American Idol 9 - Top 24 (Girls Night)

Welcome to the American Idol live shows! Its been a long time coming, but they have finally returned. We are also going to see how Ellen does during the live performance shows. Overall, I thought she did quite well tonight (and has been doing great since joining the show). Tonight, the girls performed pretty much any song they wanted to sing (it was bascially a billboard top 100 songs-type of night). Some performed older songs, while some went current. All in all, it was a bit of a disappointment overall. A few of the girls picked the wrong song and others just didn't sound very good. However, there were some bright spots. Let's get to the reviews!

(BTW, the reviews at this stage of the game are going to be shorter and I'm not going to focus too long on the write-ups. Either the contestants are memorable or they're not.)

Paige Miles - "Alright Now" by Free : So this is basically the first glance we get of this girl. I don't really remember much of her prior to tonight. I was not totally wowed by this performance. I mean, it was good but it didn't blow me away. She probably could've been helped by a more current song, but please no Alisha Keys, Mariah, or Whitney. She may be hurt by the lack of previous screen time and by going first. We'll see how it all pans out on Thursday.

Ashley Rodriguez - "Happy" by Leona Lewis : I do enjoy the direction she was trying to go with this song (by going current) however, I do agree with the judges that this song was just too big for her. Honestly, by tomorrow this performance will be forgettable (already I'm forgetting how she sang it). It was too sound-alike, she didn't differentiate herself from Leona, and it wasn't sung as well as it could've been. She would've done much better, I believe, with a different song.

Janell Wheeler - "What About Love" by Heart : I really like the original but Janell is not doing well with this selection. This is a big, rocker-chick kind of ballad and Janell doesn't necessarily fill that mold. I liked her Hollywood performance when she sang that Kara Dioguardi song while she played the guitar. I am afraid she tried to go all-out and went too far with this one. Again, it wasn't memorable enough and it was just an average performance. She has potential but this didn't cut it tonight.

Lilly Scott - "Fixin' a Hole" by the Beatles : Finally, someone that breathes new life into tonight's otherwise dull performance show. I enjoy the music from the Beatles but this is one song I'm definitely not familiar with. I swear she could've wrote this song herself and made a hit from it. The very beginning of the song was a bit off for me but then she truly delivers and I'm totally digging her style. She's passionate, soulful, and very fun to listen to. And look, I guess they can play the guitar during the semi's, too!

Katelyn Epperly - "Oh Darlin' " by the Beatles : Another of the Beatles' lesser popular songs, but it's a nice selection by Katelyn. I gotta admit, I follow a lot of Idol sites out there and many didn't think very highly of Katelyn prior to tonight. But I must say she was better than expected. It's probably not a performance we're all going to remember in a week, but it should be enough to get her through. I'd like to see her back playing the guitar like we saw during Hollywood week.

Haeley Vaughn - "I Want to Hold Your Hand" by the Beatles : Wow, why all these Beatle songs tonight (not that there's anything wrong with that, of course)? I like that she distinguishes herself from the original and does an original take on it with guitar in hand. However, she struggles with the higher notes in her upper register. And some of those notes, boy, they were painful to listen to. Not as strong as it could've been. It probably would've been better for her if she waited a year or two before auditioning.

Lacey Brown - "Landslide" by Fleetwood Mac : Another older song pick but hey, oldies are goodies, right? It's a very slow, serious song. I'm just not wowed by it and I noticed a lot of pitchy notes. I feel bad for her because I think she's got some major potential. Seeing how close she was last year to making the semi-finals and then making it this year, I was expecting a lot more. It just wasn't as strong as it could've been and the judges let her know it. She could definitely be in trouble.

Michelle Delamor - "Fallin' " by Alisha Keys : Just as I had feared, someone performing an Alisha Keys' song, particularly this one. In the past, contestants have not fared well performing this one. Michelle does a good job with it but it sounds too much like the original. She doesn't do enough to distinguish herself from Alisha's masterful job with the song. However, I will say that she did enough to stay for another week. She can definitely sing, there's no doubt about that.

Didi Benami - "The Way I Am" by Ingrid Michaelson : I had to laugh when I first heard she was singing this because another contestant sang this song during their audition and Simon hated the song! He had nothing bad to say about the song this time but he certainly wasn't wowed. I got what the judges were saying about Didi's performance but all in all, I thought she did very well compared to most of the previous contestants tonight. I think Didi has the potential to go very far this season.

Siobhan Magnus - "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak : What an excellent song choice and one that I don't believe any previous contestant has picked before. This song showed that Siobhan has an incredible range. Just look at how low she had to go at the beginning of the song and really went high in the middle and the end. She was definitely in the moment with this performance and it was virtually flawless. Definitely one of my favorites of the night, despite the fact that it's a dark and dreary-kind of song.

Crystal Bowersox - "Hand in my Pocket" by Alanis Morissette : Another song choice I am loving - Alanis really knows how to write some epic songs. And Crystal truly has some staying power in this year's competition. She's an original, she's soulful, and she knows what kind of an artist she wants to be. I remember seeing her play the harmonica during Hollywood and I was blown away then. I, too, am glad to see that Crystal auditioned for American Idol because she has the potential to win the entire show.

Katie Stevens - "Feeling Good" by Michael Buble : Katie has gotten a lot of early hype which has been well deserved. Now that we're into the live shows, will she be able to keep it up? She has the all-important pimp spot tonight which should definitely work to her favor. She does not disappoint but it's probably not as great as it could've been. I do agree with the judges, that even though it's a current song, Buble's kind of music is more old-fashioned. Katie is 17 and we need to remember that.

So, my favorites tonight were: Crystal Bowersox, Siobhan Magnus, Didi Benami, Lilly Scott, and Katelyn Epperly. These five should definitely advance.

Performances that were so-so: Katie Stevens, Michelle Delamor, Paige Miles, Janell Wheeler. They weren't great, but they weren't terrible. These girls should be safe.

In danger of being voted off: Ashley Rodriguez, Haeley Vaughn, and Lacey Brown. Start to pack your bags tonight, girls.

Going home: Haeley Vaughn and Lacey Brown. Unfortunately Haeley enterted the competition too soon. I think she would've been better off waiting a few more years. As for Lacey, it just wasn't her night. However, during these semi-final rounds, usually there's a surprise or two. One of these girls just might be safe. But as of now, these are my predictions.

That is all, folks. I'll probably be able to blog during most of tomorrow night's show when the boys perform, but I will not be able to finish. Be sure to catch the rest of tomorrow's blog the follow day.

(2/25/10) Actual Eliminees: Ashley Rodriguez and Janell Wheeler. Not totally surprised by this outcome, although I thought Janell would've been saved by the voters because of her good looks. It was all for naught this time, however.

American Idol - Season 9 Preview

Finally, after a lengthy and painstaking journey in the crazy American Idol journey, the American public will soon be allowed to vote for their favorites starting next week. I have begun to loathe the audition rounds because they are drawn out rediculously long. I honestly believe they could have two or three weeks of audition episodes, then two weeks featuring Hollywood week, then start the Top 24 competition. But that's just my opinion and I know there are several people out there who enjoy the auditions and the bad singers more than the competition-portion of the show itself. So far, I don't really have my eye on a clear favorite to win this year's American Idol title. A strong contender at this stage is Andrew Garcia, who performed an amazing rendition of Paula Abdul's big 1980's hit "Straight Up" in his first performance during Hollywood week. Unlike the past few years, this year features a strong contingent of girls. It'll be interesting to see if a girl prevails this year afterall. At this stage of the game, things can quickly change.

I was also happy to hear earlier in the winter when it was announced that the show was going back to its more traditional Top 24 format as opposed to last season's Top 36. So many talented individuals were cut too soon last year. For everyone involved during season eight's semi-finals, it was a one-and-done process. All everyone got was one performance and if they did enough to impress the American voting public, they advanced to the Top 12 (which became the Top 13 after the wildcard show). That means there'll be no wildcard, in which the judges pick the last three contestants, and there'll likely be no judge's save this year. To be honest, the judge's save was not used at the right time during last season's competition. Ultimately, they used the save on Matt Girad, who pretty much was already past his prime on the show. The judges should've used the save on Alexis Grace right off the bat. But I can see why they waited to use the save and not use it on Alexis so early on. But the gimmick of the save is just that, a gimmick. It's better off being just a one-season thing because although it produced a nice moment last season, the surprise of a shocking elimination helps make American Idol what it is. And maybe we'll have a return to that this season.

Other contestants who I like at the top of my head include Crystal Bowersox. And what a cool last name, by the way. She's very bluesy, soulful, and does an impressive job playing the harmonica and guitar. She really stood out during Hollywood week. I also really liked Didi Benami and her performances during Hollywood week. She's basically performing for her best friend who tragically died way too young. At this stage for the girls, there are a lot of blondes and many of them play the guitar. So it's kind of difficult to keep track of who's who. However, once we get to the semi-final performances, I think it'll be quite easy to pick them all out. Right now all we're basing our opinion on these contestants are from short snippets of their auditions and during Hollywood week. As for the guys, I've already mentioned Andrew Garcia as being a front-runner. A couple of the other guys who may be strong contenders are Casey James and Aaron Kelly. I am sure Casey is going to have a big following because he took off his shirt to bare his chest to America during his audition. And he's not a bad singer, either. He actually proved to be quite impressive, especially with his guitar-playing skills. Now as for Aaron, he'll likely get the tween and young teenage girl vote because he's only 16. So far I haven't been completely blown away by his singing, and he did have difficulty remembering some of the words of a song during Hollywood week. But he's definitely had some strong moments and I'd be shocked if he didn't make the Top 12.

