The Good Life – January-February 2023

DAD LIFE 

WRITTEN BY: PAUL HANKEL 

As a consultant, I’m on the road almost weekly. Bouncing 

back and forth between Fargo, Grand Forks, Bismarck, 

and Minneapolis is the norm for me, 2-3 days per week. I 

thoroughly enjoy the simplicity of living out of a suitcase 

and racking up those travel rewards points. However, it’s 

not without its challenges, especially regarding parenting. 

I hate missing out on sports games, choir concerts, and 

just family time in general, especially now that my son is 

eleven and keeps track. 

As both he and I get older, it’s harder and harder to hop 

on a flight on a Sunday evening, get back on a Tuesday 

evening right before I’m supposed to pick him up, and 

then enter into full-on dad mode. Yet here we are. 

Here are some insights on my experiences as a frequentflyer 

dad. 

Don’t take it personally if they don’t miss you every time. 

Every time I return from out of town and go and pick up 

my son from his mother’s, I always hope that he will do the 

dramatic leap into my arms and act like he’s really missed 

me. Almost like a soldier returning home from defending 

our freedom...only I’m just returning home from a threeday 

business trip to Sioux Falls. I know, it’s ridiculous. 

I then remember that he’s an eleven-year-old boy and 

eleven-year-olds don’t act like that. Kids are extremely 

adaptable to most healthy situations. It still amazes me 

how quickly my son can, over time, adapt to changes in his 

routine and daily life. 

I, on the other hand, am not as adaptable. Case in point: 

the hotel I stay at in the cities recently took my favorite 

sandwich off of their dining menu. Three months later 

and I still haven’t moved on or let it go. 

Also, kids are kids and they tend to focus on what’s 

happening right in front of them. For my kiddo, it’s hockey, 

computer games, and not showering. I’ve learned a lot 

from my kiddo just by watching what he focuses on and, 

honestly, it’s refreshing to view the world through their 

lens of innocence. 

The bottom line is, your child loves you and of course they 

miss you while they’re gone. Just don’t expect it to be like a 

scene from Casablanca when you return from out of town. 

Embrace technology. 

Before having a child, I would have spent my travel 

evenings belly up at the bar or rewatching my favorite 

sitcom for the twelfth time in my hotel room. 

These days, nothing makes an out-of-town trip go by faster 

than a quick video chat with my son. It reminds me of why 

I’m working so hard and what’s there waiting for me when 

I get home. 

2 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com

What's even more fun is that he now knows how to 

text and message so you can just imagine some of the 

convos we have. To say it’s entertaining would be a huge 

understatement. I should probably type a spreadsheet of 

the latest “kid lingo” but just haven’t had time to yet. 

For your reference, when they say, “bet” it means deal, 

and when they say, “no cap” it means no lies. 

We, as parents, are trained to keep our kids away from 

electronics as much as possible. However, I am more of 

a “embrace the inevitable, but monitor” type of parent. 

Technology is engrained in almost every facet of our lives. 

Instead of trying to over-shelter our kiddos from it, I think 

we should instead be hyper-vigilant and take advantage 

of the many ways that technology has connected us. 

When you’re home, be home. 

This is one that I struggle with. Politics and business 

development are 24/7 ventures and, at times, I am 

absolutely the dad that checks his phone during dinner 

or sneaks away during family time to make a “quick” 

work call, only to emerge from my room 15 minutes 

later, well after dessert has taken place. 

I am fairly confident that I struggle with this issue due 

to several reasons. First, I absolutely love what I do 

for a living. So, why would I not let it into every part of 

my life, including family and parenting time? Turns out 

though, my eleven-year-old couldn’t possibly care less 

about P and L statements, clever marketing schemes, 

client acquisition techniques, or voter data. As long as 

those business pursuits allow us to have a nice home, do 

fun things, and eat way more boxed macaroni than his 

primary doctor recommends, he’s totally ok with it. 

I also think my struggles with this concept stem from the 

aforementioned 24/7 nature of the various fields of work 

that I consult in. 

Gone are the days when one could simply close their 

laptop and send their work phone to voicemail until the 

next morning. However, that doesn’t mean that we, as 

dads, must be constantly “plugged in”. 

One of the hidden blessings I’ve found is the fact that 

south Moorhead has terrible cellphone reception. So 

when my son has hockey practice I’m forced to pay rapt 

attention (and eat my weight in soft pretzels and chicken 

strips). It’s a win/win. 

