Wonder Michigan

Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit has helped us put thousands of Metro Detroit friends and neighbors back to work.  They are asking that you can continue supporting their fight against unemployment with a single click of your mouse.
 
The Detroit Ben & Jerry’s Partner Shop is owned and operated by Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit and provides paid job opportunities for youth with employment barriers.  A nationwide video contest through Ben & Jerry’s gives us a unique opportunity to win $5,000 by earning the most online views of our “Ice cream so cold in the D: A Ben & Jerry’s Detroit Top Ten List”  Enjoy the video below.  By forwarding this on to all your friends you are helping Metro Detroiters gain jobs.

I can’t believe that Wonder Michigan is turning  1 year old.  Did Wonder Michigan live up to everything that I wanted it too?  I started this journey with A Marathon is Won with the First Stepand have tried to experience all that Michigan has to offer.  Just as the state that we love, we are not perfect, but am really working to be better.  It took a little bit of time to find our voice, we did not post as much as we would have liked.  Although on average we did post about once a week, there still where many lags in our post.  The passion is still here.  We have encountered many new Michigan businesses that we did not know exist a year ago.   There have been many proud moments for the Great Lakes State in the past year.  We have enjoyed Wonderful Michigan wines and beers, eaten at some amazing Michigan restaurants, made delecious food from Michigan products, and met some amazing people who are working to make this a better state. 

I am so excited to see what the next year has in store.  I am looking forward to exploring more of the Wonder of Michigan.  There are many things that I look forward to trying out, and also many new businesses that are opening in Michigan every week, that are going to help rebuild our beloved state.  Michigan is a little better, the auto companies are looking healthier, but there are still too many people out of work.  2010-11 will be a big year for Michigan, we have an election coming up, many other exciting events coming to the state.  Hopefully you will come a long for the ride with me to see the Great State of Michigan.

Many great writers and great speakers have had their say about how great of a person Ernie Harwell was.  The radio has been full of stories of people who Ernie touched their lives in one way or another.  People are taking time out of their day was we speak to go down to Comerica Park, and pay their last respects.  I only met Ernie one time, I went to listen to him speak a few years back.  He really experienced life, and had the gift of painting a picture for his listeners, that they feel like they were there with him also.  I spent countless nights from April till September listing to Ernie tell the story of the Detroit Tigers games.  I would listen as long as possible until I just could not stay up any longer.  Besides going to Tigers Stadium with my grandfather and father to watch the Tigers play as a child, my greatest baseball memories are listening to Ernie call the games while I was supposed to be sleeping. 

In his last speech at Comerica Park last September, Ernie said that he was happy that his journey was going to end in the Great State of Michigan.  Michigan was lucky to have Ernie for 43 years.  He will be greatly missed, but never really gone, because he made many generations of Michiganders Tigers fans, and even though he has not announced a game in 8 years, I still hear his voice when I at a game, giving me the play by play.

After attending the Future Midwest Conference in Royal Oak last weekend, I have more confidence that Michigan will rebound from recent issues.  This first time event attracted over 600 attendees, and showcased some really cool companies that are located here in Michigan.  The biggest surprise for me, was what is going on in Dearborn at Ford Motor Company.  I have never been a huge fan of the auto companies.  I was under the belief that they had become fat and not set in their ways, not adapting to a new business world.  With one presentation, by Scott Monty, the Global Digital and Multimedia Manager at Ford, changed my whole perception.  What got me so excited was on two folds of what Ford is doing. 

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The weather has been great so far this spring. Last night I had an amazing dinner at La Dolce Vita and got to sit outside.  The food was amazing, but sitting outside in April for dinner, was a great surprise.  What a great time of year, to get out and enjoy the restaurants in our area.  Another great opportunity to get out and enjoy some of the finest restaurants is coming on April 16-25.  Detroit Restaurant week is having a Spring Edition.  17 Detroit Establishments in the Midtown, Corktown, New Center, Downtown and Eastern Market will be participating this spring.  The deal this time is very similar to the winter edition, $27 for a three course meal (exclusive of beverage, tax and gratuity).  The toughest part of Detroit Restaurant Week, is deciding which one to go to first.