So there you have it; a short preview of the upcoming American Idol season. Who knows, this season may prove to be the strongest yet. However, for me, nothing can beat the excitement I felt during season seven, when David Cook beat David Archuleta for the title. We may experience something along those very same lines this season - except it's two girls vying for the title of American Idol. This may be the most wide-open field of contestants we've ever had for the show heading into the Top 24. Even last year, Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert were front-runners heading into the Top 36, and look how far they went. Really, only Andrew Garcia is the only one whom I consider a front-runner. You never know how this season will play out. After all, that's why American Idol is the most popular show in America. It's truly unpredictable!

More Work Drama

So lately I've been finding myself stressing out about work more than usual; and no, it doesn't involve my boss this time around. The operating department in the concentrator at the mine is comprised of four run-crews (that work swing shift) and one day shift crew. Back in November, our department manager hinted at the possibility of the crews being switched around; with the day shift crew staying put. There wasn't a huge amount of talk amongst the crews about it, but I knew that was likely to change as we reached closer to the new year, when a process called shift-in-area takes place across both properties at the two Michigan iron ore plants. Shift-in-area is where an individual has the opportunity to change shift or work locations based on their job class. It mainly affects maintenance and electrical, but occasionally it can affect operating. Anyways, sure enough, as soon as the New Year passed, the discussion of switching crews heated up. This time, it was starting to be discussed amongst management. It really looked like it was going to happen, and the blood was starting to boil for many in the operating department.

You see, they did this exact same thing three years ago, and it proved to be a major failure. My dad has worked at the mine for 37 years and only once had they switched the crews around - that one time was three years ago. The reason why it didn't work the previous time is because of the tremendous amount of turn-over that takes place within the department. People leave and transfer to new areas of the operation, most likely resulting in a better paying position. Back three years ago, they wanted to break up this one crew because there was some in-fighting taking place on that crew and it was loaded with guys that had a lot of seniority. In comparison, another crew had individuals comprised of new people. So the balance was way off - so they decided to do a major shake-up and switch the crews around. This ticked a lot of people off and it took awhile for many of the hourly people to trust management again. There was even more turn-over then and some of the older employees retired that could. And surprisingly, three years later, they wanted to try it again.

I was prepared to be moved to a different crew, as there was a 25 percent chance I'd stay on my same crew. But as the days progressed, the story from management about the switch changed. Initially, there was going to be a minor shake-up, but nothing like three years ago. Then that was reversed and it was going to be exactly like three years ago. It changed again; this time management saying eight to nine people would be moved around. In our monthly safety meeting, management told me that I would likely be moving. So that really prepared me for the move. However, that eight-to-nine people estimate would end up being shrinked even further. Now only three-to-four people were moving, and I was still one of them. You see, in my situation, I am an assistant plant operator. I get to help operate the concentrator from a control room in special situations or when one of the full-time operators is not there. I did this before prior to last April when I got moved to a different crew because of a special circumstance. I was the senior APO on that crew at that time. But upon being moved to this new crew last April, there was already an APO on that crew who had more seniority than me; meaning I became a junior APO. With this latest switch, I will again be taking on the role as a senior APO but it comes with a major hitch. I will be having to deal with an individual that does not like working with me.

I was on the exact same crew as this individual before being moved last April, so I know who I'm dealing with. He's the control room operator, the one I will be filling in for when he's gone or when he needs additional help in the panel when there's a lot going on. He and my dad haven't gotten along for the past five years - something involving a very trivial incident that involved the two of them before at work. So for some reason, he has taken the existing feud with my dad out on me. He has treated me differently than most of the others on that crew. A lot of times I feel like I am getting the silent treatment. He could be joking around with everyone else on the crew, but when I enter the room, he turns stone-faced. I really don't know what to make of it - he's not really very easy to talk to. He's tall and talks in a very, gravely tone. He's been a smoker for years, so you can understand why he talks the way he does. He used to be very involved in the union but quit a few years back because of "health reasons." When he was in the union, he was gone quite a bit. I kind of wish he was still involved with the union because then I wouldn't have to deal with him that often!

Needless to say, I was a bit upset to learn I'd be transferring back to my old crew after a little less than a year to work with an individual I have a hard time dealing with. On my last weekend off, I thought all about working with him in the past and it really bothered me. I couldn't even have an enjoyable weekend off from work! I don't know what has happened since, but I've become more accepting of it. Also, it might be because the switch doesn't officially take place for another two in a half weeks. But still, I was disheartened to know I'd be having to leave a crew I really enjoy working with in exchange for working on a crew that leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I'm hoping that things end up a little better the second time around, but I'm not getting my hopes up. If I have to, I will confront him because this time around, I am not going to take his behavior as well as I have the last time around. I got to stand up for myself a little better and not be so intimidated about this guy so much. If I do that, it may help out my reputation he has of me.

Things to Consider Before Moving to the U.P.

From someone who has lived in the Upper Peninsula all of his life, I thought I would share some perspective on how it's like living in the northern part of Michigan. And for anyone interested in traveling or possibly moving here - maybe this retrospective blog can be helpful for you. I visit a variety of websites promoting Michigan or the Upper Peninsula, and it's quite often I see people looking into the possibilities of moving to the U.P. For one thing, and it's probably the most important aspect when considering a move to the Upper Peninsula, you've got to enjoy snow and cold. The further north you go in the U.P., the more snow you'll find. Cities along the Lake Superior shore like Munising, Marquette, Houghton, Ontonagon, Negaunee, and Calumet (just to name a few) often experience a lot of snow, thanks to the influence of Lake Superior. We do get an old fashioned snow storm from time to time, but the fair share of snow for the northern counties of the U.P. comes from Lake Superior. During some of our worst winters on record, we have approached and even surpassed the 300 inch snow mark for a season. Now that's a lot of snow, especially for someone not used to being inundated with all that snow! As for the cold, yes, it does get cold here, too. Probably not as cold as Northern Minnesota because we are insulated somewhat by the Great Lakes. Still, don't be surprised to see temperatures struggling to get above zero during the day during some of the worst cold snaps of the winter. So in summation, if you're thinking about a move to the Upper Peninsula, seriously consider whether or not you can handle a typical U.P. winter. By February 1st, you may be so stir crazy that you might head south in a hurry.

So, we got the main climate challenge out of the way (oh yeah, don't be surprised to see six months of snow on the ground before it melts - forgot that one). Now it's onto the next challenge that may inhibit an individual from moving to the Upper Peninsula. You need a source of income. Good jobs here are hard to come by. Unless you work in the medical or educational field, finding a good source of income in the U.P. can be pretty difficult. Nowadays, high tech jobs are becoming more frequent, but even then, you have to do some extensive searching. There's a hospital in just about every large U.P. town, and that's not including the clinics and small doctors offices. So if you're a nurse, a doctor, or anyone else affiliated with the medical field, you shouldn't have any problem finding work here. There are three major universities located in the Upper Peninsula, as well as smaller universities and community colleges. These institutions always seem to be looking for professors and other support staff. The public school systems in the Upper Peninsula are hurting right now because of the struggles of our state. Instead of pumping more money to fund our public schools, the state is continually taking away. So public schools are cutting back, offering teachers early retirement and going so far as to cut support staff. So it is going to be more difficult finding work in the public school system because of Michigan's economic struggles. And the state has even cut funding to colleges and universities, so finding a job at those institutions probably isn't a sure-thing, either. The Upper Peninsula is also home to logging and mining industries - but those industries have also been hurt by the national economic struggles, so they are likely not hiring right now. In today's tough economic times, it's tough finding work. But, there could be a diamond in the rough if you look. If you're able to work from home via a computer or phone, then I'd say it'd be pretty easy to re-locate here. However, I caution anyone who is considering leaving their current situation to fully assess your options and to look at the job market in the Upper Peninsula before committing 100 percent to a move. If you're retired, have a job lined up here, or can work from home, then by all means come on up. If you can't meet those conditions, then re-consider your options.

I really don't mean to be dream buster because I am a huge promoter of the U.P. and everything we have to offer here. It's just that we can't offer everything to everybody. You have to make sure you have all your ducks in a row before you commit a move to the Upper Peninsula. The general population of the U.P. is 300,000 people and we're spread far and wide across this expansive stretch of land. The largest city in the U.P. is Marquette and its population is around 20,000. Certainly no Chicago or Detroit by any means. So, an additional challenge to consider is the U.P.'s isolation. We are quite far away from any major population centers (even Green Bay, WI is considered small with a population of 100,000). Chicago, Detroit, and Minneapolis are over six to eight hours away by vehicle. However, let's not paint a wrong picture of the U.P. by saying we don't have modern conveniences. We have running water, modern sewer systems, electric, phone, and cell service (and yes, even high speed Internet!). We have paved highways, shopping malls, and big-box retailers. We have everything available that any other location in the country has. Just because we are isolated and there's more trees than people in the U.P., that doesn't mean we're backwards.

So if all of that doesn't scare you, then there shouldn't be anything holding you back! The U.P. really has a lot to offer as it provides a way to enjoy all four seasons. From snowmobiling, skiing, and ice skating in the winter, to the melt of snow and ice and the beginning of nature's re-birth in the spring. In the summer, there's a whole plethora of activities to enjoy, from hiking, biking, relaxing by a beach, picnicking, sightseeing, you name it. And then by fall, the region begins to prepare for a new winter season, but will first enjoy the spectacular fall color that the U.P. is known for. The summer is by far and away my favorite season here in the Upper Peninsula because there's just so much you can do and the weather is typically fantastic. I just love waking up in the mornings, listening to the frogs croak in the springtime, and the birds sing all summer long. During the evenings, the stars shine bright and the crickets chirp loudly. You're basically a short drive to a body of water, a forest, or a recreation area. And really, that's only the tip of the iceberg as far as what the U.P. offers. The Upper Peninsula is a magnificent place and I'm blessed to have the opportunity to live here. Yes, the winter's are long but you do have to make sacrifices in order to live here. And certainly in my opinion, they're well worth it.

