New Well and Pump: $4,000 ///// Running Water: Priceless!

The water flows again! Technically, our water never really stopped flowing. Even while they were installing the new well, we were connected to our old one. The problem--as you know--is that our old well put out about 2gpm (gallons per minute) of water. What that mean for us is that if we were taking a shower and someone happened to run the sink at the exact same time, we'd run out of water. Meaning that I had to run down to the basement and reset the well pump switch.

The 'Well Doctor' finished up the well installation yesterday, but we were still unable to use it because of a clorinization step. Basically, they filled the well and our plumbing with cholrine and left it to sit for 24 hours.

Around 1pm today, I started running the water through the outside garden hose. We left it running for about an hour and a half. Our instructions were to run it until we didn't smell chlorine anymore. After that, it was time to open up the faucets inside and flush out the chorinated water. Step 3: Turn the water softener back on. Last step: Take a shower! This last step was not in the instrucitons, but I had to work at WDIV today.

Our water pressure is great. I'm guessing that in the house, we get about 8-10 gpm instead of the 2-3 we were used to. Watching the well pressure downstairs, it seems to work like clockwork. The well is rated for 50+ gallons of water per minute. Not too shabby.

So, the bottom line is this: We're not thirlled to spend $4,120 for a new well setup. But, we are enjoying the new found pressure! And it might just be me, but the water seems to be more pure, too!

Just Saying Hello

Hello! I haven't posted much in a while. My New Year's Resolution should be to do more, I guess.

Christmas at the Ryan's

Each Christmas, Jennie and I spend time at her aunt Janet and uncle Jack.

Pistons Mania

My pal Dayna hard at work in master control. We are Pistons partners, meaning I sit here and she runs the show!!

Cable6.org Gets a Facelift

I've spent the last week working on the new www.cable6.org website. Paul Dingeman and I have been discussing for some time the possibility of adding streaming and video-on-demand content to the site. This seemed like the best time to do it.

Although not totally complete, I'm happy with the first version of the site. I am trying to give visitors easy access to what they are looking for. Most visitors come for three reasons:
First, they are looking to for the phone number of the station. Second, they want to know the schedule. Third, they want to re-watch something they saw on TV. So, these three tasks will be easily accessible from the home page.

I am also adding some other unique features. One is a photo gallery to showcase different events. Next is an online bulletin board submission form. Finally, a volunteer and show idea forum where viewers can be more involved.

I told Paul to wait until Christmas week to mention the new site. I want to make sure it looks nice and is 100% functional before then.

The Pressure is On

It's 8:40 am and I'm sitting in a classroom that is dead quiet except for the sound of my fingers typing on my keyboard and 24 computer mice clicking. I am administering our Adobe Photoshop CS2 Certification Exam to my morning class right now. 86 questions, 90 minutes, multiple choice. We've spent the last couple of months learning the ins and outs of the program and this is their chance to shine.

I had to re-start the exam 15 minutes into it because I found a flaw in my system. It turns out that students were able to submit questions and then go back and change them if they were wrong. They could do so until they got them right. They lost a fraction of a point each time they did that, but it was still not good. So, I quickly re-built the exam and had them all start again.

Be sure to check out my new blog, 10blogs.blogspot.com. I plan on visiting 10 blogger blogs--at random--each day. My hope is to encourage all blog viewers and creaters to take time to view others' work.

New Blog Look...Same Minty Taste!

Okay, I've been struggling with the look of my blog recently. Part of me really wants to dress it up and have it look snazzy. That is the unrealistic part of me that actually thinks I would put in the necessary time to keep it looking that way.

So, I'm settling for another fine Blogger template.

I've re-dedicating myself to the art of blogging. I'm going to be better about attempting to post at least a little something 3 days a week. My wife (tivochangedmylife.blogspot.com) manages to out-do me in this arena at the moment. I tell her it's because I don't have my own MacBook Pro to use while watching television. So far, she's not buying that one. Anyway, if you want, follow the link on the right to her blog and check it out!

Bruce aka Plumber Extrodinaire

Look Dad! I should have been a plumber! We had an unfortunate back up of waste water at the homestead about a week ago. As a result, this little thingy here--we'll call it the water softener drain--got clogged up. I had to cut the old one at the pipe you see running in the back there, and build a new one.

