Snow Clean-Up Methods

For those familiar with the Upper Peninsula, they know that in the winter months, the region picks up a lot of snow. Thanks to northerly winds off of Lake Superior, the snow can quickly pile up under the right ingredients. But it's not only lake effect that the peninsula receives but a good deal of system snow, too. Under the perfect scenario, the Upper Peninsula receives the most snow when a low pressure system forms around the four-corners region of the United States and tracks northeasterly, with a target near the Northeast portion of Lower Michigan. The snow produced by the system combined with lake enhanced snows sometimes produce storm totals in excess of 30". We haven't seen one of those epic kinds of storms in awhile, so we're overdue. Living up here, we need all the tools necessary in order to dig out.

Probably one of the greatest inventions ever created for someone living in the Upper Peninsula is the snow scoop, or also known as the Yooper Scooper. A couple of companies manufacture snow scoops in the U.P. and they are handy for any type of snow accumulation that needs to be taken care of. My dad has had his own snow scoops for years and now that I am in my own place, I have one myself. The majority of the time, I clean up my driveway with it unless the snow gets really piled up, then I resort to using the snowblower. Silver Bear Manufacturing of Atlantic Mine in the Keweenaw Peninsula is one such builder of the snow scoop and they also build snow rakes for the roof as well as include wheels to install on a snow scoop for those locations who may not get a lot of snow. The wheels help to move the scoop a lot easier on concrete and asphalt surfaces. Without the snow scoop, us Yoopers would be having more of a difficult time clearing all of that snow!

Now for those individuals with long driveways or for those who plow other people's drives, a snow scoops is definitely not the way to tackle that endeavor. The next best thing is to own a plow to push all of that snow away. There are a couple of different kinds of plows including the V-shaped plow or a straight-blade. More often than not, they are attached to the front of a vehicle, preferably a pick-up truck of a Jeep, but some people have been known to attach plows to the rear of a tractor. Whatever the case, a plow does make quick work out of cleaning a driveway free of snow. And for residents in the Upper Peninsula where it often snows days on end, a plow is definitely a handy thing to have.

And then you have the snowblower, which is what I have when I need to clear an excess amount of snow from my driveway. I don't have a real long driveway, so I don't necessarily feel the need to get a plow. Maybe once I get older, I'll probably feel more of a need to get a plow. But when I purchased my home nearly a year in a half ago, it came with a new Ariens snowblower. It really works well for breaking through any amount of fresh snow. Ariens brand snowblowers are one of the top brands out there, but there are many other good snowblower brands on the market. It's easy to find snowblowers at home improvement retailers such as Lowe's and Home Depot. And when you live in the Upper Peninsula, the wider the cut on the snowblower, the better when cleaning up after snowstorms!

So yes, when you live in snowy locales such as the U.P., you definitely don't want to go on the cheap when trying to buy something to clean up after winter storms. As I mentioned, there are a variety of options to choose from, and it'll all depend on the type of snow clean-up you have to do. So, consider your options carefully and make the most of a snowy winter after everything's cleaned up. It goes a long way in enjoying the most that life can offer.

Christmas Greetings to You

Hello all and Merry Christmas! I hope today has allowed you the time to spend it with the people that matter the most in your life. Unfortunately for me, I have to go in for a 12-hour shift in a matter of a few hours, so it's not exactly the most joyous of Christmases for me. Never the less, I was able to spend a little of my day today with members of my family, so all was not lost. And even yesterday, I had the entire day to be with a large group of people that matters the most to me. So even though when you're an adult and have to juggle around work in order to celebrate Christmas, you do what you have to do to enjoy it as much as you can. Oh how nice it would be to be able to have the week between Christmas and New Years off just like when we were kids.

It's been a particularly hectic month in a half for me, which is why you haven't seen nearly as many blog postings here as I would've liked. They have been forcing a lot of overtime on us at work lately, including the past two weeks where they had us working 68 hour weeks. When you're working a lot of 12-hour shifts, it really eliminates a lot of your personal free time. During that time, I still had Christmas shopping to try and complete as well as to find something for my mom's birthday. I did manage to find a few items on-line, but I had to resort to being one of those last-minute shoppers to get everything done that needed to be completed, in the shopping sense. No matter, though, as there sure seems to be plenty of last minute shoppers in the world out there.

I have also been trying to work on projects around the house and to keep up with the shoveling and snowblowing outside. Yes, winter is in full force here in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. It's amazing how quickly things can change in just a matter of a couple of weeks. The first week of December, we basically had very little , if any, snow. But then the lake effect machine started kicking in and we were even hit with a significant winter storm at one point. So yes, it's like the dead of winter around here - which isn't any surprise seeing that it's December after all. I have a couple of rooms in my house which I am looking at painting here very soon. When I have a stretch of days off coming up, I'll be looking to get that project completed. So as you can see, things have been very, very busy for me. Hopefully once we get into the New Year and beyond the holiday season, things will begin to settle down. No rest for the weary, as the saying goes!

I sure don't plan on this being the final blog posting here at Luke's Ponderings for 2010, but ya never know considering how things have gone since November. But here's hoping your Christmas holiday has been worthwhile and filled with joy. The New Year is coming upon us quickly, so make sure and enjoy the remainder of your holiday season and here's wishing you a joyous 2011. It's hard for me to believe that 2010 is just about over; how quickly the year went! Here's hoping for a wonderful 2011 here at Luke's Ponderings with plenty of new blog postings to come. Cheers!

An Ever-Changing World

As we all know in life, things never stay the same. Physical changes are constant and the landscape is always changing. I was thinking back on a lot of things that have changed within the area where I live. Old buildings and structures coming down and new ones replacing them. New projects beautifying an area - enhancing the look of the community and making it look better than it already is. New residential properties and developments - bringing in more people in a particular area to live. Like I said, there is always something that changes and more often than not, it's for the better.

And yet, there are some negative changes that occur within a community; things that go away and are never to return. ShopKo stores built a retail store in the Marquette community in the 1970's and with it a full service gas station along Washington Street in front of the store. Back then, ShopKo wasn't the only entity that provided a full service fuel station in the community. But gradually through the years, full service stations have been fading away. Eventually, ShopKo became the only fuel station to provide full service the entire duration that the station was opened. That officially ended this fall when ShopKo abruptly shut down its gas station due to deteriorating underground fuel tanks.

According to a story released by one of the local news stations, ShopKo stores felt it was not economically feasible to replace the tanks and continue operating the gas station which is why it was shut down. Apparently the station had been experiencing problems with its tanks for a few years. But it got to a point where the tanks needed to be replaced and it's an extremely costly operation to replace underground fuel tanks. More often than not, gas station owners prefer going out of business rather than having to replace fuel tanks. But they were the original tanks that ShopKo opened with in the 1970's; so they got a lot of life out of those tanks. And that ShopKo store was the only store in its chain to has a gas station situated on its property. So the Marquette store was rather unique in its own way. That all came to an end earlier this year.

But then you look at other businesses or changes the occurs in a community through the years. The Bunny Bread bakery had a significant presence in the Marquette community for quite awhile. During the night time hours, the iconic Bunny Bread sign could easily be seen as you traveled along the US-41 bypass between central and south Marquette. The lights on the bunnies ears would flash slowly, as if the bunny was moving its ears. It was a really unique sign and I was just a young kid up until it last operated. Soon after, it was removed and a part of Marquette's night time landscape was changed. I am happy to say, however, that the sign is still intact just inside of the entrance to the U.P. Children's Museum in downtown Marquette. Even though you cannot see it from the highway, that particular piece of Marquette's past is still alive and well.

