The Good Life – January-February 2016

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BY: MATT LACHOWITZER
The automotive world is full of
terminology and misconceptions about
every aspect of vehicles: engines, axles,
transmissions, tires, brakes, bodies,
modules, and the other 25,000-plus
components that make up todays
vehicles. Most of these terms and
misinformation spread like wildfire
through social media, the internet, and
word of mouth. Sit down, grab a pen
and paper, and take some notes about
the things that you may have thought
you knew about your vehicle.
RPM
Revolutions per minute, or RPM, are
often misconstrued to be the speed
at which your wheels rotate. The
speedometer in your vehicle represents
the speed at which your wheels rotate,
and your tachometer will inform you
of the RPM. RPM is actually how many
revolutions per minute the crankshaft
2
in your engine is turning - so if your
tachometer says 2,000 RPM, that means
your crankshaft is rotating 2,000 times
per minute, not your tires.
Tire Pressure
Some people are under the assumption
that if you exceed the maximum
pressure listed on the sidewall of your
vehicles tire that it could explode. This
is untrue-burst pressure, or the point
at which a tire will explode, is much
higher than the max tire pressure
listed on the sidewall. Always check
your owner’s manual or the place card
located on the driver’s door jamb for
the correct tire pressure setting needed
to carry the load of your vehicle and to
properly inflate your vehicles tires.
Horsepower
Horsepower is the most common unit
of measurement used to determine
the power of an engine. Most people
think that horsepower is referred to the
power possessed by one single horse.
For example, if you removed the engine
from your vehicle and strapped 300
horses to the front of it, you would be
able to get the same amount of power
as your 300hp engine. This is not true.
A single horse actually produces only
.7hp, while the actual conversion is one
horsepower equals 746 watts.
Oil Wear
Did you know that your vehicles “oil”
never actually wears out? By oil, I mean
base oil, the blank slate for your vehicles
motor oil. Motor oil manufacturers
employ thousands of scientists who mix
different “recipes” of oil using different
additive packages. Most of these
packages contain detergents, which
help clean the mechanical parts of your
engine and help prevent the buildup

of sludge and debris. Other parts of
the additive package are viscosity
additives and dispersant additives,
which help make sure the oil flows
properly at different temperatures
and help prevent sludge or acids from
bonding to the metal surfaces inside
your engine. While base oil never
wears out, these additive packages are
only designed to protect your engine
for a specific amount of time before
they are used up, which is why regular
oil change services are required. The
same principles can be said for the
other fluids in your vehicle as well,
but they are not exposed to the same
elements as your engine oil and will
have a longer service life as a result.
For instance, a recommended interval
for transmission fluid exchanges is 30-
50,000 miles, depending on driving
habits, conditions, and vehicle use.
ABS
Antilock braking systems do aid in
shortening the stopping distance
of a vehicle, but this is not its main
function. The main function of ABS is
to allow the driver to brake as hard as
possible while still being able to steer
the vehicle. Shorter stopping is simply
a byproduct of ABS.
All-Wheel Drive
All-wheel drive is most commonly
thought to give you better control of
your vehicle, but the main benefits
of all-wheel drive are to help you
accelerate better, accelerate through
turns, get up hills, get through snow,
mud, etc., and does little to help
you avoid obstacles or corner faster.
Vehicle control is determined by
tires, vehicle weight, suspension, and
weight distribution.
Vehicles can quite often be very
confusing to the average person and
that’s ok. Automotive Service Centers
and their technicians are trained and
are here to help you understand, and
you should direct any questions you
have regarding your vehicle and the
services you may or may not need to
them. ■
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CONTENTS
VOLUME 3 • ISSUE 4
IN EVERY ISSUE
02
12
14
30
CAR CARE
THINGS YOU MAY HAVE THOUGHT YOU KNEW
ABOUT YOUR CAR
FATHERS
7 WAYS TO CONNECT YOUR KIDS
WITH THEIR GRANDPARENTS
HAVING A BEER WITH ...
KERSTIN KEALY AND DANA MOGCK
LOCAL HEROES
FARGO VET CENTER: HELPS FAMILIES,
VETERANS AND MORE
24
06
PHOTO BY: JOHN HANSON
29
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opinions expressed, or advice given, are the views of individual writers or advertisers
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4
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JANUARY ■ FEBRUARY
2016
ON THE COVER
18
TIMOTHY JOHNSON
FIGHTING AND FOLLOWING HIS PASSION:
JOHNSON MAKES SACRIFICES TO MAKE IT BIG
IN THE UFC
14
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Jessica Ballou
Meghan Feir
Paul Hankel
Jessica Kromer
Matt Lachowitzer
CONTENTS
06
10
24
28
29
TUCKER HIBBERT:
DRIVEN TO WIN
STEPPING OUT OF THE DARKNESS
GETTING HELP FOR POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
STAR WALLOWING BULL'S
MINDFUL ART
THE PROPOSAL
PREPARING TO POP THE BIG QUESTION
ENGAGEMENT RINGS
FUN FACTS AND TIPS
18
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5

