RAYMO’S RAMBLINGS -SPEAK WELL OF YOUR COMMUNITY

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SPEAK WELL OF YOUR COMMUNITY

I am involved with the Appleton Chamber of Commerce and also the Madison Chamber of
Commerce. I ran across an amazing letter written by a 17 year old girl from Hibbing Mn
last week. I contacted her and interviewed her on KLQP radio. Mia is wise beyond her
years and has a wonderful perspective on the power of your words and how your words can
affect your community in which you live. With her permission here is her letter.
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue” (Proverbs 18:21)
Whether or not you believe the Bible to be the inspired Word of God, this principle holds
true; words carry great power. A few kind words can make someone’s day, but
unfortunately, a few negative words can have the opposite effect.
Lately, I’ve heard a lot of people complaining about life in Hibbing, Minnesota
“There’s nothing to do here. There are no job opportunities. There’s nowhere to eat .”
In fact, I’ve even read articles outlining how horrible of a place Hibbing is.

Bottom line: our words are powerful, and instead of using them to build up our city, we’re using them to
tear it down.
The old saying goes, actions speak louder than words. So, if we’re not supporting Hibbing
with the power our words hold, we’re supporting Hibbing with the even greater power that
our actions hold. Right?
Wrong.
In my experience, this idea couldn’t be any further from the truth. We complain about not
having anything to do in Hibbing, but we refuse to do the things that are already available
to us.
When is the last time you dropped by our local bowling alley with your family? Instead of
supporting the local restaurants that are still here, we complain to our neighbors and
coworkers that Chipotle is an hour away.
Sound familiar?
So, what’s REALLY wrong with Hibbing?
It’s you.
It’s me
It’s us.

It’s the collective negative mindset of our city. By speaking, thinking and acting negatively
toward Hibbing, we are quite literally setting this town up for failure.
Here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be this way. We can turn Hibbing around and
accomplish amazing things ·· and it starts with you.
It starts by speaking life over the city. It starts by going for a walk downtown to browse
all of the amazing shops and restaurants.
Imagine what could happen if we start supporting our fellow Iron Rangers in the present
instead of complaining about what could have been.
I’m 17 years old, I just graduated high school , and I’ve never experienced Hibbing as many
of you might have. Maybe you remember when our city was full of life, friendliness, and
support. I don’t, but I want with my whole heart to experience an even better version of
Hibbing than has ever been.
I want my future children to grow up in a city filled with role models, joy, a sense of
community and prosperity
I want tourists to visit Hibbing and be amazed by our hospitality, culture, and history.
This starts with you. You- yes you.
You have the power to turn Hibbing into a city of great prosperity and peace. Stop by J J’s
Coffee and Cream for an ice cream cone, browse through the adorable clothes at Nina
Brook’s or go biking/hiking on one our gorgeous trails.
Your words and actions are more powerful than you’ ll ever know, so I want to challenge you
to use that power to build our city up instead of tearing it down.
To all the business owners in Hibbing, thank you for taking a risk believing in something
greater than yourself . I know that “there are other her cities that might have more potential
customers, cheaper rent or more charm.
I know that you might not be making a huge profit. Nonetheless, I thank you for giving our
little city a chance. I am optimistic that your hard work will soon pay off.
I love Hibbing.
I have high hopes for our city and every person in it . I hope that you will all join me as I
embark on my journey to prove those negative articles wrong.
Mia Baron Hibbing
So I to encourage everyone to use your words to build up your community, to get involved ,
to buy local. Thank people and businesses that are in your community that work hard to
make your community the best it can be. And as Ellen always says, “Be kind to one
another.”
“Death and life are in t he power of the tongue.” (Proverbs 18:21)

You can listen to my interview with Mia on podcast than click on interviews at www.klqpfm.com

 

Posted: September 10, 2017
Under: Raymo's Ramblings
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RAYMO’S RAMBLINGS – GOING TO THE MOVIES

 

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GOING TO THE MOVIES

They aren’t making movies like they use to be. What’s wrong with Hollywood lately? Some reports say it was the worst summer in over 25 years at the box office. It seems most of the movies that are coming out are animated movies, and kids and adults think they are so cute, but I don’t care for them at all.  So please Hollywood start putting out more movies that don’t have cartoon animation, or so many special effects thrown in.

Is this what Americans want to see? Animation? Animated movies do nothing for me, they aren’t the cartoon characters I grew up with like Popeye, The Flintstones, Casper the Friendly Ghost or Scooby Doo. I remember going too Despicable Me 3, terrible! Nemo, terrible! Frozen, when I hear that song, I cringe! Shrek, blah. Toy Story, I fell asleep!

The past few years I have attended animated movies with my grandchildren and in my opinion most of them were terrible. I remember cracking a smile once when an animated character farted but that was about it. I just don’t understand why kids and adults are flocking to the theaters to see them.

