Luke's Ponderings

Is It Really Global Warming?

2012-01-02T19:27:00.003-05:00

Once again here in Upper Michigan, we've had a very slow start to winter. Actually today, January 2, 2012, we've finally experienced our first big snow storm of the season. And it's not exactly a true snow storm in typical fashion because it's all lake effect snow coming off Lake Superior. Not even southern counties in the U.P. are seeing this snowfall. I've never been a big believer of global warming and have thought all along that it's only been the media trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill. But within the last decade, our winter's here in Upper Michigan have been unusual to say the least. I'm not saying I'm a total believer yet of the global warming hype, but maybe I am starting to open up more to the idea of it.

It probably took until the middle of November until we received our first measurable snows here in the U.P. Typically that happens a month earlier. If I remember correctly, we had a couple of decent bouts of lake effect snow from that point on, but then we experienced a couple of incredible thaws. They included stretches of days with temperatures in the 40's and low temperatures above freezing overnight. Needless to say, the snow cover dwindled to very little. Where I live along the Lake Superior shore east of Marquette, we didn't receive a decent snow cover up until the last few days. Here and in the city of Marquette, we were only a few days short of having a green Christmas - until a small clipper system dropped in about three inches of snow. So once again, similar to other winters within the last decade, we've had a very slow start to winter.

Back when I was a kid growing up in the U.P., there was never a doubt about us not having snow for deer season. It always helps the hunters to have some snow cover to track the deer after they shoot them. And then while spending Thanksgiving at my grandma's house, we'd be walking along the pathway leading up to her house, all bundled up, with a snowbank up to our knees. And barely having five inches of snow on the ground for Christmas day? Absolutely unheard of (except for the Christmas of 1994 where not one location in the Upper Peninsula had snow). But all of these seem to be the reality rather than the exception lately. Not to say that I've been disappointed with these mild winters because it sure makes it nice traveling on the roads with little snow. But in the end, it does hurt local businesses that depend on the snow. It seems like more and more of the mom-and-pop businesses are shutting down because they can't sustain themselves because of these goofy winters.

So despite our slow start to the winter season here in the U.P., maybe this storm will kick start things and produce epic snows that people seem to have been missing lately. I can't tell you when the last time we've had a truly monstrous blizzard. So we're definitely overdue. I wouldn't mind getting the opportunity to do some cross country skiing before the season is out. And then once March rolls around, it can melt on the way to a nice, mild spring. As for global warming - I'm still not entirely sold on it. It seems like we go through patterns in the weather where we have mild stretches, then cold stretches, and it cycles back and forth through time. I still believe that we're in a mild stretch, but I certainly no longer think that global warming is out of the question. We'll see if these mild winters continue in the years to come.

Who Knew Ponies could be so Entertaining?

2011-11-23T21:00:00.006-05:00

Is it wrong to enjoy a cartoon whose target demographic is for young girls? I think that's a question that a lot of adults find themselves asking once they get hooked on a relatively new cartoon that airs on the Hub cable channel. That show is none other than "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." I, myself, have recently discovered the series thanks to a couple of people I've come to know over the years who are big into the animation genre. I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoy "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic". Yes, the title is very girly, but you have to look beyond the title to know what this show is all about. As a male in my late 20's, you can understand how awkward it might be to talk about a show like this. People might question a person's manliness when considering a person's association with such a show. But you know what, there are thousands of other male fans out there like me who enjoy the show just as much, if not more. So honestly, it does not bother me to bring up my thoughts and feelings on a show that is largely considered the best cartoon of 2011.

I guess I'll always be a kid at heart, but I think that's everybody. One such connection to living like a child for me is to watch cartoons on occasion. These days, however, my time watching cartoons is few and far between. I've written about it before, but "All Grown Up", the Rugrats spin-off was a huge favorite of mine during my late college years (I even developed a website about the show, for those out of the loop). I've watched every episode of that series a countless number of times. But lately, I can't tell you when the last time I watched a full episode of "All Grown Up". A couple of years ago, it was "The Secret Saturdays" that I was into. But that show eventually got cancelled after a couple of seasons. Now, the new cartoon that I can't stop watching is "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic."

Gosh, even typing out the title of the show sounds so wrong. But like I said, it goes far deeper than the title. There have been three other versions of the "My Little Pony" franchise, and the latest version is by far the best. The other versions really fit the mold as being a show for girls. They featured lots of pink, very cutesy and sweet storylines that could figuratively make your heart melt, and the characters would speak very corny dialogue that would make any person shudder. The new version is nothing like the old shows. Obviously it's modern, molded for 21st century eyes. It includes modern slang, excellent animation style, great storylines, and after watching a few episodes, it'll cheer you up. It certainly won't make you feel ashamed of watching it, especially if you don't think of the title too much.

I'm not going to describe the show in too much detail because I'm afraid that I would keep writing forever. But the basic jist of the show revolves around a pony who is out to find the true meaning of friendship. She's also a magical pony who is able to do a variety of tricks (she is a unicorn, after all). She befriends five other ponies and they together go on a variety of adventures, often to save the world from menacing beings looking to take over. Obviously nothing is perfect and they endure a multitude of problems along the way (something you probably didn't see in prior versions of the show) but eventually they reach their goal and truly make things happily ever after in Equestria.

This probably won't be the last time you'll hear me write about this show - I just might end up writing reviews of episodes that come out. But for now, I'll try to keep my fandom for "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" to a minimum. I don't want to obsess about the show every waking moment (although lately that's been difficult not to do). This is after all, only my opinion about a cartoon that I think is really good and is something that anyone of any age can watch. So if you're a male, from the ages of 18-35, and you end up going completely head over heels for a show about six ponies, don't say I didn't warn you. For awhile I resisted the temptation of watching the show, but then I finally went all in. And you know something, I don't regret it for one bit. It truly is a quality show and is something everyone can watch. Embrace what the show can do for you, in potentially turning you into a brony.

NMU's Jamrich Hall...No More?

2011-11-08T20:11:00.005-05:00

Jamrich Hall, on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, is the center piece of campus. It's where the majority of the university's classes are held, especially for those not majoring in a science-based degree. It was built in 1968 during a time when the university began constructing additional facilities west of the existing core of campus buildings. Since 1968, the building has remained the same; no significant renovations have taken place within the structure. Other buildings surrounding Jamrich have received their fair share of renovations yet, the most important campus building was untouched. All of that is soon about to change.

In fact, under a new plan announced by NMU officials last week, Jamrich Hall may not even exist in a couple of years. The university may be able to construct an entire new building with the same allocated money they received from the state. It would be a slightly smaller structure, which university officials say would make better use of classroom space than the oversized classrooms located within Jamrich and the most important part of the proposal: it would be a completely new structure. NMU would be able to take advantage of new "green" building concepts in today's modern era. Needless to say, the university is taking a serious look into this option.

However, I myself feel rather sentimental when it comes to Jamrich Hall and would hate to see it demolished. The critics out there contend that it's a rather boxy and plain structure, with the classrooms not having a lot of originality to them. Well what can you expect for a building constructed in the late 1960's? I like the fact that on each of the building's four corners, that's where you enter and exit. The first floor's interior hallway walls are constructed of brick which is something rather unique to most buildings. On the first floor is where the large auditorium classrooms are in Jamrich, the biggest being in room 102 where NMU often screens movies for the students on weekends. The second floor is home to the smaller classrooms, but even the critics contend that many of the classrooms there are too big, as well. I will say this, the HVAC and electrical systems in Jamrich are sorely outdated. In a lot of rooms, there's only one outlet. And the building does not meet today's technological standards. But, how can that problem not be solved with a major renovation?

I guess part of me will be sad to see it go because I have some good memories of being within that building. Often times in grade school, there'd be school functions held there, such as Young Authors, in which elementary-grade children would create their own books and show them off to other students from other schools. And then we had our Science Olympiad award ceremony, where our school would always be crowned first or second place. We had our fair share of exciting moments then. And then it was where I had taken the majority of my college classes when I attended NMU in the early 2000's. I was never happy having to attend classes as it was, but I didn't hate the building because of it. It's a major gathering place for all these students who attend NMU. That's not to say the same atmosphere wouldn't exist within a new building. It's just that for me, part of NMU's history would be gone forever.

A new building probably would look much more modern and classy compared to the plain brick-and-mortar construction of Jamrich. But who's to say they wouldn't be able to put some modern touches on a renovated Jamrich, too? As you can see, I have mixed emotions about NMU's construction plans, but whatever they decide, I will accept. It's not like I am overwrought with fret about the possibility of losing Jamrich Hall forever. After all, it's just a building. And if NMU is to accomplish their long-range goals in building a new structure and replacing Jamrich, then more power to them. Anyways, the focus is all about the students and creating a comfortable learning atmosphere for them. Whatever NMU decides regarding a renovated Jamrich or a new building, it'll definitely continue the university's path of modernization within the new century.

The Power of Recall Elections

2011-11-07T18:49:00.003-05:00

Why does it seem like there are more and more efforts out there in recent years to recall elected officials from office? Years ago, you never seemed to hear about recalls. Is it that people are getting more involved in politics, not just locally but nation-wide? Or more because of the economic state? I'd have to think it's a little of both.

Back in 2005, a recall election ripped the city of Marquette apart. It was because of a decision by members of the city commission to terminate the employment of the city attorney without cause. Four members of the commission were targeted to be recalled, they being Mayor Jerry Irby, Mayor pro-tem Sandy Spoelstra, Stu Bradley, and Sue Kensington. Many in support of the attorney were outraged at the decision, which seemed sudden and abrupt. Some claimed that the commissioners had an agenda against the attorney, and once a majority of commissioners supported the decision to terminate her employment, they did just that. Their vote to fire her took place during a meeting on January 31, 2005 and a recall election was eventually held later in the year.

It was a resounding yes by voters in the city of Marquette to recall the four targeted commissioners during the election on August 2, 2005. Whether residents were for or against this particular recall election, it signaled an end to the strife that existed in city politics at that time. Not only could the commission move forward in a positive light, but they could also begin the process to seat new commissioners. Obviously just because those four particular commissioners were recalled, it still took some time for the healing process to complete itself. Nearly seven years later, the troubles during 2005 are gone but I don't think they'll ever be forgotten. You have to believe that those four ex-members of the commission still hear some negativity of their decision all these years later. Some residents may have even boycotted their respective businesses and/or services (a couple of those former commissioners were part of prominent Marquette-based businesses). But in time, I think a large majority of people in the community have forgotten. And when you get a new influx of people into the area, they know nothing of the past troubles that Marquette have gone through. As you can see, the power of recall can have a resounding effect even in a small city like Marquette.

More often than not, when a recall election takes place, those being recalled tend to be ousted from office the majority of the time. A few years back, voters in Marquette Township recalled four members of their township board. Other smaller elections U.P.-wide have resulted in people being removed from their respective boards. This year, three members of the Ishpeming City Council are being targeted for recall. It's because of their unwillingness to support the city's police chief, Jim Bjorne, in purchasing retirement service credit. Bjorne would like to retire due to health reasons, but the majority of the commission would not support his attempts to purchase the service credit. Ultimately, the strife ended up causing him his job, but that story is far from over as he is planning on suing the city of Ishpeming as well as the eventual recall election for the three members of the Ishpeming City Commission. It'll be interesting to see what happens with that in the months to come.

So as you can see within the local area, recalls have been a prominent part of local politics in recent years, and they have proven to be effective. Yet, you have those detractors of recalls who would rather see those individuals targeted for recalls get the chance to serve out their terms, and then get voted our or stay in office. These days it seems, if you make a decision that ultimately upsets a large majority of the population, it could end up costing a person their political job. Recalls are definitely a tough thing for a community to go through, but once they are over, it allows a community to start over and heal. At least that is one positive that a recall is good for.

My Dad's Old Car Gets Retired

2011-11-03T19:46:00.004-04:00

Last year, you may have remembered me talking about my dad's Oldsmobile that he drove religiously to and from work for the past eight years nearing the end of its life (Read about it HERE). Last week, my dad finally made the decision to retire the old car. It had fallen in too much disrepair and would have needed a large amount of work to get everything working the way it should be. The car ended up with nearly 296,000 miles on it - the most my dad had ever accumulated driving a vehicle. Yes, it probably would have been pretty neat for him to surpass the 300,000 mile mark with it, but with winter fast approaching, it probably was for the best to retire it now rather than risk him driving it during bad weather. As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.

I am sure you'd be the least bit surprised to know that my dad was a little sad to leave it behind at a local scrap yard. After all, the Oldsmobile proved to be the most reliable car he's ever had, with hardly any major problems to deal with since he owned it. As I mentioned before, it did need a new transmission, but other than that, the car just needed a little bit of minor maintenance every now and again. I know when I drove it for that one year during college, I didn't have one ounce of trouble with it. Now when you intend on buying a car, that's the way you want it to perform, with very little trouble. Obviously we can't all be that lucky, but who knew it would end up being so reliable for my dad when his brother picked it up for him in downstate Michigan and brought it to the U.P. It really did its job perfectly.

My dad has moved on to a different vehicle now to take him to and from work. It ended up being my old car, after I purchased a used vehicle from a dealer about a month in a half ago. Already he has quickly fallen in love with my old Pontiac Grand Prix. Heck, I was a little bit sad myself to see him drive off with it. But I felt it was time for me to upgrade to something a little bit newer - going from a 2001 to a 2009. He's enjoying many of the options that I was able to enjoy with that car - and a lot of those he never had with his Oldsmobile. They include the sun roof, the radio controls on the steering wheel, the speedometer projected onto the windshield, and just a better driving vehicle for himself. He just needs it until the end of next August, and I think he'll get through the winter just fine with it.

After that, what becomes of the Pontiac remains to be seen. My dad and I had discussed selling it once he retires, but then my mom is kind of looking forward to keeping it for awhile, since it is such a good car. My parents won't need nearly as many vehicles when my dad is retired, and there's some discussion that they may end up getting rid of their old 1994 Chevy pick-up. Lots of important decisions lie ahead in the upcoming new year. But one thing is for sure, it's going to take a little bit of time to forget about that Oldsmobile.

Getting Back Into Blogging

2011-10-24T19:09:00.003-04:00

The days are gradually getting shorter and the colder weather is slowly settling in. That means I am hoping to get back into the swing of things and start blogging again! I really can't explain my absence, other than I just got sick of writing. Apparently it happens to all writers at some point in time - it just happened to be my time. As for the future of Luke's Ponderings; I have decided to go back to the random blogging subjects instead of coming up with "themed" days. I think in the long run, that will help me to churn out more blogs. So, for those of you who looked forward to reading what I had to say prior to my hiatus, I am hoping to make a big return.

In one of my previous blogs, I had mentioned a health problem that I had been experiencing that was nagging me. It wasn't anything overly serious, but it was a problem that needed some attention. After doing some research, everything pointed to it being an anxiety problem. After dealing with it for well over a year, I decided to take the first step and consult with a doctor. I have been prescribed some medication for it and all in all, I think it has helped. Initially the medication was giving me some side effects, such as light-headedness, nauseousness, and feeling sleepy, but I think I have acclimated pretty well to the medication and am feeling much better these days. Every now and again, the anxiety symptoms do show up in certain instances, but it's not nearly as bad as it once was. So that it definitely one good thing happening these days.

The summer was a busy one for myself, as I helped with projects not only at my house but at my dad's as well. The big project at my house was the installation of a basement entry door. The topography slopes away from my house in the backyard, so it made it ideal for an entry door into the basement. My brother-in-law owned a Case skid steer loader and brought it out one day and started mucking out a path to the new entry into the basement. Where I live, the soil composition is all sand, so it made the digging fairly easy, although it was also easy to get stuck with the loader, too! Needless to say, it took more than a couple of days to get the pathway sloped away from the doorway just enough so moisture getting into the basement wouldn't be a problem. Eventually, my dad and a friend of his came over to cut out an opening in the block and installed the new door. So far it has proven to be an excellent addition to the home! I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to bring things to the back of my house and into the new entry door instead of hauling it up and down the stairs of my house. All that is left to do on the project is to complete some landscaping and it will be 100 percent finished. But that will have to wait until the spring now.

As for the project at my dad's, we've finally wrapped up phase three of a project to install new siding on the house. All we needed to do during phase three was re-side the remaining four walls of the garage and house and installing three new windows. It took us a good couple of months to be finished with the outside of the project, which was wrapped up yesterday. And it wasn't like we had lots of days to work on it; we had to schedule the work around our days off. So there were plenty of gaps in between times when we actually could work on the project. Thankfully, we wrapped up that project before the cold weather really settled in. My dad has some inside work to do, including installation of new trim around the windows and finish one wall that he had to tear down. Other than that, it's another project that's closed to being finished.

So as you can see, I had a couple of projects that kept me pretty busy during my days off this summer. And it's no wonder than the summer flew by. Now, with the cooler weather settling in and winter not far off, it's time to settle inside and begin to work on the blog again! So don't be surprised to see a few new blogs pop up every now and again. I won't promise a bunch of blogs right off the bat; I think I have to slowly work into it. But in due time, it'll be just like the old days.

A Summer of Change

2011-07-13T19:07:00.004-04:00

During a day off from work yesterday, I traveled out to my parents home in the hometown I grew up. It's a community where things often remain the same for years. The only thing that changes tends to be the people that come and go. Well lately, this summer in particular, there's a lot going on within the hometown. And during yesterday's visit home, I really gained a sense in that.

Road construction has been aplenty within the village. The Michigan Department of Transportation began a project earlier in the summer to replace curbing and gutters, along with replacing the pavement within the village. During the previous few summers, the village has been replacing a lot of sidewalk within the downtown area, and that continues along with the DOT's project. It's really helping to give new life to a community that hasn't had this kind of work done in quite awhile (even though the highway running through town was last resurfaced in 2003). When the homecoming and county fair takes place in early August, the community will look as good as new. It really has been nice to see, even though road construction can always be a bit of a headache to deal with.

Another dramatic change to the west side of town is the demolition of an old sawmill building. The sawmill industry had been a big part of the village's history, dating back to the founding of the community. However, a sawmill has not been in operation within the village since the mid-1990's. This particular sawmill went out of business in the late 1980's and early '90's, and all of the buildings were left behind and never kept up. Two out of the three buildings had begun caving in and thus had become a liability if someone happened to sneak in there and more of the building caved in on them. Plus, they were an eyesore to look at when driving by and made the village look shabby. So finally, after 20+ years of not being in use, one of the buildings is coming down and there's hope that the entire property will be cleaned up. Work is about finished on the demolition of the first building, so we shall see progress continues on the remaining others.

