Tomorrow we turn another page on the calendar and usher in the month of October. That also means we creep deeper into the season of fall. And lately in the Upper Peninsula, it has definitely felt more fall-like. The first three weeks of September were much more summer-like. In fact, many U.P. residents feel we finally got our official taste of summer, even if it came three months late. However, it doesn't last forever. We were affected by a major fall storm this past weekend which brought with it drastically cooler temperatures and plentiful rains. One thing about the first three weeks of this month; we hardly had any rain. Only trace amounts were picked up in certain parts of Upper Michigan. However, with this fall storm, it was like a flip of the switch. The rains fell hard and steady. The winds were brutal, even knocking out the power at my house for nearly two hours Monday night. It was definitely the first true sign of the cooler season ready to take charge of our weather for the next six months.
This time of the year, one can't even rule out the possibility of seeing snow. This past Tuesday, the daytime temperature barely rose above 40 degrees. The warmest I saw all day was 43 degrees. That was a shock to the system after we had been treated to 70's and low 80's during the previous three weeks. Temperatures that cool can change any rain we get to snow. No, the snow will not accumulate because the ground temperatures are so warm and it would take a lot of snow to start sticking. Yet, even a few flakes of snow in the air signals the beginning of the season that many Yoopers dread. The months of driving in treacherous roadways, shoveling days on end, and bundling up as tight as possible are quickly approaching. However, despite our complaints about the winter season, we always accept the fact that winter is coming and adapt. And many of us also embrace the winter season and it allows many to get out and enjoy the snow - in the form of snow shoeing, skiing, snowmobiling, dog sledding, and ice fishing. Just because winter shows up, doesn't mean we can't learn to enjoy it, either.
Because of the warm first three weeks of September, the changing color of the leaves has slowed, too. However, seeing how quickly things have cooled down and more night are beginning to get more frosty, the leaves will start changing very fast. We should be experiencing peak leaf peeping conditions in two weeks in most northern locations in the Upper Peninsula. And the warmth won't be completely over quite yet. October usually does yield a few stretches of nice days here and there. That will allow many people to get some last minute projects done before the cold weather officially hits and doesn't leave until next spring. It's also a good time to pick up any fallen leaves that many start to accumulate on the ground. At my parents place, it's a constant battle to stay ahead of the falling leaves. Yet, I haven't known a fall season without leaves accumulating on the ground. As a kid, it was always fun to rake up a huge pile of leaves and jump into them.
The fall season is definitely one of change. Animals begin to hibernate, birds fly south, and much of the green vegetation dies off from frosty mornings. The northern hemisphere readies for the winter season. Here in the Upper Peninsula, fall is our one last moment to enjoy bare pavement and to walk in grass until several months. However, just because the seasons change, doesn't mean things get anymore ugly. With a fresh blanket of snow on the ground - that often provides the most picturesque scenery one can imagine. And you know something, it's rather neat to experience all four seasons. Imagine living in California or Florida.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
School Dances
It's hard to believe that junior high was nearly 15 years ago for me already. I would say my middle school experience was an okay time for me, certainly nothing glamorous yet not dull. I guess one of the highlights for me during this period of my life was going to school dances. Honestly, I don't even know how I got suckered into going to school dances. I think it became one of those deals that if a friend of mine was going, then I planned on going, too. And that became the norm throughout each middle school year. And you know what? Those school dances ended up being a blast! They were a lot less torture than I thought they'd end up being.
It's actually quite comical how kids behave at these dances, especially in junior high. The boys are basically there to goof off and attempt to show off to the girls. More often than not, they aren't interested in dancing, but rather just to be a wall flower. Meanwhile, the girls stick together in little groups, even dance with each other (mostly just the upbeat songs). Yet, they look out for a boy with whom they can reel in and get a dance in with. Back when I was in junior high, I ended up being the guy that all the girls wanted to dance with. And you want to know something? That made me feel pretty darn good.
