Weather...Or Not: August 2011 Entries

Posted:

8/31/11

--IPod: Cyndi Lauper, "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough". Love the movie...love the song!

--See you next year, August. You made me another year older...and this year you made us all a lot more thirsty. Next year could you bring less wrinkles and more rain? We don't want to complain, though. Every day above ground is a good day!

--Greetings and salutations, September. You are starting off scorching hot and dry...but already we see the prospects of more rain and the middle 70's. Let's keep that trend going, seasonal-transition month!

--So the replacement for Tara Barrett has finally been announced. It's a funny thing working this morning shift for several years now. Someone was asking me the other day how many different anchors I've been through since I've been doing mornings. I haven't sat down to actually write it out yet...but it has to be somewhere around a dozen. And fortunately for me I have pretty much liked them all. I can't say that for other shifts I've worked. But now we are getting ready to begin the next era in the morning. Stephanie Summers will be joining Scotty on the anchor desk I believe Monday morning. She is around this week to observe and learn how we do things. You will likely see her on-air at some point by the end of the week, most likely during the "Today Show" cut ins. That will allow her to get her feet wet and adjusted to working this early. And then next week it will be full steam ahead.

Obviously the next question is what happens to Liz, Sheena, and Jillian. All 3 did a good job filling in for Tara, both during her maternity leave, and after she left for good. It was fun working with all 3...each for different reasons. And all 3 are staying here for the foreseeable future as far as I know.

8/30/11

--IPod: Neil Diamond, "Yesterday's Songs"

--We are suspending "Phrase of the Day" until Friday. Today, tomorrow, and Thursday we will be busy in the morning with the Farm Progress Show.

--Have you heard about Comet Elenin? Well I have…because I've been listening to "Coast to Coast A.M." on my way to work most mornings. Again…I catch ESPN radio for 20 minutes to see what sports news I missed while I slept, and then I turn over to the freak show for the rest of my drive to work. At the very least it is always…entertaining.

This morning they had a return guest talking about the Elenin comet that is in our solar system. The guy on the show this morning is named is Richard Hoagland. Richard is convinced that Elenin was shot into space about 13,000 years ago by our ancestors here on Earth. And apparently this comet is going to begin changing our world starting next month. Man…I hope he is right!

If you want to read/hear a little bit about this check out the "Coast to Coast A.M." website and click on anything that says "Comet Elenin".

8/29/11

--IPod: Frank Sinatra, "Fly Me to the Moon". Nice…

--So Irene came and went over the East Coast. There were an unfortunate number of deaths, which really is anything over 0. But it looks like closer to two dozen people may have lost their lives due to the hurricane. The biggest issue by far with the storm seems to be flooding. All in all, as far as major hurricanes go, Irene was not that big of a deal. But the impact will be felt on the East Coast for at least several weeks.

--On Friday I tried something on my Facebook fan page that I think went pretty well. I opened up the forum to questions and then hit my webcam at home to give answers on video. It's really no big deal…but it was fun! It probably won't be something that happens every week. But once in a while I may do it again. It's something that isn't easily done here at work, but it isn't hard to do at all at home. Go figure!

--Looks like the end of the week is really going to heat up. Thursday and Friday should hit the mid 90's again. We get a little relief during the weekend by slipping back into the middle to upper 80's.

--Here's a piece of feedback I got over the weekend. My guess is that it is tongue and cheek and not meant to be a criticism. But you never know. So I will post it and just let it stand without commenting on it.

From "James Brown" (8/26/):

Rock you like a hurricane?

Man, that was ugly. Better stick to the weather without the special effects.

8/26/11

--So yesterday was my birthday. It was number 38 for me. While it's really just a number…getting closer to the major milestones does give one pause. 40 is just around the corner. It's weird…but every year gets better than the previous…especially since birthday number 36, which frankly really sucked for reasons I will leave alone right now. If you're dying to know you can go back and read some of the blog archives from back then!

Yesterday I spent most of the morning and early afternoon reading Facebook posts. They were fantastic and I am really touched at how many people posted something on my various walls yesterday. At home I spent part of the day cleaning…and napping!

