Friday, 9/29

Since I have to run off and tape the season's first episodes of “High School Bowl” (and seeing as how they're the season's first episodes I'd like to get there early and get organized), I'm gonna leave you with something I wrote four years ago on this date. It's kind of funny; when I re-read it, I thought it would've been something I would've written today no matter what the year. Just take out the references to actual dates, and we'd be set.

Anyway, that's my story and I'm sticking to it. Have yourself a great weekend, and I'll be back with details on how the first shoot of the year went Monday!

(jim@wmqt.com)

****

(as originally posted 9/30/13):

Wait. September’s already 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. Heading into October 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 the last one you saw was on May 26^th (and even though you know that knowing the last snow flake you saw was on May 26^th 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 2013 (which I’m not 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.

Thursday, 9/28

It starts all over again tomorrow.

“It”, of course, is another season (the 40^th, believe it or not) of “High School Bowl” on Public TV 13. While the show won't actually start airing new episodes for another month and a half, tomorrow's the day the first new shows of the season are taped; hopefully, this year, with a host who knows what he's doing.

You know...me!

I say that as a joke, of course. After hosting the show for the past three years I'd HOPE I know what I'm doing. That theory will actually be put to the test when first Hancock & Stephenson and then Houghton & Dollar Bay take their place on the set tomorrow morning. We've not done any technical rehearsals or practice sessions; we're just hoping to pick up where we left off a long six and a half months ago.

There's no danger in that, right?

That was, I think, one of the great things about stepping into a TV show that's heading into its 40^th season. Everyone behind the scenes has been doing their job for so long that they can just get right back into it without even giving it a second thought. I'm hoping I can do that, as well. I don't think it'll be a problem, as for me; at least, it does NOT seem like it's been six and a half months since we taped last year's championship match. Six and a half days, maybe, but not six and a half months.

Not, of course, that what I do is difficult. I stand up there, read things, and crack bad jokes. Trust me...it's not that hard. So if I CAN'T step right back into things; well, maybe they need to find a new host.

8-)

I think the show we tape tomorrow airs November 4^th, so you won't have too long to see the result. I know that, until then, Public TV is re-running the final episodes of last year's competition beginning a week from Saturday. So if you want to (spoiler alert) re-live Houghton's run to yet another title, you're all ready to go.

Just like we will (hopefully) be tomorrow morning!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Wednesday, 9/27

I don't think there are any more around. I think they've gone extinct.

As I mentioned yesterday, I spent almost the entire very hot weekend outdoors. And one of the things I did was to follow up on a blog from a few weeks ago, the blog where I wrote about how one of the few remaining “Don't Spit on the Sidewalk; Spit on the Side” sidewalk slabs was torn out when they were adding a bus lane at Graveraet. I said at the time I'd have to look and see if the others that I knew of were still around, and I'm sad to say that I think they're all gone.

8-(

Now, I'm not talking about all of those “Don't Spit on the Sidewalk” imprints you see all over the city. They're all still there. But there were four unique ones around, four that had an extra line on them that said “Spit on the Side”. It's a line that added extra context as to why we have those sidewalk imprints in the first place (because in ye olde days gentlemen needed to be told to spit their tobacco juice somewhere other than the sidewalk, so the hems of the dresses worn by fashionable ladies would remain tobacco-juice free). Now, it appears those four are gone.

Aside from the one in front of Graveraet there was one near the corner of Fourth & Mather; this one, specifically--

Which isn't there any more. There was another on Adams Street in south Marquette. I walked up & down the entirety of the street—both sides—Saturday, and couldn't find it. I may have missed it, because I didn't remember the exact location, but I swear I looked at every sidewalk slab the length of the street, and I didn't see it. The same for the fourth slab, which was somewhere on the east side of High Street. After checking out the length of the street Sunday, I have to conclude that that one is gone, too.

Sigh.