I know these two particular changes do not seem all that dramatic when compared to more populated areas, but to a community that only has a population of roughly 200 people, it's a pretty big deal. It signifies a new look to the village, making things look cleaned up and fresh. Nobody wants to see streets with a ton of potholes and buildings partially collapsed. What kind of statement does that say about a village when visitors pass through? 2011 has been a great summer of change to the village and one that has been a long time coming.

Tragic Weather Down South

2011-04-29T13:21:00.004-04:00

I know it's easy for those of us that live in more cooler climates to complain about it being too cold and wishing the weather would be more summer-like. This spring here in the U.P., we've had a few nice, warm days. But so far, the cooler, rainy (and even snowy) weather has been winning out. For example, the last three days were miserable and cold, with plentiful of precipitation falling from the sky. Now today, we have bright sunny skies with temperatures predicted to reach near 60. After a cold front moves through tomorrow, we'll be back into the 40's for Sunday and Monday but sunshine will be abundant, at least. Yes, it would be nice to have more consistent spring-like weather, but we'll take it over the destructive and violent weather that other parts of the country have been enduring.

I am sure many of you have seen the images from the deep south regarding the tornado damage. The death toll from the last couple of days of violent tornadoes is close to 300. In today's modern times, a death toll that high is unheard of. The last major tornado outbreak to kill so many in the United States was in the 1970's. And I am sure the majority of the individuals killed during these storms knew they were coming. It's just that the tornadoes were so menacing and destructive. Unless you were in an underground cellar, it was a situation hard to survive. Now, for those that survived, they are left without homes and are needing to start over.

The 2011 tornado season as a whole has been one for the record books already; and we're only finishing up the month of April. Who knows what the rest of the year will bring - hopefully a much calmer season! And they are already predicting an active hurricane season, so it remains to be seen how potentially destructive the hurricanes that form this season will be. So as you can see, 2011 is proving to be a wild weather year across the country. From wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and incredible snow storms, it's been a year unlike any other. And we can't forget to include the devastating earthquakes and resulting tsunamis that other parts of the world have had to deal with. So yes, the cold and snow at the end of April can make anyone's heads spin. But in comparison to the rest of the country, I can definitely deal with it.

Catching Up on American Idol

2011-04-14T17:11:00.005-04:00

So it has been awhile since I blogged about American Idol. In fact, this is probably the first time that I have stopped blogging about American Idol since I started back in season six. But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. To be honest, I'm not missing doing the recaps all that much. Sure, I'm disappointed that my recap-streak had to end, but I actually find it pretty enjoyable just to watch the show at my own leisure and not worry about producing a recap. With that being said, I feel like there are a few things I need to discuss regarding the show, things that have happened within the past month that are hot-topic discussions.

First off is Pia Toscano's sudden and shocking elimination from the show. There's no question that ever since her performance of "I'll Stand By You" during the semi-finals that Pia became a front-runner and she had been at the top ever since. We haven't seen as shocking of an elimination as Pia's since Michael Johns was abruptly eliminated in season seven, thus the creation of the judge's save used since season eight. But there was just something about Pia that the audience did not connect to. She seemed to lack personality and seemed rather dull, most likely due to poor editing from the producers and directors of American Idol. Those in charge of Idol should have done a better job of highlighting Pia's personality better in the taped pieces that they do, filler-pieces as it's known in the television industry. Pia had probably the best chance out of the remaining two women to be the show's first female winner since Jordin Sparks. I mean, how often did she sing bad notes during her performances on Idol? She had the total package and for some reason the powers at be on Idol did not focus on that. And in the end, it resulted in a shocking elimination.

The judging panel appears to be receiving a decent amount of blame in regards to Pia's elimination. It seems like more and more people have been longing for Simon Cowell's presence on the show since the live voting rounds have taken place. The judge's just cannot say a negative thing about these singers week in and week out. Are they afraid of being booed by the audience, or for hurting the feelings of the contestants on stage? I think it was two or three weeks ago where it appeared that Jennifer was really starting to step to the plate to deliver constructive criticism to the contestants, but that was a very brief moment this season. Even Randy has reverted back to his repeated comments from year's past, acting like a total slug on the panel and not delivering poignant comments. Steven Tyler is basically just a male version of Ellen DeGeneres. And probably out of all the contestants during the week Pia was eliminated, the judges delivered (specifically JLo) the most constructive criticism to Pia and Stefano - the contestants in that week's bottom two. I really don't know what to say about the judging panel now - it seemed to work really good during the auditions and Hollywood week. Now, they appear to be utterly useless. It's up to America to be the real judge's anyway, since the current judging panel doesn't really have much of an influence on what the voters think.

Should the voting system used on the show be changed yet again? I've been an advocate for this in the past and although they tweaked it somewhat last year, it still hasn't been enough. Do as they do on shows like "America's Got Talent" and "So You Think You Can Dance" where the judges either have the final say or have some part in deciding who stays and who goes. Limit the amount of times a person can vote or text and make it more favorable for female contestants to stay in the competition. Yes, it's true that mostly females vote on the show as it is. But there has to be a way that can make the votes more uniform and to be more favorable for the female contestants to have a fighting chance.

And last but not least, the incorporation of the judge's save. During the two previous season's that the save has been used, it was used justly, but not in a manner that saved a front-runner from being eliminated. Honestly, did we ever believe that Michael Lynche and Matt Giraud were going to win their particular seasons? Much could be said of Casey Abrams. At this stage of the competition, I just don't see him winning at the end of the day, unless he puts together a couple of memorable and meaningful performances. So the use of the save on Casey Abrams during top 11 week has come into question, especially considering that the save could have been used on Pia Toscano. But to be fair, aren't shocking eliminations one of the reasons why Idol is great as it is? It seems that once Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson were eliminated far too soon on the show, they became mega-stars anyways. I have reason to believe that Pia will end up doing quite well as it is.

Mourning Two Family Losses

2011-03-21T18:08:00.004-04:00

It was ten minutes before 4 PM this past Saturday when I got the call. My Great Uncle Les, who was diagnosed with colon cancer a few months ago, had passed away. I was prepared for his passing because I knew his cancer was terminal. So that didn't come as much of a shock to me. However, to hear that my Great Aunt Midge also passed away, just 12 hours later of her husband, was a total shock. She had undergone a leg bypass vein surgery that day and suffered one heart attack. She was stabilized and then suffered another heart attack which ultimately lead to her passing. As you can imagine, it wasn't easy to take the news so suddenly. I had gotten to know them both very well the past ten years at least so to have them both gone in such a short span of time is a difficult pill to swallow. However, I think with them passing in such a short amount of time together is a sign of their undying love for each other. I think it was meant to happen the way that it did.

Les and Midge were born and raised in the Upper Peninsula, eventually moving to Lower Michigan to raise their family, and would often come back to the U.P. in the summer and fall seasons. Approximately ten years ago, they purchased a home to live back in the Upper Peninsula full-time. My dad and I ending up doing a lot of work on their home for them, including mowing their grass, picking up the leaves in the fall, shoveling the snow off their roof, installing a new closet in the hallway, and painting the siding on their house, among other things. For me, I ended up becoming quite close with both Les and Midge during the past ten years, more so than I had earlier when my visits with them during their trips up north were fewer. I enjoy sitting down with them, hearing their stories, and even catching up on present day events. I sure am going to miss those visits with them.

Ever since moving to their new home in the U.P., I was entrusted with the yard work. There were only a select few times since they owned their home that I did not mow their grass. They liked the job that I did and the yard ended up looking better cut with a push mower. Their yard was not an easy one to mow, especially in the front near the highway. It was a steep grade and it was necessary for me to have decent shoes with good treads to tackle such a yard. But I can say that I've had a safe record mowing their grass. There were times where I didn't get over to their yard in a quicker fashion to mow, resulting in a yard that looked like a hay field. But they did not seem to care - and I could take care of it whenever I had the chance. They were good that way, not rushing me to get the job done and paying me whatever price I asked. They always provided me good refreshments for when I was done and I always enjoyed their company. They even provided me with dinner on occasion which proved to be an extra-special treat. Yes, mowing grass was a physically exerting job at their house, but for me it was all worth it, getting the chance to spend time with them.

Uncle Les wasn't in the best of health, particularly within the last year, even prior to his cancer diagnosis. He had gotten pretty weak and frail. But he still had a great desire and interest in life. Aunt Midge had one leg amputated about a year in a half ago due to veins in her leg being blocked. It was due to having diabetes. But other than that, she was in great health. And now, they are suddenly both gone. The blow of losing them both within 12 hours of each other came as a total shock to the entire family. For me, it was like losing a pair of grandparents that I never had. Both of my grandfathers passed away when I was five years old, so I never had the chance to really get to know them. For my Uncle Les, he kind of filled that role for me. Both Les and Midge led full lives, being married together for nearly 65 years, and were lucky to spend every possible moment together right to the very end. Wouldn't it be nice for all of us to experience that? I feel blessed for having known them and having gotten to know them better these past ten years. Maybe that's why it's been a lot more difficult saying goodbye to them both than I thought. R.I.P. Great Uncle Les and Aunt Midge. Until I see you again.

The Center of It All: Marquette, MI

2011-03-21T15:27:00.006-04:00

Marquette is the largest city in the Upper Peninsula and in more recent years, has garnered several national honors bestowed on it. You could attempt to compare it to any other city of its size but more often than not, Marquette will have an advantage in something. Just take Lake Superior; the city is bordered by it to the east. The city owns the majority of the shoreline within its borders - a feat many communities along the Great Lakes cannot admit to. So, instead of condos blocking the view from the various roadways that parallel the shoreline, all one sees is the pristine lake and white sandy beaches. One of several examples that make Marquette a city unlike any other.

It's difficult to list everything that's great about the city in one blog posting, because there are virtually thousands of reasons why Marquette is so great. So, I'll attempt to list some of the finer points, including Marquette's vibrant downtown. These days, with bigger retailers building stores miles away from any center of a city, many downtown areas have suffered. The exact same thing has happened in the Marquette community; the bigger retailers have built stores out in Marquette township. However, Marquette's downtown has not suffered, not in the very least. It's probably the most vibrant downtown that one could expect, with very few shuttered store fronts and a plethora of activity. The downtown has a combination of unique and interesting stores, eating establishments, and even things tailored for fans of arts and culture. Historic businesses such as Donkers, Washington Shoe Store, and Getz's are just a few of the places that make up the heart and sole of Marquette's downtown.

The city also caters to the walking and biking crowd. It boasts a trail system that circles the city. With its bike path system in place, it's not uncommon for an individual to be able to walk or bike from point A to B. And the city even plows its bike paths in the winter time, so walking and biking is not limited to just the warm weather months. With the creation of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, Marquette's bike trails will soon be connected with other nearby municipalities. So that means a person would be able to bike from Harvey, Marquette, Negaunee, to Ishpeming without having to travel on a busy highway. And what biking community would it be without some bike races? The Superior Bike Fest is held annually in downtown Marquette, where they race the city streets, even at night. The Ore to Shore Mountain Bike Epic travels from Ishpeming to the finish line at the Superior Dome in Marquette. So needless to say, it's no wonder that Marquette has become such a notable destination for walking and biking.

There are some great things to see in Marquette as well. I already mentioned the relationship the city has with Lake Superior, but Presque Isle Park is another gem. It's a 323 acre park opened to the public year round, featuring scenic outlooks, wooded areas, walking trails, a gazebo, a pavilion, a marina, a band shell, the Moosewood Nature Center, a small ice cream shop (open seasonally), and public beaches. I mean honestly, the "island" has it all. It's easy to spend hours here exploring what all there is to see. Presque Isle Park Road, which circles the island, is closed during the winter months, but people are still able to visit the island's southern and western points as well as walk, snowshoe, or ski the closed roadway during the winter. And as one would expect visiting a wilderness area, it's not uncommon to see a variety of wildlife active on Presque Isle such as deer and many species of birds. It's a place unlike any other.

I've only scratched the surface when it comes to discussing all there is to see and do in Marquette. Honestly, there is so much to cover that I could write a series of blogs on what goes on within the U.P.'s largest city. And if what I've told you so far about the city has piqued your interest, be sure to check out the city's official website to find out even more. No wonder Marquette has received so many awards and distinctions within the past few years - because it's all deserving! Be sure to plan a visit to find out about it for yourself.

American Idol 10 - Top 13

2011-03-10T18:49:00.004-05:00

I barely have enough time to finish writing this week's top 13 American Idol performance recap before the night is over - in fact, the results show has already been over for almost an hour! Well anyways, I finally got it completed. You know, it takes a lot of time recapping all 13 contestants. I try to keep my comments fairly short, but some need longer recaps than others. Nevertheless, here is this week's recap. It's featuring songs from each contestant's musical idols, and some have some interesting choices for idols. Here's how it all went down...

Lauren Alaina - "Any Man of Mine" by Shania Twain : One of the proverbial favorites goes first tonight with another country tune. I wasn't aware she was a big country fan, so color me surprised two weeks in a row. Yes, the song is a fun one to sing, particularly in a karaoke bar. But by no means do I think it's a smart song to sing on American Idol. It was just an okay performance by Lauren. I mean sure, she sang it fine but it's not a performance I find to be all that memorable. She seemed rather surprised by the negative critiques she got from the judges. Lauren must not be lazy with her song selections from here on out, otherwise she'll be in for a rude awakening and an even quicker departure from the show.

Casey Abrams - "With a Little Help from My Friends" version from Joe Cocker : Casey is one of this season's eclectic performers, who you cannot help but root for. He has a comedic side to him, yet he's a pretty good singer, too. I wasn't sure if this was going to be the right song for Casey, but he was absolutely stellar. He infused a lot of energy into the performance and gave it all he got. It's not a song that really shows off a singer's vocals per se, yet it suited Casey quite well. He really got the crowd into his performance and it was one of the most energetic of the night.

Ashthon Jones - "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" by Diana Ross : Ashthon is one performer with big potential; she just needs to know how to use it and in the perfect moment. She could even be this season's diva; that is if she can stay in the competition long enough. She barely made it through last week, so we'll see if she's able to capitalize on another opportunity. All in all, I didn't think it was too bad of a performance. It was slightly boring and not all that memorable, but I did like the fact that she was able to turn the song into something current. It had a contemporary feel to it and the song didn't over power her. It was a decent performance, but there's definitely room for improvement.

Paul McDonald - "Come Pick Me Up" by Ryan Adams : Paul is up next and his song choice has me scratching my head a little bit. I know of Ryan Adams and I am familiar with a couple of his songs, but is he that mainstream nation-wide? Is enough of America going to recognize the song to connect with Paul's interpretation? I do rather enjoy his shout-outs to America before he sings - like he is so comfortable being out there. Yep, my earlier fears as to whether this song will work for Paul are confirmed. It started out rather slow and pretty low for Paul's range. Then as the tempo picked up, so did his pitchiness. Although I do enjoy his random movements on stage most of the time, I think it kind of threw him off during this performance. Certainly not his strongest night on the Idol stage.

Pia Toscano - "All By Myself" by Celine Dion : Here is one of last week's brightest stars - a memorable rendition of "I'll Stand By You" that had everyone on their feet after she had concluded singing. She has raised the bar quite high for herself so it will be interesting to see if she's able to keep that momentum going. I would like to see her experiment a bit and go away from the ballads, but there is no denying that she excels at performing the slower-tempo songs. And again, it's another strong performance by Pia. She even hits higher notes with such ease. She is quickly becoming one of this season's front runners with her vocal prowess.

James Durbin - "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney : As James performed this song, I think back to last season and remember Crystal Bowersox singing this song, hitting it out of the park. Let's see if James will have similar success. Despite some of his unfortunate comments during Hollywood week, I think James changed a lot of people's opinions of himself last week. And I think even more people are becoming Durbin fans after this week's performance. James picked a very smart song by one of the world's most enduring singers. I really enjoyed his look this week and I enjoyed his performance even more. His vocals were spot on, he didn't overdue it with his rocker-esque screech, and he presented himself quite well. Another strong week for James.

Haley Rinehart - "Blue" by LeAnn Rimes : Haley is one contestant who has sort of flown under the radar, but she has a unique sound to her voice that is unforgettable. However, she has to know when to use that uniqueness, otherwise it sounds off. Whether it was nerves or what-have-you, she's pitchy right from the get-go. She almost sounds like a strangled hound dog at times with her howl. Needless to say, I am not a fan of this performance and this song just not suit Haley all that well. She thinks she did well and had fun, but it did not translate well on the Idol stage. I think she could find herself in trouble during result's night.

Jacob Lusk - "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly : Here's one song that should be permanently banned from being performed on the Idol stage from here on out - because it's been performed too darn much, and to mixed results, too. However, I'm not upset that Jacob is performing it because maybe he'll be able to work his magic on it. It seems that thus far, everything he's performed has turned into a gospel affair, which is definitely not a bad thing. But tonight, it did not work. I actually thought the second half of the song was better than the first and I wasn't a huge fan of the falsetto-portion of the song, but he did seem to get things together at the end. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to save his performance this week. However, he's in no danger of going home anytime soon.

Thia Megia - "Smile" version by Michael Jackson : I don't entirely get Thia yet - and I understand that's how many people feel about her at this stage of the competition. A lot of people are wondering about her personality, because at this point it looks as if she doesn't have one. Yes, it's obvious she loves to sing and she is totally passionate about it. But we don't know much else about her, do we? What other hobbies does she enjoy, does she like school, etc? I mean there's no question she's an excellent singer. However I don't think she is connected to the American audience like she could be. Tonight's performance was great again, albeit not too memorable and kind of sleepy. Let's see if she's able to pick up the pace a little bit more one of these weeks.

Stefano Langone - "Lately" by Stevie Wonder : I have really been finding myself enjoying Stefano as a performer lately. I did not get a chance to comment on the wildcard performances of last week, but my god, the passion and soul he poured into that wildcard performance that solidified his spot in the top 13. It was well-deserved and so I am looking forward to more awesome performances by Stefano, now that I know that he is capable of such. Now this week wasn't quite as memorable as last for Stefano, but I did find his performance of this Stevie Wonder song to be enjoyable. I liked how the tempo picked up, although it was a tad-bit corny. However, he sang it well and every note was spot on. Now THIS is how you perform an up-tempo song.

Karen Rodriguez - "If I Could Fall In Love" by Selena : There is something very intriguing about Karen and I think it could be her bubbly personality. I enjoy her smile and she appears to be a very positive person. Now Karen is an example of someone who's personality we can connect to. Let's see if she's able to connect to the audience with her singing this week. All in all, I wouldn't say it was too bad. It certainly wasn't her best vocal. She seemed to struggle with the lower-end notes in the song, particularly in the beginning. It was a bit of an underwhelming performance from Karen and I know she is capable of much more.

