Thursday, 11/30

So far, it's been an interesting experiment.

I'm now around 3 decades or so into programming a pop radio station; in fact, if I may toot my own horn, I've even won awards for doing it. But because of circumstances I'm now also programming the other two stations our group owns, a country station and a heavy metal station. You'd think that thirty years of programming a pop station would allow me to slip right into the gig, but you know what?

It hasn't so far.

It's been interesting. Part of the job is easy; after all, the formulatics of placing certain categories of songs in certain places remain the same. But what's been a big leap is that, while I'm a wizard as far as pop music goes, I know next to absolutely nothing about country or heavy metal.

But I'm trying to learn.

In a way, it's like trying to learn a second (and third) foreign language. There are nouns and verbs and adjectives and swear words; you just need to learn what they are and in which order they go. Since I know nothing more about country music than “that artist is a guy in a hat” and “that artist is another guy in a hat”, it's been a subtle process. And since I know not much about heavy metal other than “that one has two thrashing guitars” and “that one has three thrashing guitars” it's been a slightly less subtle yet no less challenging process.

But learning I am.

I know I'll never approach the knowledge I have of pop music with those two different genres, but that's okay. I also know I'll never have an interest in listening to them, either, but that's okay, as well. As long as I know the difference between the first guy in a hat and the second guy in a hat, I can schedule the songs, and (hopefully) no one will know the difference.

Unlike, say, when I try to speak another language I've learned (like French) and everyone on the planet can figure out the difference.

Wish me luck!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Wednesday, 11/29

The stupid song's over 30 years old. I didn't like it when it was first out. So why do I keep listening to it over and over again now?

Sigh...

As some of you may know, I have a weak, weak brain. A song can lodge itself in my head for days at a time, or I can wake up in the middle of the night with a quirky 80s new wave hit running on repeat, and then spend the rest of the night staring at the ceiling while it blasts my brain at full volume. It's not a skill of which I'm proud, but it's one of the few that I do have.

Such is the case now. A couple of weeks ago on a “Throwback Thursday” we played a song from a one album wonder of the 1990s. I had actually kind of forgotten about the song for the past few decades, but when I heard it two thoughts popped into my head. The first? “I didn't like this song that much when it was out”.

The second? “The song doesn't totally suck. Why didn't I like it back then?”.

And then, of course, I made the mistake I often make. I listened to the song once or twice. And then five or six times. Before I knew it, iTunes was telling me I'd listened to it almost 20 times in a two day span. That's when I knew I was in trouble.

The (stupid) song that is now stuck in my brain? This one--

Everybody knows about C&C Music Factory's “Everybody Dance Now”, but they tend to forget about the follow-up to it, “Here We Go”, the song that is currently stuck in my brain. After listening to it almost 20 times over two days I can say that it's a much better song than their big hit. It's a little more rock in nature than “Dance”, and it samples Chic's “Le Freak”, which is never a bad thing. But it's not a great song. It's not a classic piece of work. It's certainly not a song that should lodge itself into my brain.

And yet, it has.

Hopefully, by writing this, I may have exorcised it from my brain. Realistically, by writing this, it's probably lodged itself even deeper into my brain. But in all honesty it was probably gonna stay there for a while, so it's not that big of a deal.

Check it out, if you dare. I'm hopeful that your brain is stronger than mine, and that you won't be listening to it 20 times over a two day period. However, if you do, let me apologize in advance.

It would be entirely my fault.

(jim@wmqt.com), weak of mind.

Tuesday, 11/28

Did you know that some people in the city of Marquette apparently can't read?

One of the things Loraine & I did on Thanksgiving Day was to head over to the Kaufman Sports Complex to play soccer. We don't often get to do that this late in the season, and we looked at it as a way to burn off all those calories we'd be eating in a few hours.

And based on what we did eat, I'm glad we played.