I remember the first dance I went to, all of the boys in my class were sitting in the bleachers. We weren't even close to the dance floor. Heck, we weren't even interested in dancing. I mean eventually, we'd probably dance a few times with the girls. But we didn't plan on making it an all-evening affair. I was sitting on the lowest bleacher of our group when a girl from my class grabbed my hand and pulled me to the dance floor. No matter how much I protested, she wasn't letting go until she got her dance in with me. And so we danced to a slow song, my hands around her sides and her doing the same with me. I remember my hands being sweaty because I was nervous - heck this was the closest I got my hands on a girl through much of my grade school career. And especially in junior high, when the hormones are going crazy, this was a pretty big deal. When one slow song ended, so did my turn with that one particular girl. Yet, a new slow song would begin and I would start dancing with a new girl. This went on all night and I ended up becoming the dancing stud, at least in my class. It wasn't long, however, before many of the other boys in my class took my lead and started dancing with the girls, too. I guess they saw how such a minor deal it really was.
That's how school dances were for me throughout middle school - and I don't recall ever missing any (except maybe one or two). Once we entered high school, dances became few and far between. I don't even think one dance was held for the entire high school during my junior and senior year, except for the prom. I went to my junior prom which I considered to be a total disaster, so I basically wrote off even attending my senior prom. During my freshman year, I was "elected" by my class to be involved in the high school formal court. I think my class didn't really take it all that serious and elected me as sort of a joke candidate. I wouldn't have necessarily considered myself to be all that popular during my freshman year. I was probably in the middle of the popularity chart. Looking back at the experience, it was definitely a worthwhile event to attend, yet I am somewhat insulted at my classmates perception of me at the time. Whatever the case, at least I got to spend a wonderful evening with a girl I had a major crush on throughout high school. I even got to dance with her! Now that was pretty cool.
All in all, the whole school dance experience was fun for me. Looking back, I probably wouldn't have done much differently because I at least went to a majority of the dances that were held at my school. It's one thing to look back and regret some of the decisions you made at the time. However in this instance, I think things worked out quite well for me.
It's actually quite comical how kids behave at these dances, especially in junior high. The boys are basically there to goof off and attempt to show off to the girls. More often than not, they aren't interested in dancing, but rather just to be a wall flower. Meanwhile, the girls stick together in little groups, even dance with each other (mostly just the upbeat songs). Yet, they look out for a boy with whom they can reel in and get a dance in with. Back when I was in junior high, I ended up being the guy that all the girls wanted to dance with. And you want to know something? That made me feel pretty darn good.
I remember the first dance I went to, all of the boys in my class were sitting in the bleachers. We weren't even close to the dance floor. Heck, we weren't even interested in dancing. I mean eventually, we'd probably dance a few times with the girls. But we didn't plan on making it an all-evening affair. I was sitting on the lowest bleacher of our group when a girl from my class grabbed my hand and pulled me to the dance floor. No matter how much I protested, she wasn't letting go until she got her dance in with me. And so we danced to a slow song, my hands around her sides and her doing the same with me. I remember my hands being sweaty because I was nervous - heck this was the closest I got my hands on a girl through much of my grade school career. And especially in junior high, when the hormones are going crazy, this was a pretty big deal. When one slow song ended, so did my turn with that one particular girl. Yet, a new slow song would begin and I would start dancing with a new girl. This went on all night and I ended up becoming the dancing stud, at least in my class. It wasn't long, however, before many of the other boys in my class took my lead and started dancing with the girls, too. I guess they saw how such a minor deal it really was.
That's how school dances were for me throughout middle school - and I don't recall ever missing any (except maybe one or two). Once we entered high school, dances became few and far between. I don't even think one dance was held for the entire high school during my junior and senior year, except for the prom. I went to my junior prom which I considered to be a total disaster, so I basically wrote off even attending my senior prom. During my freshman year, I was "elected" by my class to be involved in the high school formal court. I think my class didn't really take it all that serious and elected me as sort of a joke candidate. I wouldn't have necessarily considered myself to be all that popular during my freshman year. I was probably in the middle of the popularity chart. Looking back at the experience, it was definitely a worthwhile event to attend, yet I am somewhat insulted at my classmates perception of me at the time. Whatever the case, at least I got to spend a wonderful evening with a girl I had a major crush on throughout high school. I even got to dance with her! Now that was pretty cool.
