Week 5 - January 29-February 4

Lady Chippewa Basketball

Saturday, I had the chance to go with the family to watch a Women's Basketball game with Central Michigan University against Bowling Green at Rose Arena (now McGuirk Arena).  Drew got the chance to go with the rest of the 5th and 6th grade girls from the Belding Girls Basketball Team as a opportunity to see Belding's own Taylor Johnson who started the game and was second leading scorer.

Jenny with Rowdie

Not only was this a good game, (Central lost in overtime), but the arena and extra activities were all that you would expect from a Division I Basketball game.  The arena is nice, small but still has the arena feel.  The pep band was there, cheerleaders, the dance team, the works. 

While I was there, I gained an appreciation for these women playing.  This is Division I Women's Basketball, right there in Mt. Pleasant Michigan.  These women are in the top percentile of women basketball players accross the country.  One of them from Belding even.  It reminded me of a few things I thought I would share.

1. There are a number of colleges and universities close to where ever you live.  And, at each, college athletics.  Seeing competition in person is so much better than watching it on TV.  I thought about how, on that Saturday afternoon, there are probably thousands of people, huddled around their TV's watching NCAA Basketball.  I bet they watch games just because they are on, as a fan of basketball, but not committed to any one team playing at that time.  Well, if you are one of those people, I would encourage you, if YOUR team's not playing, to go to the nearest college and watch a game in person.  There is so much more going on than you can see on TV.  I love to see the interactions, expressions, and communication going on with the players, coaches, and benches.  There always seems to be some sort of drama. 

I think this goes for any sport.  Any sport you like.  Especially the non-revenue sports.  If you played baseball, go see a game, track, gymnastics, wrestling, there are lots of options.  The chance to see that competion in person is exciting, and moving.

2. The other thought I had was about competing at the college level in whatever sport you love.  Granted, I imagine it would be tough to get a spot on MSU's Mens Basketball team, but there are other oportunities.  I would recommend, every time, that if any person has a chance (or a desire) to play a sport at the collegate level, they should.  Even if that means going to a smaller school and walking on.  Even if that means, you practice for the sport for 4-5 years and don't get to start, or barely play.  I think the lessons you learn about yourself, life, and competition are something that you cannot learn is a classroom.  I think people would be surprised to learn, if you are dedicated and serious, how accepting most college teams would be to give you a chance. 

As I watched the women play and compete, I was reminded, that these women were at their highest level.  These ladies, would form bonds and frienships in competition that would last for the rest of their lives.  These athletes, in a few short years, would be teachers, accountants, engineers, moms, wives, what ever they wanted.  I thought about the hard work they put in to the game.  I thought about how this sport gave them the opportunity to focus on something, when I assume, most of their time is spent wondering and planning their future.  I imagined that these women have charted out a path to a major and ultimately a career and future and how stessful and unknowing that is, but at 4:08 pm on Saturday, all they could think about was how if that opponent stepped one more foot to the left, they would take the ball to the hoop and score.

I'm not really a basketball fan.  I do like to watch it and will yell when everyone else yells, but I enjoyed seeing a group of young people, a team, do what they love, at the highest level they can perform, for at least one more afternoon on a snowy Saturday in Michigan.



Week 4 - January 22-28

BOON MI!

Ok, I'm a day early on this one, but I got a busy week coming up so cut me some slack.  My new thing this week was to visit Boon, MI.

I was on my way home Saturday from Buckley.  A trip I have made many times over the past year.  I usually take 115 to Cadillac and get on the expressway.  There is a sign for Boon on 115 and I aways wondered what was there.  Well,  there's a post office, party store, old buidlings, and houses.  Today it looked like a snowmobilers hub.

Boon Grocery

Looking at an old railroad

The post office.

I tried to look up some history of Boon on the internet, but surprisingly, there was very little.  I was hoping that it was at one time the largest city in Wexford County, or that a famous civil war general hailed from Boon, but no luck.  I was hoping that maybe it used to be the main station for rail transportation of lumber, but again, nothing. 

So there is a town in Michigan, west of Cadillac called Boon.  And that's about it.  No restraunt, no bar, no history that I could find.  The area was pretty though, and I am sure the residents are proud to be from Boon. 

If anyone has some information on the history of Boon, I would be interested in seeing it, so send it my way.

I would highly recommend that everyone to make a point of visiting Boon on your next trip to Traverse City or Cadillac.  Maybe we can all spread the word about Boon and really make Boon boom! 

Week 3 - Jan. 15-21

 This was actually a fun week.  I took Friday off work to spend time with Jenny on her birthday, kid free I might add. (thanks Mom) We went to San Chez, we got some tats, we watched Aiden wrestle, and of course we went to Coldstone.  All fun things. All "Cool" things. No NEW things!

What I actually did that was new this week was to use my new snowblower.  Thats right, a snowblower. For the past few years I've wanted to get a new snowblower. I would hem and haw and year after year, winter would go by and I would think, "I'll get one next fall".

Well, this fall I did. I was planful to make sure I had it before Thanksgiving in case we had a November snow storm.  I had a special place all set aside in the garage.  I was total ready for winter to hit I and wouldn't you know it, no snow in November.  Hell, no snow in December either.  No snow to the point where I was beginning to question why I bought the damn thing.

So, it is Michigan and winter just can't stay away, so this week I FINALLY got to use my new snowblower.  It's  orange and magnificent. I just hope I won't have to use it daily from now until June.

Week 2. January 8-14

We are going to go Skiing.  Yep, Skiing.  They say they are making snow at Cannonsburg Ski Area so we should be all set.  I am sort of excited because I really am starting to hate the winter and maybe enjoying the the outdoors will help make winter go by faster.

I did go skiing once in college and once with Jenny, I would by no means call myself a skier.  This will be the first time for Mo and Aiden.  Drew went once, but I am not sure if her and Jenny are going to go.  We are waiting for 5:00 to take advantage of a special rate on lift tickets and rentals.

Week 1. January 1-7

My new thing for this week? Blogging (of course)! We will see what comes of it. The cool thing is that this time I am writing from a new tablet.  I am test driving a new Samsung Series 7 Slate Tablet for work.  Pretty cool so far. I am literally writing this like writing on paper. Almost that fast too.

Well this Blogging stuff certainly does seem pretty easy.  1 down.  51 to go.