Not much makes me want to be outside during the month of January. It's cold and grey outdoors, whereas inside I've got pajamas, snacks, cats, and multiple streaming services/video game consoles. Despite these reasons to seclude from the winter weather, I can't resist the urge to do the activity I love the most and ride my four-wheeler. Lately, I've really been tearing it up out there! 

I have been riding with so much frequency and intensity that the quad keeps breaking. From mechanical failures to getting stuck deep in the mud, there's hardly a dull day out on that bike! Nothing else I own would put up with half the abuse the old Honda goes through, though; so I'm definitely not complaining. Any twenty-three-year-old, irregularly serviced four-wheeler will have some hiccups, and I really have been fortunate dodging major repairs thus far. She just keeps chugging along! 

I seriously need to figure out what's up with my winch before any heavy snowfall, so that I can plow with the quad. I suppose we need some real snow in the forecast before that's a pressing issue, though. I'm personally unhappy with how mild it has been this winter so far, and although I may be in the minority, I know I'm not alone. Children want to go sledding, fisherman want to ice fish, plow truck owners want to make an income, teachers want a day off, snowmobile owners want to run their machines, etc. 

That's a separate topic for another time, however. Here now, I just wanted to give you an update on how I've been staying active and spending some of my time away from the studio. I don't always have a lot of free time, but if I do, I'm the type to go stir crazy with cabin fever quickly. I stay busy riding, wrenching, and repeating! 

Coming off the weekend, I've had a little bit of an earworm. The official release for this track came towards the end of last week, and since Friday I've listened to it countless times. It's one of those tunes you could leave on repeat and enjoy just the same the fifth time over as the first time around. 

It's every-so-often I find a song like this, and I'm sure it won't take long for me to over-listen to it and lose my infatuation. For now, though, I'm hooked! Originally penned and recorded by Chris Stapleton, What Are You Listening To? was described by Megan Moroney in an interview as a "criminally underrated" song of his. Here's her version of it for you to check out! 

We are about one week into January and nearly two-weeks removed from Christmas. So, if you haven't already, it's about that time to deal with the Christmas Tree. This is especially true if you've got a live tree like me. Natural Christmas Trees bring with them a lot of great things, like the piney scents that fill the home and the experience of picking out that perfect one with the family, but they bring with them some downsides as well. They're thirsty all the time, they drop needles everywhere, they're sometimes a little pricey, you need a way to haul them, they are a fire risk, and... what are you supposed to do with them when you're done? 

As much fun as it is to burn your dead Tannenbaum, consider maybe doing something better with it by helping the local parks! Summit Metro Parks is running a Christmas Tree recycling program where you can drop off your tree to be turned into mulch and then landscaping compost. They have six locations throughout the county where you can do this through the end of January. Just be sure to have all decorations cleared off beforehand.

Here's the link for locations and more information: Summit County Christmas Tree Recycling | Summit Metro Parks 

Is it doughnuts or donuts? Either way, they're one of our favorite and best tasting morning-time treats. Unlike muffins, bagels, or even cookies, I've never heard of a healthy doughnut- and that's just how it should be! Couple that sugary confection with a strong cup of Joe, and you're set up to have a great start to your day. 

My favorite doughnut place is tied between Jubilee and Mary Ann's. When my brother and I were younger and on our long commutes to school with our parents, every so often, on Fridays we would stop by this one Mary Ann's in Canton. That occasional special treat was always the peak of my week. Unfortunately after years of going there, they closed the building due to numerous break-ins and unsafe conditions for their employees. (That's what I was told, at least.) What a shame! 

It actually wasn't until college that I recall enjoying my first doughnut from Jubilee. I would stop by the Speedway on Waterloo and South Main every morning back when they had the good coffee made fresh in the pots, and I would get a big cup to take to class with me. (Boy, do I miss that coffee they made there.) If I had the time afterwards, I would pop in across the street for a tasty pastry from Jubilee. Those were good times.

As Homer Simpson would say, "Mmm.... donuts." There's hardly a bad one, and here's my Top Ten: Doughnuts! 

10. Cruller

9. Bear Claw

8. Jelly Filled 

7. Cake 

6. Donut Holes

5. Glazed

4. Yeast 

3. Apple Fritter

2. Maple Cream Stick

1. Vanilla Cream Stick

Thanks for checking this out. We always appreciate you tuning in to WQMX, and I hope you have a sweet day!

Welp! The words don't seem to want to come out on the page right today.

So... how about a couple of Youtube videos? If you missed the airing of the New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash special on CBS, I got you! The whole thing was nearly four hours long, so these are just a handful of highlights. You can stream the full show on Paramount Plus, with subscription. 

This past year, 2023, may have just been the biggest and best year of my life thus far.

