Good morning, Wisconsin. Good morning, world. It's a new day. Thanks for kicking it off
with us here at WFHR, locally grown radio. Got your host James J. I am joined by Melissa
Kay. Good morning. We're going to have some fun this hour. We got some good stories
of the day coming up for you. Some of that ain't right stories and plenty more on the
way. But right now we want to kick off the hour with our new friend Bill Loas from FRM
music. Bill, thank you very much for joining us. Thank you for having me. Bill, you are the
vice president over at Friends and Rapids Music, correct? That's correct and currently acting
president. Our founder and president Connie Tomsky-Favell, after nine years at the helm, took a retirement
and we wish her well. She's doing great. She's still serving in an advisory position. And
FRM is still alive and well. We are a vibrant personality or vibrant force if you will
in the central Wisconsin music community. Bill, we real quickly. I have to because Connie
is certainly meant a lot to this station. She means a lot to me. Love that woman. Care
very much about her and very, very, very happy for her. She is dandy. She's a power
awesome. We love her dearly. Bill, what made you decide to take this on? By take this
on, you mean serve as vice president? Yes, or acting president? Well, I was voted in
as vice president last summer or this past summer at the time not knowing anything about
Connie's impending retirement. And I just, I believe in the vision and the dream of Friends
of Rapids music to support and encourage music in the central Wisconsin area. And it
just ran a, it ran good with me and I felt let's jump in and do this. Yeah. Yeah. What
are your thoughts? What are your hopes for 2024 with Friends of Rapids music? Let me
state at the start that there may be rumors abounding the 2024 Friends of Rapids music festival
that we've held for seven years has been postponed. It has not been canceled or discontinued.
Due to Connie's retirement and several, well, with myself leaving the community soon impending
management or board changes, we decided to just regroup back up a little bit, look things
over. Connie, God bless her has done so much for the festival and with her absence, there's
a lot of pieces to pick up and we need to get people on board that can help us pick up the
pieces, put another festival together and continue the tradition. So the festival has not seen
its last day. I will go out on a limb and say that publicly. I'll back you up. I'll put my name
on that. Yeah. Yeah. I 100% agree with you. It's a fantastic event. Every year seems to be
bigger and better and it's just, it's amazing what gets pulled out of the hat every year.
Connie and I have talked a number of times about this. FRM does so much for our communities, so much
for our musicians and our creatives out there. We always look for ways that we as a community can
help out FRM, especially in a time like this with the flux and the different things going on there.
Bill is one of the ways we can help maybe even looking into being on the board, maybe being a part
of things in that way. Definitely. We are looking for individuals that we'd like to get at least two
or three more on the board. The bylaws allow us to have five members at large besides the elected
offices and we currently have three. So we are looking for people. If not on the board, at least
to step up and say, hey, I've got a talent for this as far as organization and stuff. I recently
was in touch with an individual who is, I don't want to mention names, but they seem to be in the
line where they can be beneficial to FRM as far as organizing and putting on future festivals.
And if anybody has any event, even just helping set up the day of the festival or tear down the next
day, promoting whatever, we can always use a lot of help in that area. It's a fantastic group.
We enjoy each other's company. We love the way the work comes together. It's definitely,
and I hope I say this correctly. It's definitely a case where the
sum is greater than the total of the parts or however that phrase goes. I got you. I got you. Yeah.
Yeah. Bill, I have very weird music taste. Would I be okay on the board?
Yes, definitely. Definitely. We love all genres. We are always looking to broadener horizons. We
don't want to get to be known as a country music festival or an indie pop festival or a hip-hop
festival. We want everything. Some of the early days, I remember the first one or two festivals,
we had the Cowboy Union Jam, the monthly jam session that goes on at McMillan Library.
And we've had a year or two ago was the Chicago Tribute Band, Transit Authority. No,
a live again, a live again. We've got everything. It's amazing. It really is.
FRM is a mirror of our community. It's a mirror of the musicians and the way that our community is
in this central Wisconsin area and how eclectic, not only do we have tons of great musicians,
but tons of different styles of music and everything. It really does mirror the community FRM does.
And that's not the only thing that FRM does. Bill, as we're wrapping up here, I did want to
touch on why FRM is so important in this community. FRM certainly entertains us. It gives us these
things to enjoy in that, but it also helps our musicians. We have had a wonderful history of helping
musicians in need. We had a party who I don't want to go into too many details, but they underwent
a personal loss financial wise and we were able to step in and help with the donation. We are
currently sponsoring free music lessons through the venue escapes me at the moment. We promote
the music room over at the Boys and Girls Club in the old Walmart building and we want to focus
on several smaller fundraisers this year to continue activities like that and get a college scholarship
fund up off the ground too so we can help a musical musician who's heading to college for
majoring in music. Really, really great stuff, Bill. We want to be a part of this. We want to help
not only us, our community, but us here at WFHR, okay? Keep us in mind with all of this stuff,
whatever is going on forward. The door is always open for FRM. Always will be. Thank you.
