Here is the link to my video blog.
2010 Season Opener Preview for Boone County Raceway
Wednesday, April 28, 2010
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Racing!!!!!!!!!!
I also went to Doniphan,NE this weekend for some racing action. My buddy Tyler Iverson that I wrote about early this semester was racing and guess what? The kid won the "A" feature and just whooped everyone in the field. It was a very cool thing to see because he won the very last night there last season and this weekend was the first night of racing so he pretty much has two wins in a row their. Pretty much from this past weekend on he will be racing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday until the end of September. Seems like a lot of work but it's going to be a fun summer watching him do his usual thing, "Kick-Butt" every where he goes.
This weekend
This weekend I spent some time with my grandparents just chatting about the economy and how everything is going for my grandpa's business. My grandpa owns a car lot in Albion,NE called Schalk Auto Inc. They sell used cars and have just around 100 cars in their inventory. He said that you can really tell the economy is down because they are down on sales from 2009 already in 2010 and the year has a long road left. They also have a repair shop at the car lot and that helps with having good business as well. He was telling me that his place is doing fairly well and that he thinks they are doing better than their competitors because of their risk of taking opportunities. They do alot of good advertising and marketing strategies that do cost a little more but in the long run is helping out their business more than the other guys. I kinda of talk about this in my column for this week too.
Column 3
The Good Times and the Bad
Economically does our country’s future look pretty? Well, it depends on who you ask and what channel you are watching the news on. For many people, these tough economic times and government decisions being made have affected their lives before. But it’s always good to reflect on the times when it was going better for them, and even how their better days molded them into the person they are and we are today.
Here in the United States, our population is made up of many different families who have come from other places to make a better life for themselves and their loved ones. After speaking with my grandparents about their knowledge of our family history, I learned that in life you need to take every opportunity given to you. Sometimes the questionable ones turn out for the better in life also.
To get a little background and to see how people came to America that affected people in my family, I asked my grandpa, Bob, where his grandparents came from and he said that they had come from Germany. It was in the late 1800’s when they came across seas looking for better opportunities in life and better ways to support their family. Once they arrived in America they looked westward seeking a homestead to start farming and raising crops.
They settled in Nebraska in an area known today as Primrose, Nebraska. There they found land and people that grandpa said they really enjoyed. After my grandpa was born his family lived on the same farm and worked just as grandpa’s dad did as a kid.
My grandpa was in the United States Army. He en-listed into the Army right after high school graduation and was then shipped to be based in Germany. This was around 1955-1960. My Grandmother’s grandparents also were from Germany. Grandma didn’t know the exact reason they came to America but she said they were seeking work and freedom. She didn’t know the exact years either but it was probably around the early 1900’s. They also farmed and were located around the same area as Primrose, NE.
Immigration has had a huge impact on our society. Even though all of the major immigration happened in the mid 1800’s to early 1900’s its still affected us today. Its formed our working world into hard laborers and traditional workers. The opportunities were given to these people to make a new life for themselves by coming across seas, not knowing what would happen to them. But by being brave and courageous they formed successful families and businesses. Escaping religious, racial, and political persecution, or seeking relief from a lack of economic opportunity But some of the reasons they left those places was not just for new opportunity, but for safety. Diseases and illnesses that were striking throughout Europe was another reason to flee those countries.
If it wasn’t for these hard working people, what would our world be like today if they didn’t show their children the way to make a living? Our world today is the way it is because of the immigrants that took a chance to be successful and that followed through with their dreams of making something out of an opportunity of a lifetime.
In these times we are facing we must reflect on our roots. Staying strong and getting rid of our weaknesses can help us through these times just as our ancestors made it through. Our appreciation of being strong hard workers should go to them, for we have them to thank for showing us the way of making it through a tough economy.
Economically does our country’s future look pretty? Well, it depends on who you ask and what channel you are watching the news on. For many people, these tough economic times and government decisions being made have affected their lives before. But it’s always good to reflect on the times when it was going better for them, and even how their better days molded them into the person they are and we are today.
