Runnin' Ragged

It seems as though this week has been rush, stress, rush, and crash!

Lot's of things going on this week... one of our announcers is leaving so the remainder of our programming staff is going to have to pick up the slack for a while until our new guy shows up. We also had several Vice Presidents from the corporation in Madison on Tuesday. I realize they have business that probably has NOTHING to do with us, but I still can't help but feel like I was put under the microscope.

So needless to say, it's been a bit stressful this first part of the week... it's led to some loss of sleep to be sure. But hey, the weekend's coming up! And not a moment too soon, either.

On the other hand, I seem to be making some friends at DSU... I seem to be getting along well with the baseball and the men's basketball coaches, which is good. The baseball coach even gave me an official DSU hat, which is pretty cool. So now I'm a Trojan fan as well as a Bulldog fan, Quarrier fan, and of course, Jackrabbit fan.

Speaking of the Jacks, they're playing an NAIA school in football next season?!?! Color me kooky, but what the hell? South Dakota State is a Division One School! We should have NO BUSINESS playing such a weak opponent! I realize that this was a last-minute scheduling thing because another team backed out, but come on! There's got to be some better competition out there! This is not helping us in terms of gaining respect as a Division One school. I'd rather much get my ass-kicked by top-quality teams and improve than to win over inferior teams and regress. That's my opinion on the matter; I could be wrong.

Apartment hunting continues in Madison... The one place I thought had promise was a bust! That and the potential landlord failed the litmus test (i.e. Mom). Mom's pretty experienced at getting to the tough questions.... perhaps in another life she was a reporter? I don't know... nothing has really stood out or shown a whole lot of promise... I'd obviously like a newer place to live in that isn't going to cost an arm and a leg, but unfortunately you have to be either a senior citizen or on low-income housing to get those kinds of places. So I'm S.O.L. for now...

Just another day in paradise, folks! Keep on Smilin'!

Finding my focus

And you may ask yourself / Where is that large automobile' /And you may tell yourself / This is not my beautiful house! / And you may tell yourself / This is not my beautiful wife!
--"Once in a lifetime," Talking Heads

When I was going back to school for my teaching certificate, one of my professors told me I should take a year off and go to Egypt. I told him that was a bit of a nutty suggestion. And then he told me something that's stuck in my mind, even six years later...

"Matt, you need to find your focus."

It makes sense, though. Life is like this great big ship, and you have to have a destintion to go to... otherwise, what's the point.

Finding my focus has been a bit of a challenge. I've had to fall on my face a few times, but I'm getting there. I think I finally found the focus in my professional life by coming back to radio.

Now on to the personal life... DAMN THE TORPEDOES, FULL SPEED AHEAD!!!

More stuff...

Well, the search for decent lodging in Madison continues! I saw one apartment that would be just about perfect. Close to the station, nice size, rent is decent... the only problem is the shag carpeting! Yeesh! But I'm going to take a second look tomorrow, perhaps we can work something out on the carpeting.

The Morning show continues... except I called the Catholic school by the wrong name. I'll get a lot of flack for that at Kiwanis! The funny thing is I'm a Catholic, so I'm sure this'll cost me a couple days in Purgatory!

Went to the Madison Fireman's Dance... my first time really hanging out in Madison... and it was a lot of fun! Makes moving to Madison seem not so bad.

The big boss is in town this week... apparently we're going to be doing some serious remodeling at the station... which is about time! If we're going to be professional, we might as well LOOK the part too! I'm excited to see what the results may bring!

I haven't seen too many new movies lately... I'd like to see "Good Night and Good Luck" because I'm a student of history. I'm pretty boring that way! But the thing is, is that as we get older, the more interesting history gets. I don't have cable, but when I do get it, I'm ususally glued to the "History Channel" Great stuff! Especially when they talk about the history of the some of the most mundane things... like indoor plumbing! I don't know... we take it for granted and the network does such a good job of presenting it in such a compelling manner it's hard not to be interested!

Well, that's it for my geeky self now! Enjoy, folks!

I'm Moving On

The Jewish have a unique custom... when they lose a loved one they mourn for thirty days. After the thirty days, they move on with their lives.

Although I haven't lost a loved one recently, I did say goodbye to two very good freinds. My boss, mentor, and friend, Jim, who decided to try his fortunes in Wyoming radio. And Jessica, who was one of the first people to make me giddy, upset, mad, and glad at the same time.

Jim, I know will keep in touch. Especially since I have his e-mail!

Jessica is different... since I talked with her the weekend she left, she has disconnected her phone and shut off her e-mail. It takes me a while to pick up on these things but the message is clear...

It's time to move on.

No bitterness this time, just sadness for losing a friend. But as my new boss Lorin says "Everything is Temporary". Smart man, Lorin... goofy-looking, but smart!