In this world where us dads are trying to be everything 

to everyone, including our families and jobs, I hope these 

three tips may help you if you’re as lost and confused as 

I have most certainly been. As we enter a new year, I just 

want to remind you – you will never be a perfect parent 

or member of the workforce. However, learning to strike 

a healthy balance between the two is a lifelong pursuit 

that is well worth the struggle. • 

urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 3

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2023 

VOLUME 10 | ISSUE 4 

02 

06 

10 

14 

18 

24 

28 

DAD LIFE 

On the Road as a Dad 

Winterizing Backyard Chickens 

Happy and Healthy Birds 

Social Media Stereotypes 

MSUM Planetarium 

More Than Just Space 

ON THE COVER 

The Way of the Sword 

Agassiz Dojo Trains Students in 

Japanese Martial Arts 

HAVING A BEER WITH 

Kyle Cornell - News Director 

LOCAL HERO 

Tim Briggeman - Captain of the 

Cass County Sheriff's Office 

34 

Game Day Recipe 

Cheesy Bourbon Hot 

Brown Skillet Dip 


The 

GOODLIFE 

MEN’S MAGAZINE 

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darren@urbantoadmedia.com 

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Meghan Feir 

Paul Hankel 

Ben Hanson 

Jeffrey Miller 

Krissy Ness 

Emma Vatnsdal 

Amy Wieser Willson 

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darren@urbantoadmedia.com 

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The Good Life Men’s Magazine is distributed six times 

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Magazine accepts no liability for reader dissatisfaction 

arising from content in this publication. The opinions 

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writers or advertisers and do not necessarily represent 

the views or policies of The Good Life Men’s Magazine. 


Winterizing 

Backyard Chickens 

WRITTEN BY: JEFFREY MILLER 

PHOTO BY: WIRESTOCK ON FREEPIK 

Happy and Healthy Birds 

Chickens are amazing creatures, able to bring a sense 

of the country to a city home or energizing a farmstead. 

During the spring, summer, and fall, our flock of hens 

and one rooster wander the yard and field, eating seeds, 

insects, acorns, and whatever else they can get their beaks 

on. Winter descends, however, and things get tough. 

Fortunately, there are a few things a chicken owner can 

do to keep the flock healthy and happy during the cold, 

dark days of winter. 

Chicken Breeds: The American Poultry Association 

recognizes 53 breeds of chickens, with hundreds of 

variations within the breeds. When purchasing chicks for 

a backyard flock, the most important thing is selecting 

those with cold hardiness. Our hens are a motley crew, 

with Barred Rocks, Rhode Island Reds, Golden Laced 

Wyandotte, Buff Orphingtons, and Brown Sex-Link. Each 

of the breeds has thick, fluffy feathers that cope well with 

the cold. In addition, they are all egg layers, providing an 

important source of protein for our family. 

When purchasing chicks for a backyard flock, the most important 

thing is selecting those with cold hardiness. 


Coops and Runs: Our homes are insulated, 

wind-proof and heated. It would make sense for the 

same to be needed for a chicken coop, but those 

needs are not the same for the birds. 

A drafty coop, where cold air blows directly on the 

bird’s roost or the coop floor will stress the birds. 

Ventilation, on the other hand, is the free movement 

of gentle air in and out of the coop. If the coop is 

sealed tight, without any exterior air movement, 

condensation will build up on the interior surfaces. 

Frostbite will occur on the chicken’s combs and 

wattles, causing unnecessary harm to the birds. 

Ammonia, from the chicken's waste, can build up 

without adequate ventilation. Excessive ammonia 

causes respiratory issues for the birds and can 

cause serious health issues during the winter. 

Our coop works great for providing roosting for our 

hens but is a touch on the small size for our flock of 

12 birds. Attached to the coop is an outside run, 12 

feet long and 8 feet wide. Covered in chicken wire, 

it provides a safe place for them during the warm 

months. 

Going through the automatic 

chicken door in the evening. 

During the winter, the run offers little protection 

from the elements. To circumvent that and provide 

a safe place for them to spend the days in sunshine, 

we cover the run with clear plastic. The plastic, 

stretched tight over the wooden frame, nailed, 

and stapled into place; provides windproof and 

warmth. Not unlike a greenhouse, the temperature 

rises during the day, keeping the ground from 

freezing and providing a place for the chickens to 

dust and peck in the dirt. The ventilation from the 

coop prevents moisture buildup in the run. 