Scotty McCreery - "The River" by Garth Brooks : Another one of this season's proverbial favorites, who had a bit of a rocky road, particularly during Hollywood week, but now seems to be hitting his stride. You know what would really surprise me one week, if he did anything but a country number. I am sure later on that could happen, especially if there are more specific themes. But Scotty is in a league of his own and totally excels on any country song he sings (except when he doesn't know the lyrics). I'm not a huge country fan but I've always enjoyed Garth Brooks' songs. So needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed Scotty's performance this week. It was a song that virtually everybody knows and he performed it splendidly.

Naima Adedapo - "Umbrella" by Rihanna : There have been a few contestants who have picked questionable song choices this week and Naima can be included in that bunch. It reminds me of Jordan Dorsey singing "OMG" and Ta-Tynisa Wilson singing "Only Girl" last week. These are not songs that caters to an individual's vocals. And Naima's performance was all over the place. However, she did something different with the song with the infusion of reggae into it and the little bit of rapping. And her dance moves were pretty cool. No, it wasn't the best vocal this season, but she made it very entertaining and it proved to be a nice way to cap off the night. I think Naima will be around for a few more weeks, at least.

Top 13 Performance Rankings:
1: Casey Abrams
2: James Durbin
3: Pia Toscano
4: Scotty McCreery
5: Naima Adedapo
6: Thia Megia
7: Stefano Langone
8: Lauren Alaina
9: Jacob Lusk
10: Paul McDonald
11: Karen Rodriguez
12: Ashthon Jones
13: Haley Rinehart

UPDATE: Ashthon Jones is sent home during tonight's results show. The judge's do not invoke the save.

American Idol 10 - Top 12 Girls

2011-03-03T10:51:00.004-05:00

Here we are back at it again for another recap, this time the top 12 girls. The semi-finals this season are going to be much shorter, as tonight there will be a massive cut in contestants. We'll go from 24 down to 10 in one night! There is talk that next week, a wildcard show will take place which will allow two contestants previously eliminated the chance to join the ten that made it through and form this season's top 12. So we'll see how that all pans out next week. As for last night's girl's performances, here's how it all went down:

Ta-Tynisa Wilson - "Only Girl (In the World)" by Rihanna : I guess I am a bit perplexed as to why Ta-Tynisa chose this song because it is not a song that really caters to a person's vocal abilities (much like Jordan two night's ago). It's such a fast-paced song that she seemed out of breath at times with it and she had difficulty keeping up. Plus the background singers and herself did not match up very well together. Her voice just didn't sound very good performing the song and it was just okay for me. It does not look like she'll be moving forward.

Naima Adedapo - "Summertime" by Ella Fitzgerald : Another questionable song choice, particularly when Fantasia in season two absolutely killed it, making it one of the greatest Idol performances of all time. So you know those comparisons are already going to take place. I actually thought she sang it pretty well, but I'm not sure that she made it all that memorable. She created this jazzy, loungy feel to it which is a pretty interesting combination. Naima definitely proved that she has the pipes to sing such a song; now we'll see if the voting audience connected with her.

Kendra Chantelle - "Impossible" by Christina Aguilera : Kendra had a couple of memorable performances prior to the green mile selection show, including her rendition of "Georgia on my Mind" and her duet with Paul McDonald on "Blackbird." So you know she has the capabilities of doing something special this season. And there's a lot of risk in doing a Christina Aguilera song but Kendra proved she was up to the challenge. She was in tune, she made the performance interesting, and she's got a pretty darn good voice. Nice job to Kendra.

Rachel Zevita - "Criminal" by Fiona Apple : The judges and/or producers in previous seasons (and to some extent this season) have always been on contestants to turn songs into their own. But, you don't want a song completely rearranged into something that makes it unrecognizable from the original. And that's exactly what Rachel did with "Criminal." I liked her attempt with the song, but it was just too much. I agree with Steven's assessment that it turned into a broadway-type performance, whether Rachel wanted to hear it or not. It just did not work on the Idol stage.

Karen Rodriguez - "Hero" by Mariah Carey : So Karen did something to turn this Mariah classic into her own; she sang half of it in Spanish! Prior to tonight, I didn't think she had much of a chance to make it to the top 12, but she just might have a fighting chance after last night's performance. I don't know that she did anything else different with the song, other than sing half of it in Spanish, but she proved that she can sing with the very best of the best on the girl's side of the competition. I certainly thought she made the song interesting to listen to.

Lauren Turner - "Seven Day Fool" by Etta James : Now here's a contestant on the girl's side in which I don't know very much about! I don't know if she received as much air time compared to the rest of the girls, but she proved with this performance that she belongs within the top 24, at least. It was such a fun, upbeat little ditty and she made it so contemporary! It's as if you could listen to that on the radio today, it sounded that good. Now that's how you perform an old classic like an Etta James song.

Ashton Jones - "Love Over Me" by Monica : This is one Monica song I am not familiar with, so Ashton is doing good by me in picking a more unfamiliar Monica song (at least in my eyes). I mean, she sang it pretty well, I'll give her that. But I don't know if it's a performance I am going to remember again tomorrow. Actually I don't remember any of her other performances prior to tonight! So that doesn't bode all that well for her. I will say this, she performed this Monica song pretty well, even though I wasn't a huge fan of the song when all is said and done.

Julie Zorrilla - "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson : There is always a risk in choosing a Kelly Clarkson song on this show, considering that she is THE original American Idol! If you choose such a song, you have to nail it, and sadly Julie did not. There were a lot of high expectations for Julie - she did such a stellar job during Hollywood week. But alas, it did not pan out as well during the first live show. It just wasn't the right song for her style. She was off-pitch and sharp in spots and it just did not flow together as well as when Kelly sang it originally. It just did not work.

Haley Rinehart - "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys : She has a really unique female voice, doesn't she? I remember her being rather up and down during Hollywood week, so we'll see if she can step it up here. It usually never bodes well for a contestant to perform an Alicia Keys song - nobody ever seems to have much success doing it! And I'd have to say the same for Haley. Right off the bat I knew it was going to be the wrong song for her. It just did not suit her vocal style. It almost seemed a bit too theatrical for me, as well. She should have tried a little less harder to prove herself - and to pick a different song, too!

Thia Megia - "Out Here on my Own" from the musical Fame : Thia is an amazing vocalist for someone so young, but some people do not find her singing to be all that endearing. Let's see if she's able to prove herself to those folks tonight. I actually thought it was a pretty decent performance. Maybe she wants to focus her talents towards broadway singing, because she performs those kinds of songs quite well. Her performance seemed to be controlled more so than usual, as if she was holding back a bit, and I didn't mind that at all. Nice first try on the big stage for Thia.

Lauren Alaina - "Turn on the Radio" by Reba McEntire : Here we have one of this season's front-runners, even Steven has her picked as being the winner already - and that was after her audition! Well, she has a long way to go yet, but she's off to an exceptional start. I actually thought she made a smart move by choosing a Reba song as opposed to choosing a Mariah, Whitney, or Alicia Keys song like a few of the others. She knows exactly who she is as a singer and she proved that she can sing country, too! It was an enjoyable, upbeat performance and she should glide right into this season's top 12.

Pia Toscano - "I'll Stand By You" by the Pretenders : Pia had that memorable moment in Hollywood week when she was with two other girls performing the song "Grenade" by Bruno Mars. Their performance of that song made me enjoy that song all the more. So we know Pia can definitely sing, and she proved it by knocking "I'll Stand By You" right out of the park. It was soulful, sensual, and just plain good. She was very deserving of that standing ovation from the judges and it looks like she's capable of going very far in this competition.

The Top 12 Girl's Performance Rankings:
1: Pia Toscano
2: Lauren Turner
3: Kendra Chantelle
4: Lauren Alaina
5: Thia Megia
6: Karen Rodriguez
7: Naima Adedapo
8: Ashton Jones
9: Ta-Tynisa Wilson
10: Hailey Rinehart
11: Rachel Zevita
12: Julie Zorrilla

So there we have it; the top 24 performance shows are in the books. The semi-final results shows are always so unpredictable - last year we definitely had a few shocking eliminations at this stage. So we'll see how it all goes down this season; especially when 14 contestants will be sent packing tonight! Enjoy the fun! I will recap the wildcard show next week.

American Idol 10 - Top 12 Boys

2011-03-02T10:53:00.003-05:00

So I haven't had much time to blog lately, and that's especially the case this week with me being on afternoon shift (not exactly the best week for the American Idol live shows to start!). But I will do my best to get through last night's episode, where the top 12 boys sang from a pretty wide-open theme. There were a few stand-outs as well as some disappointments. Let's see how it all shook down:

Clint Jun Gamboa - "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder : I don't know if I was totally impressed with Clint's rendition of a song that's been overly-done on American Idol through the years. Yes, he definitely can sing as I did not detect too many botched notes. However, he did tend to overdue it with the runs and over sang at times. It is a very energetic song to perform and he definitely had people clap along. He certainly is no karaoke singer and proves that he has the vocal chops but I wasn't totally won over quite yet.

Jovany Barreto - "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain : The song is kind of a safe one for Jovany to pick as he did not change it up too much from the original. I was actually pretty bored by his performance and it was just okay. There's no question he can sing; heck they all can if they made it to this point in the competition. But he has to bring a lot more fire and intensity if he wants to make it further than the top 24. It probably would've done him better if he selected a song a little more upbeat, or if it had a more upbeat chorus. "I'll Be" is pretty much a simple, syrupy ballad and it did not do Jovany any justice.

Jordan Dorsey - "OMG" by Usher : I'll let you in on a little secret (last night's episode was actually taped this past Friday!)... so, spoilers were released as to which songs each of the boys picked. Usually I can't wait to find these things out, so I checked it out and to me, Jordan's choice of this song probably left me the most bewildered. It isn't a song that allows an individual to really show off their vocal abilities. I mean sure, it's a fun, upbeat song but it does not cater to a singers vocals. And just as I figured last week, it was not a good song for Jordan. Unfortunately I don't think he'll make it beyond this week.

Tim Halperin - "Streetcorner Symphony (Come on Over)" by Rob Thomas : I can honestly say that from out of the top 12 guys, Tim is probably the least I know about. He kind of flew under the radar, even though he did get screen time prior to the live rounds starting. I'm not sure that this particular song did Tim any justice. It started off pretty underwhelming and it kind of ate him up. I don't think he's all that comfortable performing on stage without a piano in front of him. It was just an okay performance for me as he could've done much more to the song to make it his own. To me at this point, he's just an average singer.

Brett Loewenstern - "Light my Fire" by the Doors : So Brett is one contestant we've been following right from the very beginning and could be considered as one of the early favorites. I must say his song choice was a little odd as I figured he would pick something a little more contemporary. However, I think he did a pretty decent job with it. I wouldn't say it was his best vocal, particularly early on in the song. But I think he did make a pretty positive impression on the voting public tonight (if he didn't already). Brett is definitely unique and different, and that should help in his favor.

James Durbin - "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" by Judas Priest : James is a bit of a controversial contestant, especially in regards to his stage-parents comment during Hollywood week. However, he does have a bit of an endearing side to him, too. He really wants to make it big with a singing career. And honestly, out of all of the male contestants tonight, I think James' performance was the best of the night. It was controlled, he didn't overdue it with the rock screech and it was an absolute fun song to hear James perform. It was as if he was already a professional on stage. He certainly hit a home run with this song.

Robbie Rosen - "Arms of an Angel" by Sarah McLachlan : Robbie was one of those stand-out younger contestants featured during the early rounds of the show who could go far, if he can just get through the semi-finals! He did a pretty decent job with the song vocally, although it wasn't totally perfect. However, it was a boring and safe song choice. If I would've watched it live, I probably would have been in danger of dozing off. He needs to carefully choose his songs; there's no question he can sing great ballads, but it needs to be a ballad with a little more energy, too.

Scotty McCreery - "Letters from Home" by John Michael Montgomery : Scotty needs no formal introduction; he could quite possibly be this season's most famous contestant thus far. No real surprises from Scotty this week as he stays true to his roots and selects a country song. And I think that's good because if he chose to take a risk and deviate away from country and fails miserably, he could never recover. And he did a solid job performing "Letters from Home." I wouldn't say it was anything outstanding, but it was much better than a lot of the performances we saw last night. He certainly has great quality and control with his vocals.

Stefano Langone - "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars : Stefano is going very contemporary with this Bruno Mars hit and he does an admiral job with it. Obviously it wasn't perfect particularly in the end with that falsetto, but it was pretty decent. I enjoy it more when a contestant chooses a song that's more relevant to today - not that there's anything wrong with songs in the past. But more people, particularly the younger voters, can relate to a modern song more. I really enjoy the tenor sound to his voice - he's another contestant that can stray higher in his range and still be comfortable doing so.

Paul McDonald - "Maggie Mae" by Rod Stewart : Here's a contestant who has the ability to make anyone smile when he sings. Yes, he's quirky and unique and he's also a pretty good performer. Just look at the way he acted on stage last night; just like a true professional. I think "Maggie Mae" is a song that suited Paul well and he did an exceptional job choosing it. And yes, the way he moves around on stage is a little quirky as well; fits in perfectly with Paul's style. I think he already has a big audience following and he should be able to advance quite far.

Jacob Lusk - "House is Not a Home" by Luther Vandross : Here's the guy that is totally passionate about singing and really gets so emotionally involved within a song. Earlier on, we did not really know too much about Jacob, that is until he blew the box out of "God Bless the Child." Now Jacob has become a household name. He was back in true form last night singing "House is Not a Home," infusing his own style into the song, yet still keeping true to the original. He is such a delightful contestant and honestly, a breath of fresh air to the Idol stage. At this point there's nothing that Jacob cannot do.

Casey Abrams - "I Put a Spell On You" by Jay Hawkins : My goodness, what a potentially great season we have unfolding, and we haven't even seen the girls perform yet! Casey is another one of those unique birds, as we saw him perform with a large bass instrument during Hollywood and do exceptionally well with it! I liked it last night that he took an old classic and brought it to the forefront on American Idol and knocked it out of the park. Was it as unique memorable as some of his Hollywood performances? Probably not, but it was still a great way to end last night's episode.

Top 12 Boys Performance Rankings:
1: James Durbin
2: Jacob Lusk
3: Scotty McCreery
4: Casey Abrams
5: Paul McDonald
6: Stefano Langone
7: Clint Jun Gamboa
8: Brett Loewenstern
9: Robbie Rosen
10: Jovany Barreto
11: Tim Halperin
12: Jordan Dorsey

And there we have it, the first night of live performances is in the books (although it wasn't technically live). All in all, it was a decent night with the latter half of the episode being the best. Tonight, it's all up to the girls to show off their vocal talents. Be sure to check back here tomorrow for a recap of that.

President Obama in Marquette Tomorrow

2011-02-09T19:30:00.003-05:00

Marquette has been in the news a lot lately. Last week it involved the threat of a mass shooting on the Northern Michigan University campus (which thankfully, it was only an on-line threat) and now this week with the expected arrival of President Obama to Marquette on Thursday. Both items have made national headlines and I am happy to say that Obama's trip to the Upper Peninsula will bring bigger headlines and will involve a much more positive storyline than last week's story. Needless to say, security is heightened around Marquette and Northern Michigan University with the president's arrival. Air Force One is expected to land at Sawyer International Airport sometime around 11:45 AM. His visit will be short, but it's an exciting time for a region like the Upper Peninsula. It's not often that a sitting president of the United States visits.

So exactly why is President Obama visiting a small town like Marquette during the middle of winter? It involves a subject that he highlighted in his state of the union speech involving wireless internet access to rural areas. His goal is to see 98 percent of rural areas in the country have access to wireless internet. It's a lofty goal, but the city of Marquette and Northern Michigan University are perfect examples where it actually works. NMU has a WiMax wireless broadband internet system that allows students, faculty, and staff to connect to the internet county-wide. Northern is the only known university to set up such a network for its campus and President Obama is looking to highlight NMU's technological advances. There are also several tech-savvy businesses in the Marquette area that Obama will be visiting to see how their businesses have thrived thanks to the internet. It will definitely be an exciting time to be on NMU's campus.

Obama's visit will be the first time an incumbent president of the United States has come to the Upper Peninsula since George W. Bush campaigned in July 2004 at the Superior Dome. Prior to that, it wasn't until 1911, when William H. Taft visited the U.P. So as you can see, it's a pretty monumental occasion to get any president to come up here. And actually, out of all presidential visits to the Upper Peninsula, this will mark the first time that an incumbent president will NOT be campaigning. That's a pretty remarkable fact in of itself.

Many of the events set up for President Obama in Marquette are not open to the public and the speaking engagement at Vandament Arena is by invitation only. So for those lucky enough to get an invite or to be at one of the destinations where Obama will be visiting, it should prove to be one of those once-in-a-lifetime events. Marquette will be buzzing with excitement tomorrow, even though President Obama will only be in town for roughly three hours. Still, his visit will linger with the community for sometime. And with Marquette continuing to get a ton of press for being such an accommodating, livable community, having President Obama visit will help all the more in attracting new people to the area and also to help launch new businesses on the heals of the area's internet capabilities.

Update: Classes Resume at NMU

2011-02-03T13:05:00.003-05:00

A day after an on-line anonymous blog posting targeted the Northern Michigan University campus for a potential shooting rampage, life gradually returns to normal for students, faculty, and staff of the university. Still, that doesn't mean the anxiety and jitters will immediately go away. It's never easy for things to return back to normal after such a frightening experience. Yes, there was no shooting, no hostage situation, and nobody was injured. But just knowing there's a potential threat out there and not knowing when or where it's going to take place is certainly scary. All in all, I must say NMU handled the situation well and the campus was locked down in no time.

Last night, Northern officials along with NMU Public Safety determined that the threat posted against the university was no longer serious enough to cancel classes for a second day. It appears that the blog posted targeting NMU was also similar in fashion to other threats against other schools in the United States. The investigation continues as to whom sent the message and whether the posting actually was credible. At the time, NMU officials felt that the posting was credible and called on a lock-down of the campus immediately after being tipped of the posting. The decision from NMU caused a ripple-effect across the city as all of Marquette public schools were closed in addition to Marquette General Hospital increasing its security measures.

As always when something like this happens in a community, rumors start flying about circumstances that just did not occur. One involved a hostage situation on campus, others involved deaths, the city of Marquette being on lockdown, and the need of the National Guard coming in to help deal with the situation. All of those were unfounded and simply not true. You have to wonder if people like to stir up even more trouble than what's already happening. They're taking advantage of a troubling situation to get noticed and to help spread rumors, which only help to make things worse. Thankfully everything ended up well in the Marquette community and all that the situation involved was this blog posting that was threatening to the NMU campus community.