or as long as I can remember, The Winter X Games has
been a part of my mid-winter routine. There was always
something about seeing action sports stars being able to
showcase their talents on one of the major networks sits
really well with me, and speaks to the ever increasing
popularity of winter sports like snowboarding and snowmobiling.
Now called X Games Aspen, named after the city where the events
will be held, the X Games has seen a steady increase in popularity
amongst fans of all ages. Stars like Tucker Hibbert and Shaun
White have become household names and ushered sports that
were once considered, “extreme,” into the mainstream sports
arena.
The Good Life was lucky enough to profile one of winter sports
biggest stars, 9-time X Games gold medalist Tucker Hibbert, as he
gears up for another winter of competition on the pro snocross
circuit and at X Games Aspen. Hibbert began his snowmobile
racing career at the tender age of two years old. Since then, he has
gone on to be one of the most decorated winter sports athletes
on earth.
Minnesota Roots
With his busy competition schedule, Hibbert and his family
get to see many different places, nationally and internationally.
Hibbert was born in Idaho, but raised in Minnesota, where he
has made his home.
The Good Life: What made you decide to stay in Minnesota, in
order to train and compete?
6
Tucker Hibbert: I’m a Minnesota guy, for sure, and I’ve lived here
my whole life. It’s what I know. For my family, it’s the place we

7

want to be. With the seasons we have, it’s a lot of fun. The
winters can be brutal, but the summers make up for it.
GL: What is it about Minnesota athletes that make them so
successful at the amateur and professional level?
TH: I think that, for the most part, people who are from
Minnesota are raised with lots of values, like working hard.
I think one aspect of it is just how demanding the winters
can be for winter athletes. You really have to be dedicated.
Minnesota has a lot of successful athletes, in a broad range of
sports, and I’m really proud to be a part of that.
GL: Did you ever play hockey, or any of the other “traditional”
sports?
TH: Haha, no, and I’m a terrible skater, so that left very little
hope for me! I really enjoy the sport and actually got to go to
my first professional game last year. My wife is a huge hockey
fan, so I’m always listening to the games or watching them
on TV.
Outside of Racing
GL: In 2006 you started your own team, the Monster Energy
Team/Arctic Cat. Tell us a little bit about that.
TH: My wife and I, and our friend Rob did. We had been
racing together for many years and, at the time, I raced for
the Arctic Cat Factory Team. During that time, Arctic Cat
handled all of the sponsorship and promotional stuff. We
eventually decided that we wanted to start handling all of the
promotional and marketing, logistics and things, in house.
So, we started our own team and it’s been great ever since.
It’s been a great success and we are having a lot of fun doing
it, too!
GL: If you could pick any other sport to compete professionally
in, what would that sport be?
TH: I’d have to say mountain bike racing. That’s one of
my other hobbies and training tools that I love to do. It’s
something that I look forward to doing more, once I’m not
as busy racing snowmobiling. It’s a really fun sport!
GL: One of your interests outside of racing is graphic design?
TH: I used to do all of the clothing and graphic design work
for our team. Nowadays, we have a full time graphic design
and brand manager, but I still really enjoy getting to work on
projects that are related to our team.
GL: What was a bigger rush for you: winning your first X

Games medal, winning your first X Games gold, or being
the youngest to medal (until recently), or winning 8 straight
gold medals in snocross?
TH: That’s a tough one. I’ve never really been able to come
up with a straight answer for that other than - I won my first
X Games medal at my very first X Games and it was a gold
medal. One cool thing about that race was that I was able
to compete against my dad, who was still competing at that
time. I was able to win the race and he placed fifth, so it was
a really cool moment for us to share together.
The Competitive Edge
GL: How do you handle the continual pressure to win?
TH: It gets a little bit challenging. For me, I’m motivated
to win, no matter what, and I think I put more pressure
on myself to win than anybody else puts on me. I’ve been
competing long enough to know how to handle the pressure
and not let it affect what I’m going to do on the racetrack. I
just go about my business.
GL: How do you handle the physical toll of snocross racing?
TH: I’ve had my fair share of injuries, bumps, and bruises
along the way. It’s tough but I feel like I’ve got a really good
balance of training and preparation.
times is incredible. It just goes to show how hard we’ve
worked as a team. I’m just hoping to get nominated a few
more times and win one before I’m done racing!
GL: Any thoughts on X Games Aspen coming up?
TH: I’m really excited! Obviously with 8 wins in a row, I
really want to get that 9th win, and we’re going to work as
hard as we can to get it. We have a handful of races before
the X Games, the ISOC National Series, so we’re going to
have four races before the X Games to get everything geared
up. It’ll be fun.
GL: What does “the good life,” mean to you?
TH: Living the good life is having fun, doing what you love,
and doing it with awesome people. I’m fortunate to be able
to do that, so I feel like I’m very blessed. ■
The X Games Aspen will be held at
Buttermilk Mountain, in Colorado, and will
be broadcast on ESPN and ABC. The dates
for the competition are January 28-31st.
Coverage can also be seen online.
GL: Do you have an advice for the amateur snocross racers out
there, who are trying to make the jump to the professional
circuit?
TH: Work super hard and dedicate yourself to your sport.
You have to be willing to sacrifice a lot of things in order to
reach your goals. It’s really cool to see younger athletes that
are willing to put in the work that’s necessary to succeed.
It should be about working hard, challenging yourself, and
having a good time.
The X Games
GL: Do you have a favorite summer X Games sport to watch?
TH: I really like to watch the all the sports. That’s one cool
thing about being involved with the X Games - getting to
be on-site and around all those other athletes that are
competing for gold medals. It’s awesome to be able to see
that variety of sports.
GL: What did it feel like to be nominated for an ESPY Award,
on three separate occasions?
TH: It was a huge honor to be nominated that first time, I was
blown away. And now, to have been nominated two more
9

