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RAYMO’S RAMBLINGS – CHRISTMAS, LIGHTS, DECORATING, MUSIC & MOVIES

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CHRISTMAS, LIGHTS, DECORATING, MUSIC & MOVIES

Some people go hog wild putting Christmas lights up. Outside their home, inside their home, on garages, barns, trees, just about anywhere. Of course, when I think about Christmas lights on homes, I always think of Chevy Chase’s house in the movie Christmas Vacation! Now that was awesome! Realistically that would be a lot of work to do.

In previous years we have put lights on the outside of our house. Not this year, we were too tired. That is our excuse. The weather has been fantastic for putting up outdoor lights, but my wife and I have no ambition to do so. I think we are turning into Tim Allen and Jamie Lee Curtis in Christmas with the Kranks. We finally put up our tree last Sunday and found it to be quite a chore

Actually, putting the Christmas tree up in your home should be a festive event. It should look like a scene from a Hallmark movie with Christmas music playing, people sipping hot chocolate, and everyone enjoying the moment. That didn’t happen! Lights were tangled, the tree stand broke, and we argued over the lights. She wanted white lights, I wanted blue lights. I thought we had enough lights on the tree, but she said we needed more. It was a fun afternoon. That is how our marriage works, we disagree and still have fun and enjoy each others company. It’s weird I know. Top it all off my hot chocolate wasn’t hot anymore. Merry Christmas

Before I am accused of being a Grinch, I will say I do really enjoy most Christmas movies. Christmas Vacation is my favorite. I can watch that movie over and over again and laugh every time. The characters are funny. The story is great, and one of the best characters in any movie ever is cousin Eddie. Randy Quaid plays that part very well. His quotes in the movie are spectacular, “You serious Clark,” “If you scratch his belly Clark, he will love you till the day you die,” “You glad to see us Clark?”

Other Christmas movies that I enjoy. It’s a Wonderful Life, A Christmas Story, and Elf. Yes, I do enjoy Elf because I am a big fan of Will Ferrel. I don’t care for Miracle on 34^th Street. Home Alone is ok.

As for Christmas music, I can listen to a few songs, but not all day long! Some radio stations play just Christmas music in December. I want my regular oldies songs. I get teased for not liking Christmas music. Does anyone else feel this way? Now when I say Christmas music I’m not talking about the old church hymns, but songs like I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus or Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer. It feels good to get this off my chest. I feel better now.

I know I sound like a big Scrooge, but I am just not into the Christmas spirit yet. Maybe we need some snow on the ground. I guess I need to focus on the real reason we celebrate Christmas. I know that will get me excited about the season. It always does. Focus your thoughts on Jesus this holiday season and things will be just fine. He is the reason for the season.

Posted: December 2, 2017
Under: Raymo's Ramblings

RAYMO’S RAMBLINGS – BIRTH ORDER IS FASCINATING

BIRTH ORDER IS FASCINATING

I am now 60 years old and am the oldest of five siblings. I recently read an article in a parenting magazine that was fascinating. I would like to share some of the information in my blog today. I have a lot of respect for Dr. Kevin Leman. We listened to his video’s at our Bible studies a few years ago. He is a very funny guy and very smart. I love listening to him and reading his books.

Are you the first born in your family? How about the middle child? Or the baby of the family. Might you be an only child. Dr. Leman believes the secret to sibling personality differences lies in birth order. Whether you’re a first born, middle, last born or only child, and how parents treat their child because of it.

My brothers and sisters are really different people from me. Yet we all were raised in the same house, by very loving parents. So how can we be so different? I think the same way with my own children. I often say to my wife, how can our kids be so different in personalities, and beliefs about certain things, and what’s important in life and priorities and yet they all were raised under the same roof.

First born people like me, always have the most pictures taken, and the last born child, you maybe can find one or two pictures of them. What really disturbs me about parents and parenting is how parents treat the last born child! They treat them like babies their whole life. My opinion 🙂

Here is Dr. Lemans assessment of the birth order.

Firstborn

As the leader of the pack, firstborns often tend to be:

Reliable
Conscientious
Structured
Cautious
Controlling
Achievers

Firstborns bask in their parents’ presence, which may explain why they sometimes act like mini-adults. Firstborns are diligent and want to be the best at everything they do. They excel at winning the hearts of their elders.

