Happy Birthday Jerry Katz

Today is my Alabama friend Jerry Katz's birthday. I have no idea how old he is...but he's had his AARP card for a while now.

Another Football Season in the History Books

As you all know by now, Tony Dungy, Peyton Manning and the rest of the Colts, took home the trophy last night. Good game.

I almost didn't make it home in time to watch it. I finally arrived in Brainerd at 2 pm on Sunday. What a return trip from hell. The old wheel chair people followed me all the way. By the time I got to Minneapolis Saturday night, the last plane to Brainerd had already left. So they rescheduled me to fly out in the morning at 10am. I went to stay at the Marriot..... so did the old people. They just wouldn't go away. And they were loud and talked with a Jersey accent and made me crazy. The next morning when I got to my gate at 9 am to fly out at 10 am, the message board said "Cancelled". What the hell. So I went directly to the bar (I was pissed) and ordered a bloody mary. Guess what? Bar doesn't open til 10:00. So ordered a breakfast burrito with as many jalapenos as they could put in it. And they put a bunch. It was awesome hot. Later that would come to haunt me. I got home just in time to shower and get back in the car to go to Gosheys.

Dan Goshey just built a bar in his basement, named Charneys (after his grandfathers I guess) and was a fine entertainer. Never mind Brian Moon with his stupid Farve Packer Jersey on. He's very wierd and confused...and ended up drunk besides. A disturbing combination.

Trying to get home.....

What’s worse than a six hour layover in Miami? A six hour layover extended by an hour delay. Stuck in Miami…which ends up getting me stuck in Minneapolis because my connection to Brainerd is the last flight to Brainerd of the day and will be leaving a half hour before I even get to Minneapolis. One problem with being stuck in Miami is that the majority of people that are flying out of Miami are a hundred and twelve years old. They don’t really understand delays and they don’t know how to calculate how an hour effects their connection in Minneapolis. For instance, they can’t calculate that if the plane was initially scheduled to land at 8:30 pm, it will now be landing at 9:30 pm. And if their connection is scheduled to leave at 9:00 pm THEY’RE NOT GOING TO MAKE IT. They must go to the desk three or four times and ask the same questions over and over. “What time are we leaving Miami”? The answer is 6:50 pm each time. “What time will we land in Minneapolis”? The answer is 9:30 pm each time. “What will happen to us if our connection has already left”? You will be put up in a hotel for the night in Minneapolis and put on the first available flight in the morning, is always the answer. But just in case you are deaf or dumb, due to your age of 112 please feel free to budge in line and ask the same flipp’n questions again. And how does someone grow a penis looking nose? Not only is it wrinkly like an old penis (not that I’ve seen a lot of real old penises, but even younger ones are somewhat wrinkly) but this guy's is long and hanging off his face. It seems to be growing. It’s taken on a purple hue. Kind of like an alcoholic pompous nose but more like a penis. Wow…weird. Why would anyone, even a young person in their early twenties, think they could fly to Minneapolis in February in shorts and flip flops? It’s well below zero in Minneapolis right now. How cool does that make you if you freeze something off? Why do people think we’re all friends now because we have something in common (a delayed flight)? Just because we get to sit here with each other for an additional hour we are now somehow connected. Like we weren’t connected before the flight delay but now we are. Stop talking to me. Stop telling me you’re going to Rochester and you don’t think you’ll make your connecting flight in Minneapolis. Stop asking me if the wheel chair person will be there to help you when you get off in Minneapolis. They can see you’re going to be late and will make accommodations to pick up your crippled ass an hour later. Stop asking me if I think you’ll get your luggage if you have to spend the night in Minneapolis. I don’t know and I don’t care. Ask for a tooth brush at the front desk and turn your adult diaper inside out for tomorrow. Why don’t they have cocktail waitresses in airports? Would it kill them to walk around and take drink orders? I think not. Why is coffee $5.00 in an airport. You can buy an entire pound of coffee for $5.00. But then again it never tastes as good as it does when it costs $5.00. And how long has that cream been sitting out on that counter? Seems like it never goes bad. Should we leave the half and half out at home without worry of spoiling? I think not. Am I the only English speaking person left in America? I guess not. There are a few others. But those few speak some mangled version of English. I can’t understand them. And after I ask “pardon” three or four times they turn to their co-worker and start squawking in another language, surely complaining that I am stupid or deaf because I can’t understand what they are staying in English. And you have to love the messages that are broadcasted over the loud speaker in the airport in just about every imaginable language, including the mangled English version. How is it that I’m stuck in the Miami airport for almost 8 hours the day before the third most watched sporting event in the world (First being the Soccer World Cup Final and second being the Cricket World Cup Final) and not see one celebrity?