But ALL day yesterday, while I was awake, I spent opening one envelope for every hour of the day. Why? Because it was part of my present from Faye! That woman really knows how to do presents. Remember reading about the "scavenger hunt" she prepared for me for one of our milestone moments? Yesterday's surprise had elements of that, without the hunt. There were 24 envelopes. On the front of each envelope were the words "I love you"…but in a different languages. Yeah…she looked up 24 different ways to say "I love you", including the Australian version "I love you, Mate". (Yes…I am a sucker for a woman that can laugh!)

Each envelope contained a piece of paper. On each piece of paper was an explanation of some kind of lucky charm, like an acorn or horseshoe or elephant, etc. She chose a lucky theme because we both realize how lucky we are to have 1) found each other, and 2) survived the horrible timing of when we met one another. But we've both realized that our thing was worth gutting out the bad timing…and we are lucky to have come out the other side together! Also in the envelopes was a Lucky 7's lottery scratch off card. I am happy to report that after 24 lottery tickets we basically broke even.

The day finished with dinner at the Custom Smokehouse in Mattoon with Faye, my brother, and his son. Great food and great company!

It was a fantastic birthday. It was a lucky birthday.

"Feedback Friday"!!!

From Jeremy (8/19/11):

All the way. I had a experience when I was younger that lead me to believe in them. And as I got older I've had a few more.

This was in reference to the question about ghosts.

I would love to hear some of your stories, Jeremy…and I won't share them on the blog if you don't want me to…

From David (8/22/11):

My Niece and her Fiance were at Wrigley, too, this weekend. He's a Cardinals fan, she's a (sigh) Cubs fan.

Yeah…beautiful weather, great air show, awesome stadium…horrible game!

Also from David (8/25/11):

Maybe you shoulda used the Ipod for the birthday song. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BTW. The older you get, the slower you count.

Word, David! Although Jillian did much better than Scotty!

That's it for this week. Thanks for reading the blog…

8/25/11

--IPod: Amici Forever, "Whisper of Angels". Tranquil.

--One of my top 5 favorite teachers of all time has a birthday today. He is now the superintendent of schools for Mattoon. His name is Larry Lilly…and he is one of those guys that just gets it. Happy birthday, Mr. Lilly! Thank you for having the patience to allow me to be me in your classroom! You taught me more than you know…

--Here is a little feedback I received from the blog yesterday. It is from a co-worker.

From Jennifer (8/24/11):

I know! I know! Everyone reading the blog and watching you in the mornings were changed forever by the event which took place on Thursday...many, many years ago :)

Hey…ease up on the "many, many years"!!! It wasn't THAT long ago! Heh.

Sadly it doesn't look like we are in for rain anytime soon. Even with Irene cranking towards the East coast…we shall stay dry if current trends hold. Usually we only get rain from Gulf storms…it would take an ungodly storm off the Atlantic to get that moisture this far west. I am actually thinking about watering the grass today or tomorrow.

Tomorrow is "Feedback Friday"! Get your thoughts in now…hit the feedback section towards the bottom of this page!

8/23/11

--IPod: Olivia Newton-John and John Travolta, "You're the One That I Want"…

--Here is a fun link for those of you "newbies" in the world of football. It will provide you with a little help to decide on which team you should follow!

--Here is the answer to a question I received a lot in the past several days: I was trying to get something started that I think would have been a lot of fun for Thursday morning, but The Suits decided it would be better if I did not do it. I fought hard to be able to continue the idea. But sometimes you have to decide which battles are worth dying for, right? Even though I think it would have made for a great newscast Thursday morning The Suits thought differently. It is ultimately not my call…and that is okay. You win some…and you lose some.

What was the question? "Why are there fireworks on the 7 Day forecast for Thursday?"

--In case you have yet to hear…apparently a decision has been made in regards to Tara Barrett's replacement. I know who it will be. Naturally I am not allowed to tell you. Again…not my call! The Suits have their agenda and I will not get in the way of that! About all I can tell you is that if you are very interested in the decision keep checking our news director's blog, "Out on a Limb". Tai is his name, and he may put an update there soon. Aside from that…stay tuned!

8/23/11

--IPod: Chris Isaak, "Graduation Day". Serene…

--There is a new blog around here that I am really starting to like. It is called "The Reel Opinion". I've mentioned it here before. But even better than the blog, I think, is the Facebook page for "The Reel Opinion". Obviously Facebook offers a better interface than blogs…which is to say that it allows for better direct connection between people. You should check out the Facebook page for "The Reel Connection". I will make it easy for you. Here is the link!