If we want to be a part of these things, if we want to help out or if we just want to reach out
and find out more about FRM, is there a way? I have the website right here, frmgroup.org. I've
also got some contact info. It's Connie's, though. Can I give that or should I? Is there another
way somewhere else we can send them? I would say at this point give them my contact information. I
am on Facebook, FRM is on Facebook also. Friends of Rapids music and people can go on Facebook and
Google that. Now there is a Friends of Rapids music board members page that is private, but the FRM
page I believe we have over 4,000 followers. Or you can look for me if you want. I'm in there.
I go into the name Bill, Banjo Man, Lose. You can find me on Facebook under that. And just
reach out in any way. There's a number of us on the board, too. I don't want to give out any
names without permission, but just get a hold of us. Put a message out there. The Facebook pages
is a great way to be able to direct message people, you or frm, and be able to contact you guys
that way. And again, the website page frmgroup.org, frmgroup.org. Be sure to like that page, bookmark
that page, and be sure to subscribe and like the Facebook page for frm to keep up the
end date, all the things that are going on there. We certainly will do that as things break with
frm. We'll have that news and we'll get it out to our community. Make sure to work with frm as we
have for many, many, many, many years. We appreciate you being here, Bill. Thanks so much. I do have to
warn you now that I know you play Banjo, you are going to have to come back, sir, place a ban,
I love the banjo. I'm a huge fan. You're going to have to. I'm sorry, Bill. Sorry. Well, don't
get too excited. I'm not a picker like Earl Scruggs. I'm just a self-taught cordstrummer, but I
had been on WFHR with my banjo before. Number of years back, several of us from the Cowboy Union
jam came into the studio and played a couple songs, and I was in on that. I had a feeling. I had a
feeling. I was sure, but I had a feeling. That's awesome. Okay, you and the boys are going to have
to come back. We love Cowboy Union jam. Love you guys, so we're going to have to have you back. Thank you.
Thank you, Bill. Appreciate the time and appreciate what you're doing for our community.
Appreciate you, James. We'll take a break. We'll come back and we're going to have some more fun
on the morning show here at WFHR, locally grown radio.
Welcome back, everyone.
Little Christmas jams to play us into the segment. Melissa and James here with you.
Thanks so much for joining us, everybody. Hope your Tuesday is treating you good.
Got to throw in a little dolly. Bill, a big shout out to Bill from FRM for joining us.
That was a really great conversation. And great to hear from them, too.
Yeah, yeah. It's important to note too that FRM is not only going strong, but that they could
always use an extra set of hands, whether it's volunteering or it's being on the board. We
encourage others to be a part of this and help with the great work, the Connie and that team
have done and keep it going. Keep local musicians and music alive in Wisconsin rapids in the area.
Yeah, I also want to thank Bill. I got a wristband here. I'm a BFF of FRM. I love this.
This thing is awesome. This thing is awesome. I love that. That's great. Thank you, Bill.
Let's get to a little bit of entertainment news and not a whole lot to touch on here and
necessarily. This is famously, I may say, infinitely known as a down time entertainment-wise,
whether we're talking about TV movies, you know, most of your favorite TV shows have been on
break for a couple of weeks. There isn't a ton of new music being released outside of Christmas
albums and such. That's a busy time of year. It used to be where big movies came out now and on
July 4th. Those were the two big dates when we were kids, Mel. When you wanted to release your movie,
if you had a big movie, you were going to release it on Christmas right before Christmas or
right before July 4th. Now that doesn't matter anymore. The studio is also released all over.
Dreaming kind of changed things, didn't it? Yeah, yeah, it did. This is a time of year 2,
where when I first started doing the morning show about seven, eight years ago,
I'd get to this point and I'm like, oh no, what are we talking about? We've got 16 segments to fill
and I have nothing. What are we talking about? Over the years, you know, you play in this out a little
bit better and you have stories and different things to talk about that are not necessarily time-sensitive.
So right now, I'd like to talk about Gone with the Wind. No, I'm joking.
What is Scarlett O'Hara doing? Yeah, that's great. Actually, going to the small screen,
really, with our big story, Myambialic, announced that she has been told by the producers of
Jeopardy, that she will no longer be one of the guest hosts for the show. Really? They confirmed her
exit and explained their, and kind of explained their decision, that Sony has informed,
so that I'm trying to find the exact quote here just to make sure for all of you who have wondered
why this is something that they're doing to try to kind of like bring in some different blood.