Of course there are going to be those people who think the situation could've been handled better. It seems that no matter what happens and how quickly an area is evacuated and locked down, there's always room for improvement. All in all, I think NMU handled the situation very well and alerted people in a very fast manner. The threat targeted the campus for 10:11 AM and there was little, if any activity going on at that time, except students being locked down in their residential halls. What more can you expect in a situation like the one that occurred yesterday? As the saying goes, alls well that ends well. But that doesn't mean the anxiety experienced by students, faculty, and staff at NMU will be leaving right away. And who can blame them.

'Serious Threat' Closes NMU Campus

2011-02-02T10:44:00.006-05:00

It's a crazy world we live in these days - as exhibited by the September 11 attacks on our country, attacks on our public transportation systems, and school shootings. A few months ago, there was a school hostage situation that hit close to home to many of us in the Upper Peninsula at Marinette High School. The hostage taker was killed from a self-inflicted gun shot wound, while the hostages themselves were uninjured. Thankfully that situation wasn't any worse than it could have been, but it was still bad enough. And having a situation like that happening so close to home really shakes a person up. And now we're dealing with a serious situation in the city of Marquette today...

The campus of Northern Michigan University has been shut down due to a serious threat it had received via a blog. According to NMU officials, they are unsure as to which part of the campus was being targeted so as a precaution, they have shut down the entire campus. The message posted on the blog apparently said that they would break the record of those killed during the shootings on the Virginia Tech campus during a rampage at NMU. One of the local news stations in the Marquette area, WLUC TV6, has not been able to locate the blog in question and so it is not known exactly what the blog says. It is very evident that officials at NMU have seen the blog posting, however. But NMU officials are taking the situation very seriously by closing the campus and restricting all activities until everything can be investigated.

In addition, because the NMU campus is close to several of the Marquette Area Public School buildings, Marquette schools will be dismissing early (most of the buildings have already released students as of this time). Marquette General Hospital is also very close to the NMU campus so they have greatly increased security in and around the facility but are not totally closed. Access can be made at five different points within the MGH building complex. If you have appointments, Marquette General is still open, but you may need to search around for an access point.

For continuing updates on the threat posed to the campus of NMU, please follow a few of the sites I have linked. I will not be able to update throughout the day, so these other sites will be your best bet. As of now, this has just been a safety precaution taken by officials at NMU to prevent a potentially serious situation to its students and staff. In this day and age, you can never be too safe. And yes, it just goes to show you that a situation like this can happen here in the Upper Peninsula. Thankfully, the authorities were alerted of the situation before something actually could happen. Preventive measures need to be taken to avert a potentially terrible situation here in Marquette.

UPDATE (12 PM): As per some rumors floating around out there - there has not been a hostage situation on NMU's campus and no arrests have taken place as of yet. The situation is under control. NMU officials remind people to stay away from the campus today and a determination on whether classes will be held tomorrow will be made later in the day. Marquette General is still open, just access to the various MGH building is restricted to five entryways. The Marquette YMCA facility is also closed, due to its close proximity to NMU's Berry Events Center. This closure also includes Marquette's Lakeview Arena. Traffic in and around NMU's campus and various Marquette Public School facilities has been hectic so please avoid those areas, if you can.

-WLUC TV-6 Facebook Page - Their website is currently down due to traffic demand. Their website is uppermichiganssource.com

-The Marquette Mining Journal

Changes for the Blog in 2011

2011-01-31T12:20:00.004-05:00

Hey folks, I know that things have been a little more quiet than usual here on Luke's Ponderings, but I am looking to start ramping up the content featured here again. Also, I will be implementing a slight change in content on a couple of the days. Wednesdays will feature television AND/OR music content, as opposed to those topics being separated during different days. Thursdays will feature a brand new topic here on Luke's Ponderings - sports. Sports is another topic I am definitely involved in and look forward to discussing a plethora of sports topics here on the blog in the week's to come. I know not everyone enjoys reading sports topics, but I hope for those that don't, it will help bring in a new audience for those that do. And in turn, I am hoping that this slight change will keep my writing motivation up, too.

I know I promised a recap of the Top 10 songs of 2010 as part of my Songs I Dig feature blog and it is still in the works! In fact, I am over half-way done with it; I just need to recap the remaining four songs left and it will be posted. So stay tuned for that. I will also be looking at incorporating a new look to the blog in the months ahead. So there are many new things to look forward to in this new year.

Just a few things I wanted to share with you as we head into the second month of 2011. And as always, thanks for your interest and loyalty to Luke's Ponderings. Believe me, I have plenty more in store for the months ahead.

American Idol 10 - Auditions Continue

2011-01-31T11:40:00.004-05:00

The second week of America Idol's newest season commenced last week with auditions taking place in Milwaukee and Nashville. For those of you who may be getting tired of the audition rounds already, you only have a couple of more weeks in which to suffer. According to the schedule, the Hollywood week shows begin airing on February 16. Actually, I find myself to be enjoying the audition shows this season more than ever. So far, there have been far less mind-numbingly bad singers featured and more of the quality singers shown. So that is a big plus for me. Still, some 50 plus singers made it out of the Milwaukee auditions and how many actually made it on screen, probably less than that? Surely Idol producers could've been able to squeeze in a few more of those hopefuls in.

Although one of the intriguing factors to seeing the awful contestants that couldn't sing was to hear the insults Simon would retort at them. Obviously that's missing and nobody on the panel really fills those shoes, although Randy does seem to be stepping up and being harsher in his criticism of some of those contestants. However, this may be one of the reasons why fewer of the bad singers are being featured, because the interaction between the current panel and these contestants just doesn't make for as good TV as it once did. Still, no matter how you slice it, those contestants who can't sing will still get treated the way that they deserve to be treated, regardless of who is sitting at the judge's table. It's just the way the game is played.

As for the better singers who made it out of the Milwaukee auditions with a Golden Ticket, here are a few of them who caught my eye. Scott McCreery is the 16-year old with the freakishly-low country singing voice. Clearly the show has not had a country-sounding male contestant with the talent that Scott has and he could go far. Naima Adedapo is the 25-year old working at the Milwaukee Summerfest Amphitheater, helping to support her family. It has the potential to be a real nice rages to riches kind of story for her. I really liked her soulful sound. Thia Megia is one of the 15-year olds featured on the show with a strong, confident voice. She was also on America's Got Talent a few seasons ago. Molly DeWolf Swenson is the 22-year old White House Intern, currently working for the Obama administration. She really surprised me with her vocal talent and I look forward to seeing what more she can do in this competition. Steven Begun is the 27-year old CPA and another one that surprised me with his voice. I thought he was going to be one of those awful singers but was anything but. Scott Dangerfield is the unassuming 22-year old that wowed the judges. I don't know if he has me entirely sold yet, but he definitely had a good audition. And last but not least, Chris Medina, the contestant who's fiance was involved in a car accident that resulted in her having a brain injury. It was a touching and heartfelt story to end the night, but I am hoping this doesn't turn into another Danny Gokey situation.

Now, for the contestants featured on Thursday's Nashville audition episode that caught my eye include: Chelsee Oaks and Rob Bolin - a pair of contestants who were once involved with each other but whom are now separated. They both sang well together and individually and both deserved a shot to move forward. Adrienne Beasley, the 22-year old African-American girl who was adopted by white parents at the age of two. She had a wonderful country-sounding vibe to her voice and could go far. Jackie Wilson is the 28-year old contestant who had a stunningly-strong audition that had the judges clapping after she was done. Paul McDonald didn't have as long of an audition as some of the others, but he's another one to watch with his smoky vocals. And last but not least, Lauren Alaina, the 15-year old contestant that sure didn't look or sound 15 years old to me. She sounded way beyond her years and has already been chosen as "the one" by Steven Tyler. Sure, her audition may have been out of this league, but let's wait until she has to sing live before we get way ahead of ourselves here.

So yes, there are definitely a few hopefuls in the midst of all those auditioning for this season's American Idol. We look to have a good crop of singers and it'll be interesting to see how things get whittled down as we head towards Hollywood Week and the live voting rounds. I honestly don't know what will make up the semi-final rounds, whether viewers will be voting or not or how many contestants will make up that particular round. All of that appears to be a surprise for the viewers that we'll just have to wait out until it comes. In the meantime, be sure and enjoy the audition episodes this coming week! Let's see who steps forward as front-runners in these upcoming episodes.

A Brand New TV

2011-01-31T10:40:00.004-05:00

I've had my eye on a new television for awhile; ever since I moved into my house. The living room can accommodate a big TV, but I made due with my 27" Toshiba that I had for awhile - the one I received as a gift from my parents six years ago. It's still a nice TV; a flat screen with a nice picture. But compared to today's TV's, it was still a behemoth to move around. And it isn't compatible to today's HDTV standards. As I mentioned, I had my eyes on a new TV for awhile but I wanted to wait until after Christmas before I bit the bullet. Now I finally have that TV I had been looking forward to having.

Best Buy opened a store in Marquette this past November and I had been keeping my eye on their sale's paper for a good deal on a TV. It seems like every week, they have a deal on a different brand of TV. A few weeks back, I was looking into the Best Buy brand on TV's, the Insignia. Overall it had decent reviews, but they weren't over the top. So I decided to hold out for a little while longer. Then, last week they had a sale on the Sharp brand of TV's, specifically the Quattron, which uses a fourth color subpixel, that being yellow, in addition to red, blue, and green. It produces a much clearer and more vibrant picture. I went into Best Buy and took a look at the picture in person. Yes, the Quattron TV's had an equally, if not better picture than the rest of the TV's. I was pretty happy with how they looked, but I wanted to ponder my decision a little more, so I left.

Not only was I looking at a much bigger TV, but one that also conserved energy. TV manufacturers nowadays build TV's with LED technology, thus using less electricity to run. The LED technology wasn't quite there last year - if it was, those kinds of TV's were way expensive. LED TV's have come down in price since, but they are still higher than their plasma counterparts. But hey, no matter what you buy in regards to LED technology, it will always be more expensive in comparison to something that uses the standard methods of powering something up. I wanted a TV at least 50" big, so I settled on a Sharp Quattron TV that was 52" in size. I suppose I could have went with a 55" or even a 60" TV, but I was satisfied with the 52". So, I ordered the TV on-line and within a few days, went and picked it up at the Best Buy store in Marquette. It was as easy as that.

You can either put the TV on a pedestal that comes with the TV or mount it on a wall. I had it on the pedestal for a few days but ultimately wanted it mounted to the wall. And honestly, it looks the best of all being on the wall. I got rid of the old clunky TV cabinet which the old TV sat on and purchased a new shelf unit that mounts to the wall where the cable box and DVD/VCR player sits upon. Everything in front of the living room takes up so much less room now, I've added more space in there. I waited awhile to buy a new TV for my house and it was certainly worth the wait. Now I'll able to enjoy the comforts of watching anything I want on that TV for many years to come. I certainly have to regrets in making that purchase.

U.P. Packer Pride Runs Deep

2011-01-24T16:55:00.004-05:00

In some locations from the U.P., the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin is an hour away. Where I live, it's three hours away, which in comparison to bigger cities like Detroit and Chicago, a very short drive. So as you can imagine, there are a lot of Green Bay Packer fans in Upper Michigan. It's probably the largest following of fans for one professional team here in the U.P., with the Red Wings and Lions closely behind. Generations of Packer fans have listened to the games on radio, personally gone to Lambeau Field to watch games, and faithfully watch them on television. Me personally, I am not a Packers fan and never have been. But the loyalty to the team from my fellow Yoopers is amazingly strong, in both times of good and bad.

As you can imagine after yesterday's victory against the Chicago Bears, Packer fans are gleaming with pride today. The team finished off the Bears at Solider Field in the NFC Championship Game with a score of 21-14. They will now face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 6 in Dallas, Texas. It's the Packers first Super Bowl appearance since 1997, when they lost to the Denver Broncos. As a Detroit Lions fan, it's always difficult for me to root for the Packers all that often. The Packers and Lions are conference foes and in most recent years, the Packers have won most of the contests between the two teams (if you don't follow the NFL that much, the Lions have been horrid the past ten years). However, I must admit that I was rooting for the Packers to win more so than the Bears yesterday. I don't know what it was; maybe to see Aaron Rodgers have success or to have the city of Green Bay experience the euphoria of the Packers having this much success again.

I remember the Packers' last two Super Bowl appearances in the mid-1990's extremely well. Brett Favre was the quaterback and Mike Holmgren was the coach. There was so much Packer pride going around it was crazy. I was in high school and the kids that were Packers fans were so boisterous about the team it was driving me bonkers. Back then, the Lions were still mediocre but they weren't as bad as they have been the past ten years. So it was always tough to hear the Packers fans yuck it up during those two successful seasons. But then, when the Packers lost in the Super Bowl in 1997, they weren't so boisterous anymore. But now, with maturity and understanding the fierce loyalty that Packers fans hold, I am compelled to show unity with those Packer fans as they march towards the Super Bowl.

It's hard to say exactly whom I will be rooting for come Super Bowl Sunday. I may have been rooting just a little bit for the Packers this past Sunday, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep that up two Sunday's from now. But hey, how can you not admire the way the Packers have played in the playoffs thus far. They certainly have a legitimate shot to win it all, especially considering their playoff performance. And all this for a team just a few hours away from the Upper Peninsula. You can't say that about any other professional sports teams in existence.

American Idol Season 10 Begins

2011-01-20T18:13:00.004-05:00

For American Idol fans, once January rolls around, you know it's not too much longer before the new season starts. And sure enough, last night the premiere episode of the new season aired on FOX, featuring a new judge's panel and a new enthusiasm for the show. Preliminary ratings numbers from last night show that the show continues to lose some of its ratings compared to the season premiere from a year ago, but with 25 million people still tuning in, I'd say that's a pretty healthy number. Heck, the show may never again see the 30 million viewer benchmark like in previous seasons, but if it can halt the ratings drop that has been witnessed during the past few years, the show will be okay for awhile.

I think the biggest thing that was on all of the minds of Idol fans was how well the new judges would do. Aerosmith front-man Steven Tyler exceeded my expectations and proved to be a very valuable addition to the judge's panel. He was funny, witty, and yet constructive when he needed to be. No, he's no Simon Cowel - in fact, I don't think anyone should try to fit Simon's shoes. Those that make up the panel this year are doing exactly what they should be doing - being themselves and not trying to replace someone. Jennifer Lopez also proved to do well, although she did have some difficulty saying no to a few of the contestants whose singing wasn't up to par. I think she got the hang of it after awhile. I think she'll end up being the nicest judge of the group - the one to be motivating and not so harsh when a contestant isn't singing the greatest. However, I do think she'll be tough when she needs to be.

The remaining judge on the panel has been a constant since the show began nearly ten years ago and actually, it was nice to see one familiar face still there. Randy Jackson shines the most during the audition rounds and he tends to lose his luster once we reach the live rounds with some of his repetitive critiques and phrases. However last night, Randy certainly did not lose his touch, still using his usual "dawg" tendencies and turning away contestants that honestly did not have a chance. While Stephen and Jennifer fall pray to the "puppy dog pouts" of certain contestants, Randy stays firm and turns contestants away because their vocal abilities just aren't there. He often says "this just isn't for you" when describing their singing skills. Although he's no Simon Cowel either, he may be stepping into that roll in his own way.

As for the contestants themselves, there was nobody that really stood out to me as having a jaw-dropping audition quite yet. It's just too soon to tell who might wind up being the favorite in these early rounds - but once we get into Hollywood week, then the favorites begin to sprout up. Time will tell on who becomes the stand-outs on this season of American Idol, but all in all I'd have to say that this season is starting out much better than I had hoped. The judges seem to know what they are doing and aren't annoying the heck out of me just yet. Steven Tyler surpassed my expectations as a judge and Jennifer Lopez did fine out of the gate, too. Let's hope this momentum continues this season and we'll end up with one of the best season's yet.

Snow Clean-Up Methods

2010-12-28T18:41:00.003-05:00

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

2010-12-25T16:35:00.005-05:00

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

2010-12-23T19:33:00.007-05:00

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

2010-11-29T18:37:00.004-05:00

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

2010-11-18T20:18:00.005-05:00

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

2010-11-18T17:00:00.005-05:00

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

2010-11-18T16:29:00.003-05:00

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

2010-11-18T16:08:00.004-05:00

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.

2010-11-04T19:54:00.005-04:00

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

2010-11-02T19:26:00.004-04:00

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

2010-10-30T16:33:00.004-04:00

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

2010-10-30T15:53:00.005-04:00

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

2010-10-30T15:04:00.004-04:00

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

2010-10-26T19:02:00.005-04:00

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

2010-10-22T20:17:00.004-04:00

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

2010-10-22T19:53:00.004-04:00

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

2010-10-21T20:33:00.004-04:00

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

2010-10-21T20:14:00.003-04:00

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

2010-10-19T20:36:00.005-04:00

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

2010-10-12T11:56:00.004-04:00

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

2010-10-12T11:20:00.006-04:00

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

2010-10-11T11:31:00.003-04:00

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

2010-10-11T10:25:00.003-04:00

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

2010-10-10T18:58:00.006-04:00

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.

Fishing Adventures

2010-10-07T22:37:00.004-04:00

Recently I've had fishing on my mind and how I'd like to start going again. It was a reminder of all the fun experiences I had when I was a kid and proved to be a great activity growing up. It's been years since I last cast out a fishing rod but it really would not take much for me to start going again. I have a fishing rod back at my parents house and all I'd have to do is buy the lure, find a river, and start fishing! I'm really not sure that I'd actually keep the fish because I don't really have much of an appetite for fresh fish, only when it comes to fish sticks. But still, the excitement of having a fish on your line and trying to reel it in - it's really a great feeling.

I believe the last time I went out on a fishing adventure was when my sister and I did some fishing near the old family farmhouse a short distance from my parents house. This was back when I was in high school and she in college - so over ten years ago. A river boarders the property line and there had been reports of trout in the river in the past. More often than not we never ended up catching anything, other than a sucker fish here and there. My sister ended up catching the suckers while I caught nothing. But despite the lack of catching anything, it was always a great experience being there with my sister. Now, it would be too difficult for her to break away from her family.

Those fishing experiences with my sister weren't the only ones I had. Back when I was about six or seven years old, my Great Uncle Elmer took me and my cousins on a few fishing trips. One trip it was just him and I, in fact. I was too young to really appreciate the time I had with him, but I remember having a ton of fun hanging out with him. My dad made a home video of one of our fishing trips. In the video, I had caught a fish but was having such a horrible time taking the fish off the hook. It was so slimy, gross, and dangling there wildly that I would just rather leave it dangling on the hook. Eventually my uncle came over and took it off for me - him chucking at my reaction to the fish. Now, I wouldn't have an issue taking a fish off the hook because I can grab the thing and twist the hook right out of the thing's mouth. But that was more of an issue back when I was just a kid.