I realize these are strange things to mourn, but someone needs to do it. Like I said a few weeks ago, it's great that Marquette is constantly reinventing and reconstructing itself. I wouldn't have it any other way. But during that re-invention shouldn't we remember what came before? I mean, after the disastrous “Great Sandstone Purge” of the late 1960s Marquette managed to save and re-invent the remaining sandstone buildings around town. And while I realize slabs of sidewalk aren't quite as impressive (or as visible) as the Old Savings Bank Building or Old City Hall, shouldn't someone remember why they were stamped the way they were stamped?

I mean, someone other that dorky history geeks?

Okay; I'll shut up about sidewalk slabs for now. That's the price of progress, I guess, the same way that the city's original wooden sidewalks were removed in the early 1900s to make way for the stamped cement ones, and the same way that the ones that replaced the stamped walks will one day be removed themselves and replaced by the moving sidewalks or or solar power generating walks of the future.

It's just a shame they won't say “Spit on the Side”.

(jim@wmqt.com), dork.

Tuesday, 9/26

Now that “Summer in September” (trademark pending) is set to leave us (and, as an aside to “Summer in September”, please don't go!), at least we have pictures.

That's right; aside from going to the beach Sunday with Loraine, I spent almost the entire weekend outside soaking up the sun and the 90 degree heat. And since I don't think I can go outside when it's nice without a camera, here's a smattering of what I came across.

Despite the fact that it's almost October, there are plenty of bright colors, from one end of the spectrum...

To the other--

There were also plenty of bugs doing what bugs do-

And not just bees, either--

Loraine and I weren't the only ones at the beach on Sunday--

In fact, it was so crowded that if you wanted a little peace & quiet you had to get away from it all--

And, lest we forget, it IS almost October, so even though it was sunny & 90 degrees there were these reminders that something is not that far away...

I'm not quite sure what (or who) that it; for now, let's just call it the spirit of winter approaching and leave it at that. So long, “Summer in September” (trademark pending). While I wish you had actually shown up on your normal schedule, this was a weekend for the record books.

Tomorrow, the story of something I DIDN'T see over the weekend.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 9/25

If I was a guy, I know where I would've been yesterday afternoon.

Okay; that didn't sound quite right, if only because, the last time I checked, I AM a guy. Let me put it this way—if I was young, single guy, I know where I would've been Sunday afternoon--

The beach. Specifically, the beach at McCarty's Cove

Let me explain. Because it was a gorgeous, 90 degree day (at the end of September!) Loraine and I found ourselves out walking around a bunch of bike paths, then taking a walk in the lake on the beach from Shiras Park to McCarty's Cove. I was surprised by something—while the beach was packed (as well it should be), the vast majority of people that were there were women. I was kind of surprised by that; after all, it's usually split 50-50 among the genders. But then I started to think (which, as we all know, can be a very dangerous thing), and I suddenly realized why the beach may have filled with a majority of women.

All the guys were inside watching football.

I mean, that's the only reason I can think of why the beaches were lacking men on 90 degree Sunday. Every other Sunday we've walked past that locale there have been men on the beach; the only thing different this past Sunday was the fact that pro football (oh, and the Lions, too) was being shown on TV. So that's the only reason I can think of. And it's a shame the guys missed it, too. It was a gorgeous day, and they missed it for what—a chance to see the Lions lose?

It's not like you won't have 14 more chances to see that this season.

Loraine also joked about how, by not being at the beach, the guys were missing out n a chance to perhaps meet all those women who were being smart and enjoying the sun and the warmth. And that got us to talking...where exactly DO single people go to meet now? I mean, we've been together forever, and haven't exactly had to worry about meeting other people. But where DO single people go to meet now; assuming, of course, that they actually go somewhere to meet in person, and just don't do it online. Do you still go to bars to meet people? Do you still see who's cruising the produce aisles of a grocery store? Or do you go outside, on a nice sunny day, and meet someone that way?