We made the decision to have one host for this indicated show next season to maintain continuity
for our viewers and Ken Jennings will be the sole host of syndicated Jeopardy.
I really like her. I can't say that I've watched her on Jeopardy, but I like her as a entertainer,
so I think I would enjoy her. Yeah, she, she, um, by all rights from what I saw, it seemed like she
did a nice job. It also seemed like something that like any but any of us, or any person,
no matter how talent you are, she needs more time doing it. Okay. I think that if they,
if she to get, they'd given her in maybe another season, maybe that, that'll done it. I don't think
she's a good, she's a good performer, so I don't think she needed a lot. And I do think she was
better than Ken Jennings. Ken Jennings, and nothing, nothing to against him, he's not an entertainer.
I think that there is a big difference between people that, you know, hey, you were good at this.
Entertainer for a living. Yeah. I mean, there's a reason why you hire people to do certain things.
Again, one of the things we kind of got away from for a little while there, but you know,
you, you, you want a good host, you hire somebody who can make a, who has, his skill, his charisma,
has these things. I, I think Ken Jennings is a, a fine human being. He doesn't have any charisma
to me. He doesn't really have any, you know, Alex Trebek had some of the most sneaky charisma
of all time. Like, yeah, you wouldn't look at Alex Trebek. You didn't even think about old
jeopardy and think about Alex Trebek having charisma. But go ahead and watch any, any highlight of his.
Yeah. He's, he's, he was like a, I don't know, like your favorite uncle.
But it was super smart. Right. Right. Yeah. It's, it's very interesting. You know, how,
how he was able to do that. So I could see maybe grabbing somebody that you wouldn't expect,
like a Ken Jennings and hoping that they can turn it into that. But I don't know. I, I think that
it's probably, yes, we'll see. Yeah. I think it's one of those things where it's going to be similar
to others. The price is right went through this. I believe, I believe they did. Drew Carey might have
got the job right away. But I think there was somebody in between Bob Barker and Drew, Drew Carey.
And I think that's what might have to happen where you need that like in between. You don't want
to be the person following the person. This, this happens in sports all the time. You don't want to be
the guy that has to follow Tom Brady or, or Brett Farver and Rodgers. You want to be the guy after
the guy that has to follow that person. Big shoes to fill kind of situation. For me, I, I love
those opportunities. I, I, I think that in a, in a, in a stretch, I admit, but in, in many ways,
I felt that way about WFHR. We, we have had legends in this, in this state, in this industry,
at this station, whether, you know, and I can give you a list of names that Bill and I were just
going over actually during our break. You know, and when I think of, of those names, the people
that have come before me, I don't feel like I hold up. I don't, I didn't go to school for this.
I don't have this. I don't have that. So for me, instead of just feeling defeated, it, it, it,
it put a fire under me to this day where I, I, I will never get good enough at this job as far
as am I can, at my brain. I, I'm always, always, always trying to get better at this. Always trying
to prove that I belong here. I, I think I'll always be that way. And, and I, I feel like it makes me
good at this job in many ways. Well, it's always good to strive to be better. I think that there's
something to that with very, very similarly to just about any other job out there, but especially
something like, you know, taking over a job that Alex Trebek or Bob Barker did or somebody
thing like that. For, for long, long, long time. I, I look forward to these opportunities more
and more in life when they happen. When, when we have chances to maybe give credit to people
that we don't always do that with. Now, that's just me. The rest of the world has, has, has been
giving Celine Dion the credit she has deserved for many, many decades. No matter what you think of
Celine Dion, I don't think you can take away that, that woman's incredible voice. Powerhouse of
a voice. The, the skill and talent that she has for singing and the millions and millions of
people she has entertained. I mean, the Titanic soundtrack alone, you know. And for those that have
not heard, Celine Dion has been struggling with some health issues in recent years. And she has
lost the ability to control her muscles as she continues to battle stiff person syndrome.
A rare neurological disorder, her sister has shared the information about this.
I, I, I'm not going to lie to anybody and say that I've ever gotten into any Celine Dion song
once. Like, not, not, not one time, just not my thing, not my style. But I respect greatness.
I, I, I didn't, there's plenty of examples of this, I think, in life that we, we know a person,
we may not enjoy their work, they're acting, they're singing whatever, but we respect their game.
Right. I have a lot of respect. They're struggles. Yeah. Yeah. That, that's where I'm,
yeah, Melissa, I'm sorry, but that's where I wanted to go with this, you poor thing.
You know what? I'm okay with that. Okay. Because, because all of this comes back to that. She's a
human being. Yeah. That's what matters. Yeah. You know, not if, not anything else in this, in this
conversation. And I admire her very much for sharing this stuff. Am I the only person that's
never heard of stiff syndrome, a stiff person syndrome? I'd never heard of this. No, I haven't either.