For good and for bad reasons, change is always happening within a community. Even the historic Delft theater marquee in downtown Marquette is no longer lit up at night due to the freak mid-summer hail storm from three years ago caused significant damage to a number of the lights. Hopefully that is one change that won't be a permanent one. More often than not, we adjust to the changes and life goes on. Obviously things like losing the last every-hour full service fuel station and historic signage will be missed, but we'll get by and move forward. And more often than not, new things come along to replace some of those things that change. It's an ever revolving world that we live in and at least in that sense, it's never boring.

Second picture is of the Bunny Bread sign located inside the main entrance of the U.P. Children's Museum in Marquette, MI.

My Dad's Accidents

My father has had his fair share of accidents through the years, some requiring trips to the hospital. Once such accident I was a witness to - and that night I thought I lost him forever. It was a harrowing experience I'll never forget but I will say this, he's taught me very valuable lessons in most of his incidents. I wouldn't say my dad is overly clumsy - he's no Tim Allen by any means. But I am sure if he could do it all over again, he probably would've thought things a little more thoroughly before each incident occurred. But that's life, isn't it? You may have regrets about certain things, but you can never go back and change things. At least in these circumstances, everything turned out alright for him.

One incident involved him cutting the top of this large flower pot with a box cutter. It was a huge pot that was very difficult to carry around. The top of the flower pot got damaged somehow - I don't remember how. Well, it was just the very top of the pot that had a chunk broken off of it and my dad was cutting around the entire circumference of the flower pot and then it'd be as good as new. I wasn't there to witness this particular accident, so I don't know the exact details as how he got cut - and I never did ask him to recount the exact details. I think what happened is the knife slipped away from the flower pot and cut him right in his left arm muscle. It definitely required a trip to the hospital for stitches, but nothing worse than that.

It was several years later that another scary incident occurred, one that could have been much worse than it was. We were at my uncle's garage, just a short drive from our home. We were dealing with this cement mixer that was jamming up and we were needing to use it (it was my uncle's and he has practically everything a person could never need). My uncle had turned the mixer on and my dad was standing in close proximity to it. As the mixer became jammed again, the handle and the spinning drum began to slowly flip over until it was in the dumping position. Well unfortunately my dad wasn't paying attention and the handle of the mixer struck him in the stomach. Luckily it only left a red mark on his stomach and didn't impale him. I think because it was moving at a relatively slow speed, it didn't stab him like it could have. Still, a very scary situation to watch as it happened. Yes, I was there during that one.

And the scariest incident of them all occurred during a cool, fall day at my grandma's farm. It was in 1994 when I was 12 years old. We had just remodeled a part of the house and had brought a ton of demolition material out to my grandma's farm and stored it in an abandoned building that was ready to cave in. My uncle who lived with my grandma allowed us to store the materials there, which then we could set on fire and burn it all. It would be like this one giant bon fire. My dad and I had already transported all of the demolition debris there, so all we had to do is go there and set the building on fire and watch everything burn. We were planning to have a good time with it, so we brought candy and sodas with us. He also brought along gasoline - plenty of gasoline. Actually, TOO MUCH gasoline. He poured way too much gasoline inside the building and the biggest mistake of all was that he lit the fire with him still inside the building. I had my back turned away from the building when suddenly there was a huge explosion and I was pushed down to my knees by the force of the explosion. I turned around to see the building in flames and me quickly in a panic wondering where my dad was. I thought he was a goner but then suddenly, I see him walking through the flames and out of the building. Yes, he was burned, but thankfully nothing too serious. Just first and second degree burns. But my god, that was probably the scariest night of my life, the night when I thought I lost my dad.

So needless to say, I have a fair share of memories involving my dad's unfortunate circumstances in life. As I mentioned, thankfully they have all turned out okay. He has a few scars but nothing that has lead him to be disabled or disfigured. He's been able to enjoy his life despite a few hiccups along the way. And I am hoping to have him around for a lot longer into the future. It's incidents like these, especially one in which you're a witness to a potential fatality, that makes you realize how precious life can be. You can't take life for granted and it's very important to live life to it's fullest. That's probably the greatest lesson of all that my dad has taught me.

Songs I Dig - 21

The Songs I Dig blog is back and we are now on our 21st edition! That means we're legal (sorry, dumb joke). There are a few new songs that have come out recently that I've found myself enjoying, so what better way than to write about them in the latest SID blog. They are very pop-oriented songs - no R&B or rap this time around. And one of them makes an appearance on the blog for the very first time - and I doubt it'll be the last time you see him here, either. On with the review!

Bruno Mars - "Just the Way You Are" : 2010 was a very big year for Bruno Mars - and it wasn't until later in the year when he released his debut album! He helped co-write several popular hit songs as well as having his vocals featured on most of them. "Nothing on You" by B.o.B and "Billionaire" by Travie McCoy were two of the songs you heard Bruno in. "F*** You" by Cee Lo Green was one of the songs he helped pen. And now, the first single off his debut album "Doo Wops and Hooligans" has already skyrocketed to number one. "Just the Way You Are" is a simple song - yet it has a very effective message. Bruno's second single has already raced to the top of the charts and I have a feeling we'll be seeing a lot of him in the year's to come.

Pink - "Raise Your Glass" : You want to talk about a catchy, new party anthem? Pink's newest song from her first greatest hits album fits that mold. "Raise Your Glass" is from the album titled "Greatest Hits ... So Far!!!" and the song has already topped the charts in the United States and has become her second solo number one song of her career (third overall). Pink is heading into some downtime in the months ahead with the expected birth of her first child. But what a way to start that downtime with a hit song. It's a fun song that you can't help jamming to. It's one of those songs that says no matter what race, color, sexual orientation, or personality an individual might be - just to raise your glass in promoting all equality. We are one human race so let's embrace it.

Katy Perry - "Firework" : Katy is back on the SID blog with the third single from her current album "Teenage Dream." "Firework" has quickly raced to the top of the charts worldwide, peaking at number one on the Billboard Top 100 and becoming Katy's fourth overall number one song and third off the album. At first, the song seems to be a bit out of character for Katy's style; after all, her two previous songs "California Gurls" and "Teenage Dream" are nothing like it. However, it provides a breath of fresh air and sends a very uplifting and positive message from Katy. It's one of those songs that anyone who's feeling down on life can turn to, because the message is a definite self-esteem booster. And who doesn't like a song about Fireworks and a Forth of July reference?

That concludes this edition of the "Songs I Dig" blog. The next edition will feature the always popular Top 10 songs of the year, as we are quickly closing in on the end of the year. As I'm sure some of you recall, I did not post a top 10 songs blog last year as I initially promised. Rest assured, I am working on posting one this year and it will be up before New Year's Eve rolls around. So, be sure and look for that soon. Until then, cheers!

Shows on HGTV

I have always been a fan of home improvement-type shows (and no, I'm not talking about Tim Allen's hit series - although I enjoy that one, too!). The home improvement series called "Hometime" with Dean Johnson that still airs on PBS Sunday remains as one of my all-time favorites. I remember when it used to air in re-runs daily on one of the local stations and I'd watch it every time it came on. Now a days, there are so many different "home" type shows that it's difficult to keep track of them all! Not only do we have the home improvement or do-it-yourself brand of shows, but also home designer shows as well as first-time home buying shows. They are all pretty interesting to me and on one particular cable channel that you can find those varieties of shows is on HGTV.

"Income Property" with host Scott McGillivray is one such show that I find to be intriguing. Typically the show features an individual or a couple who has recently purchased a home and are looking at ways to reduce their mortgage. One such way is to transform the basement or an attic into a rental property. A lot of these spaces are unfinished or in serious need of transformation. Typically, locations in the basement are featured on the show and mold is often a problem when demolition is occurring within a previously finished space - most notably in a bathroom. But more often than not, the end result of any of the spaces featured on this show is a luxurious and beautiful new income property for the respective home owner. Often, it cuts down the mortgage payment buy at least half, if not more. It's really interesting to see what Scott is able to do to a space that is in serious need of an overhaul.

