Day 181, June 30: Youth Coaching Memories

My Top 10 Favorite

Memories as a Youth Coach

The Little League team I coach - Dairy Queen (above) - won the Minor League Division Consolation bracket championship tonight, 13-2. We finished 11-10; my first winning season since coming out of retirement four years ago. It got me to thinking about my best coaching memories.

1. Southwest Wis. Parochial League title: My first coaching job since moving to Dubuque was at Kieler. Our 5th-6th grade boys basketball team was barely above .500, but we won four straight league tourney games, beating powerful Cuba City in the final.

2. 1st youth soccer team (Jay): The first team I ever coached that had one of my sons on it. This 5-6 year-old team was dominant. From memory, we were 8-1-1, giving up just three total goals all season.

3. Winning Wee NCBT title (Shawn): A youth basketball tournament at Loras during the National Catholic Basketball Tournament, we won three games and a huge wooden trophy with a basketball in it.

4. Cardinals Independent League baseball team (Jay and Shawn): It was so rewarding to coach both sons on the same team. Shawn was pretty young, but spunky enough to not get hurt. We didn't win many, but a wonderful memory.

5. Little League first-year title (Shawn): After moving from the Independent League, our Flextsteel team won the inaugural Major Division league title. I also coached the all-star team with Shawn on it (went 1-3).

6. Holy Trinity-Sacred Heart girls basketball upset win: Once again, our team was just above average, but we went into Holy Ghost against the league leader and pulled out a thrilling victory.

7. Iowa Games basketball (Shawn): Playing in Dubuque, we won the bronze medal after a couple of exciting games, one keyed by Shawn's basket.

8. Cardinals beat the Reds (Jay): We NEVER beat the Reds, Hawks or Brewers. But this one night, the stars were aligned and we knocked them off. Rumor was they later changed the outcome due to our pitcher wearing white sleeves. That's how BAD those three teams wanted to win.

9. Finishing 2nd at East Dubuque tournament (Shawn): Our 5th-6th grade team knocked off a tough rival that included future Univ. of Iowa player Eric May in the semifinals before losing to another rival.

10. Dairy Queen wins consolation title: Ben Kettering tossed 75 pitches and Gavin Guns closed it out as we earned some medals. Not sure if I'll be back next year of if this is it ...

Day 180, June 29: The Bummer Summer

10 Things I Remember

From the Summer of '75

As I psyche up for an imminent heat wave, I thought about all the hot summers I've had to endure. I graduated from Stoughton High School in 1975. Three of my best friends and I were heading in completely different directions that summer. Here is how I remember it.

1. We were scared: And we probably didn't even know it (or certainly wouldn't admit it)

2. I was still a jerk: Immaturity lasted with me longer than my friends. And I regret acting as I did.

3. Boring: We were between high school and college. Acting as we had in the past didn't feel right; we didn't know how to change yet.

4. I was naive: Heading to UW-Whitewater, I thought I'd carry on as usual. I eventually learned that I wasn't ready to go out on my own.

5. Lack of girlfriends: Four good-looking, intelligent guys. Not a girlfriend to be seen. Once we all got married, not one of us has gotten a divorce.

6. Hard work: My summer job was working in the tobacco fields. Very tough work. 

7. Growing up: One friend was eager to move to Florida and away from our group. Another was headed to the Marine Corps and the third to UW-La Crosse. It was awkward for all of us.

8. Hanging out: It just didn't seem to be as fun as the years before. We all were anxious and impatient for our futures.

9. Anger: That summer and for the next few years, some of us became frustrated with each other. It was bound to happen.

10. Bonded: Through it all, we survived and still are friends. I haven't seen one in about 10 years, but I know we'd hit it off should we meet again. I just found out this week that the son of my friend from California is transferring to Iowa, where my youngest son goes. Maybe they'll become friends.

Day 179, June 28: Favorite 1st Basemen

My Top 10 All-Time Favorite

Major League 1st Basemen

Most of mine come from the era when I was a kid (1966-1973). But there are a few older and newer ones, as well. Teams listed are the ones I remember them from most.

1. Lou Gehrig, Yankees: He's near the top of my all-time favorite players at ANY position (Feb. 20 post).

2. Albert Pujols, Cardinals: One of my favorite current players, I originally had him ranked 7th, but my son Shawn noticed he was ranked ahead of these other 1Bs on my all-time favorites list. So I moved him up!

