YESSSS! THEY'RE IN... WOW!

Normally here in WI in late September, us sports fans are watching the Milwaukee Brewers close down the season as usual while Green Bay Packer football heats up. After all, Packer football here in WI is a religion. Literally. Churches and businesses plan their attendance and openings around it. If a game happens to fall during church hours, they break into the service with an updated score. It's amazing. I've witnessed it dozens of times. There are a bunch of rabid sports fans in this state, and I am one of them I'll admit!

But, right now, Packer football must take a back seat to Brewer Baseball. For most of my lifetime, each and every baseball season, it has become the norm for the Brew Crew to close up shop on their last day of the season... aaah yesss, but not this year! Nope! Not since 1982 has the Crew locked up a postseason berth of any type...the first in my adult life. Now, to sit back and enjoy the true start of baseball season!

CC Sabathia and Ryan Braun (my two favs) put the Crew in the playoffs for the first time since 1982 with big help from the New York Mets (thank you Mets!). Making his third consecutive start on three days' rest, CC pitched a four-hitter and Braun hit a tiebreaking homer in the eighth inning to lead the Brewers over the dreaded Chicago Cubs 3-1 today. This was nice redemption for the Crew. They blew a big lead in the NL Central last year, and were in danger of a big fold this season after going 3-11 to start September. They made a gutsy and unprecedented move by firing manager Ned Yost a couple of weeks ago and upping Dale Sveum to manager. But, I do say Yost deserves credit for building this team into a contender nonetheless. Watching this unfold right to the end, and then when the Mets finally lost to Florida, streamers and confetti fell from the rafters and fireworks went off in the outfield as (interim) manager Dale Sveum and the Crew began showering each other with champagne in the middle of the clubhouse. Finally!!!

After yesterdays dreadful performance (ughhh!) by the crew against the Cubs B-team, this was so deserved. It has been a hella long draught.

The Crew will face Philadelphia in the first round of the playoffs. The NL Central champion Cubs (arghhh!) will play the Los Angeles Dodgers. I am rooting for the Dodgers to knock off the dreaded Cubs. Go L.A. Sweep!

Yep. This has been a hella long time coming, and I'm going to enjoy each and every game from now till their World Series victory. Hey, anything is possible, isn't it?

It's baseball season... and I'm fkn lovin it this year!

More to come my peeps...

Peace, Love, Sole...

JD

I'LL CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN I COME TO IT...

Right now, I'm on holiday (vacation) till Monday Sept. 22, so I thought I'd get some internet stuff done this morning. So I'm looking at my homepage and a news headline grabbed my attention..."New Interstate Bridge in Minneapolis Opens" so I immediately clicked on the link to read the story. Man, what a difference 13 months makes. More on that in a bit. You know, I live in the Green Bay-Milwaukee-Chicago region, and it's so much easier and quicker to get down there than it is to get over to the Twin Cities, but I must give the Cities their just due. I love it over there. My first trip was as a young lad in the mid-late 80's when my great Aunt D. lived there. She passed on in 2001 at the ripe young age of 104 (RIP). Currently, my cousin and his bride reside over there, and I am long overdue for a trip there myself. I last went in April 2007.

I'll just say this, anyone who has never been there is in for a surprise. It is a sprawling, massive metroplex of nearly three million people. They've got the Mall of America, tons of Caribou Coffees (a direct competitor to Starbucks here in the upper midwest and awesome coffee to boot), it's the home of the (hated) Vikings, other pro sports teams (the T-Wolves, Twins & Wild), Prince, Morris Day, The Time (my fav Funk band) and my personal fav, Flyte Tyme studios, owned and operated by Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis (of The Time). Yep. One day, I'm gon' get my ass in the doors there and meet those dudes. All that Janet Jackson material in the 80's and 90's was recorded there, plus stuff by New Edition, Alexander O'Neal, Cherrelle, The Human League, Johnny Gill, Keith Sweat, Karyn White and many, many others... These two cities are very unique and each one is a bit different from it's counterpart. I'll just say that Minneapolis is the more cosmopolitan and style conscious of the two, while St. Paul has more of a laid-back, working class charm all it's own. Been to both and I like each of them. Oh, and the people are pretty friendly there as well.

The I-35W brigde that collapsed on Aug. 1, 2007, well, yours truly has been over that bridge quite a few times on my jaunts over to the Cities in recent years, so it is with great amazement that I say job well done in getting that bridge built in such a short timespan. When I heard the news about the bridge collapse, I immediately contacted my uncle to see if my cousin (who is an EMT btw) was alright, as he usually is out on rounds during the rush hour. Of course he was alright, but I guess he did have to respond to some calls to help survivors. Now, I am anxious to get back over there and take a drive across it. And do a ton of things while over there as well. And a lot to do there is, believe me. As you head from St. Paul over into Minneapolis via I-35W, this bridge really gives you a spectacular view of the Minneapolis skyline, especially at night. Quite impressive I might add. My advice, get there. I guarantee you will not leave disappointed.