Jay Leno vs. Conan O'Brien

So who's side were you on? Back before NBC made changes to its late night line-up, both Conan and Jay were number one on their respective shows. More often than not, after the late local news was over, I'd keep it on the Tonight Show to watch Jay and listen to his jokes. It wasn't very often that I'd switch it over to Dave Letterman, unless that particular episode of the Tonight Show was one that I'd seen before. Nothing against Letterman, but sometimes his jokes become too repetitive. And I found that to be annoying. And a lot of times, I'd keep it on the Tonight Show because a majority of Jay's other skits I found to be enjoyable, too. As for Conan's show; I always watched it over the competition because Conan is just so darn funny. His jokes, his reaction to the audience, his awkward movements on stage, his skits; you name it. Back in 2004, when Jay Leno signed the rights away to hosting the Tonight Show, I thought it was the right thing to do. However, watching everything that has transpired within the past month, it's clearly obvious that was an ill-advised decision for not only the two comics, but for NBC.

I am wondering how people are reacting to Jay Leno's appearance on Oprah's show this past Thursday. I know I've read some criticism from columnists who write for certain newspapers. I didn't get to watch all of the interview, but saw the last half-hour of Oprah's show (not sure if the interview took up the entire hour or not). As for my reaction, I was a little put off by his comments. For one, he said the selfish thing he could've done was to walk away. And for one, he was looking out for his staff if he would've made the decision to walk because he didn't want to leave them on the street without a job. However, how can anyone think of that as being selfish? They work in Los Angeles afterall; I'm sure they could find other work. He signed an agreement in 2004 to walk away from the Tonight Show. He gave the reins of the show to Conan so he could succeed and for Jay to "retire." I know Jay and NBC made the agreement back then thinking he couldn't keep the title of being number one in late night going. But he remained number one that entire time which made the decision leaving the Tonight Show a difficult one for Jay.

I guess what I don't understand in all of this is why Jay ended up being so committed to NBC when he could've had his opportunities to walk away. Last year, with his reign on the Tonight Show nearing an end, he signed a deal to host his soon-to-be-cancelled primetime show. NBC signed Jay fearing he'd end up at a competiting network and start a new show there. Jay had his doubts a show at 10:00 PM would work. Yet, he went ahead and signed the deal. Right there, he could've demanded a release from the network to start his own show. I mean, he had his doubts, I'm sure other people involved with Jay had their doubts. He could've easily found a way to leave NBC and pursue other opportunities. The agreement back in 2004 only involved Conan taking over the Tonight Show from Jay, right? Then, when NBC decided to cancel Jay's 10:00 show and move him back to 11:35 and give him a half-hour show, again, another prime opportunity to walk away from the network. I wonder if Jay was waiting to see how Conan would react to moving back a half-hour to 12:05; whether he'd accept that compromise or not. What if Conan would've said yes to that, would that have caused Jay to walk away then? I have my doubts, because Jay seemed overly committed to NBC during this whole debacle. Even if it was only a half-hour show, he's still back in his old Tonight Show timeslot. In my opinion, Conan took the higher road in all of this and walked away from the Tonight Show, fearing the move of the show back a half-hour would damage the history of the institution. Honestly, it makes Conan look a heck of a lot better in all of this than Jay.

So who will I be watching March 1 when Jay Leno comes back to host the Tonight Show? I've contemplated switching over to Dave Letterman, but I might check out and watch all the hub-bub involving Jay's return. For all of these years, we've been comforted by Jay's jokes before we went to bed. I mean, he has portrayed himself as this blue collar, every-man, nice guy. However, this whole situation really taints his image. Obviously it was the network that put him in this position. Yet, don't you think it would've been incredibly easy for him to find another network to do his routine if he wanted to host a show that badly? I mean, Conan is going to get that same opportunity. It sounds like FOX is high on Conan's list, for one. And they've said they were always interested in getting back into the late night talk show circus. I believe this will hurt Jay for awhile, but I think he'll rebound over time. He'll likely regain his status as being number one in late night. However, once Conan comes back into the ring, you've got to believe many more people will flock over to his show as a way to stick it to the funny man with a big chin.

Small Town Shrinking

Back when I was a child growing up in my small town, there seemed to be more life within its boundaries. There were more businesses, more families, more kids; you name it, there was more. That's not to say those conditions no longer exist, but it's far less vibrant than what it once was. I can recall back to the days when I rode the school bus to and from school. I mean my town practically had a bus route all its own! Now they merely drive through, dropping off/picking up kids here and there. One stop in particular on one of the local streets, I remember there being easily ten or more kids there. I'd be surprised if there's two or three there now. Yes, it's a far cry from what it used to be. But honestly, it's a sign of the times.

On the business front, several prominent businesses shut down over the years within the village boundaries. The village used to be home to two separate sawmill operations. One of them shut down in the early 1990's for reasons unknown to the general public. One can speculate that they ran into financial difficulties. Another rumor that I heard was their employees were older and within "retirement" range. They had no one to pass the torch onto, so to speak, so they shut down. Whatever the case, that stretch of property remains run-down and vacant. The majority of the buildings on the property have fallen into disrepair and need to be leveled. The land has been up for sale for quite some time; but I honestly wonder who would buy it? The site needs extensive clean-up, as there is plenty of rotting wood on that property as well. And what could be put on that piece of land? I'm sure someone has the potential to really fix that area of town up. But it would take someone with money and a grand vision. Hopefully that happens sooner rather than later.

The other sawmill operation burned down in the early 1990's. I remember waking up one morning and driving to school. One of the first things I heard was that the sawmill had burned down. I honestly had no idea, and I lived probably a quarter-mile from the sawmill that burned! Needless to say, that sawmill was never rebuilt. That land also remains vacant except for one small building. It, too, is for sale and probably requires less amount of clean-up than the other former sawmill property. But who's to say this property won't sit for awhile just like the other sawmill property down the road.

Other businesses like an auto shop and an oil and gas distributor have shut down over the years, leaving some people needing to find work elsewhere. And I can tell you one thing, they surely couldn't find it in my small hometown. I would say that during the 1980's, the peak of the town's population was probably around 350 or so. You had families with three or more kids living in each home and that really drove up population. Nowadays, couples are having less kids or some people are occupying homes by themselves. You have less people living within the village, partly because there are no good paying jobs within the village limits. Most people that live there have to drive more than 20 miles to find good jobs, and even those are hard to come by these days. The Co-op store which has been in operation for many years has had its own struggles recently. There's no longer a gas station within the village like there had been for years. And there's less vehicular and pedestrian traffic within town. Most people are driving through, rather than stopping.

Needless to say, with our changing times, small towns are dealing with their own struggles in staying afloat in this economy. With less jobs and people facing an increasing cost of living, many people are having to move away to find work. And the sad part is for those that grew up within and around the small town where I lived, there's only a select few that still remain. Even I don't live there anymore; albeit I only moved 25 miles away so I still frequently visit the area. But there's hardly anything left there to hang onto. Yes, there are plenty of great memories, but the present and future of the area does not look promising. We need more jobs, for one thing. But I just don't see that happening for quite awhile. I don't see the town completely dying out, but it may never again be as vibrant as it was during the '80's.

Time to Start Blogging Again

Well, well, well. We are 21 days into the month of January and the new year, for that matter. And this is officially the first blog of the year. Its really been difficult getting a blog posting up lately, for some reason. I'm beginning to think about taking a break from blogging for awhile to refresh my batteries, if you will. I am not totally sold on that idea yet - so I'm not saying for sure if that'll happen. But writing lately has become more of a drag than being fun, so I think it might be the direction I may want to go. However, with the new season of American Idol starting, I don't know if I want to stop blogging at this time. If anything, I'll probably take a break during the summer. So in the meantime, I'll just keep plugging away. At this pace, seeing 10 blog postings in a month will really be an accomplishment for me. And honestly, that's kind of a sad statement for me because writing has always been a passion for me. But that fire recently has been diminished.

And what might really be shocking for those of you who follow my blog on a regular basis - I have yet to get really involved in this season of American Idol. This past week, I watched a few minutes of Wednesday's episode and I saw a few promising singers. But for some reason I just can't get hooked like I have in the past. Maybe I really do miss Paula Abdul more than I thought. I don't know, something just seems to be lacking this year and I'm hoping that once we get into the Hollywood Rounds, my perception of season nine will change. Maybe the show is getting too stale and it needs a dramatic change. Especially if even loyal viewers like me are beginning to tire of the show. But I will say this; the audition shows have never been a favorite of mine. I would just rather they show the better singers than the truly horrible singers. And I know they show the bad singers just for the entertainment value of things. But oftentimes, I find it to be distasteful. So that could be a large part of why I have had nothing to do with season nine so far. Like I said, hopefully that'll change because otherwise I won't be blogging about American Idol, either!

A few weekends back, I was really going to push out some high quality blogs for you. But then I came down with this horrible stomach flu. My nephew was over at my parents house when I showed up there. He was planning on spending the night and I showed up to spend a few days there, as well. So I got to spend some quality time with my nephew. The only thing is, none of us (my parents included) knew that he was going to be as sick as he was. I was playing Super Nintendo with my nephew when he started to get really tired. Eventually it got to the point where he was just watching me play and he soon fell asleep. So I shut off the game and left the room and sat with my parents in the living room. About an hour later, we heard a noise coming from the spare bedroom where my nephew was, but we really didn't thinking anything of it. Well, he was throwing up in bed. It ended up being an all-night affair for my mom, as my nephew was throwing up in bed, had diarrhea in bed, was running to the bathroom all night, and she had to wash his clothes many different times because he only brought a limited supply with him! I honestly felt really bad for my mom as she really shouldn't have had to deal with a sick grandson all night. But out of the kindness of her heart, she did. But my nephew was very sick and it was definitely a concern for all of us. Thankfully in the morning, he was a bit better. Unfortunately, his weekend stay and grandma and grandpa's was cut short by the flu.

