Happy Birthday Iowa

You may not have notice but just recently our very own state, Iowa, celebrated its birthday. This year (2011) would mark the 165^th anniversary of the state Iowa. On December 28^th 1846 Iowa became the 29^th state to enter into the Union.

 I did a little research on Iowa and I found some interesting facts about our dear state Iowa that you may not 

have known:

1.       Strawberry Point is home to the world’s largest strawberry

2.       Dubuque Is the state’s oldest city

3.       Quaker Oats, in Cedar Rapids is the largest cereal company in the world (it smells good to sometimes when you drive by it, especially if it’s something with apple cinnamon.)  

4.       Another fact about Dubuque, its home to the only county courthouse with a gold dome.

5.       Sabula is Iowa’s only town on an island (I would have never guessed we would have an island in Iowa)

6.       Iowa is the only state name that starts with two vowels

7.       Iowa State University is the oldest land grant college in the U.S.A

8.       Ripley’s Believe It or Not has called Burlington’s Snake Alley the most crooked street in the world. (the crookedness could be why they called in Snake because snakes coil up and slither around).

9.       Elk Horn is the largest Danish settlement in the United States.

10.   Scranton is home to Iowa’s oldest water tower still in service.

Here are some famous people from Iowa: John Wayne (actor) from Winterset, Glenn Miller (bandleader) from Clarinda, William Buffalo Bill Cody (skilled gunsmen) from Scott City, Grant Wood (painter) from Anamosa, Donna Reed (actress) from Denison, Herbert Hoover (president) from West Branch and Ashton Kutcher (actor) from Cedar Rapids. There were some more famous people from Iowa but I didn’t really recognize them.

I hoped you enjoyed the little information that you may not have known about Iowa and wish a happy birthday to Iowa.

Cherry Building Protestors

On December 3, last Saturday, Iowan protesters for the Occupy Wall Street movement flocked toward the Cherry Building on 10^th Ave. in Cedar Rapids. There were about 50 people that came from cities like Des Moines, Cedar Falls, Clinton and Iowa City. They were protesting the new business that is going in the Cherry building in early 2012, creating about 25 new jobs. They were not protesting the new jobs but what these jobs would be creating. A business in the Cherry building is going to manufacture 5 Lb. surveillance drones, which are an unmanned aircraft cameras sometime used in wars. 

The Cherry Building was holding a Very Cherry Holiday open house where people could visit and shop the buildings independent business on the same day the protest took place. One of the protesters said it was just a coincidence that they happen to gather there on that day and it was not done purposefully. I think a lot of people find that hard to believe because if there wasn’t something going on then they wouldn’t get the recognition that they were looking for or the publicity. Another person also commented on how come they could only muster up 50 people when people were coming from all over Iowa for this movement. 

I happen to see this protest and it was actually the first one I have ever seen. My family and I were going down to the Czech Village and we happen to drive by the street that they were occupying. If you ever watch the news or Good Morning America you see protesters being dragged by police, people in masks, and a lot of yelling. That is what I was hoping for but it didn’t turn out exactly like that.  There were about five police men down there watching the protesters so they wouldn’t get out of hand but no one was dragged. Some of the people though had masks on their faces and I thought I saw someone with a Guy Fawkes mask, which was pretty cool. Over all it was pretty awesome to drive through, but I would have been even better to see some big commotion that involved the police.

Turkey Trot

In a previous blog of mine I said that I ran two races over Thanksgiving break, but I only wrote about one of them, the Living History Farms Race. Now I am going to write about the other one that I participated in, the Turkey Trot in Dubuque Iowa. Like the Living History Farms race this was also another 7 mile race.

The two races that I ran in over the break were tortuous in their own way. In Living History Farms race you had to run through creeks, which may not seem bad but when the weather is only 40 degrees out, it gets cold and it’s hard to run if you can’t feel your legs.

The Turkey Trot for me is much harder; you are continuously going up one hill after another. About 70% of these hills that you run up are steep and stretch on forever. If you have ever drove through Dubuque and seen the hills, those are the hills that I have to run 7 miles on. This race is famous for the hills so before you sign up you kind of know what you are getting yourself into.