Let’s bring back movies that have substance in them, that make us think, entertain and move us. Like Schindlers List or A Beautiful Mind, movies like Catch Me if You Can, The Notebook, or Titanic. Now those are movies. As a matter of fact, here is a list of my favorite movies and you won’t see an animated movie mentioned. Not in any particular order.

Patton, Titanic, Animal House, Christmas Vacation, The Notebook, Kramer vs Kramer, Forrest Gump, The Shining, Jaws, Back to the Future, Saving Private Ryan, The Wizard of Oz. Field of Dreams, American Graffiti, Blazing Saddles, Young Frankenstein, Love Story, Grease. Just to name a few that I remember going to and really enjoying them. Now those are quality movies.

Some of my best memories are going to the movie theaters with family and friends and watching a great movie. When I was dating Roxie we went to many movies at the Grand in Madison, Hollywood in Monte, and even the outdoor drive in along highway 212 in Montevideo.

 My first date with Roxie was at the Grand Theater in Madison and she even remembers the movie, The World’s Greatest Athlete. That was 1973. I can assure you that wasn’t an animated movie. Movies, dating and popcorn seem to go hand and hand. I don’t think I would have taken my date to Nemo.

 Going to the movies was fun before animation came out. That’s just my opinion and I know I’m in the minority on this subject. So I will be waiting for Hollywood to drop the animation and start producing quality movies. Maybe people will start going to theaters again and Hollywood won’t have a summer like they just had

Posted: September 6, 2017
Under: Raymo's Ramblings
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RAYMO’S RAMBLINGS – BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT BROADCASTING SPORTS

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BEHIND THE SCENES LOOK AT BROADCASTING SPORTS

As most of you know I am the sports director at KLQP radio in Madison and do most of the broadcasting of high school sports in the area. It’s a job that I absolutely love to do and this year is my 26th year of doing that. In one of my first blogs I had blogged about some memorable moments of high school games that I had broadcast over the years.

This past Thursday was another memorable moment in broadcasting high school sports, but it wasn’t about a game that was memorable, it was the behind the scenes that was memorable. Last Thursday was a challenge for me. The LQPV/D/B cross country team was hosting a meet on their home course at the Appleton golf course. That same night the LQPV football team was opening up their season at home against last year’s section champions, the Wabasso Rabbits.

To my knowledge we are the only radio station that covers cross country, that actually broadcasts the races. That’s another whole story as to why I do that. Let’s just say the cross country kids work just as hard as the football players do and I believe they should get the same recognition that the football team gets.

So here is a behind the scenes look as to what it took to broadcast a cross country meet and a football game nearly at the same time. The cross country meet began at 5pm at the Appleton golf course, the varsity girls run would start at around 5:40 and the boys run at around 6:10. Remember the football game kicks off at 7pm at LQPV high school, which is exactly 10.6 miles from the Appleton golf course. So my challenge was, can I wrap up the boys race with interviews with the guys at the finish line and get to LQPV high school in time for the start of the football game at 7pm. Challenge accepted!

I had planned ahead and prerecorded the Subway pregame show with football coach Tony Smith earlier in the day over the phone, so I wouldn’t have to bother with that before the game on the field.

I left the radio station at around 4pm to head out to LQPV high school to set up my radio equipment in the football press box, that would save me time, because I knew I would be walking into the football press box minutes before kickoff at 7pm.

I got to the Appleton golf course around 4:50, I arranged to get my golf cart and found my broadcast partner Ed Hegland, who has helped me broadcast cross country the last few years. I found XC coach John Shurb and did my first broadcast, then with Ed driving the golf cart, we criss-crossed the golf course and broadcast the girls race that started at 5:40, we followed coach Shurb and interviewed him during the race to get his perspective on how his girls were doing.

 Ed did a great job driving the golf cart, we headed to the finish line broadcasting all the way right from the golf cart. I interviewed all the LQPV/DB girls at the finish line and after that, looked at the time, it was 6:10. Would I have time to do the boys race and get to LQPV in time for the football game which starts at 7? Ed said I would but it would be close, so we headed to the start line for the boy’s race, the gun sounded at 6:15! Ed and I drove the golf cart around the golf course broadcasting the boys run just like we did the girls race.

I finished interviewing all the LQPV/DB boys at the finish line around 6:40. Twenty minutes till kick off! Can I make it? I jumped back on the golf cart and Ed drove me down the dirt road to my car at the Appleton golf course as fast as the golf cart could go. Ed commented that we should have a helicopter to fly me to the school.

Jumped in my car and took off for LQPV high school 10.6 miles away. While doing 60 mph down state highway 119 🙂  I called the radio station and told them to start the Subway pregame show. I pulled into LQPV, and drove right up to the gate, which by the way had a parking spot waiting for me. Ran to the press box, put on my headset and called the radio station. I was put on the air, just as the Eagles kicked off to the Rabbits. Perfect timing!!