Well with that said, I'm going to go answer some more questions about luggage and wheel chairs. I'll still keep my eyes peeled for celebrities. And practice my chant for tomorrow night, "GO COLTS...LOVE YA MANNING...KICK SOME BEAR BUTT".

Here in Barbados

Here is from my little patio on my room in Barbados. The ocean is right there out my door. It's very warm here. The air is on non-stop.

I have limited internet connectivity at work. None at the hotel. I'll update you more later.

Off to Barbados

Tuesday I'm off to Barbados to work at Starcom (http://www.vob929.com). It is currently 8 degrees here in Minnesota, with a wind chill of -3 and it's 79 degrees in Barbados but feels like 82 with the humidity. Wow that will feel good.

You probably can't see it on this map but it's pretty close to South America. Look down in the lower right hand portion of the map, right along the edge of the map and you'll see Barbados. It's a very small island there.

I'll be staying at Rostrevor Apartment Hotel, St. Lawrence Gap, Christ Church (http://www.rostrevorbarbados.com/index.htm)

I don't know if I'll have much Internet service, so this may be all you hear from me until I get back this weekend.

Working in Duluth

Here's the gang I had the privilege of working with in Duluth recently. On the far left is Carleen, traffic director at the Red Rock Radio Group in Duluth. In the middle is my co-worker Marcia Chase. Marcia has been working hard to teach me the Visual Traffic software. And to the far right is Jennifer. She helps Carleen and does about a million other things around the stations. It was a good two weeks working with them all. And I get to go back there next week and work with the Red Rock Radio group again.

NHL All Star Game

Last night was the annual NHL All Star Game. The West beat the East 12 to 9. It was a really high scoring game and fun to watch. Minnesota Wild's Brian Rolston scored twice.

My "man", 37 year old Joe Sakic from the Colorado Avalanche, didn't score but he played well. Joe has quite a history with the All Star Games. Seventeen years ago Joe made his All-Star debut in Pittsburgh and playing on the line with Kirk Muller assisted on the game-winning goal which was scored shorthanded by Muller. This year Joe was captain of the Western Conference All-Star Team. Joe made his 12th All-Star Game appearance. Only 12 players in the history of the League have played in more All-Star Games than those 12. In 2004, Joe was named MVP of the All-Star Game, and he is the fan's choice to start in an All-Star Game for the fourth time in his career.

And the coach had some nice things to say about him: "I thought some of the older players in the league showed their worth," Western Conference coach Randy Carlyle said. "Joe Sakic, Brian Rolston, Yanic Perreault, they were the strength of our group. There were a few shifts in the second period where Joe Sakic was the first guy back on the backcheck and Barry Trotz and I made comments that that's what a great leader does and he continues to do that day in and day out."

Aitkin County Pheasants Forever

Get ready. Here it comes. The second annual Aitkin County Pheasants Forever Annual Banquet Saturday February 17, 2007 at the 40 Club Convention Center in Aitkin. For all the info you will need to attend go to: http://www.aitkinpheasantsforever.org

It's alot of fun! I encourage anyone interested in bird hunting and preserving it to attend. Or heck, anyone interested in an evening of good food, good fun and chances to win some awesome prizes are encouraged to attend.

You may remember from last year that I helped out at the banquet, which I plan on doing again this year. Check out February 2006 Archives on my blog for fun photos and facts.

And you still have a chance to buy a 5-Gun Raffle ticket! Need not be present to win. Just get ahold of me and we'll make sure you get your chance! You can see here, from this really crappy photo I took, that the 1st Place prize is a Benelli "Legacy" 12 gauge. And there's four other awesome guns you could win. Don't miss your chance. Last year I came out a big winner.

Cruise'n around the lake

Makita and Brian Moon cruis'n the ice at Saturday's Ice Fishing Extravaganza. They were danergous in this thing. At one point they took down some overhead speaker wires with the flag pole attached to this rig. Looks like Moon is enveloped in an angel's glow (NOT). More likely a devilish red hue from a "roaring fire".

NFC/AFC Champion games

You win some, you lose some. I was pulling for Manning and the Colts. They made an amazing come back from a 21 to 3 deficit to win. On the other hand I was not cheering for the Bears (especially after they eliminated Seattle last week). So even though I should be rooting for the NFC champions, I'm going to have to go with the Colts all the way. I will be in Miami the day before the Superbowl. I may have to pick up a souvenir.