Getting Help for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
BY: MEGHAN FEIR ■ PHOTO: VIKTOR HANACEK
A
nytime someone is exposed to a traumatizing
experience, there is a possibility they will develop
symptoms. It can affect a person mentally,
emotionally and physically. Post traumatic stress
disorder is a mental health condition provoked by
experiencing or seeing a terrifying event. It impacts the lives
of many, and women are twice as likely to develop PTSD
than men. Experiencing PTSD does not reflect weakness.
Although combat veterans are most often associated
with having PTSD, you don’t have to be in the military to
experience its frightening grasp.
More harm than good
As with any illness, automatic coping responses often do
more harm than good for yourself and others. It’s natural
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to feel angry, but it can lead to reckless behavior, violence
and slow down your progress in recovering. You might draw
inward, refusing to discuss your fears with others. However,
bottling everything up won’t help you in the long run.
Paranoia can often follow you around, stealing your hope.
While it makes sense to react in such ways, avoidance tends
to be a poor coping strategy, and living in constant stress not
only wreaks havoc on your mind but your body, as well.
A family member of mine suffers from PTSD, and three of
his friends in the military have committed suicide in the past
year alone. They were fathers of young children, husbands to
loving wives. They were brothers. They were sons.
Please remember that you aren’t just living for yourself.
You play a large and vital role in so many lives. You matter.

Others are depending on you to not give up. These may
be dark seasons in your life, but there is light at the end
of this darkness.
Getting past the trauma
A few methods used in the past to help alleviate
symptoms are cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), eye
movement desensitization (EMD), prolonged exposure
(PE) therapy, and cognitive processing therapy (CPT). For
many people, those therapies can alleviate symptoms.
Talk to a therapist to have your symptoms assessed. Be
open to receiving help, support and love from others.
You may find it pointless to talk about your experiences
with others as you live through this living nightmare, but
that is the very thing you need to do.
Find someone who has gone through experiences similar
to your own and therapists specialized in this area.
Many military couples are finding help through
Samaritan’s Purse at their “Operation Heal Our Patriots”
conferences. Since 2012, the weeklong marriage retreats
have been provided for wounded military personnel and
their husbands and wives. They also provide ongoing
ministry through their aftercare program.
Along with receiving help from others, ask God to give
you a new hope and to relinquish your fears. Find a new
hobby or pick up an old one that you can learn to enjoy.
Find companionship in a pet. Exercise daily, and eat
whole, unprocessed foods. All those practices can help
your body and mind heal faster.
This is obviously too serious and broad of a topic to
cover in a short article, so please, check out these other
online resources to learn more about PTSD and how you
can receive help and spread awareness. ■
Online resources
If you're a veteran and would like more information,
please visit: http://www.ptsd.va.gov/
Samaritan’s Purse: http://www.samaritanspurse.org/
article/military-couples-find-healing-in-alaska/
Contact the Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255,
press 1 (text 838255)
Confidential Veterans Chat: Talk with a therapist by
visiting www.veteranscrisisline.net
The advice in this article was approved by a professional
mental health practitioner.
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Fathers
My grandparents lived a five and ten minute drive from
my house growing up. I could see them just about anytime
I wanted to. I spent countless hours with them. My
grandmother passed away earlier this year; she was my last
living grandparent. Although I spent a lot of time with them,
I wish I had more time left.
Today, my kids live over an hour away from their grandparents
so they don’t get to see them as much. As they are aging, I
realize the remaining days we have with them are less than
what we’ve already spent.
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I really want our kids to have a great relationship with them.
Fortunately, although the distance between us is greater,
technology affords additional ways to connect. Here are 7
ways to connect your kids with their grandparents online
and offline.
1. Video chat.
We have just started this with our parents and it is great! There
are several options available. You can use Skype, Google
Hangouts, or FaceTime. All are great options and allow your
kids and your parents to see and hear one another.