I improved upon the previous design by adding a trap with a thread rather than just a curved piece. That way, if it clogs in the future, I can just unscrew it! Genius...

Hey...new Hair

This one's for Jennie!

Shameless Self-Promotion

This is the sign outside our school. Thought I'd let the county know what I was up to!

Fix-a-Flat

Not this one! The tire was gone!

Wow! A television station!

Camping Out in the Cold? Just say Wii!

We stopped by Target on the way home to return something (and look for something to buy that we really didn' need) when we came aross these dedicated souls waiting to get their hands on the Nintendo Wii set to come out Sunday. I heard on the radio that Nintendo was able to produce enough units to meet most demands. I'm guessing that Genessee county is not going to be one of those hot spots that will run out. But what do I know, anyway.

The Wii seems like a pretty nifty little unit. I haven't purchased a new gaming console in quite some time, but if I were to count up my pennies and go out to purchase one today, I'm thinking the Wii would be the way to go. The system has an interesting new interactive remote control that is designed to make you 'feel' like you're a part of the game. But, they have 'retro' controllers that are available as well. That's nice. Plus, Wii is backward-compatible with older Nintendo system games. You can even but all of the classics, now available on DVD.

So, we'll see how the Wii frenzy pans out today. I hope they leave one for me!!

Walking through the Bronner's Christmas Tree Forest

Spending time in Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland is always a good time. Jennie and I have never been here as a couple (as best we can remember.) The store is a good primer for the upcoming holiday season. I think I am offically in the Christmas mood!

We decided to take our impromptu Frankenmuth trip after spending some time at Birch Run.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like....

Bronner's CHRISTMAS Wonderland display (a little blurry...darn camera phones!)

One Word to Describe (and it's NOT Wolf!)

I have been officially scared by a store. If you'd have asked me before yesterday whether this was possible, I would have answered with a resounding NO! But this business located at an outlet mall has everything...literally! From trains, to wolves....to lighthouses, to wolves....to dragons and wolves. This store is really your one-stop shop for everything, um........
tacky. Take this 3D bust of a wolf on a dark-green velvet-matted frame! Only $299

If you'd like the address, please contact me.

The North Face

Check out Jennie's fab new hat!

Look Mom, New Template

I found the last design of Bruce-2-Go to be a little to....blah. So, here's the new (temporary) look!

I know...I know...

This "Bruce-2-Go" look is not as good as the last. I'm updating it tonight!

Champions

on our way to the Skills USA Fall Leadership Conferences

It's Getting Hot in Here...

But please, leave your clothes on! Jennie spent the weekend 'mowing and raking' while I was at WDIV in Detroit. Yesterday, we moved the piles from the front yard to the fire pit. You're looking at the result. At one point, we had flames 15 feet high (we've got a LOT of leaves.) Still need to burn the leaves from the back yard.

We love all of our wonderful, old trees...except in the fall.

:)

Canine Carry-Out

No wonder Daisy is spoiled! Here she is enjoying some left over Filet Mignon AND Top Sirloin steak! Also, a little potato with sour cream.
:)

Hallow'een at Greenfield Village

Jennie lOOOOves Donuts

Here we see Jennie enjoying her donut lunch. The "O"s in the headline represent the number of dounuts she ate in about 5 minutes (4).

:)

Dear Detroit Tigers...

Dear Detroit Tigers,

THANKS FOR A GREAT SEASON!

Yours Truly,

BH

read more in the Detroit Free Press

Rain Out

This pic was taken outside of The Henry Ford, where Jennie and I spent some time Friday night. We were there to shoot an event going on, but it rained all night!!

Come on Tigers

I didn't watch the game last night past the 6th inning, but from what I hear, it was probably for the best. Our Tigers are down 3 games to 1 in the World Series.

Tune in to any morning radio show--or better yet, those sports talk shows where you have to YELL everything you say--and people are starting to get depressed.

I say, get over it Detroit. It's been 22 years since we've had anything remotely close to a winning team and it's fun to see the Tigers to so far. Truth be told, we may not win the Series. But it's been a hell of a ride.

Translation: I don't want to have to work the Victory Parade. :)

North 42 Media...Now in HD!

