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Sunday, January 29, 2017

Interview with Micah Versemann

A couple years ago, my friend Kathleen Franck told me about a local filmmaker, Micah Versemann, of Brothers in Christ Productions, who would make a great topic for an interview. I had the privilege of meeting Micah recently, and he agreed to share about his work in a phone interview.
Bethany Carson: Can you tell about yourself and how you became interested in film-making?
Micah Versemann: My name is Micah Versemann, and I currently live in Waverly, Iowa.  Everyone always asks me how I got into film-making, but I still don't have an exact answer.  The first time I got to use a video camera was back when I was about eight years old.  That was one of the most cool things ever, because I'd always seen my dad or my mom running around with it--and they finally let me do it.  From there, it kept growing.  Soon I was making fun videos in my backyard with friends.  And next thing I knew, I was writing a script for a film and producing it.

Saturday, January 21, 2017

Benton County Courthouse

December 4th, I found myself in Vinton, Iowa with my family for the annual Tour de Lights 5K.  The course started at the fire station, and continued right past the Benton County Courthouse!  Before the run, I walked over to get a few photos.  It was a Sunday, so I wasn't able to venture inside.
I do, however, love the Beaux Arts style architecture of the exterior.  This Courthouse was built 1905-1906 of Buckeye gray sandstone, and cost $150,000.  Inside, reportedly there are three murals painted by an unknown artist.  The 1,500-lb. bell (donated by Paul Correll) and the clock were recently completely restored and re-installed.

Friday, January 13, 2017

Pho All Seasons

We stopped at Pho All Seasons in Des Moines in November after I ran the Hungry Turkey 5K, and my parents and sister had run the Hungry Turkey half marathon.  The place had a pleasant family atmosphere.  
I ordered a medium bowl of chicken pho for $6.95.  It was ok, but I missed the lime slices I could squeeze into the soup at Pho 515.  Without a little citrus, it seemed rather bland, but then that's just my tastes.  My mother ordered beef pho and thought it was delicious.

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Book Review: The Art of the Deal

Around the time I read Hillary Clinton's It Takes a Village, I also purchased a copy of Trump: The Art of the Deal, by Donald J. Trump with Tony Schwartz.  This year, I finally got around to reading it--and was surprised how quickly I finished.  This book has a very easy-to-read style.
Published in 1987,  the first chapter details a week in Trump's life.  The book then goes on to tell Trump's story, with a special focus on each of his big deals.  The stories are revealing.  Love or hate him, Trump is Trump.  He's well educated, but a bit rough around the edges.  And that's exactly what his book is like.  The type of language he uses in his speeches is what you'll read in his book.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

7 Stars Family Restaurant in Hampton

In late October, we stopped at the 7 Stars Family Restaurant in Hampton, Iowa for a family dinner after setting up for the train show.  The restaurant had a pleasant environment, and the waitresses were very nice and provided excellent service.
I ordered grilled chicken, which came with a potato and a choice of soup or salad with a roll.  If I recall correctly, you could also choose from a variety of ways to have your potato fixed.  I chose mashed potatoes with gravy, and salad.  I would have preferred a slightly larger portion size, but the whole meal only cost $6.95.  Everything was very good.  Afterward, I tried their pecan pie with ice cream ($3.25).