I graduated college after five years despite setbacks from Covid. I was so fortunate to be hired for my first full-time job in the industry I love at my favorite radio station, WQMX. I was then able to quit my long-term part-time job of which I loathed.I saw some amazing concerts and even met some cool performers like Riley Green, Megan Moroney, Russell Dickerson, Lainey Wilson and more! I proposed to my now fiancée and moved out of my childhood home into our first home together with her, with a mortgage and everything.

I took motorcycle classes and am now endorsed to ride on my driver's license (if I can find where I lost it). I fixed up an old boat that has been in the family, got both the barge and myself legal to be out on the water, and thoroughly enjoyed a couple of amazing lake days throughout the summer. I bought a cool new daily driver 4x4 and learned stick shift.

We celebrated my Grandma's 90th birthday. My brother, dad, and I experienced our first Buckeyes football game in Columbus. We attended a bunch of weddings and unfortunately also some funeral services. My childhood pup, Spike, reached the end of his road too. I gave up smoking cigarettes.

I won an award for best station imaging within UA's WZIP and had the honor of going to the IBS 2023 college radio convention in New York City with them, where we were nominated for a national imaging award under my leadership as the station's production director. We also scooped up a second-place CBI award for best station imaging at the National Student Media Conference in Orlando. Though I wasn't along for that trip, I compiled our entry which contained a significant amount of my own creative work. I'm proud! 

I'm sure there's quite a bit I still haven't mentioned, but that's probably enough to give you a feel for just how many pivotal things happened to me last year. It certainly wasn't all peaches and cream, but I can't help but feel lucky to have had such a momentous 2023. Through laughter and tears, love and loss, fun and drudgery, and everything in between; it really was a good year!

I'm going to have a tough time topping this past year in 2024, but my motivation to progress in life and make good things happen remains strong as ever. One of the really big things I'm looking forward to is the adoption of my own first dog, Hank the bloodhound. Outside of that, I don't have many firm aspirations planned out. I know I want to learn to use the welder I got for Christmas and work with it to finish up the big buggy project that has been in the garage waiting on me to find the time... but, I digress.

Cheers to 2023, and here's to 2024! I hope yours is everything you want it to be and then some. Take it day by day and keep your eyes on the prize, then do what you need to make it all happen. We've got this!

Well, what do ya know? It's probably the first time ever that I've made a New Years resolution and actually followed through on it! What's funny is that I did not consciously think about meeting this goal before the calendar flips; it just sort-of worked out that way. I have had three long-standing resolutions that I always recycle after ditching them in January of the year prior.

For the longest time, my focus for the New Year was to exercise more and better my diet. That's overrated! The way I see it now; I'm fit enough to do whatever I want and strong enough to carry or open most things, so I'm at peace overall on that one. 

My next recurring resolution has been and will continue to be to do a kickflip on my skateboard. I'm a ways off.... As tough as it has been, even if I'm 65, I won't be giving up on that one! If I could kickflip, ollie some bigger gaps and hit transitions, and grind; I'd be ever so happy. I need to skate more anyways and I'm now closer to the Akron Skate Park, so maybe 2024 will be my year for it! 

My third major resolution that I can finally lay to rest is to quit smoking cigarettes. Done! It is an ongoing battle, however. Not even one is the motto, and I'm approaching a month of just that come Tuesday. So yeah, finally, I successfully did a New Years resolution! 

While we're on the topic, here's a link to a bunch of information on New Years Resolutions including statistics on the most common ones: https://www.forbes.com/health/mind/new-years-resolutions-statistics/. 

Happy New Year from all of us here at Your Country, 94.9 WQMX! 

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss, you'll land among the stars” -Norman Vincent Peale

On Wednesday morning, Scott and Sarah revealed their Top 5 Songs for 2023, and they've got some awesome picks that you can check out here! Afterwards, Ben McKee joined in the fun with some of his picks in various categories. There were a ton of cool new songs we spun on WQMX throughout the year, and they made some great choices with their favorites. Here I am now following suit, with my Top Ten Songs of 2023!

10. Cowboys and Plowboys -Jon Pardi with Luke Bryan

9. On the Boat Again -Jake Owen

8. I'm In Love -Hailey Whitters

7. IF YOU GO DOWN (I'M GOING DOWN TOO) -Kelsea Ballerini 

6. TRUCK BED -Hardy

5. Watermelon Moonshine -Lainey Wilson

4. I Remember Everything -Zach Bryan featuring Kacey Musgraves

3. Wildflowers and Wild Horses -Lainey Wilson

2. Thought You Should Know -Morgan Wallen

1. I'm Not Pretty -Megan Moroney

Evidently, we're huge fans of Lainey Wilson around these parts, and we are so stoked to bring her to Clay's Resort Jellystone Park in June for The Country Fest 2024! Personally, my top artist remains Megan Moroney throughout 2023, though there are plenty of strong contenders otherwise. We played so many great new songs here on WQMX within this past year, and I know I'm excited to see what releases 2024 has in store for us. 