Here in the United States, our population is made up of many different families who have come from other places to make a better life for themselves and their loved ones. After speaking with my grandparents about their knowledge of our family history, I learned that in life you need to take every opportunity given to you. Sometimes the questionable ones turn out for the better in life also.
To get a little background and to see how people came to America that affected people in my family, I asked my grandpa, Bob, where his grandparents came from and he said that they had come from Germany. It was in the late 1800’s when they came across seas looking for better opportunities in life and better ways to support their family. Once they arrived in America they looked westward seeking a homestead to start farming and raising crops.
They settled in Nebraska in an area known today as Primrose, Nebraska. There they found land and people that grandpa said they really enjoyed. After my grandpa was born his family lived on the same farm and worked just as grandpa’s dad did as a kid.
My grandpa was in the United States Army. He en-listed into the Army right after high school graduation and was then shipped to be based in Germany. This was around 1955-1960. My Grandmother’s grandparents also were from Germany. Grandma didn’t know the exact reason they came to America but she said they were seeking work and freedom. She didn’t know the exact years either but it was probably around the early 1900’s. They also farmed and were located around the same area as Primrose, NE.
Immigration has had a huge impact on our society. Even though all of the major immigration happened in the mid 1800’s to early 1900’s its still affected us today. Its formed our working world into hard laborers and traditional workers. The opportunities were given to these people to make a new life for themselves by coming across seas, not knowing what would happen to them. But by being brave and courageous they formed successful families and businesses. Escaping religious, racial, and political persecution, or seeking relief from a lack of economic opportunity But some of the reasons they left those places was not just for new opportunity, but for safety. Diseases and illnesses that were striking throughout Europe was another reason to flee those countries.
If it wasn’t for these hard working people, what would our world be like today if they didn’t show their children the way to make a living? Our world today is the way it is because of the immigrants that took a chance to be successful and that followed through with their dreams of making something out of an opportunity of a lifetime.
In these times we are facing we must reflect on our roots. Staying strong and getting rid of our weaknesses can help us through these times just as our ancestors made it through. Our appreciation of being strong hard workers should go to them, for we have them to thank for showing us the way of making it through a tough economy.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Column #2
Following the Steps: It’s Worth it.
With the Lenten season winding down to an end it seems like only three things happen during this time of year for Catholic religion followers. Fish, Church and fish. Okay maybe just two things.
March 5, 2010 I was carrying a conversation with a young woman at my workplace. We were busy handling clothing and just chatting to make the time pass by. We reached the topic of winning an amount of money that would make us happy and that we could get rid of some bills we had. We also discussed things that we would purchase if we had won some extra cash.
That conversation in time did come to an end. 5pm was announced over the intercom and my day at work came to an end. I then began to drive back to my hometown Cedar Rapids, Neb. Not much to do on this drive except keep my eyes on the road, listen to music and be “Patient,” until I arrive back home. (Patient is bolded for reasons to come later in this column.)
About 30 miles from home my phone began to ring and it broke the boredom that was overcome me at this point in my traveling. As I reached for my phone I noticed it said on the phone screen, “Dad-Calling.” With excitement I turned down the radio and said, “Hello.” As we begin our conversation I could even tell that my dad was excited and had something to tell me. He asked me a couple of questions about how my day went and what I had for lunch and supper because in the time of Lent on Fridays, Catholics can’t eat meat. So instead fish is put in place. This is one of the main rules of the Lenten season during the forty days. As our conversation carried on I asked him the same questions back. When I asked him about his intake of no meat for the day he responded with, “Yes I ate fish but I didn’t have to pay for it, it paid me.” I was like, “What do you mean?”
He explained to me that for supper he just decided to go to our local convenience store for a fish basket. The cook didn’t have any made up right of way and said that it would be about 10 to 15 minutes. So instead of going home for that amount of time my dad decided to just stay there and wait. But while “Patiently,” waiting he bought a scratch off ticket. He went and sat down and began to scratch off the film that covers the ticket and after scratching it off and reading his ticket, he realized that he had won $500. He said he didn’t know for sure right of way but after taking the ticket up to the counter and showing the clerk that was working, they both had confirmed that it was indeed a winning ticket.
