The Good Life – November-December 2015

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BY: MATT LACHOWITZER | PHOTO: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
When it comes to recognizing issues with your vehicle, using your senses is a good indicator that something
could be wrong. In this article, which is the first in a series of 4, we will talk about how becoming in-tune with
your senses (your sense of smell in this article) can help aid in recognizing issues with your vehicle.
When there is a burning smell while preparing your food, it’s generally a good indicator something isn’t right
correct? The same rule of thumb applies when it comes to your vehicle. Any abnormal smell generally is an indication
something isn’t right. Some odors are only apparent when the vehicle is running, others when it’s hot,
and others when its sitting, so here are a few examples of what you may be smelling and what systems of your
vehicle they may be coming from.
Hot Burning Oil: A scent that is somewhat thick,
heavy, and sometimes accompanied by smoke coming
out from under the hood or the exhaust, is usually
an oil leaking or burning issue.
Maple Syrup: A sweet odor that’s usually accompanied
by steam from under the hood of the vehicle
could be a coolant or Antifreeze leak.
Burnt Toast: A light, somewhat pungent odor, could
be an indicator of an electrical short.
2
Gym Socks: When turning on your heater/air conditioning
and you get a whiff of your high school gym
locker, that is a good indication that you have good
old mildew growing inside of your A/C evaporator and
possibly a plugged cabin air filter.
Rotten Eggs: Sulfur or rotten egg smell that’s continuous
could be a sign of emission failure.
Burnt Paper: A smell that resembles that of burning
the Sunday paper could be an overheated clutch.

Metal: A metallic odor that is hot usually accompanied
by a sweet odor of antifreeze or
coolant could be a symptom of your vehicle
overheating.
Burnt Carpet: A smell that will typically omit
from the wheel area of your vehicle after the
brake pads have been overheated.
A Gas Station: This is typically raw gasoline.
Any fuel smells will usually indicate there is a
leak in the fuel system
Hell: This is the smell of sulfur (formally
called brimstone) and usually indicates gear
lube leaking from the manual transmission,
transfer case, or differential housing; or that
one of those components has overheated.
Burning Rubber: This is typically a smell
emitted from the engine compartment and
indicates an issue with the drive belts of the
vehicle.
Exhaust: This can be the result of oil burning
in the engine compartment or a faulty
exhaust pipe that is allowing exhaust gas to
enter the cab of the vehicle.
ALWAYS consult with a professional at the
Automotive Service Center of your choosing
when it comes to any issues that you smell,
especially since it could be an issue bigger
than expected. Also, when talking with your
automotive professional, make sure to talk
about the particular scent being smelled
along with any other relevant information to
make the diagnostic process easier.
Just remember, smells are important in detecting
issues, just like when food is being
prepared. If you can smell any of the odors
listed above, be sure to have your vehicle
looked at by a professional service center.
Thank you for reading and stay tuned for Part
2 of Recognizing Vehicle Issues Using Your
Senses. ■

VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 3
NOV•DEC
2015
IN EVERY ISSUE
02
12
16
34
CAR CARE
RECOGNIZING VEHICLE ISSUES USING YOUR
SENSES - PART 1
FATHERS
REMEMBERING MILITARY FAMILIES DURING
THE HOLIDAYS
HAVING A BEER WITH ...
ROBBIE DANIELS AND DAVE JACOBS
LOCAL HEROES
SWAT NEGOTIATIONS UNIT: HOW UTILIZING
BASIC SKILLS RESOLVES CRISIS SITUATIONS
08
28
02
ON THE COVER
20
MAKING A WINNING TRADITION
AN INTERVIEW WITH FARGO FORCE
HEAD COACH CARY EADES
PUBLISHED BY • Urban Toad Media LLP
www.urbantoadmedia.com
The Good Life Men’s Magazine is distributed six times a year by Urban Toad Media LLP.
Material may not be reproduced without permission. The Good Life Men’s Magazine
accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction arising from content in this publication. The
opinions expressed, or advice given, are the views of individual writers or advertisers
and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of The Good Life Men’s Magazine.

16 34
CONTENTS
06
08
26
CONTRIBUTORS
MEET THIS ISSUES CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
CLASSES IN THE CLOUDS
AN AFTERNOON AT THE FARGO JET CENTER
THE TROUBLING TASTES OF TRADITION
REMEMBERING HORRID HOLIDAY MEMORIES
OF MEALS PAST
28
32
MUSIC TO HIS EARS
THE WURLITZER MAN ON FALLING IN LOVE
WITH THE ORGAN
HELP FOR THE HOLIDAYS
DEALING WITH LOSS DURING THE HAPPIEST
TIME OF THE YEAR
OWNER | CREATIVE DIRECTOR • Dawn Siewert • dawn@urbantoadmedia.com
OWNER | PHOTOGRAPHY • Darren Losee • darren@urbantoadmedia.com
ADVERTISING INQUIRIES
dawn@urbantoadmedia.com • 701-388-4506
darren@urbantoadmedia.com • 701-261-9139
michelle@urbantoadmedia.com • 701-361-1760
READ AN ISSUE ONLINE: issuu.com/thegoodlifemensmag
FOLLOW URBAN TOAD MEDIA
ON TWITTER & FACEBOOK5