Middle Child

“The middle child often feels left out and a sense of, ‘Well, I’m not the oldest. I’m not the youngest. Who am I?'” says therapist Meri Wallace. This sort of hierarchical floundering leads middle children to make their mark among their peers, since parental attention is usually devoted to the beloved firstborn or baby of the family.

In general, middle children tend to possess the following characteristics:

People-pleasers
Somewhat rebellious
Thrives on friendships
Has large social circle
Peacemaker

Last Born

Youngest children tend to be the most free-spirited due to their parents’ increasingly laissez-faire attitude towards parenting the second (or third, or fourth, or fifth…) time around. The baby of the family tends to be:

Fun-loving
Uncomplicated
Manipulative
Outgoing
Attention-seeker
Self-centered

Only Children

Being the only child is a unique position in a family. Without any siblings to compete with, the only child monopolizes his parents’ attention and resources, not just for a short period of time like a firstborn, but forever. In effect, this makes an only child something like a “super-firstborn”: only children have the privilege (and the burden) of having all their parents’ support and expectations on their shoulders. Thus, only children tend to be:

Mature for their age
Perfectionists
Conscientious
Diligent
Leaders

Is this information correct in your family? How do you feel about the birth order you are in? I think it is fascinating, the birth order and how it affects you.

How Birth Order Affects Your Child’s Personality and Behavior By Jocelyn Voo from Parents Magazine

Posted: November 27, 2017
Under: Raymo's Ramblings

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RAYMO’S RAMBLINGS -THE DRIVE TO THE CITIES

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THE DRIVE TO THE CITIES!

The last two Saturdays I have driven to Minneapolis to cover the Minneota Vikings football team and broadcast their games on radio. That’s Minneota Vikings, not MinneSota Vikings, I think Paul Allen’s job is safe.

The state high school football games have been played at US Bank Stadium in downtown Minneapolis and I blogged last week about it being my first visit to US Bank and how nice that new stadium is. The Vikings football games have been played in the mornings, 11:30 one Saturday, and last Saturday for the championship game, kickoff was at 10am. My work schedule prevented me from driving down the night before, like most people did.

So I needed to get up very early in the morning, leaving Madison and making the three-hour drive to Minneapolis. I get really nervous about doing that, because when you’re in radio and need to be in a certain place at a certain time you need to be there when it’s time to go on the air. So its way better to go the day before and that gives you some time, just in case something would prevent you from getting there on time. If you know me well, you know I am always early at events and I hate being late!

So each Saturday I left Madison at 4:30am to make the drive to US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Praying that the drive would be uneventful, no flat tires, no car trouble, no hitting deer, or a car accident or whatever else would prevent me from getting to the stadium on time.

Remember that most of my drive to the cities at that time of the morning it’s still dark out. So my eyes are peeled for watching deer running across the road. You guessed it, on both those Saturday mornings I needed to break to avoid hitting deer! I also missed a good sized raccoon and a fast moving fox running across the road.

I had a close call that could have prevented me from making it to US Bank stadium last Saturday morning, I almost ran into the stupid roundabouts they put on highway 7 going into the cities. One of the roundabouts snuck up on me while going sixty miles per hour. I didn’t realize it until I had to slam on the breaks hard to avoid from hitting the middle of the stupid roundabouts. I hate those things!

So my two Saturday drives to Minneapolis were uneventful, with the exception of stopping at a “fast food” place to pick up a quick breakfast shortly after 6am when I’m the only person in the place and it takes over 10 minutes to get my food! I’m not a patient man. That delayed me a bit! Like I said I’m not a patient man and I hate being late!

I did get to the stadium in plenty of time, got a nice parking spot, got my media credentials, went through security, got a phone line in the press box to broadcast with and went on the air right on time! My getting up early and driving to the cities both Saturdays was well worth it because the team I cover, the Minneota Vikings won the state championship!

Posted: November 26, 2017
Under: Raymo's Ramblings

RAYMO’S RAMBLINGS – MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY

MY FAVORITE HOLIDAY

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and I don’t think too many people would say that Thanksgiving is there favorite holiday. But I do!

It is by far my favorite holiday. I have always liked what Thanksgiving is about, like giving thanks for the blessings that you have, spending time with family and friends, food, parades, football, and rest.

