Tuesday, 12/30

That was not fun. Let's not do it again any time soon.

Most of the time, the weather forecasts get it wrong when predicting a big storm. Yesterday, sadly, they got it right, as a dumping of slush, followed by snow and insanely high wings (with gusts of over 60 mph) caused massive drifts and power outages all throughout the area.

It was so bad I had to go into work early yesterday to let everyone know about it. That was not fun, nor was the struggle through unplowed streets and four foot snow drifts.

The pictures, though, made up for it a little--

In a way, believe it or not, trudging through the insanity was preferable to staying home. You see, like a vast majority of the city, we didn't have any power. At our place it went out around 2am, finally returning nine hours later. By then Loraine, who had a snow day, was getting a little chilly, so I was glad for her that it finally did come back.

I was also glad for all the food that was in our freezer, but I was happier for Loraine.

Once it finally ended, you could tell just what had happened--

Now the cleanup begins. I have no idea how long it's gonna take to remove the snow, make the streets passable, and reopen the city, but I have an idea it may take a bit.

Because that's just how bad it was.

*****

Because both tomorrow and Thursday are corporate holidays, this is the last one of these for 2025. I'll be back Friday, hopefully with the thought of what we just went through erased from my mind. So have yourself a Happy New Year.

See you in 2026!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 12/29

Sure. For once I had to be “average”.

I think I insinuated this in Friday's entry, but one of the things I did on Christmas was to eat. A lot. In fact, I figured that between noon and five on Christmas Day I did nothing but prepare food and eat food. By the time I was done, around five in the afternoon, I was stuffed. So stuffed, in fact, that I didn't eat anything until just after 4 Friday afternoon, meaning I was so stuffed from Christmas Day that I didn't eat anything for another 23 hours.

Sometimes, I amaze even myself. And usually not in a good way.

However, I shouldn't feel too bad. I was curious, so I did a little research and found out that the average American consumes 7,000 calories on Christmas Day. Now, realizing that the average American needs between 2,000 and 2,500 calories to survive, and that it takes 3,500 calories to put on a pound, the average American, after eating enough to survive, will then further eat enough to put on a pound and a half of extra weight.

Just on Christmas Day by itself.

So, when you look at it, maybe the fact that I didn't feel like eating for 23 hours isn't weird. Maybe my body was trying to tell me something. Maybe my body knew, deep down, that I didn't want to gain that extra pound and a half. Or maybe my body just threw up its (metaphorical) hands and said “I give up. Eat what you want. But you'll pay for it the next day”.

Whichever it was, Friday was my body getting its revenge.

Actually, that revenge probably extended through the weekend, as well, as I really didn't seem to eat much Saturday or Sunday. I'm guessing I'll get back to normal today, which is my busy day of the week, as I'm (literally) running from gig to gig. If not?

Well, maybe I'll start eating sometime in 2026. The way things are going, what's a few more days to recover from my Christmas binge, right?

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com)

Friday, 12/26

Survive the holidaze okay?

I did myself, thank you very much for asking. I spent some very enjoyable time with Loraine, did virtual visits with family members, I ate waaaaaaaay too much, and was able to just spend a few moments with absolutely nothing at all going through my brain.

It was weird. But it was nice.

Oh, and if I have to say so myself, I have the greatest parents in the history of parents.  Knowing how much I like certain German teas, they decided to err on the side of caution when getting me some--

I think that will last me a month or two, don't you?

8-)

Now I know for some of you, you're actually in the middle of an 11 or 12-day break from reality, but not for all of us. No, some of us have to go back to work today. In fact, some of us actually have work extra this week because it's a short week sandwiched between other short weeks. But that's okay; I'll think of all the work I'm doing now when I'm spending a summer half-day playing at the beach.

And trust me—I'd much rather be stuck working between Christmas and New Year's Day than be stuck at work when it's warm and the sun is out!

So matter if you're at work, off, or somewhere in between, enjoy your weekend. After the holiday, you deserve it!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Tuesday, 12/23

I have to go leave in a few minutes to set up equipment for a couple of church broadcasts tomorrow, so I'm gonna take the easy way out.

Because, you know, I never do that.

However, I spent a lot of time over the weekend putting together my TV spot from yesterday, this year's holiday epic. In the past, I've had Yooper versions of things like a letter to Santa and “The 12 Days of Christmas”. This year, I went the poetic route.