They take their work seriously!
Jessica Ballou is a proofreader by
day, freelance writer and blogger
at www.beyoutiful-beauty.com by
night. She also works part time at
a beauty store where she gets paid
to gush about lipstick and eye
shadow. She has a very sarcastic
sense of humor and frequently
quotes TV shows and movies. She
graduated from Concordia College
in 2012 with a bachelor's in print
journalism. She lives in Fargo with
her boyfriend and adorable black
lab/dachshund mix named Bella.
Danielle Teigen is a word nerd.
She considers it a hazard of the
trade — she’s a professional
communicator with a background
in journalism, marketing, and
public relations. Editing is one of
her favorite activities, as is writing.
Read her work at danielleteigen.
areavoices.com. When she isn’t
writing, Danielle enjoys running,
watching movies, and spending
time with her husband and twoyear-old
son. Both provide plenty
of humor in her life and her
writing. Follow her on Twitter at
@danielleteigen.
Matt Lachowitzer is the Owner
and Founder of Matt’s Automotive
Service Center, located in Fargo at
3007 Main Avenue and in Moorhead
at 1234 1st Avenue North. He is an
ASE Certified Master Technician
with over 20 years of proven
experience. Matt was recently
awarded Entrepreneur of the Year
by the Fargo/Moorhead/West
Fargo Chamber of Commerce and
Matt’s Automotive was recently
named The best place to have
your vehicle serviced and repaired
by the Fargo Forums “Best of the
Red River Valley”. Matt and his
wife, Char, along with their three
children, Kalin, Ryker, and Krimsyn,
reside in rural North Dakota where
they enjoy being outdoors and
living in the country. Visit www.
mattsautoservicecenter.com.
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Paul Hankel has lived in Fargo his entire life. He
tried moving away, but came right back! A selfdiagnosed
workaholic, Paul loves anything having
to do with marketing, promoting and bringing
attention to the Fargo-Moorhead area. He writes
for several local and regional publications
and is also a full time marketing consultant.
According to Paul, the lifestyle, the people, and
the opportunities that lie within our city and our
region are almost overwhelming! When he’s not
working, Paul loves spending time with his family,
working on their new house, and going out for
beers with Darren and Dawn!
Meghan Feir On a stormy Wednesday morning
many moons ago, Feir (pronounced “fear”)
was born, so according to Mother Goose, she
has issues. She prefers decaffeinated coffee
and long walks on the beach (as opposed to
caffeinated short ones). An old soul paired with
the enthusiasm of a 5-year-old child, Feir loves
Jesus, words, music, classic movies, the Oxford
comma, and real flannel. According to her, she
lives in the North, not the Midwest. Visit her blog
at meghanfeir.wordpress.com.
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BY: PAUL HANKEL | PHOTOS: URBAN TOAD MEDIA

A glimpse into the day to day life of a flight instructor,
when your office is located at 10,000 feet!
o begin this assignment, this writer sat down
and made a list of any and all jobs that could
possibly be more fun and interesting than being
a flight instructor. I can up with the following:
professional golfer, professional video game
player, professional poker player, and being the food and
wine, or nightlife writer for any magazine.
The first three would be awesome. However, they require a lot
of luck, practice and talent to achieve. There’s also a limited
window in which to do the job, as skill sets deteriorate. The
last one, while fun and exciting, would make you tired,
disillusioned due to too much of a good thing, and would
wreak havoc on your waistline.
Pretty much every male walking this planet has dreamed of
being a pilot, whether it be flying fighter jets or flying gigantic
Boeing airplanes across the country and world. The thrill of
flying thousands of feet in the air at hyper fast speeds, seeing
new parts of the country and world, and the prestigious
status one has as a pilot are enough to make being a pilot
attractive to anyone.
What a lot of people forget about is that someone has to
teach those, ‘flyboys,’ how to fly! That’s where Mike Paulson
and Steve Schlangen of the Fargo Jet Center come in to
play. Both former military members, with a passion for
aviation, Paulson and Schlangen both flew commercially
and privately, before becoming flight instructors at Fargo Jet
Center. For years now, they have been teaching people how
to fly, in order to get their private aviation and other types of
flight licenses.
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Mike Paulson
• Flight School Manager, Fargo Jet Center
• From Fargo, North Dakota
• Gained interest in flying from playing with model planes as a child
• Started flying in 1973, while still in high school
• Earned his Private Pilot License and joined Air Force ROTC
• Was a flight navigator in the Air Force
• Left the Air Force and flew freight, life flights
• In 1989 took over managing Valley Aviation, now Fargo Jet Center,
in Fargo
Steve Schlangen
• Assistant Chief Flight Instructor, Fargo Jet Center
• From La Crosse, Wisconsin
• Gained interest in flying from exploring the technical challenge of flying
• Graduated from the University of Minnesota with an Aerospace
• Engineering degree in 1982
• Employed by the Navy as a Civilian Contractor in 1982
• Received his Private Pilot License in 1983 from a Navy flying club
• Worked in Naval Engineering
• Left the Navy and moved to Reno, Nevada to pursue advanced
flight training
• Moved to Fargo in 1996 and flew corporate flights
• Joined the Fargo Jet Center as an instructor in 2012
Paulsen and Schlangen’s histories and
reasons for teaching are varied, however
their reasons stem from a love for flying and
a passion for helping others learn the art. “I
really enjoy the variety,” said Paulsen, “We
train people in the areas of private aviation
all the way up to commercial aviation. Every
day is different. We may have up to five or six
different training flights per day, of varying
types.” For Schlangen, it was the love of
flight that he sees in his students, “I’ve never
been in a sector of work where students are
so passionate about what they’re doing.
People (here) are motivated, and its people
that share the same passion for flying as I
do.”
What a lot of people don’t realize is that
almost anyone can be a privately licensed
pilot. While there are some physical
limitations, most anyone with the time,
resources, and desire to fly can become
commercially licensed.
Fargo Jet Center Flight School: What you need to know
• There is no FAA minimum age limit to begin flying lessons; however you
must be 16 years old to fly solo, and 17 years old to be certified as a pilot.
• Fargo Jet Center has had students as young as 12 years old!
• Flight school consists of classroom time, web-based and in-plane education
• Flight school is flexible. Students learn and advance at their pace.
• Students could graduate in as soon as 2-3 months, or take several years
• Students are trained in airplanes as well as flight simulators
• You don’t have to own a plane to be a pilot. Fargo Jet Center and other
centers rent out planes, such as the Cessna 172, for hourly wet fees
(fuel included)
• While rather expensive to get, your private aviation license is life-long,
as long as you keep it up to date
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Cessna 172 Skyhawk
4-seater
Very popular as a training aircraft because of its easiness to fly and durability
Can fly up to 14,000 feet
Ideal cruising altitude is 4,000 - 9,000 feet
Top speed of 188 mph
Life in the clouds is always a good time,
according to Paulson and Schlangen,
especially when it’s what you do for
a living. They’ve been instructing for
years and show no signs of stopping.
When asked what living the good life
meant to them, they looked at each
other, smiled and said, “This!” Turning
a childhood interest into a lifelong
career of helping people make their
dreams come true…not a bad way to
make a paycheck.
Need something to do for an
anniversary or date night? Interested
in taking flying lessons, but want to try
it out first? Call Mike and Steve at the
Fargo Jet Center and they’ll take you on
a Discovery Flight. For $149.00, they’ll
give you a tour of their flight facility,
take you and one guest up on a flight,
and show you what Fargo-Moorhead
and the surrounding areas look like
from a few thousand feet up! ■
11

