It has been a month now since Austin had a non-cancerous tumor removed from his right inner ear.

 From the outset, the entire thing has been a struggle and stressful. From the initial diagnosis (of Cancer) until the second opinion (non-cancerous tumor). When Austin went in for his surgery, it was one of the toughest days of my life. Austin handled it like a champion; partly because he didn't really understand what was happening, partly because he is just the type of kid to meet a challenge head on.

 I sat in the waiting room with my wife Mandy and my mother who, God bless her, came up to be with us. Cameron was with Mandy's folks down in Iowa (and God bless them too for allowing us to focus on the matter at hand and not have to worry about Cameron).

 The hours ticked by. We were told to expect a surgery that would last maybe 3-and-a-half hours. We hit hour #4. Then we hit hour #5. I told Mandy I was going to go scrub in and help when the surgical nurse appeared saying the surgery was over and Austin was in post-op.

 We had a post-op meeting with Austin's surgeon, a fantastic guy named Dr. Greg DeSautel. He gave us the low down; the tumor had progressed a little farther than they had thought and had actually started to "eat" one of the three small bones in his inner ear which allow him to hear. They had to remove that bone and put in a prosthetic ear bone (I didn't even know such a thing existed). The fact that it had progressed that far took them, and us, by surprise.

Dr. DeSautel told us there would have to be some follow-up tests done to see what, if any, hearing Austin has lost. We have not had that testing yet. It comes up on November 17th. Another thing Dr. DeSautel told us; this specific type of non-cancerous tumor can grow back and does in many cases. There is no medicine for this....the only way to treat it is through surgery. Meaning Austin might have to go through all of this again. We are praying that is not the case.

 From surgery day until now, things have gone well. His surgical sites are healing nicely. There is no sign of infection whatsoever. The "at home" hearing tests I give him, he passes. He was back in school a week after surgery. His pain has been minimal and what pain he has experienced, we have been able to control with medicine.

 There were some scary moments: Austin had trouble coming out of his anesthesia and he had to stay overnight for observation and treatment. Then when we brought him home and took his gauze off his ear all you could see in and around the ear was dried blood. The external incision was a 180 degree cut on the backside of his right ear. It looked awfully mean and turned my stomach when I saw it. Since then, it has healed nicely and, while still noticeable, is lessening day by day.

 The important part is that he is now healthy and, while we wait to see if this tumor will return (we should know in 9-12 months) we are so amazingly grateful that he is recovering well. While the tumor did progress further than anyone thought, the good news is that it did not impact any facial nerves nor did it lead to any type of cranial abscess (which was a possibility).

 Not that I ever took Austin for granted, but this experience made me value him even more. It shone a new, important light on what family is and what family should be at all times...not just during a crisis.

 It opened my eyes to how many good and caring people there are in the world. Many of you are among them; I know you said prayers and had prayers said for Austin. You would post blog messages and send me e-mails and even call the TV station after the surgery to see how Austin was doing.

 It is humbling to know so many of you came to the aid of my son. I love him with everything I have and to know so many of you care about him too is one of the real blessings in my life.

 Thank you for supporting Austin when he needed love, warm thoughts and prayers the most.

 It is tough when your heroes die. To know that their good works have come to an end and their voice has been silenced.

 Early this morning, one of my broadcasting heroes lost his life.

 His name was Dic Youngs. If you're old enough, you've probably heard of him. He was a legend, spending more than 45 years in broadcasting. Most of that time was spent behind a microphone at KIOA in Des Moines. He WAS rock and rock in the 1960's and 1970's, eventually growing into the role of "radio grandfather" in the 80's, 90's and beyond. He was a mentor to so many broadcasters, directly and indirectly. Those fortunate enough to work with him benefited from his direct involvement. Those who benefited indirectly were provided with a road map on how to respect yourself, others and the business of broadcasting.