As you can tell by my list, I generally prefer more fun and upbeat songs over deeper more emotional ones, and I'm hoping we get a good mix of all the styles as we truck into the new year. I enjoy where we're at in terms of popular country music, and the direction we're heading as a genre seems bright, if you ask me. We've seen some really cool new artists pop up, and it should be interesting to see which become the next superstars and which are just flashes in the pan. 

I've seen some outstanding contributions in response to Scott and Sarah's Top 5 Picks, and if you'd like to get in on the fun, just drop a comment under WQMX's post on Facebook. While you're there, if you haven't already, consider giving us a follow to always be in the know of what's going on with Your Country, 94.9 WQMX! 

For Christmas this year, one thing on my list was a nice pair of studio-quality headphones, and I'm happy to report I got just that! I've been in the radio industry for a good while now and have neglected to upgrade from the budget ones given as standard issue from my college radio station. They did the job, but until tonight, I had no idea how much audio depth I was missing out on. 

With these fancy new headphones, I can hear the layers of instruments and vocals in the songs much more clearly and the full range from low bass notes to crisp trebles. It's even better than sitting in my car with the nice head unit and speakers. I feel like I'm hearing songs for the very first time again now. I'm thrilled!

How clearly I could hear myself actually caught me off guard for my first talk break of the night, and I still can't get over how much better these bad boys are compared to what I had. I feel like I can hear myself think with them on! Seriously though, the clarity in the sound of my own voice is the most noticeable improvement this new pair has over the old. I think this upgrade will help me to continue better my vocal delivery and overall sound on-air. No matter what you do or how long you've done it, I believe there's always room for improvement! 

As a takeaway from this, I suppose I'm suggesting you treat yourself right when it comes to the things you use every day. Maybe you're a line-cook shopping for a new pair of shoes to wear to work, a mechanic purchasing a new tool, or a package handler browsing for some new work gloves. Little things can make all the difference, so if you're able to, go for quality. When I worked in retail, I would use the box cutters provided by the store and would question why people would bring in their own nicer ones from home, but now I get it. 

I want to thank my fiancée for this sweet gift. I was given so many cool things from her and others for which I'm deeply appreciative, including Megan Moroney's Lucky CD, a gnarly R/C car, some nice clothes, a welder, an air-compressor, gift cards, cash, candy, a cordless drill set, and more! I'm blessed for having such great family that bestowed upon me many awesome things. I'm truly grateful. 

I hope you had a good Christmas as well and that Santa brought you everything you wished for. Have a happy New Year and thank you so much for listening to Your Country, 94.9 WQMX!

Wow! I can hardly believe that this is my one-hundredth blog for WQMX! It's been my privilege to upload these nightly since switching to full-time a few months back, and I can't thank you enough for reading them. Seriously, thank you! 

I've covered everything from concerts to cars, and I think you can get an accurate feel for who I am based on the words I've posted here. I have always loved writing, and I appreciate the platform that has been provided for me to share my thoughts and news with the world. It's an open playing field for me on the topics on which I can write, so hopefully you have found my collection thus far to be a good mix of entertainment and information. 

Whether there are ten or ten-thousand people reading these blogs, it's important to me to consistently deliver something each day that I'm with you on-air. If you want to know what's new and exciting, you're in the right place! It made my heart so full when I had a relative of mine tell me she reads these regularly, and again, I want to thank everyone for checking this out now. 

All in all, things are going great for me. As a quick rundown: I'm just about over the stresses of December and am ready to conquer 2024. The Blazer is treating me well and I'm starting to feel comfortable with driving stick. My old civic is still sitting around for sale but I'm considering just keeping it until tax season. I've been loving this warmer weather but I'm ready for it to actually be winter; I need it to snow so I can plow with my quad and make some money. All my powersports are up and running and the buggy project is still ongoing. Everything I own could use some tires. I need to do some major work to our boat before spring. I've had a lot of fun doing a little disc golfing recently. Everything is all good on the home front. Duchess, Freddy, and Fiona are all living their best kitty lives. The El Camino has a layer of dust on it and the motorcycle as well. My fiancée is on break until after the new year, so we'll get the chance to spend some quality time together this week. Christmas was magical. I'm three whole weeks without a cigarette. 

Umm... what else? the Dolphins (and our Browns) are kicking butt, too! I'd hate to see them compete in the playoffs as I want both teams to win it all, but Miami is always going to be closer to my heart as a loyal Dol-fan. I'll absolutely lose my mind if either team makes it to the big game, though. 

I appreciate all the love I've received in this career and the endeavors that come with it, like listener interactions at amazing concerts and events, wholesome late-night studio line communications, social media spotlights of me behind the mic, and so much more. I feel as though I'm in the right place employed here at the station, and there's nothing all I'd rather be doing as my profession. I'm proud of this one-hundredth blog milestone, so... here's to the next hundred and beyond!