Peace and Quiet

The snow was like a field of untouched diamonds this morning as I headed off to Cross Plains, snow shoes in tow. It snowed about six inches last night and the conditions were near-perfect for a winter hike.

I decided to head to Festge County Park for a hike in the fresh snow. As I was putting on the shoes, a red tailed hawk soared overhead. That focused my attention on the sky, which was a deep and clear blue without a cloud in the sky.

I took off down the trail that heads to the valley floor where the Black Earth Creek winds through the drumlins in that area. It was a great hike down to the valley and some great exercise coming back up. The park features one of the best lookouts in the county with a great view of surrounding countryside.

What I like about snow shoe hiking is the quiet. Rarely do you see another person on the trails this time of year. Today I was all by myself other than the hawk and some other wildlife I encountered. The trail hadn't been cut yet, so it was a fair amount of work but it was great to be "going where no man had gone before." There is something special about blazing the trail after a fresh powdery snow fall.

The temperature hoovered around 15 degrees for most of the hike, but once you get your legs cranking it feels warm enough. It certainly beats going to the gym!

It looks like the snow goes away soon as the temperatures will warm as the week goes on. As much as I'm looking forward to spring, I'll miss the quiet of the trail in winter.

The Shuffle

Turn on your IPOD and put it on shuffle. Write down the next 25 song titles and artist. Don't be a cheater.

1. In the Beginning/Average White Band
2. Tangled Up In Blue/Dylan
3.Keep Your Lamp Trimmed and Burning/ Vassar Clements
4. Society's Child/Janis Ian
5. Don't Do It/ Penguins
6. What Am I Going To Do With You/Barry White
7. Baby Blue Eyes/Joan Armatrading
8. Dark Star/ CS&N
9. Sail On Sailor/Beach Boys
10. Sweet Seasons/ Carole King
11. I Don't Believe I'll Stay Here Anymore/ Jonathan Edwards
12. Be Free/ Loggins and Messina
13. Candy/Dr. John
14. Better Days/ Janet Jackson
15. Street Corner/ Ashford and Simpson
16. It Might Be You/Stephen Bishop
17. Sweetest Somebody I know/Stevie Wonder
18. How Much I Feel/Ambrosia
19. Run Baby Run/ Sheryl Crow
20. Fountains/Starcastle
21. Walkin the Streets Alone/ The Marshall Tucker Band
22. Pink/ Aerosmith
23. I Say A Little Prayer/ Dionne Warwick
24. Ballroom In The Sky/ Carlos Santana and Wayne Shorter
25. All Together Now/ The Beatles

I'm An Icon

There are lots of things I've been called over the years, but icon is a new one. An article that appeared in Isthmus today referred to me as an "icon" in Madison. I appreciate my friend Bill at Isthmus bestowing the designation. I'm just wondering if it carries any extra responsibility.

Will I now have to be careful about spitting and cussing in public? Will I have to worry about children designating me as a role model? Most importantly, does this new position carry with it any financial gain?

How much do icons get paid in this new economy? I checked Monster and Craigs List and there was not one posting looking for an icon. I would think in these troubled times that icons would be in very high demand. Wouldn't you like to have an icon in your office? We can hang around and pontificate on nearly any topic and in my case I don't eat that much any more.

I remember many years ago sitting in the Chandler Jr. High guidance office being quizzed about my future ambitions. Now that I think back, I told my 8th grade Sherpa that I aspired to be an icon. He said something like "fat chance." I'm glad I never gave up on my dream of being an icon someday. There were times when I lost hope, but after all this is America where all things are possible. Cheers.

gg (the icon)

What's up?

It's been a while, I know. A lot of you have asked me to start posting again and now that my new life is established and rolling, I've got some time.

Thank you all for the kind words of support after the show came to a very abrupt end. I've been too busy to think a lot about the past, but it was a great run. One door closes and several more open.

The new ventures are going extremely well. I've started a marketing communications company that has been very busy with clients across the country. I'm also operating a full-blown Internet news platform for Madison and have contracts to operate news bureaus in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania with possibilities to expand into other areas soon. I'll keep you all posted.

I have to say there really is nothing like working for yourself. The corporate greed that has taken over the media has been their undoing. It's such a shame to see many of my friends losing jobs while CEOs and greedy shareholders that having been milking these companies for years continue to pull huge dollars. Their day is done, they just don't know it yet. That's the funny thing about real change. By the time most catch on, it's too late for them. Just as well.

Fasten your seat belts my friends because Mr. Toad's Wild Ride is just beginning. For those of us who embrace change, there will be great opportunity. For those who choose to bury their heads in the sand, they'll get a mouth full of sand. To the future. Cheers.
gg