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2008 Team Wrestling Quarterfinals
Kellogg Arena, Battle Creek
Feb. 29
Click on Division for Summaries
DIVISION 1 | DIVISION 2 | DIVISION 3 | DIVISION 4
Division 1
Davison 41, Canton 21
Holt 34, Hartland 19
Temperance Bedford 36, Rockford 32
Lake Orion 38, Harrison Township L’Anse Creuse 26
Once a wrestling cheerleader, always a wrestling cheerleader.
Also, check out the new and “being improved” Bedford Wrestling site. http://bedfordwrestling.com/
I was going to hold off until my usual Random Tuesday to do this one, but I just loved it too much.
Let me just say, I LOOOOOOOOVE Battlestar Galactica. Probably more than is healthy. It’s coming back in April. If you’ve never watched, enjoy sci fi and are looking for something during the long summer of repeats (or writer’s strike draught), do get the season 1 dvd and start from there.
| I Am Fairly Normal |
 But I’m not a completely normal person. I am a little weird too!Why I am Normal: I’d rather have rats than cockroaches in myhome I would eat meat from a cloned animal I eat the frosting first If I had to, I’d rather live without music and still have laughter I prefer ruffled potato chips Why I’m Not Normal: I prefer a good nap to a good meal I would rather be a movie star than an astronaut I would rather be tan than pale When I’m in a car, I prefer to be the passenger I prefer my family to my friends |
See, now this one is way off, I think. I am way weirder than this portrays. How about you?
Congratulations to Temperance Animal Hospital for 30 years in business. They held an open house today. I may have mentioned this before, but my daughter is a bit of a horse/puppy freak and has insisted (for about 2 years now), that she’s going to be a horsie vet. I get that we’re a long way off from those types of decisions, but she’s steadfast for now. While driving to the car wash, I decided to take her over.
She had a WONDERFUL time. The highlight was peforming Teddy Bear surgery. With the help of one of the real live veterinarians, she selected a wounded stuffed puppy from a basket and got to assist in sewing it back up. Meanwhile, whoever’s running around Temperance slicing up stuffed animals needs to be stopped 
She hasn’t put the thing down since. Our new stuffed puppy’s name is Sugar Creme Cakes (catchy). Here she is feeling much better.
(Er…and in case you think I’m trying to be like Michael Jackson…I get that a lot…They gave all of the kids surgical masks and hats to wear).
Sooo, I of course polled some of the experts regarding what type of doggie might be best for us (recall, low shedding, medium to small sized, good with kids are our current parameters). I mostly got a “good luck with that.” Kidding. Poodle mix still seems to be the advice of choice.
Anyway, kudos again to the great folks at T.A.H. We never did make it to the car wash.
Friday, February 22, 2008
AP
Elmo has a dark side, one Florida family says.
It sounds like something the talking doll Chucky from the movies might say: “Kill James!” Instead, a Florida family says the threat to their toddler is coming from a talking Elmo doll.
The Bowman family, of Lithia, Fla., said an Elmo doll belonging to their 2-year-old son, James, began to spout death threats towards him after they changed its batteries, TBO.com reports.
The Elmo Knows Your Name Doll started saying “Kill James!” in a sing-song voice, the site reports.
“It’s not something that really you would think would ever come out of a toy,” James’ mother, Melissa, told the site. “But once I heard, I was just kind of distraught.”
The toy’s manufacturer, Fisher-Price, said it will issue the Bowmans a voucher for a replacement doll, TBO.com reports.
UPDATE: So Joanne and Amy got the ax. So far, my predictions are spot on. I am Nostradamus. (seriously, these were pretty obvious).
Ok, so I’m going to live-blog American Idol again now that we’re through the dreaded audition rounds. I was going to start last night, but frankly, I found the entire two hours to be awful but for the Australian Jim Morrison-Guy at the end. That said, I hate when they sing anything from the Doors. There can be only one Jim Morrision, everyone else just reminds me that they are NOT Jim Morrison. So anyway, the contestants are continuing to sing songs from the 60’s. Onward! (Also…I’m aware I need work on my photography of the TV skills.)
00:10 Christy Cook (I think that’s her name…I-sold-my-horse-girl). Already, I’m annoyed. I am SICK of hearing “Rescue Me.” I know we’re in season 1,002, but please, not again. I also think there should be a ban on Whitney, Mariah and Celine songs. Even if they’re the ones singing them. Truly. M’yeah, the judges seem to agree it was not stellar.
00:16 Joanne Borghella. Dionne Warwick is always a good choice, IMHO. That said, “a little pitchy dawg.” She got better as she went along though. HA! Randy Jackson and I are like one mind in two bodies!
00:25 Alaina Whitaker. ”[My wish is that] I don’t want to go home on my birthday and for my family, some great shoes.” All right! Oh, wait a minute she’s 16. I’m not going to make fun of a 16 year old. At least not tonight. Is it me or does this girl look a little like a blonde Barbie Benton? Hmmm, she’s 16, blonde, and looks like Barbie Benton. We are like two bodies with one mind!