2. Quarterly weekends away.
After our kids went to my parent’s house for the weekend,
and my wife and I had the weekend alone, we decided we
had to do this on a regular basis. Talk to your parents and
plan, together, a quarterly weekend away for your kids at
their grandparents’ house. Our kids enjoyed sleeping in
Granny and Paw Paw’s bed, eating Granny’s cooking, and
enjoying breakfast and the morning paper with Paw Paw.
At the same time, we enjoyed unlimited and unrestricted
dates and a good break.
3. Text messaging.
This is probably the number one way my parents connect
with their grandkids. Text messaging has made it easy to
send a quick, short message to say hi or get an update on
your day. Our kids don’t have cell phones yet, but they are
learning to use ours to connect with their grandparents.
4. Don’t miss birthdays.
My wife and my mother-in-law are great about this. They
both go out of their way to show up (normally in surprise
fashion) on birthdays. If your parents are in driving
distance, make sure both your kids and your parents get
to see each other and celebrate life on birthdays. Not just
the big 60th, 70th, or 80th birthday parties, but as many
as you can make.
5. Social media.
Social media has connected the world like no other
form of media has. It is user friendly enough that
grandparents can use it. Posting status updates and
pictures on Facebook or Instagram is a great way to keep
the grandparents in the loop of what is happening in the
lives of their grandchildren. As they get older, they can
communicate with one another using their social media
profiles.
6. Blogs and websites.
Much like social media, a blog can be used to share the
latest and greatest things happening in your kids’ lives.
And as they get older, your kids can create their own.
Show your parents how to subscribe to receive updates
of new blog posts; they will be up to date and able to
comment on what your kids are doing.
7. Family vacations and road trips.
A few years ago we went on a family vacation to Disney
World and we rented a vehicle and drove. The road
trip was long, but it was fun for both grandkids and
grandparents. Once we got there, the time we spent was
both memorable and fun! ■
Copyright 2015 Family First. All Rights Reserved.
Reprinted with permission.
13

BY: MEGHAN FEIR ■ PHOTOS: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
You may see them every night and feel as if
you know them personally. After all, they’re in
your living room and kitchen five nights a week.
As longtime producers and news anchors for
WDAY, Kerstin Kealy and Dana Mogck have
become two of the most recognizable faces of
the Fargo-Moorhead area. With water and root
beer at hand, we began this series of queries,
questions you don’t dare ask when you spot
them in the grocery store, out of context.
Good Life: First off, are you nervous?
Dana Mogck: Yes. Feel my palms. We like to
ask the questions.
Kerstin Kealy: Some people would call us
control freaks, but we don’t like that term so
well.
GL: When did you last feel socially awkward?
KK: Does now count?
DM: Does walking downtown into a bar at noon
on a Saturday? For me, anyway, going out is
always… You can feel people turn and look. One
time, an old lady came up to me and said, “We
know who you are.” Ya know, making me feel a
little better, and then she said, “You’re the cute
little weatherman.” “That’s right. We have a low
pressure system coming in, so you might want
to cover up your vegetables.” Apparently, we all
look alike.
14

15

KK: I get called the wrong name all the
time, names of anchors who haven’t
been here in 20 years.
GL: Like Najila Amundson?
KK: That one I haven’t gotten.
DM: You go to a funeral: “Hey, Kevin!”
“Don’t you ever call me that.”
GL: What is the most endearing part of
your heritage?
DM: I take a day off in December, and
my dad and I take a road trip. We go
to Wishek to pick up sausage, like $150
worth of sausage. Then we go up to
Ashley to pick up Kuchen – coffee
cake. That’s a big day out for the Mogck
boys.
GL: Did you guys ever play video or
computer games?
KK: Yes. I grew up with a Commodore
64 computer and we played “Frogger.”
My sister was way better at it than me.
One time, I was really, really mad at her.
She wasn’t listening and was on level
40 – highest she’d ever been – and I
just unplugged the whole thing. She
still brings it up at Christmas.
16
GL: What’s one thing you two wish
people would know about news
anchoring?
DM: That we don’t just work from 6 to
6:30 and 10 to 10:35. There’s a little
more to it than that.
KK: In a market our size, we work really
hard, and 90 percent of what we do is
writing and rewriting and editing. What
we do and what we love to do is tell
great stories. The anchoring, reading
and presenting – that’s just the icing on
the cake.
GL: If Batman and Superman were at
a party with you, who would make the
better wingman?
DM: Batman. He’s wearing a mask.
GL: What if he’s being Bruce Wayne?
DM: Then I’m screwed. Then I’m the
wingman. He’s got the looks and the
money. And the car.
KK: I would agree and say Batman
because he’s more incognito.
Superman is like, “Look at me.” He
would take control.
DM: But I will start wearing tights.
GL: Good. Can you start doing that for
the evening news?
KK: In that case, we’re going to be doing
a lot of walking stand-ups.
GL: Worst date you guys have ever
been on?
KK: There was a guy who was trying
way too hard and did the scary movie
and arm-around-me thing. On the way
home, he thought it was too foggy and
had to pull over, and I was like “Uh, uh,
uh. Get my butt home.”
GL: What about you, Dana?
DM: Well, I was driving once on a foggy
road… Was that you?!
GL: Why should people stay or come to
the Fargo-Moorhead area?
DM: The people. Period. I have a friend
who works in the Phoenix area and
was in charge of hiring people. When
he found out they were from North
Dakota or Minnesota, he hired them
like that because they’re genuine,
honest people.
GL: Do you think that’s kind of shifted