And that's something that, you know, celebrities who, because they are just people too, they're just
people. But when they are suffering from something like this, like with Michael J. Fox and Parkinson's,
we, you know, we heard more about it because of him than we had ever previously before that.
And now Selene is stepping, or her sister in her place is stepping forward and sharing what
she's going through, which will allow so many, many more people to know about this condition that
there are thousands of people suffering from. I would guess. I don't actually know the strats.
That's, that's true. There are just looking at it right now and you can look at rare diseases.org
to find out more information rare diseases.org looking at their specific definition of this.
It's a rare acquired neurological disorder that most often causes progressive muscle stiffness,
rigidity and repeating episodes of painful muscle spasms. Muscular rigidity often fluctuates,
grows worse than improves and usually occurs along the muscle spasms. There is no cure for
stiff person syndrome. And it's something that the life expectancy for is could be anywhere from
six to 28 years. So there's only 55. Yeah, yeah. And, and I don't believe her sister didn't come out
and say this, but the last time that she was interviewed and talked to, she said with a real
fire in her that she really wants to get back to performing. I know that that seems very unlikely
and far fetched, but I am going to hope for her and I am not going to count her out. Yep. Now,
keep fighting Celine. Yeah. Yeah. I wish her the best. Wish her the best. And again, really do
appreciate her and her family sharing that information. I know of at least two people right now
that are learning about this disease and how important that is to learn about these things.
Well, and for those who are suffering, they have somebody in their corner fighting for them.
Yeah. Take it publicly. Yeah. It's a dang good point, Melissa. Yeah. We will get a take a break
get to some state and local news when we come back. I'm going to let Melissa choose.
I always do this to you guys. I always I always put you guys on the spot with these
topics and everything. I'm going to let Melissa choose which topic we get into. Either things people
are tired of rebying or the five rudest things you can do at a holiday party. We're going to
I can I think about it. Oh yeah. Yeah. You got the break to think about it. We'll come back
and have an answer for you. The morning show at WFHR locally grown radio.
Welcome back everyone. Morning show at WFHR.
Oh, we're dreaming. All right. Can't keep on dreaming, honey. Not going to happen this year.
Melissa, James here with you. If you have any great Tuesday out there,
everybody, thanks for joining us. Melissa, you have a which direction do you want to go?
We have to go with the not rude things to do at a party because I may end up at a couple
parties this weekend and I want to make sure you know that I act right because I have you know,
I have issues with that. Yes. Yes. I am the most disruptive person you've ever met.
I do like the idea of that. No, no, I kind of like the idea of you doing something that that
is that now I'm picturing it. Now I can now I can't get my brain to stop thinking of it. We will
come on. How many times do I cut you off when you're on a on a on a on a a tear and I just derail
what you're going to do and you're like, all right, whatever, moving on. It's what happens.
It's what happens. It's honestly one of my favorite things about you. It's honestly I love
working with you and I love that part. And I think the audience likes it too because it cuts me off
from rambling half the time. So we will get into that route as things eventually. We'll get into
that sometime later out of the week or something like that. For now, we got things people are tired
of rebying. What? I thought you said I get to pick. That's what you wanted to do. Oh, I
thought you wanted to do. I'm kidding. I'm just messing with you. I'm sorry. Such a rat.
Santa, are you listening because he makes sure he gets I don't know a lot of cool. Because we don't
need more coal. No, no, maybe give him solar panels. There we go. There we go. That seems
like a good idea. Yeah, let's get into this. Let's get into five rudest things you can do
at a holiday party. Five rudest things you can tell somebody that they can choose something and
then not let them. That's rude. No, if you're if you're planning on hitting up the holiday party,
this holiday is this party. Parties is holiday season. There we go. You might want to maybe put
some of these things and not do some of these things. Put these outside of your range here.
Here are a list of the rudest things you can do at one of your party, one of those parties,
like bringing a plus one without mentioning it. Oh, yeah. If you're sure that's okay.
If you're dating someone and your host didn't know, run it by them first. Instead of just assuming
you can show up with a guest. Yeah, that's kind of a big deal. I mean, you got numbers for food,
you got place settings, all those things. I couldn't imagine doing that. I couldn't imagine
doing that, although I think that I have the perfect family for it. Outside of my mom, outside
of my mom, my family, we've had a couple of times where we're having a big Christmas party,
our Christmas dinner at Nonopopus House and there's somebody sitting at the table and I don't
know who they are. And it turns out it was like my aunt Pat's friend who didn't have anywhere to
go for Christmas. So they just dragged him up to Wisconsin, you know, things like that. My family's
really been good about that stuff as far as I could. I think they actually like kind of things
like that. Well, and it also really depends on the type of party. Yeah. If it's just kind of,
you know, a potluck kind of gathering, get together, we're just getting together for drinks.