I would just like to conclude by saying "congrats" on getting this bridge completed, and I do anticipate getting my turn to drive across it one day soon.

Anyways, that is whats on my mind at the moment. Stay tuned for more...

Later my peeps...

JD

THOUGHTS AND QUOTES FOR THE WEEK...

Wow. We jumped right from summer warmth to fall coolness right after Labor Day. It is good hoodie weather out here. I cannot believe how cool it has become over the last week or so. This has been a cooler than average September so far. We had clouds and drizzle here in Northeast WI (The 920) off and on, but finally the sun came out today and it was actually nice, but cool tho.

OK, y'all know I love a good quote or two, so I'm gonna share a couple with you for this week:

"When I examine myself and my methods of thought, I come to the conclusion that the gift of fantasy has meant more to me than my talent for absorbing positive knowledge".

Albert Einstein (1879 - 1955) Physicist & Nobel Laureate

"Tomorrow I will be better than I am today...better as a golfer, as a
person, as a father. That's the beauty of tomorrow. There's no such thing as a setback".

Tiger Woods

I'll have more random thoughts as time permits. I've got a lot going on right now, but I'll make the time to share some thoughts and hopes for the 2008 Presidential Elections coming up in less than two months, along with a lot of good stuff from the world of JDawg!

Hey, post ur thoughts or just check in if u'd like...love to hear from y'all.

Later my dudes and dudettes...

JD

P.S. WHADDUP FSFers and SW Bloggers!!

LAST SUMMERTIME WEEKEND '08

Everyone that knows me knows that I am a music lover. I can appreciate all types of music, but my interests primarily lie with what I term "rhythmic" or urban music. I love anything with an urban feel, sound or edge to it. I can listen and enjoy everything from Hip Hop to Dance to R&B to Jazz and then some.
I'm fortunate enough to live in an area close to two major cities, Milwaukee and Chicago, and these cities most certainly have urban-oriented stations. At times, if the conditions are right, I am lucky enough to pull in two of my favorite Milwaukee stations: V100.7 Jams and Jammin' 98.3. If I cannot pick them up via the FM dial, I simply log on and stream them over the internet. But in just the last 5-6 years, I have also re-embraced probably my favorite genre right now, that being Electronic/Dance music. Unfortunately, there are no pure Dance stations in this area, so the internet is vital to my pursuit of this type of music. One of my faves is C89.5 FM out of Seattle. Simply put, an awesome station in a class by itself.
Another station that specializes in Dance music is the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point campus station WWSP 89.9FM, for their Saturday night "Killer Tracks" program (starting at 7PM CST). Also in my area, a bootleg radio station at 106 FM that signs on Friday evenings and goes all weekend long playing nothing but uninterrupted pure Dance/House/Techno/Electronic music along with some Funk and Disco as well. No DJ's, just pure music. Amazing!

Well, for the past year, I have made the 45 mile trek out to the tiny resort town of Green Lake, WI to a pricey resort called the Heidel House. Just to put it in perspective, this resort is situated on a very large and deep lake in central WI and it's simply stunning. No wonder well-to-do people from the Milwaukee and Chicago metropolitan areas flock up here in droves to get some R&R and a chance to chill for a couple of days before heading back to the rat race. The Heidel House has this show lounge where they bring in different acts, and tonight, I made my third trek in the past year out there to hear a great band, Milwaukee-based Jegani.

Jegani is not your average band. They specialize in some of my favorite types of music. Dance, Electronic and Funk music. And their sound is tight. And professional. I'm also amazed, because the average age of this group is about 40-45, well beyond my years, and they are all seasoned professionals who have worked in the Dance music world and bring their high energy sound to a posh resort in the woods, on a lake in central WI. They cover all types of Dance/Disco music from the 70's through the 2000's. I have never seen a band that only does the kind of music, and on a whim last summer, I checked them out. And I was impressed. And I am not easy to impress for that matter, so they won me over.
Upon listening to them, you can go from Chic's "Le Freak" to Kylie Minogues "Can't Get you Out of my Head" to DJ Sammy's "Heaven" to the Eurythmics "Sweet Dreams" just to name a few. And a lot more beyond that... Since Dance music spans 30-plus years, there is plenty for this group to do, and there is some major talent within this group.
So to close out the last weekend of Summer 2008, I had to go and hear them one more time. Perhaps I can catch one of their shows the next time I am in Milwaukee, cause they play a couple of gigs down there during the year as well.