3. Frank Howard, Senators: He was huge and he wore those strange glasses. Great power-hitter, usually on a bad team.

4. George "Boomer" Scott, Red Sox: Great player on my favorite team, he was known for calling his 1st baseman's mitt "black beauty." 

5. Harmon Killebrew, Twins: Just a steady, no-nonsense player on a competitive Twins club.

6. Jimmie Foxx, Red Sox: Played before my time, I've read quite a bit about him but would like to read more.

7. Al Kaline, Tigers: See No. 4. Probably a better all-around hitter, but I liked Harmon just a bit more.

8. Willie McCovey, Giants: He and Willie Mays made a great combo, but what can I say? It's obvious that I'm an American League fan.

9. Jim Thome, Indians: What a class guy and great power hitter.

10. Jeff Bagwell, Astros: How could the Red Sox let this kid get away???

Note: Carl Yastrzemski, on the baseball card, played primarily outfield.

Day 178, June 27: Colorful Movies

My Favorite Films

With a Color in the Title

1. "The Pink Panther": Any of the several original films with Peter Sellers in them. I refuse to see the remakes with Steve Martin. Sacriligous!

2. "The Red Badge of Courage": Also made my April 4 post on favorite war movies.

3. "Men in Black": Very funny and creative movie. Tommy Lee Jones and Will Smith are a great team.

4. "The Green Mile": A strange, but poignant film. Once again, Tom Hanks was fantastic.

5. "The Blues Brothers": One of Kris' all-time favorites, I liked it a lot, too. Cool Chicago scenery.

6. "Soylent Green": A cheesey 1973 science-fiction film, I was pleasantly surprised to see it rated 71 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.

7. "White Men Can't Jump": So very true. But a lot of us can shoot!

8. "Black Hawk Down": Very good war movie, but not quite good enough to make my April 4 post.

9. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs": Classic, and 97 percent on RT.

10. "The Color Purple": I liked Whoopi much better in "Ghost" and "Sister Act," but then, those movies were more fun. This one was tough, but memorable.

Day 177, June 26: Kittens

Top 10 Things About Having 2 Kittens

Kris and I got kittens about three weeks ago after our nearly 18-year-old cat Tabby disappeared. We have a calico (Leah) and an orange/white male (Woody). They're littermates.

1. Cute factor: This is an obvious one for anybody who doesn't hate cats.

2. Playfulness I: They love to play with you and any toy you offer.

3. Playfulness II: When they play together, they're entertaining.

4. Run and jump: It's amazing how fast they can run and how high they can jump.

5. Purring: Their little motors can really get going. They each have their distinct sound.

6. Lovable: When they finally need a break, they're all over you.

7. Plop: When they go too hard for too long, they'll plop on their side for breathers.

8. Little poops and peeps: Much easier to clean the litter box as kittens.

9. No shedding: Or very little, as little kittens.

10. They're not cats yet: Soon, they'll be more independent with bigger poops and shedding hair everywhere. But we'll still love 'em.

Day 176, June 25: 1-Word Tunes, U-Z

My Favorite 1-Word Songs
That Begin With U-Z on My iPod
Yes, it's finally ending. I can tell by all of the comments that this has been an overwhelming success! Seriously, I've thoroughly enjoyed it, and the main point of this one-year blog was to have some fun and accomplish the daily challenge. I'm almost half done!
"Untitled," by All Time Quarterback
"Urgent," by Foreigner
"Valedictorian," by Matt the Electrician
"Volcano," by Jimmy Buffet
"Wait," by the Beatles
"Waterloo," by ABBA
"Watermelon," by Leo Kottke
"Wendy," by the Beach Boys
"Wildfire," by Michael Murphy
"Windy," by The Association
"Winning," by Santana
"Yellow," by Coldplay
"Zebra," by Beach House

Day 175, June 24: 1-Word Tunes T

My Favorite 1-Word Songs

That Start With T on My iPod

Not one of the strongest letters for me, this list nonetheless includes at least one song from each of these genres: 1. rock, 2. country, 3. rap, 4. christian and 5. disco. Those not numbered are too tough to classify.
"Thieves," by She & Him
2. "Ticks," by Brad Paisley
3. "Tipsy," by J Kwon
5. "Tragedy," by the Bee Gees
4. "Traveler," by Fernando Ortega
"Trouble," by Lindsey Buckingham
"Trouble," by Ray LaMontagne
1. "Tubthumping," by Chumbawamba 
2. "Tulsa," by Wayne Hancock
1. "Tusk," by Fleetwood Mac

