Crossed My Mind: March 2011

So yeah, I'm kind of a big deal now . . .

In order to get out of a research assignment that is sure to be dull and difficult, I have opted to do something else that is dull and difficult.
Sports.
No, not play them.
God no.
Read them.
For 92.9 KICK-FM.
You see, I am not you would call a sports fan, and unless it is curling or hockey, I pretty much draw a blank.
Then why read the sports you ask?
News was taken and I just love to deliver the news.
So there I was, new to the glamorous world of college radio.

What crossed my mind as I read the sports this week:
1.) I don’t know what NCAA stands for.
2.) It doesn’t matter how many times I read it over, I cannot say Detroit Red Wings. I say it like this: Red Rings. I can’t help it, I could never say a word that starts with a W when a word that starts with an R comes before. Another example, red wine. Can’t say it. It’s red rine.
3.) If you can’t say a name, YouTube is there to save the day.
4.) What the heck is the sweet 16?
5.) If you don’t have enough sports news, the newswire, Dave Hollier, or John Gaudes are there to save the day.
6.) Why do I have to mess up at least 38 times before I can read the sportscast decently?
7.) You know what would make this better? Red rine . . . I mean red wine.
8.) Edit suites aren’t the place for you if you are a generally hot person.
9.) I still don’t know what NCAA stands for.
10.) I know more about curling than any other sport.

I would like to thank the newswire, Dave, John, and Garth for helping me with the sports. You’re all stars. But not Dallas Stars because they stink.

These are some of the photos from my last bonspiel in 2009 in Winnipeg Beach with Melissa, Nicole, and aunt Maggie.

What have I been up to? How about this . . .

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For the past few weeks I have had no life, but it wasn’t for nothing. Looks at what I have accomplished!

The first picture is of my travel ad for Beausejour, the second is a poster for the upcoming magazine fair, and the third one is a made up ad for Discreet Boutique for our magazine (Tuck and Tape).

I am really looking forward to not being so busy so I can have more time to write a real blog post and not just post school work. Stay tuned for that.

What crossed my mind as I do all this work:

1) How am I going to make an ad that makes Beausejour look good?

2) $4.00 for foam core? What a rip. Oh well, at least I didn't spend $20 (Ryan).

3) I hope these snowmobiles that are going 100 mph don’t crash and hit me. In fact there was a crash not 30 yards from me, and the rider broke his leg. But the crash happened just as they passed me, thank goodness.

4) This guy in this poster puts most women to shame. The model's name is Jynx and she is amazing and very friendly. Thanks to her for helping out and making our magazine great.

5) Judy, why do you have rope lying around?

6) “Hey Chuka, can Jenn tie you up and I take pictures?” “Sure.” Great! I can’t believe I got them to pose for it.

7) I like how CreComms help other CreComms.

8) Now that I am done, I can stop spending my nights in the MacLab drinking Tims. Yeah!

Beausejour Travel Article

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As my ears flood with the whine of snowmobile engines, I step onto a flooded fairground, one imagines an ice-skating rink. Carefully stepping to avoid falling, I wonder why I was the only one having trouble walking. As I looked at everyone around me, I came to the conclusion that it was because I wasn’t dressed for the occasion. I came in leggings, a dress, and leather boots. Not typical winter gear such as ski pants and jacket, toque, and winter boots.

I cruise down Main Street, taking in what Beausejour has to offer, seizing the sights. And by sights I mean the grain elevator, a Chinese food eatery, and the crematorium. Next stop, the half-mile flooded oval track at the Canadian Power Toboggan Championships (CPTC) raceplex.

Glen Kaatz, president of the CPTC, is happy with the nearly 200 entries, some coming from as far away as Michigan. “You meet a lot of really good people here, lifelong friends,” says Kaatz.

Kaatz introduced me to his friend from Sauk Centre, Minnesota, PJ Wanderscheid, CPTC’s 2010 champion. The 27-year-old four-time Eagle River World Champion says, “A lot of the good guys come here, like Garry Moyle, all the fastest are here.”

“This is one of those races you want to put on your resume. I’d like to make it two years in a row,” says Wanderscheid, remembering last year’s CPTC win.

It felt like I was being welcomed back home when I was greeted by a group of older gentlemen who ushered me inside a shack that I randomly walked in to. No one questioned why I was there, they just volunteered to take me the best spots to take pictures, and filled my plate with warm cinnamon buns and perogies.

Andy, Gary, soft-spoken-Kenny, Ivan, John, and ‘Red Beard’ are rough looking men, but are the sweetest guys you could spend a day with in a small shack probably only 100 square feet. “Eat, eat,” insisted ‘Red Beard.’ Even though I never find out his real name, it just seemed natural to call him ‘Red Beard’ as he insisted I do. I even feel comfortable enough to call him ‘Yellow Beard’ because of all the mustard he had dripped onto it.

We sat eating our perogies watching the races in the warmth of the shack, occasionally stepping outside to inspect a sled or to snap a few pictures. The races went off without a hitch except during the last race of the day when 25-year-old racer, Dustin Wahl, was injured in a crash, suffering a broken leg and ankle.

Wanderscheid did win, beating out some pretty big names in snowmobile racing, and will return again next year to defend his two-year reign. After 13 years of racing, Wanderscheid says, “There is nothing like going over a hundred miles an hour on a sled, I will be here for many years to come.”

Beausejour is 45 minutes northeast of Winnipeg and more information on the town and its attractions can be found at ourhomeyourhome.ca. Information on the CPTC and their events can be found at cptcracing.com/info.

Wanna go on holiday? Why not check out Beausejour

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Today my friends Emily Wessel, John Gaudes, Lindsey Enns, and I went to Beausejour for our travel assignment. It didn't seem like there is a heck of a lot to do in Beausejour. Examples: the museum is only open one month out of the year, if you were staying at the Superior Inn, you would have no pool to swim in, and if you worked at the provincial office in Beausejour, you might not know anything about the town.

But we discovered the Canadian Power Toboggan Championships and I spoke with the president of the organization (Glen Kaatz) and he was very friendly and helpful. I have yet to write my travel assignment, but I know that it will be based around these races which look amazing. While we were there, the racers were practicing for the weekend competition and I plan to go back to check it out.

Here were the highlights of our travels.