over the past 20 years or so, that
people aren’t as Midwesterny, as
far as work ethic, honesty and
genuineness?
KK: When it comes down to it, we
are still a community filled with
good people. When I came here
for college a couple decades ago,
I had no intention of staying, but
the more embedded you get in
the community, the harder it is
to leave. People are so incredibly
generous, compassionate and
loving here.
GL: What does THE GOOD LIFE
mean to both of you?
KK: I guess it’s back to the people
– surrounding yourself with good
people – family and friends.
Finding that balance in life, which
is hard to come by. Being lucky
enough to have what you need
and enjoying the ride along the
way.
DM: Even bad things have their
silver linings, like the sad story
about Zach Kraft passing away
from cancer. Everybody came
together and surrounded the
family and helped each other.
Total strangers connected with
each other through Zach Kraft to
help honor his life. That’s a pretty
good life, even in tragedy. ■
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BY: JESSICA BALLOU ■ PHOTOS: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
At different times in his life, Timothy Johnson
thought he wanted to be a farmer, an electrician
and serve in law enforcement. Now he’s
a three-time title-holder for Dakota Fighting
Championship Heavyweight Champion and a
heavyweight for the Ultimate Fighting Championship
(UFC).
At 6’3” and 265 pounds, he is a force to be reckoned with.
The 30-year-old Lamberton, Minn., native has been signed as
a heavyweight with the UFC since October 2014.
‘I got a little bit hooked’
He became interested in mixed martial arts (MMA) by
accident right after college, and he hasn’t looked back since.
When he finished wrestling at Minnesota State University
Moorhead (MSUM), he had met a few heavyweights from
the area who were doing MMA and looking for new training
partners, which isn’t always easy for that weight class.
“I started training with them, and I got a little bit hooked,”
he said. “I thought, ‘Maybe I want to try this and see what I
think of this.’ And I haven’t looked back. I just kind of kept
going back to it.”
Johnson changed his mind a lot on what he wanted to do with
his life, and it wasn’t until a few years ago he even considered
MMA a serious passion of his. Like most kids who grow up on
a farm, he thought he wanted to be a farmer when he grew up.
As he got into high school, he seriously considered becoming
an electrician. And when he went to college initially, it was to
serve in law enforcement.
Besides training, working out and other hobbies, Johnson
does security work for a local bar in Fargo 20-25 hours a week.
19

“I like to stay pretty busy, otherwise too much down time is never
a good thing,” he said.
Johnson is hoping to go back to school this next spring to finish
the last seven credits he needs to get a degree in criminal justice.
He was close to getting two different degrees before, but he
switched majors in his last semester of both.
He considers himself a Jack of all trades, but currently he keeps
busy driving a truck, working security, and being involved with
the Minnesota Army Guard, apart from all his MMA and UFC
work.
Making sacrifices to make it big
Before he signed with the UFC, he said there were a few things he
didn’t really think about: fame and travel.
“Being known was the biggest thing, I guess,” he said. “And getting
to travel. My first fight was in Virginia, outside of Washington,
D.C., so finally being able to go there and see everything was
great.”
He’s traveled all over the place, but Washington, D.C., has been
his favorite to visit so far. Also, he said he’s learned a lot about
himself since joining the UFC.
“I’d say that probably the main thing I’ve learned is once I decide
to put in the work, things do happen,” he said. “In my first three
years of MMA, I just did it as a hobby, and then about 18, 19
months ago, I decided to actually start taking it very seriously and
up my training and sacrifice a lot of time and money and miss out
on a lot of hours working.”
‘At least two workouts a day’
When he’s not preparing for a fight, Johnson said he only works
out once a day. When gearing up for a fight, he works out two or
three times a day with higher intensity than his workouts during
the “off season” between fights.
Somewhere between eight and 10 weeks before a fight, he likes to
start training and working out at those higher intensities.
“You won’t do a day when you won’t do at least two workouts a
day,” he said. “And generally they’re a little more higher intensity
workouts, too.”
He said this is when he really focuses on getting his cardio up and
going as hard as he can every single day.
20

“
"I’d say that
probably the main
thing I’ve learned
is once I decide
to put in the work,
things do happen.”
21

“
“I always get the
question, ‘How do
you get yourself
mad before you
go out there and
fight?’” he said.
“No, you don’t
get mad. It’s just
a sport.”
“Obviously I’m a heavyweight; I’m fat and happy all the
time,” he said. “I don’t have to make big weight drops, but
when a fight is scheduled, I do clean up my eating quite a
bit.”
He tries to stay away from as much processed food as he can,
but luckily he doesn’t have to go really hardcore with cutting
back.
“I just kind of clean up my diet a little bit,” he said. “Quit
drinking so many dang pops, stuff like that.”
Career highlights and training
During his career with the UFC, he’s had seven first-round
finishes and nine wins, six of which were knockouts. His
favorite grappling technique is wrestling, and his favorite
striking technique is dirty boxing.
He trains at the Academy of Combat Arts in Fargo, mainly
doing Brazilian jiu jitsu, boxing and sparring. On top of that,
he fits in other workouts, including some that are similar to
CrossFit.
The biggest stereotype he hears and always corrects
concerning MMA and the UFC involves anger.
22

“I always get the question, ‘How do you get yourself
mad before you go out there and fight?’” he said. “No,
you don’t get mad. It’s just a sport.”
Because of all the traveling he does, he’s met a lot of
well-known fighters and people in the fighting world
during his career so far.
“I’ve gotten to meet a handful of them, and I actually
got to sit down and talk to quite a few of them, which
a lot of fighters and a lot of fans of the UFC would kill
for the opportunity to do,” he said.
One of his favorite UFC fighters he’s had the chance
to meet was Forrest Griffin, which he said was a great
surprise.
So far this year, he’s fought in April and August, and
his next fight will likely be at the end of December
or beginning of January. Right now he’s just looking
forward to getting another win or two in the next year
and getting a new contract.
When asked what the good life means to him, Johnson
said:
“To be happy within one’s self. To live within one’s
own perspective, I guess, of what they feel would make
them happy and not try to live by other people or how
other people feel they should live.” ■
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24