Day 174, June 23: 1-Word Tunes S (the rest)

My Favorite 1-Word Songs

That Start With Sm-Sz on My iPod

Another good mix of songs, if I may say so myself.
"Smile," by Lily Allen
"Smooth," by Santana (with Rob Thomas)
"Someday," by Sugar Ray
"Sovay," by Andrew Bird
"Star," by Stealers Wheel
"Stardust," by Frank Sinatra and the Pied Pipers
"Stay," by Small Sins
"Storm," by Fernando Ortega
"Sundown," by Gordon Lightfoot
"Surrender," by Cheap Trick

Day 173, June 22: 1-Word Tunes Sh

My Favorite 1-Word Songs

That Start With Sh on My iPod

This isn't just a list of 10 songs. Some of these are likely in my Top 100 or even Top 50. (Marked with an *)
"Shadow," by The Southland
"Shalako," by the Bent Sceptors
* "Shambala," by 3 Dog Night
"Shame," by the Avent Brothers
* "Shattered," by The Rolling Stones
"Shh," by Frou, Frou
"Shilo," by Neil Diamond
"Shopping," by the Barenaked Ladies
"Shout," by Tears for Fears
* "Showdown," by Electric Light Orchestra

Day 172, June 21: 1-Word Tunes, Sa/Si

My Favorite 1-Word Songs

That Start With Sa and Si

I knew that the letter S would have to be broken down into segments. I didn't realize I would need to do an entire post on songs that start with Sh. That's tomorrow.
"Sailing," by Christopher Cross
"Sara," by Fleetwood Mac
"Sara," by Starship
"Satellite," by Guster
"September," by Earth, Wind & Fire
"Serpentine," by Chris Bathgate
"Sewn," by The Feeling
"Sing," by the Carpenters
"Sing," by Glenn Campbell
"Sing," by Travis

Day 171, June 20: 1-Word R Tunes

My Favorite 1-Word Songs

That Start With R on My iPod

This is a very extreme list. Several are beautifully soft, others are hard rockin' bad boys. I've put an * by the soft and a + by the hard rock. Songs with nothing are in between.
* "Reflection," by Oystein Sevag
* "Reminiscing," by the Little River Band
+ "Reptilia," by The Strokes
+ "Respectable," by The Rolling Stones
* "Returning," by George Winston
* "Rings," by Leo Kottke
+ "Rockaria," by the Electric Light Orchestra
"Rosemary," by C.J. Chenier
+ "Roundabout," by Yes
"Roxanne," by the Police
"Run," by Snow Patrol

Day 170, June 19: 1-Word P-Q Tunes

My Favorite 1-Word Songs

That Start With P-Q on My iPod

Nice variety on this list, including two of my favorite names for groups (you guess which ones). Also, I included 11 in this list to offset the nine in the previous one :-)
"Paranoid," by Black Sabbath
"Peaceful," by Helen Reddy
"Peg," by Steely Dan
"Pinky," by Elton John
"Plasticides," by Andrew Bird
"Politik," by Coldplay
"Popcorn," by Hot Butter
"Princess," by Datarock
"Promises," by Eric Clapton
"Question," by Old 97s
"Quick," by Two Skinny Dorks

Day 169, June 18: 1-Word N-O Tunes

My Favorite 1-Word Songs
That Start With N on My iPod
There weren't as many good ones as I thought there'd be in the Ns and Os.
"Nantes," by Beirut
"Nausea," by Beck
"Nikita," by Elton John
"Norman," by Sue Thompson
"Northland," by Kraig Kenning
"Nostalgie," by Julio Iglesias
"O," by Love Psychedelico
"Obsession," by Animotion
"Operator," by Jim Croce

Day 168, June 17: 1-Word Tunes, Me-My

My Favorite 1-Word Songs

Starting with Me-My on my iPod

Here are the rest of my favorites starting with M. There were nearly as many great ones starting with Ma as there are with the rest of the Ms.
"Melissa," by the Allman Brothers
"Mercy," by Duffy
"Mexico," by the Low Stars
"MFSB," by TSOP (Mother, Father, Sister Brother/The Sound of Philadelphia)
"Mickey," by Toni Basil
"Miracle," by the Foo Fighters
"Missing," by Everything But The Girl
"Misty," by Ray Stevens
"Misunderstanding," by Genesis
"Moonshadow," by Cat Stevens