8/22/11

--IPod: The Police, "Every Breath You Take".

--I wish I could say that my trip to Wrigley Field was a rousing success. I wish I could tell you that it was a fantastic time and the Cardinals crushed the Cubs. But I can't. I can only tell you that it was a fantastic time. No one got crushed…except for Cardinal fans.

The Cubs won the game 3 to 0. Have I told you yet how much it sucks to hear that stupid "Cubs win" song sang at Wrigley after the Cubs beat the Cardinals? I've been to Wrigley before when the Cubs have won so I have heard the song before. It's not my favorite song. But it REALLY isn't my favorite after the Cubs beat the Cards!

I went to the game with Faye, my brother, and my nephew. My nephew is a Cardinals fan and has been to Busch, old and new, several times. But it was his first trip to Wrigley. He had a good time, too. But both of us would have been happier if our favorite team could have found a way to put up some friggin offense.

It was Faye's first trip to Wrigley, too. She is not much of a sports fan. But she did wear my Cardinals hat…and that made me proud! The air and boat show was this past weekend, too. And our seats were on the third base side…so we could see the lake. So we also got to see part of the air show with jets flying by for the first few innings of the game. Nice!

8/19/11

--IPod: Neil Diamond, "On The Robert E. Lee". That song was on "The Jazz Singer" soundtrack. Look it up! Fun song…

--It doesn't bother me that President Obama is taking a week long vacation any more than it bothers me that Congress took a 6-week vacation. Frankly I think all of those bastards need to stay at work and get our crap figured out. Have they earned a vacation this term? I don't think any of them have. But to single out the President for taking a week is purely partisan. They are all ridiculous and don't deserve vacation right now.

--Looking forward to tomorrow! For the first time in my life I will be attending a Cubs/Cards game. This weekend it will be in Chicago. There is something special about being at Wrigley Field, despite the way I feel about the Cubs! Actually…I don't hate the Cubs. When the Cards are out of contention and the Cubs still have a chance…I actually pull for the Cubs. Although that rarely happens…

"Feedback Friday"!!!

From Brittany (8/18/11):

Greg- I do believe in ghosts. My husband and i enjoy watching Ghost Hunters. I am a bit of a chicken though and would never willingly go to or spend the night in a known haunted location. My husband likes to ghost hunt and he did talk me into going to Ramsey Cemetery with him at night one time here in Effingham. We didn't see or hear anything, but I was so glad to be out of there!

Ha! Good for you for trying the cemetery thing! I've always wanted to spend the night in a haunted house. But for some reason it hasn't happened yet. I am open to the idea that there are things we can't explain. But for me to believe in most anything I have to experience it. I'm hopeful that if there are ghosts that I will get to see one.

That's it for this week! Remember…you can always watch past "Phrase of the Day" games on the video player above. Hit the link for "B. Lime" to buy some fantastic green stuff, including baby supplies. My Mom has her website link for Mary Kay above, also. They have good products and she knows what she is doing!

8/18/11

--IPod: Warren Zevon, "Johnny Strikes Up the Band". For my money…Warren Zevon was highly underrated. What an outstanding story teller he was.

--Are you into movies? We have a blog on this website that is really getting good. It's called "The Reel Opinion" and it is done by Gene Reynolds. Geno works behind the scenes here in the morning and he knows quite a bit about movies. He gives previews of upcoming movies, reviews of movies in theaters, reviews of movies that have been out for a long time, and he does some other stuff about movies that has been really fun. This morning he's asking a question about Hollywood remakes and how you feel about them. It really is entertaining stuff. Gene ties it into the blog's Facebook page, too. And unlike most of the other blogs on this website…Geno works hard to update it almost every day so it is always fresh. Really…check it out when you can.

--"Feedback Friday" is tomorrow. Do you believe in ghosts? Hit the feedback form below and give me your thoughts on the subject. I will get them posted tomorrow for "Feedback Friday". Remember…if you have a lot to say about it you can always email me at greg.trumbold@wandtv.com, with "blog" on the subject line.