00:35 Amanda Overmeyer. She was one of my favorites from the auditions. The rock and roll nurse. Oooh, but I don’t like the scatting. Is that what you call it? I hate that. Ooooh. I’m sorry, I couldn’t understand a single word she sang. I’m getting old.
00:46 Amy Davis. Ok. This is painful. I can’t even… I don’t think I can bear to hear what the judges have to say.
00:51 Brooke (Mia Farrow) White. I want her hair. I like her. Did Ryan just say “there are people who live without cynicism?” Hmmm. Maybe, but I don’t want to sit next to them at a party
1:01 Alexandria Lushington. Another 16 year old. Is it just me, that “Spinning Wheel” song reminds of being car sick once when I was maybe 6. I don’t know why. But, she was good. She didn’t make me car sick. Oh, but it’s not Alexandria. It’s Alex and Drea, apparently. Also, it makes me tense when Ryan and Simon fight.
1:14 Kady Malloy. Ok, she’s 18. Open season 
Wait a minute. “Groovy Kind of Love” is not a 60’s song is it? Ok, the backstage Britney Spears impression was more memorable than this performance. That said, the judges are a little harsh here. “When you’re somebody else, you’re fantastic.” Ouch. She looks like she’s going to kill Simon. Be afraid, be very afraid.
1:19 Asia’h Epperson. Oh, wait. I think she was my favorite from the auditions. Ok, in the hands (voice) of someone who can actually sing, “Peace of My Heart” is one of the greatest rock and roll songs ever, I think. In the hands (voice) of someone who cannot actually sing, it is a trainwreck. This girl can sing. Yay! She’s cute, she’s bouncy (I had to finally pause the thing to get a picture that wasn’t a blur of earrings).
1:28 Ramiele Malubay (I’m not even going to pretend that’s the right way to spell it.) I don’t know if live-blogging etc. is interfering w/ my judgment, but I just want this girl to pep it up! But, she’s going to stick around. As Randy likes to say, the girl can blow.
1:38 Syesha Mercado. Tobacco Road. It seemed like she kind of yelled that. I don’t really like the yell-singers. I really like the sing-singers. Maybe that’s just me. That’s why I’m not a huge Mariah fan.
1:48 Carly (Controversy) Smithson. This was the girl who got all of the press this week for having a (defunct) record contract prior to the show. I don’t know. I guess I don’t care as long as she’s entertaining. That said, when you say stuff like, “I’m not here to be the diva or the prima donna” that usually means you already are. I’m just sayin’. Also, she looks like Cher. She’s very good. Again though, with these slow ballads. Pep it up people! That’s my advice.
My prediction? We will be saying goodbye to 2 out of 3 of Christy, Joanne and Amy.
Ugh. All in all, I’m feeling a little underwhelmed by the newbies. So far, I’m not thinking this is the Best 24 We’ve Ever Had. We shall see!
Dec out!
Ugh. I didn’t want to leave my last post. Truly, I wanted to leave it up forever, but it’s time to move on. There will be more stories of my grandparents to come. For today, I’m going in a “whole nother” direction.
My daughter….bored on a rainy Sunday asked if she could draw me some pretty pictures. It sounded like a marvelous plan to me. I gave her her tablet of colored paper, pencils and crayons and busied myself with laundry.
A few minutes later. She gave me her latest masterpiece and asked me to hang it on the fridge. This is what she drew.
What does it look like to you?
Give up?
Here is the answer key:
Yeah. That’s what I thought too.
Also, yesterday, I overheard the following exchange between my children:
Daughter (to her brother): I’m hungry, I want a banana. Will you go get me one?
Son: Uh. No. I’m not your slave.
Daughter: (whines) I’m not trying to treat you like a slave. I just want you to go get it!
Um, according to my husband, I use the same logic on him all the time. I think he is mistaken.
Ninety years ago, some pretty remarkable things happened in the world. The country was on the verge of a devastating influenza pandemic, the waning months of World War I, and in the middle of Woodrow Wilson’s presidency. But, in the predominantly Polish north end of Toledo, something else happened in the dead of winter on February 17, 1918. Stanislaw (Stanley) Kordowski, my grandfather, was born. Just a few years before that, his parents–Roman and Rosalia Kordowski–emigrated from Poland with the hopes of a better life for themselves and their family. In the end, they achieved that, but the path they travelled was harder than they ever could have wanted. If they’d known what was to come, they might well have stayed home.
Just a few years after Stanley’s birth, Roman was dead of a heart attack. I don’t think he’d even reached his 40th birthday. In the midst of the Great Depression, he left behind a wife who was still learning English and five young children of whom Stanley was the first. But…Rosalia was strong (her fashion sense, not so much, see below) and her son learned well from her. By the age of seven, Stanley was working to help provide for his family, his mother, his younger brother and three sisters. He grew up proud and loved with a strong work ethic and unwavering sense of duty. Stanley was a survivor. He was unbelievably stubborn, just like his mother. Neither of them had a choice. He took advantage of Roosevelt’s New Deal and went to work for the Civilian Conservation Corps. He’d later count that among one of the best times of his life. He got paid. He got to see different parts of the country. He learned. He probably also enjoyed being away from a house full of women
When war broke out again, he joined the Navy with his brother, Chet. 
