Korey Reiman Returns to Campus

At the invitation of Dr. Sara Crook,  Korey Reiman visited Peru State College today to talk about his run for the seat in Nebrsaka's 1st Congressional District.  

I remember Korey from English classes and from his play on the Bobcat Football Team during the first couple years I taught here, so what fun to see him back on campus to talk with students about his experiences trying to unseat a long established member of the congress, Jeff Fortenberry.

And while Fortenberry prevailed, Korey talked with the audience in the CATS Conference Room about his experiences in the campaign and his pride over earning over 80,000 votes, the most against Fortenberry since his 2006 campaign.

After his hour-long discussion, Korey and a group of people enjoyed  lunch in the Burr Oak Room.

Korey talked enthusiastically about getting involved in civic activities and shared with us some of the unpleasant aspects of running for office but also the satisfaction he experienced despite many sacrifices with respect to family and job.

After Korey graduated from PSC with a teaching certificate, he went to law school at UNL and runs now a private practice as a criminal defense attorney.

I uploaded photographs from the visit and a short video from his discussion.  You can also enjoy a short video from Korey's engaging discussion.  

Thanksgiving at the Farm House

                                              Cary, Linda, and Leah Clemente

Wednesday night, Linda drove to the country house from Wisconsin; and after eleven, Cary and Leah arrived from Boulder and Denver to spend Thanksgiving here, the first time the four of us have managed to get together for the holiday.   Nice to have three cars in the driveway.

We enjoyed two busy days, and I introduced the family to my friends who like me because I offer them apples and pears.  And as the following photograph indicates, my bovine buddies do not mind at all my fashionable attire.

 

Thanksgiving Day, we paid Bill and Shirley Snyder a visit and dropped off some Wisconsin Blue Cheese and some Avery Brewing Beer that Cary brought along to share.  We stayed long enough to terrorize the cat, as the photographs indicates.

I am glad that all four of us got to see Bill and Shirley, for we seldom appear together  here in Nebraska.  But now I live pretty much half way between Linda and the children, which is pretty cool.

After this pleasant visit, we four joined Bill Newman at Tom Ediger's for the Thanksgiving feast he prepared, with all manner of good things to go with the chicken and the prime rib.  

What fun to join family and friends for a few hours of food and fun.  And Tom prepared a wonderful meal.  After leaving, we returned to the farm house for a quiet evening, which included one of our favorite family films, National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation. 

On Friday we all drove to  near Papillion to visit the Nebraska Brewing Company for lunch and some of the company's best in beer. 

We enjoyed the food and the beer and arrived in time to watch Nebraska beat Iowa.  I loved the India Pale Ale.

My son is the head canner at Avery Brewing Comapny in Boulder, Colorado; as matters turn out, the owners and the brewers at the Nebraska Brewing Company sat with us for quite a while and shared some of their special brew--great stuff.

Mostly, of course, they wanted to talk beer with Cary!

 

 So, as the collected shots indicate, we passed two full days of food and fun, and I hated to see the three of them leave the drive way on Saturday morning.  But in three weeks--after Madrigal Dinner and other school-related events, I will see everyone for Christmas.

 

Fall 2012 Choral Concert

 Misty Blues Show Choir

 Madrigal Singers

Concert Choir

On Sunday afternoon, November 11,  in the College Theater,  the college's three choir groups presented the annual Fall Choral Concert. 

 Tom Ediger directed the Concert Choir  and the Madrigal Singers.  And Jacob Bartlett  offered spectators another presentation of the Misty Blues and their very new look.

As usual, you can enjoy (and download) pictures from the evening's performances. 

You can also watch the following three videos from the Fall Choral Concert in HD.

The Concert Choir got the evening's festivities off to a wonderful start:




And then the Madrigal Singers took the stage:




After a brief intermission, the always colorful Misty Blues brought the evening's festivities to a satisfying conclusion:

 

Barbershop Choruses and Madrigal Singers

 Bells-a-Peeling, Nebraska City Apple Corps, PSC Misty Blues

 Bells-A-Pealing  Barbershop Chorus

 Nebraska City Apple Corps Barbershop Chorus

Peru State College Madrigal Singers

As they did last year on November 8,  the Bells-A-Pealing and Nebraska City Apple Corps Barbershop Chorus groups joined with the Peru State Madrigal Singers for a November 6, Election Day Concert at 7:30 in the PSC College Theater.

As usual, I posted photographs from the evening's activities.

I also recorded three numbers from the program:  Belles-A-Pealing singing "The Lion Sleeps Tonight"; The Nebraska City Apple Corps" entertaining with "Hello Peggy Sue"; and the evening's finale, when all three groups gathered for a rendition of "The Theme Song from Exodus," to round out the musical evening:

Unfortunately, the video portion of the Madrigal Singers did not turn out well, so I will do a better job on Sunday, November 11, when the Misty Blues, Concert Choir, and Madrigal Singers perform in the College Theater at 3:00.

Last Home Football Game of the Season

The final home game of the season actually took place in Nebraska City, at Pioneer Field, a disappointing loss, 38-28, on an otherwise dazzling Autumn day.


Stephanie Shrader and the Nebraska City Economic Development Corporation organized a tail-gate party a the picnic area across the street from Nebraska City High School, where folks gathered before the game to enjoy freshly prepared popcorn, crisp apples, and hot apple cider.

During the game, I put my birding binoculars to use in the press box, helping to keep statistics.  I am pretty sure that I started working in the press box during my first year at Peru State, twenty years ago.  And I still find all this entertaining activity.

As usual, I posted images from the event.

And at halftime, the college celebrated last spring's Peru State Baseball Team's championship season.  Team members received plaques to commemorate the players' success.