The Splendour of Lake Superior

I've never been a big fan of the beach or of swimming in general. I know when I was little, my dad and I would always venture out to my uncle's camp where it was situated along a lake. My uncle had ski doo's, speed boats, canoes, you name it. He took his kids water skiing, wake boarding, and inner tubing. As for me, I was mostly content swimming by the shore and watching my cousins be acrobatic in the water. Heck, they spent all of their summers by the lake so you can understand how used to the water they were. As for me, I never found the water to be all that enjoyable. I am mostly afraid of the water, to be honest. I would rather have a life vest on than to be stuck with absolutely nothing in the middle of a lake. My swimming is very amateurish at best.

Where I live, I am within a short walk to the sandy shores of Lake Superior. In fact, all my life I've been close to the big lake. You know, I think for those who live here and anywhere throughout the Great Lakes, it's something we take for granted. It's rather fascinating for me to watch people traveling through marvel at how big the lake is and how you're not able to see land over the horizon. And when you think about it, it really is a spectacular thing. These lakes are hundreds of miles long and encompass thousands of gallons of fresh water. It's a place unlike any other on the entire planet. And for us, it's right in our own backyard. I make it a necessary thing to walk along the beach and to soak in the whole lakeside environment at least a few times a year. The water is so clear and the sandy beaches are so pure. Anytime of the year, the water is usually pretty chilly, so it's not often that I'll venture into the water unless it's rediculously hot out. But still, to have this grand and beautiful lake right at your feet is something to behold and enjoy.

A couple of weeks back, my family and I enjoyed a picnic by the lake side just three miles down the road from my house. My dad cooked burgers and hotdogs on one of the grills at the park and we all sat down and ate at one of the picnic tables there. It was really a fun thing that we did and something we hadn't done in many years. I think the last time we did something like that was when all of us kids were little and we were on a trip heading to Ohio or something. After the picnic, we went by the lake side and enjoyed the nice weather while the kids went swimming. It was an enjoyable three hour event and it's something we're all looking forward to do in the future. See what advantages there are to living so close to a Great Lake?

Yes, there are a few disadvantages to living close to Lake Superior, but they are so minor in comparison to the positives, I'm not even going to list them. Another great thing about where I live now, is on those breezy days, you can hear the water of the lake splash onto shore from the big waves. What an amazing natural feature of this great land! And where ever you live, make sure you come to embrace a feature that makes it special. We can all hate certain aspects about where we live, yet we also should make an effort to enjoy it, too. Afterall, we live in these locations for a reason, and it can't all be for not.

Hometown Celebration

It's been about three years since I was able to attend the last homecoming and county fair activities in my home town. The work schedule I was on didn't allow me to travel the short distance home to attend the festivities. This year, I switched work crews with another individual which allowed me to have this upcoming weekend off. And you know something, I'm pretty excited about it. Now don't get me wrong, this is a small-town, small-county celebration we're talking about. Year in and year out, things basically remain the same. But this celebration allows people to come back and reminisce about the old times, if you will. I like to refer to it as reunion-weekend, as well. Many class reunions from the high school are held during the weekend, so it's not uncommon to see a few old faces from the past. In ten years, it'll be my classes' reunion (which totally blows my mind). I wouldn't be surprised to see a few familiar faces from the class of '99 this weekend.

The homecoming and county fair celebrations have been a part of my summer for as long as I can remember. There have been a few family reunions and gatherings held during this weekend, as well. The parade through town is probably the biggest highlight for me. I've even been in the parade on a few instances when I was younger. Again, it's a small town parade but it seems like in the smallest of parades, that's when you get the most candy. And I'll tell you, candy is no longer a big priority when you're an adult, but my niece and nephew will be joining us at the parade in a few days and they'll get a kick out of being thrown all that candy. No matter how old you are, you can never get tired of a parade. And it typically features just about every local business in the area. I mean, this is probably the biggest weekend of the year to experience hometown pride.

As part of the county fair, we used to submit exhibits to put on display and to be judged. It was actually a really good way to earn money, because if your displays were awarded a blue (first place), red (second place) or white (third place) ribbon, you also earned money depending upon the ribbon you won for your respective display. The majority of the ribbons my sisters and I won through the years were blue. Heck, one of my sisters consistently won top prize ribbons for her sewing and for my mom's vegetables. It was actually a nice way to earn some money in the summer time especially if you're a young kid. Not only that, but it was neat to see all of the animals on display and to check out some of the vendors that had merchandise on sale. This particular county fair was never known for having any rides for the kids to enjoy as there's not a tremendous amount of space for such things, but they offer many different activities for kids. So it's not a total snooze-fest for the kids that do attend.

So needless to say, I am pretty happy about getting the opportunity to attend this year's homecoming and county fair for the first time in three years. Hopefully the management where I work doesn't decide to switch crews on me again like what has been rumored, otherwise this might be the last weekend I'll be able to attend the hometown celebration for awhile. And although it's a small town celebration and typically not much changes year in and year out in this town, its still always about the people. And this is one chance throughout the entire year for the whole community to get out and see what's going on in the community and to reunite with individuals they may not have seen in years.

Summer Flying By

It's already July 29th, meaning there's only one month of summer weather to enjoy.  Honestly, though, this summer has been one of our coolest in quite some time.  Many of the weather experts around here are comparing it to our last "year without a summer" in 1992.  That year we had a lot of rain and cool temperatures.  This summer, it's just been cool and dry.  I can't remember the last 80 degree day we had and I don't believe we hit 90 degrees yet this summer.  I'm not really complaining about missing the heat and humidity, though.  However, temperatures in the low 80's would be nice to see.  Maybe taking our cool summer into account, mother nature will bless us with an unseasonably mild autumn!  One can only hope.

It's been another very busy month of July - and I am happy to say I have now lived in my new house for a month!  So far nothing extremely wild or crazy has gone on at my new residence.  There is one incidence that was a little troubling during the first few days I officially lived in the house, however.  I had just got home from work around 11:30 PM from afternoon shift and was trying to get into my house from my garage into the kitchen.  I go to unlock the deadbolt, turn the doorknob, but the door would not open.  No matter what I tried, I could not get in.  I even tried getting into the house through the front door but even the screen door was locked!  So I took that door right off, got to the exterior door, and found out I didn't have keys for that door, either.  It was back to the drawing board; which then I finally started taking apart the door knob that was giving me trouble in the garage.  I got out the electric-powered drill and started drilling away at the problematic knob.  The thing is, it was around midnight at that time and the noise coming from the garage was getting pretty loud.  So after awhile I knocked it off - for fear of waking up one of my new neighbors.  I certainly didn't want to piss anyone off the first week I was hear!  And it's not like the house is all that close to the other homes around here.  There's a good distance between homes.  Still, I didn't want to chance it, especially around midnight!  Well needless to say, after about 45 minutes, I eventually got the old doorknob off.  It was certainly a struggle, but I never gave up from getting inside my house!  It ended up being a broken spring inside the doorknob that caused it to fail.  Why couldn't this have happened a week prior when the old owners were still here?

In addition to keeping up with the daily chores of my new house, I have also been busy helping out my dad put new siding and windows on his house.  The project is progressing quite nicely and we're now down to the last wall of this particular phase of the house.  But the last wall certainly isn't going to be the easiest, either.  It's the largest of the walls and there are many obstacles to put the siding around, including about four different windows and utility boxes/meters.  The electric power for the house comes from the roof and runs down the wall through a large piece of conduit, goes to the meter box and through some more conduit into the house where the fuse box is.  My dad put siding up on this wall 15 years ago so there is no more room to pull on the conduit and slide the new siding under it.  So we're thinking of creating a whole new box for all of the different utilities on this particular wall.  It's going to be a challenge and will end up taking a lot of time.  But eventually we'll get it figured out.  The rest of the house looks super nice and it really makes the house stick out as the nicest in the neighborhood now.  

From the looks of it, it doesn't seem like this hectic summer of mine is going to slow down anytime soon.  This weekend is my hometown's annual homecoming celebration - that along with the county fair.  And this is the first time in over three years that I'll be able to attend!  I'm actually looking forward to it, although I don't expect things to be all that different from year's past.  My niece and nephew will also be around, so we'll be busy taking care of them.  Then we'll continue to work on the siding project on my dad's house this next week and then the following weekend, we'll be making a trip down to Wisconsin to visit my sister.  We haven't been down there in six months!  It's been long overdue but you know what?  It's better to be busy than bored out of my mind.  Summertime is when you want to get out and make the most of it.  

House Plans

All in all, things are going quite well with the new home. It's not entirely a new home since it was built in 1969. But considering it's 40 years old, it really doesn't seem like it's that old. The ex-owners have done plenty of work to the place to modernize it over the years, including making exterior improvements like vinyl siding and a new roof. Inside, the kitchen is relatively new with new cabinetry and new flooring. Yet when you're a new homeowner, there's always things you want to do to personalize the place. At this stage of the game, I am not going to go crazy and make mass improvements to the place. I want to stage out the improvements gradually. And as I've posted previously, not a lot of work needs to be done with the home. Just minor improvements for now, if you will.