At night, in order to provide the most warmth for the 

coop, we installed an automatic chicken door. At daybreak 

it opens, allowing the birds access to the run. When 

darkness falls, it closes and keeps the warmth in the 

smaller space of the coop. 

Heating a coop with a heat lamp seems like a great idea 

but can be deadly for the birds. Heat lamps can catch fire 

in confined spaces, especially when dust settles on the 

bulb. The constant light is also confusing for the birds, as 

they are used to short amounts of daylight in the winter. 

Lastly, if the power goes out, the birds can freeze. Used 

to the heat, the sudden cold causes deleterious effects 

quickly. Without the light, the birds grow thicker feathers 

and huddle to conserve warmth. A power outage can be 

deadly for the chickens. 

Heating a coop with a heat lamp seems like a great idea, 

but can be deadly to the birds. 

Water and Feed: After spending a day outdoors, I’m 

famished, needing a warm meal and water. Chickens are 

no different, requiring balanced feed and clean water 

during cold months. While we don’t feed the chickens 

during the free-ranging months, we purchase high-quality 

balanced food for the winter months. In addition, we 

place a heated plastic base on a concrete slab in the coop. 

Plugged into the house, the base keeps the plastic waterer 

warm enough to prevent freezing. We tried a heated plastic 

waterer in the past, but it was a pain to fill. Pouring water 

on my boots and the ground, in -20 below temperatures in 

the dark after work, was not my idea of a good time! 

Egg Production: During the short days of winter, 

the hens drastically reduce egg output. More of the bird’s 

energy is used to stay warm than produce eggs, so we may 

only get an egg or two a day. Unfortunately, it’s a fact of life 

for a backyard flock. I try to hide my head if I’m forced to 

purchase grocery store eggs during the winter! 


Chickens are 

hardy, adaptable 

critters that are 

a joy to have. 

Happy Chickens: Chickens 

are hardy, adaptable critters that 

are a joy to have. Each of our birds 

has its own personality and quirks. 

Watching them saunter across the 

grass on a warm summer afternoon, 

with a cold drink in hand, is most 

enjoyable. In order for them to 

provide eggs and happiness to 

their owners, they need to be safe 

during the winter. No matter where 

a person has chickens, by following 

these simple steps to winterize 

the flock, birds can be happy and 

healthy all year round! • 


Social Media 

Stereotypes 

WRITTEN BY: MEGHAN FEIR 

There are many personality stereotypes on social media platforms, 

be it Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter or others. I could write 

a much longer list, but we’ll stick to a few of the basic stereotypes 

found on Facebook and Instagram. 

I can guarantee you know at least one of these types of social media 

users. 

Gertrude, the girl who’s getting old 

Somebody help me. I’m getting old. I count myself as a Gertrude 

because of how tempting it is to comment on random Facebook 

posts. 

“What’s your favorite dish your Swedish grandma used to make?” 

the post asks me, and I must fight the urge to answer, “Yulekake, 

Søtsuppe and Swedish meatballs!” 


“What would you name this tiny puppy?” the post asks me 

as an adorable, watery-eyed Aussie puppy stares back at 

me. I fail to fight the urge and type, “Mr. Tubkins!” 

I’ve realized I’ve either always used Facebook like a 

75-year-old, or I’m evolving into one by commenting on 

useless posts and articles. 

I’m pretty sure the urge to share your opinion of whether 

or not crocs should be legal only grows as you age. 

Tally, the TMI wall poster 

One of my favorite things is when older people write overly 

personal, TMI messages on someone’s Facebook wall. 

When Facebook started during my high school days, 

people wrote on friends’ walls all the time. It was like 

shouting to the world, “Hey! I have friends, and we have 

inside jokes.” It was a wonderful time to be alive. 

But while the feature of posting messages on a wall is 

still available, no one does that anymore. It’s out of vogue. 

However, that doesn’t stop some people from writing TMI 

posts for all to see. 

Samantha, are you feeling better today? Heard you 

got a bladder infection. Hope you’re feeling better 

and got some antibiotics. 

Love, Aunt Tally 

Hey, Paul. Heard you broke up with Maddie. What’s 

that all about? You should actually pick up your 

phone for once. 

– Doug 


Lonnie, los lonely boy 

Most people are plumb lonely. When 

you’re depressed and alone, it’s all 

too easy to grab that phone and scroll 

endlessly online. In fact, this is one 

thing I learned about myself a few 

years ago. Sometimes the lonelier I 

am, the more I post on social media. 

So check up on your friends and 

family members. 