12FATHERS

Remembering
Military
Families
During the
Holidays
During the holiday season,
many of us turn our attention
to those in need. One group
that endures great hardship,
but is often overlooked,
is the military family. Most of us
do not stop to think about the
responsibilities and pain these
families bear – especially around the
holidays. Throughout the year, they
sacrifice time spent with their spouse
or parent during deployments, they
sacrifice friendships and a stable
home life each time they move across
country, and they sacrifice peace of
mind because they love someone in a
dangerous occupation.
These stresses are only magnified from
Thanksgiving to New Year’s Day. And
even though military deployment is
necessary to help keep peace around
the world, for military families it
means long separations, emotional
distress and lifestyle adjustments.
While ordinary working parents may
say goodbye to their children for
the next eight hours, parents leaving
for deployment say goodbye for the
next six months. Imagine missing
the birth of your child; fearing your
infant will forget who your are; or
feeling guilt over knowing your
spouse is struggling alone, while at
the same time worrying that your
family will do a little too well without
you. The family left at home doesn’t
have it much easier. Military spouses
13

FATHERS
14
suddenly find themselves in the role of single parent
– taking on the roles of mother, father, accountant,
mechanic, home repair expert and full-time chauffeur
of the family - often in cities where they have no family
to call upon for support.
Deployment during the holidays means that the
military dependents commemorate Christmas dinner
and ring in the New Year as an incomplete unit, while
the deployed member spends the day without family
in a foreign, or even hostile country. Imagine how
heartbreaking it must be for a parent consoling a child
who doesn’t understand why Mommy or Daddy can’t
be home with them to enjoy the Thanksgiving turkey,
open presents on Christmas or watch the fireworks on
New Year’s Eve.
Military families are also called upon to move often –
relinquishing a stable home life, leaving behind friends,
and the negative impact of this transient lifestyle can
hit the hardest during the holidays. This is a season
meant to be celebrated with loved ones, but what about
the military family who just moved to a new town and
can’t afford to travel to visit family or friends? Another
way that military families sacrifice is the emotional toll
from worrying over the safety of their loved one and
the stress of this lifestyle. But even with these powerful
emotions present, they try to keep the holiday mood
festive even though part of their family is away.
So, as you consider helping those in need this holiday
season or throughout the year, recognize the many
sacrifices military families make. If you know a military
family with a deployed spouse, consider making them
a part of your family over the holidays. Invite them over
for Thanksgiving dinner, offer to take a family holiday
portrait to send to the deployed family member, or give
them long distance phone cards to help them keep
in touch. However you may choose to help a military
family, consider it a gesture of thanks for the sacrifices
they have made to help preserve our freedom. By
serving their families, you are honoring those who
serve our country. ■
Copyright 2015 Family First. All Rights Reserved.
Reprinted with permission.

GIFT IDEAS
This holiday season Urban Toad Media LLP
and The Good Life Men’s Magazine would like
to thank all the members of our military and
their families. Thank you for your sacrifice and
your dedication.
Please remember these brave men and
woman who give so much every day. Don’t
forget to add them to your holiday shopping
list.
Please consider a gift to one of the many
charities that support our military members
and their families. One less gift under your tree
could make the world of difference to someone
else.
Wounded Warrior Project
www.woundedwarriorproject.org
Fisher House
www.fisherhouse.org
Folds of Honor
www.foldsofhonor.org
Soldier’s Angels
www.soldiersangels.org
Veteran Tickets
www.vettix.org
Operation Homefront
www.operationhomefront.net
Don't forget
the service dogs!
The United States War Dogs Association
www.uswardogs.org
15

