For all of you avid readers, I am sorry that it has been so long between posts. I have a great excuse though…WEDDING PLANNING! My wedding is this coming Saturday and I am VERY excited. The wedding will be on Simpson’s campus in the beautiful Smith Chapel.
With a wedding comes planning, and boy have we planned. We have everything in place for a wonderful day and although it has been a lot of work and effort, it will be worth every ribbon tied, and invite envelope licked.
A part of the day that I am really looking forward to is seeing all of our friends. Many of these friends are graduates of Simpson College as well, and it makes me think about how many great times I had during my years at SC. Those friends haven’t been lost, or forgotten, but remain as part of my life, and now Erin’s life too. You will make lifelong friends in college, and the friends I have made at Simpson have helped me become who I am today.
What a wonderful day is upcoming. I get to dedicate my life to the woman that I love in the presence of family and friends.
I’ll be unable to blog for about a week and a half, but bear with me as I am sure that I’ll have some great new material after my trip to Jamaica with my WIFE!
GO STORM-
Andy
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Back in the day...
“Back in the day, I remember…”
I CAN’T BELIEVE I SAID THAT!
So there I was at the Subway in Sioux Center after a day of visiting high schools. A young boy was ordering ahead of me and when I rattled off my order of “footlong spicy Italian on white with double American cheese”, he turned to me and said, “man, you must eat at Subway a lot!”
“Well, I do eat at Subway a lot” I responded, “but I also worked there when I was in high school and college.”
The woman making my sandwich started talking to me about when I had worked at Subway and then it came out. The “back in my day (I am officially getting old)” saying. I mentioned that when I had started working at Subway we didn’t have pizzas, no special sauces, the choice of white or wheat bread, and BMT’s that had bologna on them and came pre-made on a sheet of deli paper. Nobody cared about how many grams of fat were in their subs. They cared about them tasting good.
I look back and think that it wasn’t that long ago. I applied to work at Subway on my 16th birthday, only 9 years ago. Times are changing quick, and these changes are offering more options, but they also complicate the process. It made me think about how some of the things that people, and myself, enjoy the most are the simple things in life. A picnic with a sandwich, a bag of chips, and some Coke-pretty simple, and a lot of fun! A cold glass of iced tea and a bologna sandwich after mowing the lawn on a hot day-very easy, yet very nice and refreshing. A warm cup of coffee on a cold winter morning. Very simple, very comforting.
In today’s world, the picnic would include sushi and 5 courses. The iced tea would be one of 50 different flavorful choices, and the coffee was probably bought at a store where the beans are only found in only the remote and special areas of the world (AKA a 5 dollar up charge). As times begin to change we need to remember that sometimes simple is better and more rewarding. Slow down, take a moment, and look around you. It is fall and the leaves are turning beautiful shades, something that in our hectic lives we might forget to enjoy. It’s simple really, just realize the simple, good things in life and you will “simply” be happy!
So, back in the day may not be all that bad. Maybe I’ll bring some back in the day back to modern day!
GO STORM and enjoy all that is around you!
Andy
I CAN’T BELIEVE I SAID THAT!
So there I was at the Subway in Sioux Center after a day of visiting high schools. A young boy was ordering ahead of me and when I rattled off my order of “footlong spicy Italian on white with double American cheese”, he turned to me and said, “man, you must eat at Subway a lot!”
“Well, I do eat at Subway a lot” I responded, “but I also worked there when I was in high school and college.”
The woman making my sandwich started talking to me about when I had worked at Subway and then it came out. The “back in my day (I am officially getting old)” saying. I mentioned that when I had started working at Subway we didn’t have pizzas, no special sauces, the choice of white or wheat bread, and BMT’s that had bologna on them and came pre-made on a sheet of deli paper. Nobody cared about how many grams of fat were in their subs. They cared about them tasting good.