 Every year, Youngsy would broadcast live from the Iowa State Fair. His booming voice audible even without the big speakers KIOA would set up. He was like Santa Claus in the Summertime; always quick with a joke or a smile or a pat on the back. I am 36 and have missed only a handful of Iowa State Fairs, so I had many opportunities to sit down and talk with Dic. But I never did it. Not really. Every once in a while I would approach him and start a conversation but then almost back out of it. He wasn't intimidating, not in the least. I just think every time I would try I would end up having a "you're not worthy" moment and not finish what I had tried to start. But I would always admire from afar and be amazed at how well he knew people and how well he knew the music. That was the thing; every time Dic Youngs was on the radio you KNEW he loved the music. That he was particular about playing songs with strong lyrics and attention getting guitar licks and bass lines. It was always a party with Youngsy....at least that's how he made it appear and that's why he was so fun to listen to.

 For years, Dic hosted a Saturday Night Oldies show on KIOA. When I lived in Des Moines...and eventually when I moved away but would come back for visits...I would always turn the show on and listen. It always made me smile. What a master of the radio dial!

 Which brings us back now to today and the horrible news which greeted me this morning. Dic had been hospitalized for a while now at Mercy in Des Moines. This morning about 1:30, his body apparently had enough and he passed into history. Going forward, it will be odd to think and talk about him in the past tense. He made the world a better, more tolerable place....one record at a time. His jokes, sometimes corny, could bring a smile to your face and make you temporarily forget about your woes.

 He was a big man in size and a big man in heart. Of all the people I know who have worked with Youngsy, I have never heard one of them gripe about Dic and that is saying something. Broadcasting can be fairly two-faced and has it's fair share of back stabbers. That being said, Dic Youngs was respected but more than that he was loved. And when someone you love dies, it's tough to take.

 KIOA Statement On The Death Of Dic Youngs

 Dic Young Personality Profile On DesMoinesBroadcasting.COM (includes audio of Youngsy doing his thing)

 Lately, for no real reason whatsoever, my thoughts are returning to Rome.

 About a year ago, I was forutnate enough to tour Italy with my mother and it was an amazing adventure.

 What made the trip for me was our tour of The Vatican and our time inside St. Peter's Basilica. What an amazing place. I took the picture which accompanies this blog. The picture is pointing towards one of the many smaller side chapels inside the Basilica. The light was just right for this picture; the multiple streams of sunshine bursting through as believers say their prayers. It was a moving, touching time.

 It's snapshot images like this one which prevent me from ever giving up on the world. There is so much blackhearted evil in this world that it can be tough to take. But that's not ALL there is. There are also bright colors, people with wonderful hearts and thoughtful minds, reasons to be hopeful about the future.

 Rome made a large impact on me. There is so much to see that there it's almost overload. The ancient architecture and the realization that this civilization was here at the time of Christ and before. At one time, Rome was the center of a world empire. The birth of organized government and military...all of it is traced to Rome.

 There is also a dark side to that history: long ago, Rome persecuted Christians. In their famed Colesium, Romans used to pit Christians against Lions while thousands looked on. Death was a sport and a sick one at that.

 But that initial persuction gave way to Rome accepting Christianity and the birth of the Catholic Church under St. Peter. Amazing, mind blowing stuff. To be in Rome, to stand inside St. Peter's Basilica and to ponder all of this is amazing. To look around the city and to see history on display is exciting. There are roads in Rome which are still in use which are more than 2,000 years old.

 I want to go back soon. I was talking about it with Mandy today. I want to take her to Rome and to show her everything I have seen. It is on my radar screen as something to plan for...hopefully soon.

 Quote Of The Day: "Do you know, my son, with what little understanding the world is ruled?" Pope Julius III

 This Day In History: John Paul I became Pope of the Roman Catholic Church on this date, August 26th, 1978. He died one month later.

 Something You Should Check Out: Enjoy this quick video featuring St. Peter's Basilica in Rome. Wow.