So it's a three bedroom, one bath home. At some point in time, I'd like to add another bathroom somewhere, whether that'll be in the basement or if I convert one of the closets upstairs into one. But the main bathroom is already on the west end of the house where all of the bedrooms are. On the other end of the house is the kitchen and living room. It'll take some planning and engineering to decide if another bathroom can be built somewhere upstairs or not. I am sure it can happen, but whether it's the absolute perfect location or not is left to be determined. The basement is probably the most logical location since I've got lots of room down there and it's where I'd like to build a sauna at some point in time. And as far as the size of this new bathroom, I'm only looking at a toilet and a sink, so it won't be tremendously large. The sauna, which will be located in the basement, will be large enough to accomodate a shower. So at this point in time, the new bathroom would be best located downstairs. But at this point, those two projects won't be in the immediate future.

As for projects that I am planning to tackle in the near future, they involve repairing walls and repainting rooms. Two of the three bedrooms, the hallway, and the living room I am all planning to repaint at some point. One of the things that all these rooms are lacking is baseboard trim. I believe when the ex-owners installed new carpeting, they also removed the baseboard trim and never re-installed it. There are few trim pieces in the garage and basement, but not nearly enough to install it in all the rooms. I would like to buy new trim for all of the rooms, stain it, and install it in a room-by-room basis. I'm looking to start in one room of the house, probably the guest bedroom, by this fall. In addition, many of the electrical outlets do not match other outlets or light switches in the rooms. I plan to buy new outlets or match outlets properly and put up the wall plate that matches the best. Again, not major improvements but little things to make the place my own.

Most of the additional "major" projects involve landscaping improvements and additional exterior fixes. I am hoping at some point to get some top soil for the front lawn and re-seed the lawn. As it stands now, the entire property is comprised of sandy soil. Needless to say, the grass doesn't grow real thick. Eventually I'd like to try upgrading the lawn, but that might be a pretty large task to overcome. I am also tinkering with the idea of installing a doorway leading into the basement from the rear-side of the house. The ground slopes away from the house in the back and it actually could work. But all of that will have to figure in as to where I plan on putting the sauna and bathroom. It all takes planning and I've got many years to make it work. All in all, when time comes for me to sell this house or for someone else to sell it for me, I want to be able to make a profit off of it and to really be proud of the place I've come to call home. Hopefully these improvements through the years will allow me to do just that.

First Blog from New Home

It's been ages since I last posted in my blog (shame on me) but its been a busy three week stretch for me. Not only did we celebrate the Fourth of July, but I also enjoyed my birthday and the very important occasion of moving into my new home. The closing for the home was on June 26th. For those unfamiliar with a closing on a house - it's basically the final hurdle in the long home buying process. You meet with the bank, sign a ton of papers, hand over down payments and other assorted checks, and then it's basically the handing over of keys and voila! It's officially you're own home. At least for me, I had to wait a day before the ex-owners were officially moved out. But with all things considered, that delay in ownership worked out for the best.

When I first started the process of buying a home, I had no idea how exhausting it could be. I mean, you can't simply pick out a home and buy it right then and there. You have to find a bank where you can acquire a loan, you need to have your home inspected by a professional to detect any potential problems that could hinder the purchase of said home. You also need to transfer utilities into your name or move utilities prior to closing. You need to find home owners insurance, especially if your plan on including it in an escrow account as part of the home loan from the bank. Then there's the whole packing and moving from the old place of residence. It's a whole whirlwind of activity that I'm certainly glad is over. However, I'm glad I went through it because I ended up with a really nice home.

I would say that since I moved into this home, I have found very few surprises left by the previous owners. One thing I was a bit surprised to find out was how much stuff they decided to leave behind. Mind you, it's not tremendously a lot. But there were a few treasures here and there that were pretty awesome. And obviously the home is not perfect - there are things that I'd like to change eventually. But considering the age of the home (it's 40 years old this year) and how good the previous owners took care of the house, there's not really any major work that needs to be done to the place. A lot of the work is cosmetic and minor. I am very thankful I was able to find a home such as this because many others I went and saw on my first initial tour were pretty dreadful. And they wanted a lot of money for them, too!

So there you have it folks, I am officially a home owner. It's nice not needing to worry about paying rent at the beginning of each month and being stuck with a place you absolutely cannot change. Sure, you can change around the furniture from time to time, but with the way my old apartment was set up, it was very difficult to do that. So from the time I moved in three years ago this month at the old apartment to last month, the furniture was in the exact same spot as it was when I initially moved in there. In the new house, I have the freedom to do whatever I want. If I get sick of my current bedroom, I can move to the one across the hall or into the room next door. I can paint, wall paper, and completely gut rooms if I wanted to. But at this point in time, I'll just stick to painting. And with me being involved with re-siding my parents house this summer, I probably won't be able to get to many of the improvements on my home until this fall. And I'm okay with that, because actually I'm pretty happy with the stauts quo at this point in time. But I'm sure in time, that'll change. After all, doesn't that come with owning your own home?

One Last Stroll Through the Neighborhood

A little while ago, I just got back from a walk around my current, but soon to be former neighborhood. It has its charming characteristics, yet some things are left to be desired. This is the basic layout of the neighborhood: to the east and south is the business and commercial district. You have a bunch of apartment buildings directly east of my building, then kiddy-corner to the building, you have a dairy. Then, due south is a commercial building that comprises a variety of offices. To the north and west, it's all residential (except closer to the highway). Due west, there are some very beautiful homes located along the street - and if any of those homes were for sale while I was looking, I would've considered relocating here. But that never ended up happening. North of my apartment building is more residential, but not far down the street is township jurisdiction.

When I first moved into this building nearly three years ago, I definitely found the atmosphere much better than the apartment prior. It was newer, for one thing, and the rent for being in this city was the lowest I could find. It also provided me a bit more space. However, the exterior and the lot around the apartment is basically comprised of concrete and asphalt. There's no physical lawn, if you will, to really sit out and enjoy the weather. The landlords here have not provided a public green space for its residents and that is kind of a detraction to the place. Don't get me wrong, the landlords here have been nothing but kind and considerate. But I just think they could do more to make it more tenant-friendly, if you will. Sure, there's a small parcel of land in the back of the apartment, but it's only a little more than ten feet in width. I would rather go to the park than spend some time out back there.

As for the neighborhood itself, it's a mixed bag, really. The row of houses due west of the apartment building are quaint and well-kept, except for one. Several old oak trees line the roadway and the leaves drape over the street and the lawns of the homeowners. Many of the lawns are well kept and the grass is a beautiful green; absolutely no weeds to be found. The people here really take great pride for their homes and it's truly a pleasure to walk along the street and to marvel at their properties. The apartment complex due east of my building is a well-maintained complex. They provide such a wonderful atmosphere for their tenants with park benches, plenty of green space, and even a fitness center within their complex. But then everything beyond that is pretty plain and city-like, complete with parking lots, busy streets, office buildings, and retail stores. It's definitely not a walkers or sight see-ers paradise to be sure. But having those businesses, particularly the retail store that close by has certainly been handy. I even lament the fact that I haven't taken advantage of going to the dairy just across the street from my building at all. I was there once when my sisters visited one time, but that has been it. They sell a variety of dairy products at their store and I can't tell you how many times I've kicked myself for not getting milk on the way home from work - only to realize later they sell it right across the street! Oh well, you can't always be perfect.

When I first moved into this building almost three years ago to the day, at first I didn't do hardly any walking. That first year I basically stayed inside my apartment or drove to other parts of the city to do my walking. But in the two years since, I've ventured out more and more and have grown accustomed to my surroundings. Where I'm moving, it'll be more of a country-setting. But the conveniences of the city are not that far away. I'll miss certain aspects about living in my current building, but all of the aspects about owning a home far outweight the prospects of renting. It's been an enjoyable three years here, overall. And despite some of the early drama about this apartment back in 2006, I'd say living here has been worth every month's rent I've been paying. But after this coming weekend, it's finally time to embrace a new setting, one that I can call all to my own.

Celebrity Affairs

Today's blog is going to be about a couple of different topics - mainly dealing with public celebrities, if you will.

News broke within the last few days about an alleged incident involving Jeff Archuleta, famous father of season seven American Idol runner-up David Archuleta, soliciting a prostitute working for a massage parlor in Utah back in January. Reportedly, Jeff sought these services through Craigslist and was caught in a police sting. He pleaded no contest to the charges and paid $582 in fines. Apparently the Jeff Archuleta camp is saying this is one big misunderstanding. However, it's obviously true if he pleaded no contest. I just can't understand what this man was thinking. He had the world at his feet, with a popular and very successful son doing well in the music industry. He has a gorgeous wife and a wonderful family. I am honestly dumbfounded that Jeff could've even resorted to such an activity. What is this world coming to?

During season seven of American Idol, Jeff Archuleta kind of became a controversial backstage figure on the show. We heard these horrible rumors about him being this terrible stage dad, shouting orders at his son, refusing to give his son water when thirsty, and fighting with directors/producers of the show to get advantages for his son on Idol. Those allegations were all deemed as false and once season seven concluded, many David Archuleta fans really learned more about the real Jeff Archuleta. He didn't seem to be as bad of a guy as the rumors have stated. But you have to wonder if some of those rumors actually were true? Obviously those ones about him refusing David water and bossing him around couldn't be right. But the ones about him being too involving in the decision making for David during his Idol run very well could be true. This latest incident involving Jeff and the prostitute really changes his public perception. Prior to these allegations, many Archie fans became to think highly of Jeff. Well, judging from a variety of comments on message boards, Jeff Archuleta is no longer a popular parent. His public image has been changed forever, and that's very unfortunate.