"Holmes on Homes" is another great program on HGTV. It features Mike Holmes, a renovation expert who goes to homes that have previously had renovation work done within a portion of it. More often than not, Mike is able to find shoddy work that has been left behind by the previous contractor which ultimately results in Mike having to re-do the majority of the work. The end result is always better than the first attempt at a renovation. He's uncovered just a ton of problems in all of the homes featured on the series. During a recent episode that I saw, Mike had to completely re-do this front porch on a shared housing complex that these two women owned. The old porch had previously been repaired - but the repairs were very minor and did not address the most important needs. If Mike did not make the necessary repairs - which he ended up tearing the entire porch off the front of the house - that porch would have collapsed that next winter. He created a new sitting area in front of the house and left off the roof. That way, the two women were able to enjoy the sun on those nice, warm days.

"Property Virgins" features host Sandra Rinomato, in which she takes an individual or couple on a tour of potential first time homes. More often than not, the first few homes she takes these individuals to see aren't exactly what they are looking for. They're more in the ballpark, but either the price is too high, or the home doesn't have the right concept. She always asks these individuals what they think the price of each respective home is. Ultimately by the end of the episode, the people featured on the show end up finding the home of their dreams all thanks to Sandra's help. It honestly takes me back to my experience as a first time homebuyer so I can relate pretty easily to all that is going on during these episodes.

"Curb Appeal: The Block" features host and designer John Giddings arriving in a certain neighborhood and completely overhauling one home's exterior that is in major need of word. More often than not, these are homes that are lacking curb appeal, meaning it's lacking a contemporary look. So Giddings, along with contractor Chip Wade, and project manager Kimberly Lacy help transform the home from one of the drabbest to the envy of all the neighborhood. They don't just target one home for added curb appeal, but they typically look at two others in which they do a more smaller-scale makeover - which could be painting, to new shrubbery, to new railings around a porch. It's really interesting to note the changes that take place in a neighborhood by the time an episode comes to an end.

These are just a few of the most intriguing shows I end up watching on HGTV - obviously there are a ton of others to watch! And hopefully at some point in the future, I'll talk about some more of them. So, if you are into these kinds of programs like I am, be sure to check out HGTV. You never know what you might find!

Dealing with Anxiety

You honestly don't know what having anxiety feels like until you experience it first hand. I remember when my ex-brother-in-law took medication for it - and we'd secretly make fun of him behind his back for it (there's more to that particular story though, partially because he is no longer married to my sister). But having anxiety is no laughing matter - especially once you realize you have it. I have no doubt in my mind that I am suffering with anxiety these days. I've probably had it for some time but the sensation that the disorder brings has been getting worse and worse for me. Lately I just have not been feeling normal. I have been tense and worrying a lot lately - and for no apparent reason for it. My blood pressure is elevated, have been more irritable, especially at work, and have had certain bouts of headaches. I honestly believe it's related to work, although things there are better than they once were. I don't understand why people have to suffer from it but I know there are medications out there to help it. I certainly think that will be the next step I need to take.

I've had certain instances prior to this year where I've had anxiety attacks - but they've been brief and I've gotten over those particular attacks on my own. But I'm not much of a social person, especially in larger groups. Those certain situations make me tense, and most nervous. For awhile I was a fill-in boss where I work and it got to a point where I just became too nervous and stressed out to deal with that particular job. At work, especially in the industry I'm in, you deal with a variety of personalities. And when you're a boss, you try your best to make everyone happy. Well, ultimately no matter the decisions you make, you still manage to upset someone. I have to deal with a co-worker everyday who is very unpleasant to deal with and who I'd rather not having anything to do with. So to be his boss, even if it's on a temporary basis, is something that is a monumental challenge for me. So I gave up the fill-in bossing job because it became too much of a hassle and was stressing me out more than I was liking.

Earlier this year, I switched to the current crew at work that I am currently on. That's when the anxiety got to be more pronounced than ever before. It wasn't just a one-day thing; it lasted for weeks. Finally I began to get comfortable with my surroundings and the anxiety went away. Much of this summer, I was fine. But now, within the past two or three weeks, it has come back, and I really can't pinpoint a certain reason why that is. Like I said, I am comfortable with the situation at work now and my personal life is fine. So why am I feeling so lousy, like something bad is about to happen? I guess we don't understand why the brain acts the way that it does. I certainly don't understand why I am so affected by anxiety. I am a pleasant person with good intentions. Why am I targeted by this?

I have not yet gone to see somebody about this latest bout of anxiety but I think I ought to and the sooner, the better, too. No person should ever feel this way - and I'm not the least bit comfortable dealing with it, either. But I guess I am at a loss at where I should go. Do I go see my family doctor and talk to him about it? Or do I make an appointment to see a therapist? Part of me doesn't want to see anyone about it - thinking that it'll go away on its own and knowing that I'll need to take medication for it on a regular basis. Yet, it becomes a health concern for me. If I continue to ignore it, I know my health will go down hill. And I am hopeful that if I do see someone about it and get prescribed something for it, that it will change my life for the better. I guess all that remains to be seen. But yes, I have decided that I must see someone regarding my anxiety. It will lead to a much calmer life for me.

Fire Arm Deer Season

We're in the midst of the first week of the fire arm deer season across the state of Michigan. Here in the Upper Peninsula, it's one of those huge November traditions in which generations of people have enjoyed. The thrill and excitement of the hunt goes way back to the pioneer days. Today, the means in which to go hunting involves much more modern technology. However, the hunting experience still remains. Just the idea of bagging an eight, ten, 12, or bigger point buck allures many - and it's not just the trophy that entices a person to hunt. Many enjoy the taste of venison meat that comes from hunting deer. Whatever the case, the woods are full with hunters right now. This time of year is when the U.P. and its people are at their best.

As for me, I'm not a hunter. In fact, I've never gone to hunt once. Back when I was in sixth grade, I took a hunter's safety course just in case I ever ventured into the woods to hunt. Once you pass the hunter's safety course, you get this orange-colored certificate that you get to keep. I guess my lack of interest in hunting involves a couple of things. The first is that I don't care much for guns - especially loud ones. My hands and arms would be trembling if I was able to spot a trophy buck. And secondly, I was never exposed to any kind of hunting as a kid. My dad wasn't a hunter and I am sure if he hunted, then I'd be out in the woods these two weeks. I have an uncle and a cousin who are really into hunting deer on my mom's side of the family, however, I never really grew that close to them. Other than they, I really didn't have anyone else that I could tag along with to hunt.

You definitely know when it's hunting season once you begin to see the bright orange clothing that people wear when hunting out in public. Whether it's to the bank, the grocery store, or during a leisurely walk. And actually, it's probably not a bad idea to wear bright orange while going on walks if you happen to be close to a wooded area, in case there are hunters nearby. A person can easily be mistaken for a deer - it's not like it hasn't happened. So far, I've heard of one hunter in the Upper Peninsula that has gotten injured from taking a bullet to his foot - he accidentally shot himself. Hey, it happens - you just have to be aware of what you're doing when you have a gun in your hands.

And to conclude this week's edition of the "U.P. Monday" blog, I'll leave you a clip of one of the most famous deer season anthems created by a musical group from the Upper Peninsula. They are called "Da Yoopers" and have a variety of hilarious songs you can listen to (they deserve a blog posting all their own). Just search for them on YouTube and you'll find a few of their most famous musical creations. With the second week of deer season right around the corner, to honor that particular occasion, here is one of "Da Yoopers" famous tunes called, "Second Week of Deer Camp."