All in all, the whole school dance experience was fun for me. Looking back, I probably wouldn't have done much differently because I at least went to a majority of the dances that were held at my school. It's one thing to look back and regret some of the decisions you made at the time. However in this instance, I think things worked out quite well for me.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Adventures in Finding a Truck
There's something about driving a pick-up truck that gives a person a sense of power. Maybe because the vehicle sits a bit higher up off the ground or maybe because a truck has a lot more towing power than any other kind of vehicle. A truck also has the ability to maneuver a lot easier in treacherous weather conditions like snow. I have been wanting a truck for awhile, but never really had the space for it. I had contemplated getting a truck when I lived in my apartment but then I'd have two vehicles out in the elements. Now that I have a home and a two-car garage, I have room for an extra vehicle in there. And despite the fact that I am paying on a mortgage, I still have the finances to pay off a truck. So needless to say, I have finally taken the next step in owning my first truck.
Yesterday got the ball rolling on my purchase of a truck as we visited five area dealerships. But the problem was, there weren't very many choices in trucks. In most cases, the trucks on the lots were either too big for my taste or the wrong color. My dad came along to help me out on the search and we ended up speaking with three salespersons. We first drove around through each of the five dealerships, just to scope out the selection of trucks. Like I said, there wasn't a whole lot to choose from. In speaking with one of the sales people, some of that was attributed to the slowdown in the auto industry. We're also in between "seasons" for vehicles. 2009 vehicles are being sold; in some cases as quick as dealers' can to make room for the 2010 vehicles. And yet, a lot of the 2010 models have yet to arrive. Those were a few of the reasons why the car lots were looking pretty sparse, in addition to the government cash for clunkers rebate program offered during the summer.
Our first visit with a sales person went reasonably well. We first stopped at the dealer that had the most trucks in their lot. They actually had quite a few extended cab trucks. But that's something I'm not looking for, because at this point in my life I'm single and don't need all of that interior room. However, this dealer had three regular cab trucks - yet they were considered "work trucks" in that they didn't have exactly all of the amenities that a truck with all the features would carry. Yet, the only features not included with work trucks are power windows and doors. As long as I have air conditioning for the summer months and a radio, that's really all I need. Plus, I could always get those things added at some point in the future. So it wasn't a huge issue for me. Before we started the search, I was rather set on getting a truck with a large box in the back. However, I was persuaded in getting a truck with a 6 foot box and the more I thought about it, the more comfortable I felt with that decision. I think a truck with an eight foot box may have been a little tight in getting in my garage. Plus, do I really need a truck that big? So, the black 2009 Chevrolet Silverado was definitely a possibility. But the deal wasn't quite as sweet as either of my dad and I would've liked, so we initially passed and decided to see what the other dealer's were offering.
Our next visit was to a dealership that sold GMC trucks. Well, they had absolutely zero regular-cab trucks and they were all three-quarter ton. We spoke with a sales person and he was able to find one ... in Baraboo, Wisconsin. That's over six hours away and they'd charge a $600 round-trip fee to pick it up for you. Needless to say, we decided to pass - and the deals they were offering weren't quite as good as the Chevy truck we looked at earlier in the day. Next, we went and visited a Ford dealership which sold the F-150's. Honestly, out of all the trucks offered on the market, the F-150 is probably my favorite in the looks department. No wonder it won this year's award for Motor Trend Truck of the year. Naturally, there were no regular-cab F-150's at this Ford dealer. Actually there was one, but it was white. Not the color of truck I was looking at getting. We talked with a sales person briefly and went on our way. Our day of looking at trucks was over and I had decided to wait awhile to see what the future might hold - and if it brought with it better deals.