Over the past 30 years, the most beloved sports teams in Detroit, are the underdog team that has a blue collar work ethic.  The 1984 Tigers, 1989 and 90 Pistons “Bad Boys”, 2003 Pistons, and  the Red Wing’s just about every year.  These teams were our teams.  They came to work everyday, did not have any problem getting dirty. Their leaders are legends in Detroit lore, Isiah Thomas, Joe Dumars, Bill Lambeer, Steve Yzerman, Kirk Gibson, Alan Trammel, Chauncey Billups, and Ben Wallace.  Detroit embraces the teams were they can see themselves being just like the guys on the team out there.  Last year during the 2009 Final Four in Detroit there was a lot of talk about how Michigan State Universities Men’s Basketball team was helping the city of Detroit.  Even if it was for a few days, they were up lifting the city.  It was a great event, and downtown Detroit, never looked better in my lifetime.  The city was alive.  I am still a believer that sports are a great escape from life for a few hours, but they are just entertainment.  But maybe there are lessons to be learned from sports that can effect a city. 

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As the 2010 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament is set to tip off in just under four hours, it makes me think back to last year’s Final Four in our backyard.  Personally it would be impossible for any Final Four to beat the 2009 version in Detroit.  Not only am I a huge Michigan State fan, and the ability to see them play for a championship in Detroit was a once in a lifetime experience, but I also had a very special moment that can not be topped.  Last year was my 30th birthday, and all I wanted for my birthday was to see “One Shining Moment” playing on the big screen at Ford Field with the last image being MSU cutting down the nets.  I was 40 minutes away from my only birthday wish coming true.  MSU did not win it that night, but it still was a great moment for me.  The streets of Detroit were packed the whole weekend.  We showed the world what a great city and people are here in Michigan.  I did not meet one person from outside of Michigan who did not have good things to say about the city at that time.  Most were very surprised because they had heard so much bad about Detroit.   The NCAA Men’s Basketball tournament always is great, and I will be watching, but for me the Final Four ever is in 2009 in the Motor City.

I hope not to jinx this, but I am going to say that it is officially spring in Michigan.  The snow is gone, I have seen the sun in the last few days, and the my winter coat has been hung up in the closet.  Spring may be my favorite time of year.  Get the benefits of Summer with out the heat and humidity.  Spring is a new start, the weather is only going to get nicer, and everything just smells new.  After sitting at home for much of the winter, I just have so many things that I cannot wait to do.  My golf clubs have been calling out to me, every time I walk by them in the garage, my running shoes are saying no more treadmill, lets go splash in puddle, and see what is going on in the neighborhood, while my bike is telling me not to forget about it.  It is time to start exploring Michigan again, I am just not sure where to go first.  I do have one confession, I will be sitting in my house on March 18 & 19 watching the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament, but hopefully I can open the windows.  What are you going to do in Michigan for spring?

Dear Lions;

I am a big believer in tradition and for the past 50+ years my family has been season ticket holder for your football team.  We have had seats on the 40 yard line behind the your bench since you played in Briggs stadium.  (I think it was Briggs at the time)  I am the third generation of my family to have these tickets.  My grandfather took my dad and uncle to the games, to sit in below freezing weather to support you.  Granted that back in those days the product on the field was worth sitting in the cold weather to watch.  Then later when I was born my grandfather and father would take my brother and I to games.  Three years ago I got the honor of taking over the tickets, and going to games with my dad.  I have to admit every season has been harder and harder to be excited for.  My ticket price has rose 33% over the time that I started to own the tickets.  The team also went from 7-9 to 2-14, not to mention the 0 for that happened in 2008.  Last year it was very hard to get up on Sunday and go to your games.  The best part was having brunch with my father before the games.  I have come to the realization that I do not need a football game to have brunch with my dad.  So I am no longer a season tickets holder of your franchise.  I am going to have to start a new tradition.

Sincerely

A true born and bred Detroit Sports Fan

In December of 2008, when it seemed that the whole country was against the state of Michigan, a pride in Michigan made products began to pop up.  One of the reasons that I start WonderMichigan was because of what I experienced at a wedding in Washington DC during this time period.  There were radio commercials asking the people of Michigan to write the President and to buy Michigan products.  I have challenged you my reader to work harder to buy Michigan made products and to shop at Michigan owned stores.  Over the last few months I have started to become concerned that as we emerge from the recession that people are going to forget what got us into this mess.  One organization that has been working very hard to make sure that buy Michigan stays in front of our minds is Made in Michigan Movement. 

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