run for at least a half an hour, letting fuel burn and sending pollutants into the atmosphere for no good reason.

And let me guess--this same person is probably someone who complains about the price of gas, even though they'll let their truck run for at least half an hour.

Now, who knows. Maybe there was a good reason for letting their truck run for at least half an hour outside of a restaurant. Maybe they're an emergency services worker who may need to leave in a flash. Maybe there was something in their truck that needed to stay warm. I don't know, and if either was the case, accept my apologies for even bringing it up. But if that WASN'T the case, and they left their truck running just so, I dunno, they could waste two gallons of gas, just let me say this:

You DO know we're undergoing a climate crisis, right? And you DO know that leaving a (big) truck running for over half an hour doesn't help in that regard, correct?

People these days...

8-)

Okay; I'll get off my high horse now. It's just something I noticed while sprinting, something that just didn't seem right. And many thanks to you for letting me point it out. I mean, I know that doesn't help in one iota, but I just figured someone should mention it.

On that note, have yourself a great weekend. And remember--every little bit helps!

(jim@wmqt.com), (futilely) trying to save the planet

Thursday, 9/14

I have to be at my doctor's office in a bit (annual check up time yet again), so I'm going to leave you with an oldie but a goodie. Believe it or not, I actually remember this happening.

That was fun.

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com)

*******

(as originally posted 9/17/2015)

If you're one of the three people I yelled at at the top of my lungs yesterday, I'm sorry. It wasn't personal.

Let me explain. I did not, in fact, yell at anyone to their face. I did not get mad, I did not fly off the handle, and I did not hurt anyone's feelings. Yet I still feel a little bad at what I did.

My “Pop Culture” question yesterday had to do with what the letters “NBC” stand for. I thought it was a fairly straight-forward question; after all, NBC was the country's first broadcast network, about to celebrate its 90^th anniversary next year, so I figured everyone would know what those three letters stand for.

I was wrong. Just not in the way I figured.

The first three answers I received mirrored each other. Each of the callers had the first two letters correctly identified. They knew that the “N” stands for “National”, and that the “B” stands for “Broadcasting”. It's what happened after that that blew my mind. The three callers said that the “C”in NBC stands for either “System” or “Service”. And that's a good guess, expect for the fact that if either of those were the correct answer, the company's initials would be “NBS”, and not “NBC”.

And that's when I had my little meltdown.

Well, it wasn't really a meltdown. It was mostly me yelling at the top of my lungs “Doesn't anyone know how to spell any more?” loud enough to travel through a supposedly soundproof wall. I know it was loud enough because our office manager, who sits on the other side of the supposedly soundproof wall, turned to look at me to make sure I wasn't losing my mind.

Oops. My bad.

Thankfully, when I asked the question again, someone did get the answer right (the “C” stands for “Company”, if you're curious), restoring my faith in humanity. And maybe I can kind of understand the confusion; after all, the “S” in CBS stands for “System”, not that anyone would know that. So maybe all three callers just mixed their metaphors, in a way. Maybe it was an innocent mistake on the part of all three callers.

Maybe.

So if you were one of those three callers, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to yell at you, if even just to myself.

It's just one of those things...

8-)

Wednesday, 9/13

If it is a gift, it's one I'm fortunate to have. And one that I don't take lightly.

As usual, I did my TV thing Monday night. Unusually, though, I had a studio audience, as WZMQ was hosting a “Business After Hours”, a local networking event where professionals from around the area show up to drink and to schmooze. A few of them were allowed to watch us do the actual newscast, so I wrote a bit that (I hoped) would generate a few laughs.

Thankfully, it did. And it prompted someone who was in the audience to come up to me afterwards and tell me that they thought I had “gift” that's quite precious during these days of discord and dismay.

The gift of making people laugh.

In all honesty, I had never even pondered the subject. I just do what I do. But as I've spent the past 36 hours mulling over what she said, it got me to thinking. And, that, as we all know, can be a very dangerous thing. But maybe in a way, she's right. There are an awful lot of people on this planet who do nothing but sow the seeds of the discord and dismay that are prevalent these days. I mean, it's easy to be bitter and cynical and play to an audience that's primed for bitterness and cynicism. But to make people feel good, or at least help them smile & spend a few seconds out of the bitterness & cynicism, takes work. You have to appeal to their better nature, instead of their basest impulses. You have to be on a higher plane.