Inquiring (married) minds want to know!

So if you're a young man and it's nice outside again some Sunday this fall, take it from someone who has seen it first hand. Don't spend the entire afternoon glued to a TV set or a computer screen. Go to the beach instead.

You're welcome.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Friday, 9/22

We all know that calendars don't lie. Apparently, though, it's quite easy to fool them.

Welcome to the first full, official day of Autumn, a season usually marked by changing leaves, dropping temperatures, and at least here in the UP, the chance of snow lurking behind every corner. Yet on this first full day of Autumn, as well as the second and third full days of Autumn, we in the UP are slated to have our warmest three-day stretch of 2017, with highs in the mid to upper 80s.

Guess we won't have to worry about that snow lurking behind any corners this weekend, right?

Obviously, I'm not complaining about our weather this weekend; anyone who's read even one of these would know better than that. And while I'd MUCH rather have had this weekend in June (or July, or August), I guess you take it when you can get it. But it continually amazes me how swiftly what we perceive as “normal” in weather is changing. Highs of 88 on the first day of fall in the UP? Sure; why not? Two Category Five hurricanes in one week in the Atlantic? Bring 'em on. Conditions that lead to fire all over the western US and Canada? Who needs water?

Wow. I don't know if I wanna see what's coming next. All I know (and I am fairly certain about this) is that it'll be nastier, deadlier, and even more weird (88 degrees on September 24^th?) than ever before. And that's not a good thing.

However, that won't stop me from enjoying the heat this weekend. Hopefully, I won't feel too guilty about it, but we haven't had two straight days of temps in the 80s this year, much less three. Like I said before, you have to take them when you can get them.

Even if it is during the first three official days of Autumn.

*****

Before I let you go for the weekend, I have to thank everyone who cast their vote for which picture should appear on my work computer desktop for the year. I'm a little surprised at which one you chose—I thought for sure you would've went for the cow or the castle in Heidelberg. But nope; thanks to your input, for the next year I get to look at the entrance to the Stadt Garten in Freiburg--

I think I can live with that choice.

Okay. Now you can go for the weekend. Make sure you get out and play if it's nice where you live!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Thursday, 9/21

We have no idea who they came from. But we sure do appreciate it.

When Loraine came home from work yesterday she found these flowers sitting at our front door--

It's a nice container full of yellow mums, which smell great and are currently brightening up our kitchen, sharing a space with the only other plant we have, a Christmas cactus that has defied all attempts to render it lifeless. Attached to the flowers was this card--

If you can't read it it says “Hi, Jim & Loraine. I had an extra mum plant, thought you could use it! From a neighbor”.

That's sweet. That's really, really sweet. Even if we have no idea who that neighbor is.

We have a couple of ideas, but no solid leads. The writing looks like it came from a woman, and whoever wrote it obviously knows that Loraine's name is not spelled the standard way. We also have couple of neighbors who have nice gardens, but it seems to me (admittedly, someone who knows nothing about gardens) that it's kind of late in the year to be buying and planting flowers. All of that plays into the names we threw out as possibilities, but there's no concrete proof as to who gave us the flowers.

Unless, of course, they read this and wanna come clean!

Even if we never find out who gave us the flowers, we still appreciate them. In a world where people treat each other with such venom and/or suspicion on a daily basis, it's nice to know that there are others out there who just decide to do something sweet for people who live around them. Whoever gave them to us did it expecting, I'm guessing, nothing in return, but they did it anyway. How many times does that even happen any more? I don't know if we got lucky, or if this is some kind of payback for something we may have done for someone in the past, but either way it was a nice thing for us to come home to.

So once again, to whomever gave us the mums, thank you. That was a sweet, thoughtful gesture, and we appreciate it.

(jim@wmqt.com)

(ps—don't forget—just one day left to vote on which picture will be on my computer desktop for the next year. Scroll down to Monday's entry to see the nominees!)