And I stole from a classic--

I'm off tomorrow and Thursday, and then back Friday. Have a GREAT holiday filled with whatever you want it to be filled with. See you Friday!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Monday, 12/22

Who knew the gloves had it in them?

I've been wearing the same pair of winter gloves for, oh, almost a decade now, and over the past couple of years they've started to get into rough shape. Several of the fingers started to poke through, one of the buckles had fallen off, and well, look for yourself--

You know—typical gloves after being used in the UP for a decade.

I bought a new pair several years ago when these ones started to get a little fragile, figuring that if my old gloves were deteriorated that much that I'd just wear them until they were unwearable and then switch to the new pair. But you know what?

My old gloves aren't going down without a fight.

Since I purchased the new pair the deterioration on the old pair seems to have stopped. I thought by now all of the fingers would have holes in them and the stuffing would be popping out everywhere. But I must have underestimated my old gloves. I don't know if they had some kind of survival instinct kick in, or they were weren't just as bad as I originally thought, but they're not giving up the ghost.

They're bound and determined to make it through an eleventh Upper Michigan winter. They're bound and determined to have my new pair of gloves spend their fourth winter warm & cozy in my apartment.

Those old gloves do not want to be put out to pasture.

So I'll keep using them. Maybe they'll once again last the entire winter. Maybe, like a star about to go nova, they're just shining a little brighter than usual before they explode. I have no idea; I just know that I now have another one of those strange games I play with myself to keep me sane during the six long months of a UP winter.

And don't worry. I'll keep you updated. It's the least I can do.

8-)

(jim@wmqt.com)

Friday, 12/19

Hi, I'm Jim and I, apparently, have a problem.

Now, before you go and say to yourself “Jim, you definitely have more than ONE problem”, let me explain.  I bring food to work with me each week.  On occasion, I don't eat it all, leaving some in the station refrigerator to munch on the next week.  On occasion, I forget what I have in the fridge, and am surprised (usually pleasantly) by what I find in there.

On occasion, I've forgotten about what's in there so much that I amass quite the collection of, oh, say...yogurt.

If you're curious, that's nine containers of yogurt sitting in the work refrigerator.  The past few weeks, when I've gone grocery shopping, I seem to recall wondering if I needed more yogurt for work.  I wasn't sure, so I bought a few more containers.

Note to self—you don't need to buy ANY yogurt when you go shopping tomorrow

Some days, I amaze even myself.  And usually, it's not in a good way.

8-)

*****

Yesterday I had written about the nice comments people had been sharing about the latest “Pieces of the Past” video.  Here's one more--

I should really be snarky right now and say “what's a phone book?”  But as it is, I'll take the compliment.  Glad everyone's enjoying it.

On that note, enjoy your weekend.  I hope you get all the holiday stuff you need to get done...done!

(jim@wmqt.com)

Thursday, 12/18

I didn't know it would have quite in the impact that is seems to have had.

This week's “Pieces of the Past” video is actually a riff on one of the segments I did at “Legends & Lore II” at Kaufman last January, the story of how downtown Marquette was once home to five national chain department stores, making it pretty much the shopping epicenter of the UP.  I figured it would be a good topic around this time of the year, and stuck it online and on the History Center's You Tube site yesterday morning.

And then the messages hit.

Unlike some of the videos I make, this one seems to have triggered fond memories in people.  I guess that's not a surprise, as the time period I'm describing was well within the lifetimes of most area residents (heck, I even remember some of the stuff I talk about).  And several people shared those memories with me, saying things like “(this) Brought back so many memories. Thanks!”, or “This was an excellent piece! A wonderful remembrance of my childhood. Thank you!”

Some people even got a little more specific--

“I fondly remember the hustle and bustle of downtown Marquette as a child. Getting Cub Scout gear and clothes at Penneys, shopping in Ben Franklin for candy and comics, "Monkey Wards" for clothes (I bought a model of the Starship Enterprise there in 1968!) Great times, and this was a great piece!” 

I've always thought nostalgia's a powerful emotion.  I guess the responses I've received from the video so far goes to prove that.  One of the reasons I make these videos is to preserve Marquette history.  Another is to teach.  And if, in the process, people get to relive part of their lives that are now long gone?

Well, that's just a bonus.  And a very good one at that.

Wanna check it out for yourself?

(jim@wmqt.com)