8/17/11

--I am tired this morning. My brain feels like mush. I like this schedule for a number of reasons…my day is done relatively early on most days, most of my work day is done by the time most people start walking into the building, etc. But there are days when I really wonder how much long term damage I am doing to my body by being tired most of the time. It is not natural to wake up so early, regardless of what time you go to bed the previous day. The human body is meant to run with the sun, if you know what I mean. Getting up before the sun isn't natural. At the very least I think I am prematurely aging myself by staying on this schedule. And I wonder if I am taking time off the end of my life. If I went to a bed right now I am positive I could sleep the rest of the day.

--IPod: The Rolling Stones, "Ruby Tuesday". You can never beat a classic.

--Yesterday someone on my FB page asked me if I liked anyone in the Republican race yet. My answer was no. But Ron Paul does have me intrigued this time around. The guy has said some pretty interesting things about government for years now…and his message has been consistent. He speaks to my Libertarian nature. I don't think the government should be the answer to most of our problems. I don't think the government should be on the hook to pay for everything. And I don't want the government telling me what I can and can not do. Paul has some common sense ideas, in my opinion. But I wonder if the machine is ready for common sense. I'll likely still vote for President Obama…but I think I could be swayed to vote for Ron Paul at this point, too.

8/16/11

--Today is my Aunt Becky's birthday. I doubt she actually reads this blog…but if she wants to see her Happy Birthday then maybe she should start reading it!! Happy Birthday, Aunt Becky!

--Today is also the anniversary of the death of Elvis Presley. Also…58 years ago today a TV station was born in Central Illinois. WTVP would eventually end up with the call sign of WAND. And here we are.

--Most of you know that I grew up in a funeral home in Knoxville, Illinois. My parents owned the Martin-Trumbold Funeral Home for a time, and eventually sold it to the Hurd family. Given that kind of a start any news headline about funerals catches my eye. Here is a story that caught my eye…

Bad Cremation!

8/11/11

--Yesterday I did something I had yet to do in my life. I've mentioned, mostly as a joke, that as I get older I am starting to deal with a common malady for aging men…unruly body hair. Yesterday was my scheduled hair cut. I usually have my eyebrows waxed and have since I was around 21. In high school I had the dreaded unibrow. First I started shaving the brow…then plucking. And then like someone that uses dope as a gateway drug I escalated to waxing.

Like many men my age I've been having hair grow on the back of my neck down part of my back. It was this area that I decided to have waxed yesterday. The ONLY reason I am telling you this is to say that I do have an appreciation for what women go through as part of their "beauty routine" to make themselves beautiful by today's standards. I've had this appreciation for a long time…but yesterday it was thrust home even further. After my experience it leaves me with one burning question: Why in the name of all that is holy would someone get a bikini wax???

"Feedback Friday"!

From Jerrie (8/8/22):

dear greg i didnt go to the celebration either i can not be out in the extreme heat but i did take my grand children to the parade but was very disappointed the grands was waiting for candy this was the second parade that ive gone to because for 15 yrs i drove the city bus for the city and which i enjoyed meeting all walks of life my mom also had foster children from 1953 to1968 in 68 when i graduated high school mom adopted 5 boys five of whom nobody wanted because they were older yes i told my age but that doesnt bother me im proud of my age however what bother me is all of the shootings and stabbings of people its so senseless greg please keep up the good work and stand strong in what you believe in and tell all of the wand tv crew they are doing a good work to all be save and viglant in what you do jerrie

I stopped being a big fan of parades when they outlawed throwing candy from the parade route. We've talked about this in years past here on the blog. I know there are safety concerns. But I grew up collecting candy during parades. And as I started to work these public jobs and be in parades…it was a blast to make kids happy by throwing candy to them from the parade route. The parades I have been in since the candy-ban…they just haven't been that much fun to me. Sitting there, standing there, or walking through the route…and all you can really do is wave. Sorry…that is BORING! I try to interact with the crowd and run around like an idiot…but the stuffed shirts start frowning at me like I am using the wrong fork at dinner. HACK-TOOEY!

From Tammy (8/8/11):

What happen to the phrase of the day? My husband and I watch every morning and look foward to 7:51 to hear it we also enjoy it when you get Steve to join in. We noticed that there wasn't one on Friday and then there wasn't one today. It has been a great addition to the morning news! I hope that it has not been discontinued. We will enjoy your newcast without it but we thought it was a fun!