I look back and think that it wasn’t that long ago. I applied to work at Subway on my 16th birthday, only 9 years ago. Times are changing quick, and these changes are offering more options, but they also complicate the process. It made me think about how some of the things that people, and myself, enjoy the most are the simple things in life. A picnic with a sandwich, a bag of chips, and some Coke-pretty simple, and a lot of fun! A cold glass of iced tea and a bologna sandwich after mowing the lawn on a hot day-very easy, yet very nice and refreshing. A warm cup of coffee on a cold winter morning. Very simple, very comforting.
In today’s world, the picnic would include sushi and 5 courses. The iced tea would be one of 50 different flavorful choices, and the coffee was probably bought at a store where the beans are only found in only the remote and special areas of the world (AKA a 5 dollar up charge). As times begin to change we need to remember that sometimes simple is better and more rewarding. Slow down, take a moment, and look around you. It is fall and the leaves are turning beautiful shades, something that in our hectic lives we might forget to enjoy. It’s simple really, just realize the simple, good things in life and you will “simply” be happy!
So, back in the day may not be all that bad. Maybe I’ll bring some back in the day back to modern day!
GO STORM and enjoy all that is around you!
Andy
A man named Ken...
Travel season can be a time of loneliness. During the day it really isn’t. Why? Because I see some of the best students in northwest Iowa during my visits to their schools. But at night it can be a different story. It is just me and that unfamiliar hotel room.
This wasn’t the case a few weeks ago as I stayed in Cherokee. They have a very nice Best Western with a very good steakhouse. At around 6:30 I went to the restaurant and ordered supper. I sat next to an older gentleman that was watching “I Love Lucy” on their television near the salad bar. I introduced myself and he explained that he had to change it to “I Love Lucy” because the news station he had been watching was talking about Brittney Spear’s and her escapades.
We began talking and he said that he was visiting family members all over the Midwest. He had actually come across Iowa the day before venturing from northern Wisconsin. He was doing this as his hobby was tracing his genealogical path and making it into a database to pass along to his family. He was very passionate about this work and he told me about his family's past.
He also spoke about how he had fought in World War II as part of the Marines. He described landing at Iwo Jima and losing numerous friends. He said that his captain had asked him to make a list of men that would actually make the landing, which he replied that he couldn’t do. He couldn’t pick the friends that would more than likely parish.
He also went into the story of losing his wife and first son in a four month time period. You could tell that he really loved his wife, and we talked about how I would be married within a month. He gave me some advice including that my ears should be much larger than my mouth, and that a small gesture of love never hurts, even if you know that you love one another.
He told story after story ranging from what his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids do today to NASCAR trivia and our favorite drivers. (He wasn’t a big fan of NASCAR, but I think I convinced him to be a Stewart fan)!
After I ate that night and the man went up to his room, I thought about how nice it was to speak to somebody with that perspective on life. He had great things that had happened to him, and horrible things that were a part of his life, but he smiled and laughed because he knew that the good things were what we live for, and the bad just made him stronger.
Hearing a few stories from somebody that has “experienced” life can really help steer you in the right direction, or at least put you in the right state of mind. Take the time to call a parent, a grandparent, and just talk. Not about the hustle and bustle, but about what makes them, well, them. Remember the days of sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of your grandparents as they told you about the days of “no television and walking to school in a foot of snow, uphill both ways”? I do, and the way I look at it is that I can still sit cross-legged, and I am sure there are still some great stories to be heard!
Have a great day and Ken, if you are reading this…thanks for the company!
GO STORM-
Andy
This wasn’t the case a few weeks ago as I stayed in Cherokee. They have a very nice Best Western with a very good steakhouse. At around 6:30 I went to the restaurant and ordered supper. I sat next to an older gentleman that was watching “I Love Lucy” on their television near the salad bar. I introduced myself and he explained that he had to change it to “I Love Lucy” because the news station he had been watching was talking about Brittney Spear’s and her escapades.
We began talking and he said that he was visiting family members all over the Midwest. He had actually come across Iowa the day before venturing from northern Wisconsin. He was doing this as his hobby was tracing his genealogical path and making it into a database to pass along to his family. He was very passionate about this work and he told me about his family's past.