Check out Jegani at www.jegani.com

On another note, My Brew Crew is now at 80-56 after sweeping the Pirates today! Let's catch those Cubs, win the division, and get into the playoffs! Go Crew!

Anyways, it's 3:29 AM and my bed is calling. Gotta go. zzzzzzzz.....

Later...

JD

COMING SOON: MY WEEKLY TOP 10

I've been a music fan for as long as I can remember. I started reading Billboard magazine at the age of 14. I'd hop the bus after school and head on down to the library each Wednesday to check out the latest issue, and funny, I still do it pretty much to this day. I have not missed a single issue (well, maybe a couple) since then, and that was "a little while" ago, but anyways, I always check out the Hot 100, Hot R&B/Hip Hop Singles & Tracks and the Hot Dance Tracks, but I also scope out to a lesser extent the Billboard 200 (CD'S & LP's), The Hot Country Singles (not that I listen to country, but want to be well rounded) and the Hits of the World among others.
Since about the age of 13, I have kept a non-stop running list of my favorite popular tunes for each week, and starting in September sometime (hopefully) I will share my Top 10 HitList with all of you...mind you, these are songs I hear locally on the radio here in the 920, but internet and satellite radio as well. You may see a lot of Rhythmic music, but also a dose of pop and whatever seems to be hot at the moment.
I look forward to sharing my list with all of you, and whether or not you agree with it is alright by me, cuz it's my list...and I'll post it if I want to!!

Stay tuned and enjoy, friends!

Peace. Chill. I'm outta here for now...

JD

LOOKIN' AHEAD JUZ A LIL' BIT...

Y'kno, it's geting to be that time of the year when people are starting to head back to school (uggghh!), and as for me, I have been interviewing at various companies over the past few weeks. I love, absolutely LOVE summertime, but this has been a hard long summer, working for someone I have little respect for professionally and wanting to escape my dreary situation STAT!! I plan to make a career/job switch very soon, make even more $$$, get a condo and save up for a second car... and it cannot come fast enough!!!!

IT WILL HAPPEN BECAUSE I WILL MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!!!!!!!

But, I like to look ahead a bit. My mind has not been able to shut off all week, and I could use some good, hard sleep. The weather here in the 920 (WI) has been hot, sticky and humid. I love hot weather, just can do w/o the muggies, tho. But I digress... I'm looking ahead to Super Bowl weekend 2009, a ways away I kno, but that is usually the weekend I pull out the DJ mixer and all my equipment, and pull off the annual "Old Skool Jamzfest" at my place, invite about 10-20 people over in the dead of winter, hook up my LPFM transmitter and broadcast it to my neighborhood, all the while I am behind the wheels of steel mixing, and doing ma thang... oh, and mixing and consuming some adult beverages as well just to make it interesting LOL!!

I have tentatively set Saturday evening January 31, 2009 as my night to go live on the air, and if I can, I want to do a live webcast as well, so my peeps all around the USA can tune in for this one night live event. Need to get my ass in gear if that is to be, but I juz wanna let ya'll know I'll be posting more info and url's that you can hook in to hear myself and my buddy Mista Smoov.

My focus this year is on Late 70's, 80's and 90's Soul, Funk, House & R&B...and not just the stuff you're familiar with, but some hardcore, obscure jams as well.

Anyways, shout out's to the lovely ladies on FSF and hellos to the many other sites I post on.

More to come. Please stay tuned...

JD

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"Deal first with whatever is causing you the greatest emotional distress.
Often this will break the logjam in your work and free you up mentally to complete other tasks"

Brian Tracy, entrepreneur, motivational coach

Ahh yes. Good words to take to heart, by one of my favorite motivational writers.

Be sure to check out his book, Something For Nothing. A surefire must read for today's society. It really makes you think about how society acts today (and over the last 40 years for that matter).

Later...

JD

I'D LOVE TO BE ONE OF THEM

I've been privileged to be a part of a great organization which I will not name here, but only to say that I have learned a lot about people through the books I have read, the people I have associated with and the motivational CD's I listen to, in addition to my immense love of music. I hope to become a motivational speaker one day soon, encouraging people to overcome what ails them, just as I have been going through some trials in my own life. It is important for me to remember my own words and not give up, even though it seems easier to do sometimes. The trick is to keep yourself motivated, as motivation comes from within. You can read all the books you want, attend all the seminars you can and listen to all the books and motivational speeches on tape/CD that you are able to, but sometime, somewhere, one has to look deep within and DECIDE to make something happen. I am at that point, and I WILL succeed. Just some tidbits of inspiration I'd like to leave you to dwell on:

"You need to care about it. When you write a book, you need to have more than an interesting story. You need to have a desire to tell the story. You need to be personally invested in some way. If you're going to live with something for two years, three years, the rest of your life, you need to care about it."