BY: JESSICA KROMER ■ PHOTOS: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
Local artist, Star Wallowing Bull, draws inspiration
from everyday life. Wallowing Bull discovered at an
early age when people speak to him, he sees images-a
gifted way of interpretation-especially for an artist.
“My imagination is pretty much out there,” Wallowing Bull
said. “When people are talking to me or I see something
on TV or I’m reading I see images in my head. It’s like I’m
making art in my mind. A gift is what you could call it.”
Using His Gift
While this way of interpreting positively affects Wallowing
Bull’s creativity, it had the opposite effect in school. Only
after being held back in the third grade, teachers recognized
his abilities and transferred Wallowing Bull to a gifted
classroom where teachers taught with pictures.
Evidently, art has always been in the forefront of his mind,
thanks to the large influence from his father, Frank Big Bear.
An artist himself, Big Bear put a colored pencil in Wallowing
Bull’s hand at eight months old. At the young age of five he
remembers sitting on the floor in the living room to draw
while Big Bear created art.
“Of course when I was a little kid I also wanted to drive an
ice cream van for a living and sell ice cream to the kids in the
neighborhood,” he said. “I thought that was pretty cool. But
other than that I always wanted to be an artist when I grew
up. I’m fulfilling that dream right now.”
Learning From Life
Wallowing Bull admits to doing okay in school, until his
rebellious adolescent years reared in high school while living
in south Minneapolis. He dropped out, and during this time
art no longer appealed to him as drugs, alcohol and gangs
took over.
“I didn’t make any good decisions back then,” he said.
“Through the ten year gap I didn’t really do anything art
related. It didn’t interest me. Later in life I realized this isn’t
the right road. I decided to start drawing again at 25. I didn’t
lose my touch. I was still an artist.”
In 2001, at the age of 27, Wallowing Bull officially started
his art career with colored pencil drawings. Since 2005
Wallowing Bull taught himself how to paint. Although it was
hard to make the transition from coloring to paint, he would
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“I always want to be positive
to people and to myself. Always be
there for your fellow artists.”
rather paint because coloring with pencil for so long causes
pain in his hand.
Also, paint allows him to cover more area in a shorter
amount of time. Over the years of practice Wallowing Bull
finds himself painting larger pieces. His goal for the future is
to paint billboard size art.
Humbly Creating And Inspiring
Over the course of 16 years Wallowing Bull has displayed
art all across the country, including three times in the
Plains Art Museum here in Fargo. His latest exhibit at the
Plains Art Museum that ran until January 2 2016 is called
“Transformer.” The exhibit illustrated a mixture of his
colored pencil drawings, acrylic paintings and even a couple
from his childhood.
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Most recently, Wallowing Bull won his third
fellowship, the Jerome Foundation Fellowships
for Emerging Artists, since declaring himself an
artist. The fellowship awards Wallowing Bull
with a $12,000 stipend for art supplies, travel
and supplementing living costs. Throughout
the year he’ll work on art for the fellowship
while creating other pieces on the side.