And maybe I'm just fortunate that I'm apparently able to do that.

Like I said, I had never looked at it from that angle. I just go out there and try to put an occasional smile on an occasional face. I really don't know if I have a “gift” so much as I try to live in the light instead of the dark. Maybe my gift is is refusing to dive into the bitterness and cynicism that marks modern day life. Maybe my gift is just being goofy or being “light” or by looking for the smile instead of the frown. I don't know. Except for the past 36 hours, it's something about which I've never thought.

But you'd better believe I'm thinking about it now.

By the way, if you wanna see what prompted the comment from an audience member (and check out a LOT of goof) just click HERE

(jim@wmqt.com)

Tuesday, 9/12

I don't know if this an answer, but it might be.

As you may recall, I spent a great deal of this “summer” complaining about how cool & wet it was. Let me say thank you for indulging me in that; I hope it didn't get too redundant for you. As it turns out, though, I wasn't the only person who complained a lot. Over the past few weeks I've run into over half a dozen individuals who lamented the fact that we really didn't have much of a “summer” this year. So it wasn't just me. A lot of people had that perception.

And I think I have an idea as to why.

If you take “summer” as the months of June, July, & August, you have 13 weeks (and weekends) in there. The weekend is when most people like to get out and enjoy the season, perhaps even trying to play outside all day long Saturday and/or Sunday. But this year, out of those 13 weekends, we only had five that had sun (or, more accurately, sun filtered through smoke haze) both days. The other eight weekends had at least one day with rain. In a couple of cases, both days were washed out.

So if you were looking to have some summer fun this “summer”, only 38 percent of the weekends (just over a third) provided you a full opportunity to do that. The other 62 percent of weekends?

At least a partial washout.

I mean, I don't know if this affected people's perception of “summer” this year at all. I could be totally off-base. I often am.  But seeing as how adults get most of their summer fun on the weekends, and the majority of weekends were filled with at least one day of rain and cool and gloomy conditions...

Well, maybe there's something there. Maybe.

To quote a great American philosopher, that's all I'm gonna say about that. But if you're one of the growing number of people who felt we may have been robbed (just a little) of the one season around here during which we recharge our batteries from the other three seasons when we fave the (gulp) possibility of snow, there's a one potential reason.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 9/11

Because it's Marquette, I'm not quite sure which one it is.

Attached to a street light a few doors down from where I live is this--

Yes, you are seeing that right. It's the beat up frames for someone's sunglasses, attached to the light pole by a small cord. But because it's Marquette, I'm not sure WHY the sunglasses are stuck on the light pole. Because it's Marquette, it could be there because someone lost them and someone else wants to whoever lost them to find them.

Or, because it's Marquette, it could be art. Maybe, just maybe, someone put them there as, I dunno, a statement on the disposable aspect of our modern day society.

Because it's Marquette, it could be either one.

I'm not saying that in a bad way. Marquette is just one of those places filled with artists, and often time those artists will try to make a statement with “found objects”...things you find just lying around on the ground. Like, you know, a pair of sunglasses that just happened to sitting in the grass.

Hence, my confusion as to why the sunglasses were stuck to the light pole.

If they disappear some time soon, I'll trust that whoever lost them found them and took them home (or, I guess, that city workers found them and wanted to remove them from a utility pole). But if they remain there for some time, allowing passersby to ponder the statement that someone is trying to make, I'll know they're art.

I just happen to live in a place where either is a possibility.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Friday, 9/7

Wow. It really can't be that close, can it?

I was filling out stuff on my big wall calendar in my office, the one that tells me where to be when and at what time. While writing things down I was marveling at just how packed September is, especially with our just completed trip downstate and our little jaunt to Chicago the week after next. In fact, I've been so busy with the stuff on the calendar this month that I really haven't looked at what's on tap next month.

And that's when I realized we start shooting the next season of “High School Bowl” four weeks from today.

First of all, it seems like we just wrapped up last season like, I dunno, last month. But apparently it's been seven months. And just exactly HOW did the start date for season 45 sneak up on me so that it's less than a month away?

I myself blame 2023. It's been a weird year, hasn't it?