 As always, thanks for stopping by and reading the blog. Feel free to leave a comment below or send me an e-mail by clicking here.

 How much confidence do you place in fortune cookies?

 Like you, I usually crack them open, read the fortune, then toss it away and spend the next minute or so chomping on the actual cookie. Some, I assure you, are made of cardboard.

 Well a couple of days ago, I went out a grabbed some quick Chinese take out and brought it back to work. At the end of the meal, I cracked the fortune cookie open and read the message to myself. It said the following;

 "You are the master of every situation."

 I laughed, not quite out loud, but enough to where people around me could hear me. The master of EVERY situation? Granted, I like to be in control and chart my own course as much as possible. Who doesn't. But there are many things in my life that are outside of my control and I just have to deal with them. Or do I? The fortune got me thinking about how people react to the world around them; particularly bad or annoying circumstances. Do you just DEAL with those situaitons or is there action that could be taken to improve them?

 It's amazing what can promopt a mini "life review". The fortune ended up reminding me of a phrase I used to hear a lot growing up: "Some people make things happen, some people watch things happen and some people wonder what happened". I can hear my grandmother's voice clear as day asking me "Which one are you Brian? Are you making, watching or wondering?". I still use that question to gut check myself periodically.

 Leadership must be more than just a word. It must be a thoughtful plan of action which leads to happiness and success. I'm not defining 'leadership' in the business sense but the personal sense. Who is in control of your life? Do you have a thoughful plan of action to make your world better? Or is the world controlling and shaping your life?

 A little food for thought from a fortune cookie.

 Quote Of The Day: "If I knew I was going to live this long, I would have taken better care of myself." Mickey Mantle

 This Day In History: New Orleans was founded by French settlers and named after the Duke Of Oreleans. It happened on this date, August 25th, 1718.

 Something You Should Check Out: I can't tell if this piece of video is an insightful look at the customs of another culture or if it's just plain weird. This is video of a head massage as performed in India. Let me know what you think.

 All right, that's it for now. Feel free to leave me a comment below or send me an e-mail by clicking here.

 It's amazing what you can find when you take the time to look.

 Two weeks ago, Mandy, the boys and I took our usual annual excursion to the Iowa State Fair. It's a tradition for us and for me (I think I have missed 4 Fairs in 36 years).

 On our way to the Fair, we stopped at a place Mandy found called "King's Pointe" in Storm Lake, Iowa. It is an indoor/outdoor waterpark. I thought it might be mildly nice, at best and totally lame at worst.

 I could not have been more surprised.

 The place was awesome. The indoor water park was large and well maintained. The outdoor water park was something else. Multiple swimming pools to accomodate little and big swimmers, two HUGE water slides, an outdoor lazy river...all of is situated on Storm Lake itself. It's doesn't get much more picturesque.

 I did some checking and found some of the initial funding to get the project off of the ground was from "Vision Iowa", a state fund meant to help smaller communities build and maintain community projects. "King's Pointe" is turning into an economic boom for Storm Lake but it's kind of a quiet little secret.

 The place was built well. The rooms are amazing, large and spacious. If you're ever been to the "Grand Californian Resort" at Disneyland in California....the concept is the same. A lot of brick and wood with earth tone wallpaper. Quality. There is also an on-site restaurant in the hotel Ragatta Grille. Again, you find yourself having to remind yourself that is in Storm Lake. The tables are large and classy, the resturant was designed to never feel crowded, the food is delicious, the mood is relaxed and again, you can see Storm Lake itself as you eat. There's something about watching waves under sunlight while you eat that lends itself to having a good time.

 Again, I could not have been more surprised. If not for Mandy, we would not have stayed there in the first place. It's interesting to see what you'll find when you travel the backroads and stay off the interstate. Every once in a while, you find these little treasures.

 Quote Of The Day: "Thanks to the Interstate Highway System, it is now possible to travel from coast to coast without seeing anything." Charles Kuralt

 This Day In History: Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried the towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum on this date, August 24th, 79 AD.