So I move on... new opportunites and new friends await... Life; Damn the Torpedoes, FULL SPEED AHEAD!!!

So there's a lot of talk about this new abortion ban in South Dakota, my home sweet home. It seems that there is a lot of talk on other blogs admonishing us or praising us...

**Before I continue, I must say that my opinions about this particular topic are personal and private. Please don't take this as endorsement of or opposition to any particular stand. If you do, you are a moron, and I will ridicule you mercilessly!**

I am amazed at the response coming in from all around the country and the world about lil' ol us. Now some of the responses are supportive, and some are critical, and some are just plain goofy.

Like right now, there's a few blogs out there calling us a bunch of "mysoginisitc, knuckle-dragging neanderthals." Excuse me, but I haven't dragged my knuckles since I stumbled home from the 1995 St. Paddy's Day party at Lambda Xi Delta in Brookings!

But now there's talk of BOYCOTTS? I'm sorry, but I think there's a point where passion becomes a bit nutty. It's great to believe in something, but when it dominates your every waking moment, then it becomes a hinderance.

Frankly, I'm suprised if some of these folks can even FIND South Dakota on a map!

And for those who are "ashamed" to be South Dakotans? Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. Just because there's a controversial law on the books, it doesn't change the fact that we as South Dakotans are about the nicest, hardest-working, decent folks you'll ever want to associate with. And if you can't look past some law and take some pride in being from where the crime rate is low and the education rate is high, well, I feel sorry for you.

After all, it's just politics! There are more important things to worry about in life! Like... The Vikings! And the Jackrabbits!!!

So the new position is going as well as can be expected... I've had to adjust my sleep schedule somewhat, and I've done some adjustments on my afternoon broadcast, but all-in-all things are going as well as can be expected.

Granted, I was plenty sad to see my boss go, but I'm happy that the president of the company has chosen our sales manager to run the station. He's had experience doing the job, and he's another person I feel totally comfortable talking to.

Asides from that, basketball is FINALLY over! Not to knock it, but i was getting a little burned out on basketball. Now I have a couple months of recovery time before the start of baseball season. Of course, now I have my brackets to keep track of! I think I did pretty well the first two rounds!

My thoughts and prayers going out to Susan, who's got a big decision to make on Tuesday. I'll be thinking of you and praying for you, sweetie!

Also want to welcome new freinds checking out the blog... Adam, Stacy, the afore-mentioned Susan and Lisa. Anyone else I missed... OOPS!

Stay safe and stay warm, my friends!

Things I have learned this week...

1) Change is always inevitable... it's up to us to adapt or be in trouble.
2) Having two friends leave in the span of a week really, really sucks.
3) Kirby Puckett was the greatest Minnesota Twin to ever live and was more of a ballplayer than Barry Bonds will ever be.
4) The Corn Palace is a really cool place for the basketball tournaments... too bad that it can't hold more seats.
5) Taurine is made from bull saliva... bull-spit!
6) Bull-spit tastes a lot like a jello shot, minus the vodka.
7) I'll be the new morning guy on AM 13-90 starting next week... I'm excited, but scared as hell!
8) I can function on 4 hours of sleep, as long as I can keep the hallucinations in check!
9) I REALLY need to move to Madison!
10) I never took much pride of being an alumnus of Dell Rapids High School, but after seeing the girls' basketball team this year, and the class that these young ladies showed during the State Tournament, I'm proud to say...

"It's Great! To Be! A Dell Rapids Quarrier!"

Quarrier Fan Matt, meet Bulldog Fan Matt, Jackrabbit Fan Matt, and Trojan Fan Matt. Hope you all play nice!

A lousy eight days...

Song of the Day: "Tonight, I wanna cry" by Keith Urban




Well, this last week has been complete shit.




Yeah, your mild mannered Sports Director said a bad word... well, this ain't the FCC, and I believe in being straightforward. Therefore, this week has been complete shit.


It was just lousy to start out... the womanthat I'm sweet on is moving to Colorado next week. And I'm afraid that I won't get the chance to tell her how I feel before she leaves. So that's been the downer all week... and then Monday rolls around.


Whoever had the bright idea to invent Mondays ought to be drawn and quartered!


First, my boss, mentor, and friend announces that he's leaving the station to take a new position with a station in Wyoming. Granted, I know that radio is all about change, but it still doesn't mean I have to like it. And the fact it's my second friend that's leaving this month is a real kick in the nuts.


Then last night, my childhood idol passed away. Kirby Puckett. Kirby. "Puck". The man who epitomized all that was good and right about baseball before this crop of chemically-enhanced crybaby underachievers. Dead. At 44. Way too young to go. A man with such joy. Even when the Twins sucked (and they did quite a few times), Puck was always out there, giving his all and playing with the enthusiasm of a child. Now we have these yahoos to look up to... effing brilliant!