At first I was kind of shocked and really didn’t believe him. But after he explained to me all the details and showed me the five, 100 dollar bills when I got home, I did certainly believe him.
Later that weekend my father did say he was going to pay some bills but he also treated my family and my grandpa and grandma to a Sunday dinner at a local restaurant known for their awesome fried chicken. The season of Lent has to do with many believers giving to others and reflecting on life in general. If it wasn’t for Lent this outstanding situation wouldn’t have even occurred for my dad. But with the season of Lent present, it just shows how times can change and how they help all who believe.
With the Lenten season winding down to an end it seems like only three things happen during this time of year for Catholic religion followers. Fish, Church and fish. Okay maybe just two things.
March 5, 2010 I was carrying a conversation with a young woman at my workplace. We were busy handling clothing and just chatting to make the time pass by. We reached the topic of winning an amount of money that would make us happy and that we could get rid of some bills we had. We also discussed things that we would purchase if we had won some extra cash.
That conversation in time did come to an end. 5pm was announced over the intercom and my day at work came to an end. I then began to drive back to my hometown Cedar Rapids, Neb. Not much to do on this drive except keep my eyes on the road, listen to music and be “Patient,” until I arrive back home. (Patient is bolded for reasons to come later in this column.)
About 30 miles from home my phone began to ring and it broke the boredom that was overcome me at this point in my traveling. As I reached for my phone I noticed it said on the phone screen, “Dad-Calling.” With excitement I turned down the radio and said, “Hello.” As we begin our conversation I could even tell that my dad was excited and had something to tell me. He asked me a couple of questions about how my day went and what I had for lunch and supper because in the time of Lent on Fridays, Catholics can’t eat meat. So instead fish is put in place. This is one of the main rules of the Lenten season during the forty days. As our conversation carried on I asked him the same questions back. When I asked him about his intake of no meat for the day he responded with, “Yes I ate fish but I didn’t have to pay for it, it paid me.” I was like, “What do you mean?”
He explained to me that for supper he just decided to go to our local convenience store for a fish basket. The cook didn’t have any made up right of way and said that it would be about 10 to 15 minutes. So instead of going home for that amount of time my dad decided to just stay there and wait. But while “Patiently,” waiting he bought a scratch off ticket. He went and sat down and began to scratch off the film that covers the ticket and after scratching it off and reading his ticket, he realized that he had won $500. He said he didn’t know for sure right of way but after taking the ticket up to the counter and showing the clerk that was working, they both had confirmed that it was indeed a winning ticket.
At first I was kind of shocked and really didn’t believe him. But after he explained to me all the details and showed me the five, 100 dollar bills when I got home, I did certainly believe him.
Later that weekend my father did say he was going to pay some bills but he also treated my family and my grandpa and grandma to a Sunday dinner at a local restaurant known for their awesome fried chicken. The season of Lent has to do with many believers giving to others and reflecting on life in general. If it wasn’t for Lent this outstanding situation wouldn’t have even occurred for my dad. But with the season of Lent present, it just shows how times can change and how they help all who believe.
Butler vs. Michigan State
It is now half-time of the Butler vs. Michigan State game and it is tied at 28 points a piece. I don't know who to root for in this one. Michigan State is well known team to be in this type of game and Butler is the cindarella story of the tournement. I think if I heard right two Butler players have combined for 25 of the 28 points for the half. They are going to need a more of a contribution from their teammates if they want to go on to the final game. I think that Michigan State wins this one in the end at least by five points.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
MADHOUSE
Every Sunday night on the History Channel there is this new series called "Mad-House." It's about this racetrack down south that has asphalt modified racecars racing and it just documents like five to six racing teams and shows their family life and their racing life. It also shows how there are some rivalries between the drivers. Pretty much anything goes when the racing starts. Bumping and banging is no suprise between these guys. Its just crazy because these cars cost a lot of money and they beat and bang on eachother and sometimes destroy these cars. In our racing around here there isn't much rough housing but when there is the drivers get penalized for it. If you wanna see some funny arguing and some close temper tantrums that lead to fights between the drivers, check out the series "Mad-House" on the history channel every Sunday night at 10pm.
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