Kid Rock's "Born Free" Video Features Part of U.P.

THIS IS A SPECIAL UPPER PENINSULA BLOG POSTING

It was about a month ago when Kid Rock made a visit to the Upper Peninsula to film a majority of the video for his latest single "Born Free." The filming took place within Alger County, specifically along the Lake Superior shore and at Pictured Rocks. As you watch the video, you'll see views of Miner's Castle, Miner's Beach, Murray's Bar on Grand Island, the Sand Bar with the flag at Sand Point, and the shots of Kid Rock riding a motorcycle are along H-58 between Munising and Grand Marais. Also the shots in the field are from near Chatham. I grew up within Alger County so to see something like this is pretty awesome. I know that Kid Rock loves the state of Michigan (he grew up near Detroit), so it's especially nice to see him showcase the U.P. I know when news broke last month about Kid Rock's short arrival to Alger County to film the video of "Born Free," it was a big deal. And as you can see, we all know why.

(Correction: The field scenes featured in the video were apparently shot somewhere downstate and not in the Upper Peninsula.)

The State of Superior

The Upper Peninsula as the 51st state in the union. It's a nice thought, now isn't it? In certain ways, it's a novel idea. However, there are many logistics that make the idea unrealistic. The idea to turn the Upper Peninsula into it's own state has been attempted before, but has failed to be achieved. The last time an effort was mounted into making the U.P. a state was in the 1970's, when long-time Michigan House of Representative Dominic Jacobetti formally introduced legislation to make the Upper Peninsula, which would go under the state name of "Superior," its own state. The idea never really gained much traction, although at the time, certain residents in the U.P. and even northern Wisconsin felt they were being ignored of their concerns at the state level in Lansing and Madison respectively, thus, they joined the efforts to make the state of Superior more than just a dream.

There were a few other attempts prior to the 1970's at creating the new state of Superior. Sometime in the 1960's, legislation was being proposed to secede from Michigan and to join the state of Wisconsin. After all, the U.P. does have more of a connection land-wise than it does with the Lower Peninsula. The 906 area code was even designated for the Upper Peninsula for this reason. Yet as we all know now, those plans failed. In 1962, an Upper Peninsula Independence Association group was formed for the purpose of beginning the process of making the U.P. its own state. 20,000 petition signatures were collected for the effort to secede from the state of Michigan in order to make it a ballot initiative - some 36,000 signatures short.

So as you can see, efforts have been made in the past to turn the U.P. into its own state. Going even further back, parts of Minnesota and Northern Wisconsin, along with the U.P., were considered as part of a new state either called Superior or Ontonagon. Could you imagine how cool it would be to have a state named Ontonagon, as part of the United States? People from downstate have a hard enough time pronouncing Ontonagon as it is - can you imagine if everyone else in the country had to? With that being said, there's a major reason why many of these attempts at statehood have failed. It's largely because of population, or lack thereof. The Upper Peninsula alone has a population of 320,000 people. A state including all of the U.P.'s 15 counties would make it the state with the smallest population in the country. However, it would rank as 40th in land mass, larger than Maryland.

Not only would the U.P.'s small population inhibit future attempts of statehood, but the U.P. could not survive if it was not apart of another state like Michigan or Wisconsin. Even though we get frustrated and feel ignored by the politicians in Lansing, the U.P. does receive a healthy amount of funding by the government in our state capital. There's no question that times are tough in the state. With the failing auto industry and state unemployment figures still well into the teens, the state government has been cutting back funding to a variety of programs. How can you hand out money when there is none to hand out? Even in these desperate times, Michigan does its fair share in supporting the Upper Peninsula. The Lower Peninsula would struggle even further in losing the U.P. and vice versa.

So as you can see, issues that plagued the attempts of statehood back in the 1960's and 70's would continue to be a problem today if such an attempt were made in present times. Honestly, I think it's much better to leave well enough alone despite the fact that the creation of the state of Superior would be a unique and novel idea. I just don't know how the state of Superior would be able to support itself with just 320,000 of residents. I think if any idea were to succeed, it would be for the U.P. to become a part of Wisconsin - or at least the western half of it. However, I highly doubt anything will change in that regard. If the U.P. were to become its own state, it would've needed to happen much sooner in history than in today's times.

Halloween 2010

October 2010 marks the official four year anniversary for Luke's Ponderings, as it was four years ago that I began this venture on Blogger (although if you count the word press blog, it was earlier than that). Back then, the Detroit Tigers were in the World Series and all was right with the world - okay, things are pretty good today, too. I bet if you look back through the archives, you'll see that once October rolled around, I discussed Halloween more often than not. There might have been on year when I didn't, but it's something I've been pretty consistent with. So as October 2010 comes to a close, it wouldn't be right if I didn't discuss Halloween in some form or fashion.

Needless to say, I won't be able to enjoy Halloween much at all this year. I am currently working midnight shift and the next two days I'll be working 12-hour shifts. So when I get home from work after tonight's shift, I'll go to bed around 8 AM and wake up shortly before 3 PM. I'll have to wait and see if I get any trick or treaters at my house - last year I didn't, but then last year I got home from work a little after 7:30 in the evening; much too late for anyone to come to my door. Just to be on the safe side, I went out and bought a couple of bags of candy in case I do get some trick or treaters. Hopefully I didn't underplan! That is always something I worry about - crowds and crowds of kids coming to your door and you running out of candy. Hopefully that does not happen.

Last night, I began thinking back on some old Halloween traditions that I used to enjoy as a kid. TV Land used to air "Munsters" quite often - and they'd always have a marathon of that show on Halloween. And then you have those epic Halloween movies like "Friday the 13th" and the "Hallween" trilogy. Usually AMC or HBO is airing those movies and they are some of my all-time favorite thriller movies. Back at my parent's house, we'd set up this boom box near the front porch and we'd play this tape of scary Halloween sounds as the trick or treaters would come to the door. Most of the older kids thought it was a pretty cool thing, while some of the younger kids got a little freaked out by it. But it was always enjoyable to see the kids come to the front door in search of goodies and dressed up in a variety of costumes.

So as you can tell, Halloween these days are pretty uneventful holidays for me. I didn't even decorate too much for the holiday, although I did buy some new lighted figures for the window that I turn on each night. We shall see if I get any trick or treaters to the door or not this year. If I get a handful, great. If I get 20, that's tremendous. If I get over 50, I'll be in trouble because I didn't get enough candy! However, I don't forsee that as being a problem. I am sure many kids are out trick or treating right now in downtown Marquette or are attending other planned events in the area rather than sticking to trick or treating. I loved trick or treating when I was a kid and I can't understand why it's being done less often nowadays. Well, whatever happens, Halloween is still one of those holidays I always enjoy, even though I may be celebrating it less and less as an adult.

Conan O'Brien is Back

Beginning Monday, November 8, everybody's favorite red-headed comedian will be back on the air, hosting his own late night TV show once again. Conan O'Brien's new show will premiere on TBS, titled simply "Conan". For those who enjoyed Conan's work during his two other stints on late night, I am sure they are very much looking forward to this new venture. It's hard to say exactly what this new show will involve, seeing that Conan is barred from doing many of the things he used to do at NBC, such as having Triumph the Insult Comic Dog appear or doing a skit in which he and a guest will envision what the future will be like in the year 3000. However, I have no doubt in my mind that Conan will make the program his own and be just as entertaining like he was able to do at NBC. He has a great writing staff and I am sure they will not disappoint.