Sara, the virtual seductress 

Remember that high school 

classmate who always had obvious 

insecurities or was too cocky and 

overtly sexual, all to feed their 

need for more attention? Combine 

desperation with social media and 

you have some overly seductive 

U-rated (“U” for ugh, uh oh and 

unnecessary) content on your 

hands. They’ve set out the bait and 

they’re fishing for attention. 

Fred, the unaware 

Facebook friend 

We can’t forget about the people 

who don’t realize everything you 

like or say can show up on other 

friends’ newsfeeds. 

Take my married coworker from a 

previous job, for example. He was 

in his upper 60s, was a grandfather 

to about 10 children, and didn’t 

realize that some of the racy “hot 

girl” photos he liked on Facebook 

appeared on my newsfeed. It made 

me feel weird, made me feel badly 

for his wife, and made me wonder 

who else was seeing his activity. 

So… WARNING: People can often 

see what you like or comment on, so 

beware. 

Whether they’re young or old, it’s 

equally cringy to see guys or girls 

liking or commenting on scantily 

clad snowmobile babe photos or 

“Magic Mike” clips. 

Pete, the political pitbully 

We all have friends like this (unless 

we’ve already unfollowed them). 

Political pitbullies are friends who 

excessively post brash and overly 

offensive political memes, videos, 

articles and comments. It should be 

fine to share an occasional political 

joke, a concern, and to take a stand, 

but you don’t have to be an aggressive 

bully about it. Political pitbullies 

must comment on everyone’s 

everything in a ferocious, belittling 

manner. Also, they can dish it out, 

but they can’t take it. 

Although they comment on other 

people’s posts without restraint, if 

someone challenges them on one 

of their posts, they tell them to not 

comment if they don’t like it. 

Beatrice, the security 

breached 

They might as well give out their 

social security number while they’re 

at it because these Facebook friends 

will answer any security question 

that comes their way in meme form. 

“What is your mother’s maiden 

name?” 

“Johnson!” 

“What is the name of your first pet?” 

“Tobacco!” 

“What street did you grow up on?” 

“4th Street North. Heck, my entire 

address was 4235 4th Street North!” 


Cher, the oversharer 

Friends like this must post 80 

pictures every day of their child, pet 

or self. It doesn’t matter if they have 

spaghetti sauce or snot all over their 

face, if they’re blurry or in focus, if 

they’re sitting on the toilet or doing 

absolutely nothing at all, friends like 

this will share every moment of their 

lives. They share so much on social 

media, you could go six decades 

without seeing them and still never 

have to ask what they’ve been up to 

over the years. 

Victoria, the vulnerable 

A subtype of “Cher, the oversharer,” 

this kind will overshare personal 

details of their lives to make others 

look bad and will often take photos 

and videos of themselves crying to 

earn “bravery” points. 

Peyton, the pretentious 

We can’t leave out the group 

of people who love to flaunt 

themselves as proudly as a 

peacock and virtue signal their 

way to the top. They think they 

are more educated, more stylish, 

more refined, more artistic, more 

anything-they-think-is-the-best 

than other people. They look 

down on those who don’t think or 

look the way they do, even though 

they think they are enlightened, 

compassionate heroes who 

champion causes. 

You can find these types of people 

on either side of the political 

extremes. They are usually quite 

delusional and blind to their own 

hypocrisy. 

“If you _____, you can unfriend me 

right now.” 

Wow, what a threat. 

Meghan, the meanie 

Then you have the people who 

take note of these stereotypes and 

silently file them away in their 

minds before they write articles 

about them (aka, me). Keep in mind 

that this type of person probably 

annoys 80 percent of their followers 

on a regular basis as well. • 


WRITTEN BY: KRISSY NESS 

PHOTOS BY: URBAN TOAD MEDIA 

For 50 years, the Minnesota State University Moorhead 

planetarium has provided a glimpse into the sky in ways 

we could never see in our city limits. Opened in 1972 in 

Bridges Hall, students and community members have 

participated in intimate stargazing, entertaining full dome 

movies, and even trippy laser shows. This facility provides 

entertainment, unlike any other place. 

Sara Schultz has been the planetarium director for eight 

years and has provided education about our solar system. 

She is also passionate about raising awareness of this 

space's possibilities. 

"Many people have rented the planetarium for birthday 

parties and anniversaries to watch programs on the dome 

or just portray the sky as it were on the day you got married 

or the day your child was born," explained Schultz. 

