Daily Dose of BS July 9 WI Budget

The Wisconsin state budget is expected to pass today and then go to Governor Walker.  I have had many conversations about the budget with both sides of the political spectrum, and someone close to the middle I feel that both sides are full of my initials.  What I don’t understand with these budgets is that they need to do a budget every two year and yet feet get dragged, sleeves get rolled up and the boxing gloves get put on.  These budgets are a power play by the party in charge.  I don’t like that fluff gets added to the budget, lots of pet projects get thrown in as part of the budget to help it along and to get it passed.  I wonder why this is even allowed to go on, I would think that there has to be some “truth” in budgets right?  Is the Wisconsin Budget an introduction of Scott Walker as a presidential candidate?  

Daily Dose of BS July 8 right to die

If you are terminally ill and in pain and you’re not going to get better not even with a miracle, why can’t you decide to die?  I think that it is inhumane to keep people alive when someone is terminal and wants to die, it is costing the families and the insurance companies millions of dollars, let people die with dignity.  No one wants to remember their loved ones last few months being hooked up to ventilators and having wires coming out of here and there.  When a patient is beyond a point, inches from death, allow them to go in peace, in their own terms.  I love life and enjoy living but, when it comes to pain and knowing that there is no positive outcome, wouldn’t it be easier and better for a the patient to be allow to administer a final dose?

Daily Dose of BS July 7 late

Yesterday I posted this simple question on Facebook.  When you're meeting somebody for lunch, how long do you wait before you leave?  I am not a patient man, I despise waiting and I hate late.  I am pretty sure that my job plays quite a lot into that, as if I am not here by show time, then there is dead air.  I think I have always had these feelings about keeping to a schedule, well ever since after high school.  I remember my senior year I don’t think that I made it to class on time the whole year.  Since then I’ve come to the decision that you get to where you want to go and get there at the time you said you would be there.  I guess I feel as though it is disrespectful to the person waiting if you are always late.  If you are every once in a while late, eh, it’s ok, but if you’re always late, then you need to change your priorities.  

Daily Dose of BS July 6 hourly vs salary

When President Barack Obama was in town on Thursday he was talking about money because doesn’t everything revolve around money.  The big question is hourly vs salary.  The Department of Labor’s proposal would have most salaried workers earning less than $50,440 to be paid time and a half for hours greater than 40 per week.   I have worked for some places that were slave drivers when it came down to getting paid.  Being a radio personality I have been a salaried employee for most of my career, and only in the past two jobs have I been treated fairly when it came down to wage.  There were times when I first started in this crazy business that I was working seven days a week and about 10-12 hours a day, but I was salaried and they didn’t worry about it.  I did, but that is what pushed me to try to find a better gig.  Do you think that hourly is better than salary or other way around?  Why?

Daily Dose of BS July 2 the President

For the 4^th time in 23 years I am going to see a sitting President of the United States of America.  President Barrack Obama will be at the University of Wisconsin La Crosse Campus this afternoon.  In the 23 year that I have lived in La Crosse this will be another opportunity to watch the President of the United States woo the people.  I am amazed at the speaking power that these men have portrayed, I was lucky enough to sit on stage with President Clinton and watched from behind the scenes how that man worked the crowd, with President George W Bush he controlled the Omni center with his Texas charm, and President Barrack Obama I am sure will not disappoint.  I am pretty sure why La Crosse keeps getting sitting Presidents to come and visit, it’s because of the people and the beauty.  Enjoy the day of national exposure La Crosse.

Daily Dose of BS July 1 todays talk 1490

Three years ago today my life changed for what I believe to be the better.  On July 1^st 2012 the La Crosse Radio Group flipped the format of Original Hits 1490WLFN to Today’s Talk 1490, with me as the anchor.  It’s funny how this adventure started, I was at a La Crosse Jaycee event about 20 years ago when I met Pat Smith the managing partner of the La Crosse Radio group, we had conversation, and went on our merry way.  A few years later I was involved in a huge radio promotion for the competition and I got a letter from Pat Smith thanking me for what I was doing and to keep up the good work.  In 2009 I was laid off, one of the first calls I made was to Pat Smith we chatted, he didn’t have any openings at the time.  Five months later I was working for Pat and two years after that we were building Today’s Talk 1490.  I guess the lesson I learned is to treat everyone with respect including your competition, and if you work hard you will succeed.  I hope that this first three years is a building block for many more great years at Today’s Talk 1490.

Daily Dose of BS June 30 as seen on tv

Ever had the tv on late at night and woke up to an infomercial?  I have been drawn into a couple of them, hook, line and sinker.  I bought a magic jack so I could have a second line at my home for my home business and I was watching the one for the ninja cooking system and mentioned to my wife that was cool but too expensive to buy, I got it for Christmas the next year and I love it.  I also saw this cool wheel barrel being advertised earlier this year and told the kids that, that is pretty cool; I ended up getting it for Father’s Day.  I am glad since I have about 20 yards of gravel to move on uneven ground, so looking forward to busting out that bad boy.  Have you ever been drawn in to buy any of the as seen on tv items?  If so which ones?  Did they work?   

