Last week, Friday October 16th, I was driving home from work around midnight.
There was a pink glow in the sky, different from the usual city light pollution. Different from clouds with light reflecting on them.

It looked like vertical streaks. And from where I was in the corn and beanfields of western Lucas County, these faint pink streaks could be seen to the west, north and east, almost like a curtain in the sky.

These weren’t the dancing, moving northern lights that you’ve probably seen video of. Just static, pinkish, vertical streaks. But since it’s only the third time in my life I’ve seen the phenomenon, I was very excited to see them.

Since that night, I keep looking at the sky, hoping to see the lights again, but so far, even on clear nights, nothing.

Keep your eyes open and let me know if you get a glimpse of them.

If you’ve been inside Lucas County Arena, you’ll probably agree when I say that it is amazing!

If you haven’t been inside the new home of the Walleye, I highly recommend you give it a looksee.

Seriously, the place is state-of-the-art.  The decor adds so much.  And the structures built outside?  Let’s hope the Walleye can put on a good show.

Judging from this past weekend, they certainly can.  But honestly, this venue is so nice that it almost doesn’t matter if the team wins or loses – as long as the entertainment value’s there.  For example, six fights in a period will satisfy the non-hockey enthusiast or the Toledo youth, I’m sure.  I’m saying this in a complimentary way, by the way.

But really, I gather a sense of hope in the Toledo public.  During game-opening night, numerous people were walking around the arena, just waiting for the place to open up.  They were all super eager to check out the new digs, and the new team as well.

Let’s face it, Toledo: this city is in need of buildings like Lucas County Arena.  Combined with Fifth Third Field, it should revitalize downtown businesses, encourage people to come downtown, create more jobs, and do what it has done already – give the city a pick-me-up.

Sports is a way people can escape from the daily grind.  It offers much more than just going to the mall or going to the movies, and it creates a precursor to maybe a little more Toledo nightlife.  We’ll see if that part improves downtown.

Considering how much the city’s economy is riding on this, seriously, the next time anybody tries to downplay the importance of local sports, just think back to the Toledo Walleye’s opening weekend, the opening weekend of Lucas County Arena, and how that improved the city’s spirits, among other things, and try to say that local sports is not important.

The proof is in the pudding – local sports IS important to the city of Toledo.

November is a ratings period (sweeps).  That’s when you notice news and other programs airing specials, exclusives…etc. to try and pull viewers.

Here at the station all of us have been pretty busy preparing for this and the November election.

Sharia Davis and I are working on a sweeps story together.  I won’t tell you exactly what it is because that may defeat the purpose of the promotional commercials that will tell you about our story this November.

What I will tell you is that after talking to the people we interviewed its definitely an eye opening story and will make you think and hopefully help you change any “bad” habits you may have.

We are currently working to put the final touches on this story and I hope someone will actually benefit from all of our hard work because this information could save your life.

Its airs November 17th and 18th….I hope you’ll watch!

The people who sell bleach kits are making a lot of money these days. But keeping your teeth white, much like keeping the weight off, is easier than starting over with a daunting task ahead.

Here’s a tip I learned from a hygenist at my dentist’s office. Brush your teeth *before* you have a drink that’ll stain your teeth. In my case, they were talking about coffee and tea, but I suppose you could apply the wisdom to colas, red wine, anything dark and staining.

They told me the idea is that brushing first gets rid of the layer of plaque that builds up, and that staining compounds can cling to.

Of course a rinse with water or brushing afterward is also a good idea, but the *brushing* before my coffee suggestion was new to me and seems to be working, so I thought I’d share.

That’s all for now. My hot tea is now cool enough to drink.

I am in the middle of a push to get organized. You wouldn’t know by looking at my desk at work. It looks pretty much like it always does.

What’s different is at home. Furniture had to be moved to clean some carpets at the same time I was reading a book on closet makeovers. After discovering a chest of drawers was broken, all of the contents ended up on the floor. They’re still there.

I’m hoping the excitement about sorting and purging and organizing that I got from that book will stick with me long enough to get those piles sorted and neatly put somewhere.

I dream of living a clutter-free life. I know it’s probably not possible, but that’s the ideal I’m looking at and working toward.

Is it that I’m too sentimental toward useless old stuff? Is it that I lack the knowhow to set up useful storage systems? Or do I just make choices every day to spend my life doing other things like cooking, reading or exercising, instead of putting things away.

I’m giving myself time. Hopefully by mid-winter, I’ll be able to find things in the clothes closet, the garage AND the kitchen cabinets. Wish me luck. I’ll need it. I welcome your advice if you’re an organizing pro.

I felt like I was in some sort of Twilight Zone tonight –  a night that was originally meant to last just a few hours, but felt like it lasted forever.

In chronological order, here’s what I did:

• Realized I wore black shoes with a brown belt. Oops.

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This Twitter conversation caught my eye, and figured it’d be worth a bit more than a 140-characted explanation…

(referring to this week’s freighter accident on the Maumee River…)

BBQGUIDE @FOXToledo At least ONE crew member has gone to the hospital so far on the freighter -

FOXToledo [web producer Tim Andrassy] @BBQGuide thanks for the tweet. We are hearing conflicting reports that there was an injured crew member, but will be sorted out Fri morn

BBQGUIDE @FOXToledo Nothing to “conflict” as I heard the radio traffic of the first responder talking to the hospital taking the crew member in

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Its Fire Prevention Week and I met Sparky and other great people out at the Andersons in Maumee over the weekend.  They had a safety event outside the store.  Fun times!

I kicked off my weekend Friday, shooting a bit of extrication training for my hometown fire department…

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We sometimes take for granted that this area has area has art and commercial glass know-how. I’ve been trying to take advantage of the local classes and resources, including Prism Glassworks in Maumee and the classes at the Toledo Museum of Art’s Glass Pavilion.

My friend and co-worker, Heather Miller, did the hour-long flower sculpture making class in June in the museum’s hot shop. She’s raved about it ever since, so last Friday night I went back with her and tried it for myself. The teacher, in our case Adam, patiently demonstrates what you’ll be doing with dangerous, molten glass, how not to get hurt and what your creative choices are. Then each student goes through the process. The teacher grabs the metal rod or tools whenever you, the student might get hurt or appear too awkward, as you’ll see I did while using the giant tweezers.

Cost is $25 for non-members, just $15 for museum members. They told us the Toledo Museum of Art will be offering these through the end of 2009 on Fridays at 6, 7 and 8 p.m.  It’s best to call a few days in advance to buy your tickets, because class size is limited to what the teacher can handle in the small hot shop.  Closed toed shoes and pulled back hair are required.