Daily Dose of BS December 15

I have about this much patience...especially since I am getting older.  I don't know about you but sometimes it is the little stupid things that bug me like there is no tomorrow.  Like rude people, or people who talk on their phone at a volume 10x what the normal volume would be.  It is a piece of equipment with a microphone...microphones amplify sound, you don't need to yell in to the phone.  I am also irritated by people who say certain things for example this phrase "You just don't understand."  Really irritates me, it grates on my last nerve...I think it is because my son uses it all the time when he is trying to negotiate with me and is loosing the  argument.  What gives anyone the right to say those words you just don't understand.  Maybe I don't but do you need to point out that I am not that bright?  Maybe try to inform me with some words and ideas I do understand.  My Dad used to say you don't know and you don't know that you don't know.  I challenged him on that also by pointing out that he didn't know either, he quit using it.  I don't know what it is about getting older and not being as flexible but I am trying but please quit being stupid so we can get along.   

Daily Dose of BS December 14

Rain, Rain go away come again some other day.  I always thought it was April showers that bring May flowers.  I don't remember a nursery rhyme that has anything to do with December rain, do you ( how ever there was a A Gun's and Rose's song called November Rain)?  I for one am sick of the puddles in the back yard and the ground being just frozen enough to keep the puddles there and grass just dead enough to have the dog tear up what is left of the brown grass...we have a lovely stew of mud, a few leaves, some grass and what dogs leave behind mixed the right amount of kids toys in our yard for a wonderful fall / early winter backyard stew.  What good is living in a colder climate such as Wisconsin when you can't enjoy what the snow has to offer from skiing, to snowboarding to tubing and sledding, to ice skating, fort building and snow ball fights.  My oldest wants to get a snow mobile this year and I told him to wait till it snows...at the rate we are going it is going to be awhile.  While I am not a huge fan of the white stuff I do enjoy shoveling every once in awhile.  I know weird right, but there are people out there that enjoy cutting wood, so I stand by my enjoying shoveling...snow.  So for what it is worth, I wish we would get some snow, and be done with the rain at least until rain season.  As Bing Crosby sings...I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas.

Daily Dose of BS December 13

Yesterday I got to play the big man in the red suit at The Rotary Lights at Riverside Park.  I have played the big man before…but never for so many kids.  I dressed up warm with long underwear, and 3 layers of shirts figuring that I was going to be outside at and I hate being cold, I failed to realize that there was heat in the Santa shed.  I walked out to Santas home by the river nestled within the 2.6 million lights at Rotary Lights, and already felt warm, sat down, glasses got foggy, felt panicky because I was too hot, and thought what if while I am sitting here I have to go to the bathroom, what if a kid uses me as a bathroom, what happens if someone pulls my beard or worse yet my finger?  What would I do?  What if the people show up and call me a phony….what if this or that or the other thing?  I took a couple of deep breaths through my beard, exhaled thru my mouth let out a hardy HO, HO, HO and decided it would all be good, and guess what it was.   All the kids that came by last night were on the nice list, their parents confirmed it.  Most kids wanted either an Ipod Touch, cars, dolls or a Guitar.  The choice of a guitar surprised this Santa.  If you haven’t been down to the Rotary Lights yet, I would suggest you do…bring a food donation to help to stock the food shelves, and Have a Merry Christmas.  

Daily Dose of BS December 12

I got my 3^rd nail in my tire in the past 2 months.  I thought I was going crazy.  Why would I have another nail in my tire?  Is there a hoodlum in my neighborhood that is out there spreading nails over the alleys and streets of the south side?  My son works for Bion’s service center on the South Side of La Crosse, and he has fixed our tire problems all three times, since Bion’s fix and repair tires.  My son said that there has been tons of cars, trucks and vans with nails in their tires this summer and fall.  I had to ask, is there a band of punks sprinkling nails on the streets, are there gangs dedicated to puncturing holes into the tires of unsuspecting Moms and Dads?  Are the tire companies trying to get more people to replace their tires?  Don’t your tires rotate themselves when you drive?  The answer to all of my tire puncture worries were put to bed when he said with all the roofs being replaced around town, nails sometimes end up in the street and sometimes end up in your tires.  Makes since to me.   I am still waiting on an answer on the tire rotation question… 