If it's a full-on like three-course dinner, then you definitely need to let them know. But if it's
like the ugly sweater party we went to at the beginning of this year, anybody could show up and
it was the biggest turnout they'd ever had and they do this every year. Yeah, yeah, that's a good
party. Yeah. And that's that's an incredibly good point right there. I think you got to,
you really got to know your audience. You got to know your family, you know, or the party you're
going to. Yes. Hiding a mess. Like if you spill red wine in the carpet or couch, just fests up so
you they they can clean it right away. Wow. Like if you do that, if you are over the age of five,
like I mean, that might even be too old. You can't do that bad. What do you do it? What do you do?
At least tell your mom. I didn't have this happen to me, but I want to say it wasn't my
answer, my cousin. I don't remember. But we were at a relative's house, but it was their
it was their their their significant other's house that we were at. And so it wasn't really a family
house necessarily. It wasn't one that we were used to or anything. Right. Wait, I wish I could
remember if it was my cousin or man. I think it was my cousin. Also, do we hear this smash in the
in the bathroom? She opened up the, you know, the medicine cabinet. Oh, everything fell out.
And like literally every single thing fell out of there. And I always wondered if they set it
up that way. Because it just seemed too convenient to like, hey, somebody go snooping. This is what
they're going to get. We're going to know. I wouldn't put a pass. Can't really hide that one. No, no, no. What
happened in there? Nothing. And now I tripped on the rug. I remember who it was now. And I'm not
going to say whether it was my cousin or Ed, but I do remember that person who is very, very,
very talkative, not saying another word, the whole little rest of the day. Oh, no.
Skipping the dress code. If the party specifically mentions ugly sweaters or holiday attire,
you should stick to the theme. And if nothing specific specified, it's better to be overdressed than
underdressed. I guess. I don't know. I am not really one for, for that being that all that
stringent about, I mean, if you're going to a restaurant or somewhere, but I, I mean, I guess,
dress, dress nice to go to somebody's place. Don't show up and sweats. Yeah. Yeah. I, I, you're grungy
t-shirt. I do agree with this. And, and maybe in part because I just will take any chance to dress
up to, to dress nice. I don't get the chance to do that very often. And I, I like the idea. I,
I am a big fan of overdoing it and underdoing it. I feel like it under, when you underdo anything,
especially something like this, um, there's no real wiggle room. You're already kind of, you know,
doomed, if you will. Um, where, where if you overdress, I mean, you can play with that. You can
have some fun with it. You can mess with people a little bit. You're like, what? I thought,
whatever. I thought there's everybody. What? Step up your game. You know, or something. I don't
know. I feel like you can spin that a lot better than you could spin dressing. What? I thought we
were all going to be in the sweats today. Ah, ah, you people with your shirts. But I guess I also
kind of look at it as not everybody has it in their budget to go out and buy an ugly sweater.
Oh, yeah. Or, you know, or something like, or, or, or black tails. Yeah. Yeah. So, uh, I don't
know. If I, I guess if I was going to have a party, I'd, I'd get it depend on, you know, who I'm
inviting of what the dress code would be. I, uh, we had a Christmas party at a storever health care
to shout out and good morning to our friends over at Stover Healthcare. Um, when I was working there,
and I didn't have any Christmas sweaters or anything like that. Uh, so they, one of the ladies
there lent me, uh, uh, one of those ugly Christmas sweaters. Um, it was great. I was really nice
of them. I do remember it being tight on me. I do remember it. I'm not fitting the greatest
today. But I, I, I really brought shoulders, James. I, yeah. Yeah. Tell me about it. I, I, I felt,
like I was part of the team though. I felt, it felt really good. It was nice that they did that.
I do think that, um, that's a really nice point to bring up Melissa about this. And, and maybe if
you really want that person to go, help them out. Maybe, you know, I'm not saying you got to buy
a sweater, but maybe give them an extra one of yours or something like that. Or Taylor, the dress
code so everybody's comfortable. Yes. Yeah. That might be even your better bet.
Showing up empty handed. You should always bring a gift or for the host, like a bottle of wine
or a box of chocolates. Um, I, I think you got to know your audience. Yeah. I don't know. I,
I think some people might actually not, for you not do that. Uh, at least I've known some people
that really don't like it when you bring things. They always take it personal. Um,
James could just stop bringing me nicknacks. Yeah. No, I don't like, uh, I hate dusting.