Hey, Tammy. We took a little break from the Phrase. But since you sent this feedback we've started it back up. As a matter of fact…yesterday afternoon I started the Phrase for this morning so those that aren't awake this early could play. It has gone over pretty well. So I think once a week or so I will open it up the previous afternoon for the next morning's game.

That's it for this week! Looks like a great chance for rain tonight and tomorrow. We could use it! Be safe…

8/11/11

--I'm running a little behind this morning so this will be a short entry. The search continues for our morning anchor position as far as I know. Every day someone asks me if it is going to be Jillian, or Sheena, or anyone else. My answer remains the same…I don't know, and I won't likely know until everyone else around here is told. We don't get control over those kinds of decisions. They are made by The Suits, and I am not even sure what criteria they use to come to a decision.

The only thing that we as employees can control is our reaction to those decisions. We don't get to choose our co-workers. But we do control where we work…if we are strong enough to be willing to make changes. At this point in my life and career I believe I am strong enough. I'm not saying anything crazy…like I will quit if it is someone I don't like or want to work with every morning. Some of you have asked questions about this…and this is my answer. No…we don't get any say in who replaces Tara. But yes...we do have a choice in how we react to the decision, whether we like the decision or not.

For those of you that have expressed great concern over the matter I would suggest to not take it so seriously. It's just a newscast on a television station. Watching TV is an option…and not something that should be causing you stress.

8/10/11

--IPod: The Verve Pipe, "Colorful". This song was used in the movie "Rock Star" with Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston. It's one of those movies that I watch when it is on. The soundtrack is fantastic, in a campy, cheesy way. The movie is one of those that you don't really tell your friends that you love…but when you're alone and it is on…you are watching it. (Okay…so I tell my friends that I love it because I really don't care what people think. But I assume most people would not admit to loving the movie…)

--The next couple of days should be great. If you're tired of the heat and paying the electricity it will be fantastic. Highs the rest of the week and through the weekend will be around 80 degrees. I believe we intend to go A/C free at least today and maybe through the weekend. It'll be nice to save a little money, no?

Speaking of saving money…we're still waiting for gasoline to reflect the lower cost of oil. I know…the price now reflects the price of oil last month when this gasoline was purchased by the gas stations. But next month's prices should be down around $3.25 a gallon. If not…we really are getting hosed, if anyone doubts that we are now.

--I need to thank Faye for the coffee this morning. If you've "liked" my Facebook page and follow along you'll know that our Keurig machine broke the other day. The company is sending a replacement…free of charge. But in the meantime we are without a coffee maker. This morning she woke up and took a coffee pod…broke it open…and filtered hot water through it so I could have coffee this morning. I'm not sure how you thank someone for doing something like that. But obviously I will have to come up with something good!

--The last couple of mornings at work I've kind of taken as "mental health days". For whatever reason that usual spark wasn't firing. It happens sometimes. And this week I can't take any time off because it is other peoples' chance to do so. When that happens the only thing I can really do is bury my head and push through it. So we didn't do "Phrase of the Day" for a bit. And for the most part I just did the weather and didn't really do it with zest. I think we all have days like that. But I'm feeling a bit more spark this morning.

8/9/11

--This morning oil has been trading around $78.50 a barrel, which is lower than it has been in over a year. I heard this morning that a gallon of gas next month could drop to $3.25 a gallon or less. So if you can avoid looking at your investment balance sheet for a while and enjoy the gas prices next month this little financial turmoil might not be horrendous. Although…I don't think it is as bad as it is going to get yet.

--There were people talking on the radio this morning about how sound frequencies can impact the human body. Certain tones have certain impacts and the studies on this go back a long while. Apparently the Nazis were toying with some of this stuff when they were in power in Germany back in the day. Someone on the show mentioned that music can actually have emotional impacts on us due to the tone and frequency used. A lot of the information made sense and it is something I think I will look into further. We have waves and energy around us 24/7 in this technologically driven world and I wonder what kind of impact it really is having on our bodies.

It is quite possible that I am ready to sell everything and move to a remote part of the world.