Daily Dose of BS December 9

I used to be a smoker…when I was younger I used to toss my cigarette butts out the window of my car…when someone pointed out to me that it was littering I stopped.  It bugged me lots as I have always been the guy who wouldn’t even toss a gum wrapper out the window or drop a sucker stick on the ground, and would get irritated when someone was throwing something away and missed the trash and just left it but didn’t see the big picture of not tossing a butt out the window.  When I see someone toss their cigarette butt out the window now it pisses me off and makes me angry.  I want to start writing down license plates and broadcasting them on the air, or post them on a website.  I watched a women yesterday waiting for her kids to get out of school sit in her car with the windows rolled up smoking, only to roll down her window 2 different times to toss her butt out the window.  Doesn’t your car have an ash tray?  Or some receptacle that you can toss your stinky burn butt into?  If you smoke remember that the world is not your ashtray..your butts present a threat to wildlife. Cigarette filters have been found in the stomachs of fish, birds, whales and other marine creatures who mistake them for food ...they are a form of plastic, cigarette butts can persist in the environment as long as other forms of plastic, and are not bio-degradable, don’t be an ass pick up your butt. 

Daily Dose of BS December 8

In Hawaii it is considered The Hawaiian Steak; in Austin they have a museum for it.  In your inbox there is a ton of it, two different things, with one name.  I am talking about Spam.  I am a fan of the meat product that has the name however I always wondered who uses the jelly that comes out of the can when you open it and allow the meat to slowly drop from the can on to the plate with the suction cup sound as it slowly falls from its metal home.  I did try it once with peanut butter on a dare from my brother.  It was gross, I would suggest that you never do try it.  I like Spam mixed in with mac and cheese, or cold on a sandwich with lettuce and tomato.  I do not like my Spam fried like some people do, I think it tastes too salty.  I have never been to the museum even though it is only 90 minutes from here.  The reason I started writing about Spam is for the other Spam the stuff that ends up in your inbox.  I for one am sick and tired of being bombarded with offers for this or offers for that in broken English and bad grammar.  Do people really ever buy things from these spammers?  How often have you ever clicked on one or been temped to send your bank account number to some prince in South Africa?  These spam companies are not only robbing you blind of your time but think of the amount of time that you are wasting when you are at work getting your emails they are taking money out of your employers pockets with the time and productivity that is stolen.  I guess what I am trying to say is I am ok with Spam the tasty meat but not the time and money wasting junk email.  

Daily Dose of BS December 7

I remember being one of the last of my friends families to get a microwave, and vcr.  We used to have to wait for things to warm up and had to watch tv when it was on and movies at the theater, we had to sit in one place to be on the phone since it was in the kitchen and attached to a cord…My have things changed.  I don’t think I know anyone with out a microwave and a dvd player, and most people have some sort of dvr, I am partial to the TIVO.  We carry cell phones have the internet in our pockets, and cars that talk to us.  Yet we are still wanting more, faster and better.  When will we be satisfied with the technology that we have, when will enough be enough?  I can remember when I first tried the internet and how cool it was to be able to have information at my fingertips, and be able to look at what ever it was that I wanted and have the potential to look up anything…I mean anything.  It was amazing how fast it seemed…but how soon we get spoiled; we want it faster, bigger and stronger.  Could you imagine trying to go online now at the speeds you had when you first started online?  I would go nuts, I am as guilty as the next guy wanting new and improved things and technology….hell I want my microwave to heat faster and my tivo to play at 2x speed so it won’t take as long to watch a show so I can get on and do something else…like nap because like the computers in your life sometimes I need a re-boot too. 

Daily Dose of BS December 6

Its almost 2012 and I finally did it.  I stepped up and into the 21^st century.  I have had a cell phone for at least the past 12 years.  A couple years ago I got a Blackberry and internet on my phone.  I have always just talked on the phone with people since I am a radio guy after all.  Why not talk that is what a phone is for right.  I used the Blackberry for emails for my home business and to correspond with friends and family with emails.  Why would I need to text right…enter life with a teenager.  You need to text have any contact with your teens since talking on the phone takes to long.  Um no, it takes less time but when I took typing in High School, I thought to myself when the hell am I going to type, I want to be a radio person and they just talk, and with typing it took so long…glad I learned to type first off cause I have such poor penmanship that I cant read my own writing, and I type more for my job then I care to think about.  So the short of it is, I took the plunge and if it takes me a while to text ya back or I don’t have the text lingo down…sorry.  It may take awhile to teach this old dog new tricks but I am trying.  Now if I can just remember where I put the damn thing.  Have you seen my phone?  Seriously I forgot it at home today…