I got home from work earlier today with a message from the Chevy dealership that had the black Silverado I was interested in. They were able to slash an additional $2,000 off the asking price of the truck in addition to the $3,000 in incentives already offered, taking $5,000 off the asking price. After some contemplating, I decided to accept that purchase price (including a good sized down payment). So, I am moving forward with my first purchase of a full-sized truck. I also opted to get the underside coated of the truck to battle against rust (because we get a lot of snow in da U.P. and they use a ton of salt on the roads) as well as a sprayed-on bed liner. All in all, I'm pretty pleased how things turned out. And it won't be long before I finally have a truck sitting inside my garage.
Yesterday got the ball rolling on my purchase of a truck as we visited five area dealerships. But the problem was, there weren't very many choices in trucks. In most cases, the trucks on the lots were either too big for my taste or the wrong color. My dad came along to help me out on the search and we ended up speaking with three salespersons. We first drove around through each of the five dealerships, just to scope out the selection of trucks. Like I said, there wasn't a whole lot to choose from. In speaking with one of the sales people, some of that was attributed to the slowdown in the auto industry. We're also in between "seasons" for vehicles. 2009 vehicles are being sold; in some cases as quick as dealers' can to make room for the 2010 vehicles. And yet, a lot of the 2010 models have yet to arrive. Those were a few of the reasons why the car lots were looking pretty sparse, in addition to the government cash for clunkers rebate program offered during the summer.
Our first visit with a sales person went reasonably well. We first stopped at the dealer that had the most trucks in their lot. They actually had quite a few extended cab trucks. But that's something I'm not looking for, because at this point in my life I'm single and don't need all of that interior room. However, this dealer had three regular cab trucks - yet they were considered "work trucks" in that they didn't have exactly all of the amenities that a truck with all the features would carry. Yet, the only features not included with work trucks are power windows and doors. As long as I have air conditioning for the summer months and a radio, that's really all I need. Plus, I could always get those things added at some point in the future. So it wasn't a huge issue for me. Before we started the search, I was rather set on getting a truck with a large box in the back. However, I was persuaded in getting a truck with a 6 foot box and the more I thought about it, the more comfortable I felt with that decision. I think a truck with an eight foot box may have been a little tight in getting in my garage. Plus, do I really need a truck that big? So, the black 2009 Chevrolet Silverado was definitely a possibility. But the deal wasn't quite as sweet as either of my dad and I would've liked, so we initially passed and decided to see what the other dealer's were offering.
Our next visit was to a dealership that sold GMC trucks. Well, they had absolutely zero regular-cab trucks and they were all three-quarter ton. We spoke with a sales person and he was able to find one ... in Baraboo, Wisconsin. That's over six hours away and they'd charge a $600 round-trip fee to pick it up for you. Needless to say, we decided to pass - and the deals they were offering weren't quite as good as the Chevy truck we looked at earlier in the day. Next, we went and visited a Ford dealership which sold the F-150's. Honestly, out of all the trucks offered on the market, the F-150 is probably my favorite in the looks department. No wonder it won this year's award for Motor Trend Truck of the year. Naturally, there were no regular-cab F-150's at this Ford dealer. Actually there was one, but it was white. Not the color of truck I was looking at getting. We talked with a sales person briefly and went on our way. Our day of looking at trucks was over and I had decided to wait awhile to see what the future might hold - and if it brought with it better deals.
I got home from work earlier today with a message from the Chevy dealership that had the black Silverado I was interested in. They were able to slash an additional $2,000 off the asking price of the truck in addition to the $3,000 in incentives already offered, taking $5,000 off the asking price. After some contemplating, I decided to accept that purchase price (including a good sized down payment). So, I am moving forward with my first purchase of a full-sized truck. I also opted to get the underside coated of the truck to battle against rust (because we get a lot of snow in da U.P. and they use a ton of salt on the roads) as well as a sprayed-on bed liner. All in all, I'm pretty pleased how things turned out. And it won't be long before I finally have a truck sitting inside my garage.