Andy Richter will be returning as the "side-kick" role to Conan, just as he did for a short while on "Late Night" and during Conan's short run on "The Tonight Show". However, Max Weinberg will not be returning as band leader to Conan's new show. I think it will be interesting to see a new face leading the band - although it certainly won't be unprecedented for the show because Max was quite often gone while Bruce Springstein was on tour (Max plays drums for Bruce Springstein's band). But Max was often a comedic foil to Conan and they played off of each other quite well. They had many great moments together during Conan's run on NBC so his presence will be missed. However, the show must go on and it'll be interesting to see who the new band leader will be.

I think Conan will benefit from being on the air a half-hour earlier than what he's used to. He's also going to be on cable as opposed to network TV. He just may get more freedom to do what he wants without network brass stepping in. And he still has a tremendous fan base that is greatly anticipating this new show. Obviously it's been a long while since we've seen Conan on television so seeing him back with a new show will be nice to see. I know the fans have been clamoring for it for awhile. And hopefully the show won't get yanked away from him after seven months of being on air (like it was with "The Tonight Show"). Unfortunately I'll be getting home a half-hour into Conan's first show on TBS on October 8. However, when I'm able to watch a full episode, I'll definitely prefer it to the other programs on late night right now.

Midwest Wind Storm

It was a memorable, history-making storm that many people across the country were affected by. Some say it's the worst storm to hit the Midwest in decades and it produced the lowest atmospheric pressure on record in the state of Minnesota. Its pressure was as low as a category three hurricane - and yet, it was purely a land-based storm. What an incredible storm it was. Not only did it produce a fury of wind and rain, but it also spawned severe weather further south along the cold front. North Dakota and Minnesota were hit with early season snows, even causing blizzard conditions with the high winds. Waves on Lakes Michigan and Superior were as high as 20 to 25 feet. We probably won't see a storm like this for quite some time - if ever again!

I was in a couple of different locations through the duration of the storm. In the area where I live, we were spared the worst of the damaging winds. Don't get me wrong, the winds were still very strong. But no visible damage could be seen around the neighborhood. I have a bunch of jack pine trees on the east and north side of my property and I was certain that at least one of those would come down in the wind event. But they held strong and not one fell. Some of you may not know, but jack pine is a soft wood and they are very susceptible to breaking in high winds. I had a flag pole come apart and the American flag on it was whipping around in the storm. The flag got a bit tattered but it looks to be usable next summer. My windsock also disappeared from the hook I had it attached to, but I later found it in the backyard, the strings all broken from the wind. But that was the extent of "damage" I found at my house.

Out at my parents house a half-hour drive away, they lost power for about a half hour on Tuesday but that was the longest the power was out. A few other locations around the area were without power for a few days. I noticed part of a pine tree had come down in my great uncle's yard - the one that I mow their lawn and rake the leaves in the fall. But even out there, the damage was fairly minimal. Just a few trees down here and there and some scattered power outages. Other than that, we seemed to have survived the wind storm quite well.

Other areas of the U.P. weren't so lucky, though. Areas in the southern U.P. appeared to be hit the worst from the storm. Lots of trees and power outages there. I know many, many radio stations had gone off air after losing power at their transmitter towers. Thankfully though, it was a storm that could have been much worse. You look at the destruction many communities dealt with after severe weather moved through their respective areas. October usually isn't a month where you see a widespread severe weather outbreak. But for a storm like the one we saw this past week, anything is possible.

We can all rest easy now for the major wind storm of 2010 is all but history. The National Weather Service station in Duluth, Minnesota is calling the storm the North American Extratropical Cyclone of October 26-27. In all honesty, the storm was deserving of its own name just like a hurricane because of its ferocity. However, memories of this storm will live on for a long while as people continue to clean up their yards, their communities, and their homes from the damage. The storm definitely lived up to its hype and it won't soon be forgotten by many people.

The Sauna

The sauna - not only is it a Finnish tradition, but it's also a tradition commonly enjoyed within the Upper Peninsula. As most Yoopers know, the Finnish heritage is quite common within the U.P. Not only did people from Finland immigrate to the Upper Peninsula during the 1800 and 1900's to find better lives for themselves and their families, but people from Sweden, Germany, Slovenia, and many other European countries did the same. They not only brought with them their lifestyles and beliefs, but also items that they enjoyed back in their home country. For the Finnish people, the sauna is one such item they thoroughly enjoyed. And I myself am glad that they did.

The first known saunas to ever exist were constructed out of a pit in the ground and basically served the same purpose as today's modern saunas. Stones were placed in the pit where they were heated. Then, water would be splashed onto the stones where steam would become produced and immediately, the temperature in the dwelling where the pit was located would rise. And thus, a traditional sauna could be enjoyed. Those kind of saunas are referred to smoke saunas - and it took about six to eight hours to warm a smoke sauna to the proper temperatures by burning lots of wood and then letting the heat out. This type of sauna gives heat up to 12 hours. Although not commonly enjoyed anymore, they are still used for more special occasions such as popular holidays in Finland.

Present-day saunas are commonly enjoyed with the use of stoves. Wood stoves seem to be the most conventional means of enjoying a sauna, however, electric stoves have become much more popular in recent years and new technology has even made gas stove and solar powered saunas an option. With an electric stove, you no longer have to worry about getting wood to heat your sauna, although you may be losing some of the tradition and nuance enjoyed with a true Finnish sauna. Whatever the case, a sauna can be enjoyed by anyone, and you certainly don't need to live in the U.P. or Finland to enjoy it. But if you are in the Upper Peninsula, at least use the proper Finnish pronunciation - SOW-na!

It seems that once you've enjoyed a traditional Finnish-style sauna, you get hooked. I've grown up with saunas all my life and I can't imagine my life without them. But some people just might not like the heat and will refuse to enter a sauna. Most saunas you see at motels or sports facilities aren't traditional Finnish saunas. Sure, you may take steam in them, but typically don't spend a lot of time within them and you certainly don't wash yourself in these facilities. At least within traditional Finnish saunas, not only do you enjoy the heat and steam of a sauna, but you also get clean, too. But there are a variety of saunas you can enjoy, from wet, dry, smoke, and steam saunas. Finnish saunas are generally of the smoke and wet varieties.

Whether you're new to the Upper Peninsula or are visiting for the first time, it probably won't be uncommon to hear saunas referenced or to see a sauna where you are staying. More and more people are building saunas within their homes or on their property if they previously didn't have then. It's a wonderful Finnish tradition that has taken root within the Upper Peninsula all thanks to our Finnish relatives from days gone by. And if you're leery about entering a sauna for the first time, it doesn't hurt to at least give it a try to see if you like it. If you don't, then you'll know for sure. At least we know one thing, the sauna is not in any danger of going away anytime soon.

Random Thoughts

Occasionally, there are several topics I like to discuss but not enough days in which to talk about them. Thus, the importance of Random Topic Fridays here on "Luke's Ponderings". No central theme is followed - just three different topics that I'm pondering about.

Election Day

Election Day isn't that far off now, and how thankful I'll be when it's over. Honestly, I've never seen such slanderous political ads like I've seen this year. Our district for the U.S. House of Representatives will be electing a new representative this year and the two candidates are slinging mud back and forth amongst their ads. One is accused of supporting a national 23 percent sales tax while the other was quoted as saying that seniors at the end of their life are costing tax payers too much. Their advertisements are the most vindictive of them all - even more so than the ads for the candidates running for governor. And I swear, at every commercial break, these TV spots keep getting played. I mean sure, political ads are fine, just so long as they don't get overplayed, which they are. And I know I'm not the only one to feel this way, not just here in the U.P., but nationwide.

New Television Soon?