I got too many nicknacks. Every time you show up, it's like, I don't know. What do you think this
is? But, uh, this, this little guy with the googly eyes, this little guy, this guy with the
googly eyes, though, I thought you'd love him by the, um, I, I, I think that some, like, uh,
say you show up with a bottle of wine, that person might think, oh, you don't like the wine I'm
serving, you know, you know, that kind of thing. Or they stopped drinking last month. Yeah.
Is it, now, uh, my mother is screaming in the back of my mind right now, but I'm not sure, uh,
if I, if I'm being rude or not on this one, I feel like I should know this or not.
Is it rude to ask beforehand? And, and, and I guess always ask, what can I bring? Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. And as I'm saying, this out loud, I'm thinking of our, our fellow Midwesterners who,
who we know what they'll say, we, uh, nothing. Just yourself. Yeah.
Show up. Exactly. Exactly. So, I don't even know if that'd have helps at all.
And, and maybe that's part of the disconnect here. Where was this article written?
Uh, yeah. Yeah. Uh, yeah. Uh, yeah. That's a great point. That's a great point. It's coming
to us from the Huffington Post. Um, we're doing great. We're doing, we're doing, you know,
solid reporting and everything for the most part. Um, but yeah. Yeah. That is a great point.
I, I think this is a whole different conversation, uh, if they do this in the Midwest. Yeah.
And it also depends on what kind of party you're going to, if it's a family gathering,
totally different than a group of friends. Very good point. Uh, and, and this final one, uh,
this may depend on it being in the Midwest or not, too, getting too drunk. Um,
haha. Sometimes it's a requirement. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Other times it ate a real party, unless you do it sometimes. Uh, but uh, space out your drinks.
Let's you do it a keg hit stand. Yeah. It's not a real party. Space out your drinks.
Maybe have some water in between there and certainly, uh, above all else, make darn sure,
make damn sure that you got a designated driver or you aren't going anywhere. You're within
walking distance or whatever the case might be. Um, that safety first. Yep. Of all the things
that you take from this segment, please, please, please take that. Um, give our officers a break.
This holiday season, give our EMTs a break. Um, and keep everyone around you safe. Yeah.
Including yourselves. Um, um, out of all of these, Melissa, I don't know, uh, they, they,
I mean, there's, I think there's bits and pieces we can take out of all of them,
but I don't know if any of them necessarily outside of the bring in the plus one or,
or hiding a mess you make. I think those two are pretty a hundred percent.
Those two hundred percent don't, uh, well, know your, uh, know your, uh, your party with the plus one,
but I'd say hiding a mess is by far and away, the thing you do not do at any party.
Yeah. Yeah. You really really can't do that really, really can't do that one. Uh, we will, uh,
get to some commercials real quick. We'll come back and have some more fun with you.
It's the morning show on WFHR. Melissa and James taken it to you on W locally grown radio.
Welcome back everyone. Morning show here at WFHR locally grown radio. Melissa and James hanging out
with you along with Sir Paul McCartney. My favorite Christmas synth. Yeah.
It's, uh, fascinating. Um, there, there, I just read an article a couple of weeks ago about this song
and why it is, uh, the most polarizing Christmas song, um, that, uh, people either love or hate it.
It's, there's no like in between and, and a lot of what they were talking about in the,
and it was that the, the synthesizer is so unused in, you know, Christmas songs.
It's not what we tradition, you know, like you expect to hear an organ maybe in Christmas
choral choral, choral, choral songs, but yeah, not the synth. Interesting.
Let's dive into it. That ain't right story, Melissa and it's an interesting one.
A new study found that being hypo, uh, hypochondriac or constantly worrying you might die or get sick
or something like that could actually do that. Kill you.
Researchers in Sweden found people who are paranoid that they might die tend to die earlier.
The average was 70 years old compared to 75 years for everyone else.
Wow. So being, being afraid of dying can take five years off your life according to this study.
They found that hypochondriacs are more likely to, uh, pass of natural or unnatural causes.
So everything from heart attacks to getting hit by a bus.
They also are at a higher risk for depression and other, other mental health issues.
That makes total sense.
Yeah. Um, they, they think one of the main reasons is the stress, uh, constantly being stressed
about your health isn't good for your health.
But one expert noted that it is, it is just, uh, for actual hypochondriacs. He, he says a lot of us
are mild hypochondriacs. Um, but, but his only, uh, this only applies to people who live in a
quote, perpetual state of worry. Yeah. Yeah. Who have actually been diagnosed with it.
And that, thank you, Melissa. That is where I, that is the key to this conversation, I think.
We have so many of us, including myself that you did this once in the past two, who go around
kind of self-diagnosing ourselves. There, there's so much information available online now. And
thank, you know, thanks to websites like WebMD and things like that. Like I, I remember WebMD
first came out and I would go on there and look things up. And almost every single thing came back
to cancer. Like, you can scare yourself right to, to death. Yeah. Yeah. You're really good. Yeah.