 It was crazy!! I broadcasted everything I had planned and it was such a fun day. Both the boys and girls took 1st place and the football team playing Wabasso who returned 14 players from last year’s team that made the state football semifinals at US Bank Stadium. The Eagles lead the Rabbits with 2 minutes left in the game before falling 25 to 24. Broadcasting high school sports Thursday was a real rush!!

Posted: September 3, 2017
Under: Raymo's Ramblings
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RAYMO’S RAMBLINGS – WHAT TO DO WITH $758.7 MILLION?

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WHAT TO DO WITH $758.7 MILLION?

Last week the Power Ball reached $758.7 million and as usual when the lottery gets big, we do an office pool at the radio station. I never buy lottery tickets on my own, it’s like throwing your money away. But when the lottery gets big and someone in the office says, “hey who’s going in on the lottery?” I jump right in! Or sometime it is me that says that to everyone in the office.

Why? I don’t really know why. I guess when there is a chance of 1 in 175 million of winning the Power Ball, I think I have a chance of winning big!  Well mathematically I do have a chance of winning, like the saying goes, if you don’t play you can’t win or something like that.

Anyways, a woman won the $758.7 million lottery! After paying $336 million in taxes she took a lump sum of $480 million dollars into her savings account!! Let me repeat that, $480 million dollars!!

She quit her job. She hired security. The media ascended on her like a bear on honey and people that wanted money from her surrounded her house the next day. Her life changed overnight. But is it worth it? That is the question I ask every time someone wins a lot of money like that.

Yes my bank account would look nice with $480 million in it. Is it worth all the major and I mean major stress and worry that it would bring into your life?  I remember watching her news conference and she said she was scared. I would be scared to.

In today’s world, I would worry about all the crazies, knowing who I am, knowing where I live, worried about the safety of my wife, my kids and grandkids and where they live. I would be consumed with someone trying to kidnap them for ransom. I think that would be my biggest worry.

You would think you would have to move and disappear, and start over. I don’t want to move out of my house and leave the community I live in. $480 million would bring a whole new set of problems into your life. So that’s the dark side of winning the lottery.

What would I do with $480 million dollars? I don’t know if I would quit my job and I mean that. I would first make sure my family, children, grandchildren, and extended family like cousins, nephews, nieces, aunts, uncles, let’s just say if your related to me I will take care of you. I would also give some to my closest friends. 

I would invest some of it in my community of Madison and other communities that I am involved in. Area schools would benefit from me winning $480 million, local charities too! I would keep all the money “local.”

Well that was fun thinking about how I would spend and invest $480 million.  So is winning the lottery worth it? I don’t think so, I think it would destroy your life. I would love to sit down and visit with all the big lottery winners and ask them that question. 

Posted: August 28, 2017
Under: Raymo's Ramblings
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RAYMO’S RAMBLINGS – NEW FAVORITE PIZZA

 

 

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NEW FAVORITE PIZZA

I have found a new favorite pizza and that is a cause for celebration!! As many of you know I love pizza. Roxie and my favorite pizza place is PK Egan’s in Canby. I think most of my friends love PK’s too. Since we have been going to PK’s, which has been for many years, we always and I do mean always order a large PK’s favorite pizza. Both of us love that pizza and really have never tried anything but that pizza when we are in Canby. Forget about pineapple on your pizza for now, which i really enjoy at other pizza places.

So a couple of months ago I decided to go out on a limb and order something different. You should have seen the look on my wife’s face! I convinced her to order half PK Favorite and the other half “The Polish German!  You see I also enjoy a good Reuben sandwich once in awhile, and what I like about Reuben’s is the sauerkraut.

 So we were in PK’s one evening and I noticed the people at the table next to us eating a pizza with sauerkraut on it, and when I noticed all the sauerkraut on that pizza, lots of it, I said to myself, I’m going to order that. Roxie doesn’t care for sauerkraut at all and she was concerned that some sauerkraut was going to filter its way onto her side of the pizza, the PK Favorite side! I assured her that it wouldn’t.

What about the smell of warm sauerkraut? It will ruin our pizza, she said. I assured her again that it would be ok. You see we just should have ordered our own little pizza, but we didn’t. It was just a habit to order a large pizza between the two of us. So the large pizza was ordered, half The Polish German on one side and PK’s favorite on the other. I waited with great anticipation!!

The excitement of trying a new pizza was exhilarating! I was like a little boy waiting for Santa Claus. I could see our waitress making her way to our table with our new and different pizza, and when she put it on the table, the pizza with sauerkraut on my side looked absolutely glorious. I dug into that pizza like I’ve never done before and that first bite was amazing. Lots of sauerkraut with every bite! The sausage was just as good! And guess what? It didn’t ruin Roxie’s PK Favorite side of the pizza!

I have ordered The Polish German pizza every time since, no more PK’s Favorite for me!

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