The current gas prices have many people wondering what they will do for fun this summer.  I for one don't think Fun and Travel need to go hand in hand.

If you look in your own back yard, you'll find dozens of fun things to do that don't require much travel.  The obvious regular offerings include Woodchucks Baseball, The Grand Theatre, Music in the Park Programs across the state, excellent state parks, family events like the Jaycees 4th of July Celebration, the traveling tribute to our veterans in late July and just an enourmous amount of affordable value packed options.

In the TV business, we spend a great deal of time urging shoppers to buy things locally to help keep our economy strong, but that can also apply to our vacations and recreation. The more you do locally, the more options there will be next year, and so on..

So before you plan a distant vacation and start getting crabby about the gas prices, take a look at all the things you can do closer to home, and reinvest in the future of your community.

'Toil and risk are the price of glory".

(Alexander the Great)

Are you a risk-taker?

Are you conservative?

Do you wish you were  different than you are in this regard?

I have read where people worked an ordinary job for 35 years, and saved---always saved and was frugal ---and would up having a million dollars at the time of retirement. 

When I look around and see how we, and our kids, and our grand-kids spend our money, I  have a sick feeling.

We eat out too much.  We buy presents and clothes that we could all do without.  We entertain ourselves, and make gluttony, and think it is the way to live.

Is it?

You can make it two ways:  either toil   or take risks.

Which do you prefer?

When do you say the honeymoon is over?

When she tells you  she will 'let' you get your own breakfast?

When she tells you her hands are dry and chapped, and she can not longer milk the cows?

When he tells you to get your gloves on and help cut the wood?

When tells you to get out and push, and you will do the shifting thing?

My wife tells me  not to be a "Barbo"  ...(that's my daddy's side of the family)

...anyone else have any good ones?

Hello. This is my first time here in Wausau. I read a little about your town, and your state.  It blows me away that the total state of Wisconsin has only  5.5million people.  I remember from a boy  the name "Wausau" though.  I think it must have been connected to the Insurance Company.  One thing I note that your town has about 38K people.  A sizable place.  I am from the deep South so I do not know if I could handle your winter weather.  I note that Wisconsin has 90 percent white, 6 percent black, 86 percent white with no Latino blood, and about  5 percent Hispanic.   That is a real far cry from what you will find in Dallas-Ft. Worth, I'm telling you. 

I suppose you all up there do not have much of an Illegal Immigration problem?  I don't think they have gotten up that far, except through Detroit  and on into Canada.

Well, we are having hell down here.  I am trying real hard to get them sent back, but it may be a losing battle.  I believe in Law and Order, and I pay for what I get, and I don't like handing out freebies to people coming in here Illegally.  So, a lots of crapola is going on here.

I surmise a lot of your population must be German?  That is what I read in some of the stuff on the Net.

I read something that says Wausau is full of 'hotties'.   Is that right?

Yeah, I can envision your farm-fed, hard-working  German girls. That makes my little heart pitter-patter.   LOL  Don't take this as any disrespect....far from it.   My grand-dad on my mother's side was German.  But then I got twisted up with some American Indian and English blood, that I know of.  Probably there is a lot more blood in there  somewhere too.  I don't know.

Aren't we all just a bundle of mixed up bits and pieces though?

I hope my wife does not read this.  LOL  (she does read some of my posts---and ribs me...we have fun)

Anyway, I think your blog must be new. So, some of you tell me what is going on with you.

And how you feel about the 'World Situation'.

Ahhhhh, the excitement of the Holidays continues with our FOX55 Jingle Bell Rock Giveaway!  You absolutely have to watch FOX55 News@9 tonight as we announce our first winner and winners to be on FOX55 News@9!

They'll be enjoying a shiny new bike from Joe Bikeler...gotta love that!  Now, don't think you missed out completely, we still have 8 more days of...I must say..."spectacular giveaways"...all the way to December 21st...so, if you think Santa might not be as good to you as he should be...no worries...just jingle your way to any of these participating sponsors and SIGN UP...wheeee...it's easy and the prizes are awesome!

Wed., Dec. 12th we give away a Snap Fitness 6 month membership for 2!      

Thur., Dec. 13th we give away a patio fireplace from Marcell's!