Good Life: If Batman and Superman were in high
school together, what sports would they each have
been in?
Robbie: Superman would obviously be in track
because he’s fast. Is speech a sport? That’s what
Batman would do.
Good Life: In what order would these three things be
in the food chain?
1. A cob of corn
2. A bison
3. A dragon
Dave: A dragon’s on top of the food chain. He’s going
to eat the bison, and the bison eats the corn, which in
turn fertilizes the earth.
Robbie: I’m with Dave.
Dave: Are you from MSUM, by the way?
Good Life: Moving on…
Bribed with beer, Robbie
Daniels and Dave Jacobs, two
radio personalities for 107.9 The
Fox, bravely stepped up to the
table, had a seat and answered
odd questions at Drekker Brewing
Company. The coworkers have
been on the air together for 20
years, resulting in a friendship that
constantly plays off each other.
They may be on the air every
morning dishing out their two
cents, but there are plenty of tidbits
you don’t know about them. Read
on, you curious cats.
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GL: If you could make up a law for Fargo-Moorhead,
what would it be?
R: We tend to not get too deep into the issues. We’re
kind of in the fluff of the issues.
D: We mock the issues more than try to solve them,
that way we feel like we’re helping.
R: I think I’d like to see the cities of Fargo and Moorhead
working together a little more than they do, just ‘cause
they both have so much to offer. It’s fun to see that
Fargo is getting to be such a young, progressive town.
D: It’s becoming more and more diverse in a positive
way.
GL: What are your thoughts on man buns? I’m not
talking about man butts.
R: I don’t mind them.
D: I’m not here to judge.
R: It’s a trend. It’s a style. It looks good on some guys.
D: Some dudes are into wearing ‘em. If he can’t pull it
off, then he won’t have any friends, and that’s sad.
GL: Did either of you fall asleep while watching any of
the three installments of “The Hobbit” adaptations in
the theater?
D: Yes, but I still enjoyed them.
R: The first one, I couldn’t get past the dinner scene
because it seemed too –
D: Stupid?
R: Too game-like, and I love “The Hobbit.”
D: I do too, but I’m so familiar with “The Hobbit” and
“The Lord of the Rings,” so I can fall asleep and know
what’s going on, anyway.
GL: Did you ever have an imaginary friend or animal?
R: I did not.
D: I did. In fact, it’s a weird story. I remember living
in southern Alabama and we had swamps behind
our house. My imaginary friend was a pirate and he
brought me back out into the swamp. They always talk
about “when they lost Davey,” and there were gators
out there. To this day, I remember following him out,
so I don’t know if he was some sort of ghost pirate
or – I don’t know. We didn’t even find any treasure or
anything.
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GL: What’s the weirdest quirk about the other person?
R: You first.
D: She has chip clips in her hair in the morning.
R: They’re not chip clips.
D: Yes, they are. It says Frito-Lay on one of them.
R: No, it does not. I have a poof problem, so I need to
use clippies to have it go where I want it to go… We’ve
been together for a long time. He’s approaching 50
and I’m over 50, so we notice those quirky things. Like,
Dave, how many times did I have to tell you where
Drekker’s was, and I finally said, “C’mere, gimme your
hand. I’ll lead you there.” I think the beauty of working
together as long as we have is we know our strengths
and weaknesses, you know, like, I can’t pronounce
words, so Dave’ll do it for me.
GL: What’s the strangest thing that’s ever happened
on your radio show?
R: Well, we had a stalker once, way back in the day. He
was just an oddball who would call us and tell us the
radio was in his head.
D: I told him, “Don’t worry, we’re switching to digital,
so that won’t happen anymore.” He believed it.
R: We haven’t seen him for years.
GL: What is something you wish everyone knew?
D: How to be polite. Manners. People have forgotten
their manners. Now I’m going to add my new
law. You’re going to get a ticket if you forget your
manners.
R: People are so rude. You don’t know what people
are going through.
D: Everybody’s got their fights. There’s nothing
wrong with being polite.
R: Be nice.
GL: What does “the good life” mean to you?
D: To me, the good life is to keep things simple. You
make more money, you spend more money. How
much do you really need? All you need is a pint a
day, and that’s of whatever gets you through the
day. I’m not saying to be an alcoholic. What I mean
is, keep your life simple.
R: You know, the good life for me is simple, too. I’m
blessed with family, I’m blessed with children, and
I’m blessed with great co-workers. I really am. I have
the good life. ■
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19

“It all starts with effort and work ethic.
We want our players focused,
and to bring their lunch buckets and
work boots to work every day.”
— Cary Eades, Head Coach, Fargo Force
Coach Cary Eades brings a
tradition of excellence and winning
with him, as he takes over as head
coach of the Fargo Force.
20

MAKING A
WINNING TRADITION
An Interview With Fargo Force Head Coach Cary Eades
BY: PAUL HANKEL | PHOTOS: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
On an off the ice, Fargo
Force head coach
Cary Eades has
had a remarkable
career. Following his
successes on the ice,
he began coaching some thirty years
ago. Following a successful tenure as
head coach of the Sioux Falls Stampede,
Eades was named head coach of the
Fargo Force. He takes over a squad that,
despite two down season, is hungry to
return to the top of their league. The
Good Life met up with Eades at the
arena to chat about his hockey career,
his life and his plans for the Force this
season.
THE GOOD LIFE: You were born and
raised in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Canada is often seen as one of hockey’s
Mecca’s. What made you want to leave
one of the most dominant hockey
countries to play and coach in the
United States.
CARY EADES: I grew up in the
Vancouver, British Columbia area. I
played my youth and junior hockey
there. Then, I got a college scholarship
and that brought me to this country
and area of the country for the first
time, and I really loved it here. I love
the upper Midwest, and the people and
the values that are here. It’s nice to be
back in an area that I’ve spent 19 years
of my adult life in!
GL: Before you began coaching, you
played college and professionally, correct?
CE: Yes, I played my junior hockey in
British Columbia and got a scholarship
to play at the University of North
Dakota.
Eades was a standout Forward at
The University of North Dakota.
His teams won the 1980 and 1982
WCHA Championships. Following a
stellar college career, Eades earned the
opportunity to play professionally.
However, an injury forced Eades to
retire early and shift his attention from
being a player to coaching. He returned
to the University of North Dakota,
where he spent a total of 15 years as
an assistant coach, from 1984 to 1991,
and again from 2004 to 2012. While
there, Eades has the honor of coaching
under such UND head coaching greats
as Gino Gasparini, Dean Blais, and
Dave Hakstol. In between his two stints
at UND, Eades was the head
coach at Warroad
High School, where his teams won
three Class 1A championships. He also
coached the Dubuque Fighting Saints,
out of South Dakota, and led them to a
championship in 1991.
21

Eades left the University of North
Dakota and took over as head coach of
the Sioux Falls Stampede. While there,
Eades team made the USHL Playoffs
all three years, winning the USHL Cup
in his last season.
“I don’t think there’s anyone out there
who puts more pressure on
themselves to win than I do.”
— Cary Eades
CE: I came back to UND after playing
professionally for a few years. I
learned a lot from those guys, I’ve
been really lucky. I’m now in my 32nd
or 33rd year of coaching, and it’s been
a great profession, with not too many
stops along the way. I coached in
Dubuque, Iowa, Warroad, Minnesota,
back to Sioux Falls, South Dakota,
and now here.
GL: You’re coming from Sioux Falls,
where you had a lot of success. What
are some of the challenges the Force
will face this year?
CE: There are always challenges in
coaching, especially when you’re
transitioning into a new situation.
There are a lot of unknowns. Players
have to get to know me and get used
to my coaching style, my nuances, my
pet peeves, and what makes me happy.
Early on in his coaching career, Eades
was referred to as the, ‘Latin American
dictator,’ by some of his colleagues.
While he says his style of coaching
has softened since then, Eades still
demands certain things from his
players: a winning attitude, hard and
work and focus every day. He’s also a
stickler for punctuality, meaning that
if a team meeting starts at 11:00am,
you’re there at 10:59:59.
CE: It all starts with effort and work
ethic. We want our players focused,
and to bring their lunch buckets
and work boots to work every day.
The USHL is a tough league, and the
season is more of a marathon than
a sprint, and that takes adjusting to.
Nowadays, I’m a little bit less of a
dictator and take a more democratic
approach. Player input, especially
with today’s generation is crucial.
They ask why, and I think, if you take
22