A little history lesson about the holiday Thanksgiving. The event that Americans commonly call the ‘First Thanksgiving” was celebrated by the Pilgrims after their first harvest in the New World in October 1621. This feast lasted three days and was attended by 90 Native Americans and 53 Pilgrims. President Lincoln made it a holiday in 1863. I really enjoyed reading what Wikipedia had to say about Thanksgiving.

However, I feel Thanksgiving is becoming lost and almost forgotten by retail businesses trying to get a jump on Christmas. It really angers me when I start seeing Christmas stuff in stores and television commercials about Christmas the day after Halloween. I’m not sure what to do about it. I wish everyone would speak up and say enough of that, we need to celebrate Thanksgiving and give it its full attention.

Some of my favorite childhood memories are celebrating Thanksgiving with family, going to grandpa and grandma’s, or an aunt or uncles place. My favorite Thanksgiving was 1969 at my aunt Deeny’s place in the country, I think by Madelia Minnesota. I was twelve years old, and the reason I remember it so well is because the Minnesota Vikings were playing the Lions in Detroit in a snowstorm and our whole family was gathered in the living room cheering on the Vikings, and Jim Marshall intercepted a pass, then pitched the ball back to Alan Page, and Page ran it in for a touchdown! The living room was packed with people and we all were jumping up and down and screaming and cheering! It was so much fun! Also another memory is listening to a number of people in the kitchen playing guitars, violins, accordion and singing songs and everyone having a great time. And of course, as a twelve-year-old growing boy, I ate a lot of turkey and pie. I was absolutely miserable afterwards. I miss those days!

My routine on Thanksgiving, and it has been this way since I can remember. Get up, watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade, watch football, eat the traditional Thanksgiving meal, watch more football. All the while spending time with family. A family tradition at the table is to go around and say one thing you are thankful for and then we pray and thank God for blessing our family.

And that is why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, it’s about thanking God, and spending time with the people you love. Happy Thanksgiving!

Posted: November 20, 2017
Under: Raymo's Ramblings

RAYMO’S RAMBLINGS – FIRST TIME AT US BANK STADIUM

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FIRST TIME AT US BANK STADIUM

Saturday was my very first visit to the newest NFL stadium. It was way bigger and better than it looks on TV. All I can say is, absolutely amazing!! The Minneota Viking football team played in the state semifinals vs Mayer Lutheran. The Vikings dominated and won 54 to 21. I had the pleasure of broadcasting from the press box, where the public is not allowed. The press box area is a lot bigger than the Metrodome’s press area.

However, from a broadcaster’s standpoint the press area is located on one end of the stadium and difficult to see when play on the field is on the other end. It is much like the football press area at SMSU in Marshall which is located on the goal line! TCF Bank stadium press area, where the Gophers play is located above the 50-yard line and you have an excellent view to broadcast from, however at TCF Bank you are on the top level and way to far from the field to see well.

At US Bank I was impressed with how the press box in laid out, very spacious and kind of a two level area. Bottom level for radio broadcasters, second level for newspaper and online writers. Behind the broadcast area is a full kitchen/lunch area with many tables to sit. Another thing that really caught my attention is the art/photo work on the walls. So much fun to look at with the history of the Vikings being displayed. Also so many television monitors all over the place, I would like to know how many monitors the whole stadium has, it has to be in the thousands. I sneaked into a luxury suite and was blown away at how large and luxurious it was.

When I have driven by the stadium in the past, I always thought it kind of looks ugly. I didn’t care about the look from the outside. But I have changed my mind after walking around the whole stadium from the outside on Saturday. On the sidewalk and you look up and it is massive and does look very much like a Viking ship, which is cool.

I remember well my first time in the Metrodome and was awed! I know a lot of people hated the Metrodome, but I really liked the stadium. Not a bad seat, I watched the Twins, Vikings, Gophers and yes, the Timberwolves. I always liked going to the Metrodome. I also remember my first time going to TCF Bank stadium, it was the Gophers vs Air Force. We sat on the very end and faced the giant jumbo tron. I was really impressed with the Gophers stadium. I have broadcasted high school games from all three stadiums and all three of them have unique characteristics. But US Bank stadium is a notch above the other two.

US Bank Stadium is very impressive for sure, and the world will see how impressive it is when the the stadium hosts the Super Bowl . And guess what? I get to go back to US Bank stadium this Saturday for more Minneota Viking football…..state championship game 10am!!

Posted: November 19, 2017
Under: Raymo's Ramblings