Day 167, June 16: 1-Word Tunes, Ma

My Favorite 1-Word Songs

Starting with Ma on my iPod

There are so many good one-word songs that start with M, I had to limit the first installment to Ma.
"M79," by Vampire Weekend
"Macarena," by Los Del Rio
"Maggie," by Timbre Creek
"Magic," by Pilot
"Mandy," by Barry Manilow
"Maneater," by Hall & Oates
"Maniac," by Michael Sambello
"Maps," by Yeah, Yeah, Yeah
"Mary," by the Scissor Sisters
"Masterfade," by Andrew Bird

Day 166, June 15: 1-Word Tunes L

My Favorite 1-Word

"L" Titles on my iPod

My favorite songs the start with L, not counting those that start with La.

"Legs," by Z.Z. Top

"Letters," by Marching Band

"Librarian," by My Morning Jacket

"Linger," by the Cranberries

"Lisztomania," by Phoenix

"Lonely," by Akon

"Love," by John Lennon

"Lovefool," by The Cardigans

"Lowdown," by Boz Scaggs

"Lua," by Conor Oberst & Gillian Welch

Day 165, June 14: 1-Word Tunes, K-La

My Favorite 1-Word

"K" Titles on my iPod

There aren't too many one-word K titles, but there are too many Ls to do in one post. So here's the K-La list.

"Kalija," by Hank Williams

"Kamera," by Wilco

"Kati," by Kraig Kenning

"Kids," by MGMT

"Killjoy," by The Czars

"Kodachrome," by Paul Simon

"Lady," by the Little River Band

"Landslide," by Fleetwood Mac

"Laura," by the Scissor Sisters

"Lazy," by House of Large Sizes

Day 164, June 13: 1-Word Tunes, I-J

My Favorite 1-Word

"G" Titles on my iPod
There aren't too many 1-word songs that start with I Most start with "I" or "It" and the such.
"Incinerate," by Sonic Youth
"Inez," by Lester Sterling & Tommy McCook
"Israelites," by Desmond Dekker
"Ivanka," by Imperial Teen
"Java," by Al Hirt
"Jazzmman," by Carole King
"Jean," by Oliver
"Jessica," by The Allman Brothers
"Jet," by Paul McCartney & Wings
"Joy," by George Winston

Day 163, June 12: 1-Word Tunes H

My Favorite 1-Word

"G" Titles on my iPod
 I couldn't eliminate one of these, so here are my favorite 11 songs starting with H on my iPod.
"Halloween," by Matt Pond PA
"Hands," by Jewell
"Happy," by Travis
"Harvest," by Neil Young
"Heaven," by Los Lonely Boys
"Hollywood," by Collective Soul
"Home," by Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros
"Hope," by Kurt Neuman
"Horchata," by Vampire Weekend
"Human," by The Killers
"Hypnotise," by The White Stripes

Day 162, June 11: Lonesome Trumpet

My Favorite

Neighborhoods

As I was starting the grill on a beautifully cool and calm June evening, the echoes of a lonesome trumpet echoed through the backyards of our neighborhood. It's about the third time I've heard it since we've lived here. It's nice. Here are the Top 10 memorable neighborhoods I've lived in or spent a lot of time in.
1. Page Street, Stoughton, Wis.: I lived here while in junior high school. More than a dozen kids romped the streets and yards. We ran through a truck that sprayed bugs, we played kick the can. It was a sweet, simple time.
2. Napier Street, Dubuque, Iowa: We raised our sons here and although the days of kids running the yards was pretty much over, I lived next to a wonderful old couple and close to some dear friends. I also fondly remember the ice cream trucks coming through. I never lived in one place longer than here.
3. East Street, Stoughton: I spent my early grade school days here and remember neighborhood moms - including mine - screaming our names each night to come home for supper. Nobody ever got abducted.
4. Regent Street, Madison, Wis.: I lived in the Regent Apartments as a junior in college. It was next to Camp Randall Stadium and the UW Field House. Unbelievable atmosphere on football Saturdays.
5. Hill Street, Dubuque: This is where Kris and I are living, and the lonesome trumpet sounds. We don't like everything about our old house, but we'll look back with fond memories some day down the road.
6. Snake River Parkway, Idaho Falls, Idaho: I didn't live here long, but it was memorable. I had one side of a duplex and you could see the beautiful Snake River and Mormon Temple from my house.
7. Almond Street, Dubuque: This is where Kris lived when I met her. I spent a lot of time there and got to know some of her neighbors, including a black man named Willie who liked to sit on his porch and listen to Al Green.
8. Williamson Street, Madison: As a sophomore, my friend Mark and I shared an upstairs of a home with two others. It was next door to a bar and the Hell's Angels local clubhouse. Memorable because I survived.
9. Gillette, Wyo, trailer court: A railroad man named, Joe, was looking for a roommate when I arrived in this town of transients. He and the neighbors were fine, and it was an experience I'll never forget.
10. Fulton, Mo., apartment complexes: I shared a 2-bedroom with a fellow reporter named Ed while spending almost as much time at another apt complex with my girlfriend Andrea. What neighbors!