23

the time to explain why, they’ll respond
better.
GL: As with most sports teams in Fargo,
the Fargo Force has quite the fan base,
and all the games are well attended.
How will you handle the pressure to
win and a fan base that is hungry for a
championship?
CE: Well, there’s pressure with every
job. I don’t think there’s anyone out
there who puts more pressure on
themselves to win than I do. I’m not
a good loser, and people will come
to learn that about me! I have high
expectations for being successful and a
real inner drive and a hunger for that.
All you can do is control the things that
you can control. It all comes back to
work ethic and being ready to give it
your best.
Eades says it all starts with a winning
attitude among his players and coaching
staff, and building a foundation of
success. He also said that the first few
weeks are very important, in order to
set the tone with his team. Winning is
contagious, and Eades hopes that his
plans to build a winning culture with
his Force team come to fruition as soon
as possible.
GL: How do you feel about playing
against your old team, the Sioux Falls
Stampede? Will there be a renewed
rivalry?
CE: Well my first year coaching in Sioux
Falls, we met Fargo (Force) in the first
round of the playoffs and they beat us,
but it was a fantastic series. Since we’re
the two most northern teams, there’s a
natural rivalry there. But in all reality,
it’s really no more important that any
of the other teams we will be playing.
GL: What do you remember about the
Miracle on Ice?
CE: I was in college at the time. Those
players were from my era. That win
over Russia, and the momentum that
it created, really carried through as far
as opportunities for players. Then, of
course, the growth of the sport spiked.
It was a great story. The Russians, at
24
“The good life is enjoying each day and enjoying where you’re at. We try to teach our players
to enjoy the journey. You can’t get too caught up in looking down the road. It is important to
plan for your future, but a lot of great things happen right here and right now.” — Cary Eades

that time, were seen as, ‘the evil empire,’ and for anyone
to beat them at hockey, was a story. But the long-lasting
impact was felt for a long time, and still is today. It’s still
one of the greatest sporting events to ever take place.
GL: What’s your favorite thing about this area?
CE: It’s a sports hungry area, and also a great place to
raise a family. There are also lots of recreational activities.
I like fishing, golf and the lakes areas.
When he’s not coaching hockey, Eades enjoys golfing and
fishing and enjoys all types of music.
CE: I like to golf and fish, and really enjoy the lakes area.
I’m also a huge fan of music. I love concerts and would
consider myself a We Fest devotee! I really have a lot of
respect for people in the music business and how talented
they are.
GL: If you hadn’t become a hockey coach, what profession
would you be in?
CE: I would’ve become a teacher. I have a Master’s degree
in that. But coaching has been my mission and I enjoying
the heck out of it. I’m really looking forward to this new
challenge in Fargo.
GL: What’s your definition of living the good life?
CE: The good life is enjoying each day and enjoying
where you’re at. We try to teach our players to enjoy the
journey. You can’t get too caught up in looking down the
road. It is important to plan for your future, but a lot of
great things happen right here and right now.
From the looks and sounds of it, Fargo Force fans have
a lot to look forward to. With a beautiful arena, filled
with fans and a coach with three
decades of experience and several
championships under his belt,
winning is, no doubt, on the
horizon. Eades takes over a team
that has won in the past, but is in a
league where all 8 teams in their
conference have made
the playoffs within
the last three years.
Competition will,
no doubt, be tough,
but Coach Eades
and his players
will be there, ready
to win, when the
puck drops. ■
25

REMEMBERING HORRID HOLIDAY MEMORIES OF MEALS PAST
BY: MEGHAN FEIR | PHOTO: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Food is a universal bond that brings families, friends
and frenemies together, especially surrounding the
holidays. We all know this. Unfortunately, not every
traditional taste is appetizing.
This can spark wonderment as to how bad food ever became
a tradition when these concoctions should never have been
given a second chance in your great-great-grandmother’s
kitchen. For every “Ho, ho, ho,” you’re just saying “No, no,
nooo” whenever a serving is about to be plopped on your
plate.
Much of my heritage consists of what used to be the
stereotypical Minnesota mix – Swedish, Norwegian,
German… English, Scottish, Russian, Jewish, French, the rest
of Europe, etc. Yes, I am a mutt, but a proud mutt, even if
the following foods only taint the public image of my many
motherlands.
Fruitcake
To be entirely honest, I’m a fruitcake advocate. I like it. Yes,
‘tis true. Granted, we don’t buy the Americanized 1950s
version that’s powered by 90 percent citron. Ours is more of
what Tiny Tim would’ve savored during those jolly reformed-
Scrooge days.
The bad fruitcakes are now usually sold as gag gifts and used
for doorstops and oversized paperweights. Store-bought,
ageless fruitcakes are to homemade fruitcakes as dollar store,
primary colored silk flowers are to real poinsettias kissed
with Christmas sparkles. One could be classified as a plastic,
while the other is laced in traditions of tastiness and beauty.
Mincemeat Pie
Britain is known for a lot of exceptional things, like their
accents. Luckily for them, their voices make up for their
horrible food. Mincemeat pie is a great example of why firstclass
cuisine doesn’t come to mind when you think of the
United Kingdom.
26
Now, mincemeat pie has never touched my lips, but
the fact that suet is one of the main ingredients tells me
enough. Suet, by the way, consists of raw beef or mutton
fat, particularly the nastiness surrounding the kidneys and
loins.
How the land of Shakespeare and Mr. Darcy, decorum
and crooked teeth couldn’t produce a better effort in the
kitchen, I’ll never be sure.
Vegetable Jell-O Wreath
Molds are cool, I suppose, especially if you’re trapped in a
‘70s time warp of culinary failures. I come from a family of
stupendous cooks, and this is honestly (besides lutefisk)
the only dish I can think of that has made me question
their good judgment.
Listen to me: Never ever put vegetables in Jell-O, this
includes cabbage. I don’t care how neat dark, leafy greens
may look suspended in gelatin. If you must put items in
your lime Jell-O, throw a Polly Pocket or Legos in there –
anything besides cruciferous vegetables. Jell-O shouldn’t
resemble the contents of a broken garbage disposal.
Lutefisk Pudding
As if lutefisk itself isn’t enough of a wild-caught travesty,
there is a pudding version. I can only imagine that this
concoction’s inception was a desperate one. Perhaps a gang
of hangry raccoons that hadn’t stocked up for winter raided
the cook’s pantry, leaving only lutefisk, rice, milk, butter
and eggs. Okay, yes, I know. They like eggs, so that makes
no sense. I’m just trying to understand.
Lutefisk lesson 101: Don’t make an entire side dish
glorifying it. Just mask the slime in mashed potatoes, plug
your nose and get the obligatory glob down the hatch. It
may be a necessary evil in the homes of Scandinavians, but
don’t torture yourself more than need be.