Of the three fellowships Wallowing Bull received,
he estimates he applied to over 30 others only to get
denied. There is a large pool of talented people, so he
urges artists to not give up. Wallowing Bull supports
fellow artists like he’s been supported.
“If you don’t get it [a fellowship], always be happy
for the other artist who gets it, because one day that’s
going to be you,” he said. “You’d want somebody
to be happy for you. I always want to be positive to
people and to myself. Always be there for your fellow
artists.”
Experiencing ‘The Good Life’
For Wallowing Bull “The Good Life” means the surplus
of support in the Fargo-Moorhead community
and his ability to create art daily.
“The past three years has been an up and down
situation, and I wasn't thinking too highly of
myself during those times until the opening of my
Transformer show,” he said. “The Plains Art Museum,
my friends and the community were there on the
night of my opening and I felt the love, support and
how important I was to everyone. I'm very thankful
and honored to be a part of this community.”
When the creativity spark hits him, it’s hard to stop.
Wallowing Bull’s ritual includes painting in the
mornings. One time he awoke, brewed coffee, and
went to work in his Moorhead apartment where he
paints. It wasn’t until he glanced at the clock and saw
it was only 3 a.m. that he went back to bed.
“"There’s no retirement for
me,” Wallowing Bull said.
“I’m going to be doing this
until the day I die. Hopefully
I’m 100 years old.”
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BY: MEGHAN FEIR
There she is. The woman
you've dreamed about, the
woman you love with your
entire being, and you know
for certain that a life spent
without her is the last thing you’d like
to imagine. You have the ring, now you
just need to plan how you’ll propose,
besides asking the age-old question,
"Will you marry me?"
I have an adequate record of helping
men out with their proposals if you
count my one win out of one attempt. I
personally do. The man just happened
to be my brother, and I was honored
to help orchestrate such an important
event in his life. I even went incognito
by wearing a wig and dressing as a
stereotypical college art student as I
secretly snapped photos from behind
a book. My inward paparazzi was
pleased.
Read on, heed my advice and trust me,
like my happily married brother did.
Stop right there: Methods to avoid
• Unless she appreciates the stereotypical
and is obsessed with baseball,
don't take a "Circle me, Burt" kind of approach.
• If you’d like her to go in for more
dental work, you could always bake a
cupcake with the ring in it and watch
as she simultaneously bites into pain,
excitement and your proposed future
together. She might still say yes.
• Proposing at a restaurant is outdated
and unimaginative and makes you look
like you’re in it for the show. Plus, you
may be caught proposing with black
pepper stuck between your front teeth.
• If your sweetie is shy and hates having
a lot of attention drawn toward her,
don’t make her feel like a spectacle
when you ask. She may feel embarrassed
and pressured.
• Does your darling like to make a big
production out of blowing her nose
or eating a peanut butter and jelly
sandwich? Then make sure there are
more witnesses than your cat present
for the proposal.
Heed my advice
• If you Google "ways in which to
propose," you’ll get an endless array of
picture-perfect proposals that belong
on Pinterest or a Hallmark movie.
Life isn't perfect, and if something
goes amiss during the proposal, don’t
sweat it (depending on the severity
of the mishap). It's not the end of the
world and will probably make it more
endearing to her.
• If you simply Google “propose,” you’ll
undoubtedly get a list of definitions
and equally simpleton, step-by-step
instructions by wikiHow that hold
your hand through buying her flowers,
chocolate and getting down on one
knee. You should already know all of
that.
• If you have organizational problems,
don’t make the proposal too
complicated. You’ll forget at least five
things, like the ring.
• Don’t be boring. Go to some effort.
Be romantic. It really isn’t that difficult.
If you have potato chip crumbs on a
sweatshirt and are sitting on a couch,
that is not the time to pop any question,
besides, “Now what should we watch?”
or “When should we start working out
again?”
• Tell her why you want to spend the
rest of your life with her and don’t
include answers such as “because
I can’t cook,” “because I’d be lonely
without you,” “because you’re hot,” and
“because we’ve been together so long.”
Take a few moments to peel back
the onion layers of your soul to not
only produce a fountain of tears but a
tenderized heart. Tell her why you find
her irreplaceable.
Before you propose to anyone, make
sure you aren’t just hoping she’ll sign
a legal contract to satisfy your needs
and desires (‘til death do you part) and
to produce offspring. The healthiest
marriages are always produced by
people who are ready to sacrifice for
one another; by people who realize
it takes hard work and consideration
to keep the friendship and romance
alive; by people who regularly put their
partner’s interests ahead of their own;
by people who show through word and
deed that their spouse is appreciated,
respected and loved every day of the
year.
Do you want to protect her, even if
you know she’s strong? Do you want
to provide for her, even if she’s more
than capable of doing so for her own
sake? Do you want to love and cherish
her, no matter the circumstance or
time in life? Are you willing to grow
old with her, through thick and thin?
Then congratulations, sir; you have my
blessing (‘cause you needed that). ■
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29

THEY'LL be there for you
FARGO VET CENTER
HELPS FAMILIES, VETERANS AND MORE
BY: JESSICA BALLOU ■ PHOTOS: URBAN TOAD MEDIA
T
he counselors at the Fargo Vet Center are there
to help veterans and their families with anything
from PTSD to couples counseling and everything
in between.
Denise Leeby, one of the counselors, said before she started
working here, she had only heard of the Veterans Affairs
Medical Center, also located in Fargo. The two programs
are completely separate from one another, which staff
members often have to convey to people.
“It’s a well-kept secret we’re trying to get out,” she said.
The Fargo Vet Center provides free counseling to combat
veterans and military sexual abuse veterans through
readjustment counseling, which includes post traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD), bereavement for families who have
lost a veteran, couples counseling and more.
About the Vet Center
The Vet Center program was established back in 1979 to
help Vietnam veterans, who weren’t treated the best when
they returned home. Many veterans across the country
were getting together in church basements and people’s
houses for peer-to-peer support groups. Congress saw how
many of these groups were popping up and decided to
form the Vet Center program.
All staff members are veterans themselves or have a
strong background working with veterans. They all aim
to add value to veterans, families and the community
through readjustment counseling, community education,
outreach, balancing services with community agencies
and access links between the veteran and other services in
the Department of Veterans Affairs.
The Vet Center also refers veterans and their families to
outside organizations and agencies to assist with housing,
employment or educational counseling, conjoint
treatment with the Veterans Affairs Medical Center and
much more.
‘It’s just a 180’
Counselor Nick Gard said it’s difficult to see some of the
things they do at the Vet Center and some of the outcomes,
but having the veterans ask for help is a great first step.
“If someone were suicidal or really on the brink of
collapsing or falling apart, maybe them coming here
stops that from happening,” he said.
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“Our biggest obstacle is trying to lessen the stigma of mental health and
GETTING VETERANS THE HELP THAT THEY NEED.
— Christy Karst