8/8/11

--Today is my Mom's birthday! Happy birthday, Mom!! She is a woman that has given a lot of herself to a lot of people. I've spoken of her volunteerism in regards to kids. She's had dozens of foster children, two adopted children, five step children, and 3 natural children. (She also does Mary Kay...just hit the link above for her website!) That's a good chick!

--According to the "rundown" that I am looking at this morning Sheena Elzie and I will be joined by Mark Rivera today. Mark is one of our newer reporters and is filling in for Scot England, who is on vacation. If I stopped to count I think Mark will make over a dozen anchors with whom I have worked during my 6 or 7 year stretch on the morning newscast. Crazy. By the way…a rundown is what tells us what goes where during the morning news. It's basically the skeleton around which the newscast is built.

--I did my time at the Decatur Celebration yesterday afternoon. I was told yesterday by a WAND Celebration veteran that noon to 2 on Sunday is historically the slowest time of the event. When I left the station booth at 2 yesterday I had no doubt that person was correct. I spoke with a little over a dozen people in two hours, including current and former station employees. The good news is that I got to see my friends Marcus and Mikaela Thorpe and their 14 month old son Logan. It is always great catching up with those people!

In general I am not a fan of festivals, carnivals, or fairs. When I was a kid I loved them. But when I was a kid I could handle the rides. A while back I got to the point where I just can't take things like the Tilt a Whirl, or roller coasters, etc. It's pretty sad because I loved them so much growing up. But the body changes and so does life. Without going to the rides I just don't dig walking around in the heat and dust very much. Now that I really try to watch what I eat I don't even really like the food anymore. I guess what I am saying is that if I wasn't expected to put in a little bit of work time at the Decatur Celebration I probably would not go. Don't get me wrong…I wouldn't like to see events like this shut down. What other people choose to do is fine with me if it doesn't hurt anyone. But for me…I would rather do something else. Maybe that makes me a buzz kill.

8/5/11

--You know I don't like to get too "weathery" on this blog. But there has been a bit of a change to the weekend forecast. With the Decatur Celebration cranking up later today it is important that you are aware of the changes. There is an approaching frontal boundary that may do more to us than originally thought. It's a warm front and it could trigger some storms getting into the weekend. It will also elevate dew points a bit which is going to make it feel a little sticky this weekend. Don't get me wrong…the Decatur Celebration won't be a washout, and we don't expect any of the storms to be nasty. But just keep in mind that before you head to the Celebration it would be wise to give our Local Weather Station a look to see if we have any storms close by!

--IPod: Enigma, "Return to Innocence". Yep. Old school freaky music. Dig it.

--Speaking of the Celebration…I will be at the WAND booth from noon to 2 on Sunday. If you are in the area it would be awesome if you stopped by to say hello!

"Feedback Friday"!

From David (8/4/11):

Welcome to the world of shooting, Greg. The FOID card is Chicago's fault, but it is tolerable.

Thanks, David! I may be heading out to shoot some rounds in the morning tomorrow. Those plans are not firm yet, though.

I'm not turning into a right wing gun nut, though. I am just turning into a gun nut. My plan is not to have a house full of guns. But I have a shotgun now, and I will likely get a handgun. And that will probably be the extent of it. Of course if I feel like we truly are headed for a Zombie Apocalypse imma get me some semi-autos and a bazooka!

Have a great and safe weekend. Again…come out to see us at the Celebration if you are a person that comes out for it. Most of the time…it's a good time!

8/4/11

--Today is my brother's 40^th birthday! Happy birthday, Steve! If you know him and see him today give him a big kiss, and tell him it is from me. My brother and I had our trials and tribulations long, long ago growing up, as most brothers do. But he is one of my best friends. The kid truly has an unconquerable spirit and a golden heart.

--Yesterday I posted a link to my buddy Bubba's weight loss/healthy living website. If you want to learn more about it I hope you hit the links and checked it out. This morning I will leave you a link to a website that breaks down what is actually in most processed foods. A Gregorian sent me the link last week, and the website is interesting to me. Now don't get me wrong…it's not like my diet is perfect. But I do try to make better diet choices now than I have for most of my life. So as I investigate and discover new information there is a pretty good chance I will pass it along here on the blog.