Our new Panasonic HVX-200 DVCPRO HD camcorder has finally arrived!

Just take a look at this beauty! We have a few larger projects coming up that warranted the purchase of a new camera. The thing with the blue screen on the left is a 100 gig hard drive which connects and mounts to the camera. This camera can record on miniDV tape, but only in 480i mode (not HD.) It's primary method of recording is on the new P2 cards, which are basically flash memory cards (about the size of a network card for a laptop) which fit into the back. But, if you're doing a lot of HD (like we plan to,) then 2-8gig cards won't be enough. That's why we got the external drive as well.

In a few weeks, we plan some additional purchases, like a matte box and filters for the front. You may want to start looking on YouTube for the latest North 42 videos!

I'd write more, but I must play with the new toy!!!

Accordian-Style Doors

Jennie and I made our first trip to "The Whiting" in Flint Tuesday night for a special show. We found ourselves there after I saw a flyer at Michigan Radio a couple of weeks ago.

We were doing our semi-annual volunteer work during the Michigan Radio pledge drive, when I noticed that--for a pledge of $300--you could get tickets and a special meet-and-greet opportunity with Garrison Keillor. No, we did not take that deal. We actually opted for the Ira Glass "This American Life" 2-CD set (we are now also day sponsors!)

However, seeing that Garrison was coming to Flint prompted me to ask Jennie if we could go. She (semi reluctantly) agreed. I am a big fan! I was introduced to Garrison Keillor after seeing a series on the Disney Channel early in my youth. I also started reading "Lake Wobegon Days" at the age of 8 or 9 (a book I borrowed from Dad.) So I've always been fond of his amazing storytelling abilities. If you don't know of Garrison Keillor or "Lake Wobegon Days" or "A prairie Home Companion," it's time to get educated on one of the best storytellers of all time. Just do a Google search!

Anyway, I purchased tickets for the balcony (all that was left.) Since I knew the experience was primarily an auditory one, our seat location didn't matter much. However, it turned out to be our lucky night! We ran into a friend who was there. He was handing out those promotional tickets, and he had a no-show. So, we were upgraded to orchestra-center AND got to participate in the meet-and-greet!

I can now tell you from experience that Mr. Keillor is tall! He's also just as funny in person as he is on the radio. We talked a bit about modern TV and radio education and how we both agreed that knowing how to do a formatted show is only part of the equation. Knowing how to keep interest and tell a good story is the other--and probably more important.

I told Garrison we'd come see him in St. Paul sometime soon!

My My "MySpace"

Okay. I've had a MySpace account for a while (directorbruce if you're curious!) But, being a teacher of high school students, I've avoided doing much with it in the past. It's not that I think my students are a bunch of jerks who will give me a hard time if they come across my-space. It's more about the challenge of keeping professional life and personal life separated.

For example: Right now, I have Howard Stern as one of my friends (whether it's really Stern or not is irrelevant. I just think it is funny to have him on there!) Now, any one of my friends will understand and appreciate my friend Howard. However, I worry about my students thinking that I condone everything he stands for.

Like I said, personal life and professional life need some distance. So, we'll see how it goes.

Paradise Found!

Jennie and I did lunch at "The Daily Grind" in Imlay City today. It was delicious as usual. Then, we went on a quest to find the small town of Lum. Lum was "ho-hum", but on the way back, we found another slice of paradise. I assume this is Mitchell Lake, since it was on Mitchell Lake Road, but no matter what lake it is, it's very picturesque.

Fall...A Few of My Favorite Things

There are really so many things to love about fall already. But....for the record. My top 3 are:

-CIDER

-DONUTS

-APPLE PIE

Shopping @ Somerset

For some reason, I was at The Somerset Collection this week. Ah, I had to drop a video project off in Troy. Anyway, I took the opportunity to snap this photo from the 2nd floor--on my way to the 3rd floor food court (no wonder I've gained weight!)

Bless You Boys!

The Tigs took a big step towards becoming World Series Champions tonight. In a bottom of the 9th Magglio Ordonez home run, the Detroit Tigers broke their 3-3 stalemate with the A's and won 6-3.