I remember another memorable fishing trip when I went out on the lake at my cousin's camp to do some fishing. We ended up finding an excellent spot and caught an incredible amount of perch. Every time we'd cast our line out into the lake, we usually ended up with a bite. I remember us having a bucketful of perch before the day was out. I still remember that time with my cousin's very vividly and it's one of those trips I'll always remember.

So who knows, maybe next summer I'll get back into the swing of going out fishing again. But a lot of things have changed and even more things may be changing in my life before long. Will I even get the time to go fishing? That will remain to be seen. Whatever the case, I still have plenty of good memories regarding fishing adventures I've had in the past. And if I never go fishing again, at least I'll always be able to hold onto those.

Munising, Michigan

2010-10-04T16:59:00.005-04:00

In this week's installment of U.P. Mondays, I will be discussing the community of Munising, Michigan located in Alger County. Munising has a population of roughly 2,500 people and is situated along the southern shore of Lake Superior. In fact, Munising Bay in which the city is located along, is actually the southern most point of the entire Lake Superior basin, which is actually a pretty cool fact. In my own personal view, Munising is probably one of the most picturesque communities in the Upper Peninsula and it has so many opportunities to capture the beauty it presents. Within short driving distances, there is a lot to see here and it's a location worth spending a few days at.

Munising is the largest community in Alger County and is the seat of the county. It's also home to the county's largest employers, which are Neenah Paper and the Alger County Correctional Facility. Munising is also home to a school facility built in 1980 situated along the lake shore, something that is certainly rare to find (it would be easy to day dream while looking out at the lake). And not surprisingly, it's also very big on the tourism industry. The Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore is just a short drive up the road from Munising, which is a national gem all its own. Boasting a variety of waterfalls and walking trails, Pictured Rocks is a naturist's dream. And with the expected completion of a paved Alger County H-58 from Munising to Grand Marais, the Lakeshore will be even more vehicle-friendly by the end of this fall.

Snowmobiling is also huge in and around the city of Munising. With the close proximity to Lake Superior and with persistent Northwest winds in the winter, lake effect snow is aplenty. And with miles and miles of groomed trails throughout Alger County, it's easy to spend a few days to a week exploring the rugged wintry terrain that Alger County has to offer. There are several hotels located right within the Munising city limits, so a snowmobiler can stay right there in the city limits and ride out to the trails. They can also enjoy the small town life of Munising and explore the variety of shops, bars, and restaurants. The Dogpatch restaurant located along Superior Street and M-28 has become famous not only in the snowmobiling world, but in general, too.

And what's a city along a lake without enjoying the pleasure of being on a boat? The city has a large marina and boat launch for a variety of sized boats. The glass bottom boat tours run out of the harbor and provide views of sunken ships located throughout Munising Bay. I haven't taken the tour myself, but from what I understand the bottom of the boat is glass so that you're able to view the shipwrecks with ease. In addition, the Pictured Rocks Boat Tour takes a cruise along the rock formations of Pictured Rocks. It's a three hour tour and it is definitely worth while. These are just a few of the bigger attractions - there really is so much more!

So if you're looking for a location in the Upper Peninsula with a lot to do year-round, be sure to consider Munising. It truly offers a lot and you'll be sure to be impressed with the small town, friendly atmosphere that the locals provide. For additional information on the community, be sure the check out the websites provided below.

Munising Visitors Bureau Inc.
Pictured Rocks Cruises Inc.
Shipwreck Tours: Munising Mi Glass Bottom Boat Tours
Alger County Chamber of Commerce

Random Thoughts

2010-09-30T17:52:00.004-04:00

I know it's a day early, but I find myself in a great writing mood. So why stop at one blog, right? Just as the hiatus from the blog ended last week, now the hiatus for Friday's Random Topic also ends, too. It's the return of my Random Thoughts blog!

Mowing Grass

Mowing the lawn of my great aunt and uncle's yard has become somewhat of a summer tradition for me. I finished the last mowing of the season for them this past Tuesday and I began thinking how long I've been doing this chore for them. Honestly, I would say it's been nearly ten years of mowing for them, ever since they officially moved to the Upper Peninsula to stay since living downstate. It's not a physically taxing job and does provide a good workout for me. Plus it's a little added money for me. But the big advantage for me in doing this job is getting the chance to visit with my aunt and uncle, who are getting up in age and have physical disabilities. You just don't know how much longer they will be around and it's always a pleasure to see how they are doing. I look forward to continuing the tradition again next summer.

Small Town News

Do you ever get tired of hearing of the gloom and doom that typically headlines the news nationally and in bigger cities in the country? I would be surprised if there were people out there who actually liked hearing the negative news going on. That's one advantage to living in an area with a small area population. It's very rare to hear news about murders in the Upper Peninsula. Don't get me wrong, there are a few that happen from time to time, but nothing like in bigger cities. A lot of times the major crime stories that headline the news in the U.P. are burglaries, drug and alcohol-related crimes, and sex-related crimes. Those are certainly bad enough, but they aren't in as high number as in higher populated areas. And more often than not, the news typically switches from the doom and gloom to informational and uplifting stories. It certainly presents a nice change of pace.

Re-Building Laptop

I've had this laptop computer laying around for awhile that's basically been dead in the water. It's been over three years since it was last operational and I decided to try and get it working again. It's an R40 Thinkpad once made by IBM. I remember when I last had the laptop working, it was working rather sluggishly. All signs pointed to a faulty hard drive, but I never really did anything with it until earlier this month. So I went on-line and purchased a new motherboard for it. I removed the old one and once I got the "new" one in the mail, I put it back together. I powered the laptop up - and much to my chagrin, it did the exact same thing with the old motherboard. I say it's a "new" motherboard because it was actually a used one that I bought. Could it be that I purchased another faulty motherboard or is there something else wrong with it? I am kind of at a loss as to what to do next, but I plan on doing some more research on the problem and see if I can officially get it running again. I haven't given up yet.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend. See you again on "Luke's Ponderings" next week.

The Other Side of Down

2010-09-30T17:10:00.004-04:00

My favorite American Idol alum has a new CD coming out! David Archuleta's new CD titled, "The Other Side of Down" will be officially released on Tuesday, October 5. But for those of you who may not be able to wait, you can get a sneak peek of what David's new album sounds like by visiting AOL Music, where the entire album and every song from it is currently being streamed. However, when his album does get released in early October, don't forget to buy your copy! It sounds like this CD will be his best yet.

David has different sounding songs from the others on this latest album. You may have already heard it on the radio where you live or just happened to find it on-line, but his first official released track "Something 'Bout Love" is definitely radio friendly. I know I already discussed it on the blog when the song was first released, but how can you not love the beat of the song, along with the melody, and the message that the song presents. I believe it's a song we can all relate to. I am a bit surprised that the song has not charted higher than it has - but here's hoping that once the CD drops, the song may rise up the charts more. It definitely has the potential to be a big hit.

Another song from the album that I am absolutely loving is called "Things Are Gonna Get Better". If you happened to be watching the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon over the Labor Day weekend, you may have caught David singing this song for the very first time. It's a very uplifting song with a heartfelt message. It's right up David's alley as far as being inspirational and positive. It's a song with the message that despite all the negativity and sadness that may be going on in your life, that things are going to get better. It's only a matter of time.

A song titled "Elevator" is another gem from "The Other Side of Down." When I first heard it, I wasn't quite all that into it. However, it's a song that grows on you and it's become another favorite of mine from the album. It's quirky, unique, and one that you'll soon find yourself singing along to. Who knew a song about elevators could end up being so intriguing? It's a fun, upbeat ditty that I am sure many other Archie fans have fallen in love with.

The majority of the other songs from the album are still pretty new for me, so I have not yet developed a significant opinion of them. But I must say I like the sound of "Stomping the Roses" and "Parachutes Airplanes". As I continue listening to the album, I am sure many of the other songs on there will grow on me. And I am hoping at some point to do a complete CD review of "The Other Side of Down." But as of now, this is just a minor preview of the CD. All I can say is that if you are a David Archuleta fan like I am, you should be very happy with the way the CD sounds. I think it's a definite plus for David and I am hoping for big success from it.

Deadliest Catch No More?

2010-09-29T16:19:00.006-04:00

Unsettling news came out yesterday for fans of the hit Discovery reality series "Deadliest Catch" when it was announced that Captain's Johnathan and Andy Hillstrand of the F/V Time Bandit and Captain Sig Hansen of the F/V Northwestern will not participate in the upcoming seventh season of the series. There is currently ongoing litigation between the Hillstrand's and Discovery Channel that appears to have created tension between the two parties. Both captains and the crew of the Time Bandit have yet to be signed for the seventh season of "Deadliest Catch." As a show of solidarity, Sig Hansen would also not be participating it the new season, and Discovery has yet to sign on the F/V Northwestern. So if there is in fact a new season of the "Deadliest Catch," it will involve a whole slew of new boats. And I honestly doubt the show will have the same feel as it has the past few seasons.

The crew of the Northwestern has been part of the show since the very first season. As for the Time Bandit, they've been featured on the show since season two. So you can imagine their absence will leave a big hole in the series. They are two of the more popular boats along with the Cornelia Marie whom have loyal fanbases. This will provide a devastating blow to the series if Discovery cannot come to an agreement between the Hillstrands and Sig Hansen. The show will have a completely different look, especially if all we'll have left is the F/V Wizard. It seems likely that the Cornelia Marie will be back, but as we all know, Captain Phil won't be there. So we will have to get used to the fact of someone else captaining that boat.

The litigation between Discovery and the Hillstrands' involve a spin-off series that Discovery created of the brothers away from the crab fishing grounds. They are suing the Hillstrands for $3 million because they feel the brothers did not properly finish filming the series - thus causing a breech in contract. I honestly had no idea there was a spin-off series in the works and do not feel it was absolutely necessary. I mean, don't get me wrong, the Hillstrands are very entertaining people and have a tremendous fan following. But just the popularity of "Deadliest Catch" alone was enough to carry the show through the downtime when the crabbing seasons shut down and thus, no "Deadliest Catch." Now, Discovery is facing the loss of three of its biggest stars on the show and I am sure are scrambling to find replacements, otherwise the show may be done.

I remain hopeful that Discovery can come to some sort of agreement with the Hillstrands and Sig Hansen to allow them to keep participating in the series, although it appears they have a very short window in which to reach an agreement. The boats head out from port on October 15, to start the first crab season. It's been a difficult year as it is with Phil Harris passing. Now, possibly being without the Hillstrands and Sig Hanson on the show would deal a very devastating blow to the series, one that it may not recover from. I just do not find Keith Colburn and the Wizard crew all that intriguing, although this could give Captain Wild Bill and the F/V Kodiak more exposure if they agree to return this season. As for the F/V Cornelia Marie, it remains to be seen just how well things will go without Captain Phil. How will the new captain mesh with the existing crew? A lot of questions exist the film crews begin preparing to shoot a new season of "Deadliest Catch", if there will even be a new season after all.

UPDATE: On October 8, it was announced that Discovery has reached a settlement with the Hillstrand brothers regarding their spin-off series, which will allow them and Sig Hansen to return to "Deadliest Catch." The are currently filming the latest season of the series out in the Bearing Sea.

Go-Carts and Mini-Bikes

2010-09-29T10:16:00.005-04:00

Back when I was a kid, one of my favorite places to go in the summer time was to my uncle's garage. Needless to say, it wasn't a typical garage. There are a couple of buildings situated on a plot of land and in those buildings are stored a variety of things. One of the most enjoyable activities myself and my cousins were able to do there is to ride go-carts and mini-bikes. My uncle had two different go-carts, one was a larger, yellow two-person go cart and the other was a smaller, black one-person go-cart. And then, if there were even more people out riding, there were a couple mini-bikes to ride, which were basically small, motorized dirt bikes.

My cousins and I would go riding all over - but we never went exceptionally far away and weren't overly reckless either. But that's not to say that we didn't have a problem arise. I was riding with my cousin Craig in the yellow go-cart, him driving and I riding behind him. We were driving along a gravel road when I began to notice the go-cart slowly drifting towards the edge of the road. I think my cousin was looking at something off to the side of the road and became distracted. By the time I alerted him to what was happening, the go-cart drove off the road and stopped part-way down an embankment, just above a river. How fortunate we were that the go-cart didn't continue down into the river or even flipped over when we went into the brush. We were startled at the situation but thankful it wasn't more serious. My other cousin was riding in the black go-cart and noticed that we disappeared. He soon found us and helped us retrieve the go-cart from the embankment. I don't even remember anymore how we actually go it out of there. All I know is that we pretended like nothing ever happened and never told my uncle about it.

We had other relatives in the area that would come up during the summer time and stay. The old family homestead was mostly vacant, but served as a location for family to use when they liked coming up for vacation purposes. Uncle Norman and Aunt Dorothy would come up every summer, usually around the time of the local Homecoming Celebration. My cousins and I would often ride the go-carts and mini-bikes over there to visit when they arrived. On one such occurrence, Uncle Norman offered us gas for the mini-vehicles. Just the way he said it, is something I will never forget. "Want some gas?" He smoked for years and it gave him that rough sounding voice that's common for smokers. I don't have a lot of memories of that man, but at least I have that one in particular that I can remember him by.

Needless to say, we're much too old for go-carts and mini-bikes now and they quietly sit in storage in my uncle's garages. However, now my nephew gets to ride one of them now that he's old enough and when my dad is able to take him over there. A new generation of children are getting the chance to enjoy the things we used to like as kids. It's amazing how that works and how fast time flies, isn't it? Hopefully someday in the not too distant future, I'll have kids of my own doing the same things that I did as a kid.

Fall Colors

2010-09-29T09:58:00.004-04:00

Another reason that makes the Upper Peninsula so special is the ability to enjoy and experience the four seasons that mother nature has to offer. I mean sure, anyone can live in Florida and California and experience summer-like conditions year round. But I'd think that would get old after awhile. The Upper Peninsula is embarking on its most glamorous and spectacular season in autumn. Actually we already are in the midst of fall, but the reason why it can be so spectacular is already underway - the fall colors from the leaves changing are now close to peak viewing conditions.

As of now, the fall colors are at their peak in western interior areas of the U.P. with the rest of the peninsula following suit as this week progresses. Even despite last week's nasty wind storm, the leaves are looking especially pretty this year. However, another raw, windy day appears to be on the horizon in the next few days, so the colors may not last all that long. So if you're looking to get out and view the colors while they are still around, you had better to do it fast.

As a general rule of thumb, the peak for fall colors in the U.P. is usually during the last week of September into the first few weeks of October. Last year was later for the peak because of a warm month of September that seemed to delay the leaf changing process a tad. This year we are right on schedule. There are a variety of great locations to view the leaves in both the western and central Upper Peninsula. In the central areas, between Munising and Marquette offers some excellent leaf peeping. Approximately five miles west of Munising on M-94, the roadway descends down a steep hill and atop of that hill, you're able to see the rolling hills of maple trees in a vibrant red, yellow, and orange. And I mean honestly, you can see trees for miles around and it's a spectacular view. It's no surprise to see people parked along side of the highway to capture this beautiful view.

So if you're in and around the Upper Peninsula in the next few days, be sure and take in the fall colors. Obviously where ever you go, you'll be sure to experience the fall colors at their best. And in a matter of weeks, most of the trees will be bare and they'll be prepared to experience another long, U.P. winter, just like the rest of us.

Songs I Dig - 19

2010-09-24T20:25:00.004-04:00

It's finally time for the latest edition of the Songs I Dig and in this edition, we feature all upbeat, fun songs! That's likely to be a first, isn't it? Well, I don't exactly have the facts to back that statement up at the moment, but I'm sure it's been a pretty rare feat in the history of the SID blog. Usually there's one or two slower ballads featured. That just means we don't always have to be so serious. These three songs are currently making big waves on adult contemporary radio stations across the country and I'm sure you'll be hearing them for awhile. So let's get this edition of the Songs I Dig underway!

Katy Perry - "Teenage Dream" : There's one female artist I never get tired of hearing, and that's Katy Perry. She's a bit controversial and is surely not afraid to speak her mind. She's even marrying a raunchy British comedian, however, she has a great singing voice and has already put together an incredible list of hit songs. "California Gurls" exploded into a huge summer hit across the United States and "Teenage Dream" has already followed suit. I found "California Gurls" to be much more campy and silly, while "Teenage Dream" is more serious, yet still upbeat and fun in its own way. I think we can all relate to the song in different ways, looking back on our teenage years regarding crushes or relationships that we had during that time. It's another fun song to sing along to and I'm sure this isn't the last we've heard of Katy Perry.

Sara Bareilles - "King of Anything" : Here is one singer that I am glad to see having continued success in the music industry after her major-label debut album did well. Well know for "Love Song" in 2008, which went double platinum, Sara has followed it up with a new album titled "Kaleidoscope Heart" released earlier this month, with the first song from that album being "King of Anything." It's a song that wasn't a favorite for me in the beginning, but now find it to be quite enjoyable. There's some talk on the internet about the song being a man-bashing anthem, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Sara has written it in relation to her experiences being in the music industry. It's a well written, fun song that anybody can sing along to. I can sense that Sara has a great talent for writing exceptional upbeat songs and I look forward to hearing more of her songs in the future.

Neon Trees - "Animal" : I am sure many of you out there first heard this song on the television before you heard it on the radio. The song was featured in an advertisement for Las Vegas vacations and aired quite frequently during the late summer months. The song's popularity quickly gained traction and soon enough, it began showing up on radio station's across the country. Now, it's currently one of America's favorite hit songs. Right from the very start, the song grabs you and never lets go. It's got a catchy beat and lyrics you'll find yourself singing along to, especially the chorus. Although this is Neon Trees' first major album, they're not exactly new to the music scene as they've been the opening act for The Killers. They've been active as a group since 2005 and the next song from their album titled "Habits" will be called, simply "1983." It will be interesting to see if the next song will have as much success as "Animal."

That wraps it up for this edition of "The Songs I Dig." Be sure to keep tabs of "Luke's Ponderings" for a new edition and a whole slew of new songs I find myself enjoying. I have a bit of catching up to do, so I'm sure you'll see a wide selection of new music featured on this blog for awhile to come.

America's Got Talent

2010-09-24T20:03:00.006-04:00

So earlier in the summer, I talked about America's Got Talent and how I found the audition-portion of the show to be rather tedious and boring, especially when they dragged out for so long. I still hold that opinion, but once the voting rounds began, the show became very intriguing to watch. In fact, the season of America's Got Talent that just concluded may be the best in the history of the show. There was such a wide variety of acts this year that it really made the show entertaining and there were many that I could see as the winning act. Unfortunately there's only one winner, however, America picked a decent choice this season.