That leads me to another topic that I've been considering discussing for awhile. Prior to this year, how many Americans knew who Jon and Kate Gosselin were? The show had always managed decent ratings for TLC - but nothing like what it's brought in ratings-wise this season. Obviously a firestorm of media controversy has erupted over this couple ever since rumors of their separation and infidelity began. The season premiere of their show on Memorial Day of this year reaped in record ratings for the TLC cable channel. However, the ratings achievement was reached because of the controversy over this couple - not because of the show and their eight children. And the sad part is, the children are the innocent victims of their parents in-fighting. The show used to be about the kids and how the parents dealt with raising eight children in a household. Now they only play the backstory to the controversy involving Jon and Kate.

I had just started an interest in watching the show prior to the Jon and Kate drama that has played out in tabloids and celebrity blogs. I had sensed from watching earlier episodes that Kate could be a pretty demanding wife for Jon. So it's not really a huge surprise for me to see their marriage has crumbled. However, to see eight children tangled up in the midst of everything is a terrible thing. Obviously Jon and Kate will set up arrangements for visitation if the rumors are true that they will indeed seek a divorce. I just have to wonder how exactly the show will go on once the divorce becomes final. Will Jon no longer be part of it? I have strong suspicions that Kate will not give up the show and the money she gets paid for doing it. But Jon very well could drop out of the public eye - and I sense that's what he's wanted since this past year and the drama has evolved.

Family Drama

I wish I could say I had a perfect family, but in recent days I've learned it's far from perfect. Since I am single, I have not yet started a family of my own, but I am hoping that eventually I will be able to. And maybe taking all of my life experiences into account up until this point will help in raising a family of my own. As I've watched over my parents relationship through the years, I've come to realize that marriage isn't all that it's cracked up to be. There's a lot of compromise to be had and if one side doesn't get their way regarding a certain thing, it could get ugly. My parents had a big fight earlier this week. Thankfully I was not around while it went on, otherwise I probably would've left. Not to get too descriptive as to what all went on (and only basing it from my mom's side of the story) - my dad uttered that terrible word that causes all marriages to cease existing - divorce. I couldn't believe it - in fact, I was shocked when my mom told me. And all the fight was about was my uncle and a satellite dish. But the thought of my parents possibly divorcing after 37 years of marriage was mind boggling. Sure, they had fights before - one instance I remember my mom yelling another word at my dad describing how she felt of him - hate. I never forgot about that - and yet, even though I was no where near their latest fight, I still can't get it out of my mind.

Needless to say, my mom is not a fan of my uncle - which would be my dad's brother. As long as I can remember, she has disliked the man, but maybe moreso in recent years. She claims he's never treated my dad right from the time my mom and dad met. She thinks my dad gets treated like a little kid by my uncle, even to this day. And I would have to say my dad tends to worship his brother - probably a little too much. There are many times during random conversation where his name gets brought up and my mom makes a face. My dad claims he always gets stuff from his brother and he does a lot of work for him. But more often than not, my dad also has to do a lot of the work before his brother steps in to help. It's kind of a complicated situation and I don't want to delve into it too much in case someone from my family happens upon this blog and reads what I have to say. But this family dynamic has existed for years and it finally came to a head this past week.

I don't have anything against my uncle; he's been nothing but nice and helpful to me throughout the years. I stayed over at his place many times during the summer while me and my cousins were growing up. All those experiences are fond memories now. My cousins and I never get together like we used to as we're all on separate paths. I just choose to stay out of either side of the issue that seems to divide my parents. My mom has been willing to compromise and be more accepting of my uncle in light of recent events. Obviously she wants her marriage to continue, however, she's not able to forget what my dad said to her about wanting a divorce. And their marriage may never be the same because of it. Like my mom said, if he actually said it, certainly he must mean it. And I feel bad for my dad, too. He was so distraught and angry over the whole situation, he started crying. I've never seen my dad cry other than at his own father's funeral. That image continues to haunt me. And I wasn't even there! Ugh, it's such an unpleasant situation.

Since then, my mom and dad have temporarily mended fences. They've gotten over fights in the past and I've got a pretty good feeling they will get over this one, too. But my mom is hurt by the things my dad said, no question about it. It's going to take her a long time to get over this situation. But heck, they've gone through 37 years of marriage already. I find it hard to believe that they're willing to end it all over something like this. And I just can't fathom my mom and dad ever being apart. If that day happens to come, it'll take a long, long time before I'll be able to accept it.

UPDATE: I am happy to say that things appear to be going very well for my parents since this incident took place. I spent a few days with them this past week and although my mom is still very hurt by the things my dad said, she is not letting that stop her from going forward.

Where's Summer?

We're eight days into June and we're still left to wonder when summer intends to make its arrival. Today is another one of those cloudy, damp days with temperatures hovering in the upper 40's. I asked my dad if he can remember a summer starting out so cool like 2009 has. He replied, "oh probably." Obviously he can't remember quite like he used to, but as long as I've been alive, I don't recall such a cool start to summer. I think I read a stat that said we've only made it to 70 degrees and above just six or seven days so far this warm season. That interpretation might not be totally right, but it's something along those lines. And yes, typically we're a cool location year round, but this is rediculous! Hey, at least the snow has stopped falling.

Speaking of snow, it's not unusual for us to see snow during the month of May. Back on May 19, 1990, a major snowstorm struck the Upper Peninsula, dumping as much as two feet of snow on much of the region. Imagine back then, the trees full of leaves and the spring flowers in full bloom. Obviously that freak snowstorm changed the landscape for a few days until the snow completely melted. From what I can recall, it only took a couple of days for everything to melt. But it just goes to show you that even in May, a snowstorm can occur. Fast-forward to this May, where the first two or three Saturdays of the month produced snow showers through much of North Central Upper Michigan. We didn't pick up any serious accumulations during those separate events, but it just goes to show you how cool this spring has turned out to be. I still don't think some of the trees are bearing their full coverage of leaves quite yet. The blossoms on the apple tree in the backyard are just starting to open up and the lilacs are finally starting to bloom. I honestly believe all of the trees and shrubs are later to bloom this year than they were last; and last year was a late start to everything. And what is the talk of global warming all about?

Ah, but there appears to be a light at the end of the tunnel. Looking at the long range forecasts, after we get beyond the next few days, 70 degrees for a day-time high looks to be in sight. How nice that will feel after days and weeks of temperatures struggling to hit 50 and 60 degrees. I wouldn't be complaining if we had temperatures in the 60's - at least you don't need to wear a coat. But the light jacket has come in handy quite frequently the last few weeks. I want to be able to experience not having to wear a jacket to and from work and finally to be able to wear shorts every day of the week. My pants are beginning to get rather worn out from wearing them so often - usually by this time of the year, I'm making the switch over to shorts for the summer. Oh well, the weather can stay like this forever. And like I said, the forecast shows promising signs in the days ahead. This is the U.P. afterall, as they say, wait five minutes, the weather will change (on good days).

Busy Summer Awaits

It's going to be another busy summer for me - probably busier than ever. As you may know, I am in the process of buying my new home and the sale closes at the end of the month. So I have a little bit of time to prepare for that. In addition to getting myself moved in, I also plan to make a few improvements to the house, even though the place does not need a lot of work. I don't know if I'll be doing much to the new home this summer as I have plans with other assorted projects, but maybe more this fall and winter. Whatever the case may be, it'll finally be nice to have my own home where I can do whatever I want with! That is what's rough about renting - you pay your rent every month and it's basically like throwing your money away. So in that regard, it'll be fun to gradually make improvements to the place.

Phase two of the major siding and windows project will get started on my parents house this summer as well. In fact, our order of windows and siding will be dropped off this coming Thursday! We still need to pick up a few things from Menards - but we should be able to start the project almost immediately once my dad and I have time off together. I wouldn't say it's as extensive of a project like last years', but it'll still be a lot to accomplish. We're not rebuilding walls like we did last summer, just basically going over top the existing siding and replacing windows along the way. We elected to save one existing window that was roughly 15 years old (relatively new) and two others since they let out light from the attic and garage. The other important windows of the house will be replaced. I don't know what it is, but anytime my dad and I plan a major project, I just can't wait to get started. It must be the inner-carpenter inside of me.

Also on my parents house, we have one exterior door to change out. Last winter we had a lot of trouble with cold air passing through around the frame. It's not in physically bad condition, but it's just letting in too much cold air. Changing out this door might be tricky because around it is the new siding we put up last year. I have a feeling I might be taking it all down just to put the new door in. Hopefully not! Anyways, it should be an adventure as always. We also plan on installing metal roofing on the remainder of the garage. When we built the addition to the garage ten years ago, we installed a metal roof on it. Gradually my dad has been putting metal roofing on the rest of the garage. It's been a few years since he put the last section up, but he's looking to finish off the remainder of the garage roof this summer. It needs it, too, since part of the garage roof that's shingled started leaking last fall. Hopefully we'll be able to fit this project in once the siding is complete.

And if you thought that's all we had planned on my parents house, you're wrong! My dad also wants to dismantle the old chimney on the south side of the house. We used to have a wood burning stove years ago. After we remodeled the kitchen, we opted not to include the stove as part of the new kitchen, so the chimney inlet for the stove was covered up. Now, ten years later, we'll be taking down the old chimney. It shouldn't be too much work as the chimney's not all that big. However, my dad had the top of the chimney re-done 15 years ago when we installed a new roof on the south side of the house, so it might be kind of tough knocking the old bricks off. We'll see if we get that far.