Seeing that I was the last one to play with my nephew before he got sick, I was definitely concerned that I would come down with the illness. Seeing how sick my nephew got, I knew it wouldn't be just a walk in the park. About 24 hours after my nephew got sick, I started getting sick. My stomach started aching and I soon got nauseated. I wasn't the only one to get sick at that same time, either, as my dad came down with the flu as well. And yet, he still ventured into work that morning and suffered with it there. There was no way that I could make it into work in the condition that I was - so I called in sick. I was scheduled to work afternoon shift and if I really pushed myself, I probably could've made it. But I decided that the best course of action was to rest up and try again the next day. I still wasn't cured of the flu the next day either and I suffered from stomach pains at work. Gradually it got better and I finally gained my appetite back. It was definitely a struggle, though, and one illness I certainly don't want to catch again anytime soon.

So here's hoping for a stronger end of the month to my blogging activities here - although at this point, that's definitely a stretch. I'm still planning on bringing you a brand new Songs I Dig as well as recapping my top ten songs of 2009 (yes, I STILL have to do that). So it's not like I've ran out of things to talk about. But with being a new homeowner, I am a lot more busy than I was living in an apartment. For one, I have to shovel and snowblow my driveway after a storm! But hey, the positives certainly outweigh the negatives when it comes to home ownership. I am hoping to find more time within my schedule to blog and write more about the things that happen within my daily life and those newsworthy items that occur in the news. I mean, it's not like I lead that extremely busy of a life. But it's certainly more active than it once was. For those loyal readers of my blog, please continue to have patience while I struggle to post blogs. Hopefully we'll get to a point where these blogs aren't so spaced apart and more frequent again.

A New Decade is Upon Us

It's hard to believe, but we will usher in a new decade after midnight tomorrow evening. And what a decade it's been, not just for you or I, but for the nation and the world. I remember when we were about to ring in the year 2000. There were a lot of concerns about technology and whether or not it would be able to handle switch to a new millennium. There was talk about the whole world shutting down because of the Y2K hype, and that was all it ended up being, hype. The transition from 1999 to 2000 was pretty much seamless. I do remember a planned terrorist attack against the LAX airport in Los Angeles being stopped. And there was absolutely no trouble with the world's technology when the calendar flipped to 2000. Now fast forward another nine years later, and here we are again. This time, we start an entire new decade. No, not as much hype or fanfare. Still, it's a pretty big deal, especially anytime we start a new decade.

2000 was also the year I graduated from high school. I can't remember when it happened, either kindergarten or second grade, but our class was interviewed by the local paper because our class would be graduating in the year 2000, and we were asked about what the world would be like then. I remember a bunch of other kids being interviewed and I wanted to be included in the discussion. So I blurted out that in 2000, many of the textbooks we used in school would become electronic. Mind you, this was the late 1980's when this interview took place and computers were pretty clunky and not very user-friendly yet. Heck, we had a lot of those old Apple computers with the green and black screens. Well, my vision of textbooks becoming electronic hasn't entirely come true even in 2009, but we're certainly on our way. How easy is it getting to download books to computers and small mobile devices? I wouldn't be surprised that within the next five years, each student will have their own laptop in grade school, and much of the textbook material will be stored on these laptops. Schools these days, particularly in Michigan, are hurting from a lack of funding from state levels. This could be one way to cut back on spending instead of replacing textbooks every five to ten years. Sure, the initial laptop cost for a school district could be pricey, but the overall benefits could outway the accumulated cost.

2010 will also be the year for my ten year class reunion. I know I've brought it up a few different instances in this blog, especially early on in its existence. In some ways, it's hard to believe it's been ten years since I graduated high school. Yet in others, it seems like a really long time. I attended a small school so our class consisted of barely 40 students. It was pretty easy getting to know everyone in our class, let alone our whole school. For the most part, I got along with many of my classmates. Does that make my decision to attend the upcoming class reunion that much easier? Maybe a bit. But I still have some reservations about going. Ten years is a long time not seeing all of these people. Not only will they look different, but I will to. And yes, you're not supposed to let physical appearance be one of the deciding factors in attending or not. But I'm pretty self conscious in my appearance and I hate people thinking negatively of me. I guess one way to look at it is this; you may look somewhat different, but they will too. Overall, I don't think I have changed all that dramatically. I just think interacting with these people again will be a challenge. Instead of being 17, 18, or 19 years old, we'll all be ten years older - more mature and sophisticated. I am still undecided whether or not I'll attend. I have eight months to make a firm decision at least.

The decade of the 2000's also saw me graduate college after five years, land a full-time job in the local area, and allowed me the opportunity to buy my first home, which I did this past year. Things haven't been completely rosy, however, as I lost my grandmother to a long-time illness this past year. I still find myself single, which I hope to rectify in the New Year. However, all in all, the positives outweigh the negatives of the decade gone by, and I really have very few complaints. Here's hoping that the New Year, and the decade of the 10's continues to bring positive news my way.

Songs I Dig - 16

It seems I've procrastinated enough - now to get the rest of these songs finally off my list! I don't know why it's been so difficult to write in the blog the last half of the year. I've been barely writing five blogs a month. But with the new house and other assorted activities, I don't have as much time. Here's for a better effort in 2010! Anyways, I must get the latest Songs I Dig blog in before I have any hope of doing a top 10 list for the year. And here we go!

Shinedown - "Second Chance" : 2009 really seemed to be a big year for the rock band from Jacksonville, Florida. I cannot say I was really all that familiar with their work prior to this year. But thanks to hits like "Second Chance" and their latest song, "If You Only Knew," myself and others have discovered an excellent modern-day rock group. The song itself is a catchy tune and one that's easy to sing along to. It has proven to be Shinedown's biggest hit to date and really solidified their standing in today's rock genre.

Lady Gaga - "Pokerface" : Out of all of the artists that have been featured in the SID blog in 2009, this artist probably had the biggest year out of them all. Not only has Lady Gaga's debut album "The Fame" been certified multi-platinum, but "Pokerface" itself has also been given the same distinction. And how can anyone deny success of the song with its catchy lyrics and innuendos. What really drew me into the song was the opening beat and sound of the song. I'm always about unique-sounding songs and this one is definitely very unique. And it definitely works.

Carolina Liar - "Show Me What I'm Looking For" : This was the first single off the debut album "Coming to Terms" for the group Carolina Liar. It was released earlier in the year and although it's not a real empowering song, it's certainly no dud. The group is based out of Los Angeles but most of its band members originate from Sweden. "Show Me What I'm Looking For" proved to be Carolina Liar's biggest hit from the album and was one of the better songs of 2009.

Nickelback - "If Today Was Your Last Day" : Once again, here's Nickelback on the SID blog, proving that 2009 was another good year for the group. The song was originally supposed to be the first song from the album "Dark Horse" but was scrapped for "Gotta be Somebody." It ended up being the second song released from the album and became the second top 20 song off the album. It's a song with a very deep message, one that could be described as motivating. It basically states not to take life for granted and to treat each day like it's your last.

Cobra Starship - "Good Girls Go Bad" : Here's another one of those super-catchy songs and one that'd be extremely fun to dance along to at a club. Cobra Starship is a group formed in New York City and has released three albums so far. Their latest, "Hot Mess," has spawned the hit single "Good Girls Go Bad" which basically describes a guy that's a big time troublemaker and one that girls just can't resist. It's basically an ode to those big, bad, rough guys and really puts the nice guys in the backseat. Despite its message, it's done very well on the charts and has become Cobra Starship's biggest hit to date.

Green Day - "21 Guns" : 2009 also brought the group Green Day back into modern-day music conversations with their newest album "21st Century Breakdown." 21 Guns was the second song from the album and one that presents a sobering message within the lyrics. The song basically discusses the end of a very long battle, not a warfare battle mind you, but any kind of battle a person faces as part of life. And this is a battle you're not winning. Sometimes it's better just to give up and move on than to keep fighting a losing battle. It's a genious song and one that has done well for Green Day in 2009.

Missy Higgins - "Where I Stood" : I was tempted to leave this song off the list, but after listening to the song again, I feel it's deserving to be listed amongst the others in this particular group. I guess you could say this song is one of the more under-appreciated songs of the year. It's a very slow, thought-provoking ballad. Missy Higgins is an Australian-born musician and "Where I Stood" is the second song from her second album "On a Clear Night." It's one of those break-up songs where the protagonist in the song is having trouble completely accepting the break-up from the antagonist. And that the new "lover" probably won't be able to live up to the protagonists standards. The song has a somber beat to it, yet it's very powerful in its own way.

And that wraps up the latest edition of the Songs I Dig. Seeing that we're one day away from Christmas and a week away from the New Year, be sure to look for a top ten countdown of the biggest hits from 2009. A reminder, this is my personal list of the best songs of the year and has nobody elses influences involved. So if you disagree with my tastes, just take it with a grain of salt. I am contemplating whether or not I should do some sort of countdown of the best songs of the entire decade. It's a monumental task and one that I am considering doing. Either way, I'll let you know whether I decide to tackle it or not. In the meantime, enjoy the current listing of songs and we'll see you next time in the Songs I Dig.

Trouble at Work - Part 2

http://lukefisk.blogspot.com/2009/09/trouble-at-work.html

I bring up the following blog posting from a couple of months back to bring you all an update on the situation I and my fellow crew members are dealing with at work. During previous instances when our boss was in a fowl mood, it took him awhile to get back to normal. The same situation occurred in September - it was probably a good two weeks before I felt comfortable talking to him and being in the same room as him. He's admitted in the past that he doesn't deal well with change - but there's been plenty of change going on at work recently, which may set off his bad behavior. All has been well with our boss and his relationship with the crew up until this past Wednesday night when we started our first midnight shift. Ever since then, things have turned ugly. And now he's lost all of our respect because of his behavior.

