March 28, 2024

Off to a good start

I was asked to pen a column for this Monday’s edition of the paper. Usually I have no problem fulfilling this request, as I am just a once-in-awhile columnist here at the Newton Daily News. When I sat down at my computer to begin writing, I found myself unable to narrow in on one topic. So instead of picking one, I’m going to do something I haven’t done previously, address several of the different ideas rolling around in my head.

Blizzard Birthday

Well, I may have jinxed myself in my last column. I wrote about the struggles of having a winter birthday. I was repaid with the biggest snowstorm of the year forecast on my birthday. My twin sister and I had made plans to meet in Des Moines to see “A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder” at the Des Moines Civic Center. It was a musical neither of us had seen, and I was looking forward to it.

While we didn’t get the 12 inches of snow originally predicted, Tuesday was still a rather nasty day. We were forced to cancel our plans and stick with our backup plan of meeting for dinner on Thursday. It turned out to be just as fun. We were joined by more members of our family at Red Lobster. The waitress, who had a the great name of Pamela, did a super job of making the meal an enjoyable experience and even brought Trish and I ice cream with a candle and sang “Happy Birthday” to us.

Jason Aldean Concert

Recently, I had the opportunity to see Jason Aldean in concert at Wells Fargo Arena. It was a fantastic show. He played all of the songs I love plus a few of his newer songs I’m not as familiar with. The tickets were a Christmas gift from my brother and his girlfriend. It was an unbelievably generous gift, and I am still extremely grateful. I love going to concerts, and I was thrilled I was able to attend this one.

One of the coolest things about Aldean’s set was when he told the crowd his lead guitarist was from Des Moines, and the show was a homecoming for him. The crowd went wild for the Iowa native. I can just imagine how that made him feel. He was very talented, and it’s nice to see an Iowan on stage with one of the best male singers in country music currently.

Super Sunday

Yesterday’s Super Bowl 50 was a really exciting game to watch. The Denver Broncos defense really solidified the win for them. I have always liked Peyton Manning and respected the way he played the game. He wouldn’t say for sure if it was his last, but if it is, it would be an excellent way to end a fantastic career.

Now for the real reason to watch the game, the commercials. While I can’t pick out any truly awful ones, the Steven Tyler in Skittles was really close, it was truly a lackluster year. The Budweiser clydesdale commercial was disappointing. It is the TV spot I look forward to every year, and the ad barely featured the magnificent horses. I will say the Prius bank robbery commercial was the highlight. It had the whole room chuckling. Also, Coke’s use of The Hulk and Ant-Man was great. Those were the top two for me.

The first two months of the year have given me some great memories. I can only hope God continues his blessings on me and my family as the year keeps rolling along.

Contact Pam Rodgers at 641-792-3121 ext. 6531 or prodgers@newtondailynews.com