Michael Grimm was declared the winner of America's Got Talent a few weeks back and he was one of my favorites early on. He's a very bluesy, soulful singer and it's easy to see why he quickly became a favorite. I don't ever recall him being off pitch - even when he was very sick during an episode prior to top four week. He's a great talent and will most likely fare better than season four's winner, Kevin Skinner. I honestly don't even know what he's up to these days, if he's still singing. I do believe that Micheal will fare much better than Kevin did.

As for the remaining three finalists of America's Got Talent, they all have great future's ahead of them. Fighting Gravity, the group of college-aged individuals who perfected their act with black lights, could easily be considered the more deserving winner of America's Got Talent, considering they have a variety act that would fit perfectly in with a Las Vegas show. I mean, does a singing act always have to win? However, no matter the outcome of this season, I honestly believe Fighting Gravity will be fine and will end up with a show in Vegas regardless. Coming in second was probably the best-case scenario for 10-year-old Opera singer Jackie Evancho. I don't necessarily believe having a show in Vegas at such a young age would have benefited her like the three other finalists. She needs to enjoy the rest of her childhood - even though that will likely be difficult despite the fact that she didn't win. She has become a very famous girl with an incredible voice. As for Prince Poppycock, I had a feeling he wouldn't end up winning. He's just too different for mainstream America. He's a true showman and really puts together some entertaining acts. I also believe he'll do quite well where ever he ends up. He's already ended up being on the Tonight Show.

And there we have it, another season of America's Got Talent is in the books. We can all look forward to the new season beginning at the start of next summer. I really enjoy the panel of judges and host Nick Cannon is entertaining and meshes well with everyone. Honestly, I think the producers have it perfect there. I also liked the addition of a YouTube show where acts can audition on YouTube and could wind up appearing during the voting rounds of the show. That's exactly where Jackie Evancho came from and look how far she went. It'll be interesting to see if any changes will be made to the show next year. As long as they are small and make the show even more interesting than it already is, I'm all for it. It's definitely the best and top rated show during the summer, and it's easy to see why.

Hiatus Over

2010-09-21T21:58:00.003-04:00

I am sure the regular visitors to "Luke's Ponderings" noticed that things were pretty quiet around here during the past few weeks. I was having such a struggle staying motivated and thinking up new topics to write about, that I decided it was time to shut down and enjoy a little downtime for the blog. One week became two weeks, and thus, that was the period of time without any postings. So, apologies for those regular visitors who were looking for something to read here during that time. I feel refreshed and ready to devote my time to the blog again. If you noticed, 2010 has already became the year with the highest amount of blog topics written within it. That's all thanks to my specific theme topics during the week, which started during the summer.

I feel there is one new development that has happened in my life while I was away from the blog. I have been in contact with a girl whom I have gotten to know in a short period of time and is someone who has made me very happy. We have the potential to form a real close relationship - something I have been longing for. Right now, we are in the early stages of our relationship so I won't jinx things and say we are an item. We have a few hurdles before we get to that point. But I feel a real spark between us and I can't wait to get to know her more. She has truly made me feel happy and makes me smile every time I talk to her. Right now, I enjoy spending those kind of moments with her.

It has gotten exceptionally chilly in the Upper Peninsula ever since the calendar flipped the page to September. The 70's and 80's we experienced for much of the summer has quickly been replaced by 50's and 60's. We have gotten quite a bit of rain recently, too. It's amazing how big of a rainfall deficit we were in during the month of May. Ever since then, the floodgates have opened (well, not literally, but almost). We now have a rainfall surplus that will likely stand until the end of the year. I'd have to say that farmers in the U.P. had an exceptional summer season for growing crops. The warm, humid days and nights surely helped that cause. And now some are wondering whether we'll be in for one doozy of a winter all thanks to the warmer-than-usual Lake Superior waters. I think that all depends on how cold we get to start the season. If we get cold, Arctic air so early in the season then yes, we could get a lot of snow this year. But it's hard to say yet exactly what will happen.

So there you have it, just a minor update of what I've been up to these past few months and just to let you know that new topics will be appearing regularly again here on "Luke's Ponderings." Every now and again I need to wind down and recharge my batteries when it comes to writing. And I thought that September was as good a time as any for it. I hope everyone is enjoying this autumn season and I'll see you around again soon here on the blog.

Laughing Whitefish Falls

2010-09-20T13:58:00.005-04:00

The Upper Peninsula is home to waterfalls; many waterfalls in fact. Unofficially, there are as many as 300 different waterfalls peninsula-wide. Some are small and off the beaten-path, while others are large and impressive. Out of the entire state of Michigan, all but one waterfall is located in the U.P. Honestly, how amazing is that? It's just one more thing that makes the Upper Peninsula all the more special.

While growing up in Alger County, I was close by to many of Upper Michigan's most spectacular waterfalls. One of them is the Laughing Whitefish Falls in western Alger County, near the community of Sundell. It is located along the Laughing Whitefish River and provides for spectacular picture-taking opportunities. For those wishing to view this particular falls, if you're traveling along M-94 in western Alger County, watch for the large brown signs pointing you in the right direction. You'll then travel along North Sundell Road for approximately five to ten miles until you reach the end of the paved portion of roadway. Continue traveling straight on the now gravel section of road until you see the entry sign to the Laughing Whitefish Falls. You'll travel a bit more until you reach the parking area to the falls.

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources has gradually improved the area around the trailhead to the falls over the years. The trail itself has also been greatly improved, with a firmer gravel surface and better bridges going across small streams and rivers. The trail is approximately a mile to the top view of the falls. From the top view, you can view the river as it gradually meanders to the edge of the river before it transcends down a steep ledge. It also provides a great view of the Laughing Whitefish Falls Valley, which is a great spot to view fall colors when they're at peak conditions.

The view from the bottom of the falls is just as fascinating as from the top. After a heavy rainfall or the spring runoff, the falls can be rushing downwards into the river valley. The viewing platform at the bottom does not provide for a lot of room if you have a big crowd, so one group could check out the bottom view of the falls while the other group takes a peak at the top. The stairway from the top of the falls to the bottom is comprised of many steps. There are benches and platforms along the way to take a breather if you need one. All in all, the Laughing Whitefish Falls is only one of the U.P.'s most spectacular waterfalls. If you're in the area of Western Alger County, be sure and check it out.

Final Season of Little People, Big World

2010-09-04T22:53:00.004-04:00

I haven't been doing a very good job of keeping up with the blog lately - and I've got some catching up to do. So apologies in advance for the lack of posts lately.

News came out about a week ago regarding the fate of the reality series "Little People, Big World" on TLC. The show's upcoming sixth season will be its last. To be honest, this news does not surprise me. Ratings for the past season were down sharply and the series seems to have lost its edge. I think a large part of that is because the kids are growing up and the novelty of little people seems to be wearing off. I mean, TLC has developed a few other reality series recently revolving around little people, such as "The Little Couple" and "The Little Chocoloatiers." And I honestly believe the story of the Roloffs have been written.

One of my biggest gripes about the series lately involves the multitude of trips the Roloffs have taken. They've been to Hawaii, the Bahamas, driven across the United States, and last season - went to Europe. The Europe trip bored me to tears. What about the drama involving the kids? Or what's going on at the farm? I think that has largely been missing from the series lately. There has been some drama regarding the Roloffs marriage and the potential of divorce between Matt and Amy, but I think that was overly hyped up by TLC and their marriage is as solid as can be. And last season ended with a dramatic cliff-hanger, where Matt collapsed to the floor and appeared to suffer a heart attack. Well, don't read what I have to say next if you don't want to be surprised - but Matt is perfectly fine. He simply suffered from vertigo and received medication for it. Just a method TLC used to drum up increased ratings for the season finale of the show.

There are rumors about a potential spin-off involving the twins, Jeremy and Zach. However, they simply are just rumors and there's been no official word that a new series has been green-lit. Honestly, how interesting are these two? Sure, they're twins, yet their physical profiles are so different because Jeremy is normal-sized and Zach is a little person. Yet, we've already seen that on display during the current show. Yes, they are in college, yet they still live at home while attending college. How much more different would the new series be than what's currently on air with "Little People, Big World"? If a spin-off series were to succeed, I think producers would need Jeremy and Zach to move out and live on their own and to experience completely new situations us viewers aren't accustomed to them doing.

So it'll be interesting to see exactly what comes of the Roloffs' future once the show goes off the air. They are heavily involved in speaking engagements which will likely continue if not expand. I honestly believe Molly and Jacob will be thrilled to be away from the TV spotlight and will return to living the life of normal children. However, I believe they'll miss it in certain ways - as will the rest of the family. The children have not embraced their celebrity status as well as their parents. And I don't entirely believe their life will completely return to normal because they'll always be known as a reality TV family. They still have their farm, which continues to be enormously popular, with or without a TV series. They'll lose income from having a TV show, yet they have other means of bringing in the dough. In the end, the Roloffs will be fine regardless of a spin-off series or not.

Refrigerator Repairs

2010-09-02T18:56:00.004-04:00

Ever since I moved into my house last summer, I've had trouble with my refrigerator. Even when I first moved in, the freezer was awfully warm. Anything I bought frozen seemed to get all mushy and the temperature hovered around 30 degrees, no matter how high the thermostat was set. After talking to my dad about it, he suggested defrosting the freezer, as it appeared to be full of ice. Well, he was right. The coils in the back of the freezer were covered solid with frost and ice. After thawing it that first time, the freezer seemed to stay cold for awhile - but eventually it would start to warm up and the ice again formed on the back of the wall. This has been ongoing for quite awhile and I've probably thawed out the freezer about five or six different times now.

Needless to say, the process of thawing the freezer out is getting to be quite tiresome. Each time, I've been gradually emptying the freezer out, then when it's nearly or entirely empty, I unplug the fridge, take off the back panel of the freezer, and use a hair dryer and direct it at the ice in the back. In all, it probably takes an hour to an hour in a half to fully thaw the freezer out. The freezer typically stays cool enough for two to three months before the process starts all over again. Well, hopefully I bought the right parts to fix the problem.

Once again, the internet proves to be a wonderful resource in locating parts for appliances and well, anything else, too. And it's also a great resource tool in finding information about these kinds of problems. There's appliance manuals, parts lists, and appliance parts websites out there that gets you everything you need to repair your failing appliances. Last fall, I bought a new timer for my washing machine that was giving me issues, and it's been trouble-free ever since. Today, I purchased a couple of parts for my refrigerator that should stop the freezer from icing up. After doing a great deal of research on the issues plaguing my fridge, I do believe I have the right parts to correct the issue. Now, all I have to do is wait for the parts to come!

It just goes to show you that appliances and electronics today just aren't made as well as they used to be. I know my parents had a Montgomery Ward refrigerator that lasted them a good 20 years before they decided to buy a new one to match their newly-remodeled kitchen. Well, that new fridge barely lasted 10 years before they experienced a similar problem that I'm having with my fridge. They opted to buy a new fridge instead of fixing the problem. I'm hoping to save a great deal of money by trying to fix the issue myself. And if all else fails, I'll go out and buy a new fridge. I'd hate to do that, but it'll be my last resort if I have to. We'll see what happens once those parts come.

Fall Sports Season

2010-08-31T20:09:00.006-04:00

With public schools set to open up next week after Labor Day, that means the fall high school sporting season will also get underway, if it hasn't already. High school sports are huge in the Upper Peninsula - especially when you consider that the closest pro sports franchise from the U.P. is the Green Bay Packers, whom have a huge following up here. High school sports that take place in the fall here in the Upper Peninsula include football, girls volleyball, cross country (running), and girls tennis. The universities up here also have sports starting in the fall, with the biggest being (no surprise), football.

The school I attended when I was in high school was too small to support a football team. There was talk for a brief time of starting up a squad, but ultimately it never happened. Between getting all the gear needed to play the sport to having a field in which to play on - it just wasn't feasible. Then came the issue of having enough players to support a team. It seemed like there was enough interest, but as with starting any new sports program, money was a big obstacle. This year, my high school is starting a football program for the first time. However, it'll be a self-supported operation, meaning the school is not putting any money into it. It'll consist of an eight-man squad, which is smaller than the typical 11-man squad. It's supported by the Michigan High School Athletic Association as a means of allowing smaller schools across the state to participate in football, when they otherwise couldn't. It'll be interesting to see how the first inaugural season takes place for the old high school.

High School football has a huge following peninsula-wide. Despite declining enrollment for virtually every school in the U.P., high school sports continue to receive support from every community that has a school. I was never able to be a part of a football team at high school and never experienced the frenzy that exists while attending a high school football game. But I can tell from watching clips on television and on-line that it's an amazing experience. I think I would've enjoyed participating on a football team. I realize that it's a physically demanding sport and injuries are common. But you only live once - and I think I would've done quite well on a football team. How nice it is to see students from my high school finally being able to get that chance and to participate on a football program at the school. It was all but a dream when I went to school there.

As of now, there will not be a state-wide tournament at the end of the eight-man football regular season. After all, this is the inaugural season for the program in the state of Michigan. However, with declining enrollment continuing to be a problem not only in the Upper Peninsula, but in the entire state, more schools may consider having smaller football teams to make ends meet. I know of some high school teams that are struggling to attract players to an 11-man squad. This could provide an alternative for them and with more schools participating, then the MHSAA would considering holding a state-wide tournament after the regular season has concluded. It all depends on how this first season goes. And if there's growing interest from here on out, it may be a thing of the future for many smaller schools across the state.

Slow Computer

2010-08-24T21:02:00.001-04:00

Lately my computer has slowed down to a crawl and it's getting to the point of being unbearable. I bought it three years ago and I figure it shouldn't be this slowed down already. Often when I first turn it on, I have to wait a good 10 to 15 minutes before everything is fully loaded. Even then, sometimes Firefox takes a painfully long time to open. I have to wonder if I have some sort of malware or virus stuck in my system. Whatever the case, this computer really needs some attention, otherwise I may be forced into a very evasive maneuver: throwing it out my window!

First things first, there may be a few programs that are causing it to slow down. My Adobe Flash Player was crashing pretty frequently until I downloaded the latest version yesterday. Now that program doesn't seem to be having an issue. However, my Adobe Acrobat reader has always malfunctioned, yet whenever I need to open a PDF file, it still manages to open. I do believe that when the computer is downloading automatic updates, that really slows the computer practically to a halt. Also, when I try opening a few different programs at once or try loading several different websites at once, it slows to a snail's pace. So obviously something is slowing it down. Yet at this point, I just don't know what.

I've tried the typical remedies, such as scanning for viruses, running my free malware software, defragging the system, and clearing cashe/cookies. Yet no dramatic results have occurred. The next step will involve removing unused programs and deleting or transferring large files. I have a few video clips saved so it just might help to save them to a disk. Heck, at this point anything should work, I would think. Yet one thing still is rather baffling to me - I still have a ton of memory on my computer, but it's still painfully slow.

Needless to say, one of these days I'm going to have to sit down and try working on this computer. I don't want it to get to the point where it's unusable, or the system completely fries itself. I had a laptop before that had similar problems and eventually, it never turned back on. I want my computer to last a little bit longer than three years. I'll try doing some research on the internet to see if there's other solutions I can try, otherwise if all else, I might have to bring it into a computer shop, which can sometimes amount to big bucks. But that is a last resort kind of situation as I'm going to try my best to resolve my computer issue. Wish me luck and if someone out there has any tips, please post them in the comments section!

U.P. State Fair

2010-08-24T20:40:00.005-04:00

This past weekend, the annual Upper Peninsula State Fair wrapped up another successful event. This was a very monumental year for the fair as it went on without aid from the state of Michigan. The state government of Michigan made some very painful cuts last year that resulted in the loss of funding to both state fairs in Michigan, the one in Escanaba and the one in Detroit. But, with a committed and unified group, the U.P. State Fair lived on to see another year. And by all accounts, the revenue generated from this year's event exceeded what the fair organizers were expecting. It appears that the future of the state fair in Escanaba will be very bright for many years to come.

The U.P. State Fair here in Upper Michigan is a pretty big deal. People from all across the Upper Peninsula attend the event, many bringing exhibits to put on display while others enjoy the rides and games of the midway. It sounds like this year, many people from all across the country attended the event, even some from as far away as Saskatchewan, Canada. A few vendors who typically set up at the fair in Detroit made the trek up north to be apart of the U.P. State Fair. The State Fair in Detroit will not go on this year, unlike the fair in Escanaba. And the sad part is, the Detroit Fair had been around a lot longer and had developed such a rich history. Now, the Upper Peninsula State Fair is the only state fair in Michigan.

When I was a kid, it seemed like we always attended the fair each summer. I always enjoyed strolling through the Ruth Butler Building, checking out the free handouts the area businesses were handing out to kids and adults alike. Then we'd lug our bags of free stuff to the midway to check out some of the rides and play a few games. I was never all that successful at winning any of the games, but usually my one sister would win something. As for the rides, they certainly had a wide variety of them. From a Ferris Wheel, to the Zipper, to rides that take you up and down, round and around, and side to side. I am not a big fan of heights so the rides that went up high were never a huge favorite of mine. However, I often enjoyed the ones that would make it feel like your belly was about to flip around. And even if I did have some trepidation about a certain ride, eventually it would subside as I rode along.

Its been several years since I made the trek to the U.P. State Fair, but one of the years I'll definitely need to go and check it out again. I am sure there are plenty of different things to see at a present-day U.P. State Fair. However, I'll be certainly looking forward to a few traditions I once enjoyed before, such as eating elephant ears, snow cones, cotton candy, Norms Fries, and a plethora of other great fair foods. As you can see, it's probably a good idea to attend a fair on an empty stomach! Like I said before, it'll be neat to walk through the Ruth Butler Building and see what businesses are on hand and what they're giving out. And hopefully I'll go on a night when there's an interesting group performing in the grandstand. This year, bands such as Everclear and Orianthi performed. Sure beats the country acts that often appeared year after year in the past. So, despite the fact that the fair in Escanaba is over for this year, at least here in the U.P., we can look forward to it coming back again next year.

Oldies Music

2010-08-19T12:12:00.005-04:00

Through the years, I've learned to enjoy many different varieties of music. When I was a kid, my dad listened to a healthy dose of oldies music, which consisted of songs from the 1960's and '70's. And so with that exposure to those songs, I've come to enjoy many songs from that era. In this week's edition of "Music Thursdays," here are a few artists and some of their songs in which I enjoy. Obviously there are a lot, so here is just a small sampling of those artists and their songs.