He also spoke about how he had fought in World War II as part of the Marines. He described landing at Iwo Jima and losing numerous friends. He said that his captain had asked him to make a list of men that would actually make the landing, which he replied that he couldn’t do. He couldn’t pick the friends that would more than likely parish.
He also went into the story of losing his wife and first son in a four month time period. You could tell that he really loved his wife, and we talked about how I would be married within a month. He gave me some advice including that my ears should be much larger than my mouth, and that a small gesture of love never hurts, even if you know that you love one another.
He told story after story ranging from what his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids do today to NASCAR trivia and our favorite drivers. (He wasn’t a big fan of NASCAR, but I think I convinced him to be a Stewart fan)!
After I ate that night and the man went up to his room, I thought about how nice it was to speak to somebody with that perspective on life. He had great things that had happened to him, and horrible things that were a part of his life, but he smiled and laughed because he knew that the good things were what we live for, and the bad just made him stronger.
Hearing a few stories from somebody that has “experienced” life can really help steer you in the right direction, or at least put you in the right state of mind. Take the time to call a parent, a grandparent, and just talk. Not about the hustle and bustle, but about what makes them, well, them. Remember the days of sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of your grandparents as they told you about the days of “no television and walking to school in a foot of snow, uphill both ways”? I do, and the way I look at it is that I can still sit cross-legged, and I am sure there are still some great stories to be heard!
Have a great day and Ken, if you are reading this…thanks for the company!
GO STORM-
Andy
Thursday, October 11, 2007
A Story That Should Be Told…
Today I was at one of my high school visits and heard something that should be shared with the masses. Sometimes we focus on the bad in the world…just look at the 10 o’clock news. Well today was a DIFFERENT story. It reminded me that this world does have GOOD PEOPLE, doing GREAT THINGS.
I was speaking with the guidance counselor at Manson Northwest Webster High School this morning and he mentioned that he was also the head football coach. I asked how the year was going and he said that it had been a tough year, but his men were working hard. He then stated that the flood at the beginning of the year required them to miss the first 8 of 14 practices before their first game.
He then went into a story that made me want to write this blog. He said that when the flood occurred, that the football team came together and placed an ad in the local newspaper offering their help in cleaning out basements of homes that had been affected by the flood waters. The team didn’t have to do this, they could have been practicing, lifting weights, studying film, or going over playbooks, but instead, they did what GOOD PEOPLE do, they helped those in need.
The coach/guidance counselor explained that Manson had numerous elderly households and they needed to reach out to those that supported them on Friday nights. The team cleaned 40 basements of flooded houses. These young men deserve to be recognized as they went above and beyond in a time of need.
It made me feel really good leaving the school this morning thinking about how there are great stories out there that people should hear about. You often hear the phrase “kids these days”…well, the “kids these days” that volunteered are darn good kids!
So as you go through your day to day, remember to think about those that may need your help, and even though good deeds often go unnoticed, your own heart and soul will feel the benefits of lending a helping hand!
GO STORM!
Andy
I was speaking with the guidance counselor at Manson Northwest Webster High School this morning and he mentioned that he was also the head football coach. I asked how the year was going and he said that it had been a tough year, but his men were working hard. He then stated that the flood at the beginning of the year required them to miss the first 8 of 14 practices before their first game.
He then went into a story that made me want to write this blog. He said that when the flood occurred, that the football team came together and placed an ad in the local newspaper offering their help in cleaning out basements of homes that had been affected by the flood waters. The team didn’t have to do this, they could have been practicing, lifting weights, studying film, or going over playbooks, but instead, they did what GOOD PEOPLE do, they helped those in need.
The coach/guidance counselor explained that Manson had numerous elderly households and they needed to reach out to those that supported them on Friday nights. The team cleaned 40 basements of flooded houses. These young men deserve to be recognized as they went above and beyond in a time of need.
It made me feel really good leaving the school this morning thinking about how there are great stories out there that people should hear about. You often hear the phrase “kids these days”…well, the “kids these days” that volunteered are darn good kids!