Day 161, June 10: (Cool) 1-Word G Songs

My Favorite 1-Word

"G" Titles on my iPod

This is my favorite list in this series so far because there is a variety of styles and decades mixed in.

"Galveston," by Glenn Campbell

"Girl," by Beck

"Glockenpop," by Spiderbait

"Gloria," by Laura Branigan

"Godless," by The Dandy Warhols

"Gone," by Matt Nathanson

"Gracie," by Ben Folds

"Greenfields," by The Brothers Four

"Grenade," by Bruno Mars

"Greta," by Stevie Nicks

 

Day 160, June 9: 1-Word Tunes E-F

My Favorite 1-Word

"E&F" Titles on my iPod

This one worked out real well. I didn't have too many others that were serious contenders for these two letters.

"Easy," by the Commodores

"Eleanor," by Jet

"Elenore," by the Turtles

"Emma," by Hot Chocolate

"Everything," by Michael Buble

"Fernando," by ABBA

"Fire," by the Pointer Sisters

"Fireflies," by Owl City

"Fireworks," by the Whitest Boy Alive

"Friend," by Christine McVie

Day 159, June 8: 1-Word Tunes D

My Favorite 1-Word

"D" Titles on my iPod

There were more than 10 great songs that started with D, so I couldn't include it with E. I'm guessing E and F will combine. We'll see.
"Daniel," by Elton John
"Daria," by Cake
"Darlin'," by the Beach Boys
"Dawn," by the Four Seasons
"Delilah," by Tom Jones
"Diary," by Bread
"Downstream," by Supertramp
"Dreams," by the Cranberries
"Dreidel," by Don McLean
"Dumbstruck," by The Red Jacket

Day 158, June 7: 1-Word Tunes C

My Favorite 1-Word

"C" Titles on my iPod

There were too many good ones to try to squeeze D titles in with these. Eight or nine of these will likely make my Top 300 songs on Day 300 of this one-year blog.
"Candida," by Tony Orlando & Dawn
"Cecilia," by Simon & Garfunkel
"Chiquitita," by ABBA
"Chocolate," by Snow Patrol
"Closer," by Matt Pond PA
"Closer," by Ne-Yo
"Commute," by Soviet
"Crazy," by Gnarls Barkley
"Crazy," by Patsy Cline
"Crush," by Jennifer Paige

Day 157, June 6: 1-Word Tunes, A-B

My Favorite 1-Word Songs

From A-B on my iPod

I began this post thinking I'd do my favorite songs with 1-word titles overall. But I started accumulating so many in the A's and B's, I decided I'm going to have to spread this one out over a few days.
"Angie," by The Rolling Stones
"Angielou," by Van Morrison
"Anticipation," by Carly Simon
"Babylon," by David Gray
"Barracuda," by Heart
"Bluebird," by Paul McCartney & Wings
"Breakout," by the Foo Fighters
"Bubbly," by Colby Caillat
"Burning," by The Whitest Boy Alive (no, not me!)
"Bwana," by Lindsey Buckingham

Day 156, June 5: Best Flicks of 2011 ...

So Far

Just attended my favorite movie of the year, so far: "Win Win." It's a sports movie with something extra (or, as Kris says, a very good movie with some sports in it.) Either way, it's my No. 1 through June 5. Here is my Top 10.
1. "Win Win"
2. "Hanna"
3. "The Lincoln Lawyer"
4. "Thor"
5. "Limitless"
6. "Water for Elephants"
7. "Of Gods and Men"
8. "Unknown"
9. "The Conspirator"
10. "The Source Code"
Just missed: "Rango" and "Certified Copy."