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Local Sightseeing
Who knew the Marquette area had such an extensive shipping and boating history? That is what my sister and I found out almost three weeks ago when we visited the Marquette Maritime Museum and Marquette Lighthouse. When my sister comes up from Wisconsin to visit, we're always looking for new things to do locally. When she stays at my house, I try to make it so she's not too bored and this time around, I think I succeeded in making her stay pretty enjoyable. Back when I was in college, one of the walks I would take passed right next to the Maritime Museum and Coast Guard Station. I've been always curious to see what the museum had to offer and it hasn't been that long since the museum also offered tours of the lighthouse. So it was one of the destinations we decided to check out earlier this month, and I'm glad we did.It was Labor Day weekend and although many people had the weekend off, I wasn't expecting too many people to show up for the tour. We arrived right when the museum had opened at 10 a.m., and the first tour of the lighthouse didn't start until 11. We weren't expecting the tour of the museum would take all that long and we had another event planned for later that day, so we didn't want to take too much time at the museum. So we decided to only tour the museum at that point and see how much time we would have to wait before the lighthouse tour began. Before we got through everything inside the maritime museum, including watching the historical perspective of the history of Marquette's maritime past, it was quarter to 11. It wouldn't hurt us to wait another 15 minutes.
I wouldn't call the tour of the lighthouse exceptionally glamorous - but it definitely was interesting considering the history the lighthouse has had with Marquette's maritime history. For those of you unfamiliar with how the lighthouse looks, it's a two-story building with the lighthouse facing the waters of Lake Superior. It's painted a bright red color, so it's easy to spot. And the piece of land that juts out into Lake Superior is appropriately named, Lighthouse Point. The building has certainly stood the test of many harsh U.P. winters but the structure is quite sturdy. The red color of the lighthouse is a bit faded up close, but you can't tell from far off. The inside of the building had been kept up fairly well. We walked through the basement and through the first and second floors. Only recently had the lighthouse been left vacant as it housed individuals from the Coast Guard there. So the interior was still in pretty decent shape. The group from the maritime museum was in the process of restoring the second floor. And the Coast Guard still operates the lighthouse beacon itself, even though it's just an automated beacon now. We couldn't actually go up and see the lighthouse, unfortunately; just peak up at it through the circular staircase. But all in all, it was an enjoyable experience and for those of us locally, it was finally nice to be able to check out this facility that's right in our backyard. Our tour group was comprised of about 12 people which the people from the museum declared as being one of the biggest this late in the season. And most of the individuals were either from out of state or two-or-three hours away.
It just goes to show you that a person doesn't need to travel long distances to find something scenic or interesting, especially when it's right in your own backyard. I know it's nice to get away from time to time from the hustle and bustle of every day life, yet it isn't always necessary to travel far. And in these tough economic times, it'll save money in your pocketbook to stay closer. And I think at times, we take for granted what our local areas offer in the tourism department. For the Upper Peninsula in general, tourism is a large part of what drives our economy. So in times like these, it's important for us Yoopers to help out our own cause.
Monday, September 14, 2009
Trouble at Work
Things have certainly gotten interesting as of late where I work. Our crew coordinator, which supervises and manages the activites of the crew, has gotten very difficult to work for. Even though we get paid lunch and coffee breaks, they are only supposed to be ten and 20 minutes respectfully. We've always stretched them out to a half hour at least and never received any backlash for it. In fact, it's been this way for years and not only in operating, but in other departments. Well the details are a bit sketchy, but the word is that upper management has cracked down on the coordinators in charge of the crews. And our boss is following their every word.
The thing that frustrates me the most about this individual is that he gets very, very moody. And when he's in his bad moods, he takes it out on the rest of the crew. I've heard stories where he's yelled, slammed doors, and completely lost his cool. I am relatively new to this particular crew, joining it in April of this year. And I've dealt with this individual before, prior to him becoming a boss even. In fact, I wrote a blog entry about him two or three years ago and is on my WordPress blog. Back then, we were on the same crew and had the same position. Something happened where he didn't speak to me or our control room operator for a good two weeks - and we couldn't exactly figure out why. Eventually he got over the problem he had with us, but it continues to remain a mystery why he acted the way he did then. But now flash forwarding to current times, he's keeping up with his same behavior patterns that he had then, and it's certainly troubling.
