Where the Wind Comes Sweeping Down the Plain

We're headed to Oklahoma - tomorrow. It will be my first time there. Oh we've driven through the corner before, but that doesn't really count. We're going Norman, Oklahoma to attend the ISU vs. Oklahoma Sooners football game. Why would we want to do that? I know - it's been a rough year for our beloved team. Sucky, in fact. We'll think of this as our bowl game - in Norman.


Ryan - the cutie on the right

Our friends the McKims and the Conovers will be going. Ryan McKim, Don and Diana's son is on the staff for the Sooners after working for ISU since 2006 in various roles. Oh he tried quitting his football habit - graduated college with a degree in Biology and all. He even took a year off, worked at a bank and tried coaching high school football and working at jobs the 'ol home town - Creston.

Then the NCAA coaching siren song (and ISU Coach Paul Rhoads) proved too strong. So Ryan - who is daughter Amy's age (We call him number 2 - because he was ranked 2nd in their class while Amy was numero uno - McKims call her cheater, but they don't really mean it) went back to work as a graduate assistant in 2012. Translated that means low pay and long hours doing the thing you love.

Last summer Ryan got an opportunity to jump ship - to take a real paid position with the Oklahoma Sooners as an assistant special teams coach. Iowa State doesn't even have such a position! So he loaded up the Malibu and moved to Beverly - um Norman. Leaving behind his girlfriend, Laura and all of us Cyclone groupies. But we're happy for the kid! Ryan is living with a video guy and seeing what life coaching football beyond Iowa is like. Saturday we'll get to see him in action - as he helps his team most likely kick our team's butts.

Dwight and Marilyn Conover will be there - along with their son Phil. Laura (the GF) is coming too - along with her parents. It should be a fun group of Ryan and ISU supporters! I'm sure I'll report more later.

When we get back from Oklahoma, we'll rush right up to Ames to see the men's basketball team take on Michigan. Former Coach Johnny Orr will be there along with commentator Dick Vitale - his first ever visit to Ames. Then for the topper of the weekend - our pals Robyn and Julia will be in town. We get to get together with them. Can't wait!

More tidbits:

Amy gave me this cool bank for my birthday. I'm starting to fill it up for my next big adventure!

 

While shopping at Costco tonight, I noticed the piano man (no not Billy Joel) had this baby for sale. Note the buttons and whistles. If I would have had this instrument back when I took piano lessons I could have just pushed buttons and pretended to practice. I wonder if it plays chopsticks? So probably a good thing that wooden piano we had (that Betsy scratched her name in with a nail) didn't have buttons...

Clavanova Jr.

I received my DNR security card one of the first weeks I worked there - nearly five years ago now.

The card allows me to enter the Wallace Building through the west door, but has never worked at the North door. I finally emailed the Director's Administrative Assistant to ask what the scoop was. I suggested that perhaps it is my unfortunate hairdo in this photo that prevented building access. Karen emailed Capitol Security (yeah - they're like cops, but at the Capitol), and they said I really didn't have any levels on my card. Geez. I've seen worse hair than that around the joint. Anyway - now I've got 113 Access - whatever that means. No new photo though.

Thanks to Sarah Carper Darby at Sahar for fixing me up with a new hairdo about a week after this pic was taken - and for keeping me on the better hair path since then. It IS more work. I can't just wash and wear - but it's worth it. 

friday night lights

Paul and I decided to hit the Creston High School football game. Now that we're a few years removed from having kids in school, we know fewer and fewer kids on the team, but it was a gorgeous night and we like to support our home town. Plus, Ryan McKim is now a coach. That's right - the son of our good friends Don and Diana, salutatorian in Amy's class (they're still upset that Amy beat him out for Valedictorian by something like .004 points) is back in town.

Ryan attended Southwestern Community College here in Creston a couple years on a golf/academic scholarship, and then went on to Iowa State where he worked on the football staff - first as a volunteer, but then as paid staff. After he graduated he worked on the recruiting staff - which involved as many as 80 hours a week, a high energy high stress position! We football fans liked his insider position though. A year ago he'd had enough of the burnout job and retired from the ISU job. Eventually he took a boring job at a bank in Ankeny...which also took its boring toll. Ryan is a kid searching for his purpose in life. He loves to coach!

This summer, some Creston folks came calling to Ryan. The high school was in search of an assistant girl's basketball coach. They could use his help on the football coaching squad. The college needed a golf coach. All these jobs aren't a career - but are enough for him to get through a year and decide - is this something he wants to spend his life doing? Ryan moved back to Creston from Ames in early August (much to his cute girlfriend Megan's chagrin!) Last Friday night was "Game Night" and we wanted to go to support him as much as anything.

We got to sit by the nervous mommy - Diana, and some other friends. The temperature was perfect, and there was no wind. Football Friday night baby! Creston was playing the Chariton Chargers - the home of Alternative Leslie and Paul Goldsmith. Since their kids are grown they didn't travel to the game. Creston's team is pretty young, but there is a huge senior, Collin Bevins, who has verbally committed to play in college at Iowa State (feather in Ryan's cap there) who plays on the line. And Brad Weis is the bro of one of Jud's classmates who also plays both ways - he's pretty good. Creston ended up winning 30-7. Chariton scored on the subs with less than a minute left. Creston could use Jud Goldsmith's rocket punting leg...

Collin Bevins #55 ices his ankle at the end of the game

I got to chat with my buddy Deb at halftime, and chat with other friends briefly. It was an enjoyable night. I'm sure Ryan was pumped. While our jobs aren't always fun, he was probably enjoying his decision that night!