Malcolm Gladwell, author

"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."

Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Reduce your plan to writing...The moment you complete this, you will have definitely given concrete form to the intangible desire."

Napoleon Hill (1883-1970), Author of "Think And Grow Rich"


Enjoy...

JD

TIME TO MOVE ON?

OK, recently I started back in the cellular biz and have been doing good for myself, but this past week, my manager (that really should be ME...) and I had some disagreements on how things in the store should be run, and how my sales style was meshing into the fabric of the company. I work for a small local agency which represents a major cell company. Hey, I ran a company owned cellular kiosk SUCCESSFULLY all by MYSELF for about four years. I always made my monthly goals. Hell, I even won quarterly bonuses and awards for outstanding sales and service. Basically, I was just doing my job, and doing it damn good at that. Never set out to win these awards, but obviously I qualified for them and gladly accepted them. So why all the fuss? Is he threatened by my sales skills? Do I outdo him on my customer satisfaction skills? I am not sure, but as of today, my decision is I am moving on. I owe it to myself and I need to get back to my original cell company. I made a mistake a couple of years ago by moving on from that company. Fact is, it was one of the best companies I have worked for, so now I have to find a way to get back in somehow. Do I drive to corporate offices in Chicago or regional offices in Milwaukee or Madison? I will if I have to. That, and I am considering going back and getting an IT degree and work as a freelance IT specialist. Hey, I'm independent in so many ways. I really hate being under the microscope each day. Just let me do my thing and I WILL get it done. My goal has always been to be in business for myself, and it is about to happen. There comes a time when you need to make that decision and move on. So that decision has been made and you know, with a little faith, things will fall into place.

That I am sure. Even in this economy.

"When your vision is big enough, all the facts in the world don't count"

Later...

JD

THE LOWDOWN...

Hey everyone, I'm back. Man, it is hot and sticky outside here in the 920 (N.E. WI) as I write this. Probly about 90 degrees out there I'm guessing. Actually loving the weather, sticky as it is. This is what I've waited for, and after this, I'ma get my azz out the door, score dinner, and enjoy the night....

Who am I? My nickname is JDawg... J is the first inital of my first name, and I won't go beyond that. Hey, I like my privacy. I got that name bestowed upon me a few years ago when I worked for a cellular company at a regional outing, and it just stuck with me. All my buds call me either Dawg or JDawg, so hence the blog name... JDawg's Blawg. Nuff said. I'm a single dude, nbm, a college grad out here in the upper midwest and I enjoy a lot of things...for more info, please view my profile. Won't bore you with the details right here.

What is This blog about? Well, I'm still figuring that one out. I've read enough blogs to finally decide to share my random thoughts, observations, and comments about the world around me. So I guess just random stuff. I may be posting music, videos, pics and comments about various interests of mine throughout the course.

Will I Change the World with this blog? Yep. That is my goal. I know all and tell all lol!!!

How often will I Post? As often as I deem necessary and up for the task.

My Code of Ethics. Simple. I want this blog to be fun, positive and uplifting to all those who view it. So, with that in mind, I ask all of you, if you post a comment, please keep it constructive and on the upside. I love funny, bad-azz, motivational and inspirational quotes and stuff, so I may be sharing those with y'all as well.

Will I be dissin' anyone on this blog? I hope not, but sometimes, some people do piss me off, and I may call out the incident, but I will never use their name here out of respect. I really want this site to be fun, and not a bitch session, but it may happen at times. After all, letting it out is good therapy. If anything, I love to sincerely compliment people, so I forsee more of that than anything. Yes, I am in sales and deal with a lot of people on a daily basis.

OK, then...This evening, I plan on meeting up with a couple of friends and head on down to my hometown and chill by the riverfront with a nice adult beverage of my choice. This place is a favorite destination of mine, features a 20-30-40 something upscale, cocky crowd who love to show off their boats, beemers and their babes, he-he. Anyways, this brewpub I go to is on the riverfront and they have an outdoor tiki bar featuring some good blues and reggae music, nice, hot college babes, and a great atmosphere overall. I just want to relax and watch the nearby drawbridge go up and down as boats pass up and down the river, hear some good music and watch the jet setters stumble back to their boats after consuming too many libations.....

Also, I wanna say hi to the cool ladies (and dudes) on FSF and all the other forums out there I post on!!!!!

Enjoy!

JD

WHADDUP?...

OK, I just got this blogsite set up, so y'all will have to bear with me. This lil thing is a work in progress and being the anal person that I am, this blog will be fine tuned over time to the way I want it, so I ask for your patience as I create something special here for y'all to enjoy...well, maybe, we'll see...

Till then, thanks for stopping by and stay tuned...more is on the way...

JD