So I definitely need a bigger TV for my living room - a fact that I've known since I moved into my house last year. Right now I have a 32 inch which is sufficient. It's still an older TV which I received as a gift about five years ago. But I definitely have the room in my living room to upgrade to at least a 50 inch TV. I guess I am waiting for the price on the LED TV's to come down. They are supposed to be the latest and the greatest TV's on the market and they consume much less energy than the current Plasma's and LCD's. I am keeping my eyes on the sales ads that are coming up and there's word that prices on TV's are supposed to come down quite a bit as we head towards the Christmas shopping season. And better yet, a new Best Buy store will soon be opening up in the Marquette area, which I'm hoping they'll have some decent grand opening sales on TV's. So needless to say, I'm definitely interested in getting a new TV but not quite serious about it yet. That is - until I see a really good deal on what I want!

My Dad's Old Car

The car my dad drives back and forth to work is literally falling apart. I followed him home from work one evening and I witnessed the tail pipe from his car begin to drag along the surface of the roadway. And then eventually, it came right off. The rest of the muffler is pretty loose as well, although he reassures me that it's stable and won't fall off. And now he tells me that the fuel pipe going to the gas tank is leaking. This along with the struts on the car which are in bad shape. But this is the dilemma he has - he can retire from work at anytime, but he's planning on retiring in 2012, during our next contract year. His goal is to keep the car running as long as possible; hopefully until he retires. The car has 277,000 miles and he says he's never had a car that's accumulated that many miles. This is the same car I drove for nearly a year when the frame of my other car nearly cracked in half and the one which needed a new transmission. It certainly proved to be the right decision to have a new transmission put into it at that time. He doesn't want to have to buy another car for work, especially when he's so close to retiring. So he's going to make minor repairs to the car when he can, otherwise just keep running it until it dies. I believe it's going to last him much while longer yet.

That wraps it up for this week on Luke's Ponderings. Have an enjoyable weekend and be sure to check back Monday for the latest blog posting!

High School Chorus

I don't think I ever explained the story regarding my own musical experience here on Luke's Ponderings. And so, for a little change of pace, here is my own personal story regarding music.

So I was in eighth grade, getting ready to transition into high school and trying to decide exactly which classes I wanted to take. There was the usual Algebra, Biology, and those kinds of classes. I even took high school art as a freshman even though I should have taken it much later in my high school career (I was one of only two freshman in a class of about 25). But it was my decision to take high school chorus for a class that not only changed my perspective on singing, but on music in general. And I can honestly say that it's had a profound effect on my life ever since.

I wasn't sure I was going to like high school chorus all that much. I was a pretty shy kid and being in front of an audience, let alone a group of your fellow classmates wasn't exactly my cup of tea. But I'm sure you all know how it is when you're 14 or 15 years old. It was definitely a trying time for me but I believe it made me stronger. When I first joined the class, I wasn't all that loud of a singer. I often stood in the back and I honestly did sing, but nobody out in the audience could hear me. But I did enjoy the class, minus some of the more obnoxious classmates I had to deal with. Our teacher at the time got so upset with us at one point she stormed out of the class and into her little office and wouldn't come out. Talk about an awkward situation there. Eventually she came around and the class settled down after that certain circumstance.

In all, I was in high school chorus during all four of my years in high school. It's a decision I certainly do not regret to this day. When deciding between chorus or Senior English for my 12th year of high school, I picked chorus. Obviously the English course could have helped me more as I entered college, but I don't think it hurt me in the least as I look back. At least I can say I was in a music program during high school. I was never interested in playing an instrument so being able to sing was the next best thing. Probably my finest (and our school's) achievement was when we were given a number one rating for sight reading at this regional choir competition that's held annually. Sight reading is when you harmonize the notes in a particular piece of music. Luckily for us, we practiced the exact same piece of music that was used for sight reading at the competition. It would've looked foolish if we received anything less than a two.

As the years slip by, my memories of high school continue to fade into oblivion. However, memories of high school chorus are still quite strong. It's hard to remember exactly what we sang in each of the years I participated in the class, but I recall quite a few of the songs. We sang selections by Garth Brooks, Queen, and did medleys from Disney movies "Aladdin" and "Beauty and the Beast," just to name a few. I ended up enjoying the class instead of loathing it. I enjoyed singing with my classmates. Instead of barely hearing me in the group, I eventually became the loudest male singer. It truly was a fulfilling endeavor and I am glad I pushed through all four years of the class in high school. I certainly have no regrets with that decision.

Celebrity Deaths

News broke this weekend and early this week regarding two legendary TV stars and their passing. The first was Barbara Billingsley, who was most famous for her role as June Cleaver in the classic TV show "Leave it to Beaver". And then we heard news of Tom Bosley's passing, who played the role of Howard Cunningham on the hit TV series "Happy Days". Both of those shows originally aired well before I was born (well, not "Happy Days, apparently. It went off the air when I was two years old), however, new generations are able to enjoy these classics all thanks to re-runs. I never really caught on to "Happy Days," but I knew of Tom Bosley. He had an iconic voice and presence that you just can't forget. So I was rather shocked to hear of his passing earlier in the week as it was pretty unexpected.

Now as for "Leave it to Beaver," it's a show I thoroughly enjoy. I first started watching re-runs of the show when I was in college and instantly, I was hooked. It came on after another classic TV show I enjoy, "Emergency!". I don't really know why I came to enjoy LitB in the first place - I guess I enjoyed the interaction between the kids on the show. As you know, "Leave it to Beaver" is a show from a kid's perspective. And that's really a unique thing.

Barbara played an iconic character in June Cleaver. It's a character considered to be one of the greatest TV mom's of all time. The show was based in an era when the man of the house went off to work while the wife stayed home and was the homemaker. June was often seen in dresses, wearing pearls, and especially later on in the show, wearing high heels. No, that wasn't how a typical homemaker dressed. The reason for the high heels on the show was because the creators of the show wanted June to always be taller than Wally and the Beaver. So if you remember seeing June vacuuming in high heels, that was why. As for the pearls, Barbara always wore pearls, even when she was out of character. The reason for it was because she had a hollow in her neck that would cast a shadow during filming. And it became somewhat of a comfort for her to wear them all of the time, so she did.

June Cleaver was a caring, loving mother and her character will live on for many generations to come. Many people have looked up to her through the years and there's no reason to be that won't continue as long as "Leave it to Beaver" airs in re-runs. Barbara Billingsley lived a long life - she was 94 when she died. Still, her presence as well as Tom Bosley's will be missed. They played iconic characters who in a lot of ways were inspiring. Even though they are no longer with us in person, their spirit will always be with us and we'll be able to enjoy a variety of memories of them as aired during re-runs.

Adults vs. Children

It's amazing how your perspective on things changes from when you're a kid to an adult. As a child, you might have thought that any adult that was in charge was against you, whether it was your parents, a relative, a teacher, or even a day care worker. You just didn't have the freedom as a child and couldn't get away with what you wanted. Oh how nice it would be if we could fast forward time to get a glimpse of what life would be like as an adult. Or even if a time machine actually did exist. I know there's always that risk of altering the past by visiting the future - but so long as you don't bump into your future self, there's really no harm in seeing what you may end up as an adult. But would any child really understand what the future may hold, no matter if one could advance time to the future?

Back when I was a kid, I always enjoyed trips to my uncle's garage just a short drive from home. I refer to it as a garage because that's basically what it is. Two separate pole buildings where my uncle stores an incredible amount of stuff in. And when I was a kid, it was like an indoor playground. One of my cousins was about my age and the other was a little bit older. But we always had a good time together. Whether it was riding go-carts and mini-bikes, to playing with matchbox cars, and even playing statues. There wasn't a game we didn't play together. And it was always special when I was able to stay over a night or two at their place because we always had a good time together. And then we grew up and now we hardly see each other anymore.