Ice Fishing Extravaganza or just an Ice Extravaganza

Bundle up and head for the ice with 10,000 other folks....wow. It was pretty nice out. A little windy. But all that Woogie and I caught was a buzz. We met some nice people from all over (some where even from Wisconsin...but we talked to them anyway). I fell on the ice twice. I think the first time Woogie pushed me. It was a doozie. Both feet straight up in the air, landing flat on my back. So we spent a half hour trying to put my cleats together and getting them on me. They lasted until on our way back to shore after the tournament and I lost one of them. Walking with one cleat on, I fell forward on the glare ice. And no, it wasn't from drinking, it was an "ice accident". Here's Woogie visiting with our new friend Matt from St. Cloud.We actually only saw a couple fish caught during the contest. No one near us caught anything. But everyone looked like they where having a good time.

Woogie was a good "bag bitch" for the day. He's trying to get the job for Barbados.

Fishing Partner.....

I think I found someone to fish with Saturday. My son-in-law, Josh (aka: Woogie) said he'd like to go. We'll finalize the details today.

Ice Fishing Extravaganza

This Saturday is the Brainerd Jaycees annual ice fishing extravaganza on Gull Lake. I don't know if I'll be going out there again this year. I have an invitation to go out with Makita and Bill from the radio stations but I haven't decided if I want to do that again. I'd rather fish it but I don't have anyone to go with. Or at least no one's asked me and I haven't asked anyone to take me along. I guess I should make up my mind what I want to do since it is this Saturday. Maybe stay in where it's nice and warm.

Check out the details at http://www.icefishing.org/

So Long Seattle

What a bummer. Seattle lost 24 to 27 in OT to Chicago. It was an interesting game but ended badly.

Tribute to Mike's 24th Birthday

Today is my son Mike's 24th Birthday! Happy birthday kid!!

Duluth

Yesterday I changed hotels here in Duluth. I was staying in the Radisson but the folks at the radio staitions recommended that I go over to Fitger's. It's pretty cool. You can check it out at http://www.fitgers.com

I'm here until next Friday the 19th. Winter has settled in and it's cold and getting colder. Check it out: http://www.wunderground.com/US/MN/duluth.html

Got the "roofs" up

Last week we got the girls "roofs", that we got them for Christmas, put up over their beds. Both Kiehra and Kaylie are posing here for this photo.

An incredible project completed!

As some of you know, my friend Ellie took up doing stained glass a year ago last fall. As most things she does, Ellie really took it on. After a few weeks of classes she started buying all the tools necessary to accomplish her new hobby. Her husband, Dave, put together an area in the basement for her to do her work. Last Christmas many of us got some of Ellie's beginner pieces. They were very good considering she had done very little of it.

At one point Makita mentioned to Ellie that his mother Shirley and step dad Bill have been talking about putting a stained glass window in their side light next to their front door. Well that's all it took. Next thing I know it's in progress.

I went with Ellie to buy the glass. It was quite a deal. The lady that sold us the glass pretty much told Ellie she was out of her mind to tackle such a huge project. Well long story short, this all started in May and was finally completed in November. Ellie got all of us involved. I helped foil and Makita helped soder. But all in all Ellie did the work. And let me tell you, it is a lot of work.

It turned out great. Bill and Shirley were presented it for Christmas and this past weekend we prompted Dave and Ellie to come up to Bemidji and help install it.

Great night in sports!!!

I'm more prompted to say that "the Cowboys lost" than I am to say "the Seahawks won" but who cares? The Seahawks are going to the playoffs! What a wild and crazy game!

And my Avs win their third straight, beating the Wild 2-1 in an overtime shootout.

What a fine Saturday evening!

Rocky Balboa

Awesome movie! I loved it. I didn't think I'd get into it as much as I did. My friend Robin Hopp wanted to go, so she took me along. Thanks Robin! I'm glad you talked me in to it! And thanks for the popcorn too!

Here's the skinny of it:


Former heavyweight champion Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) steps out of retirement and back into the ring, pitting himself against a new rival decades after his initial glory. When a computer simulated boxing match declares Rocky Balboa the victor over current champion Mason "The Line" Dixon, the legendary fighter's passion and spirit are reignited. But when his desire to fight in small, regional competitions is trumped by promoters calling for a rematch of the cyber-fight, Balboa must weigh the mental and physical risks of a high profile exhibition match against his need to be in the ring.

New Years Eve at Boeckermann's

At the stroke of Midnight we had our toast of Champagne.


Makita had a little Captain in 'im. Arrrrrr.



Shots of Ice Hole....

Ellie concentrates hard on her Mexican Train tiles while enjoying a Kesslers from a blinky glass she brought back from the ice skating rink on a cruise ship she was on in October.

I'm admiring my very strange new "fly rod" Ellie and Dave got me for Christmas.

Auburn wins the Cotton Bowl 17 to 14 over Nebraska

Here's a photo me and Lorrie took while at the Texas State Fair a couple years ago!