Our control room operator is rather a jokester, always trying to keep the mood light. Wednesday night when our coordinator entered the room, he cracked a joke. The coordinator did not emote one ounce of a smile and got right to business, reading aloud a safety alert. He described everything that was going on, let us sit there to ponder it for a bit, then announced, "okay, let's go!" This was his way of saying, "get to work." Our shift starts at 10:55 on midnight shift, and it ended up being 11:10 when he ushered us out. There have been plenty of instances, especially when our boss was in a good mood, where we didn't leave until half-past. When he kicks us out of the control room in such short fashion, usually that's a good sign he isn't in a good mood.

Like in September, he hasn't allowed us to have extended coffee and lunch breaks. He comes up immediately after 10 and 20 minutes respectively, kicking us out of the lunch room. I, being in the position that I'm in, don't have to leave in that quick of a hurry, at least he can't make me. I am an assistant plant operator, meaning he can't deny me the right of being in the control room. But for everyone else not in that position, they have to leave. All of the other coordinators on the job in the past and the present have all giving their crews the luxury of extended breaks. So it confuses us as to why our boss is on such a huge power trip as he is.

I've encountered him a few different instances on the floor of the mill. During one situation, I was driving by on a cart while he was standing near a grinding mill. He waved, which actually surprised me. I thought maybe he was starting to cheer up a bit. But in a couple of other instances since, particularly yesterday, he has not initiated contact with me. I was driving a cart heading south down the main aisle way of the mill and he was walking north. Instead of looking directly at me and waving, he put his head down and ignored me. In the other instance, we were experiencing trouble at one end of the plant and he showed up as well. He made a gesture to me, a slashing-of-the-throat gesture to mean the conveyor we were having issues with wouldn't start. I nodded, in which he called to get an electrician down there. He stayed for awhile, but never initiated any small talk with me and preferred to "lean" against a hand rail away from me. Other people from my crew have had similar occurrences with him. We honestly have no idea what his deal is with the crew. I would think that if he had any problems with the crew or a particular individual, he would speak to us or that person and tell us what's going on. But as I mentioned in September, this seems to be the way he deals with his problems. He shuts us all out and goes on this big power trip like he's the big deal.

The general consensus among the crew is that he may be bipolar. I am somewhat familiar with the condition but I guess I would have to read up more on it to see if this particular individual has the true symptoms. Either that or he's seriously depressed and the more he acts like this, the deeper and deeper he may fall. I guess I am perplexed at what to do. Our crew has been discussing the possibility of talking with our boss about his behavior - only to wonder if this will do no good or make him act even worse and retaliate against us. All I know is this cannot keep happening to our crew. We have a great group of people that deserve a lot better than how our boss is treating us. We've always worked hard and helped each other out. He's even made the same compliment to us when he was in a much better mood. I have also thought about discussing the matter with our operations manager. Our boss definitely has a history of this kind of behavior and it's certainly troubling for us all. The morale of the crew is at rock bottom and nobody wants to go into work dealing with a loser like this. Thankfully I have not gotten the worst treatment from him like others on the crew have, but I feel bad for everyone. The situation has given me great anxiety lately and I know something needs to happen sooner rather than later.

Songs I Dig - 15

As promised, here's another edition of the Songs I Dig blog. I'm trying not procrastinate as much this time around and seeing that the year is almost over, I do need to compile my listing of the top songs of 2009 (it still kind of boggles my mind that the year is almost over). I am going to try to knock off as much of these songs as I can, so pardon me if some of the paragraphs for the songs may be shorter than usual. I just want to cover as much as I can before the year is out.

The Fray - "Never Say Never" : The Fray was back in 2009 with a new album and some great new songs. One of them, "Never Say Never" did great on the charts. It got plenty of radio time and could be considered as one of the best songs of the year. The song starts with a solemn piano opening and gradually builds into a dramatic ballad. The song's theme is typical in modern pop music - falling in and out of love. It's just a great song, with a soothing melody and great message.

Daughtry - "No Surprise" : Another group with a new album in 2009 is Daughtry. The "should've been Idol champ" of a few years back came out with a vengeance with "No Surprise" that quickly climbed the charts. The album, "Leave this Town" debuted at number one on the billboard charts and remained there for another week. "No Surprise" is a break-up song and again, sort of follows the in and out of love theme. The song appears to be in a particularly high octave for Chris to sing, but he does it magnificently well. Again, this one will rank as one of the best songs of '09.

The Script - "The Man Who Can't be Moved" : Here's a group I knew absolutely nothing about until I heard this song on the radio. And it ended up being another great song from this past year. The Script is of Irish decent and has had great success in the United Kingdom. The band is gaining more noteriety in the United States for its music and sound - although they haven't exactly had a smash hit here as of yet. I really connected with "The Man Who Can't be Moved" as it related to a personal matter in my life. It's got a great message and it's one of those songs you can't help but to sing along to.

Jordin Sparks - "Battlefield" : 2009 has proven to be a big year for former American Idol contestants and winners. Season 6 Idol winner Jordin Sparks' new album "Battlefield" was released in mid-July and debuted at number seven on the Billboard charts. The song of the same name as the album was the first to be released and gained plenty of radio airplay. It's a song that describes the struggles of love and relationships. As the lyrics states, "why does love always feel like a battlefield?" In a relationship, there's often push and pull between the two sides and not enough compromise. I think this song sets a very true message within its lyrics.

Dave Matthews Band - "Funny the Way It Is" : Probably one of my all-time favorite bands from the past 20 years has to be Dave Matthews Band. You want to talk about great song writing? Here's the group that epitomises great song writing. "Funny the Way It Is" was the debut song from their recent album "Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King." It doesn't directly talk about love, relationships, break-ups, what-have-you, but more about irony. I just love the juxtaposition displayed in the lyrics of this song. It also tackles the overall degredation of society as a whole. Yet the music video is rather quirky and funny in that Dave Matthews way.

Katy Perry - "Waking Up In Vegas" : Within the past year in a half, Katy Perry started as an unknown in the music industry and has become one of the biggest female artists in pop music today. Her debut album produced two triple-platinum songs in "I Kissed a Girl" and "Hot N Cold." I am pretty sure "Waking Up In Vegas" can't be that far behind. It's a fun, quirky song that's as catchy as can be. Katy basically describes a nightmare situation in Las Vegas to a T in this song. From being broke after gambling away all of the money, waking up with a ring on your finger along with a hangover and not remembering what happened the previous night. It's one of those songs that's just simply fun to sing along to.

Parachute - "She is Love" : Okay, back to the love and/or relationship-themed songs. Parachute is a group new to the music industry and released their debut album "Losing Sleep" in 2009. Each of the members of the band graduated from college in 2008 and have since been touring and promoting their album. The first single released was "She is Love." It has so far topped out at number 66 on the Billboard Charts. It's a sweet song and the lyrics divulge no bad relationship blood within them. The theme of the song basically follows the lines of "in my darkest days when I'm feeling the worst, she (or he) is there to lift up my spirits and make my life meaninful." It'd actually make a decent wedding song, in my opinion.

That is going to wrap it up for this edition of the Songs I Dig. Please be sure to check back for one (or two) more editions of the SID before I give my special top songs of '09 blog. And until then, be sure and enjoy the holiday season.

A Very Mild November

With November coming to a close, it's time to reflect back on this month's weather here in the Upper Peninsula. Typically I don't do this unless a certain month or period is really one to remember. And this month was really exceptional, especially for those who enjoy warmer weather this late into fall. November 2009 ended up being nearly seven in a half degrees above normal compared to a typical November. It was also the least snowiest November on record - that's saying a lot when comparing it to November of 2008 which ended up being one of the snowiest (some 43+ inches of snow fell during the entire month of November of last year). Although the hunters looking for deer really didn't like the warmer weather, its really been nice not having to worry about driving on bad roads yet, this late into the year.

As I mentioned, the weather this time of the year can really be unpredictable. November is typically the month when we have some of our worst storms of the year. November gales are what they're called, and one was notorious in 1975 for bringing the ore freighter the Edmond Fitgerald down to the bottom of Lake Superior. The storms can be so fierce at this time of the year, waves frantically crash to the shore and can cause serious beach erosion. Sometimes it's fascinating to watch the waves crash against the breakwalls in Marquette. These are the kind of storms that draw people to the shores to watch mother nature at work. However this November, those kinds of storms were certainly lacking. I think in October we had a couple that were pretty fierce, but November was quite tame. In fact, I remember many days where we had sunny and warm conditions rather than rainy, wet, and raw days.

So November of 2009 was certainly enjoyable for those who like it warmer than putting up with the snow and cold that us Yoopers have to endure for many months on end during a typical U.P. winter. And when the snow gets delayed like it has this late in the season, it makes for a shorter winter, which makes a lot of people breathe a sigh of relief. Hey, I don't mind the snow. But when it's still on the ground in March and April, it gets a rather tedious to look at - and you'd rather it be all gone by then! We have a long ways to go during this winter of 2009-10, but we're slowing picking away at it. Before long, it'll be the end of winter and we'll be longing for the days of warmth and spending time at the beach. Four months does go by pretty fast these days.

Here Comes the Holiday Season

It kind of snuck up on me this year, but the holidays are officially here. It's hard to believe we are now heading into the last month of the year; and this decade, for that matter. I remember back when I was in grade school, the period of time between October 1 and Thanksgiving Day moved so slowly. It seemed like it took forever before Thanksgiving Break came. Now as an adult, there's no such thing as a Thanksgiving Break, unless you take a week of vacation during that period of time. I was granted Thanksgiving Day off, which was really nice. It kind of broke up my seven day stretch of day shift pretty nicely. But nowadays, time really moves by a lot faster than when you're a kid. Maybe we just didn't care back then, but there's so much more to keep track of now. And it's not really much of a surprise to hear from relatives and my parents that as the years go by, the time goes by that much faster.