Anyway, the only pitch open this time of the year is one buried way in back, away from the road and anyone who may, you know, be looking. I mention that because three times while we were playing Thursday morning someone drove up in a car or a truck, got out, got their dog out, saw us, put their dog back in their vehicle, and drove away.

Because we were there they decided not to let their dogs run free, despite the fact that all three of them parked right in front of this sign--

Dogs are not allowed on soccer pitches at Kaufman because, you know, dogs poop. Yet the three individuals who drove up didn't care about the sign, and only left because there were humans there, humans who would see them violating the law. And that, of course, makes me wonder--

How many times a day do people let their dogs run wild on the pitch when no one's there to give them the evil eye?

The sign couldn't be any more obvious, especially to people parking right in front of it. And in all the years we've been playing, I've lost count of people who either don't read the sign or don't think that it applies to them. And it's only dog owners who seem to act that way, as I've yet to see someone golfing on the pitch, the other thing prohibited by the sign.

I've said this a zillion times before and I'm sure I'll say it a zillion times in the future. It's not all dog owners who do whatever they want with their animals; it's only 5% who seem to give the other 95% a bad name. Most dog owners in Marquette will happily keep their dog leashed, clean up after them, and don't let them run where they're not supposed to run. But there's a small group that seem to think the rules don't apply to them or that they're entitled to do what they want, especially if they try to sneak onto a soccer pitch where no one can see them.

Unless, of course, there are people already on the pitch, trying to burn off a few calories before Thanksgiving dinner.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 11/27

So--sick of turkey yet?

It's funny; while, unlike some people, I LOVE leftover turkey, I didn't have any sort of leftovers. That's because, since Covid, Loraine and I been making a casserole for Thanksgiving that combines turkey, stuffing, home made cranberry sauce, spinach, and pistachios onto one amazing dish (if I must say so myself). Because of that, we don't have leftover turkey.

And, if I'm being honest, I kinda miss it.

But I know that YOU may not feel the same way about leftover turkey, especially in the past few days, when you may have been dealing with said leftovers for most of the weekend. So, in light of that, and knowing that you may soon be running out of ideas on what to do with the eight pounds of it still sitting in your fridge, here’s a list I came up with a couple of years ago, a list of everything you may not have tried yet with your leftovers (or, at least, everything I could think of a span of about 15 seconds). Here we go--

Turkey chili

Turkey tacos

Turkey pot pies

Turkey pasties

Turkey casserole

Turkey croquets

Turkey canapés

Turkey jerky

Turkey latte

Turkey nog

Turkey & cranberry smoothies

Turkey bread

Turkey granola

German turkey cake

Turkey and dark chocolate cookies

Turkey & sweet potato jam

Home-made turkey Pop Tarts

And. . .

Frozen turkey doorstops.

There. Now don’t say I never do anything for you. And I hope that, if you still have any of it hanging around, that your turkey will soon head out the door!

Tomorrow, the story about how some people in Marquette apparently can't read.

(jim@wmqt.com)

Wednesday, 11/22

Absolutely no one knew it was coming.

I did something during my TV spot Monday that I've not yet done. At the end of the piece, which dealt with things everyone in the UP can be thankful for, I pulled out a prop. I hadn't told anyone the prop was hiding in my back pocket the entire 45 minutes I was standing in the studio, waiting to go on. And when I pulled it out and held it up to the camera, everyone in the studio, from Sarah to the tech crew to the reporters still hanging around, let out a loud & hearty laugh which you could hear perfectly over the air.

Why? Because I pulled out a can of beer.

I really don't want to over-explain it, so maybe it's better if you watch it. It's only two and a half minutes, so CLICK OR TAP HERE. Don't worry; I'll wait.

(this is just me waiting)

Okay, welcome back.

I have no idea where the idea for the beer came from; it just popped into my head while I was putting it together last weekend, and the reaction it engendered was even better than I could have hoped. More than anything, I guess I'm stunned that I could actually have a can of beer in my back pocket for 45 minutes and have no one notice, although I guess wearing a suit jacket helps.