I am at WDIV tonight enjoying the atmosphere of the league champs as the town celebrates the win. We did our normal 6pm newscast and then waited for the final hit--the 3 run homer--before hitting the airwaves to do some post-game coverage. Things were rocky, but that's what makes live television great. It was so loud that the reporters really had a hard time hearing what I was trying to tell them.

I think I heard that World Series game tickets go on sale Monday morning and you can bet that I'm going to try (at least for an hour or so) to get my hands on a pair. I think that would be a unique experience.

Go Tigers!

The White Stuff

October 12, 2006. The first snow of the year.

And the snow kept falling

Well, this will be a good tire test for the Saab!

An inch of snow?

Not quite, but the ground was covered quite nicely. Still snowing this evening (11:55pm)

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There's a Nip in the Air

How approproiate that on the evening of my first day back to school, the thermometer reads in the mid-60s. Definitely a fall evening here in Lapeer County!

"Crim de la Crim"

I am not what you call a motivated runner. This is ironic considering my father has literally run around the world...almost twice!! He's been running since he was 28.

I like to run, I just have a hard time getting in to that mental frame of mind I need to be in. I easily distract myself with thoughts of the other things I need to accomplish during the next hour, day, week and year. I'm hoping to work on this problem.

Anyway, Jennie convinced me that I needed to sign up for the Crim this year. The Crim is a festival or races held every August in Flint, MI. I agreed to do the 5K. My goal was to break 30 minutes, which I am happy to report I did! My time this year was 29:48--a goal to beat for the next one. Jennie did awesome...beat me by almost a minute!

End of Summer Nearing

Although Summer officially continues for a few more weeks, the end of summer is nearer for me. I have already started teaching at St. Clair County Community College two days a week and Lapeer ETC starts this week with two days of professional development before students arrive the day after Labor Day.

I'd say on a scale of 1-10, I'm at about a 7 for my Interactive Media class. I moved classes this year and I still have a lot of work to do before day 1 of class. This is my main concern.

I feel pretty good about everything else. The curriculum is coming along--since this is only year two, I've got more work to do again this year. We hired a paraprofessional to help with class. She has lab experience and will be a much needed asset to the program. My goal is to make IM the premier digital media class in the state. Then, I'll work on the country.

I'm thinking about putting in a proposal to speak at MACUL this year on how to start a successful digital media program. We'll see!

Producer: 11pm News: Clevelend: Ohio

Yes, Todd really does work!

It's hard to believe, I know!

A "SAAB" Story

About a month ago, it became obvious that it would not be long before our two-car family once again became a three-car family. We have a lease car. When we leased it, Jennie was only driving a few miles each way to work. Then, we moved and I was only driving a few miles to work. At least that was true for one of my 'works.' Last winter I picked up some classes in Port Huron which made it necessary for me to take that 90 mile round-trip route three days a week. Add that to an already busy freelance schedule at WDIV (140 miles RT) and I was racking up the miles on the Pacifica.

In the past, we always had three cars for this reason (my inability to only work at one job!) But, we sold our 2000 Neon last spring, assuming we would not need it anymore.

As I scoured ebay, I missed out on some killer deals! So, when I saw this 95 Saab 900se turbo convertible for a great price I jumped on it. I contacted the buyer on a Tuesday and was on a plane that Thursday headed for Erie, PA. I picked up the car and then headed to Cleveland to see Todd.

I got in to Cleveland about the time Todd had to go to work. No problem for me, though, since I wanted to clean up the car a bit anyway. So, after checking out the Downtown scene, I headed town the interstate until I happened upon a shopping Mecca (very nice, except that the backdrop was a garbage dump!) Spent some time there, ate at Chipotle and headed to see Todd at work.

By this time, I had been up for a looonnng time and was starting to feel it. After the tour, I helped Todd produce the 11pm newscast--not really. I did tour the station and chat with a few of his co-workers. Afterwards, we stopped off at an Irish Pub and then headed to his apartment.

I had a good time visiting with Todd, but I had to get back as Jennie's parents were coming to town to run the Crim. So I headed back late Friday morning, stopping only for gas...and traffic jams.

Its 8AM And i am in philadelphia. So what is for breakfast?

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Whoa-Man!

Just who is this good lookin' lady? It's Jennie with a new hair color. Sexy!