Daily Dose of BS June 29 gay marriage

I believe that everyone deserves the chance at love?  On Friday the U.S. Supreme Court declared same-sex couples can marry in all 50 states.  I know many gay people and I know that most did not choose this way of life.  The bible gets thrown out as the main reason that we should be against being gay, guess what it also says that divorce is a sin.  How many listening to this has a loved one who has been divorced?  Do you look down on them?  Just because someone is gay doesn’t mean that they are any less of a person.  I don’t know this to be fact but isn’t the discrimination of what the gay population is going through now, the same thing that women went through, and blacks went through, and what other populations of people that  were discriminated against have endured?  You don’t have to embrace the gay lifestyle but try to accept is the first step.  I am confused don’t we all want happiness and love why try to stop anyone from achieving this? 

Daily Dose of BS June 26 baseball

If the goal of my day off yesterday was to have fun, then mission accomplished.  I had the opportunity to enjoy the day with my youngest son at La Crosse day at the Brewers game.   Going to Milwaukee on a coach bus has become a Schmidt tradition, it started back about 15 years ago with my oldest, since then each of the Schmidt kids have had at least a special trip with Dad to a Brewers game, it has always been a day about them.  Yesterday was no different; we started off by making a couple of sandwiches for after the game, this is key for a bus trip.  We then enjoyed each other’s company the whole day.  Our adventure will be engrained in my memory forever.  Our bus was hosted by 3 Tim’s and a not Tim (his name was Ryan) we watched a total of 6 partial movies during the trip, took a wrong turn out of Miller Park, met a bunch of new people on the bus, talked to old friends at the La Crosse tailgate party and oh yea saw a baseball game.  The outcome wasn’t what the Brewers fans had hoped for but the memories of the day – priceless.

Daily Dose of BS June 24 confederate flag

Several retailers have decided to pull the confederate flag from the shelves, really the only times I saw the flag and really noticed it was when I was a kid and watched the Dukes of Hazzard.  I see that the Warner Brothers who licenses the Dukes, General Lee is no longer going to allow that version of the car to be manufactured.  The big hitters are all taking the Confederate Flag off the shelves and the politicians have made it their personal stand to do away with the Confederate Flag.  The threat of it going away has put a run on the flag.  Is the removing of the flag kind of the same as filtering history?  Only bringing up the good.  Because not all of history was pretty nor will all the future be rosy.  

Daily Dose of BS June 23 frisbee

Last night my daughter had another softball game, and before the game my son and I were playing catch with a Frisbee that we found there at Logan.  We used it for about 15 minutes then tossed it back, in the field where we found it.  Before we left he said we should grab it, I said no, but then did grab it, cause it was there.  I brought it to my car with me and one of the Dads said to me at least you got a Frisbee.  That got me thinking; I should have stuck with my original no and left it.  I thought about that Frisbee all night and on my way into work this morning I swung back by Logan High School and tossed the Frisbee over close to where it was when my son and I found it.  My question to you is would you have kept that toy, why or why not?  Also should I have let my conscience get the better of me?  

Daily Dose of BS June 22 winning

Here is a very flawed statement - winning isn’t everything it is the only thing.  My daughter’s softball team had a B softball tournament over the weekend.  Her team isn’t horrible, there are moments of brilliance followed by moments of collapse.  This weekend no difference.  I don’t get why an A team would want to play in a B tournament.  Our first game was a 28 to 3 blowout, it was hard to watch and made me angry that it was allowed to go on.  First of all how can a game that lopsided be good for anyone, from the morale and the confidence of the girls who lost to the feelings that they are superior from the team that won, I am sure that they have had some losses as well?  If you are an A team and you decide to play in a B tournament, than maybe you should play up into the next age group or not play in the tournament, because no one gets anything out of such a blow out of a game.  No one. 

Daily Dose of BS June 19th Hayden

I rode my motorcycle to work on Father’s day 1995 I remember that day because a bird used me as target practice, a direct facial hit.  That Father’s Day was the last time I didn’t celebrate Father’s Day as a Dad.   Ya see my oldest son Hayden was born two days later, a month before his due date.  This weekend we will both be celebrating, me as a father, Hayden will be celebrating his golden birthday, 20 on the 20^th.  It is amazing to see the growth of your kids, I am so proud of the man he has become, from his getting up to be at work by 6 every morning, to his sales internship to going to school full-time and maintaining good grades.  These first 20 years have been amazing, I wonder what the next 20 years will bring?  Hayden, happy golden birthday, I love you.  And for the Dads out there, enjoy your weekend, and have a great Father’s Day.  