Those are just a few of the projects planned for the summer of 2009. That doesn't include visits to see my sister in Wisconsin along with other fun activities that I plan to be part of. Before you know it, summer will be over and I'll be wondering where it all went. And then I'll think back, "oh, I was doing this, and this, and this!" Hopefully mixed in with all these projects, I'll be able to enjoy some of the U.P's wilderness. After all, I think summer in the U.P. is why many of us choose to live here year-round. Happy summer to all those out there in blog-land!

Sale Pending

YAY! It finally says "Pending"!

There it is, folks - my new home. After about a half-month of searching, I located the home that I will be purchasing. Last week I submitted an offer, which was counter-offered by the owners. They came down only $500, yet, I still felt it was too good of a deal to pass up. What might have complicated things was someone else submitting an offer only one day before I did, meaning I had to compete and didn't have the luxury of submitting an offer at least 1o% lower than the asking price. I didn't want to insult the current owners, either, who've been described to me as cautious and stubborn when accepting offers on their home. With that being said, in a competitive bidding process, you have to go with your gut. And that's exactly what I did. Am I a bit disappointed I couldn't land this home at a bit lower price? Sure ... but only a small fraction because I feel I got a tremendous house for a great price. When I toured six houses including this one, this was by far the best that I had seen. Important updates were made on the home meaning all I have to do is move in and it's all set. Eventually I'd like to do a few small changes to the place - but really nothing dramatic because I feel it's good the way it is. Now all I have to do is wait until the end of this month for my deal to close.

Tomorrow is a pretty important day regarding my new home as I get it professionally inspected. The current owners are still there - they are not scheduled to leave until the end of the month. However, as a buyer, I have the right to have the home inspected during the sales process. I have been told I will learn a lot about my home this way - which makes it very necessary for me to be there in case the inspector comes across something significant to the structure where repairs may be needed. This is my "out" clause, if you will. If I find something structurally deficient, I can cancel my sales contract or require that repairs be made prior to me moving in. There is no fault against me if I wish to move away from this home. However, I have a good feeling that won't happen as I saw nothing out of the ordinary the previous two times I went and saw the house. It'll take about two to three hours to go through the home, which sound pretty lengthy. But in the end, I think it'll be worth it.

That's not to say I don't feel a tad bit sad about leaving my apartment. It was strange as I entered the building where I currently reside. I began to feel sentimental about things; you know, I've grown to like my apartment. Its become my home away from home, if you will. But I am running out of room and when you pay rent, it's basically like throwing your money away. It's time for me to move on. I have a stable-enough job at this point where I am able to buy a home and not have to worry about a foreclosing. So at the end of this month, I will be packing up and moving about 10 miles south of town. I am sure I'll have mixed emotions about everything - but in the end, it's all for the better. I am getting a great home and moving into a place that's relatively maintenance-free. How can it get any better than that?

Upper Peninsula and ESPN

Having the Upper Peninsula and ESPN in one blog is a little strange, to say the least. Honestly, what could the two have in common? The only notable sports entity up here is Northern Michigan University, which has a division one hockey program and faces off against the likes of Michigan State and the University of Michigan (and a varitey of other sports while competing in division two). But the college hockey season is long over with. Some of our golf courses up here have gained national recognition within the past few years ... maybe that's it? Maybe Tiger Woods is going to play and the Greywall's course in Marquette? Now wouldn't that be exciting. But unfortunately that's not the reason why the two are connected. Maybe it has something to do with the Detroit Pistons coming up to Marquette in June for a youth basketball camp, the first time they've ever done so. That ain't it, either. Getting sick of the guessing games? Alright ... here's the real reason why ESPN and the Upper Peninsula hold a bond:



Yep, the Upper Peninsula and Yoopers mentioned in an iconic Sportscenter commercial. The baseball player featured in the commercial is Joe Mauer, a catcher for the Minnesota Twins. As he said in the commercial, he's originally from Minnesota. Seems to me he's pretty familiar with the U.P. and it's people. Makes me wonder if he's ever visited? Have you ever wondered if any famous celebrities may have visited the area where you live? Or possibly they weren't famous before they became a celebrity. It's kind of fun to think about. I've heard stories about Madonna owning a camp out on Lake Michigamme, the Rolling Stones coming to Marquette to be at a funeral for a former band member, Detroit Tigers legend Kirk Gibson visiting the U.P. numerous times in the winter to go snowmobiling, and various other stories. Most people living in the Upper Peninsula are probably well aware that the classic 1959 movie "Anatomy of a Murder" was filmed in the Marquette and Big Bay area. Movie icons Jimmy Stuart and George C. Scott were among the cast that were part of the movie. Some of Marquette's famous landmarks from the past and present appeared in the movie, and some of those buildings exist to this day.

So yes, the Upper Peninsula receives a little bit more notoriety in this most recent ESPN Sportscenter ad. ESPN helped to make the Watersmeet Nimrods famous earlier in the decade for their most unusual sports mascot name. And now, they are helping to recognize the region as a whole. I know, for most areas of the country this 30 second ad wouldn't be that big of a deal. But for an area that's beautiful and great for the outdoors, yet population-challenged, this was fun to see. And the nice part is, we'll likely see that ad for quite awhile for the next couple of months until a new Sportscenter ad is created. We'll enjoy the notoriety while we can.

American Idol 8 - Season Wrap-Up

It's been a little over a week in a half now since our newest American Idol was crowed, that being 23-year old Arkansas native Kris Allen. Going into the finale, I was happy with either he or Adam Lambert at this season's champion. And I'll admit, even though I picked Kris Allen to win, I was still rather shocked he won. And he was genuinely shocked as well. Well who can blame him, really? All season long, he's flown under the radar and truly fit the mold of being a dark horse. The judges and producers had pimped Danny Gokey and Adam Lambert right from the start of the competition and they both had peaked at different points. In my opinion, I never thought Danny Gokey lived up to the hype. He had a few decent performances during his run to the top three, but nothing that I would define as being memorable. As for Adam, he probably peaked earlier in the top 13 and was consistently good week upon week. As for Kris, he kept bringing it week after week and really created some memorable performances in the end. What vaulted him into becoming the newest Idol was his rendition of Kanye West's "Heartless."

I like to think that this was this season's revenge for David Archuleta losing in season seven. For anyone out there reading and who's into American Idol, wouldn't you say Kris Allen and Archie have similar personalities and singing styles? Archuleta wasn't nearly as outgoing when he was on the show like he is now - and that might have turned some people off. Meanwhile, Kris Allen definitely is more reserved and quiet, and he even says he's a chill guy. However, I think he was more vocal on stage than Archueta. Whatever the case, it still came down to being a singing competition. Archuleta delivered solid performances week after week and even included some pretty memorable moments towards the end of the competition with "Stand by Me" and "Don't Let the Sun Go Down on Me." Kris Allen did the same with "Heartless" and "Ain't no Sunshine." Archie played on the piano - but only a couple of times in the Idol stage compared to Allen's multiple instrument-infused performances throughout the entire season. So Kris is much more instrument-trained than Archie is at this point. However, whatever the case may be, they both had similar singing styles and delivered solid performances week in and week out. However, as Archuleta rose to front-runner status early on, Kris built a small amount of momentum early on and it kept building more and more each week. David peaked early on, much like Adam and Danny did, which may have cost him the competition in the end. Kris' building fanbase, the elimination of Danny Gokey in top three week, and his version of "Heartless" creating one of those all-time moments on Idol really vaulted him into winning the Idol crown. And the more I think of it, you know what would be an awesome duet? David Archuleta and Kris Allen. That is really something I would look forward to.

So where does this leave Adam Lambert and will he suffer from losing the title? In my opinion, this has the potential of helping him more than hurting him. If Adam had won the Idol crown, he may have been more restricted as to what he could make in an album. 19 might've forced him to go the pop music route. And he still might do some of that, however, I don't believe the entirety of his album will be composed of pop-sounding music. I guess the big question is - will his music be radio-friendly and will he achieve success like that of a Chris Daughtry who proved winning Idol isn't necessarily important? I definitely believe Adam has some challenges in becoming a music star. Now as he's proven even before his stint on Idol, he could become a major star on broadway. He's commented that he's never performed in New York - well with the right offer, he just might get that chance. I guess all that will depend on whether his music career takes off right away after the show has commenced.

Overall, I would say season eight ended up being much more enjoyable than I originally thought going into the top 13. A lot of talented singers emerged and much of them have potential to become successful in the entertainment industry. Obviously with his win, Kris Allen could become a big star. The music he created on Idol is radio-friendly and he is likely to incorporate the same sound into his debut album. Having him be the newest American Idol makes sense because the Idol-image fits him the most versus Adam Lambert. I already discussed Adam Lambert so I won't talk too much more about him other than to say he needs to hit the ground running right out of the gate in order for him to have a successful music career. Otherwise broadway might be calling or he'll become a reality show star other than for American Idol. As for Danny Gokey, I don't see him having a very successful musical career, other than singing gospel music. He came into Idol not knowing much mainstream music and even after Idol, he seems lost and hasn't defined himself musically. I'd be surprised to hear one tune from Gokey on the radio. Allison Iraheta definitely has some potential to be a radio success. She needs to be placed with the right people in order for her music to shine, however. Otherwise she'll just be another Idol alumni forgotten. For those individuals beyond the top four, it gets even trickier as to whether they'll experience success. Lil Rounds and Scott MacIntyre absolutely won't. Matt Giraud and Anoop Desai have a small chance. Megan Joy and Michael Sarver have very small chances to experience music success in my opinion. Megan may have a unique sound but she floundered towards the end of her Idol run. And Michael may have written a ton of songs during the course of his life, but that might be all he's good for. Maybe he'll become the next great songwriter. Only time will tell.