You may have noticed the "Fat Photog" series on our station. I think it is fantastic…and Steve Nichols is a good work friend of mine. It is great to see people transform their lives through healthier living. Steve isn't the only person at this station that has been changing his lifestyle. We have a guy here…one of The Suits, actually…that I feel like I need to re-introduce myself to every couple of weeks because his appearance is changing so drastically for the better. And you can see a few other people really transforming…and it is great.

Here is the link. Check it out if you like…and do what you will with the information.

--I think I mentioned here a while ago that I applied for my FOID card. Well it arrived the other day in the mail! I am pretty excited about it. There is even a decent chance that I will go shooting with a friend at a gun club this weekend. More than likely I will never use a weapon to shoot at an animal, unless the economy completely tanks and the Zombie Apocalypse actually happens and we need to hunt to survive. My goal with guns is for home protection, self defense, and maybe some fun once in a while shooting at bottles, etc. And you never know…with our Congress right now we might end up going crazy and a country and anyone with guns has a better chance of surviving! (I'm only half joking about that…)

8/3/11

--For the first time in well over a year I am wearing a white shirt this morning.

--IPod: Chicago, "Just You ‘n' Me". Great song.

--I've got a friend that struggled with his weight for most of his life. He plays "Phrase of the Day" most mornings on the FB fan page. His nickname is Bubba, and he is a good dude. A few months ago Bubba got into something that is changing his life, physically and financially. It's called Visalus. It's a healthy way to lose weight, and if you choose, to make money.

There aren't many details I can share with you here because I don't know all of the details. But Bubba knows…and he has a website that explains it all. Here is a link to that website.

Here is what I can tell you. Bubba is a very close friend of mine. Our group of friends has been on Bubba for a long time about his weight because we care about him and want him to be healthy. And for the entire time I have known him (years) Bubba has been large and unhealthy. I don't think he would mind me telling you this, although I don't think he knows, but within our group of friends we used to try to guess how much he weighed. We weren't being cruel…we were just curious…because Bubba was way too big. So you get the point…Bubba was unhealthy.

And then someone hooked him up with this Visalus stuff. Bubba went all in with it, too. In the past few months Bubba has shed a lot of weight. Bubba has shed a lot of inches. Bubba has brought his vital numbers way down, including his blood pressure. And…Bubba has started making a nice chunk of change. Bubba's life is changing and we couldn't be happier for him.

I'm not a shill for this stuff. But I do support my friends/family with their endeavors. So if you are in a similar situation as Bubba was, or you are looking for a way to make more money, or are in pretty good shape and want to find a way to get into better shape…hit this link and check out Bubba's website. No one will know that you looked. And it might very well change your life like it is doing for Bubba.

I don't know nothing from nothing when it comes to Visalus...but I know that it's been very good for Bubba. Here is the link again.

8/2/11

--Right now I've got Metallica, "Whiskey in the Jar" on my IPod. I love this song.

--Looks like we are up for one more blistering hot day today and then tomorrow we are back down to around 90 degrees. Possibly the better news if you don't like this heat is that it will hold around 90 through the weekend. And that means it will actually be tolerable to hit the Decatur Celebration this time around.

--My booth time at the Celebration is Sunday from noon to 2. So if you are out and about Sunday afternoon it would be awesome if you came by the station tent to say hello! Just remember…you know what I look like, but I don't know what most of you look like. So let me know you are a Gregorian. I know a lot of your names…but not faces. It is always great to put a face to a name!

--I was listening to an engineer on the radio this morning talk about how we need to switch our automobiles from gasoline to methanol combustion. It was terribly interesting…and made a lot of sense. Of course the reason we don't do this, according to this guy, is because the same people that have high stakes in the auto industry also hold high stakes in the oil industry…and they don't want us to have cars that don't use oil as the main fuel. Apparently methanol would be much cheaper and much more efficient to use but we have this oil system set up and the primaries are making too much money on it. He also broke down the oiligarchy of OPEC. His main point was that OPEC is a cartel and our enemy, and their main weapon is their control over oil. So if we remove our need for oil we remove their power. It seems like a great idea to me!

Weather...Or Not: August 2011 Entries - Wandtv.com, NewsCenter17, StormCenter17, Central Illinois News-

Weather...Or Not: August 2011 Entries