 Something You Should Check Out: Watch this quick video explaining the eruption of Vesuvius and the direct impact it had on Pompeii. Some of the town survived the volcano but all it's people were killed. WARNING: some of the video shows the preserved remains of people who died on that day.

 Thanks for stopping by and checking out the blog for today. As always, feel free to leave a comment below or send me an e-mail by clicking here.

 Brian Allen KSFY

 It's sometimes odd what occurs to you in the middle of the night when you can not sleep.

 I am a notoriously bad sleeper. There are times when I wake up in the middle of the night for no apparent reason whatsoever, then I  begin thinking about things....ideas, people, et cetera...when then prevents me from getting back to sleep.

 So overnight, I had one of these spells and I began thinking about the idea of thankfulness and stopping to take stock of one's life. Do you do it? I try to daily...to keep things in perspective.

 I think about Mandy and Austin and Cameron and how lucky and fortunate I am to have them in my lives. Some people right now go home to an empty house and have little to no contact with anyone, let alone people who love them.

 I think about how thankful I am for my job, especially at a time when so many people are either unemployed or underemployed. I have a job I enjoy and I make a salary that allows me to support my family.

 I think about the freedom I have to practice my religion, knowing people worldwide are persecuted by governments or thugs who can't stand the thought or a higher power.

 I think about how good it is that Austin is excited about school and really wants to do well. I'll admit, when I was young, school seemed like a chore more than anything else. I was about as excited about it as I was folding socks. Austin has a true intellectual curiousity that I hope he keeps his entire life.

 I am forutnate that I have my health and that my wife and kids are healthy. I know so many people my age who have serious health issues that they are working to overcome. I do not have that burden and pray I never will.

 Look at the world around you and count your blessings, not your curses. Everyone has a certain level of challenge they must overcome daily. What you have to do is compare your challenges to others in society. Do yours measure up to theirs? Or are you realively well off but just think you're not?

 Would I like more time off with my kids? Yes. Would I like a bigger home? Sure. Would I like to be filthy rich? You bet. All of that said, the life that I have is good and I appreciate it. While I strive for things, I don't build my life around the fact that I don't have them. I focus on what I do have and how it's a lot more than some people have and that I am thankful to have it in the first place. But for a simple twists of fate, I could be single, no family, living alone, working at a job I hate. But I am not in that position.

 Every once in a while, I will say a prayer, sometimes to myself, sometimes out loud and it goes like this:

 "I love my life. I love my wife. I love my sons. I love my job. I am thankful for a roof over my head and food on the table. Thank you God for being so good to me."

 This is more than taking time to smell the roses. This is picking the rose, looking at it, appreciating it for what it is and not noticing the rose may have a few missing petals.

 Quote Of The Day: "The trick is to make sure you don't die waiting for prosperity to come." Lee Iacocca

 This Day In History: The famous debates between Stephen Douglas and Abraham Lincoln began in Illinois on this date, August 21st, 1858.

 Something You Should Check Out: Whenever I hear the song "Reign In Me", I feel amazingly thankful for my life. Whenever this song is performed at our church, I will tear up. It is such a great song. I hope you agree.

 Thanks for stopping by and taking time to make the blog part of your day. Feel free to leave a comment below or send me an e-mail by clicking here.

 Brian Allen KSFY

 Today, my wife Mandy and I celebrate our 10 year wedding anniversary. Like everything else, I'm wondering just where the time has gone.
 
 We got married in a small Iowa town called Mapleton. It's where Mandy grew up. The church we got married in was (and is) a simple but beautiful church. Very picturesque.

 I remember the night we got married like it was yesterday; we were surrounded by our family and our friends and we couldn't really believe that it was finally happening.

 Mandy and I dated for nearly four years. That is an eternity by some people's standards but for us it was just right.