And there's stuff to wear. Oh, this symptom, this symptom, I have all of these symptoms. So I
must have this. I'm gonna die. When that's not usually the case. Um, well, the unfortunate reality
here, James, is that this comes back to our healthcare system. And, and our access to healthcare,
that should be a human right to be able to have access to healthcare. So you're worried about
something, you should be able to go see a doctor and find out, is this what I have? Or is it just,
you know, a normal skin rash that's going to cure up by itself? Or am I dying? Like, that should be
available to everyone. And it's not. So so many of us are have no other option or feel like we
have no other option financially have no other option than to try to self-diagnose. That doesn't
always end well. Um, and, and, you know, because of that, uh, I believe that we have things like a new
term that has been applied in the medical community. Cyber, uh, cybercordia. Cypocondria. Cypocondria.
Is when you can't stop googling symptoms to try to diagnose yourself. They actually had to come
up with a term for this, uh, because we're doing it so much. Yeah, it's crazy. It's crazy. It is.
Nears, but we, yeah, we need a pali cleanser. We do that. We need a better, we need a better system.
Uh, that's true. That for sure. And, and a pali cleanser. Yes. And access to healthcare.
Can you get on that politicians, please? Yeah. Yeah. If you could, if not, then we will replace you.
Um, I, I really feel like we need to really make that point stronger as we're going into 2024.
If you, if you all can't get the job done, you can be replaced. It isn't as if, uh, let me see
here, Melissa. What does it take to run for office of any kind? Uh, let me see here. Not a whole lot.
Not a whole lot. Um, so, yeah, you can be replaced. Uh, let's get to that pali cleanser, Melissa.
And it kicks off with our midday magazine today, looking forward to it. Uh, in part one, Ashley Hagenau,
Allison Darryland's own going to join us. Wonderful. Uh, Ashley and I are going to talk butter.
We're talking butter. We're talking a lot about that too. Perfect time of year for it as well. Yeah. Yeah.
So much butter going into yummy Christmas cookies and baking. Oh, I got sidetracks. Sorry. Sorry. I mentioned cookies.
At 3 30, Ben Eberley is going to join us community engagement director with our United Way of South
Wooden Adams County United Way. Great. Get an update from him. Looking forward to that. Um, a little bit
later today. And again, everybody crossed your fingers, everybody crossed your fingers. We got
Milwaukee Bucks basketball, hosting San Antonio Spurs. Uh, hopefully it will work out. Yeah. Uh, I
want to say a big gigantic shout out to every single engineer here at Civic Media working their
tails off for us and, uh, appreciate them. Appreciate them. And appreciate our audience being
patient with that. Uh, we're, we're working really hard to get Bucks basketball right here on
WFHR. Mm hmm. On our sister station, WRI, our pregame kicks off at 640 for boys basketball,
poor Edwards hosting Marion. That's going to be a good one. Michael and Seth covering that for you.
Yeah. Support our high school players. Mm hmm. That's good. Good stuff right there. Uh, we also
got a 30 hours of Christmas coming up. Melissa Seth and I are going to preview that for you coming
up this week or looking forward to that. Okay. That is going to be good. And, uh, let's get into
just a community stuff like this community blood drive going on that Melissa was telling you about
earlier. Yeah. That's taken place today at, uh, Eastern your high school. I believe this is the
afternoon session, right James? Yeah. 10 to 3. 10 to 3. All right. So over at 311 Lincoln Street and
Wisconsin Rapids. Mm hmm. And if you miss that one, you can go at the Red Cross is holding one at
the McMillan Library tomorrow. I believe it's also from 10 to 3. Yes, it is. Nicely done, Melissa.
Nicely done. Sometimes those things stick in my brain.
Our friends at McMillan Library will be hosting their blood drive from 10 to 3 over at 490 East
Grand Avenue. That's going on tomorrow. And again, uh, the blood drive happening today over at the
former Eastern High School Music Room 10 to 3 and encourage all of you heroes out there to donate
if you can. We greatly appreciate you doing that. An hour of your time and can save up to three
lives. Uh, coming up on the, uh, Thursday, the 21st, we have a VFW 2534 monthly meeting going on
at the VFW post on Red and Road. That'll be at six o'clock. That takes place the third Thursday of
every month. Um, the 21st, perfect. Also, uh, the Rudolph American Legion going to have their monthly
meeting at seven as well on Thursday. Mm hmm. Keep that in mind, everybody. Uh, one of their
mind everyone as well that our friends at the parks and a forestry department, uh, let us know
that Power's Bluff has a cool new thing tubing punch cards. Yeah. You can so you can get 10
punches on the card and they can be used by multiple people, not just one person. And encourage
people to check that out. That is pretty cool. Uh, I've been over to Power's Bluff in ages. I
got to get over there. Well, maybe wait for some snow for shade, but you can get your punch card
now. So you're ready to go once the snow falls. Mm hmm. Be sure to do that. It's gonna do it. Everybody
do it. Um, and, and keep in mind that, uh, this Wednesday will be the blue Christmas worship
over at the Wisconsin Rapids Moravian Church that'll take place at six o'clock Wednesday night.