Daily Dose of BS June 18 crime

I woke up this morning listening to the news about a hate crime with 9 dead in South Carolina, we hear about crime almost every time we turn on the radio, the tv or open the newspaper.  I hosted the La Crosse Areas Crimestoppers public forum last night and was pleasantly surprised to hear that the 9 groups represented on the panel all work well together.  I was happy to hear that there is plenty of collaboration between many of the communities and their local police departments.  I heard that many of the police departments are pushing their police officers to get out and meet the people of their communities, to work with the different neighborhood organizations.  I was also happy to hear about ongoing training in the different departments.  Onalaska Chief Trotnic said the city has the broken window approach, that if a broken window remains broken, there soon are many broken windows and pretty soon something nice is no longer nice, but if the window gets replaced quickly,  it doesn’t have a negative impact.   We all need to work together to make our communities stronger. 

Daily Dose of BS June 17 focus

DO you have problems with keeping your focus later in the day?  I sometimes do, ok most the time I do.  I read an article that say we gotta quit multi-tasking, we need to focus on doing one thing and doing it well, we have trained ourselves to be unfocused by allowing ourselves to be distracted.  One of the other things that the article said was to write down a list of things that you hope to accomplish the next day and also a list of what you accomplished today.   And finally it suggested that you treat yourself, I think that we all too often do this, how else would you explain all the unused gotta have it things around your house that you used as your own personal rewards. 

Daily Dose of BS June 16 vivofit

Walking, moving, hoping.  Yesterday I decided to get at wearable.  I did a bit of research and decided to go with the Garmin rather than the Fitbit, the reason is because I am a time watcher, I got to be certain places at certain times, and my show needs to be on time.  I went with the vivofit 2, it does the time, the date, tracks my steps, my sleep, and how many calories that I burn a day.  I was shocked by the time I got into work this morning that I had already walked 770 steps.  I am interested in seeing how many I do in a day and the weekly.  If not more than accountability for me I hope it pushes me to try to better myself.  Have you had success with using one of these devices, what have you done to make yourself more successful in the wearing or yours, or did I just waste a bunch of money? 

Daily Dose of BS June 12 tipping

More than one person in my life has called me frugal.  I like to hang on to my money and there is nothing wrong with that.  I do however tip well (at least 20% for a meal, not as much for just beers), I get embarrassed when I go out with someone and I offer to pick up the check and they offer to leave the tip and they don’t tip well, leaving only 10% or so.  I guess if you are getting good service and service with a smile, drinks topped off, and the little glimpse into the life of the person serving you, its has got to be worth something, right.  I have been out with people that pull the tip card out of their wallet to figure out the tip.  How hard is it to figure out a tip?  Move the decimal point over to the left one, if you have a $27.45 bill and you want to leave a 10% tip it is $2.75, a 20% tip is $5.50, the ten percent tip doubled, and for a 15% tip split the difference.  Not rocket science and for those that serve, it’s rent, it’s  a car payment, it’s groceries, etc.  Be a tipper and be a hero to someone.  

Daily Dose of BS June 11 attire

When my Mom went to school she had a dress code, there are still many kids that do have them, mostly at private schools.  Not a bad idea for school aged kids.  I really dislike the rude clothes that kids now days wear, the ones with cocky sayings, the I’m better than you type clothes, or the ones that draw attention to different underage body parts.  I worked at a radio job in Nebraska that had a dress code, we had to wear a tie when we were at work, I was the overnight guy there and I still had to wear a tie, it made no sense to me, but I liked getting paid so I did what I was told.  Mayo-Franciscan is dropping their required female hosiery requirement, which I think is about time, I really am not a fan of adults being told what to wear.  You are an adult and you should know the proper attire for the situation, right? 

Daily Dose of BS June 10 sleep

Are you average?  Me?  I am above average; the average guy is 34.4-years-old, 5’10, 175 pounds.  I am going to be 47 in about a month and a half and am 6’2 and about double the weight.  The average American get 6.8 hours a sleep a night,  I get somewhere between  5 and 7 depending on the night, last night I got about 4 and a half.  They say about 7 hours is recommended, but for me to get seven hours of sleep I would have to go to be at 9 every night, and that is not even possible.  The weird thing is that I love sleep and if I could sleep longer I would, but my body is used to breaking up my sleep by taking a refreshing 20 minute nap about 2 every afternoon.  How much sleep do you get, and do you think it is enough? 

Daily Dose of BS June 5 Zoo

There is a local group trying to bring back the Myrick Park Zoo.  I had the chance to talk with a couple of the people behind the Facebook page “Bring back the old Myrick Park”.  One of the first things they did was start a gofundme.com page with a goal of 50 thousand dollars, so far they only have raised 770$,  Kind of disappointing that that is all that has been raised.  There are over 6400 members on their Facebook and that number is growing every day.  I have heard from a few unnamed sources that the Zoo will be brought back, I have heard from others that there is no way that the Zoo would ever be brought back because the cost would be too great at a cost of over a million dollars per year.  If you recall 2006 and the grand plans for a new zoo to bring in Wisconsin based animals and find new homes for the existing animals, the monkeys, prairie dogs, bear, and caged deer all got new homes, in fact  I think the monkeys got jobs in the government but I am not sure.  What do you think they should do?