31

Leeby said it takes a lot of courage for veterans to walk in
the door and ask for help, especially given how they were
trained. She said some of the veterans are in a lot of pain,
scared and confused, and the fact that they have a place like
the Vet Center provides them hope.
“That way, we can come up with some kind of a treatment
plan and therapy modality that will help them have a happier
life and learn how to cope with their symptoms,” she said.
Timothy Teig, team leader, said they consider any quality of
life improvements a big success, including a veteran having a
smile on his or her face or reporting back that they’re able to
go out in society a little easier.
“Working at the front, I see full-grown men and women come
unsure and nervous,” said Skye Carpenter, office manager.
They want to bolt out that door, and I don’t know what the
counselors do in their offices, but when [the veterans] come
out and say ‘Bye, see you next week!” it’s just a 180 with that
one initial assessment and that blows my mind.”
‘What happens at the Vet Center literally stays here’
While the Vet Center does fall under the Department of
Veterans Affairs, it is a completely separate entity from the
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Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The VAMC falls under
the healthcare system, and the Vet Center falls under the
Readjustment Counseling Service.
The two organizations partner together quite a bit for
referrals, but they remain separate programs. The Vet Center
staff members can access records from the VAMC, but the
VAMC staff members can’t access Vet Center records.
“What happens at the Vet Center literally stays here,” Karst
said.
Another aspect that sets the Vet Center apart from other
similar programs is that counselors will see active duty
veterans and their families. Also, there is no timeline for
services at the Vet Center, which are completely free for
clients.
Carpenter said another aspect that separates the Vet Center
from the VA or other places for active duty is that it cannot
come back to the veteran.
“So even if their commander calls and they’re still on active
duty, we can’t tell them if [the veteran has] been seen or
not,” she added. “The only way it can come back to the
military is if they tell somebody they were seen here.”

"It’s really beneficial
for the newer
veterans to see the
older veterans, and
it’s actually helpful for
them to see
THERE’S STILL LIFE
AND THERE’S
STILL HOPE."
— Kari Appletoft
‘We’re not going to turn anybody
away’
The Vet Center takes walk-ins, or
veterans can call to schedule an
appointment. The staff members
aim to keep the environment
informal, inviting and not
intimidating to veterans or their
families.
Counselor Kari Appletoft said the
Vet Center provides free services
to combat veterans from all eras
including Korea, World War II,
Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraq,
Afghanistan and more.
“It’s really beneficial for the newer
veterans to see the older veterans,
and it’s actually helpful for them to
see there’s still life and there’s still
hope,” she said.
Outreach is another important
aspect of the Vet Center. Christy
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Karst, outreach specialist, is charged with community
outreach and education.
“Our biggest obstacle is trying to lessen the stigma of mental
health and getting veterans the help that they need. The
more public outreach and spread of knowledge that we do
the easier it gets for people to talk about and ask for help,”
she said.
The Vet Center also has a Mobile Vet Center, which is used
for outreach events and allows counselors to assist veterans
on the road where help is needed. The counselors also travel
around the region helping individuals and holding groups
so the veterans and their families do not have travel so far
to Fargo.
“When I’m on the road, I talk to everyone, from spouses,
family, friends and veterans themselves,” Karst said. “A lot of
what I do is finding resources and giving referrals. There are
a ton of veteran organizations out there ready and willing to
help. It’s all about educating the public on what’s out there
and how it can help their individual need.”
“We’re not going to turn anybody away,” she said. “We’ll help
whoever walks through those doors: spouse, kid, veteran,
somebody who has been in the military for two hours, it
doesn’t matter.”
‘I’m glad I stayed’
Appletoft said one of the toughest parts of her work is seeing
the veterans in pain.
“These are people that have put themselves in compromising
positions to defend our country and our freedom and they’re
hurting and they’re struggling and that’s so hard to see,”
34
"These are people that have put themselves in compromising positions
TO DEFEND OUR COUNTRY AND OUR FREEDOM
and they’re hurting and they’re struggling and that’s so hard to see.”
— Kari Appletoft

she said. “But that’s also why it’s
so rewarding to work here because
when you see their quality of life
improve, it’s huge.”
A few weeks ago, Appletoft met with
a Vietnam veteran who said he sat in
his car for a long time before walking
in those doors, and he almost left.
“But he came in and he sat down
with me for about an hour, and he
said ‘I’m glad I stayed,’” she said.
This kind of situation happens
all the time. Appletoft said some
veterans have never told anyone else
what they have been experiencing, so
sharing that with counselors in a safe
environment can be scary but very
beneficial.
Carpenter said on average 22
veterans a day commit suicide, but
that number could be higher without
programs like the Vet Center.
“Knowing that a lot of the veterans
that come in here are in really rough
shape, it really kind of makes you
stop and think if we weren’t here or
if they didn’t get help somewhere,
that number would be a lot higher,”
she said.
“Oftentimes, when they first come
in, you’re actually genuinely scared
for them because they can be in
such mental distress, they’re having
a panic attack, they don’t know
what to do,” she added. “They’re
all a success story when they keep
coming back and they’re still here.” ■
• • •
The Vet Center is open Monday
through Friday 7:30 a.m. to 4:30
p.m. and the last Saturday of each
month from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,
with additional hours available by
appointment. For more information,
visit www.vetcenter.va.gov or call
701-237-0942.
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