Those of us on the crew agree that he probably isn't in the right job and he's not very good at coordinating the crew. He's been at the job for approximately two years now, so you would think he'd have a good handle on things. However, that doesn't appear to be the case. We've been working very hard at work the past few days, shutting the plant down for maintenance work. Do you think we've gotten any compliments on our work - with only four people on the floor? Our plant is three quarters of a mile long, so that's a lot of floor to cover with just four people. All he does is walk around, staring down at the ground as he walks by. He doesn't remotely seem interested in being where he's at, and that's kind of a dangerous thing because there are a lot of moving parts in every aspect at this facility. He's a puzzling figure, one that we really can't figure out.
When me or someone else from the crew talks to him individually, he seems perfectly fine, even joking around at times. However, when it comes to meeting with the crew as a whole, he fails miserably. A lot of times he appears lost or wishing he was somewhere else. And his recent behavior hasn't been the first incident of its kind, like I said. He's acted this way in the past, for no apparent reason, and takes it out on other people. He bullies one person in particular on the crew, always piling work on him. And when he decides to enforce certain rules that have been handed down from upper management, he doesn't discuss it with the crew in a rational manner. He goes right out and enforces it without explanation or discussion. Our crew just is not happy with the performance of our boss and it's beginning to wear on all of us. There is light at the end of the tunnel, however. All of the bosses in our department are being switched around and we'll be getting a new boss in December. Unfortunately at this point, December is three months away.
The thing that frustrates me the most about this individual is that he gets very, very moody. And when he's in his bad moods, he takes it out on the rest of the crew. I've heard stories where he's yelled, slammed doors, and completely lost his cool. I am relatively new to this particular crew, joining it in April of this year. And I've dealt with this individual before, prior to him becoming a boss even. In fact, I wrote a blog entry about him two or three years ago and is on my WordPress blog. Back then, we were on the same crew and had the same position. Something happened where he didn't speak to me or our control room operator for a good two weeks - and we couldn't exactly figure out why. Eventually he got over the problem he had with us, but it continues to remain a mystery why he acted the way he did then. But now flash forwarding to current times, he's keeping up with his same behavior patterns that he had then, and it's certainly troubling.
Those of us on the crew agree that he probably isn't in the right job and he's not very good at coordinating the crew. He's been at the job for approximately two years now, so you would think he'd have a good handle on things. However, that doesn't appear to be the case. We've been working very hard at work the past few days, shutting the plant down for maintenance work. Do you think we've gotten any compliments on our work - with only four people on the floor? Our plant is three quarters of a mile long, so that's a lot of floor to cover with just four people. All he does is walk around, staring down at the ground as he walks by. He doesn't remotely seem interested in being where he's at, and that's kind of a dangerous thing because there are a lot of moving parts in every aspect at this facility. He's a puzzling figure, one that we really can't figure out.
When me or someone else from the crew talks to him individually, he seems perfectly fine, even joking around at times. However, when it comes to meeting with the crew as a whole, he fails miserably. A lot of times he appears lost or wishing he was somewhere else. And his recent behavior hasn't been the first incident of its kind, like I said. He's acted this way in the past, for no apparent reason, and takes it out on other people. He bullies one person in particular on the crew, always piling work on him. And when he decides to enforce certain rules that have been handed down from upper management, he doesn't discuss it with the crew in a rational manner. He goes right out and enforces it without explanation or discussion. Our crew just is not happy with the performance of our boss and it's beginning to wear on all of us. There is light at the end of the tunnel, however. All of the bosses in our department are being switched around and we'll be getting a new boss in December. Unfortunately at this point, December is three months away.
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