Daily Dose of BS Dec 31 end of year

This time of year gives many the chance to reflect and remember.  As we wrap up 2015 and begin our journey of 2016 I just want to hit a few highlights of my 2015, my wife and I celebrated our 25^th wedding anniversary, I was a full time student at Western Technical College, earning a total of 11 A’s and 1 B, in my 1 year of college I achieved better grades than my whole career in High School.  My favorite memory of my family was trumped every Sunday when we all got together and laughed and loved, but if I had to pick one it would have been Father’s Day, just because of the laughter and good times.  My job is awesome and I wouldn’t trade it for the world but I did get to do the coolest thing I have ever got to do as a radio personality, I got to climb down and go inside of the I-90 bridge during the construction phase.  Here is to the memories of 2015 and also to the unpublished pages of 2016, may they be the best ever.  Happy New Year.  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 30 pizza

Everyone who eats pizza has a favorite.  Either frozen or fresh.  I have a couple of favorites in the area, but don’t have a favorite La Crosse pizza.  I like Pizza Coral in Holmen and Great River Roadhouse in Desoto, but haven’t found the perfect place to get a pie in La Crosse.  When it comes to frozen I love the Sweet Home Chicago from Lloyd’s Pizza and am really beginning to like most of the Lotsa Motza pizzas that are out there, lots of cheese and a pretty good ratio of toppings to bite.  My question today is what is your favorite restaurant pizza and frozen pizza?

Daily Dose of BS Dec 28 phone

I have had a cell phone for about 15 years give or take, not sure exactly when I ended up with one but I am sure I can count on two hands how many times I have forgotten it at home.  And two of those times were in the past 3 days, and I actually left the home yesterday forgetting my phone and then recalled that it was forgotten before I even hit the garage, so it could have been three for three.  I wonder how often this happens to people when they forget their phones and then obsess about it for the day?  This morning I was about 3 blocks from home when I realized I had forgotten it and thought the heck with it I am going to leave it home.  The weird thing is that it is habit and even though I don’t make many phone calls or text lots it is a security blanket, it will be missed.  I kind of feel naked without it.

Daily Dose of BS Dec 24 Christmas

It’s the day before Christmas and no presents are bought. 

You are feeling quite down, real sad and distraught

What kind of gifts can you buy now and not look real bad

Some last minute presents cause feelings of sad

There are things that can be bought and wrapped or downloaded and shared

And also items that showed that you cared

The trick to shopping last minute is easy

Is to not look like you waited, don’t make it look cheesy

As Boy Scouts have taught me to look all prepared

And when going to buy last minute gifts don’t look scared.

From BS with Bob and crew that work here.

Merry Christmas to all and have a great year. 

Daily Dose of BS Dec 21 pageants

By now I am sure that you heard about Steve Harvey’s Miss Universe flub.  If not he basically read the wrong name, he read the runner up rather than the winner’s name.  Ok it was a mistake, let’s move on.  I get it working in the public when we make a mistake people know, the outcomes are different than those who make mistakes in the privacy of your office cube or the walls of your home.  Steve’s mistake isn’t going to ever make anything that you do any different than what it is was.  Time to let it go and honestly who cares.  With that being should we even have beauty contests anymore?  I can honestly say I have never seen one, and couldn’t tell you who any of the Miss Americas have been with the exception of Vanessa Williams and the only reason I know that name is because of the controversy she was in.  For Steve Harvey I get it man it is tough to mess up in front of people but move on and don’t let this be the defining moment of your career and for the promoters of the Miss contests is it time to hang up the crown?  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 17 economy

The Fed is working on trying to get the economy back to normal.  After 7 years of about 0% interest the Fed is now going to be hiking up the interest rates by a whopping .25% in hopes of stabilizing the economy.  I hope that it works.  The decision to move the rate up reflected the federal officials’ faith in the resilience of the nation’s financial recovery and with the announcement stocks surged.  The biggest change for most of us will be a higher interest rate on our credit cards and our loans that we have outstanding, it will be a long, long time I think until the banks will start paying interest for the savors of the group.  

Daily Dose of BS December 16 snow

I heard something this morning that I hadn’t heard in a while.  The heat was running at my house when I got out of the shower.  We have had a weird 4^th quarter weather wise.  My grass at home is greener now than it was during the summer, but I am guessing that this is because I don’t water my lawn.  I am one of those that use the natural form of watering, when it rains the grass gets wet and when we don’t get rain I end up with a dry brown lawn.  Here we are in December and I have a full lush lawn that is going to need mowing if we keep getting rain.  I grew up in the Twin Cities and it is funny how you just think there is supposed to be snow on Christmas but did you know that in 116 years of snow measuring in Twin Cities, a white Christmas happens about 72% of the time. And there have been 33 years with either a "zero" or a "trace."  In fact the last time the Twin Cities has seen a brown Christmas was 2014.  Are you ok with this weather?  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 11 Debbie Brague