It is important to note that viewing the sky in the 

planetarium is not a live image but rather a computergenerated 

image. "The sky has been observed for a long 

time, and the sky is pretty predictable so that we can set it 

to any day in time," mentions Schultz. 

I have had the opportunity to take in a couple of shows at 

the planetarium, including two laser shows and "What's 

Up." Which discusses our solar system and the night 

sky as it is when you are there, as well as visuals of the 

constellations set to music. 

I attended "What's Up" recently, and the experience was 

a lot of fun. We were led through the solar system and the 

night sky by two students who explained in detail what 


“ 

“The sky has been observed 

for a long time, and the sky 

is pretty predictable 

so that we can set it 

to any day in time." 

– Schultz 

we saw and why. Not only was it educational, but it also 

provided many laughs along the way. It was worth it to get 

out of my house and brave the cold for a new and exciting 

experience. 

In addition to "What's Up," I have seen two laser shows 

at the planetarium set to music by Pink Floyd and The 

Beatles; this was quite an experience! It was a unique way 

to experience their music in a way I had never seen or 

heard before. 

Currently, MSUM rents a laser light system and provides 

limited laser shows. Still, for their 50th anniversary, they 

are raising money for their own laser light system. With 

this addition to the planetarium, the plan is to provide 

more laser shows and expand the use and creativity of 


students and community 

members have the opportunity 

to create music to accompany 

a laser show or create their 

own laser show entirely. 

the space. "It would really invite a different audience 

to the planetarium than you would typically find," 

exclaims Schultz. 

Additionally, students and community members would 

have the opportunity to create music to accompany 

a laser show or create their own laser show entirely. 

"Whenever someone wants to try something new, 

I always say yes. I want people to be freer to play," 

said Schultz. "We are only as good as our people, the 

students and the community who supports us as well 

as the artist and the thinkers and believers who want 

to try something new." 

Of course, the planetarium is doing its part in 

the community in other ways than play. First, the 

planetarium is pairing up with the local libraries 

to provide kiosks that stream NASA content. Then, 

they will develop programming between the MSUM 

planetarium, oceanarium, and regional science center 

based on the NASA content. Finally, they will invite 

the community to participate. They will be using 

NASA View Space, a series of short clips streaming 

to monitors on a rotation of some sort, taking some 

of these clips and creating programming on those 

to connect the community more by providing easier 

access to NASA content. Essentially, they will expand 

on already created NASA content and integrate it into 

their systems. 

The theme for this first portion will be water; it will 

focus on water in our solar system and water outside 

our solar system. Additionally, it will focus on whether 

there can be water on other planets and what that 

means for space travel, colonizing other planets, and 

potential life on other planets, both in and out of our 

solar system. 


Overall, the possibilities are endless. 

The planetarium can be a place to 

learn and a place to play. "I want 

people to know that we're not just 

space, even though it is really cool," 

exclaimed Schultz. 

“I recently heard a quote that has 

stuck with me and perfectly sums 

up my approach to life and the 

planetarium,” exclaims Schultz.. ‘If 

you want to go fast, go alone. If you 

want to go far, go TOGETHER,’ most 

of the time, I’d prefer to go far.” ★ 


ON THE COVER | AGASSIZ DOJO 


THE WAY OF 

THE SWorD 

AGASSIZ DOJO TRAINS STUDENTS 

IN JAPANESE MARTIAL ARTS 

WRITTEN BY: AMY WIESER WILLSON 


BBamboo swords chop the air in a tempo of 

swooshing sounds penetrated with firm counting: 

ichi, ni, san, shi, go. Then, always leading with 

the right foot, a line of students at Agassiz Dojo 

pushes across the wood floor, their bare feet creating 

a rhythmic pulse as they move and warm up before 

donning body armor. The movements are part of kendo, 

or the “way of the sword,” a Japanese martial art. 

Sensei Brad Anderson runs students through the 

positions and footwork, demonstrating and guiding 

in much the same way as he learned while living in 

Japan — but all from his dojo in south Fargo. It’s one of 

several forms of Japanese martial arts that he teaches 

that emphasize swordsmanship but also physical agility 

and mental clarity. It’s the only dojo to offer such training 

within a 200-mile radius. 

Joe Grasseschi, 24, drives more than 140 miles roundtrip 

each week to train there. 

“I wanted to learn swordsmanship since I was about 3 

or 4 years old,” he said. “It started when I was a little kid 

watching Star Wars with my dad.” 

For the past year, Grasseschi has trained in two of the 

other martial arts Anderson offers: Jodo and Iaido. 