For this Thanksgiving, my family had the pleasure of my sister from Wisconsin joining us for Thanksgiving dinner. It had been awhile since she was able to join us for the holiday; over ten years at least. I always enjoy spending time with her, even if it's just for the day. As I mentioned, I had Thanksgiving day off, so after work the day before, I packed up a few things from my house and headed for my parents. My sister was already there, so I got to visit with her that evening. Our family tradition whenever she comes up or when we visit her is to play Scrabble. The game usually involves myself, my mom, and my sister. I've been in a slump lately, and it continued on Thanksgiving Eve as I ended up in last place. I don't know what's going on - but during this particular game, I got stuck with an endless amount of vowels. There's not a lot you can do in Scrabble when six of your seven letters are vowels. Nevertheless, it was still a fun time and whatever the outcome, it's always a blast to play a game like that with your family.

Thanksgiving Day brought my other sister and her family over to my parents. I always have such an enjoyable time seeing my niece and nephew whenever possible. My nephew is always so busy that it's often very difficult to keep up with him! But I don't get to see him too often, so our visits together are always a lot of fun. My niece is a very funny girl. She says a lot of things that often make us chuckle. She's a bit more shy than my nephew is, so it often takes her awhile to warm up to everyone, particularly me. But before long, she's coloring, playing with her dolls, or watching Spongebob. Neither one of the kids usually eats very much and Thanksgiving dinner was no different. But it was really nice to have all of us together, once again, for Thanksgiving. The last time we were together like that probably was when we had dinner at my grandma's. So it ended up being a very fun day.

Now with Thanksgiving out of the way, on comes Christmas. One of my least favorite things about the holiday season is doing the shopping! I'd rather find what I need for everyone on my list right away than spend hours and hours looking for the right gift. And what complicates things even more; my mom's birthday is just nine days before Christmas. I haven't even started my Christmas shopping yet, but there's plenty of time. I usually procrastinate quite a bit until about a week or two before Christmas. I think this year, I am going to try shopping a little bit early. It's better to get it all done with plenty of time to enjoy the holidays than rushing around at the last minute. Hopefully it goes exactly as planned this year.

A Frustrating Day

So yesterday I took my mom to town so she could buy groceries to prepare for Thanksgiving dinner on Thursday. All in all, the trip into town and driving around was the most frustrating part. I fear that the craziness of the holiday shopping season was already quite evident at the store I went to. It kind of threw me off - as I didn't expect certain people to be so vindictive, at least not so soon before Thanksgiving. Then there was the crazy drivers in and around Marquette that made me nearly lose my mind. Which is why I don't venture into Marquette too often anymore, unless I absolutely have to get something or I plan to make several stops. No more joyrides for me anymore.

Our first stop was a trip to the grocery store. Instead of me tagging along with my mom, I dropped her off and I ventured to the nearby big box home improvement center. I have had my eye on buying a new lava lamp for my house. I kept one at my parents house, but eventually it quit working and my mom threw it out. The other one I had at my apartment broke during the move to my house. And I've always liked the look of lava lamps. The home improvement store was having a big sale on lava lamps, so I picked up two; one for my mom and one for me. As I strolled through the store, I heard one woman ask for assistance locating a certain item that was on sale. No - "asked" isn't the right word. She was downright rude in the way she addressed the salesperson. Apparently she was misdirected by another salesperson which obviously lead to her frustration and lashed out at this other defenseless salesperson. Needless to say, he lead her to the right direction and she found the item she was looking for. I continued to go on my merry way and I proceeded to head to checkout. Don't you just love it when practically everyone else in the store decides to go and checkout at the same time as you? That's exactly what happened in this instance, and with only three checkouts open, things were getting very backed-up. Well this same woman who was bickering earlier also needed to checkout. It appeared she was with a daughter, as she was younger than the woman. I'd say their ages were 60 and 40, respectively. Well, seeing the long lines at the checkout must've really made her blood boil. She abruptly put her item on the floor next to a shelf and walked right out, muttering to herself along the way. Honestly, how rude can you get? All you have to do is have a little patience. It wasn't much longer before two additional checkout lanes opened up and things were moving again at the front of the store. But that's how some people respond to situations like that, and they may even say that they won't step foot in that particular store again. Yet you know they will.

So after exiting the store, I walked towards the car carrying my two bags of merchandise. I popped the trunk of the car open and placed the two bags over to the left side of the trunk. Suddenly I got totally distracted - the car on my left, with two passengers, was just taking off. Meanwhile, the car on my right was just arriving. In that vehicle was an Asian couple and they were fiddling around with stuff in their car. Before long, out came a stroller. Unbeknownst to me, I dropped the keys to the car in the trunk and slammed the trunk shut. I was ready to enter the car when I started to feel around in my pockets for the keys. They weren't in my coat pockets, so I tried my pants pockets. Not there either. I didn't totally remember dropping the keys in the trunk, but then I kind of figured out what happened. Then the realization came over me - I was locked out of the car! Now, this isn't the first time something like this has happened to me. But still, knowing that the keys are inside the trunk and there's nothing you can do about it really leaves you with a sour taste in your mouth. So I had to figure out what to do next. My two options were either go back in the store and try and call for a locksmith or take a hike over to the grocery store where my mom was at and hope that she had the extra set of keys for the car in her purse, and then hike back. And needless to say, this isn't exactly an easy walk. The highway between the home improvement store and the grocery store is the busiest in the Upper Peninsula! Regardless of that fact, I pressed on and started walking. At first I didn't know if it was the smartest decision, but the closer and closer I got, I knew it was the right pick.

The distance between the two stores is probably three quarters of a mile. However, I wasn't walking a straight line. So it probably ended up being around a two mile trek round-trip. I told my mom the situation and yet, she wasn't sure if she had the extra set of keys. Yet, to both of our relief, they were in her purse. She was ready to checkout at the grocery store, so I told her to take her time. I ended up having to cross four lanes of busy highway traffic four different times; yet there was enough of a gap to take a dash across the road. By the time I got back to the car, I had worked up a pretty good sweat! I was relieved the keys opened the doors and when I went to look in the trunk, sure enough; the keys were right in the very front of the trunk. Honestly, I was glad to get out of there and continue on with our day.

Needless to say, it wasn't a typical shopping trip for me and my mom, although she probably had far less stress than I did. It just goes to show you that it's easy to become distracted and do something foolish. I used to have a car where I'd tend to leave the headlights on, which would cause the battery to go dead. Or I'd lock the keys in the car. That car was a magnet for troublesome situations like that. But then there was a time when I locked my keys inside the car I currently have and it was still running! I ended up having to get a wrecker out to my car, which was at work, and open up the car for me. The car ended up running for a good hour at least before the wrecker came. Good thing I had enough gas in it to drive back! These are all instances where at the time, you wished things would've worked out better. However in the end, at least you can look back on them and laugh. And I can laugh about yesterday's incident at least.

Songs I Dig - 14

The last "Songs I Dig" blog I wrote was back in March. Did I think it would take this long to write a new entry? Not in the very least! The absence of the SID blogs during the last several months was completely my fault, because it wasn't like I didn't have any songs to write about. There's been plenty of great songs that were released during the summer and fall of 2009. It's going to take me some time to get back on track, but we still have a month in a half left in the year. I have confidence that I can bring back the SID blog with a vengeance and continue that momentum in the new year. 2010 starts a new decade of music, too! Holy cow, where did the 2000's go anyways? Anyways, off with the newest Songs I Dig!

Owl City - "Fireflies" : In today's era of music that's mostly littered with profanities and derogatory messages, how refreshing is it to hear a sweet ode to fireflies? Like the deejay I was listening to today said, it's a song that the whole family can listen to. I find it pretty darn cool that not only has local radio picked up on this song, but many of the pop radio stations in the United States. It took awhile for the local radio station to start playing the song - probably within the last month. But what drew the programming director of the station to the song was the incredible music video that was created for the song. It's basically an ode to classic 1980's toys like speak and spell, lightbright, etc. The song is super catchy in that when you hear it, don't be surprised once it's over that you begin to start singing all about fireflies.

Train - "Hey Soul Sister" : Here's a group that has experienced great success during the current decade. And from the looks of it, the start of the new decade could be just as successful for the group. "Hey Soul Sister" is the first single from their new album titled, "Save Me San Fransisco." And judging from the amount of airplay the song is getting, it just might be a very big hit. Train presents a different kind of sound to this song, different from past tunes. It's largely in part because of the ukulele, I think. And I believe the song is in a pretty high octave for lead singer Pat Monahan, but he definitely does not struggle. But I'm sure during a live concert, the song leaves him out of breath afterwards. All in all, this is a great song from Train and I can't wait to hear what else the group releases from their newest album.

Five for Fighting - "Chances" : There are certain groups or singers that you always wish the very best for, and others that you hope would just go away. Five for Fighting is a group I always root for because they may not be flashy or overly popular, yet they put out some really great music. "Chances" is one of those songs that gives a positive message and really helps to boost morale. Yet, this isn't unlike of Five for Fighting. Their other hit songs like "Superman (It's Not Easy)," and "100 Years" fit a very similar mold. You could make the case that "Superman" became a hit because of its message following the attacks on September 11th. Whatever the case, Five for Fighting produces music that really makes you think and doesn't leave you depressed. "Chances" is off to another great start like their other two big hits.

Mat Kearney - "Closer to Love" : Although Mat is a relative newcomer to the main stream pop music world, the later half of this decade has proven to be rather successful for the Oregon-born singer. "Closer to Love" is the first single from his second album titled "City of Black and White" and is proving to be a nice follow-up to his debut album. I don't think "Closer to Love" has proven to be as big of a hit like "Nothing Left to Lose" and "Undeniable" were for Mat, yet "Closer to Love" is a pleasant, soothing song. I really enjoy the beat and the lyrics of the song. It's another "positive message" kind of song, including the lyrics "You pull me out of the dark, just to show me the way..." It's nice that it can be positive and upbeat, yet refrain from becoming too sappy.