It helps a LOT.

I almost cracked the beer open and took a swig as the bit wrapped, but it had been in my pocket for 45 minutes and, I'm guessing, was quite shook up. I mean, it may have been even funnier if it exploded all over me, but there was a lot of expensive equipment near me, and you know what?

I like what I do. I really wouldn't want to be asked not to return because, you know, I sprayed a can of Ore Dock Fresh Coast all over a camera. Besides, I'm kinda happy with the reaction I got just by pulling the can out. After all, it's not every day you can make an entire newsroom burst out in laughter.

8-)

*****

Have a great Thanksgiving, everyone. I have both tomorrow and Friday off, so I'll be back with something here on Monday. Try not to eat too much!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Tuesday, 11/21

I think we're gonna try it again. Wish us luck.

As you know, Loraine and I travel. Going to places that are different than Marquette, as great as Marquette is, opens our minds, exposes us to new things, and, perhaps most importantly allows us to try chocolate we normally wouldn't get to try. In fact, one of the things people like to say to us upon seeing us (at least after they say “we see you walking everywhere”) is “So, where are you going on your next trip?”

I guess as far as reputations go, it's not the worst to have.

Anyway, as you well know one of the places we love to go is Europe, but because of Covid and a bunch of other factors the only time we've been there since early in 2019 was for a quick trip to a soccer match last fall.

Well, it looks as if we're gonna try it again coming up in May. It's won't be one of those free-ranging rent-a-car-and-drive-through-six-countries adventures, as things may still be a little bit too up in the air over there for one of those. But what we're gonna go is fly into Frankfurt, hop on a train, and spend a few nights each in two German cities, Kaiserslauten and Freiburg. We've never been to Kaiserslauten, but Loraine's favorite soccer player was born there, and she's curious as to what the place is like. As for Freiburg, we've been there before, but I do think it MAY be my favorite place in the whole country, and seeing it in May, when everything is blooming, should be spectacular.

At least we're hoping so.

I don't have much more to say about the trip, other than the airline tickets are ours. But wish us luck. And now, when someone asks where we're going next, we actually have an answer.

*****

Speaking of my favorite travel partner (and the best travel planner) in the world, it's her birthday today. So if you happen to see her around, make sure you wish her a great day. Because, and I may be a little biased about this, she deserves it.

Happy birthday, Loraine!

Love,

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 11/20

Why do I torture myself that way on the weekends?

I know weekends are supposed to be for rest & relaxation. I know that weekends are supposed to be the time to check out for a few days and take a mental vacation. I know that. I also know that those 48 (or whatever) hours are supposed to be sacred, and supposed to be used for brain dead activities.. I know that.

Then why, in between writing TV commentaries and editing video and playing soccer and getting ready for a big history show, have I been playing with this book the past few weekends?

 

Yes, that's what it looks like. It's a puzzle book. With puzzles in French. That's what any normal person would do to relax on the weekend, right?

Please say “right”.

I saw the book in one of those discount book catalogs from which Loraine and I have built the piles of books on our kitchen floor. I figured it would be fun, and it might help me keep my rusty French skills a little less rusty. The first few puzzles in it were, well, fun. They were easy, and I was actually impressed by the fact that I was able to finish them. But then I got to what the book describes as the “intermediate” section, and that's when the fun ended. I apparently ran into the limits of my French, and spent the next few hours alternating between thumbing through my massive French dictionary for a little help and uttering little yelps of pain that caused Loraine to look at me with that look I get when I'm doing something a normal person would perceive as stupid.

That's a good way to spend part of a weekend, right?

The thing is that despite the pain I actually did have a little fun torturing myself. Heck, I might even have learned a new French word or two. Whether or not that's what a sane person should (or would) do with a couple of their precious weekend hours is debatable; I just know that's how I spent a few of my precious weekend hours, for better or for worse.

And yes, I know I need help. What's your point?

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com)