In Jodo, or “the way of the staff,” participants hold a 

50-inch-long wooden stick and train to defend against a 

participant with a sword. Testing for a belt in Jodo requires 

mastering both the staff for defense but also the sword in a 

series of 12 patterns for attacking, parrying and defending. 

Unlike Kendo and Jodo, Iaido is not done with an 

opponent. Rather, participants use a katana – a curved, 

Japanese sword with a long grip for two hands – to fight 

off imaginary aggressors. 

As Anderson demonstrates Iaido, which roughly translates 

to “the way of mental presence and immediate reaction,” 

it’s easy to imagine attackers approaching from all sides 

and angles. He starts low, with one knee bent to the ground 

and the other bent toward his chest, and draws the long, 

sharp sword from the sheath on his left side. The clouded 

silver blade jabs forward in defense, and then flashes up 

to the side, followed by a quick lunge to the back. The 

ending strike comes from above. Before long, imaginary 

opponents lie defeated in what feels like a scene from an 



ICHI 

NI 

SAN 

SHI 

GO 

ROKU 

SHICHI 

HACHI 

KYUU 

JUU 


action movie. Anderson shakes the sword, symbolically 

removing the blood, and returns it to its sheath at his side 

with precise, mindful movements. 

Now with a rank of godan (5 dan), a fifth-degree black belt 

that requires a minimum of 12 years to attain, Anderson 

has come a long way since he was a high school student 

in Hawley, Minnesota. 

“I love witnessing a student have a lightbulb 

moment where they finally unlock or 

comprehend something that they’ve been 

striving to understand – it’s very satisfying!” 

– Sensei Brad Anderson 

FROM HAWLEY TO JAPAN 

With an interest in martial arts and no training 

opportunities in his hometown in the mid-1980s, 

Anderson actively sought options. He contacted a Fargo 

tae kwon do school to see what it would take for them to 

do a demonstration in Hawley. They said if he could sign 

up 20 to 30 people who were interested, they would come. 

With recruiting and posters, he pulled it off. Then he 

asked what it would take for them to offer classes there. 

Anderson continued the recruiting and before long, the 

Hawley Karate School opened. It’s still operating nearly 

40 years later. 

Anderson continued training locally after graduating 

college in 1990, earning his black belt from Hidden 

Teachings Karate in Fargo after five years of training. 

Then, in 1996, he decided to move to Japan. 

“It was literally two months after I got my black belt. I 

really wanted to study the sword,” Anderson said. “I didn’t 

know any of the language. I went to a public Budokan gym 

and met a fellow there who was just chain smoking, and 

I’m trying to muddle through some things in my dictionary. 

They didn’t offer Iaido, which is what I was after, but they 

taught Kendo. They said Iaido was for old ladies!” 

He rode his bike to the gym three to five times a week to 

train in Kendo. 

“Once in a while, Sensei would bring in an old lady or 

some high school kids to spar with me, but usually it was 

just the two of us. He didn't speak a lick of English, so I 

had to learn by watching.” 



After a year and a half in Toyama, where Anderson 

had been working in a conversational English school, 

he moved to south-central Japan. He found a Kendo 

instructor who also taught Iaido and stayed there 

from 1999 until 2007, when he returned to the Fargo 

area and opened a dojo in Moorhead. At national and 

Canadian seminars, he began to study Jodo and Tachiuchi-no-kurai, 

or Kenjutsu, another Japanese martial art 

that uses a sword to perform a kata, or choreographed 

patterns of movement. 

SENSEI FOR SWORDSMANSHIP 

Despite his wealth of experience in several martial arts, 

Anderson doesn’t play favorites. 

“Kendo was first for me, but I’m just kinda old and I’m 

not fast. You need to have pretty quick reflexes. In Jodo, 

it’s fun to have a partner who can also go full speed. In 

Iaido, you’re constantly striving for a perfect execution of 

the pattern. There’s something about the self-refinement 

and getting closer to perfection; there’s a calming effect 

to it, too. Each martial art offers something unique and 

distinctive that the others don’t, so I can’t really pinpoint 

a favorite.” 

His passion for all these forms results in a rotating 

curriculum of classes offered to those 10 years and older. 

“When they start young, they can really grow,” Anderson 

said. “The biggest challenge with adult learners is how 

to move with your feet. We kind of walk like ducks, and 

we need to keep our feet straight, so we start with basic 

things, like learning how to not walk like a duck. Once 

you get the concept of how to move, then we put a sword 

in your hand — and you forget how to walk again!” 