Daily Dose of BS December 5

As Katie Perry sang about Last Friday Night, I had an experience that happened then…I believe that we don’t have too much to worry about if the kids that were invited to my twins’ birth day party are any indication at all about the future of our world, our country, and our society.  My twins decided they wanted to have a slumber party and invite a few friends each to celebrate.  We decided on staying at a hotel to hit up the swimming pool and easier cleanup after the party.  I brought the WII the kids brought their swim suits, sleeping bags and appetites.   My twins are a boy and a girl so two rooms were needed.  The Holiday Inn Express in Onalaska was an awesome place to have this party…not only were they super accommodating, with a superb staff, but they have an awesome pool area that was not to hot or humid…if you have spent anytime watching your kids swim at a hotel you know what I am talking about.  There were not a ton of extra people in the pool are so the kids had a blast, we had pizza in their common area, played WII and ate cake and sang happy birthday.  All the kids that spent the night enjoyed a great breakfast with the automated pancake maker and other goodies.  Back to the kids…everyone of the kids every single one said please and thank you every time we did something for them and when they left (with out being reminded), and when we checked out the young lady working at the Hotel said that those kids were awesome, and she sees lots of parties there.  So to the parents that are out teaching your kids to be polite and respectful…I thank you.

Daily Dose of BS December 2

Christmas is fast approaching.  Have you shopped for your loved ones yet?  I am guessing you already bought for your kids but for your spouse most likely not.  What do you get the spouse who already has everything…really.   We live in a I want it now society and we really do want it now.  Heck when was the last time that you thought you needed a thingamabob and went to the store right then and there to get that thing?  I am guessing that more often than not you dropped what you were doing and went to get it, and if you couldn’t have got it then, you either obsessed about it or didn’t get it after all.  I was talking to a friend of mine Angela at my La Crosse Area Business Club meeting yesterday and she was talking about purchasing gifts for her husband and how they buy what they want, when they want, so there is really no need or surprise when it comes to gifts.  Her suggestion was how about she goes out and buys what she wants and wraps it up and puts under the tree and he goes out and buys what he wants and puts it under the tree then they will both be surprised at what they bought each other.  Kind of makes sense to me, since I am the worlds worst gift giver.  Would a coupon for me to do dishes be a good enough gift?  And how do you give a gift receipt with that?

Daily Dose of BS December 1

A headline on the front page of the La Crosse Tribune today says “Horses could soon be slaughtered for meat in the US”.  Kind of an unnerving thought, right…but the more I thought of it, we eat other kinds of meat that I wouldn’t want to think about.  I mean as the dairy state we drive by thousands of milk machines every year…and a juicy burger is one of my favorites.  And with Christmas right around the corner, think about how Santa travels through the air…I love a venison roast and venison sausage and jerky is delicious.  What would childhood be like without the toe counting song this little piggy went to the market this little piggy stayed home this little piggy made a great bbq pork sandwich, this little piggy was ham and this little piggy went mm mm mm all the way to the grill as a pork chop.  How many of you have had an aquarium as a kid, or loved the movie Finding Nemo?  Ever been to wild game feed or a fish boil…I am just saying.   Tv has introduced us to Andrew Zimmern and Bizarre Foods.  I am not advocating the killing of horses for meat, but I am going to try to keep an open mind… neigh…

Daily Dose of BS November 30

I am not one of the 1% not now not ever.  I don’t think that that kind of money is necessary.  Why would one need multi billions of dollars.  Money can’t buy happiness, you make your own.  With that being said, I don’t understand what the occupy people are doing.  What does this grassroots organization hope to do?  I hear you, I see you, but I just don’t understand you.  I did a search to make sure I understood what the definition of occupy was and I did.   Here is how freedictionary.com defined the word occupy.

1-To fill up (time or space)

2-To dwell or reside in

3- To seize possession of and maintain control over by or as if by conquest.