Nickelback - "Never Gonna Be Alone" : Here's a group that has achieved monumental success with hit after hit and they ain't slowing down! "Never Gonna Be Alone" is (surprisingly) the sixth single from their latest album "Dark Horse," and should garner similar success to previous releases "Gotta Be Somebody" and "If Today was Your Last Day." Its already generated a lot of airplay on the radio. Nickelback gets a lot of criticism for the music that it produces. Critics say the group doesn't try mixing things up with different sounds and have become too stale. Obviously the fans and the radio stations don't think so, because their albums continue to reach platinum status, if not beyond that. As the saying goes, whatever works, and for Nickelback, it certainly works well.

Well, that wraps it up for the latest installment of the "Songs I Dig" blog. It's been a long time coming, but I am happy to say it is back for good. Don't be surprised to see another installment soon. After all, I have to get caught up on the rest of the songs I missed out on discussing during the previous seven months of this year. And the year ain't over yet! I'm sure one or two new songs will be released that'll end up making the "Songs I Dig."

Home Projects

I am now entering my fifth month as a homeowner and I couldn't be happier with my decision. In fact, I think I'd be pretty content living here the rest of my life. Naturally, a person's desire to live in a particular location does tend to wane over time. But as of now, I'm pretty happy with the location. I guess the big test is seeing how the winter season is in this particular spot. The weather has been fairly mild lately and so far there's no snow in sight. The front of the house faces south toward a major highway, and that highway is pretty busy. I am guessing that this particular location gets a little less snow from the lake as those areas more inland. But still, it's a place susceptible to snow. Two to three miles down the road, the highways parallels the Lake Superior shoreline and during some of the worst storms, the visibility is bad enough that the highway gets shut down. My house is before that juncture and I don't believe visibility will be a problem where I'm at because of trees and neighboring homes. Still, during blizzards it doesn't matter how many trees or other obstacles are in the way. The wind still whips the snow around fiercely.

A few of the projects I have conquered thus far includes some electrical and drywall repair. The living room in the house is painted white and the drywall was peckered with a variety of nail and screw holes from the previous owners. Over time, I've patched those spots. The living room is almost ready for paint except for a few areas that need additional patching and sanding. I need to scrounge up a few more things before I am truly ready to paint. I'll definitely need a tarp or two to cover furniture and the carpeting and I'll certainly need a ladder. I'm guessing the ceilings in this house are eight or nine feet tall and I'm no where near tall enough to reach that high. And of course, I need to choose a decent colors for the walls! I have honed on a light tan/brown color but I need to make a final decision. I brought home a bunch of sample cards from a recent trip to the home improvement center, so now I need to compare and decide which color suits me.

The other major improvement that is ongoing is some electrical work. During the last few days, I've replaced several old light switches with new modernized ones. I am definitely an electrical novice but I've watched my dad do a ton of electrical work on his house to know most of the basics. Well, I didn't realize I needed a special light switch for three-way wiring. So I had to take another trip to the home improvement store to get the appropriate switch for that job. And while installing it, I turned the job much harder than it should've been. It took me a good hour to get the wiring figured out, where it should go, and get the switch working properly. I even forgot to turn the breaker off once during my frustration and got shocked! Needless to say, that was the final electrical project I worked on for the night. But all in all, the new switches look nice and only help to enhance an already nice looking home.

I am also gradually converting the electrical outlets in the house. My dad helped me change a few outlets in the living room and I've changed one in the kitchen and another in the bathroom. My dad also helped me replace an older style fluorescent light in my kitchen with a bigger, brighter fluorescent fixture which really brightened the room. We also plan on making some wiring and lighting improvements in the basement and create a new circuit for the refrigerator. Currently the fridge is on the same circuit as everything in the living room (including the television and my stereo). It's going to take some work, but in the end it'll be worth it. So hopefully by spring, these particular projects will be completed.

I have more projects planned but as a homeowner, you definitely have to take things one step at a time. I don't want to become overwhelmed by a bunch of different things at once and have the whole house a catastrophe. You just have to pick and choose your projects and then once they are done, you're able to marvel at what you've completed. And then, it's on to the next project! Ah, the life of a homeowner...

Happy Halloween

I can't remember for sure if I blogged about Halloween last year; I don't recall that I did. I suppose it would help if I looked back in the archives, but I'm going to press on regardless. Halloween just kind of snuck up on me this year and I didn't even do once ounce of decorating for the holiday. Heck, I didn't even buy a pumpkin for the steps of my front porch. I thought about getting something tonight. But isn't it sort of bad luck to buy decorations right before the holiday? Probably not, but that's my thinking. Anyways, I won't be home to really enjoy the holiday as I'll be working a 12-hour shift and won't be home until a little after 7:30 in the evening. Yet, I did buy a couple of bags of candy just to be on the safe side. You never know; there might be a few late stragglers trick or treating at that time.

Last year I ended up being home during the day while trick or treating took place. I bought a ton of candy expecting a lot of kids in costumes at my door. However, I didn't get one trick or treater. I honestly don't know why I thought I'd get that many kids; I didn't even get a single one! That's when I still lived in my apartment. Where I lived last year, there was a ton of apartment buildings all around me with a large residential area to the west of all those apartments. You would think kids would bombard all of those buildings and houses in that area to get the most candy they could. But the funny thing is, I didn't even see any kids walking around in costumes that day. So I don't know if that area just isn't trick or treating friendly or not. Whatever the case, I was left with a bunch of candy and I gradually consumed it until it was gone. I think it lasted just about until Christmas.

Where I live now, I'm not entirely sure if I'll get that many trick or treaters at my door (if I happened to be home at the right time to give out candy). I'm thinking maybe a dozen or so. But the road in front of my house is a busy state highway. I'm thinking kids and their parents probably aren't receptive to the idea of walking along the side of such a busy road to go from house to house. I guess I won't really know for sure this year and maybe not next year if I happen to be on the same work schedule as I am now. I'll just have to always be prepared just in case kids end up at my door without candy. And next year, I'll probably do a little bit of decorating just to make the place look in the spirit of Halloween.

The weather is not expected to be all that great for the trick or treaters this year anyways. And that kind of had me thinking about previous Halloween's when I went trick or treating. One year we had a bunch of snow on the ground, a few where we had to bundle up because it was so darn cold, and a few that were actually quite mild and enjoyable for Halloween. I dressed up as a ghost when I was either in kindergarten or first grade and it was one of those Halloween's when it was cold. So I had to bundle up, put my ghost "sheet" over myself, and then get my face all painted up. On the way back from getting candy at my neighbor's house, we came back to our house. As I traversed the steps of the front porch, I slipped, tripped, and I fell forward on the deck of the porch. My sister, who was with me trick or treating, laughed while I pouted and went inside. It's not an overall pleasant memory of Halloween for me but it's still a memory. Probably one of the earliest that I can recall of many trick or treating on October 31st. Happy Halloween to all!

New Truck

So about a month back, I blogged about my impending purchase of a new truck. As a reminder, it's a 2009 Chevy Silverado and it was practically the only truck of my liking that I found. During the day that my dad and I went to check it out, the dealer was only offering $3,000 off. Well the next day, the sales person calls and slashes an additional $2,000 off because the truck had been on their lot for awhile, making the deal that much sweeter. So I went ahead and accepted that offer and the truck was soon mine. I had to wait about a week to officially pick it up from the dealer. They had to detail it as well as perform a few added work that I wanted done to the truck, including the clear under coating which will protect the truck from rusting. If I see any sign of rust for the first ten years, I'll be able to bring it in and get it fixed for free. Also I had a bedliner sprayed in the box of the truck.

I wouldn't say I was completely used to driving a truck. Every once in awhile when I was still at home with my parents, I drove my dad's truck to different places. I borrowed it on a couple of different occasions during a can drive for my school's chorus. I also brought a lawn mower in it back and forth to my uncle's to mow their grass. And I also took it during some pretty hefty snow storms as I traveled a little over 20 miles to work at a grocery store. More recently, I've driven trucks at work when I needed to traverse the roads leading in and around the tailings basin at the mine. And the Chevy that I bought is just like the Chevy's at work. So the functions of the truck I am very much used to.

Even though the truck I bought is considered a "work truck," it still has the amenities that any normal truck has. Okay, so it doesn't have power doors or locks. And it's not as fancy as the club cab trucks that are totally decked out. But I am happy with it regardless if it's tricked out or not. I absolutely love the XM satellite radio that came with it. The first three months of the service is free; then you have to start paying. I am seriously considering continuing that service once the three months is up, because it is one of the coolest things about this truck. The interior is spacious, with plenty of room to fit three people. It's everything I wanted in a truck and more. Definitely worth the price I'm paying for it, that's for sure.

You know, I've wondered whether I did the right thing by getting this truck when I did or deciding to wait for something "better" to fall into my lap. But after going through different scenarios and checking out the various vehicle dealerships since and seeing hardly anything to my liking, I'm pretty well convinced that I made the right move. Probably one of the worst things you can do is second guess yourself but I'll admit, I certainly do it on occasion. But in this instance I can say that I'm proud of my purchase and if I had the chance to do it over, I wouldn't.

No More Geocities

It's hard to believe, but I've been creating and maintaining websites for over ten years now. Mind you, this is just a hobby of mine, but its became something I've found to be enjoyable. These days, I don't work on my plethora of websites nearly as much as I used to. In fact, I'm lucky to find the time and the motivation to work on any of the sites. Well, that is going to be changing very soon. I don't have much more time to procrastinate, either. Geocities, the venerable web hosting service, is going out of business this Monday, October 26. In my opinion, ever since Yahoo took over their operations, they haven't been nearly as effective of a web host as they were. But a majority of the pages to my Upper Michigan website still remain on the Geocities servers. And if I don't at least save the content on all of those pages, it'll all be erased on Monday. So I've got some work to do this weekend.