I remember meeting Debbie Brague about 10 years ago at a now Parenting Place event, we started out as competitors working for different radio groups.  Even though she and I were competitors she was friendly.  A little over 5 years ago we began working together with her as my boss, I guess I am not that easy to work with.  Over the past 5 years our forced union of boss and employee became a great friendship.  Today I am sad and happy as my good friend / boss is moving on to a new adventure.  I have no doubt that Deb will rock her new job as a regional manager for Verizon.  Deb will be missed here at La Crosse Radio , she is absolutely the hardest working person I have ever worked with, according to the Deb Brague way of thinking there is nothing that can’t be done.  Also there is nothing that she would ask you to do that she wouldn’t do.  I am glad that I have had the chance to learn from her.  Best of luck for everything in your future Deb, I will miss our conversations….A lot! 

Daily Dose of BS Dec 10 shutdown

Are we headed for another shutdown?  The answer is no, the government just keeps pushing funding through, pushing us further and further into debt.  It makes me sick.  Have you ever thought about your job when they talk about non-essential jobs?  Is your job essential? I’m not sure mine is. In fact I know mine is not. Funny thing when they do have these government shut downs, the non-essential people get some days off, then they get back pay for the time that they didn’t go into work.  Hum.  I call that a vacation.  If the government truly wants to make a difference next time they do one of these instead of a making a point - have the whole government shutdown. I am guessing that that will not happen cause the man never goes without. Could you imagine the people in Congress or the Senate say no to a pay check?   What about the President?  There may be a few out there who will as a gesture give it up but really? It isn’t really going to affect them the way it hurts the common person.

Daily Dose of BS Dec 7 verted?

Introverted or extroverted that is the question.  I am not sure where I fall in the spectrum.  I like people but love my time alone.  Anyway I found an article that could help anyone with networking.  We all have Christmas parties and other family get togethers this time of the year and these tips can be helpful in any social instance.  Don’t label yourself. Some of the labels we assign to ourselves are holding us back. Let go of negative focus. Train your mind to stop focusing on a potential negative outcome.  Imagine the obstacles aren’t there. Most of the time, we tend to imagine the outcome as a worst case scenario.  Find the common ground. Preparation often eases anxiety.  Use self-fulfilling prophecies to your advantage. But what if you appear less nervous and warmer.  New behaviors are like new shoes. When you first wear a new pair of shoes, it’s bound to feel uncomfortable. But the more you break them in, the better you feel wearing them. It’s the same with new behaviors. I think that these ideas and a couple of egg nogs will help with the dreaded Holiday party.  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 4 work

I will help my kids with their shoveling and mowing jobs but they have to pay me for my time.  I said that on the air about 10 years ago and took the wrath of many but I got the praises of a few.  I still do help my kids with jobs that they are hired for and still do collect a wage for my time.  What are your thoughts when it comes to this?  I have always had the strong entrepreneurial spirit and have always found new and different ways of making a few bucks, from doing commercial voice overs for businesses, to building and hosting and websites, I even had a couple of candy machines placed around, I have always had the drive and desire to get this done even as a kid and am trying to pass that spirt on to my own kids.  There is nothing wrong with going out and working for your money.  

Daily Dose of BS Dec 3 shootings

Another day another shooting in America.  Do you feel safe?  Are we as Americans safe?  I don’t know if it is naivety on my part but up until yesterday I think I felt safe, like I am an American and this is my home.  This morning I woke up to the realization that these shootings can happen anywhere, and that no one and no place is safe.  There have been shootings in schools, churches, malls, neighborhoods, homes, work places, movie theaters, parks, when did this happen?  What made us as a society susceptible to all the violence?  September 11^th showed us what could happen, but it was in a big city, but these shootings we are now seeing are middle America.  What can be done? 

Daily Dose of BS Dec 2 names

In my 47 years of being on this earth we have seen a lot of changes from our cars, and houses to the things we buy and eat…heck about 15 years ago I would have never bought bottled water, now water is one of my favorite drinks.  I would have never thought I would be able to have a phone with me at all times let alone a computer in my pocket.  When facebook came into existence I avoided it like the plaque now I post on facebook everyday, It is kind of weird when I don’t.  The reason I bring this up is because I was thinking I don’t know any kid named Bob, when I was growing up there where about 15 of us in my class from Rob, to Robby, and Bob to Bobby and don’t forget about Robert.  I was born in 1968 and then the top names were Michael, David, John, James and Robert….for the boys and Lisa, Michelle, Kimberly, Jennifer and Melissa for the girls.  Number one for 2010 was Jackson for boys and Sophia for girls and Robert was no where in the top 50.  Michael or Lisa the top names from 1968 haven’t even broke the top 10 in this generation.  To see where your name ranks check out the Social Security Administrations website http://www.ssa.gov/oact/babynames/