I remember discussing it with one of my cousins when I was a kid about how much fun it was to be over at his place while I was bored at my house. And then yet, he felt the exact same way as me, except that he was bored at his place while he had a blast being at my house. I guess I never really understood why that was when I was a kid. I mean, he had everything and anything to place with at his place. Heck, he was even able to swim everyday of the summer out at their family camp. Yet, he would rather be at my house. Well, I guess that was because we were together, and typically you have more fun playing with someone else than being by yourself. And it's also a new environment, a place completely different than what you're used to. And you may be able to get away with more mischief because whoever it watching you is not your parents. As an adult, it all makes sense now.

Now a days, I'd rather be at my house than out at my uncle's garage. I mean, it's nice to visit there from time to time, but to spend long periods of time there like I did as a kid; well, it would just get downright boring. More often than not I'm put to work there than anything else. And my cousins just aren't around as frequently anymore. They have their own lives and just can't come up to the U.P. like they could as kids. That's the disappointment in growing up. Things change and yet they ever rarely remain the same.

Autumn in the Upper Peninsula

We are now well into the month of October which means cold weather is on the horizon. In fact, our moderate temperatures and sunny skies are definitely numbered; and those of us living in the Upper Peninsula know that it's time to enjoy these days. Because we more than likely won't be seeing temperatures above 50 degrees until at least April. And many folks across the U.P. are getting prepared for the upcoming winter season. I know of people that are getting together enough firewood to last the entire cold weather season. Some individuals have wood stoves in their basements that they keep heated throughout the winter. Others have wood furnaces that are kept outside of the house but in which the heated is piped to the house. And let me tell you, those wood furnaces really do work in keeping a house warm in the middle of a good old fashioned U.P. winter! But they key to that is having enough firewood on hand to make it through. You just never know how long the winter will actually be until it's here.

This is also the time of the year where the farmers are beginning to cut down their corn crops. And I think I'm safe to assume that this year's corn crop was excellent, due to the warm and humid temperatures throughout much of the summer season. If you were to criss-cross the U.P. within the next few days, I am sure it'd be pretty easy to spot a farmer out on his tractor harvesting the corn. As for those that grew pumpkins in the U.P. this season, it sounds as if that particular crop wasn't as spectacular because of the ample amount of rainfall we received within the last few months - particularly September. The pumpkin crop is much less ample and the pumpkins themselves are either small, mishapened, and green. That's not to say that you couldn't find the perfect pumpkin, because there are still some good ones out there. However, it could take a bit of searching to find it.

We are also quickly approaching one of the most hallowed times of the year in the Upper Peninsula - a time of the year rich in tradition for many generations of families. It's the firearm deer season which starts November 15 and lasts for two weeks. I call it the U.P.'s unofficial holiday - even some school districts and places of employment recognize it as such. It's a time when people gather at camp, celebrate being together, and the thrill of the hunt. And not everyone goes home with a buck of their liking, however, just to be able to enjoy the comradery of others in an atmosphere almost similar to a kid in a candy store, well it's a feeling unlike any other. If you're driving through the Upper Peninsula just before and during the firearm deer season, you'll recognize the official color of the U.P. as being bright blaze orange. That's what everyone going hunting will be wearing (other than camouflage).

So with October coming to a close, summer is long past and now we're into the heart of the fall season. And with the trees quickly becoming more and more bare, it appears that there isn't a whole lot left to enjoy of the warm season here in the U.P. However, fall brings with it a whole bunch of new opportunities to enjoy the outdoors as I previously mentioned in this blog. That's the beauty about living in the Upper Peninsula, you learn to adapt to whatever season that you're in the midst of. And if you're not finding any luck enjoying a particular season, wait a few months. Things will surely get better for you.

R-40 Thinkpad

I believe I discussed my attempts at getting my R-40 IBM Thinkpad working again in one of my random topic blogs. It's been a good three years since it last worked, so I decided it was worth one last shot in trying to get the laptop functioning again. I mean, when it worked, it was a good laptop. Obviously it's not doing me much good now. I decided to track down a new system board for the machine, because everything pointed to that being the problem. The machine would proceed to start up, but nothing else happened. No beeping, the screen would remain blank, and the laptop would not continue the start-up procedure. I would insert a CD into the tray and it would try loading up. But obviously the machine was not responding.

I received my "new" system board in the mail about a month back and proceeded to put the machine back together. It wasn't exactly new; more along the lines that it was used. But the outfit I bought the board from had tested it before shipment and it worked fine. After I had everything put back together, I attempted to turn the laptop on. It ended up doing the exact same thing as it did before. Absolutely no change, no difference. Talk about a frustrating turn of events. So I am lead to believe that it might be a different problem, an issue that I am unaware of and that I plan on tracking additional information down on it.

So that particular project is on a stand-still for the time being. My hope was to have a back-up to my existing desktop unit which I discussed before as recently being slow. However, that machine has performed much better lately, partly because I unloaded a bunch of unused programming. Yet I still haven't given up on getting the R-40 Thinkpad up and running. I have read recently that that particular machine has had its fair share of issues and is probably not the most reliable laptop out there. Honestly, if I can't get the problem figured out, I am not going to go any further with it and will end up scrapping the project altogether. The prices of laptop computers these days are fairly reasonable and if I feel the need for one, I can always buy a new one.

So as we all know regarding life, not everything goes as planned. I was hoping that buying a new/used system board for the laptop would solve the problem and it'd be working today. However, that has not happened and I am still planning on digging into the problem further. I am beginning to wonder if it might be a power supply issue or something along those lines. Maybe there's a faulty wire or something. Whatever the case, it may take some time figuring out. And if I don't ever figure it out, there's always the trash bin where it can end up going.

Alger County H-58

In last week's Upper Peninsula blog topic, I discussed at length the city of Munising and everything that it has to offer for residents and visitors to the area. I made brief mention of Pictured Rocks and the main roadway that runs along it, H-58. It's a county highway maintained by the Alger County Road Commission and it had been a source of frustration and some controversy for many years. The road commission has been working towards getting the length of roadway paved for quite some time, as early as the 1960's. But with the lack of appropriate funding, it never came to be. In all, H-58 between Munising and Grand Marais is some 39 miles. However, after all these years, H-58 is officially paved between those two Alger County communities.

As for myself, I have never ventured on H-58 beyond Melstrand. I had heard stories regarding how rough the road was in certain areas along the unpaved stretches. It was like a washboard, with speed limits of 25 mph, if that. Believe me, the Alger County Road Commission did their best at maintaining what they could of the county highway. But a lot of times after a heavy rain, the road would be nearly unridable again. And I think that's a reason why many people decided not to venture upon H-58 beyond where the pavement ended. I mean sure, there were still lots that did. But then there were others who wouldn't. Now, there is no reason not to travel the whole length of H-58 through the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore.

A dedication is set for this Friday, October 15 at the new Hurricane River Bridge located just west of Grand Marais. A reception will be held starting at 10 AM at the Alger County Road Commission facility just west of Munising on M-28. Then, the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the new bridge will start at noon and will feature several dignitaries such as state and national representatives, congressmen, and staff members. It will mark the official closing of the project that had been in the works for so long. It will be the first time that a hard-surfaced, paved roadway has existed between Munising and Grand Marais through Pictured Rocks.

So if you're looking for another alternative in getting to Grand Marais from Munising or vice versa, H-58 is now that option. As I mentioned earlier, the road had always existed between those two communities, but it often provided for a rough ride. Now visitors and residents alike will be able to traverse the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore will relative ease and possibly explore areas they had never visited before. It opens up a bunch of new possibilities for a lot of people and for myself, it'll be great to explore a new area I've never been. Don't know if I'll be able to get there before winter comes, but sometime soon. It's just one more reason why Munising and the Pictured Rocks area is a great area to visit.