Back when I first became interested in creating websites, I was still in high school. The whole idea of creating your very own website and attracting web-surfers was a very intriguing idea. I remember during my senior year, when I didn't have anything else of importance going on; I would spend time on my high school's computers updating my Upper Michigan website. Back then, it was a pretty simple website. Over the years, I kept adding more and more content, along with spiffing up the pages more than the simple designs they had at the start. But then it got to a point where I felt I did as much as I could with the site and haven't added hardly any new content since. Overall I'd say I'm pretty content with how the Upper Michigan site is. I mean sure, it's not perfect. There are a few things I could add to some of the pages. And even some layout issues exist when someone browses the website with a program other than Internet Explorer. I can't say I'm an expert when it comes to building websites. I'd still say I'm very much of an amateur. However, I've learned quite a bit about website design since I've started this whole thing over ten years ago. Yet, there's always fine tuning that can be done.

Another web project I started during my late high school and early college years was a fan page honoring the classic television program Leave it to Beaver. Back when TV Land didn't air the junk that currently infiltrates its channel, they aired the greatest classic shows. One of those programs was "Emergency!," a show that depicted firemen from Los Angeles County in California becoming paramedics, essentially launching the paramedic program in the United States. Well, following that program was Leave it to Beaver. Almost instantly, I grew hooked to the show that originally started back in 1957. My interest in the show would launch my idea to create a Leave it to Beaver fan page. The site became quite popular at the end of its existence. I was constantly getting e-mail from fellow fans, asking a variety of questions about the show. I even launched a message board that was getting to be quite the gathering place for fans to ask questions about particular show topics to other fans. But the Leave it to Beaver website train came to a crashing halt when the site became inaccessible one day. I tried logging in, but it wouldn't accept my password. I soon came to the conclusion that the site had been hacked and deleted. One of my biggest regrets was not having a tougher password - which was incredibly easy. It ultimately lead to the Leave it to Beaver website's demise. Maybe if I pursued it enough, I could've possibly gotten it back. But I thought my chances of that happening were pretty slim to none. So I pressed on, even if it was without the Leave it to Beaver site.

The next adventure that proved to be very worthwhile for me was creating another fansite; this time for a cartoon. Back in 2003, Nickelodeon launched a spin-off show of the Rugrats called "All Grown Up." It was a show that aged the Rugrats cast approximately nine years. Remember that in Rugrats, the kids were babies and toddlers. In the AGU series, they were nine to 12 years old. The show became so enjoyable to watch, that I decided to share my joy with other potential fans by creating a fansite. It soon became "Luke's All Grown Up Fansite" and for a time was the most popular AGU site on the web. The success of the site was soon realized once the corresponding message board began to take on more and more members. At the message board's peak, I had about 400 members, with a good chunk of those members being active. The website itself was becoming inaccessible far too often because of the traffic, so I had to start paying for a hosting package through Yahoo Geocities. I still had issues with YG, so I basically had to transfer every page over to a new host. Even with the new host, I still didn't go completely trouble-free with the AGU site. There was a time when I lost a variety of files, including some pages for absolutely no reason. So I had to rebuild those pages from scratch - sometimes even going off information from the top of my head. The AGU site is still out there, even though not as many people clamour for information regarding the NickToon anymore. I've thought about ending the site altogether, but then I'd feel the show wouldn't get properly remembered. So for now, it stays. And I still fondly remember the good times I had with that particular site. It gave me quite a reputation within the All Grown Up circle.

All of these websites, including my site about my hometown, all had their start on Geocities. And even though I've been gradually moving away from Geocities over the years, I'm still grateful to the service for allowing me to become interested in webpage building. At the time when I started building sites, it was the best webhost out there. Nowadays, it's certainly lost its edge which is why Yahoo is closing it down. As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. And I've got to say, Geocities gave me one heck of a ride.

The Upper Michigan Informer
Luke's All Grown Up Fansite
The Chatham, MI Information Page

Favorite Reality Shows

It's amazing how the television landscape has changed within the past 15 years. Prior to 1994, the only unscripted programs you would find on television were game shows and documentaries. Now reality programming makes up a large chunk of what you find on TV. I have come to enjoy a variety of reality shows that comprise our TV landscape these days. Some of them I have discussed in prior blogs, but in this entry, I will discuss those that are often found on cable and might not be as well known as those on network TV (shows like Survivor or Amazing Race). So in a nutshell, here are the reality shows that I get the most enjoyment out of watching:

Little People Big World - I don't remember the exact specifics as to when I started watching this show. I know my mom was watching it for a time and so then I started watching it off and on. Now I can't get enough of it! Season five just started on TLC and with it brings all new adventures for the Roloff clan. The twins are embarking on their final year of high school - along with it the challenges of a post-high school career. Meanwhile, Molly is starting her first year of high school and getting used to the notion of seeing her brothers there! The Roloff children attend a small school, something I was very much familiar with. Everyone basically knows everybody and you develop a good friendly relationship with the teachers and other staff members of the school. That appears to be the case for the Roloff kids. As for Matt and Amy, it appears some challenges may exist within their relationship. Matt is always looking for the next project; something that'll be bigger and better than his last accomplishment. But then Amy would rather start relaxing and enjoying what Matt has built on their Oregon farm, along with doing some more traveling of the world. Often times when the Roloffs go vacationing as a family, Matt is often too preoccupied with work or the activities of the farm to truly enjoy the vacation. Matt and Amy have been together for a good while now and I'm sure their marriage will endure even the worst struggles in their relationship. We'll find out much more, I'm sure, as season five rolls along. "Little People Big World" premieres new episodes every Monday night at 8:00 PM eastern time on TLC.

Flipping Out - I've always been a fan of do-it yourself remodeling and home improvement shows. "Flipping Out" was one of those shows that was right up my alley - but it certainly is not your typical remodeling show. In fact, you don't learn a thing about how to do a certain thing remodel-wise when watching this show, and it doesn't prove to be very educational. However, it is highly entertaining, especially when it comes to watching the inside and out of Jeff Lewis' world. Jeff is probably your a-typical project engineer. He micro-manages and is OCD to the fullest extent. There are times when he gets down on his employees very hard and you have to wonder how in the world they can endure such treatment. Yet employees like Jenni and Zoila are very loyal to Jeff. And in a way Jeff is loyal to them, too, because they have proven to be honest and hard working individuals. Yes, Jeff is a very demanding boss. Many of the assistants he's hired in previous seasons have quit because of his ridiculous demands. That's one of the reasons why he's had such high turn-over for employees in his business. If those folks were expecting to learn more about the business that Jeff is involved with, they came to the wrong place. I would say that the turn-over rate isn't as radical in season three as we've seen in previous seasons. However, that doesn't mean Jeff has softened his stance on many of the things that have caused previous assistants to quit. The assistants he has now are much more level-headed than previous ones! Whatever the case, you never know what to expect while watching an episode of "Flipping Out." Don't forget to watch the season three finale this Tuesday at 10:00 PM eastern on Bravo.

American Chopper - This was a show I was a huge fan of for awhile, but ever since the show switched networks from Discovery to TLC, I haven't been keeping up with it as closely as I used to. While it was on Discovery, it became a show my family and I all gathered around to watch. The antics between Paul Sr., Paul Jr., and Mikey became must see TV for all of us. And we weren't the only family tuning into this show. Yet I wouldn't say this show is suited for young children as the Teutul clan often let the obscenities fly. As the seasons' have progressed with the show, the father-son relationship between Paul Sr. and Paul Jr. has continued to crumble. Part of the reason why this show was so entertaining was due to the fights that went on at the shop between Paulie Sr. and Jr. At times, things got very explosive between the two - and often times Junior would end up leaving the shop to cool off. However, during the start of season six which was during this past April, Senior fired his son because of his work ethic. They have been able to mend fences somewhat, however, the father-son dynamic at the shop has been severly hurt and it's likely that Paul Jr. probably won't be able to work at OCC while his father is there. The second half of season six will be starting in another week on TLC, so it'll be interesting to see how the father-son relationship at work will continue to co-exist, if it'll exist at all.

Million Dollar Listing - Here is a show that follows three young real estate agents whom battle in the fickle and high-end market of Hollywood and Malibu, CA. They often battle each other to represent certain clients in buying and selling real estate - and in some cases, representing famous stars and celebrities. As I mentioned, they are young; in their late 20's or early 30's. Yet, they are experienced in their profession. It's an interesting show to watch because they face the same challenges in buying and selling for clients just as real estate agents do in buying or selling homes in the $100,000 range. They want to represent their clients fairly and give/get them good deals on their property. And if they can reach a good deal, it provides them a good deal in commission, as well. So in the high-end real estate market of suburban L.A., their commission can net them in the many of thousands of dollars, if not a millions or two (depending on the price). And just as in average American homes, there can be problems with these high-priced homes, too. During a season two episodes, agent Chad Rogers was selling Cuttino Mobley's home. During an inspection, part of the wood floor was buckling. A major water line leak was the root cause, which resulted in the home being de-listed until repairs could be made. So it just goes to show you that even with homes that cost millions of dollars, things happen. And this show proves just that; anything and everything can happen when buying or selling million dollar homes. Be sure to catch "Million Dollar Listing" every Monday for new episodes, starting at 10:00 PM eastern time on Bravo.

These are the reality shows that I am finding to be very intriguing right now. But in reality, the seasons don't last very long, so if you're planning on tuning into these shows based on my recommendations, you better check them out quick! As I mentioned, the "Flipping Out" season finale is this Tuesday. Meanwhile, all of the other shows have just started their new seasons or are about to. As I've found out, reality television isn't all bad. You'll find shows that suit your interests, just as I have. And it's actually really interesting that I have become a fan of reality shows more than scripted TV. It just goes to show that the American TV landscape continues to evolve. Who knows what it's going to look like in another 15 years.