Head Cheese
Head cheese – even the name sends shivers up my spine.
There is something more dire than dairy about this dish, and
it's so disturbing, it may permanently place a dark blot on
the word "cheese."
Never ever put vegetables in Jell-O,
this includes cabbage. I don’t care
how neat dark, leafy greens may look
suspended in gelatin.
Also known as brawn, head cheese is European in nature and
horrendous by trade. Made with flesh from the head of a
calf or pig, it's a cold cut that can taint even the brightest of
sandwich breads.
Head cheese is considered a meat jelly. Just let that sink
in a little. Meat. Jelly. Jam that jelly on your toast
tomorrow morning. The tongue, feet and heart
may also be used, according to the Interwebz.
My mother was swift in reminding me that I
come from Scandinavian great-grandparents
who adored this gelatinous waste. They smacked
their lips in anticipation of what they
deemed as a delicacy. Nearly all of Europe
has historical ties with this dish, so stop
judging my great-grandparents, lest I
judge yours.
Blood Sausage
I'm saving the vilest for
last because that's how
countdown lists work.
Blood sausage is
one of the most
revolting holiday
dishes passed
down to us
from desperate
generations.
This is another
worldwide, e r r ,
favorite. It goes by o t h e r
names, too, such as blood pudding, black pudding,
and, in Deutschland, Blutwurst.
My mom stumbled on a recipe for blood sausage
and discovered it called for a mere 6 cups of blood.
Mmmyeah. I'm going to pass and probably pass out.
It's enough to make you go vegan for a week.
No matter what your family forces you to eat around
the holidays for the sake of tradition, at least it’s
torturously endearing. Imagine your great-greatgrandparents
looking down on you with a wink, a
smile, and a gag. ■
27

The Wurlitzer Man
on falling in love with the organ
BY: JESSICA BALLOU | PHOTOS: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
28

“
The organ
has such a
wonderful sound
that when it plays,
you can’t help but
be inspired.
— Lance Johnson
Lance E. Johnson has had a somewhat
unique career. As the founder of a
family business who also boasts the
title of “The WurliTzer Man,” he’s a
well-known institution in the Fargo-
Moorhead area.
Even though he first set out to be an
electrical engineer back in his college
days, he found his true calling as an
organ builder and organist.
Johnson, owner of Johnson Organ
Company, and his son, who is the
owner of Johnson Organ Services,
have now installed and serviced pipe
organs in six states and band organs in
20 states.
‘I fell in love with it’
When Johnson was about four years
old, he asked his parents if he could
sit behind the organist at Bethlehem
Lutheran Church in Fergus Falls,
Minn., so he could better hear her
play, and after that they always sat in
the front pew. His parents gave him a
reed organ for Christmas when he was
15 years old, and later he also gained
an interest in pipe organs.
In 1954 when he was 16, he founded
Johnson Organ Company. In 1958 he
bought an old pipe organ from WDAY
studios, which had been in storage.
In 1963 he sold it to a roller rink in
Moorhead, which is now the location
of a Hardee’s, and he played there for
10 years.
He graduated from Concordia College
in Moorhead as an organ major in
1964. But before he decided on the
organ, he studied electric engineering
for a few years at North Dakota State
University (NDSU).
At first he didn’t see a future in being
a pipe organ builder or organist, but
when the main organ builder and
servicer near Fargo died in 1958,
Johnson stepped up and worked to
make it into a career.
29

“I was thrown into it overnight, and I
fell in love with it,” he said.
‘Can’t help but be
inspired’
Johnson said he knew about the organ
at the Fargo Theatre back when he was
in college, but the manager at that time
wasn’t a fan of organ music. In 1972 a
new person took over. In 1973 Johnson
and his organist friends asked if they
could play the organ there, which
hadn’t been started up since 1948, and
the manager said yes.
Lance and his organist friends
were and are members of the Red
30
River chapter of the American
Theatre Organ Society, which was
established in 1955. The Red River
chapter became chartered in 1965.
The mission of the society is to save
organs so they don’t get destroyed
and the public gets the chance to
hear them.
The organ was finally played again in
December 1973, and it was used to
play a prologue to Walt Disney’s fulllength
feature story “Robin Hood.”
“We were quite surprised by how
well the organ was received,” he said.
“We just kept this thing going, and
now we have four organists.”
“The organ has such a wonderful sound
that when it plays, you can’t help but
be inspired,” Johnson added. “It’s a
motivating factor and a great way to
relax.”
‘One of the proudest
accomplishments’
The organists now play every Friday,
Saturday and Sunday night for about
20 minutes, along with various bigger
events throughout the year.
Johnson said all the playing done
during a movie is improvised and based
on the movie’s time period.