On-Line Dating

I have undertaken a rather long and exhaustive search in trying to find that special someone to enter my life. And in doing that search, I've relied largely on on-line dating. In some ways, it's a method that can be considered even more difficult than finding someone on the street. Your profile has to be appealing, your picture(s) have to be decent, and you have to try coming across like a good, honest humane being. Needless to say, I've encountered my challenges in on-line dating through the years, but I am happy to say that the search is probably over - a search that although was very long and frustrating at times, has finally been worthwhile.

For those of you out there who have tried on-line dating, you know that there are a variety of websites in which to find your significant other. In the very beginning, I mainly relied on Yahoo! Personals and True.com. Yahoo! Personals has since closed down and is now merged with Match.com. True.com is probably one of the cheapest and least reliable on-line dating sites out there, but it had proven to be somewhat successful for me three years back. But that particular site always seemed so cluttered and the least updated. Eventually I moved away from those two sites and tried different places, with mixed results.

eharmony.com is probably the biggest and the best website when it comes to on-line dating. It's a bit cumbersome when answering all of the questions that are required to complete your profile, but it makes it worthwhile so that you're able to find the most compatible matches for you. And I'll be honest, it's been the site that I've had the most success with. So when you need the best, sometimes you have to go with the best. Match.com is another decent dating site but it's not as comprehensive as eharmony. plentyoffish.com offers a lot for standard members but I never got much success from that particular site. And then singles.net is a simple dating website but does not offer a lot for anyone, not even for those with a subscription.

So as you can see, there are a lot of options out there when it comes to on-line dating. If you're not into the bar scene and do not get out a lot, then it's definitely the best option for you. But on-line dating does have its fair share of downsides and you need to be resilient and patient when trying to find the love of your life. I am happy to say that it's finally worked out in my favor and if you're looking into trying it out for yourself, hopefully you'll experience success as well.

Songs I Dig - 20

The Songs I Dig blog is back with another edition this week. It's pretty rare that I write them in back-to-back weeks, but I still have music in which I am trying to catch-up on from earlier in the year. This week's edition is pretty unique, in that they are all first-timeers to appear here. One of the songs featured is a brand new tune that I am pretty confident will become a hit song, while the other two are established songs that have already done well on the charts. One was even recently featured on the hit television show "Glee" and has seen a recent climb back up the charts, too. So, let's see what this week's selections are:

Nelly - "Just a Dream" : If you asked me a year ago if I'd ever have Nelly on my "Songs I Dig" blog, I probably would've given you a flat out no. But I have really opened up to R&B style songs and honestly, the first time I heard this song on the radio, I instantly enjoyed it. What I like most about the song is the sound and the message portrayed in the song. The lyrics really say it all; the person who is singing the song has lost that significant other in their life and is really struggling with the loss. He left her and now he's lost. And then he's thinking about them as a couple and what they're going to be, then he goes to open his eyes and realizes that it was only a dream. It's a very harsh reality, I would say and the song definitely has sympathetic emotion to it. I have no doubt in my mind that this will be a hit for Nelly.

Paramore - "The Only Exception" : I wasn't all that familiar with the group Paramore or Hayley Williams up until she sang with B.o.B. in "Airplanes" and instantly, I was hooked. As you may or may not know, I kind of have a thing for Hayley Williams. She has a voice that is so pure and angelic. And it was a real treat when I heard the song "The Only Exception" start playing on the radio. I have to admit, I wasn't that big on the song early on and the repetitive "You are the only exception" of the chorus did get to me at first. But eventually, the soft, soothing tone of the song won out and I became a fan of the song since. The song is actually their third from the current album titled "Brand New Eyes." It has become Paramore's biggest selling album to date.

Mike Posner - "Cooler Than Me" : Seeing that summer has long since been over, how appropriate is it to feature one of this summer's biggest hits. "Cooler Than Me" became a top 10 single in the United States, which is no surprise given the steady airplay the song received. The song was the first from Mike Posner's debut album titled "31 Minutes to Takeoff." It has a definite laid back, hip hop vibe to it. It's about this guy who's trying to win over a girl bur cannot seem to get her attention no matter what he tries doing. She appears to be too stuck up and too good for the guy to even notice him. So he thinks that writing a song may get her to fall in love with him, but then it probably won't because she's "cooler than me."

That will wrap it up for this week's edition of the Songs I Dig. Will you see another edition next week (or should I say, later this week)? It's not out of the realm of possibility. There's still a lot of good music out there to promote. Until next time, be sure to enjoy as much music as you can! There is definitely something about music that really helps to make your day that much brighter.

The Weather Channel Changes

I've been a fan of weather phenomena for as long as I can remember. Back when I was little, I even used to pretend that I owned my own television station and presented a weather forecast to the viewers watching. I'd draw my own maps of the U.P. and Michigan and forecast the weather in addition to giving updates of current conditions. I had a blast doing this - even though no one really was watching. I've always been interested in major weather events, such as snow storms, hurricanes, and tornadoes. Mostly this is all watching from the sidelines as the U.P. is not a common place for severe weather events except for winter storms and lake effect snow. So, when a hurricane is barreling down on the United States or a major tornado outbreak is occurring somewhere in tornado alley, there's usually one source I always turn to on the television, and that's The Weather Channel (TWC).

In recent years, however, a variety of changes at TWC has made watching the cable channel nearly unwatchable. They've created more and more long-form programming, meaning documentary-type shows that air frequently. I know it's often quite difficult to get an update on weather conditions nation-wide during weekend afternoons and evenings because that's when the long-form programming airs the most. But such programming is also evident during weekdays, such as around 3 PM, 6 PM, and 9 PM eastern time. Shows like "It Could Happen Tomorrow" and "Storm Stories" air pretty frequently and a lot of times - it's all repeats. For the average person who flips through, they could probably give two-hoots what's airing on The Weather Channel at any time of the day, just so long as they get their local forecast during the Local on the 8's. However, for the weather buffs out there, not seeing much live weather forecasting during the day has put a hamper on viewing TWC.

In addition to less live weather forecasting, over the last few years, TWC has also gotten rid of several of its prominent on-camera meteorologists that have been with the cable channel for some time, in favor of new, younger faces. Much of the new direction of the cable channel has been blamed on NBC Universal's buyout of The Weather Channel which took effect on July 6, 2008. Shortly after the NBC take-over, popular meteorologists such as Dave Schwartz, Mark Mancuso, Cheryl Lemke, Rich Johnson, Kristen Dodd, and Kristina Abernathy were all let-go. Additional long-time on-camera meteorologists have been let go since, the latest being Bill Kenneely, who was with The Weather Channel when it officially launched back in 1982, and Alexandra Steele. The firings have brought with it a tremendous amount of outcry from fans of The Weather Channel, prompting people to boycott the channel.

That being said, we're in a new era and The Weather Channel on TV isn't as vital as it once was. Now with the internet and the advanced technology of cell phones and other mobile devices, people can receive the latest weather information for their location at a moment's notice. For fans of TWC and the great amount of broadcasting history it's achieved since its inception in 1982, seeing the amount of live weather forecasting get cut back is a bit disheartening. But, for those major weather events such as hurricanes, snow storms, or tornado outbreaks, TWC is still there and will always be there providing live coverage. No matter who the meteorologists are and no matter what the programming might be, there's always weather. And even though we might not like the changes that NBC has implemented since buying the cable channel a few years ago, at least we can get our weather information via the internet and other sources. So feel free to boycott TWC all you want, because the internet just may be more handy for you to get your localized weather information.