As did many, he saw the world and unspeakable horrors serving on the U.S.S. Colorado. He provided naval support at the Battle of Tarawa. One day, from the deck of the Colorado, he watched another Navy ship take a devastating torpedo blast. It was most certainly not the first time he’d ever seen such a thing, but this time, on this ship, his baby brother was on board.
For months, in the fog of war, Stanley had no idea whether Chet had lived or died. He must have agonized over what he would eventually have to tell their mother. Then later, while on leave in a bar, he ran into Chet. He was alive and well though recovering from serious wounds. Again, Stan and his brother survived. They would later return home safely to their families.
In 1944, Stanley married the love of his life, Cecelia Minor. She was from the right side of town, beautiful, vibrant, and the catch of the county (a real tomato!). I will tell her story another day, but they had 3 children together and continued their life in Toledo.
Stanley worked for Chrysler as a tool and die maker. His pride, faith and work ethic never left him and he expected nothing less from his own family. He could build anything with his hands and taught all of it to his own son. (That contraption project my sister wrote about? Next Generation Kordowski ingenuity right there!)
Until I grew up, I knew very little of those things about him. He was Grandpa Kordowski. He was quick and funny, proud and neat. He was a terrible driver. ;) He would let me sit on his lap for hours watching mostly wildlife documentaries. He would snore and laugh heartily whenever I teased him about his big nose. It was a strong Polish nose and one that later sprouted on my own face (karma). I have less hair in mine than he did, so at least there’s that. He gave crushing bear hugs and wouldn’t stop until I laughed (or peed). We took walks to the ice cream shop and the library a few blocks from their house (in Trenton, MI by then). On the way there, he took me to a playground that will always be Grandpa’s Park to me. He loved to dance with his wife. He taught me to sing songs in Polish. I never understood why he would laugh so hard when I repeated what he told me. I was sixteen before my grandmother finally threw a roll at him and told me I was singing something about a cow having large breasts.
He came to my school plays, my recitals, later the wrestling meets where all I did was cheer. It didn’t matter, he came. He was there the day I graduated from college in 1993. I only wish I’d known how little time we had left after that. Less than a year. He gave my future husband a ringing endorsement that day, after watching him eat nearly his entire weight in crablegs at a celebratory seafood buffet. “You’re all right kid,” he whispered, his eyes twinkling.
You were all right too Grandpa. We all turned out okay and it’s in large part because of the lessons you taught us about hard work, integrity and family. Busia and Dzia Dzia Kordowski made the right choice (ok, maybe not about the pink shower cap).
I love you and miss you everyday.
This is how I most remember my grandparents.
| You Are Most Like Richard Nixon |
 But you’re actually quite diplomatic, even though you secretly hate your enemies. |
At the risk of getting in to a mildly political discussion…there’s a thing I’ve noticed. Until this year, my kids knew very little about current events or politics. They’re still on the young end of grade school. Up until now, they could both tell you who the President was, but that’s about it. With the election coverage, that’s vastly changing and I know that this year is the first year they will remember a presidential election and what it means. Mine was Nixon and it wasn’t an election, it was a resignation. But…I definitely remember a time when the correct answer to “Who’s the President?” was Richard Nixon. He left office when I was just shy of four. I also remember being able to correctly answer who the vice president and secretary of state were.
The thing is….I’m not any smarter than my kids. Probably far less so It is my theory that cable TV is the difference (and I suppose, to a lesser extent, computers and video games…though I do limit their time). When we were little, you could basically watch what, 3 channels? We saw the news. We heard those names and titles all of the time (even if we didn’t understand it, we constantly heard “Henry Kissinger, Secretary of State etc.). My kids don’t see as much news as I did. If the TV is on, it’s Nickelodeon, Noggin, PBS Kids etc.
I’m not saying it’s a good or bad thing, just interesting. Anyway…what got me to thinking of this (and you’ll see…my train of thought is always pretty serpentine) is a phenomenon I’ve noticed in both my husband and me. We’ll turn on the TV (Nickelodeon etc, when the kids are there). The kids will watch 5 minutes of whatever it is, then go off about their business. We, on the other hand, in kind of a mindless fog, will sit and watch Spongebob in its entirety before realizing…Hey, the kids left, put on Fox or CNN!
Sooooo, anyway, I think Spongebob would make a great President. He has charm and charisma and represents change. Squidward is too negative and too much of a Bikini Bottom insider for my liking. Patrick Star, being a starfish, is way too much of a flip flopper.
P.S. How weird is it that “Spongebob” showed up as a word on my spellchecker???
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