Sitting positions can be challenging at first for some, and 

the patterns can be cardio-heavy. 

“You’re supposed to be able to do one full pattern with 

one breath, which is challenging depending on the shape 

you're in. Anybody can learn it, but it can be easier with a 

young person who isn't already locked into how to move 

their body.” 

Finding balance between work, family and the things he 

enjoys creates a good life for Anderson. 

“It's challenging to come here sometimes because I want 

to spend time with my kids, but 99.9% of the time, even if 

I'm not in the mood to practice, I feel that I accomplished 

something. It clears the mind,” Anderson said. “The good 

life also means putting God first in your life: God first, 

family second, and finding a balance between work and 

the rest of your life.” • 


KENDO 

(Ken-dō – “sword path” or “way of 

the sword”) Students use bamboo 

swords, or “shinai,” and train to 

strike opponents while wearing 

protective armor called “bōgu.” 

It’s similar to fencing in that both 

sides use a sword to attack, defend 

and score points during freestyle 

sparring. The concept behind Kendo 

is to discipline the human character 

while applying the principles of the 

sword, or “katana.” 

IAIDO 

(I-ai-dō – “I” is the existence of the 

body and spirit, “ai” is the ability 

to adapt to changing situations, 

and “dō” is how this art becomes 

a way of life) Students start with a 

wooden sword before moving to an 

actual sword, or “katana,” in this 

practice. There are four key motions 

associated with the practice: 

drawing the katana from its sheath, 

striking an opponent, shaking the 

blood from the sword and then 

returning the katana to its sheath, 

in precise, controlled movements. 

The practice emphasizes awareness 

as well as being able to move and 

respond quickly from different 

starting positions. 

JODO 

(Jō-dō – “jō” means staff and “dō” is 

how this art becomes a way of life) 

A series of attacks and defending 

moves is taught in this class that 

uses a wooden sword and a “jo,” 

or short wooden staff. The practice 

pairs a student with a sword against 

one with a staff and incorporates 

a series of 12 patterns. Both sides 

attack, parry and defend, so students 

learn to quickly react as well as 

gauge distance and timing against 

an opponent. 

TACHI-UCHINO 

(Kenjutsu) (“methods, techniques 

and the art of the Japanese sword”) 

This martial art originated with 

the samurai class in feudal Japan 

and pairs opponents with wooden 

swords (bokuto). It incorporates 

10 choreographed patterns of 

swordsmanship before returning 

the bokuto to the scabbard (saya). 


HAVING A BEER WITH | KYLE CORNELL 

WRITTEN BY: BEN HANSON 


From the far side of the bar at Drekker’s Brewhalla, 

I watched the front door trying to guess which of the 

patrons slowly filtering in from the cold would be my late 

afternoon beer date. Even though Kyle Cornell holds the 

esteemed title of News Director at Flag Family Media 

(AM1100 and AM970), he somehow managed to keep his 

identity largely hidden. 

All I could find during my hasty research were his many 

bylines, covering the latest news from the surrounding 

region. That and a quick video from Covid times with his 

face hidden behind an N95. So I was anticipating meeting 

a nonchalant, almost shy reporter type who had found his 

comfort zone behind a keyboard. I was wrong. 

Like the trophy buck that appears out of nowhere, 

standing in the exact spot you had been keenly studying 

until you were forced to look away to muffle a sneeze, 

Kyle was all of a sudden there, smiling down on me as I 

returned my glass of half-gone beer to its coaster. Three 

things caught my attention: his dark, wispy mustache with 

the beginnings of two upward curls, his smile that never 

quit and the rare-for-me experience of feeling small. 

Cornell is your classic gentle giant, the guy you’d 

instinctively be scared of until he reveals his teddy bear 

nature. How he slipped in the door without being noticed 

is some real Clark Kent stuff … if Clark Kent was from 

Ohio. 


His journey to Fargo from Cleveland sounded like a 

fairytale full of good fortune. Cornell discovered his 

passion for broadcasting while still a teenager. So, he 

had more than a little experience under his belt before he 

found himself unemployed and perhaps only days away 

from having to give up on the dream and settle for a job 

in a factory. 

“I was a news reporter and anchor for the only news talk 

station in Cleveland, ironically also AM1100,” Cornell 

recalled. “When I got let go, there weren’t a lot of other 

opportunities available. So when I got a call from Mr. 