“I may draw on themes from the
1920s since most of the movies were
from 1920s and earlier, so I’m not
playing modern music, like from
the ‘30s and ‘40s, so I’m historically
accurate,” he said.
Johnson said all the playing done
during a prologue is from just about
everything under the sun from the
early 1920s to the 1960s. He said they
often play top 40’s songs from those
periods, Broadway tunes and songs
that have won awards.
The organ is about three times the size
it was originally, and it sits on a lift
that was built for moving equipment
up and down so it can rise to play
the prologues for movies and then go
back down so people can watch the
movies.
It’s the most expensive organ in
Fargo-Moorhead, and it would cost
between $1 million and $1.5 million
to replace. Johnson calls playing the
organ at the Fargo Theatre one of the
proudest accomplishments of his
career.
One of the biggest uses for the organ
involves the Christmas concerts
every year. Starting 10 days before
Christmas, the organists play for 45
minutes during the lunch hour, and
anyone can come in for a free show
while they enjoy their food. These
concerts started in the early 1980s,
and they’ve become a very big event
for the Fargo Theatre.
Every fall the Fargo Theatre presents
a Silent Movie Night, and this is the
41st year. Proceeds for each year’s
event go towards maintaining and
servicing the organ.
A couple thousand school-aged
children come to the Fargo Theatre
each year to learn about both the
theatre and the organ, and Johnson
said that’s always a big highlight for
him. ■
31

Help for the Holidays
DEALING WITH LOSS DURING THE HAPPIEST TIME OF THE YEAR
BY: MEGHAN FEIR
Holidays, despite the twinkling
lights and the aroma of
freshly baked pies, can also
bring a painful heaviness
to the air. Like a looming
shadow, memories can seem to haunt
you, dampening any joy you once felt
during this festive time of year.
After losing someone dear to your
heart, whether through a breakup,
complicated situation, or death,
dread and anger can often replace the
anticipation once felt for the traditions
and memories you shared. Perhaps
that someone was a wife. Maybe it was
a friend, parent, or even a child.
To an extent, I can relate. After losing
someone I loved with all my being,
32
thinking about caroling and watching
Christmas movies isn't extremely
appealing. You want things to go back
to happier times, when everything
seemed right with the world because
they were by your side. No matter
what other life circumstances were
causing difficulties, lightheartedness
could be found in their presence.
Unfortunately, we live in a society
where it’s typically frowned upon for
guys to express their true emotions,
and there’s a stigmatization of
mental health. It’s not effeminate to
feel pain and grieve, thank you very
much. It’s a normal human response.
Men are also born with emotions, so
why shouldn’t you address them in a
healthy way?
I won’t pretend there’s a cookie-cutter
answer to combat everyone’s grief
because there isn’t, but here are some
ways to support the healing process.
• It can be all too easy to beat
yourself up about the pace of your
grieving process. Don’t. Everyone heals
at different speeds. Show yourself
a little grace, and stop penalizing
yourself for loving someone so deeply.
Yes, there comes a time when you have
to make a moment-by-moment effort
to promote healing, but give yourself
time to feel (something men aren’t
always encouraged to do).
• There are many facets of strength,
and being honest is one of them. Be
honest with yourself and others. Be

strong enough to feel what you’re going through. Burying
emotions will only hurt more in the long run. It actually
takes courage to face what you’re feeling, and reaching
out for help is a sign of strength.
• If you’re proposing to forgo participating in familial
holiday traditions, consider this: When you stop doing
something just to avoid heartache, you will often create
an unhealthy habit of repression.
• Balance your time. Isolation often makes things
worse because you dwell on your loss, and constantly
being surrounded by people won’t give you a chance to
completely unwind.
• Don't take your other loved ones for granted. Show
them you appreciate their support, and thank them in
words and actions.
• If you catch yourself laughing and experiencing a
genuinely good time, even if for a few moments, guilt
may follow the endorphin rush. Refuse to feel guilty for
letting a little joy back in your life. In fact, seek after it.
• Take care of yourself. Make an effort to eat healthy,
whole foods and be physically active. It will help ward
off feelings of lethargy, produce endorphins, and support
your body’s ability to cope with stress. It’s not so much
about physical appearance as it is self-confidence and
taking care of your body.
• Do the things you love, even if you don’t feel like it.
• If your friend was grieving, you would (hopefully)
encourage and affirm how loved and valued they are.
Show yourself a little love and be your own friend, not
your enemy.
• Focusing on others is an effective way to clear the
foggy lenses of our own experience. Find ways to brighten
someone’s day. Give to those in need. Showing others
you care and that they’re appreciated not only benefits
the recipients but also yourself. It’s really a gift to the
giver.
• If none of these suggestions help and you still feel
stuck, seek help. Talking to a counselor can give you more
perspective than talking for a few minutes with friends,
especially if your friends just write off your pain with
comments like “Just move on” and “Find a new person
to make you happy.” Counselors can help you process
your sorrow. ■
The advice in this article was approved by a professional
mental health practitioner.
33

LOCAL
HEROES
SWAT Negotiations Unit:
How Utilizing Basic Skills Resolves Crisis Situations
34
P
icture this: Success involves active
listening, respectful explanations, and
being honest.
Sounds a little like kindergarten, right?
Except in the case of the Red River Valley
SWAT Negotiations Unit, the classroom is
a tense situation involving someone with
a potentially deadly weapon and a tactical
team prepared to use force if those three
skills don’t provide a successful resolution.
Fortunately, the SWAT Negotiations Unit
has been successful, explained Team Leader
Deric Swenson. Much of that success is
attributed to the team Swenson works
with, a collaborative group of officers and
investigators from agencies across the area
– Cass and Clay counties, Fargo, Moorhead,
and West Fargo police departments. The
number of team members from each agency
is determined by a formula based on
population and financial contributions to
the unit, Swenson explained.
Swenson joined the negotiations unit 10
years ago, and he said the current team is
one of the best he has had the privilege of
working with. (Working is a bit of a misnomer
because the individuals comprising the unit
actually volunteer to be members and thus
receive no additional compensation for their
efforts.) Each person is tasked with a role that
effectively utilizes his or her particular skills,
whether those skills involve negotiating,
coaching or gathering information.
“It’s very rewarding to work with officers
from other agencies,” he said.