Ok you are aptly named, but are you truly representing the 99% of the non-rich.  I don’t think so…you can spend your time doing as you like, as long as it is with in the law.  But what do you hope to accomplish?  To let the 1% see you…guess what they have, and the rest of us have as well.  I guess being in the 99% I have a lot to accomplish each and everyday, like to provide for my family and to get things around home and around work, I don’t have time or the resources to be a part of the Occupy movement.  Plus I don’t like to be cold.  If you are sitting out there, occupying…so be it, I just don’t get it.  

Daily Dose of BS November 29

I have been trying to get more active.  For the past 3 ½ months I have been going to the boot camp classes offered by the La Crosse Park and Rec and have been really enjoying it.  All my family has done it at some point before me and I made fun of them for walking funny or not having any stride with their walk after the first classes (for that I am sorry).  I quickly found out that doing the lunge and the lunge walk is sure to make you use muscles that you have never used before hurt and hurt bad…causing walking and stair climbing and sitting down then getting up difficult…that and using the bands and the balls and the mats and the hand weights will get the muscles in your body moving and aching but a good ache.  I will tell you what using 10 pound weights and doing ladders up to 10 will kick your ass, maybe not the first time through the reps, but on the 2^nd time around  your arms will be toast.  Don’t even get me started on laying on the mat, and doing the core exercises…when I first started in the classes, the classes I have renamed Kick Bob’s Ass Class I couldn’t even do half the exercises, after 3 ½ months I can say my endurance has greatly improved and am on the way to a healthier me.   In that time I have completed a couple of 5 mile walks for charity and look forward to doing at least 6 - 5 mile or 5k’s next year.

Daily Dose of BS November 28

I ventured out into the world of unknown on Thursday night.  I attempted to cash in on the cheap pre-black Friday deals.  I left my house at 9:35 pm for a sale that starts at 10…5 minutes to get there, park then I have 15-20 minutes to walk in to Walmart and look around, get back to the electronics area get in line and be ready to buy the Xbox 360 with kinects, out of the store by 10:05 with the xbox in hand and on my way.  Because who is going to be out on Thanksgiving night at 10 right…I have a lot to learn when it comes to shopping on a crazy day like black Friday or Thankful its Thursday or what ever they are calling it.  I have never seen so many people in my life, I am a big guy and people less than half my size were pushing through me and running carts into me, what happened to manners and no pushing or saying please and thank you?  I guess it is called black Friday because people come out of the dark ages to shop.  I even tried to go to another store on Friday morning, ok 10:30 it is still morning right, and was told that the item I was looking for was sold out right away in the morning.  They had one of these items, that is right one.  And today is cyber-Monday…do like my friend Kris from U-Bake says…Say no to Cyber Shopping today.  You're community will look a lot of different when local businesses have to close because you can't be bothered to support them.

Daily Dose of BS November 22

My friend Karla brought to my attention the fact that there are many things cluttering our lives, most notably receipts.  Take a minute right now and open either your wallet or our purse, and I will bet you that you have at least 10 receipts in there.  How often do you get change when you order anything from a burger and fries to your groceries to a quick stop at your favorite store and you get a receipt?  If you are like most people I know, you either drop it in your wallet or your purse.  Pretty soon your wallet is jam packed with receipts and other non monetary items that make your wallet fatter and fatter and pretty soon you can’t even sit on it anymore.  I go thru this about every quarter or so, so I clean out my wallet, keeping receipts for my taxes, the thing about this is that most of the time when I do this, the receipts are so worn out that you can’t read what they say anyway.  I think it is a conspiracy from the stores and the IRS.  Charge a premium price for a business lunch, save the receipt and have it fade so bad it can’t be used come tax time.  

Daily Dose of BS November 21

It was a weekend of tradition and new rituals.  A time for camaraderie, getting together with old friends and making new ones… playing cards, story telling, talking smart, staying up too late, and getting up before the crack of dawn.  A weekend of lots of great memories and many stories you can’t share with co-workers and family…a weekend of guys being guys and buddies hanging with buddies…this past weekend was our annual deer hunting trip to Wonewoc Wisconsin…there were 10 of us this year, two newbies to opening deer camp, and the rules are simple, be safe, have fun and what happens at deer camp stays at deer camp.  I have lots of great stories about this past weekend.  Many stories I believe that you would enjoy, maybe even a story of legendary status, but as I mentioned, what happens in Wonewoc stays in Wonecoc.  Here’s hoping that if you were in the woods this past weekend, that you too have many stories that you can go back an visit many times over in your head, because sometimes the reliving is a good or even better than the creation of the memories.  Happy Deer Camp.  