So that about does it for my wrap-up of the American Idol season that was. I can't wait to see who releases an album and who doesn't. If I'd have to predict, Kris (duh), Adam, and Allison will be signed to record deals. It's a crapshoot whether the rest will get signed or not. And for those lucky enough to see the Idols live in concert this summer - I am seriously envious. I think it would be worth a ticket just to see Adam Lambert perform. I just can't imagine what it would be like to see him sing Mad World or Black and White in person - two of my personal favorites from him. And then there's Kris, who flies under the radio and is totally laid back in his demeanor. But he performs killer song arrangements and does a wonderful job making a song his own. I'd definitely buy his first album. All in all, season eight ended up being great and and creating some pretty powerful moments on-stage. Despite the producer pimping, the show becoming more about the judges than the contestants, and the tabloid news headlines, this show is as good as ever and it remains the most-watched one for me. January can't come soon enough when it comes to Idol!

No Time These Days

Do you ever feel like sometimes you don't have enough time in your day? I think I've felt that way for a good week now. There has been a lot going on lately for me and I've been finding it difficult to fit in my normal activities. I am actually rather relieved American Idol is over because I just don't know how I'd be able to fit that into everything. It actually ended at a perfect time. And even though it's only been a little less than a week since I last blogged, I feel like I could've been able to blog every day, but just couldn't get the opportunity. Anyways, this is why I been feeling so overwhelmed this past week.

The first significant undertaking in my life these days is the hunt for a house. I actually started working with a realtor a few weeks ago and went to see a few houses in person. This is basically how the tour went: the first house was a complete dump, the second house was better, but the home needed to be connected to the township's water system, which would've cost $15,000. So obviously you could tell that was out. The first impression of the third house we visited: smokey, VERY smokey. Obviously someone needs to install some air fresheners! The fourth house was decent, needed some work, but the taxes are very high in that particular area. So it was way down the list. The fifth house was the big winner on the tour. The house had been updated very nicely and the price was actually pretty reasonable. Right now, it's the front runner. And last but not least, the sixth house on the tour was pretty much run-down. It had a lot of land but the house needs some pretty extensive work. I just don't know if I'd be willing to continuously work on it at this point in time. Tomorrow I am looking to get pre-approved on a loan and hopefully take another tour of the fifth home (along with my parents who were absent the first time around) and then get the ball rolling on making an offer on the place. I was a little discouraged to learn that the next day, the same realtor I am working with showed the house to a young couple and they really liked it too! So needless to say, if I am serious about actually buying this house, I need to get things moving. More updates to come on this in the future.

Also on my plate - work! Yes, mingled in with the search for a home and the other assorted activities I plan on discussing, I am still busy with work. Believe me, I am very thankful to have a job, particularly in times like these. The same holds true for the area where I live, where good jobs are hard to find. It's just that on the weekends where I work 12 hour shifts, it's hard to do much of anything else except for sleeping, eating, and going to work. On Saturday I had to fit in my niece's birthday party after I slept until roughly 2:30 PM (currently working midnight shift) - and only getting about four hours of sleep. My sister from Wisconsin was also up for the party and the disappointing thing is that I didn't get to spend as much time as I would've liked thanks to my schedule. However, I did get to spend about three hours with her on Friday night and then a bit at the party on Saturday. So all was not lost there.

And that's not all - I am also the main project planner for the improvement projects we are going to be making on my parents' house this summer. We're going to be replacing four windows, install plenty of vinyl siding, and try to make the house weather and energy efficient as much as we can. At this stage of the game, I am figuring out our supplies list which is a pretty time-consuming task. And sometimes, I run into motivational issues to get this done. I don't have much more to go and probably after I'm done writing this blog, I'll get working on that and try to finish this up. I have a feeling we'll be making a trip to the big-box hardware store sometime the end of this week because a lot of the supplies we need for this project are on sale. My dad also wants us to go to the place where we ordered windows and siding from last year and get all that ordered. So as you can see, I have a deadline! But that's not always a bad thing, either. I tend to work the best when under pressure.

You add those things, plus trying to keep up with this blog, and other normal everyday activities like spending time outdoors and running errands - and you can see I have a lot going on. To some I'm sure it doesn't seem like much. But for me, where I tend to lead a pretty low-key life, it's suddenly turned to quite a lot. And that's fine in all honesty. It's better to be busy running around than living a completely boring life.

American Idol 8 - Top 2

Well everybody, it all comes down to this. It's what Idol junkies have been waiting for all season - the pairing of the final two contestants, an even bigger stage, and an atmosphere that's almost as big as an event like the Oscars. You include that with occasional movie stars, a raucous crowd, and stellar performances from the contestants, and it's typically a night to remember. Last night was no exception, except maybe for the coronation song at the end that both contestants had to sing. Honestly, I think it sucked a lot of positive energy away from the people that were watching who've been commenting that last night's show was only mediocre. Now a better song could've produced the best performance finale night yet. Ah well, there's always hope for next year. Let's get started recapping last night's performances from the top two:

Adam Lambert - "Mad World" : What incredible stage effects to start the show - dry ice creating moving fog across the stage and then Adam rising up through the stage floor. At least that is how it appeared to me. Truly good stuff and appropriate for a finale. What more is there to say about this performance? Adam sings it just as good as the first time around with the added effects and a larger studio audience. It's just like being at a concert - or a Broadway show for that matter. Adam powers his way through this song with such ease. Honestly, I never tire of hearing this rendition of a Tears for Fears classic. I believe that the contestants couldn't pick a new song for the final round and instead had to perform a song from any week during the top 13. To me, Adam picked the most logical choice. This one really solidified Adam's standing as a front-runner.

Kris Allen - "Ain't No Sunshine" : I think a lot of people were thinking Kris would come out and perform "Heartless" or "Falling Slowly" (in fact, many rumors were pointing in that direction earlier yesterday). But "Ain't No Sunshine" was another song Kris excelled on, so it's not really a big surprise for me that he picked this song. To me, he created a moment just as easily with this song earlier in the competition like he did with the other two. In addition, it's also that much better when he's performing the song on a piano as opposed to a keyboard like he did the first time around. The more I listen to this performance, the more I believe that this truly could be the best Kris has sounded all season. He soars to great heights with this song as his vocals are superb and his artistry is magical. Then you add in his performance skills and musicality and it's truly fitting of a finale performance.

Adam Lambert - "A Change is Gonna Come" : Next up we have song picks from the creator of American Idol, Simon Fuller. And this is really a bold pick considering the message the song emotes. However, it really fits Adam well. He puts so much emotion and vocal intensity into this performance. He starts off with restrained vocals and leaves out the rock wail. Then he gradually builds into his higher range and there we have Adam's rock wail. It's like he's building a story - the way that he's able to sing. It's like we get a taste for just about everything Adam is able to do vocally in this song. At this stage of the game, would be expect anything less for Adam to do his rock wailing? I mean, if he didn't perform in such a way, it would be a let down to many of his fans. So this song really fit Adam well, even though it wasn't technically a rock song. Truly a masterful performance from Adam as his vocals are out of this world.

Kris Allen - "What's Going On?" : When I first heard this performed from Kris last night, I wasn't that impressed. The performance left me feeling kind of empty as I was hoping for more. But the big reason why I probably felt that way last night because I was being distracted at that moment, so I was able to enjoy it like I could've. However, I was able to listen back to his performance and I think Kris' interpretation of the song is amazing. He certainly made it his own and it fits his style perfectly. So what that it didn't have a lot of power and huge notes - that's not Kris' style anyways. He was able to strum on the guitar and the song fit his vocal style like a glove. I loved the part where he stopped the instrument accompaniment during the lyrics "this war is not the answer." He's also standing up for his beliefs! I thought it was a wonderful performance from Kris but at this stage, I wouldn't expect anything less.

Adam Lambert - "No Boundaries" : Ick, what a terrible song these poor contestants are forced to perform tonight. Why do these coronation songs have to suck so badly? And you would think with Kara helping to write the song, it would sound better. But I think it's one of the worst the show has ever had! Kara is supposed to be such a great songwriter, after all. Anywho, Adam made the most of this song. Much of the song was in Adam's falsetto range, particularly once the tempo picked up. I just didn't like Adam's voice with this song as it just didn't suit him that well. I noticed a few pitchy notes, especially in the beginning. And I couldn't quite tell if Adam had the mic up to his face too closely in the beginning where he would bump into it or it was a beat in the song. All in all, it wasn't the greatest performance from Adam, but I blame the song.