That means I need to get my butt in gear for a couple of things. I need to put together the questions we ask the students during the halftime interviews, and I also need to write up a bunch of UP-themed questions to use during the games. I have a couple left over from last year, but we shoot 20 full shows throughout the season, so that means I'm only, oh, 18 short of what I need.

Looking at my calendar, I also realized we have a packed shooting schedule in October. In fact, we have five shooting dates—a quarter of the entire season—on tap. The show itself debuts November 4^th, and we always wanna make sure we have enough episodes in the can so that if something unexpected happens (snow days, plagues, or an idiot host who mangles his face in a bike accident) we'll have something to stick on the air. And that's why we'll have all those shows in the can before the season premiere.

So, I guess that looking at my calendar is dictating a few of the things I'll be going this weekend—coming up with questions, and then coming up with another kind of question. I'm just not quite sure whether or not to thank my calendar for the reminder or to curse it for, you know, making me aware that we're just four weeks away from the start of the season.

Have a great weekend. Hope your calendar is much kinder to you!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Thursday, 9/7

Well, that was fun.

Because of the fog, the mist, and the gloom, we were able to get “Happy Hour” off as scheduled last night for the Marquette Regional History Center. I mean, sure...I had to change it from a walking tour into a program in three hours, and it might have been a little rough because of that (as I described it, it was like learning to play a song on a guitar and then all of a sudden being asked to perform on a piano instead). But in the end it didn't matter; the group had a great time and (most importantly) had a lot of laughs.

And that's a good thing.

This, however, is probably not the last you'll hear about a project called “Happy Hour”. I have been throwing around the idea of making an expanded version of this little tour/show into my next documentary. When you think of it, it would be a good companion piece to “The Greasier the Spoon”, and with some of the stories of drunken debauchery that have been shared with me it would be a hoot.

Of course, it would also be a LOT of work, probably spanning over the next year or two (or however long it took me to eventually finish “Greasier”). So while I've not fully committed to it yet, it wouldn't surprise me if I keep babbling enough about it that I actually do something about it.

We'll see, right? And, by the way, I'm giving you permission in advance to kick me when I start to complain about trying to find the time to work on it (if, indeed, I do work on it), because both you & I know I eventually will, right?

8-)

Okay; I not only have to go to a funeral today, but I'm also going to Chicago in 13 days (have I ever mentioned that?) and I need to get to work on a few things. So until tomorrow...

(jim@wmqt.com), who really REALLY needs to get that mythical 25^th hour added to his day.

Wednesday, 9/6

I'm back. Miss me?

We had a great few days visiting Loraine's parents downstate. Loraine got to hang out with her family, we got to go to Aldi (seriously, Aldi, you have stores in Escanaba, Iron Mountain, and Caro (a small town near Reese), but not Marquette????), and I got to explore a place that (as I mentioned last week) is nothing like Marquette.

But it does have a certain small-town charm all its own. The prime example? In a parking lot on the main street of Reese there's a stand that offers fresh produce--

There's actually an amazing selection there, and it's all on the honor system. You take what you want, and you leave the money for it in a lock box. That's not a business model that would work any place other than a small town, and it's one of those things that makes a place like Reese feel so unique.

I even had to go back and get more of these--

Yum.

By the way, did you enjoy the heat wave in Marquette while we were gone? As I mentioned last week, it seems like every time we leave the UP you get nice weather, and it was once again true. While it was nice downstate (if a bit cloudy) temperatures in Marquette were 10 or so degrees higher than they were in Reese, 350 miles to the south.

So...you're welcome? And yes, I AM laughing at the irony of it all. Because if I didn't laugh, I'd be driven insane by the fact that Mother Nature seems to have it in for me this “summer”.

And that's all I'm gonna say about that.

8-)

Except, perhaps, that Mother Nature might REALLY have it in for me.; Tonight's the night the History Center is holding their “Happy Hour” fundraiser, the first portion of which is me hosting a walking tour around downtown Marquette. And after she gave you the gorgeous weather of the past few days, what are we supposed to have today?

Yup. Rain, clouds, and dropping temperatures. Not cool, Mother Nature, not cool.

We'll see what happens, I guess. Wish us luck!

(jim@wmqt.com)