Tommy Roe - One great memory of my childhood is seeing my dad sing along to some of Tommy Roe's biggest hits like "Dizzy" or "Sheila." Our family was even lucky enough to attend one of his concerts when he made an appearance at one of the casinos here in the U.P. Roe seems like such an honest, down-to-earth guy and it's really nice to see that he had such great success from his songs. A few other of his more noticeable songs include "Sweet Pea" and "Hooray for Hazel." Definitely true classics.

Tommy James and the Shondells - In my opinion, one of the all-time classics from that era of music is Tommy James and the Shondells' song "Crimson and Clover". I remember hearing it many times while my dad and I visited my uncle at his place when he had oldie's songs blaring from his radio. I prefer the shorter version of the song myself but either way, it's still one of those songs you'll always remember. A few other songs made famous by the group are "I Think We're Alone Now", "Crystal Blue Persuasion" and "Mony Mony".

Hermans Hermits - This is another group we had the pleasure to see in person a few years back at a concert, and they're still going strong touring. A couple of my favorite songs of theirs include "I'm Into Something Good" and "There's a Kind of Hush". Peter Noone even made an appearance on American Idol during season six when the contestants were doing a British Invasion week (not totally positive on the theme, but something like that). If you want a taste of the honest, feel-good music of the 1960's, listen to Hermans Hermits songs. A couple other of their most famous songs are "I'm Henry the VIII, I Am" and "No Milk Today."

The Animals - Here's another classic group from that era of music with an incredibly distinct sound. A couple of their biggest hits were "House of the Rising Sun" and "We Gotta Get Out of This Place". I think back to American Idol this past season when Siobhan Magnus sang "House of the Rising Sun" during one theme week. It just goes to show you that even today, music from that era is still very much relevant. It'll live on for many years to come. They're also known for other hit songs including "It's My Life" and their cover of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood."

I hope you enjoyed this look back at a few great artists/groups and their songs. I know I mostly cover hit music from today on "Luke's Ponderings" - so it was nice to change it up a bit and look at a few classic oldies. And you can be sure we'll delve back into music from the 1960's and '70's again soon.

The Price is Right

2010-08-19T10:22:00.005-04:00

So any "The Price is Right" followers out there? I'll admit to being a game show fan overall, and "Price" is one of my favorite game shows. Some of the luster of the show was taken away when Bob Barker retired. But honestly, it's still the same show - no matter who's hosting. "The Price is Right" actually goes beyond 1972 when Bob Barker first began hosting the show. The late, great Bill Cullen hosted the first rendition of the series - and it was actually quite a different show from what's on the air now. But the basics of the show overall stayed the same. Yet, the show in which we've all grown to love continues to this very day - and it's returning this fall for its 39th season.

There will be a few noticeable changes heading into the season premiere in late September. For one, Drew Carey will look remarkably different. He lost an incredible amount of weight in a rather short amount of time. 80 pounds total, in fact. When looking at some of the pictures on-line, it's a pretty shocking transformation. I think we've all come to love the bigger Drew over the years, when he first appeared on his television series that aired during the 1990's. Gone is the over-weight Drew and now we have a very slim and trim MC of "The Price is Right." I think seeing the new Drew will take some getting used to, however, it's great that he was able to lose the weight for his better overall health.

Another noticeable change is the absence of announcer Rich Fields, who was asked not to return to the show. You first began hearing his voice in 2004 when he took over for the late Rod Roddy, who died from colon cancer. Rich's voice had become somewhat of a staple of the show, and I for one will miss his presence. I think his announcing style had gained mixed reactions from the loyal "Price" watchers. You either liked him or loathed him. And I'm sure the casual viewers couldn't care less. From the sounds of it, the production staff on the show are going in another direction with the announcer's role and are hiring an improv comic. They are looking to transfix the show from a game show into more of a variety show with house bands and celebrity guests. I really don't agree with this decision as it will further alienate the existing loyal fans who already dislike the changes that have taken place since Bob Barker left. It just adds more fuel to the fire, I'm afraid.

Those two things will be the most dramatic changes for the show. As for the rest, they are only small, cosmetic changes to set pieces. However, a new pricing game will appear at some point in the season and could provide as much as $100,000 in winnings. I have reason to believe it will be a very difficult game to win, however. After all, how often do you see a contestant win the top prize in "The Golden Road"? I think it will be modeled similarly to that game - in which it's very rare to win the top prize. Time will tell how everything plays out, however. It's only a little over a month until the new season of "Price" begins.

Potential New Pet

2010-08-19T09:51:00.005-04:00

Lately I've had animals on my mind more and more - and I think I might be ready to own a pet here pretty soon. As of now, I am leaning towards getting a cat, although I'm not ruling out a small or medium-sized dog at this point. But I have to look at the accommodations I can provide. Obviously I have a big enough house since it's just me living here. But I am gone pretty frequently to work - so the animal would be by itself for long periods of time. Plus, I like to take trips home to my parents' house often, so if I had a dog, I'd have to take it with me. A cat, however, can pretty much fend for itself. Which is why I am leaning towards getting a cat.

Growing up, we've owned plenty of pets as a family. We had countless number of cats and a few dogs - and if you include goldfish, we've had lots of them, too. For the most part, we never had any of those animals stay inside the house. The cats stayed in the house during the daytime and we'd let them out at night. That's probably why we were never able to keep a cat around for very long. The longest we were able to have a cat around the house was six years - otherwise they either got ran over by cars from the nearby highway or they disappeared, probably taken by foxes, hawks or coyotes. As for our dogs, my dad had built a doghouse for our first dog. I don't remember much about our first dog because we got him when I was pretty young and unfortunately, he got hit by a car and died. He was a collie; a gorgeous breed of dog. The only real memory I have of that dog is when we had a water sprinkler running, he'd be chasing after the streams of water that flew around. We'd have to compete with a dog to run through the sprinkler on those hot days. Still, a collie is a beautiful dog and it was unfortunate we weren't able to keep him around for a long longer.

Our other dog is one I wrote about before - but it's been quite awhile since I discussed him. His name was Spike and he was a mutt mix. We honestly weren't sure the kind of breeds he was comprised of - but we're sure he had cocker spaniel in him. He, too, was hit by a car when he was a year old, but luckily he survived. Although I don't believe he was ever the same afterwords - but he lived to be a very old dog when we had to put him down - 12. Our family had plenty of adventures with that dog while he was alive. I was probably about nine years old when we got him and at the end of his life, I was 21. That's a substantial amount of years to have a pet, so you can imagine how hard it was to make the decision to put him down. But, sometimes you have to make those decisions and move on. It's a simple reality to being a pet owner; you have to take great care of an animal in order for it to survive. That means feeding it, giving it water, providing it shelter, and bringing it to a vet when it needs care. And when an animal is terminally ill, the decision needs to be made to have it put down. I know that's not going to be easy with any pet, but it's going to have to be done sooner or later.

So there are a lot of things to consider when owning a pet. I know I'll still be pondering whether or not I'm ready for a pet at this stage of my life. It's only a matter of when and not if now. It probably won't be right away yet - maybe more this fall. However, I know if I keep looking at the local humane society pages, that decision may come a lot sooner than planned. There are a lot of great looking pets that need a home! And the last thing I want to see is an animal put down because nobody wants it. I guess that would be an incredible struggle to deal with for those working at an animal shelter. As for me, you'll definitely know when I bring that pet home and when that time comes, I'm sure there'll be plenty of stories to tell about it in the future.

A New School Year

2010-08-16T11:16:00.004-04:00

As we reach the middle point of August, school-aged kids and college-bound individuals are beginning to fret the return of going back to school. Back when I was in school, when we reached this point of the summer, I was left to wonder where on earth my summer vacation had gone. In grade school, we always went back to classes during the last week of August. And that was pretty much the case when I went to college. Nowadays, the state of Michigan has mandated that public schools throughout the state begin the first day of classes on the first Tuesday after Labor Day. So, for all of the students that attend public schools in Michigan, you still have another three weeks of summer vacation. But for those attending universities and colleges in the state, your vacation time is much shorter.

For Northern Michigan University located in Marquette, I was quite surprised to find out that the first day of classes for the fall semester start Monday, August 23rd. I was expecting they'd start on the 30th, which is still one week before Labor Day. But I think they may be pushing for an earlier start in the fall so they can get an extra-long winter break. It's kind of hard to believe that when the semester is over, we'll be looking forward to Christmas and the winter season. As for Michigan Tech in Houghton and Lake Superior State in Sault Ste. Marie, their first day of classes is August 30th. So take heart NMU students, even though you'll be starting classes a week earlier than everyone else, at least you can look forward to a longer winter break before classes resume in January.

Similarly for the community colleges like Bay de Noc Community College in Escanaba and Iron Mountain, classes begin Monday, August 30th. Community Colleges are also located in Ironwood at Gogebic Community College and in Brimley at the Bay Mills Community College. There is also a private college located in Hancock, called Finlandia University. Finlandia was once a two-year college but now offers four-year degrees in a variety of fields. Like NMU, classes at Finlandia begin Monday, August 23rd.

Even though my days at a university are long gone, I can still remember those first few days of classes for the fall semester. Typically there's no place to park so you have to do a bit more walking to class and when you get to your classes, it's like a whole new experience. You're meeting new teachers and classmates and you get to spend 16 weeks with them learning the same material. I wouldn't say my time at college was as satisfying as I would've liked, but I still had some enjoyable times. For any prospective students taking classes in the U.P., hopefully you have a successful academic year. And be sure to get out and enjoy some of that U.P. scenery when you get a break from your classes.

One Hot Summer

2010-08-15T10:22:00.004-04:00

It's been so incredibly humid in the Upper Peninsula as of late, with fans blaring and air conditioners at full throttle. It hasn't necessarily been hot - as we have not had a 90 degree day this week. Yet the humidity sure made it feel so much warmer than it actually was. I don't remember a summer where we've had many days of high humidity like this year. And this hasn't been the only week-long stretch of warmth, either. I'd say it's been a consistently warm summer for us. Not record-breaking, mind you, but still warm. Last night a cold front pushed through ushering in much more comfortable conditions. We're finally able to open up all the windows and let the air conditioners and fans take a break. Now, what will the rest of August and the fall season bring us weather-wise?

Complaining about the heat in the Upper Peninsula can be a touchy subject. There are those individuals who say we shouldn't complain about the heat and humidity because it's not here all that long and soon enough, we'll be dealing with the cold and snow. I can understand that philosophy. I typically do not complain about the warmer weather unless it begins to stretch on for days and days, like it has been. I think all of us Yoopers can take a day or two in a row of heat and humidity, but once it gets beyond that, it gets a little difficult to take. Especially when the night temperatures do not cool down and it gets to be uncomfortable at night to sleep, then there's a reason to complain. But you look at the people who live in the south and they deal with this all of the time. Then again, they are more equipped to deal with the heat more than we are.

And I am not a big proponent on global warming talk like some people are. This is turning out to be one of the hottest summers world-wide in the history of mankind and some people will put the blame on global warming. Yes, we have been warmer in recent years than say the 1970's and 1980's but I think the climate and how it responds works in phases. We've had warm spells in the past and over time, we've cooled back down. I guess it remains to be seen whether or not we work out of this current warm phase that we're in. Needless to say, I'm not jumping on the global warming bandwagon quite yet. After all, last summer was quite cool for our standards here in the U.P. And so this year, we've kind of evened things out. After a very dry start to the summer, it's like mother nature flipped a switch and we've had more than our fair share of rain. Things have a way of evening things out.

It appears we'll be experiencing more typical Upper Michigan weather for the next week, meaning more comfortable humidity and average late-summer temperatures in the low-to-mid 70's. Now that is my kind of weather. Warm enough to make you sweat outside, but only if you're really working hard. And you can enjoy being outside, whether it's relaxing on the back deck, sitting on a patio chair, and enjoying a beverage to enjoying a nice hike on a back-country trail. I imagine the bike racers who competed in the Ore to Shore Race yesterday would've enjoy today's weather conditions much more than yesterday's weather. Oh well, whatcha gonna do? This is the U.P. after all. Soon enough, we'll be hunkering down for the upcoming winter season.

Songs I Dig - 19

2010-08-15T09:49:00.005-04:00

So here we are into the month of August and it's a new "Songs I Dig" blog staring you in the face. In this edition, we have some brand new songs that have recently aired on the radio and we have some oldies that have graced the radio waves for awhile. After all, I hadn't posted a Songs I Dig blog for quite awhile during the first half of the year, so there's some catching up to do. On with the blog!

Brandon Flowers - "Crossfire" : You may not recognize the name, but you'll certainly recognize the voice once this song begins. Brandon is the lead singer of the highly popular group "The Killers." They've created several hit songs as a group, and now Brandon is branching out on his own with a solo album. The album's name is titled "Flamingo" and is set to be released September 14. It's a highly anticipated release, considering his first single is doing quite well and getting plenty of air. "Crossfire" quickly caught on for me - it's got a unique sound, a great message, and I thoroughly enjoy Brandon's vocals on this one. He has an incredible and highly recognizable voice that basically can do no wrong. Look for this song to continue rising up the charts.

Uncle Kracker f. Kid Rock - "Good to Be Me" : Uncle Kracker has been around for awhile now and continues to produce the hits. His latest song "Good to Be Me" with the help of Kid Rock, is one of those songs that's so incredibly catchy and has feel-good lyrics to it. It's a great song to listen to on the radio as you're cruising down the highway. "Good to Be Me" is the second song from the album "Happy Hour" which was released nearly a year ago. The first single off the album, "Smile," did incredibly well, reaching #31 in the United States and has been certified Platinum. If you're also a country fan, you probably heard "Smile" on country radio as it's been a cross-over hit there, as well. "Good to Be Me" is also a cross-over song and it's one that steadily growing popularity. Will it be as big of a hit as "Smile" was? Probably not, but it'll still do well for Uncle Krakcer.

Michael Buble - "Haven't Met You Yet" : I am sure you've heard this song played on the radio plenty of times like I have. At first, when it first came out, I wasn't exactly a fan of it. In fact, I remember switching stations more often than not when it came on. But eventually I began to like it more and more and then I was hooked. Now when it comes on, I'm usually singing along to it - now knowing a majority of the lyrics. It's funny how that goes - a song you first despised in the beginning becomes one of your favorites of the year. That's just how radio is, I guess. "Haven't Met You Yet" is a fun, upbeat song that'll get your toes tapping. It's another one of those lucky-in-love kind of songs. It's definitely got a lot of truth to the lyrics when describing a real-life love situations. The song has been a #1 smash in the United States.

That about covers it for this edition of the Songs I Dig. Be sure to watch out for the 20th edition of the Songs I Dig to come out very soon and will feature more of my favorite hits from 2010. I am sure there will be mostly songs from earlier this year in that edition as right now, there's not a lot of new songs I'm digging at the moment. But I am sure that will change.

A Sad Movie

2010-08-12T22:45:00.003-04:00

As I mentioned a little while back, a variety of channels from HBO were added as part of an upgrade to my cable package. Needless to say, I've been enjoying watching HBO more than Cinemax. One such movie I decided to watch was "Marley and Me." It's a movie that came out on Christmas Day in 2008 and it was a highly regarded film. I remember hearing great things about it but that the ending was quite sad. Seeing that I hadn't watched many films during the past three to four years, getting these additional movie channels is a great way for me to catch up. And "Marley and Me" is definitely one of those films I can say I watched.

The film truly is exceptional. It's great for the family - there's no cursing, no violence, and it involves animals. I mean honestly, when there's dogs involved in a movie, not very many people are going to turn it down unless its ridiculously corny - such as the dogs are made to talk. The story of "Marley and Me" is so sweet. A journalist working at a newspaper in Florida has just been giving a promotion, albeit temporary. Meanwhile, as part of a surprise, he brings his wife to a place where they are selling golden retriever puppies. Of course she can't turn down a cute, innocent puppy. The short-term name she gives the puppy is "Clearance Puppy," because the woman selling the puppy gave them a discount on it over the others. Eventually, they'd name it Marley, after Bob Marley.

The story follows the life of this man and woman and their ever growing family, including Marley. The dog is one of the most rambunctious and trouble-some you could ever see. He earns the reputation as being the worse dog ever by its owners (in jest, though). Meanwhile, the couple adds not one or two kids, but three during Marley's life. The family also endures a change in location from Florida to Philadelphia, PA, where John Grogan, the journalist, gets a job as a reporter instead of a columnist. The house is bigger, the family seems to be happier than ever, and Marley is getting older and older.

The last 30 minutes of the movie is exactly as it's been touted as being - very sad. I don't know what it is when it comes to pets and dying, but it's a very difficult subject to endure. I know when we had to put down our family dog over six years ago, I was distraught and devastated. And while watching Marley's life gradually come to end, those feelings came rushing back. I mean, there's the whole scene at the vet's office, the kids becoming teary-eyed at the possibility of losing their best friend, and John's wife also becoming emotional. It honestly became too much for me and I lost it - I have never gotten so emotional over a movie as an adult like I did with this film. It was really a touching movie and one I'll never forget. Would this movie have the same effect on me a second time around? I'm thinking not; but you never know. I decided to purchase the book on the real-life story to find out if there's any additional details left out in the movie. It's probably the first book in a long, long time that I'm looking forward to reading. I'm sure eventually you'll be reading my reaction to the book in due time.

Annual Family Picnic

2010-08-10T10:13:00.004-04:00

Yesterday was an absolutely gorgeous day to be at the beach. With temperatures in the middle 80's and high humidity, people were taking advantage of a day by the shoreline. Where I live, I'm probably only a half-mile from Lake Superior. But I cannot go directly to the lake because there are other homes in the way. Some people are lucky enough to own property along the shore! But further down the road from where I live, there's plenty of state-owned beach front to enjoy. And if you were to look, you can see white sandy beaches for miles. It truly is a spectacular sight.

My family and I have started a new tradition that began last year. My sister and her kids, along with my parents and I bring along some food for a picnic at the beach. My dad does the cooking on the grill and we all eat there. After that, we head down to the beach for some swimming. Last year the weather wasn't quite as warm as it was this year - in fact, there were more clouds out than sun. And the water temperature of the lake was quite chilly. I didn't even do any swimming it was so cold! But the kids did - they don't seem to be bothered by the cold lake water. With the warm air temperatures this year and the unusually warm lake waters, it was hard not to do any swimming this time around.

I am typically not a fan of putting on sun screen, even if I'm out for a short while. But yesterday I kind of wish I did, because I got a bit burned. My arms, face, top of my head, and neck all got a little red. It wasn't quite noticeable at first, but later on in the evening, you could definitely tell I got red. Ah well, it'll go away in a few days. I'll just have to be more careful if I venture out in the sun. Like I mentioned, the swimming was fantastic. The water didn't take your breath away as much when you entered. Isn't it funny how long it takes a person to get adjusted to the water temperature when older? When you're a kid, you jump right in. But for adults, we slowly wade into the water until we're finally neck-deep. Still, one could not complain about Lake Superior's water yesterday. There were a few waves here and there, but all in all, it was a nice time to be on the lake.