Kris Allen - "No Boundaries" : So Kris gets his chance to shine on this retched song next. Again just like Adam, Kris made the most of this song. I thought it might have suited Kris a bit better than Adam, however, the key of the song was definitely much too high for his voice. You could tell he was struggling with the higher notes in the song. All in all, I actually liked Kris' rendition of the song just a bit more than Adam's. Still, there were a few botched lyrics from Kris. I couldn't tell if he brought the mic too far away from his mouth earlier in the song so that we couldn't hear him or if he forgot a word. Personally I thought it was a mic issue more than anything. I am not going to criticize Kris for botching lyrics because from the sounds of it, the contestants didn't get a lot of time to practice the song. Anyways, it's a terrible song. Why would they want to spend a lot of time on it?

Oh brother. This is probably going to be the most difficult performance rankings yet this season. And I thought last week was tough. Anyways, here is how I thought the final two contestants did:

ROUND #1:
Kris Allen - best (THE WINNER! - 5/20/09)
Adam Lambert

ROUND #2:
Adam Lambert - best
Kris Allen (THE WINNER! - 5/20/09)

ROUND #3:
Kris Allen - best (THE WINNER! - 5/20/09)
Adam Lambert

MY PICK TO WIN AMERICAN IDOL: Kris Allen

Yes, you read that correctly. I am picking Kris Allen to win American Idol season eight. I think the fan support for Kris has been growing and growing as the season has progressed. You also consider the fact that Danny Gokey had a tremendous fan following. Some of his votes will be going to Kris more than Adam. For awhile, it was Adam and Danny duking it out for fan support. So you think Danny's fans were going over to support Adam once Danny got voted out? I certainly don't think so. Plus, I believe the backlash has been growing in regards to Adam being gay as more people learn about it from the press (even though he's never confirmed it publicly yet) and that doesn't go over quite as well with conservative America. Those are reasons why I believe Kris will become this season's American Idol by just a slim margin. I really do believe the vote tally will be close, much closer than last season's finale. But Kris will take the crown by just a hair.

So there you have it, folks. The final performance recap of the season from me. I thank those of you who've been coming to the blog to read my thoughts on the show all season long. I know you're out there! I plan on doing a few more American Idol blogs for this season before officially wrapping it up until next year. In the meantime, be sure and enjoy tonight's finale. From what I understand, a lot of awesome singers are expected to perform. It should be a fun show.

KRIS ALLEN IS THE WINNER OF AMERICAN IDOL 2009!

American Idol 8 - Top 3

The grand finale of American Idol season eight is one week away. This season seems to have flown by a lot quicker than last for some reason. Nonetheless, it's almost over and tonight is typically the night that makes it or breaks it for all three finalists. Obviously one gets sent home and at this stage of the game with all three singers highly qualified, it's going to come right down to the wire. One little flaw, flat note, or forgotten lyric could prove to be the death knell. At this stage of the competition, you want proven winners and people that will stand out from the rest of the pack. I think in this season's top three, they are all very talented people. Tonight is a very fun show because the contestants themselves get to make their own song picks and in prior seasons, their picks get scrutinized by the judges. Meanwhile, the judges attempt to make a song pick that suit their genre of music and their voices. Some are brilliant picks while others fall flat. This is the first season where Clive Davis or the producers won't get to make a third pick for the contestants (not really a big loss) due to an extra judge yakking and eating away precious performance time. So what's gonna happen tonight? Let's find out what went down on that Idol stage!

Danny Gokey - "Dance Little Sister" : Interesting song choice from Paula in that it's very obscure - or at least I've never heard it before. It's a fun, upbeat little ditty to open the show. Danny's all shouty right from the get go. And then we get the saxophone solo and he's scatting along with the saxophonist. Not finding that to be all that great. I will say this, his stage presence is quite good - he's moving around on the stage pretty freely, dancing, and showing a ton of confidence. Maybe he's having too much fun on stage because it's throwing off his vocals some. Overall, this was just an okay performance. I actually agreed with Kara in that this performance is pretty forgettable. Heck, I really don't remember much about the performance as I'm typing it and I don't really feel like watching it back again. More major pimping from Randy and Paula - they desperately want him in the finale. Danny talks way too much.

Kris Allen - "Apologize" : What on earth was Randy and Kara thinking when choosing this song for Kris, especially when David Archuleta did a killer version with One Republic themselves on last season's results finale? These judges are so clueless. Really loved the start of Kris' performance - playing on the piano where we hadn't seen him play all that much. I feel the song is a bit too high for Kris to handle - at least he doesn't seem comfortable going that high and he kind of drops an octave while going through a run on the first chorus. Despite that, it doesn't throw him off too badly. I thought the band drowned him out too much, particularly when Kris was attempting to hit those higher notes and this might have been nicer if it had a more acoustic sound to it. I didn't really pick up on the one bad note that Paula mentioned. Overall, I thought it was a decent performance from Kris.

Adam Lambert - "One" : You know, I was actually digging Simon's song choice for Adam when I first heard the news. But after the performance, it kind of landed a bit flat for me. Maybe "Wicked Games" would've been better - I dunno. I really liked the set-up for Adam in the beginning; him at the center of the stage with the blue mood lighting. Kind of reminded me of his "Mad World" performance. Manic Adam is in full effect a lot sooner than I was expecting. I don't know if I am enjoying the wicked-high vocals and shoutiness for this particular song. For me, I like it as more of that ballad sound. Adam is turning it more rock-ish towards the end. I've got nothing bad to say about his vocals because for what he did, they were spot on. But the song arrangement left me a tad bit disappointed. It might have worked better if he was toned-down throughout the entire song.

Danny Gokey - "You Are So Beautiful" : We're back for round two, where Danny makes his own song selection. He actually makes a pretty decent pick in "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker. The performance starts at first with no instruments, then an acoustic guitar, and gradually more instruments, but from the stage floor. I wouldn't say it was pitch perfect because I detected a few bum notes here and there. I am finding it to be a generally nice performance. Once again, is it something we're going to remember at the end of the day? Now the Danny we've all come to love - the shouty version! I am finding this much less enjoyable than the first part. I just prefer Danny when he's not trying to over-sing. I actually think he could've done more with the song than what he did. He made a few tweaks here and there and even injected some gospel into this classic song. But all in all, another average performance from Danny.

Kris Allen - "Heartless" : Well I'll be - Kris is actually getting some awesome lighting effects as he begins his performance. This is starting off really, really nice. It's just Kris and his guitar - the rest of the band is silent. The audience is just getting to focus on Kris and his guitar playing and it's pretty spectacular. I've got to admit, I wasn't sure if this song was going to work for Kris but he certainly made it his own and he put a completely different spin on the song and it's superb. It kind of reminds me of David Archuleta last year picking "With You" and while he made a great choice picking a contemporary song, I don't think it worked quite as well as he hoped. Now with Kris and this selection - it totally worked. The judges loved it, he was getting a great reaction from the audience, and this performance is one of many that we've come to love from Kris Allen. Best moment of the night right here with Kris' second song.

Adam Lambert - "Cryin' " : Ah, Adam tackling an Aerosmith song ... didn't somebody want Adam to perform an Aerosmith song? I'm thinking Melinda Doolittle - but she's obsessed with Aerosmith as a whole. Right from the get-go, his voice and one of the background singers is not meshing. I think that background singer is REALLY pitchy. But Adam Lambert is a pro - it's not throwing him off in the least. This is another strong rock-style vocal from Adam. I am actually liking this much more than his first performance and I agree with Randy that this is more of what works the best for Adam. What more can you say? This is Adam at his best being a rock star. It's a high energy performance; showing off his killer vocal skills. He truly nailed this song and he displayed great vocal control. American Idol has born it's newest star in Adam Lambert.

Hmm, my spell check isn't working! So if you notice any misspellings, blame blogger, not me. Anyways, here is how I rank tonight's performances:

ROUND #1:
Adam Lambert - best
Kris Allen
Danny Gokey - worst (actual eliminee - 5/13/09)

ROUND #2:
Kris Allen - best
Adam Lambert
Danny Gokey - worst (actual eliminee - 5/13/09)

This is going to be an absolutely tough choice in deciding who gets sent home. I've become a big Kris fan, so I'd like to see him stay. I've enjoyed Adam for most of the top 13. And Danny has fallen out of favor for me. Based on tonight's performances, I've got to say that Danny should be going home. But I've got to take into account his massive fan base. Meanwhile, Kris is a regular, everyday, humble guy and his fan base has been growing. Adam is popular because he's flashy, theatrics, and has amazing vocals. I mean honestly, it's truly a toss-up. With that being said, here is goes. Adam is safe - and in a shocker, Danny goes home and Kris makes it to the finale. That's right, I said it! Let's see if it all comes true tomorrow night. I have a feeling tomorrow's results show is going to be extremely tense. Be sure to enjoy it!

YIPEE!! Danny Gokey gets the boot on tonight's results show! So that means our finale will consist of Adam Lambert and Kris Allen. What a great pairing! I love it ... it will be awesome.

American Idol: Final Stretch

It's hard to believe next week is the season final of American Idol already! Even though I really didn't have a contestant I truly felt connected to this season compared to last, I have really found season eight to be rather enjoyable. Obviously there is a lot of talent amongst this group and many of them have a bright future ahead of them. I will say the elimination order this year has been fairly predictable. I'd have to look back to be 100% sure, but I believe I had the correct elimination order since the top 13 began, except for this past week where I thought Kris would be eliminated instead of Allison. Despite that, I still have been enjoying this season quite thoroughly. And after next week, all us Idol nuts out there will have to wait another eight months for the new season to begin!