BY: DANIELLE TEIGEN | PHOTOS: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
DID YOU MISS THE ARTICLE ABOUT THE SWAT TEAM IN
THE JANUARY/FEBRUARY ISSUE OF THE GOOD LIFE?
YOU CAN READ PREVIOUS ISSUES OF THE MAGAZINE
ONLINE AT: HTTP://ISSUU.COM/THEGOODLIFEMENSMAG
When Swenson first joined the unit, he said
the team was engaged more than 20 times each
year; however, in the past few years, the unit has
been deployed on fewer occasions-maybe six
times a year. And that’s a good thing, Swenson
explained.
Officers are receiving better and additional
training for how to deal with people in crisis, and
the result is not bringing in a team specialized
to do just that. Plus, the negotiations unit can
always be called and canceled if the situation is
resolved, Swenson said.
Joining the Negotiations Unit
A wanted ad written for a negotiations unit
team member might read:
Wanted: A great listener who can effectively
control emotions as well as words. A team
player who understands and appreciates the
integral role each member plays. The ability
to empathize with many different people and
connect with them on various levels. Problemsolver
extraordinaire with an uncanny ability to
provide another person with the tools necessary
to extract him or herself from any situation.
Ads aren’t necessary, but becoming a member
of the unit is difficult, to say the least. Team
members are required to have one full year of
patrol experience and self-identify as a potential
candidate. Next, the person is interviewed by
a panel of current negotiators and presented a
series of impromptu situations and scenarios
to work through.
West Fargo Patrol Officer and Field Training
Officer Trent Stanton joined the unit in May
2007, and he said the process for earning a
“Our job is to
eliminate the
need for the
tactical team
to be put in
a dangerous
situation.”
– SWAT
Negotiations Unit
Team Leader,
Deric Swenson
35

spot on the team has changed
quite a bit in that time. But the
rigors of the new process identify
which individuals will succeed
as negotiators based on their
reactions to the situations they are
presented with, he said.
Learning How to Negotiate
When a team member joins the
unit, training becomes critical
for success. Stanton explained
that one of the biggest challenges
as a new member is learning the
structure of the team. “It’s easy
“We do the best we can
and give the person
the tools needed
to get out of a situation ...
We’re not dealing with
bad people –
they are just overwhelmed.”
– SWAT Negotiations Unit
Team Leader,
Deric Swenson
to be intimidated by the tactical
guys, but over time you gain
good relationships with them,”
he described. “The first year is
stressful.”
Part of the structure to learn
involves the three different types
of teams involved with the SWAT
team: tactical, bomb squad, and
negotiations. Together, these teams
help people in crisis situations.
“Our job is to eliminate the need
for the tactical team to be put in
a dangerous situation,” Swenson
explained.
36

Negotiations typically occur over
the phone, although they sometimes
require robotic equipment,
intercoms or a PA system, or even
texting. The unit is also prepared
to negotiate through Skype, Face-
Time or even Facebook messaging.
Rarely, face-to-face negotiations are
required.
“The system works,” Swenson
asserted. “The treatment of people
is the way (the system) needs to
work. We do the best we can and
give the person the tools needed to
get out of a situation…We’re not
dealing with bad people – they are
just overwhelmed.”
During a negotiation, the unit is
all about slowing things down, but
they are ever aware of the other
teams involved. “We’re sitting in a
truck, typically,” Swenson explained.
“But the tactical team may be out in
the cold or heat or crouched in an
uncomfortable situation, so we want
to get them to safety by we don’t
want to rush things along.”
The unit engages in monthly training
exercises as well as an annual event.
The annual training event involves
one day of presentations with the
other days devoted to simulated
negotiation situations. Sometimes,
the negotiations training can last
seven hours or more.
“Training keeps us polished,”
Swenson said.
Debrief sessions and support teams
keep team members mentally fit and
emotionally prepared to handle the
rigors of handling crisis situations.
Applying Skills in Real Life
37

The training exercises as well as
other officers supply a steady stream
of educational opportunities. In
fact, one of the biggest benefits of
being a member of the negotiations
unit is the opportunity to apply
the skills in other situations.
“You really learn to say the right
things and how to be respectful,”
Stanton said. “You have to learn
to understand what a person is
actually saying.”
Successfully dealing with crisis
situations provides team members
with the ability to deal with
stressful situations outside of work.
Stanton said learning how to gain
38
other people’s trust as well as how
to effectively communicate are
fringe other benefits.
As a Patrol Lieutenant and Supervisor
in the Moorhead Police Department,
Swenson uses his negotiation
skills when dealing with
employees or citizens. “We don’t
handle situations with violence,”
he explained. “It’s not always the
role people expect law enforcement
to be in…our team is about
not using force.”
Negotiations Unit 101
Every member of the negotiations
unit has a specific job to complete
when called to a situation. Here’s
a primer of the different roles that
need to be filled:
Primary: The person talking with
the individual in crisis. Being the
primary means listening carefully
to what the individual is saying
and interpreting various pieces of
information that could derail or
improve the conversation.
Coach: The team member tasked
with listening to the conversation
and providing insight to the
primary alone. Only communicates
with the primary through passed
notes or whispered comments.

Scribe: The individual who writes
down pertinent information on a
white board that can be used during
the course of the conversation or for
intelligence gathering.
Vocabulary
In addition to the roles, the team uses
various terms during a situation, such
as:
Intelligence gathering: Various methods
of collecting information that can
be used by the primary to bring the
situation to a successful resolution.
Could involve searching for information
online or interviewing neighbors,
family or friends who are available.
Hooks: Information that helps
the primary build report with the
individual and gain trust.
Barbs: Information that can elevate
emotions and potentially derail the
conversation.
SWAT: Stands for Special Weapons
and Tactics.
TEMS: Stands for Tactical Emergency
Medical Service.
The most important rule of being
a successful negotiator is never lie,
Swenson said. You may have to deal
with that lie later, so it’s been to set
up the situation for success by being
honest and forthright, and never
making false promises.
Stanton explained that keeping a
consistent, soothing tone offers
confidence. No matter how high
tensions run, controlling emotions is
vital. “In the end, we want a successful
conclusion no matter what the person
did,” Stanton said. “We don’t play
games…it’s amazing how the process
works.”
For the SWAT Negotiations Unit, the
good life involves bringing everyone
involved in a dangerous situation to
complete safety. ■
39

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