Daily Dose of BS November 18

Living in La Crosse we are lucky for many reasons, there is beauty all around us from the bluffs to the rivers to everything in between.  We are blessed with having many things to do here as well.  From water sports, to great trails for hiking and biking and lots of culture for us all to enjoy and I am not just talking about yogurt, since we are the dairy state after all.  The culture I am talking about is theater lots of different options for us to enjoy from the high schools to colleges to the Community theater to the Heider Center to gem on the North Side The Muse Theater.  I am a little biased since I have preformed there with my Improv Group Sum Assembly Reekwired.  I went to their latest performance last night, Jekyll and Hyde and it was awesome from the casting to the set design to the acting and especially the singing, this crew can sing.  A top notch performance, I wish I had the chance to tell you about it before today as it closes tomorrow night.  If you are ready for a few laughs, and learning the story of Jekyll and Hyde with the help of many local talented actors I encourage you to see Jekyll and Hyde at the Muse Theater.

Daily Dose of BS November 17

A week from tomorrow many of you will be waking up extra early to head to your favorite stores, and the malls for the Black Friday shopping extravaganza.  Many deals from TV’s to computers to gaming systems to clothing to pots and pans and everything in between.  A few years ago I decided to explore the phenomenon that is Black Friday, it wasn’t a stretch for me to get out of bed at 5 since I usually am up by 4 to milk the cows (not really) but truly do get up early to get to work.  I was surprised by the amount of people up at the crack of before dawn to save a few bucks.  This year is different than in past years…many of the national retailers are pushing the Black Friday event to be a true Black Friday, stores opening up at midnight on Friday November 25.  I think that this is some kind of a conspiracy that the turkeys came up with so that way they won’t get gobbled up so much…Hear me out…isn’t it a fact that you get sleepy after you eat turkey, and if you have to be wide eyed and ready to go at midnight you are going to have to eat less turkey so your not as tired..Therefore you eat less turkey, so maybe just maybe next year the turkey business will be taking a hit…just a thought.   

Daily Dose of BS November 16

The ribbon generation…I never heard that term before.  Neil who I share an office with says it’s the generation of young adults that are under 30 they got a ribbon for everything never lost never kept score, played to a tie.  The ribbon generation, makes sense to me if the kid wants to be the pitcher let him do it.  If she wants to play tackle football let her do it.  Playing soccer, running a race, hockey lets all play to a tie….yeah everybody wins.  If you don’t like who is in office lets have a recall.  I am ok with not liking who is voted in for an office, there have been many times I wasn’t happy with the results but I have never nor will I ever sign a petition to recall someone from office.  I will however sign each and every one of the petitions to get a candidate on a ballot either party.  I am not a fan of the impeach Obama or recall Walker campaigns that are out there now.  This isn’t the same as playing to a tie when you were a kid, there is real money being spent, money from the state coffers and I thought we were broke, trying to get the budget back on track.  I don’t get it….we all had the chance to vote and to vote for change last November and will have the chance next November.  The candidate you wanted in office didn’t win deal with it.  This isn’t the playground when you get a do over, your mommy isn’t there to give you a sucker cause you are sad.  If you don’t like who is running or who is in office do your duty next election cycle and vote…lets stop these stupid recalls, the only winners in all these recalls are the businesses running the commercials for the candidates…maybe we should have these recalls…any chance at a raise?

Daily Dose of BS November 15

It is amazing how fast time flies, I have mentioned here many times over the past years how fast the 24 hours of a Saturday and Sunday go by that much faster than the 24 hours of a Monday and Tuesday, but this past week I admit was a long one as my Twins turn 10 today.  For the past week all that was heard around the Schmidt house is can I get this for my birthday or that for my birthday?  When are we having our party, what are we doing for the party?  Can I invite so and so…the questions are nonstop.  This year has been a big year for all my kids as my oldest turned 16, my middle son hit the teenage years and the Twins Robert and Kenedi are now 10.  As a father I thought when the oldest was born and the love that I felt for him was so intense, I thought how can it be that way again, but guess what it was…and continues to be.   I am proud of all 4 of my kids and love them all.  Getting back to the original thought, my how the past 10 years have have flown by.