It's been a lousy 8 days, that's for sure!

Some changes...

A good friend of mine pointed out that for some reason, only members of blogspot were able to post on my blog... so I did a little rooting around and fixed it. Now anyone can leave a comment! Hey, it's my first blog... go easy on me!


I also added links to very good friends who also have blogs (some on blogspot as well!). If you'd like me to add you, just e-mail me at jackrabit1@gmail.com. My only request is that you add my blog to your links as well.


Other than that, just doing some tweaking on post formats and the like, no big whoop. So feel free to comment away!

Sunday Laundry...

Okay, I did my laundry yesterday, but when you have a good title, USE IT!!


Looks like my schedule is somewhat set for next week... I'll have to sign on Wednesday and possibly Friday, in addition to doing basketball games in Mitchell and Salem. I'm almost done with the sports season, thank GOD!


A girl I really like is leaving... I'm not sure what to think. She says she's coming back, but I fear we'll grow apart. Which sucks, because I'm at the point where I have strong feelings for her. It doesn't seem fair, but she has to do what's right for her. I suppose I should tell her how I feel... Not that it'll make any difference in her decision, but I can at least get it off my chest!


So Madison lost in boys' basketball... it was a great game, but a heartbreaker of an ending. I know Chester will represent the area well and they are a bunch of great boys. But when you follow one team for the bulk of the season, you develop a bit of an attatchment, even becoming a fan... it's not exactly the most "objective", but it happens. I'll never be a "homer", by any stretch of the imagination, but I couldn't help but feel a little let-down that the Dogs didn't make it in. But they are a great bunch of boys and they'll be back next year.


Talked with Dad on Friday. He admitted something to me... he was proud to hear me on the radio! You know, I've had people come up to me and say they enjoy listening to me on the air, but to have family tell you the same thing is really special. I guess my family's pretty much been lassiez-faire about it. I mean Mom listens every once in a while, but that's about it. They're happy that I enjoy my job, but that's about it. I think it's great, in that it keeps me grounded, but the recognition is also nice as well.


I figure by the end of this month, if I keep expenses under control, I'll have enough money saved up to make the move to Madison. All together, I'm guessing it'll be around 700-1000 dollars to make the move... that's deposits, rent, furniture, necessities, etc. Of course, I'm probably OVER estimating, but I like to over-estimate so I don't get TOO surprised!


Now I'm looking at landlords... who is decent, who is crooked, who keeps up their properties and who doesn't. Do I go with a management property or do I go with an individual landlord?


Decisions... decisions... decisions... Stay tuned, folks!

Celebrate the Temporary...

When I was in fifth grade, my art teacher, Mrs. Hinsch, showed us a clay medallion she had made which said "Celebrate the Temporary". Being as I was only 11 and completely ignorant of such heady philosophical psalms, I blew it off as just being "goofy".


But as I grew older, I came to realize just exactly what that means. With the execption of rocks and air, everything is temporary. Especially us. In the terms of the cosmos, our lives barely register as a fraction of a second, if you're to believe Carl Sagan's "Cosmic Calendar."


So our lives are temporary in that they come to an eventual end... which means that everything we experience is temporary. The State Championship we win this year becomes next years 0-18 season. This month's "Employee of the Month" award quickly leads to a pink slip and unemployment the next.


Even relationships are temporary... when they get to "til death do us part" in a wedding, it shows that even marriage is set up to be temporary. Because it ends when we do (ideally). So all this talk about temporary things is pretty depressing, right?


To be blunt... a little.


But the nice thing is that we can celebrate the temporary. Lives, friendships, relationships, that dream season, awards. We can take comfort in them and the feelings we get from them. And when they're gone, there's usually something (or someone) to take its place. When one thing ends, another begins.


So tonight, I raise my glass.... to Celebrate the Temporary!

Nagy's Staying!

Looks like SDSU Men's Basketball Coach Scott Nagy is staying for another season. Good for him. After this season, he needs a fair shake. This has been the season from hell for him and his staff, but I think this adversity will make State and Nagy stronger, if you believe in Nietszche!

Howard Stern gets sued!!

I have a couple of issues with this... for example, if Stern was such a detriment to his parent company while he was promoting satellite radio, why didn't they just FIRE him? My God, he talked about it enough!

I think that this might, MIGHT be an underhanded ploy by CBS to cut into the Satellite Radio market. Those shares that Stern received are pretty valuable and I'm sure that CBS/Viacom/whatever the Hell they're called this week would LOVE to exploit Stern shooting off his mouth to muscle their way into this market!

It may be "just business." But from what it looks like, it's pretty shady business. But then, CBS is in the business of being "shady", especially when it comes to journalistic integrity (Dan Rather, anyone?)