Fri.,    Dec. 14th we give away a tonneau cover or steel tube steps from Nice Ride, llc  

Mon., Dec. 17th we give away a Luxurious prize package from The Tanning Studio   

Tues., Dec.18th we give away Lambeau Legends collectible from Koerten Gallery    

Wed., Dec. 19th we give away a foosball table from Pool People                                     

Thur., Dec. 20th we give away a remote start w/installation from Mike's Auto & Truck     

Fri.,   Dec. 21st we give away a Journey diamond pendant from Jim Kryshak Jewelers

Yes, places to sign up at...Joe Bikeler in Stevens Point, Snap Fitness in Mosinee, Weston & Weston, Marcell's in Wausau & Wisconsin Rapids, Nice Ride,llc in Rib Mountain, The Tanning Studio in Rib Mountain & Schofield, Koerten Gallery in Stevens Point, Pool People in Schofield & Stevens Point, Mike's Auto & Truck Accessories in Schofield and Jim Kryshak Jewelers in Wausau.

Tis the season ....of love and happiness of course...now go get yours!  Happy Holidays!

I know everyone knows it is "The Most Wonderful Time Of The Year!" 

Have you got your Christmas tree yet...such fun...a holiday tradition of ours for many, many years...yes, singing Bing's White Christmas on the way...searching in the brsssssie cold for the perfect tree...and 1 tree later, we finally got it!

Oh, yes, it looked so perfect until we got a wee bit closer and I said "Oh honey, what are ya thinking...it's a branch...a charlie brown!"... not that we shouldn't love the charlie browns...did that, done that...hmmmmm...needless to say that bad boy was chopped in true lumberjack style and nicely tucked in the back of the truck with reassurances that once it all falls out, it'll be just fine...

UH HUH!

So, $50 later, we do indeed have a beautiful balsam...glistening with the joy and happiness of the season and I didn't even say, "I told ya so..." it is just 14 days until Christmas Eve and I ain't no dummy...happy...happy...

It's simple and easy to start your own personal blog on myFOXwausau.com. Just go to http://community.myfoxwausau.com/blogs/Create.aspxa>
 and follow the simple instructions.

Hellooooo Wisconsin!  

Yes, you did hear "That 70's Show" theme music in the bkgrnd...Happy, Happy Holidays!  I'm Deb Steinfest, aka CandH,  the Creative Services/Promotion Director for WFXS, FOX55 in Wausau, Wisconsin.

 It all began in 1999 and we haven't looked back since...everyday is fresh, new, excitement for what's going to happen that day and it's crazy fun with all the awesome production we do on a daily basis, wrapped with the season of sweeps promos of who watches what... I've been in the business for 23 years and I'm still loving it...all the last minute, need it yesterday, and absolutely, love, love the promotions we do that are community oriented...as a matter of fact ...if you haven't already signed up for the 2007 Jingle Bell Run/Walk for arthritis...there's still time...www.arthritis.org you can even sign up the morning of...it's Saturday, December 8th at the Wausau Center Mall...it's a wonderful event!  I hope everyone had a beautiful Thanksgiving with family and friends...and if you partook of the annual "Black Friday!" frenzy...a  good time was had by all...it 's been a long standing tradition in my family...and, this one didn't fall short of complete craziness...up at 2.  

Oh yes that is 2 AM.  

...my daughters, godson and niece are all half asleep, but we're enroute...they picked me up at 2:30, we were in line at 3, strategically placing persons at stores throughout the area...did a bit of browsing at another just to make sure we could locate the goods in a timely manner, I mean come on let's think about, we're there and we WANT IT...once scouted out, we exit the location and as my godson and I leave the front doors, a white car comes speeding towards us (unbeknownst to us at the time it was my other two nephews), my god son who is just 2 steps behind me sees the car, pushes past me well I should say plows past me as he reaches safety...mind you my godson is 6ft and then some, a strapping lad!  Talk about saving himself...LOL...my side still is still a bit bruised as he launched himself past me to safety...let's not save the aunty though...good god, I felt like the Seinfeld episode when someone yells FIRE and George bolts past the women and small children as he heads out the door!

WARNING: SHAMLESS SHOW PLUG COMING (we air back to back episodes of Seinfeld at 6 & 6:30pm, weekdays on FOX55)...wheeeee...what can I say I'm a Seinfeld fan.

 WOW what can I say we gave him unrelentess backlash...are ya kidding me...and what can I tell ya, he'll never live  it done...but, if  you missed all the madness of  the big day when all retailers across the country, cross their fingers and mark down their prices  in hopes that St. Nick lets them ring in the New Year in the black...FOX55 is having a little Jingle Bell Fun Promotion on their own...I'm not going to give it away...you absolutely have to watch us and you'll get all the details, but, I'll tell ya this... the  prizing is fabuous! Gifts for you...or....Re-gifts (aw, come on, everyone does it...and remember, there's just 30 shopping days left to Christmas...must run...the sugar plum fairies are waiting...