My nephew was even playing with a few other kids that were there - but he gets along very well with just about anyone. My niece doesn't quite have that same personality, but she's funny in her own way. Because my dad and I are on vacation this week and my sister is off from work today, we just might make a repeat trip to the beach again this afternoon. It appears we'll have another day like yesterday - so why not spend it at the beach. We have to enjoy these days while we can.

A Trip Down the Road...

2010-08-09T23:16:00.005-04:00

Earlier this week, I made a spur-of-the moment decision to take a short drive down M-28 in the Upper Peninsula from Harvey to the Scenic Look-out just outside of the city of Munising. It's a route that I am somewhat familiar with, although not one I frequent all too often. It's a picturesque road, with plentiful views of Lake Superior throughout. There are a few small towns here and there, but nothing with a McDonald's or a Wal-Mart in it; and I think that's a good thing. Honestly as I drove through, I was really amazed at what a person could find while traveling this route. There really is a lot that M-28 has to offer, and this was only 40+ miles or so.

So let's discuss the communities between Munising and Harvey. First off, the largest of the communities on this stretch of route would be famous Christmas, Michigan. For those unfamiliar with the U.P. and this small town, it's Christmas 24 hours a day, seven days a week in this sleepy town. There are signs and displays of Santa and Mrs. Clause, as well as plenty of red and green tinsel decorating railings and rooftops. It's truly a sight to see. But it doesn't take much to drive through and miss it all. Christmas has a few novelty shops to explore and if you are the gambling type, the Kewadin Casino of Christmas is open for you. Their restaurant serves excellent food, believe me. In addition, just across the street is Foggy's Restaurant, another fine establishment known for its excellent food. Christmas is definitely a must-stop destination, even if it's just for a couple of hours.

Next on our journey westward on M-28 is the quaint lake-side town of AuTrain. There's really not much of the town to see along the highway, as you'll need to take the turn left at the caution light onto H-01 to see more of the town. AuTrain is home to some excellent beaches along Lake Superior and during the hottest of U.P. days, literally hundreds of people flock here to cool down. And if the lake water is too cold (which it often is), the AuTrain River flows into the bay and provides an alternative place to swim. Don't be surprised to see a few hearty souls dive off the AuTrain River Bridge along M-28 into the water below. A few miles south along H-01 is another inland lake called (surprise!) AuTrain Lake. It is probably the most famous attribute of the community. It also provides another alternative swimming spot other than Lake Superior and the River. AuTrain Lake has a ton of resorts and camps where people can make reservations and to spend some quality time at. If you enjoy vacationing by a lake in the best of Upper Michigan's weather, then you can't go wrong staying at the plethora of resort opportunities along AuTrain Lake. The community also has several different kinds of shops and restaurants to explore as well as canoe rentals for trips down the AuTrain River. The community of AuTrain is a several-day destination spot all its own!

Heading further west on M-28, the communities get smaller and smaller. I can't remember if it's signed or not, but Shelter Bay is next, which not only is close to Lake Superior, but also offers yet another alternate swimming and boating opportunity in Deer Lake. I really loved the view as I rounded the gradual curve to see this special spot - a lake situated perfectly in a dense forest (especially looking southward). Nearest the highway, there's a recreation spot where people can picnic and grill out as well as swim. There is also a boat launch close by for people to take their dinghy's out and do some fishing. I also noticed a quaint little bed and breakfast close by, which looked spectacular and a place I wouldn't mind spending a few days at. Certainly well maintained. Last but not least is Deerton, which is actually a few miles south of M-28 but you do get to see the Deerton Post Office and the Tioga Tavern along the way.

Wow! That's certainly a lot, and that only covers just the communities in between Munising and Harvey. I also need to mention the Lakenenland Sculpture park located just west of the Alger-Marquette County line. It's free to everyone, but please make a donation if you visit. Tom Lakenen has done a marvelous job of creating this park all on his own, with little support from Chocolay Township, from what I understand. It's definitely a place to check out. Also, the Brownstone Inn is an exceptional restaurant with fine food, located approximately five miles east of AuTrain. It's well regarded in the U.P. for the quality of its food. I forgot to mention Bay Furnace, located in Christmas. An old smelter exists on the property and is something to check out. It's also a great camping and picnic area - as part of the Hiawatha National Forest. So if you're looking for a place to set up camp, the Bay Furnace Campground is an option. Lake Kawbawgam offers additional recreational opportunities in the form of camping, fishing, hiking, and cross country skiing in the winter. It's located about six miles east of Harvey. Also near Lake Kawbawgam is the Ojibwa Casino - so another option for the gamblers out there. The NMU Golf Course is a couple of miles west of there and it's an 18-hole course donated to Northern Michigan University a few years back. If you're an NMU alumni, you get a discount!

I am sure I missed a few other things to check out along this stretch of M-28 in Marquette and Alger Counties but there is just so much there that it's hard to get everything included in this blog (in advance, apologies if I did miss something!). Between Christmas and Munising, you'll also find the entryway to Grand Island, which offers a ferry ride to the island. It's a secluded island not too far out in Lake Superior from the mainland and even has residents living there year-round. It's another spot for the recreation-lovers out there. Okay, I'll stop there. For more information or if anyone has any questions regarding the locations I mentioned in this blog, feel free to leave a comment! I'll answer as best as I can. It just goes to show you that the U.P. really does offer a plethora of things to do. And all of this is just in one 45 mile drive along M-28.

Roseanne

2010-08-06T18:11:00.011-04:00

Back when I was a kid, one of my favorite shows to watch on TV was "Roseanne." There was something about the show that appealed to me. Maybe because the family on the show modeled my own family in some ways. I had two older sisters, one of them named Becky just as on the show, and I was the youngest of the family and male (as it turns out, DJ doesn't end up being the youngest anymore late in the series). We didn't experience the trials and tribulations like the Conner family had, but still, I knew of families who were down on their luck and looking to catch a break. Even today, despite the fact that the show has been off the air for over ten years, it still appeals to a mass audience.

The early episodes are probably my favorite, with the ninth season being my least favorite (you know, the one where the Conner family wins the lottery - and it ends up being just a fantasy written by Roseanne?). The show had it all, from its funniest moments to the intense and serious parts. One of the most vivid scenes I have of the series is later on, when Roseanne and Dan end up in a huge argument. They say things they regret later on and Dan gets so upset, he punches a hole in the wall and overturns the coffee table. Roseanne also throws a shoe into the TV, ruining it. It's just one of those episodes that you remember because it was such a serious moment. Things just were not going very well for the Conner family and everything seemed to boil over at that point for Dan and Roseanne. It appeared to be the start of their problems, too. It wouldn't be long until they would end up separating for a time.

"Roseanne" is on quite frequently in syndication. The Oxygen network airs it at times, although not as frequently as they once did. It can also be seen on TV Land and Nick at Nite, usually in the evenings. When I was kid, I enjoyed the show but I didn't quite understand all of the jokes like I do now. And even though I may have seen a particular episode many times, I still find it to be fresh and enjoyable today as ever. The show still appeals to me to this day and I never tire of it. It's probably the only show like it that doesn't get stale, even though it's been off the air for quite awhile now. Even my mom finds it more enjoyable now than when it was originally on. And I'm sure 40 years from now, when we're looking back upon some of the greatest shows of all-time, "Roseanne" will be high atop that list.

Lake Superior Drownings

2010-08-06T18:11:00.008-04:00

Lake Superior is an incredible body of water. Not only is it large and clear, but it can be completely calm one minute and unrelenting the next. We've been in a warm pattern since the end of the winter season and the water temperatures are warm. With our warm summer days, people are venturing into the waters to do some swimming. Typically Lake Superior is not a popular choice for swimming because the waters often stay cold. However, this year appears to be an exception. Buoy temperatures out in the center of the lake have been registering in the low to mid 60's. Usually it's a good 10 degrees cooler than that. So people have been taking advantage of the warm water temperatures, yet some of the outcomes have not been good.

Four people died yesterday when they drowned in rough waters along the Lake Superior shore. They include a 50 year old man and his 16 year old son from Oxford, MI who were swimming near the Grand Marais Harbor. Two teenagers, one from Felch, MI and another from Berkley, Illinois drowned off of Presque Isle in Marquette while they were body surfing. They lost control in the rough waves that pounded towards the shore. And two weeks ago, the head of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Rod Nilsestuen, drowned along Picnic Rocks in the city of Marquette during a period of strong rip currents. He was in the area helping build houses as part of Habitat for Humanity and went for a swim. Sadly, he became overcome by the strong rip currents that day.

Picnic Rocks in Marquette is an area notorious for strong rip currents. Over a dozen people have drowned in that area of Lake Superior through the years because of the dangerous swimming conditions. And during conditions we've experienced lately with strong, northerly winds, rip currents are even more pronounced. Any area of Lake Superior is susceptible to rip currents under the right conditions. It's a large body of water, one of the largest fresh water bodies in all the world. When the winds whip up, it certainly shows on the surface of the lake.

In lieu of the recent drowning at Picnic Rocks, the city of Marquette plans to stage a lifeguard at that beach and place a warning system for the various stages of rip currents that exist, hoping to prevent another person from drowning. As for other areas along the lake, it's important to take heed of conditions when they're at their worst. We are in the midst of our warm season and the water may seem tranquil. However, things can certainly change in an instant. It's better to stay as close to shore as possible while taking a swim and if you get caught in a rip current, swim parallel to the shore until the rip current releases you. Then, begin swimming towards shore. If you attempt to fight the rip current and immediately swim towards shore, you can quickly become fatigued and overwhelmed by the waves. Just some friendly advice when dealing with the worst that mighty Lake Superior has to offer.

If you're looking to find more information regarding these drownings from media sites, please check out these links:
WLUC-TV6 - Upper Michigan's Source
The Marquette Mining Journal

A Reunion No-Show

2010-08-05T20:54:00.004-04:00

If you've been following the blog for awhile now, you know that I've talked about my 10-year class reunion. It was held this past weekend and I was contemplating the decision to attend the event. To be honest, there's probably only one classmate that I've talked to within the past five years and without Facebook, I probably wouldn't have known where any of them lived and what they're doing. With the advances of social networking, we've come along way in keeping in touch with others. When it came down to it, I decided not to attend the reunion. As we progress through this blog entry, I'll explain why.

Back when we were scheduling vacations at work, I was wondering whether or not I should take the week of the reunion off just so I could attend. Would my anxieties about the event go away and would I be compelled enough to take a week of vacation off around the event to go. Ultimately I decided not to - and if I felt the urge to go, I could use one of my personal days. The reunion fell on one of the weekends I work 12-hour shifts. Yes, I could've used a personal day but I would've had to turn right back around and plan to go to work the next day which once again, was a 12-hour shift. I just wasn't up to that idea, so I decided to work after all.

Yes, there were a few people I had wanted to see after all these years. But then there was a larger group whom I didn't care to see after 10 years. Honestly, I did not feel the urge to attend an event, try to brag myself up, and explain the reasons why I'm working where I'm employed and why I'm still single. Even though we were close as classmates ten years ago, I feel a bit disconnected from them all. Heck, the majority of them don't even live in the area anymore. I read some comments on Facebook from a few of my old classmates who seemed a bit bothered about the "when are you going to have children?" questions. I think I would've been just as bothered with similar questions and felt by myself. I guess my biggest worry was attending an event and being by myself, sitting way back in the corner of the room as everyone else mingled amongst themselves. Anyways, the group gathering later that evening was held at a bar - certainly not my scene. Although yes, ultimately it would've been nice to see everyone together once again and to be involved in some of the activities that went on, but it just wasn't my cup of tea. So I decided to pass this time around.

It's still hard to believe it's been ten years since we all graduated high school. Those years have flown by. Everyone appears to be mostly successful and nobody has passed away. Let's see if our class is able to keep that trend alive as we march towards our 20th class reunion. A few of my classmates have discussed the possibilities of holding other smaller gatherings between now and 2020 - just so that we don't have to wait another ten years for such an event. And I'd be up for something like that. All in all, I just did not get a good feeling about attending the reunion this time around. That might sound a bit selfish on my part, but it's just the way I am. Who knows, in another ten years, I may feel better about the circumstances. By then, enough years should've gone by to where I feel like I don't know anybody there anymore. And it'll be like a whole new start.

U.P. and Severe Weather

2010-08-03T20:36:00.006-04:00

Last week, certain areas of the Upper Peninsula experienced severe weather - with even a couple of confirmed reports of tornadoes near the community of Norway. The tornadoes were weak, nonetheless, some damage occurred in the form of trees being blown down and power lines knocked over. I was rather perplexed at the lack of warnings presented by the local media when the tornado warnings went out. Usually something as severe as tornadoes would get local cut-ins with a meteorologist updating the public the situation that exists. I mean, yes, the main local station that has a meteorologist alerted the public of the tornado warnings with crawls across the screen. But the station never cut into programming at the time. What if the atmospheric conditions were just right and a devastating tornado outbreak occurred in the peninsula? Nobody would've received the proper warning.

In general, tornadoes happening in the U.P. is a pretty rare event. The area as a whole probably averages one to two tornadoes every few years. And in most cases like the event that occurred last week, the tornadoes that do spin up are rather weak. There was a case 15-20 years ago where a tornado hit the Gladstone community, doing minor damage. More often than not, when tornadoes do form in the U.P., they affect southern portions of the peninsula. However, funnels have been reported in northern counties as well as waterspouts forming near the Lake Superior shoreline during the right conditions. So all in all, yes, tornadoes do occur from time to time in the U.P. However, they are very rare and isolated, and we never experience extreme damage like the Southern Plains where tornadoes are more frequent.

Still, the lack of severe weather coverage for the Upper Peninsula is a bit concerning. The National Weather Service out of Negaunee Township does an excellent job forecasting and tracking the worst of the U.P.'s weather. If one has a NOAA weather radio and are able to pick up a frequency, it's the main weather source for for the U.P. It's the local TV stations that seem to be the most lax. The local ABC station doesn't even have its own in-house meteorologists. They depend on Accuweather to forecast Upper Michigan weather, and that means a local presence is missing to the forecasts. The "local" CBS station is out of Green Bay. They have a comprehensive U.P. forecast for each of its newscasts, yet once again, the local presence is missing. During the severe weather event of last week, they didn't cut into local programming when the tornado warnings went out. Usually they are quite good at updating the public of any major severe weather that's occurring - but this time they didn't. As for the local NBC station, they provided warning crawls from the National Weather Service and the broadcast of the warnings from NOAA radio, but no local cut-ins. They have a local presence in their forecasting and usually do a decent job with the weather. Yet, their severe weather coverage is much to be desired.

I was listening to a local radio station out of the Escanaba area the next morning when the on-air talent commented about the severe weather event. One mentioned how they just slept through it while the other didn't think nothing of it - despite the fact that it was a tornado warning. What will it take before such a warning is taken more seriously up here? Hopefully not when the perfect conditions exist where a major tornado outbreak takes place and devastates an area. But sadly, that's what usually happens in cases like this. The local media stations need to step up to the plate and provide better TV/radio coverage of these warnings as they happen, and to provide updates to the public during the warnings and once the warnings expire. I also believe that many of the communities up here do not have tornado sirens. So if a tornado was actually spotted, how would people really know if a tornado was on the ground, especially if they weren't by a TV or radio? It would be too late before they got the warning. Like I mentioned, tornadoes are rare up here, yet not totally uncommon. I think we need to start better preparing ourselves for such an event to occur because you just never know when it might happen.

Random Thoughts

2010-07-30T21:36:00.004-04:00

I haven't done one of these in awhile ... it's brief random thoughts for Random Topic Fridays!

Marquette Roundabout Nears Completion

The controversial Marquette Roundabout that the Michigan Department of Transportation has been constructing is nearing completion. Much of the inner-workings of the roundabout are built - all that remains are the two exit lanes, one entering the bypass from Front Street and the one exiting the bypass and entering Front Street. I must admit, when I first entered the roundabout this evening, I didn't go in the right lane. Oops! But I didn't think it was fully functional yet. There is definitely going to be a learning curve for everyone when this thing officially opens. Yes, there are still detractors of the roundabout - people blaming the city of Marquette for going forward with this type of intersection. But these folks don't understand that this is an MDOT project - the city of Marquette had nothing to do with it (although the endorsed the project from the beginning). More complaints state that it's a waste of money and there was nothing wrong with the old intersection. And another common complaint is that bigger trucks will have difficulty traversing the roundabout as well as winter plowing concerns. They're all legitimate concerns, but all one has to do is do a little research on-line and find that all of those misconceptions that people have brought up are exactly that - misconceptions. People are just afraid of change and something new. In time, people will get comfortable with the roundabout and there'll be no further complaints.

A Racial Firestorm

A story broke on the news earlier in the week about an interracial couple dealing with threats from two townspeople in their community they just moved to. It kind of hits home to me because its my mom's hometown and the one community we frequently visited as a kid and the Fourth of July celebrations. Two men came to the front door of this couple's house and told them not to get comfortable where they are and to move on, all because the male was black. Well somehow, this story made the local news and has created quite the firestorm of comments on the website of the local TV station. This town's credibility took a serious hit with this story - I don't care if it only involved the two idiots making threats. In this day and age, you can't be making threats at someone of a different ethnic background. We're living in the 21st century, not the slavery era. It's shameful what these two individuals did and thankfully, they were apprehended by police for their actions. Not only did they make threats, but they did damage to the woman's car, by removing the radiator cap, cutting the emergency brake line, and draining the oil from her car. How immature and senseless is this. If you don't like someone moving into your community, you keep it to yourself. Everyone is free to live where ever they like. After all, this is a free country.

Last Month of Summer

And sadly, we're beginning to enter the final month of the summer season. I am sure many people in the south and the east are glad that summer is nearing an end, because it's been so hot. Well, we've definitely had our fair share of warm days here in the U.P., but nothing like those two areas of the country have faced. I just love summer in the U.P. - there's nothing like it. And I tend to get a bit depressed at this time of year when I know that summer is coming to a close. All of the greenhouses are closing up shop for the summer around here now and all of the summer gear is on clearance. The grass is beginning to dry up and some of the flowers are starting to die off. The days are slowly getting shorter. And a major, clear sign that fall is around the corner - the goldenrod is getting taller and taller. Oh well, it happens every year and it's just one of those things we have to accept. The nice part is that fall is usually quite nice in the Upper Peninsula, even though we tend to get our fair share of colder days sooner than we like. But hey, it's the U.P. We're used to it by now.