There are a few things about the show that bug me; things that do not make it perfect in my mind. Clearly there have been front runners that showed their star power in the very beginning of the season. A couple still remain yet others have floundered. If all was right with the world, Danny Gokey would've been voted out last week if not sooner. I was a Gokey fan in the beginning. But I no longer find him to be all that appealing. I don't fault him for the producers pimping the backstory about his dead wife from the very beginning. I do, however, fault his inability to step up and deliver more memorable performances than he has. You compare him to Adam Lambert and you should be able to tell this season's winner based on that comparison. Yet for some reason, Danny has a strong contingent of fans. In their eyes, Gokey can do no wrong, especially butchering the last few notes in a classic Aerosmith song. In a perfect world, we would end up with a Kris vs. Adam finale. However, with the producers and judges behind him, Danny will more than likely withstand tonight's onslaught of voting to make it into next week's finale.

The whole Danny Gokey pimping by the judges has been just as puzzling for me than anything else. Kris Allen has proven to be a very versatile singer; changing arrangements and performing in a style unique to all of the others. He's the most musically inclined as well; mostly playing the guitar but also sitting behind a piano, too. Rightfully Kris should be up there with Adam in the finale next week. But get ready Kris Allen fans, he will most likely be thrown under the bus like he has been the past few weeks. Thankfully the fans stood up for him and voted him through to this very point. Instead of praising Kris for his musicality, he'll likely instead be criticized for not showing confidence, not displaying a more likable personality, or not connecting with the song. Meanwhile after Danny performs, if he lays an egg on stage, that won't matter. They'll praise him for taking risks and handing out A++ for effort. After all, Paula Abdul has visions of seeing Danny all the way through to the finale. Honestly, has Danny lived up to that early hype? Not by a long shot. But with a strong backing of fans and the judges absolutely drooling over his mediocre performances, the writing is on the wall that we'll see Danny next week. And that really makes me sad.

This, for me, is where the show gets frustrating. Last year I was upset at negative comments from people against David Archuleta. I hate to say it, but I am finding it to be a similar situation to what Danny faces this year, except that Archie was A LOT better. He put together a whole slew of memorable performances while Danny lays a large pile of mediocre crap. I just don't feel Archie got the praise and respect that he deserved and in my mind, he still isn't getting it. But I don't believe David got nearly the amount of pimping that Danny has gotten this year. I mean it's so obvious that it's ridiculous. And Danny isn't nearly as good of a singer as David Archuleta! Check out some of the videos out there of from Danny Gokey's hometown celebration this past weekend where he attempted to sing Micheal Jackson's "Billy Jean." He barely remembered the chorus let alone the rest of the song! I mean it honestly got embarrassing after awhile. This is going to be our season eight runner up or *gasp* the eventual winner? I shutter to think about that scenario actually happening.

So everyone out there in Idol land, please be sure to vote for Kris Allen or Adam Lambert so we can have the very best singers and performers in this season's finale. If there's going to be a shocking elimination this season, it has to be this week and it needs to be one of the prodigal sons from the start of the competition; the one who's wife passed away and whom the producers kept reminding us about it over and over again for several weeks in the beginning. I'll change my mind if Danny puts together a couple of memorable performances tonight. However, if Kris Allen is just as good if not better than Danny, then my support will quickly go towards Adam and Kris. I don't care how good Danny is tonight; if Kris is good if not better, then that's all she wrote. The only way, in my mind, for Kris to be a loser tonight is if he totally lays an egg for both of his performances and/or forgets his words. As I said before, if all was right with the world, our finale would consist of Adam and Kris. Danny needs to go after last week's horendous solo performance. Will we be in for a surprise tomorrow night? I certainly hope so!

Closure

Nearly four months after her passing, my Grandma Lillian was laid to rest at the local cemetery yesterday. I have to say, I was expecting it to be a lot harder than it was. Maybe I didn't let myself absolutely fall to pieces at seeing her carried out of the hearse and onto the spot where she was going to be buried. But then again, seeing that it has been nearly four months after her death, enough time has passed where I've accepted it. Don't get me wrong, I was still sad. She was my grandmother after all; the closest I was to the two. But she is in a better place and no longer suffering. There were a couple of moments where I was about to get teary-eyed; specifically when the priest referred to her as "our sister" and how she was "sent to be with the angels in heaven." We all had the opportunity to stand next to her casket, but I felt that would just be too awkward with the crowd that was gathered there. We also could've watched her get lowered into the ground, but my sister was already a wreck during the memorial so be opted not to.

I was glad and rather humbled to see the crowd of people that showed up at my grandmother's burial service. I was expecting a much smaller group of people; generally just the immediate family. I would say at least 40 to 50 people were there and it actually warmed my heart that my grandmother had a healthy crowd at her service. She definitely deserved it. I even got to see a former teacher from high school there and a former custodian that I worked with for three years and whom became like a second mother to me. Obviously it's not the greatest of circumstances to see these people again, but nonetheless, it was still nice to see them after all these years.

After the service concluded, we headed over to the local Lutheran Church for a small luncheon. My grandmother had told my mom before she died that she did not care to have a public service like a wake, but she was open to having a small luncheon after her burial service. And I've got to admit, it was a perfect thing to have. I would say there was a large-enough crowd at the church and plenty of food. I got to speak with a bunch of people that I hadn't spoken to in quite some time and I even met a few others for the first time. Actually there was too much food as some of the items weren't even touched. But at least there was more than enough food than not enough. Once the luncheon concluded, we headed out to my grandmother's farm.

It's not a big secret that my mom's side of the family isn't particularly close. My mom was the only girl in the family and with three brothers, she was the closest to her mother. And after a visit to the farm, I realized that we probably won't be making too many more trips out there in the future. For my immediate family, grandma was really the only reason to go out to the farm. And our visits there really were few and far between. Unless our relationship with my uncles and cousins should miraculously change in the future, I just don't see how we'll need to be out there, particularly me. I was never around them that much growing up and I think it's too late in the game to start caring now.

All in all, my grandmother's burial brought me some closure of her passing but also left me with a bittersweet feeling. As I walked the grounds of the farm, I remembered certain spots that brought back memories of my time as a kid and young adult at grandma's. There were plenty of fond memories and a few I'd rather just forget. But then those were likely all of the memories that would accumulate from that point on at the farm. Without grandma, there's really no need for me to visit the farm. And so it would appear that that particular chapter has thus closed in my life.

American Idol 8 - Top 4

Ah, a rock theme on Idol. This is a first for the show and I don't think they've ever had a more reluctant mentor on the show than Slash. I don't really think he was all that thrilled in being a mentor, however, he made the most of it. I actually enjoyed that he had the whole band playing while the contestants sang. It truly was a nice effect. With that being said, we are getting closer and closer to the finale; only three weeks away! Hard to believe how quickly this season has come to a close. And with all things considered, we really haven't had a shocking elimination yet this season. Could that still be in the cards after this week's performances? Only time will tell. Let's get on with the recaps, why don't we?

Adam Lambert - "Whole Lotta Love" : For the first time this season, Adam is performing first. I think Adam is going to do quite well this week with the rock theme. I mean, people had the same thoughts going into disco week and he did well with that particular theme. He definitely picked the right song to fit his rocker-mentality and he absolutely knocked it out of the park. It's a very powerful performance with stellar vocals and he certainly has that rock star swagger. He's working it out tonight and this rock theme fits Adam like a hand fits a glove. I would say he's a bit more toned down than I thought he would be - not as many rock wails like he's known for. All things considered, Adam did very well tonight and it was a great way to start the night out.

Allison Iraheta - "Cry Baby" : No surprise here, but another one that should do quite well with this theme is Allison. I believe she's the first female rocker to make it as far as she has in this competition. Usually we have the R'nB Diva's to advance further, but not this season. Like with most of her performances in season eight, she had a few enunciation issues, especially earlier on in her performance. However, everything else about it was great. She's very confident on that stage and I will agree with Simon insomuch as to her growth from the beginning of her live performances to now. I mean sure, it's not the most familiar Janis Joplin song ever, but she really worked it out and made it her own. I believe she did a very smart thing in not picking "Another Little Piece of my Heart" because it had been done numerous times on the show. Well done Allison, well done.

Kris Allen & Danny Gokey - "Renegade" (DUET #1) : Now we come to the very first duet ever performed during a live performance show, other than the finale results show. And I've got to say, this will be a very interesting pairing, considering that this genre doesn't fit Kris or Danny all that well. They are more known for the Christian Contemporary music. I will agree with Randy in that their harmonizing together was wicked good. But their solo efforts in the song fell particularly flat. I heard a few off-pitch notes from both Kris and Danny at times. I didn't think they complemented each other that well on this duet. Maybe another song would've suited them both better. And Danny just might have taken the lead and picked this song without much input from Kris, seeing as they were having a difficult time choosing a song. And I didn't think Kris was that bad - he was probably about equal to Danny's performance.