So as you go through your day to day, remember to think about those that may need your help, and even though good deeds often go unnoticed, your own heart and soul will feel the benefits of lending a helping hand!
GO STORM!
Andy
Saturday, October 6, 2007
If I Could Write a Letter...To Me...
Since I am on the road 6 days of the week, I get the opportunity to listen to some great tunes as I cruise down the highways and byways of northwest Iowa. This past week as I was driving from Harlan to Odebolt, I heard a new song by Brad Paisley called “Letter To Me.” It is about writing a letter back to yourself at the age of seventeen and talking about how even though sometimes everything doesn’t seem to be going your way, things turn out well in the end.
This made me think, and also buy Brad’s newest CD “5th Gear”. I thought about me at seventeen. I was a junior at Harlan Community High School. I loved to play golf, was in the band, studied hard, and hung out with a great group of friends. Then I thought a little more. When I was seventeen, I would have never imagined that I would be where I am today. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was good at a lot of things, but I didn’t have a passion for any 1 thing.
The song talks about doing things right, but also about sticking your neck out and doing something that you may not have done “back in the day” as it would help in the future. He even has a line in there about taking a Spanish class in high school. I think a lot of prospective students dislike their foreign language courses, but in hindsight, they really do help.
My letter to myself would include a lot of things that I am glad that I did. I am glad that I attended Simpson. I am glad that I took the opportunity to break out of my shell and give tours to prospective families as an ambassador. Heck, this was a life changer as one, it helped me learn not to be so darn shy, and two, it led me to my career.
In my letter I would also talk about not worrying about that date that went bad, or the girl that said “no” when you asked for a dance. Why not worry about it, because those rejections led to me meeting my fiancée and starting a wonderful life together. It is hard to see the future, or the bright side of a current bad situation, but if you just try to focus on the positive aspects of life, you will definitely end up with a lot of great stories to put in that letter about your current life.
Just look at me now…I have a wonderful fiancée, have the best family anyone could ask for, have the cutest dog that brings a smile to my face daily, and a job that I go to each and every day because I enjoy it! Don’t let the hard times get you down. Rise to the occasion and start making some of the stories that you can write about in your letter to yourself!
Brad Paisley really puts things into perspective with this song. Take a listen sometime and take it in.
GO STORM!
Andy
This made me think, and also buy Brad’s newest CD “5th Gear”. I thought about me at seventeen. I was a junior at Harlan Community High School. I loved to play golf, was in the band, studied hard, and hung out with a great group of friends. Then I thought a little more. When I was seventeen, I would have never imagined that I would be where I am today. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. I was good at a lot of things, but I didn’t have a passion for any 1 thing.
The song talks about doing things right, but also about sticking your neck out and doing something that you may not have done “back in the day” as it would help in the future. He even has a line in there about taking a Spanish class in high school. I think a lot of prospective students dislike their foreign language courses, but in hindsight, they really do help.
My letter to myself would include a lot of things that I am glad that I did. I am glad that I attended Simpson. I am glad that I took the opportunity to break out of my shell and give tours to prospective families as an ambassador. Heck, this was a life changer as one, it helped me learn not to be so darn shy, and two, it led me to my career.
In my letter I would also talk about not worrying about that date that went bad, or the girl that said “no” when you asked for a dance. Why not worry about it, because those rejections led to me meeting my fiancée and starting a wonderful life together. It is hard to see the future, or the bright side of a current bad situation, but if you just try to focus on the positive aspects of life, you will definitely end up with a lot of great stories to put in that letter about your current life.
Just look at me now…I have a wonderful fiancée, have the best family anyone could ask for, have the cutest dog that brings a smile to my face daily, and a job that I go to each and every day because I enjoy it! Don’t let the hard times get you down. Rise to the occasion and start making some of the stories that you can write about in your letter to yourself!
Brad Paisley really puts things into perspective with this song. Take a listen sometime and take it in.
GO STORM!
Andy
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