Oh, yeah. That's tomorrow. This worship is designed to recognize our grief and struggles even
in the midst of the most wonderful time of year. During our service, we'll recognize those when
we have lost the struggles we are facing and we have an opportunity to be supported in prayer.
You are invited to be, uh, bring a picture or something else to represent your struggle. Uh,
these will not be kept. They just go up there for everybody to, you know, for you in the moment.
Mm hmm. Yeah. All are welcome. Uh, this is being sponsored by Grace, the Greater Rapids Area Churches
for, uh, eco, eco-minism. Uh, I was doing good. I was doing so good. I came right up.
You're doing good. Ah, thank you. It is a wonderful service that they offer. Um, and, and it's
open to everyone, as James said. And this time of year can be especially hard. If you've lost
someone recently or even a long time ago, you know, you, we miss those that are so close to us
this time of year, more so it seems like at least for me personally than any other time of year.
Likewise. Um, you know, I, I, I, if we, my family and I are, are still not very removed from my,
my, my, my papa, my grandfather passing. And, um, it's just even looking at this, uh,
the segment or two ago and getting ready to talk about it, I had to work myself up just
even talk about this. Um, and I'm, and I'm using pretty raw. And I'm sorry for that, James.
Uh, it's, uh, it's, uh, it's where comedy and sarcasm come in from me. Melissa, because that's,
that's one of the ways on the air. I deal with those things. That's how you mask it. All right. I got
you. But, uh, that's like, that's the healthiest way. I think about healthier way of dealing with it
is going to the blue Christmas worship, uh, going on this Wednesday at the Wisconsin Rapps Maravian
Church. Six o'clock, that'll take place. Again, a big thank you to Grace, uh, and the work that
they are doing in our community. Yes. Thank you very much. Got some world good stories to get to.
Let's stick in the Midwest for a second though. A cop in Minnesota risked his life to save two
fishermen who fell into an icy lake. He also saved their dog. Oh, my, um, he didn't have
protected gear or anything, a special rescue unit was on the way, but he, he thought they might
take too long. So he, he tied a rope to himself and slid out on his stomach. Other cops pulled
them all back in and their chest cams got the whole thing on video. Oh, wow. Um, our, uh, all day,
our all morning listeners may catch that we started our show with the story, a story like this
with a deer. Yeah. Just gotta bring more and more attention to these stories, I think. It's just
amazing. Yes. Officers going above and beyond. Serve and protect. We appreciate you. Yes.
Best selling author James Patterson just gave 300,000 dollars in Christmas bonuses to employees
at independent bookstores around the US. That's amazing. 600 people got 500 dollars each. They
were all nominated by their bosses or members of their community. Wow. What a great thing. I,
and he, you know, I can't say that I read any of his books, but my boyfriend does. He likes James
Patterson quite a bit. Um, but what an amazing thing to do for independent bookstores. James holds
the records for most number one New York time bestsellers. Uh, and he says that he wouldn't have
this without these people. Um, right. That's a pretty cool thing. Like James Patterson really
cool. He's not trying to sell books here. He's not like this isn't a PR move. James Patterson
do it okay. He's saying thank you. Yeah. Yeah. That's pretty dang cool, man. I don't know if I've
ever heard of an author doing something like that. That is pretty darn cool. Yeah. Uh, it's been really
cool hanging out with you, Mel. Thanks for a great show. Yeah. It's been lots of fun. Thank you, James.
Thank you to our friends over at quality foods, IGA and our merchant merchant elf. That's been
over there and find that elf. And Bill from FRM for joining us today. That was a lot of fun.
And a blast. Yeah. Thank you, Bill. We'll be back tomorrow. Seth and I will hang out with you for
a bit. It's going to be a good show. And we will have more coming up for you. Great, great civic
media line of coming up as stick around for Asgos, Wisconsin, Melissa. Have yourself a great day.
You two James. Uh, be good to each other out there. We'll talk to you soon in the later right here at
Omelette Mel. You go ahead. Take it. W F H R Wisconsin Rapids 1320 AM and W248 DE broadcasting at 97.5 FM.