There is this one ginormous hill that we have to run up in the last 2 miles or so. I usually dread this hill the whole time I am running. This year, I saw a hill up ahead of me and I thought that that was ‘”The Hill”. I was feeling pretty good going up it and I was thinking “this doesn’t feel that bad”. Oh was I wrong, upon reaching the top of the hill I looked ahead and found that what I just ran up was not “The Hill” after all. There standing before my eyes was my enemy. All of my energy partially drained out of my system realizing that I had not run up “The Hill” at all. I keep on running though, and made it up the hill even though I felt that I was going to die the whole time.

I finished the race in an hour and even though it may seem like I didn’t enjoy it, I actually did. The best part of it was that I got to go back to my grandparents’ house and eat a nice big dinner.

Fuming Costumer

Workings at Dairy Queen I have seen a wide range of people come through to order. I have seen polite people who will carry a conversation with you and sometimes they might give you a tip (happened only twice). Then to counter balance the politeness of people you have rude people.

When you think of rude people your mind generates words of impolite, bad tempered and language that should not be repeated by little children. When I think of rude people that I have seen at Dairy Queen (which is quiet of few) one costumer comes to mind.

It was the second or third times I have ever worked the drive through window (collect the money and hand out their items). It was going pretty good, nothing major happens until this one car pulls up to the window. First of all the driver didn’t pull up to the window, the person in the back of the car was at the window. When I say them do this I got a little worried thinking they were going to pull out a gun or something since it was so unusual. The person rolled down her window and started yelling at me just as I was going to say her total. The girl said “why didn’t you advertize that the chicken baskets are on sale. All your stuff is so expensive, you’re ripping people off. I wouldn’t have gotten the --- if it would have known” and on and on she went. While she was venting her anger out all I did was just stand there because I not know what to do. After she was done I said I was sorry and asked if she wanted to change her order which her reply was yes even though the food was already done. She changed her order from the --- to the chicken basket that was on sale. In changing her order she saved 20 cents which was defiantly worth all the yelling. I collected her money and handed out her food without saying another word for fear she would go ballistic again.

I got to thinking when she drove a way was what I had done to deserve that. I didn’t take her order, I have no control over the advertisement, and all I am aloud to do is collect people’s money. We actually did advertise the chicken basket sale on our sign and there are commercials. I am sorry that we don’t say “Thank you for choosing our Dairy Queen how can we help you and did you know that we have a sale on our chicken basket” not most fast food chains do that.

The one good thing that came out of it is that you know not all people are like this (and maybe we did share a couple of laughs with the co-workers).

"Nancy Did You Know"

For AP U.S., my teacher Mr. Benedict gave us an extra credit assignment that is due the day before Christmas break. We have to re-write a Christmas song with a historical topic, event, individual or historical group. It had to be historical accurate and contain major terms or ideas with the subject of your song. The new version of the song had to follow the same pace, tempo, syllables and rhyme pattern as the original. How much extra credit we get would depend on the creativity of the song and if you are going to sing it in front of the class (which I will defiantly not do, in order to protect our ears). 

Since it is extra credit we don’t have to do but I am going to because like my dad says “it’s like finding free money”. When I first read the sheet I thought it was going to be really hard and was tempted not to do it. I looked up the examples because I wasn’t sure how I was supposed to create this song and they helped me get a better understanding of it. I choose my favorite Christmas song, “Mary Did You Know” and changed it to “Nancy Did You Know” (Lincoln mother). Once I started I realized that it wasn’t that hard and it only took me an hour (with distractions). Here is my version of the song, I hope you like it.

Nancy, did you know
that your baby boy will one day be a leader?

Nancy, did you know
that your baby boy will save the precious union?

Did you know,
that your baby boy has grown to be 6.4?
This child that you've delivered,
will tower over you.

Nancy, did you know
that your baby boy gave freedom to the slaves?

Nancy, did you know
that your baby boy will lead the Civil War?

Did you know,
that your baby boy will speak at Gettysburg?
When you hold your little baby,
you've held the great emancipator.

The North will win
The South will lose
The union will live again.
Slavery ends
Owners cry
The praises of Our Leader.

Nancy, did you know
that your baby boy was President of our nation?

Nancy, did you know
that your baby boy will one day be slayed?

Did you know,
that your baby boy will make history?
This sleeping child you're holding, is a great American.