Day 155, June 4: Food Groups

My Favorite Musical Artists

With Food in Their Names

There are many artists with food and drink in their names. Here are the ones I like best.

Top 10

Black Eyed Peas
Blue Oyster Cult
Bread
Cake
The Cranberries
Cream
Hot Chocolate
Iron & Wine
The Raspberries
Sugar Ray
Honorable mention: Bananrama, Bowling for Soup, Chuck Berry, the Lemon Pipers, Meat Loaf, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Smashing Pumpkins, Wild Cherry.

Day 154, June 3: Songs & Digits

Some Favorite Tunes
With Numbers in the Title
My next several posts will deal with music and some of my odd lists. Today, it's my favorites songs with numbers in their titles.
Top 10
"Billion Dollar Babies," Alice Cooper
"867-5309 (Jenny)," Tommy Tutone
"Eight Days a Week," The Beatles
"If I Had a Million Dollar Dollars," Barenaked Ladies
"In the Year 2525," Zager & Evans
"Knock Three Times," Dawn
"Mambo No. 9," Lou Bega
"1,2,3,4" Plain White Ts"Seven Nation Army," The White Stripes
"Three Times a Lady," The Commodores
Honorable mention: "25 or 6 to 4," Chicago; "29 Palms," Robert Plant; "30 Days in the Hole," Humble Pie; "96 Tears," Question Mark and the Mysterians; "99," Toto; "19th Nervous Breakdown," The Rolling Stones; "Two Divided by Love," The Grassroots.

Day 153, June 2: The Letter Z

Some Favorite Words

That Start With Z

Za: Short for pizza, it's one of the newer words allowed in Scrabble. It can really help!

Zanesville: A town in Ohio with a population of 25,586. It boasts the only Y-shaped bridge in the United States.

Zebra: It's a convenient Z word, but it's also an amazing animal when you think about it.

Zeke: Bratkowski, the former backup QB to former Green Bay Packers QB Bart Starr. My dad used to like laughing about Zeke, but he was a capable backup.

Zeppelin: The flying contraption is pretty cool, but I like this word more for the band Led Zeppelin.

Zimmer: As in Don, the former Boston Red Sox manager and longtime baseball figure. Not the most handsome man in the world, but you'd want him on your team.

Zinfandel: A red wine I grew to finally enjoy without putting ice cubes in the glass. That's right, ice cubes!

Zodiac: Not something I follow for real, but the whole astrology thing is very interesting.

Zonked: A fun word that I believe showed up once in a while during fights on the old Batman TV show.

Z.Z. Top: Great rock group. My friends Ed and Merry and I went back in time a couple of years ago and saw them perform in Dubuque. Great memory.

Day 152, June 1: The Letters X-Y

Some Favorite Words

That Start With X

Xenia: A town in Ohio with 25,917 people. The word means "hospitality." A classic tale of an old city, Xenia once had three railroads passing through it. Today, there are none.

X-Rays: This one makes the list for two reasons: There are few X words I know and I am fascinated by how they look 

after they've been taken.

Xylophone: A cool word and a fun instrument - 

especially the little ones for kids.

Yastrzemski: Carl, of the Red Sox. He's been mentioned in other blog posts, but can you blame a 10-year-old in 1967 for being enamored by such a cool name? A Sox fan ever since. 

(Yankee does not make this list!)

Yes: Imagine how many wonderful things have happened in your life when this word is pronounced. (Forget about the bad things.)

Yiddo Ode Lady: A fictitious character I created with my voice to entertain my youngest son, Shawn, and a few nieces 

when they were young.

YMCA: I've had some great times playing and coaching at the Y. Now my oldest son, Jay, is going to be program director 

at the Maquoketa (Iowa) YMCA.

Yodel: Fun word and fun to watch some good yodelers to their thing.

Yo-Yo: They're fun, though I'm not good at them, plus it's a song by The Osmonds that regretfully I teased a good friend, Tom, about in junior high. (I have strange memories.)

Ypsilanti: Probably one of my Top 25 favorite city names, this town of 22,362 is in southern Michigan. Domino's Pizza was founded here in 1960 near Eastern Michigan University.