 Iowa is notoriously hot and humid in August. We were a little worried that we would suffer through the wedding but that night, about 6PM, the temp was in the 70's and the humidity was low. The weather couldn't have been better.

 I remember standing at the altar and looking towards the back of the church and seeing all of these people sitting there, waiting for this event to happen. It was a little intimidating. Most of the people there were members of Mandy's family and there were a lot of them. I swear to you, you throw a rock in Monona or Ida Counties in Iowa and you'll hit someone who is related to Mandy. It's something else.

 Mandy appeared in her dress and looked beautiful. She got half-way down the aisle before I felt a flash of panic, hoping my friends hadn't written "Help me" or anything else on the bottom of my shoes. It was a Catholic wedding, meaning we would be doing some kneeling (turns out, nothing was written on my shoes, thank goodness).

 As we progressed through the ceremony, I found myself thinking about how great this was and how lucky I was (and am) to have Mandy as a partner for life. It sounds cliched, but she completes me. Where I am impatient, she is patient. Where she is quick to make decisions, I am the one that slows us down and helps us think things through. In many ways, we are the opposite of one another but I think that is why we work.

 I look back over the 10 years and see the life we have had. It has been good. We have added two amazing boys to our family. We have appreciated the best and endured the worst that life has to offer. We have said good-bye to loved ones, we have waited and worried as others have been diagnosed with diseases and gone through treatment, we have seen America and everything the country has to offer, we have appreciated our good fortune and endured the bumps in the road. She is my biggest supporter and critic and I love her for it.

 She knows how TV news works and how one minute you're up, the next minute you can be down. She is amazingly adept at dealing with those who are straight-forward and nice and those who attempt to lie, backstab and cheat to get ahead. Mandy deals with everyone by using one huge grain of salt.

 On her Facebook status update today, Mandy simply wrote "10 years ago today I married my best friend". I did too.

 It was a bit of a tough day at the Allen household today. Austin started Kindergarten.

 The "tough" part was for me, Mandy and Cameron. Austin couldn't have been happier. He was excited about going to school and being in Kindergarten. We dropped him off at school and stayed with him for a little bit. When it was time for him to go to close, he said "Bye!" and went to class. No separation anxiety. No hesitation. Nothing like that. Meanwhile, me, Mandy and Cameron were starting to go through our withdrawls.

 It started on the ride home from school. Mandy turned around and said to Cameron, "Do you miss brother?" That's her way of saying she missed Austin; she introduced the subject without saying how she felt about the situation. That's her way. "Where brother go?" Cameron said, sitting in the back of our car. I was driving back, a little sad. One of my two little buddies was done with vacation and now back in school.

 It's interesting the emotions this situation brings up. The last two years, Austin has been in pre-school, getting used to a school environment and being around other kids. But now, it starts to matter. He will have homework to do and more school type responsibilities. He will have to really listen in class and pay attention. He will have to avoid the bad habits of the other kids in his class while working to overcome his own. The building blocks of his school career are starting to be laid right now. I worry about him and hope he does well. But like anything else in life, Mandy and I can only be helpers and cheerleaders. It will be up to him to see the work through on his own.

 Austin is a smart and curious kid. He has a good sense of humor and a good heart. He likes to ask questions about real world issues and thoughts. I enjoy talking with him about anything. We will do our best to lead him down a path of success and hope he grabs the reins.

 Austin started Kindergarten today. It seems like he was just born. We will blink and he will be a freshman in high school. Then we'll blink again and he'll be in college. I am very proud of my boy.

 Quote Of The Day: "Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, and knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful." Samuel Johnson

 This Day In History: Germans voted Adolph Hilter to the position of Fuhrer on this date, August 19th, 1934.

 Something You Should Check Out: Enjoy Crosby, Stills and Nash and their song, "Teach Your Children Well".

 Thanks for stopping by. If your child is now back in school, good luck to you too. Feel free to leave a comment below or send me an e-mail by clicking here.