Kris Allen - "Come Together" : It's kind of unfair how Kris had to sing back-to-back like this. The song order was especially odd and Kris is at a bit of a disadvantage this week because of it. I remember Carly Smithson's version of the song last year and she did an absolutely phenomenal job with it. Will Kris leave the same impression? I agree that this hard-rock genre doesn't fit Kris all that well. However, I really think he worked it out and it wasn't as bad as the judges made it out to be. I really loved his electric guitar playing skills and he is truly this season's musician. I didn't really notice a lot of pitchiness except for one note about two-thirds of the way through. I really enjoyed it when he slowed the tempo down for a brief moment and sung at a lower octave and encouraged the audience to clap along. Yes, this isn't the type of music suited for Kris, I get that. But quit throwing him under the bus just because he's not a judge's favorite.

Danny Gokey - "Dream On" : We are getting a lot of repeat song choices from season seven this week. Danny picks a classic Aerosmith song chosen by Michael Johns in season seven; the song that got him booted out in a shocking elimination. Could the same fate be set in stone for Danny? If that last note in the taped piece with Slash is any indication, this could be a total train wreck for Danny. I love the song but I think it's simply too big for Danny. He does a classic interpretation of the song from the start; as it's supposed to sound. He doesn't make a whole lot of changes with the melodies. He gradually builds the song up to its classic rock-sound. And then he sings the chorus over and over again. Finally, we get to the last few notes and oh my god ... my ears! It's like a combination of a fire alarm going off and a chorus of cats screeching. It really is that bad. I believe he should be eliminated simply because of that horrendous performance.

Adam Lambert & Allison Iraheta - "Slow Ride" (DUET #2) : Thank god for this last duet; I can't imagine the show ending with Danny's horrible performance. The Adam and Allison pairing is like a match made in rock heaven. These two had the best solo performances of the night and I agree with Kara in that they complemented each other very well and pushed each other to do better. It was an outstanding vocal from them both and honestly, what more is there to say? They are truly in their element with this theme. I think the addition of duets this season is an interesting change and it obviously worked well for some contestants and not for others. It all comes down to being paired with the right people and the producers knew exactly what they were doing with this pairing. It ended up being the perfect way to end the show. Adam basically book-ended tonight's performance show!

Ah yes, now to the all important performance rankings. Who was the best and who did the absolute worst? Here are my picks:

1.) Adam Lambert (officially eliminated - 5/11/09)
2.) Allison Iraheta
3.) Kris Allen (eliminated)

4.) Danny Gokey (bottom two)

I included a space between Kris Allen and Danny Gokey in the rankings because Danny was just that bad. I think if he didn't push that final note, it would've been a little tolerable of a performance than it was. Obviously he had to know it wasn't going to work. I mean, even while Slash was mentoring him, it sounded horrendous. How could he be so misguided? Taking all things into consideration, I don't believe Danny will get voted off even though he was horrendously bad. The judges threw Kris Allen under the bus for a second consecutive week - in fact, I think overall they all were rather harsh with him. And of course, they are still pimping Danny for the finale even though he had a pretty rough night. They could've told him it was his worst performance to date or even said they simply did not like it. But no, they have to tell him they'll give him an A+ for effort and they commend him for taking risks. What is that all about?! Obviously I'm not very happy because I have a strong feeling Kris will get the boot and Danny will be saved. I HOPE I AM WRONG!

Please be sure to enjoy tonight's results show! Unfortunately I cannot watch it live and will have to watch it back later. Here's hoping Danny finally gets the boot!

Road Construction

Spring is here and with it comes road construction. Here in the Marquette area, there is going to be plenty of road work this spring and summer. Call me crazy, but I get rather excited to hear about roads in the local area being worked on. It's a mentality that has been with me ever since I was little - but I will admit that waiting through a construction zone can get pretty aggravating, especially when you don't plan enough time to be waiting at a construction zone and end up being late for your destination. Obviously road construction is a headache while it's going on, but the finished product makes all that worth while.

As I mentioned, there is lots of road construction activity taking place this year within the Marquette area. The majority of the projects are being funded with the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These are projects that have been on the back burner and were "shovel ready," meaning projects ready to begin at a moments notice except they lacked the needed funding to start. The ARRA helped many of these projects get off the ground. I am a big supporter of the infrastructure-portion of the ARRA because much of the nation's roads and bridges need work. The last time such a project took place was during the last major economic crisis around the time of the depression. But I don't believe enough money was allocated towards infrastructure improvements in our country with the ARRA and was wasted on other areas. That's just my opinion; take it with a grain of salt if you disagree.

One of the first road projects to get started this season is along US-41 and M-28 in South Marquette and in the nearby community of Harvey. The road crew there is replacing concrete joints and fixing potholes by pouring new cement in these areas. This is a five-lane stretch of road that was originally built in the 1960's. The cement used to build this highway is 40-50 years old. Obviously it's nearing the end of its life, but the state department of transportation is hoping to "extend the life" of this stretch of pavement by fixing joints and potholes. A similar repair was last done in this area only three years ago, yet here we go again. And I remember the incredible traffic back-ups that existed when the highway was shrunk down to two lanes. I had never seen the traffic backed up as badly as it was; and there were no accidents that day! What does that tell you about the condition of the road surface itself - in that three years later, more joints are being replaced. Obviously the Michigan DOT is doing the most proactive thing it can do by replacing the joints and potholes and extending the surface life of the road. I imagine if they would've let this road deteriorate even further and not done any repairs for two or three years, it could've been in much worse shape. It's clear to me these sections of roadway are in need of a total overhaul sooner rather than later. But like I've said in previous blogs, the state of Michigan is facing major budget obstacles and it's not likely to get any better in future years. Moneys for roadway repairs will continue to dwindle further and further.

Another project being funded with ARRA money is the eastbound lanes of 41/28 right along the busiest stretch of highway in the Upper Peninsula - between Wal-Mart and the Holiday Inn. MDOT doesn't want to cause massive traffic back-ups on this stretch of road during peak driving hours, so they are going to perform the majority of the work at night. The last time this roadway was resurfaced was at least ten years ago - and it certainly needs the work. Underneath the layer or two of asphalt is an old concrete highway. Along with the asphalt, the cement is also deteriorating. So the road crews have to repair the joints on the old cement portion of the highway along with resurfacing the asphalt to make for a more smoother ride. I cannot say exactly when this portion of highway was originally built, but my best estimate would be in the 1960's and '70's. It, too, needs a total overhaul but that's something we'll likely not see for sometime. And I've got to admit, the last resurfacing held up pretty well within ten years-time. Here's hoping the next round will last just as long.

The next project is a complete resurfacing of state highway 553 from the junction of US-41/28 to the junction of County Road 480 at the Crossroads. It's a little over six miles of roadway and again, this resurfacing is sorely needed. This is a project that MDOT has funded on its own as it is not using any ARRA money. Roughly ten years ago (if not more than that), this roadway was classified as a county highway with no state jurisdiction. MDOT took over this roadway from the county after K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base closed and the county moved the airport to the former air base. At the time, a major state highway was not designated in and around the former air force base. Seeing that the airport was moving out there and people needed to be familiar with a route to and from the airport that they could find on a map, they took over this and another highway from Marquette County. Minor repairs have been undertaken on this stretch of roadway since MDOT took over, but no major repairs (except for the installation of a new bridge after the spring floods in 2002). I travel part of this route on a daily basis, so I am looking forward to a much smoother ride.

Last but not least for this construction season is a major reconstruction of an intersection within the community of Harvey and the resurfacing of US-41 south of Harvey to Beaver Grove. The intersection in question is where M-28 heads east towards Munising and US-41 heads south. North takes you to Marquette and west takes you to County Road 480. It's a busy intersection that has a six-phase traffic signal. Much of the traffic either heads east or north and during busiest peak travel times, the one lane of traffic designated for these traffic movements usually is inadequate. The surface of the intersection is also in bad shape - again it's that 1960's-era concrete that has outlived it's usefulness. I know MDOT has tried to patch the worst spots at the intersection, but it hasn't been enough. The road surface is crumbling and MDOT is taking the initiative to completely reconstruct the intersection with asphalt and to erect a new modernized traffic signal there. I am hoping as part of the intersection's reconstruction, two lanes of traffic will be designated for the eastward-moving cars traveling on M-28. That is where I can see the biggest improvement existing for this intersection as well as a better timed signal, too. And typically I never have to travel east from this intersection but I can just imagine the frustration that some people must feel of waiting and waiting at this signal daily due to the congestion that exists. Hopefully the work planned this summer at this location will alleviate some of the frustration of drivers here.

Along with the work at this intersection is the resurfacing of US-41 south of M-28 for approximately three miles. This stretch of roadway is two lanes and underneath the three layers of asphalt is a crumbling concrete roadway. Again, I don't know the exact age of the original roadway, but I would guess at least the 1950's. MDOT again will do a quick patch and fix of this highway that needs a total reconstruction. I believe the last time they resurfaced this road was only four years ago. But already, it seems much older with the surface crumbling at the joints in the old concrete road. If they ever do decide to reconstruct this roadway in the future, I am hoping they at least put in a two-laned highway with a center turn lane. It has become a busy stretch of highway that is in need of expansion and reconstruction. Here's hoping the latest resurfacing last much longer than the last repair did.

I feel as if I may be boring some people with the subject matter of road construction. Can you tell that it's a passion of mine, even though I am sitting on the sidelines? If I was smarter at math, one of my dream jobs would've been to become a roadway engineer. But, it wasn't meant to be. At least in regards to roadways here in the Upper Peninsula, they usually do not hold up for that long. And that is why road construction will always exist!