Steve Hallstrom, who asked me to come out and join his 

team, it was a blessing.” 

Cornell makes no secret of his gratefulness for that 

invitation, even though it came with the cost of uprooting 

his young family and relocating to a place populated 

exclusively with strangers. But aside from the difficulty of 

finding a reliable babysitter, it’s clear he’s made Fargo his 

home for now and considers his Flag Family Media as just 

that — family. 

What does a typical day look like at work for you? 

Busy! There’s a lot going on. We do news for two different 

stations, so I’m up usually about 4:00 a.m., knocking 

out newscasts, lots of web stories … again two different 

websites to maintain. I also host a midday show from 11-1 

Monday-Friday. When I first came here, it was just me and 

the news director. Thankfully we now have a team of four, 

but as a news guy, I’m constantly working, coming up with 

stories and coaching the team. 

What’s your News Director origin story? 

I went to the University of Toledo for a year, played 

basketball for a bit and then ended up attending a 

community college back in Cleveland. I was doing TV and 

radio by the time I was 15 years old. I was into it! I ended 

up going to the Ohio Center for Broadcasting, which is 

like a trade school, and got to work in the [Cleveland] 

Cavs locker room and a few different newsrooms before 

moving to Fargo. 

What’s your favorite kind of news to report on or deliver? 

So it’s stressful but also awesome — election coverage. 

What we’ve done the past two cycles now is interview 

every candidate, both local and statewide. We did about 

80 interviews over the course of a few months. It’s not my 

job to take a side. My job is to get the candidates in the 

chair and ask questions about how they’re going to affect 

people in the area. We even made our own election guide. 

I enjoy it, but it’s stressful. That‘s what we're here to do. 

We inform. 


HAVING A BEER WITH | KYLE CORNELL 

Which TV family would you love to be a part of? 

The first show I ever watched — I’m not a big TV or movie 

guy — you can name big movies, I haven’t seen them. But 

I did watch “One Tree Hill” when I was growing up. The 

only reason I liked it was because there was basketball 

in it! 

If you got stranded in the woods and everyone assumed 

you were lost forever, what theme song would you want 

playing as you made your miraculous entrance back into 

society? 

Back in Black AC/DC, without hesitation. It was also my 

walkout song for my wedding reception. Seriously! I came 

out and had my wife put my sunglasses on, and we walked 

out together to AC/DC. It made sense, we were “back” 

home to Cleveland at the time. 

Why is the obituary section more popular than the birth 

announcements? 

I think people like drama, proven by the TV shows we 

watch or documentaries like the recent Dahmer series 

that has been so popular. Our crime articles always do 

really well, too … more suspense. 

If you could create the next hit reality show, what would 

it be? 

Spiderman Island. Get 10 different people all wearing 

different colored Spiderman costumes. I don’t know … my 

kid got me into the Spiderman movies, haha. 

If you could pick anyone to anchor the nightly news, who 

would it be? 

I’d love to do the nightly news with my old colleague, Ken 

Robinson. He retired about six months or so before I was 

let go from my other job, and I always loved doing the 

news with him. It would be entertaining. 

Can you explain how giant inflatable wacky guys help sell 

more cars? 

It's a distraction, something that catches your eye. When 

you drive by and see a giant 45-foot giant wacky guy, you 

start wondering “Do I need a new car?” 

How do you think the pitch went the first time somebody 

walked into a bank with the idea for a bar where you can 

throw axes against the wall? 

I think they got denied. But now it's a great idea, people 

should invest, haha! I have not tried it, but I want to. 

Unfortunately having a kid when you’re 23, the bar scene 

fades out of the picture pretty quick. Plus, here we have 

fewer babysitters than we did back home. 

If MacKenzie Scott (Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife) gave you $10M 

to make the world a better place, what would you do with 

the money? 

This is funny because we’ve talked about winning the 


lottery and what we would do. It’s tough, for me I 

connected with the Boys and Girls Club back in 

Cleveland, so that would be something to help out with. 

Also GiGi’s Playhouse here in Fargo… when they had 

the fire and then rebuilt, it was awesome to see them 

put that behind them and move forward. If I could strap 

a rocket to them to keep that going, I’d do that. 

The mustache … what gives? 

I keep extending the deadline, right? It was supposed 

to only last until the end of election coverage, but then 

the Police Chief in West Fargo said “nice mustache” 

one time, so I had to keep it. My wife is still adjusting. 

As a tall guy, what’s your biggest advantage in life? 

I’m not going to say dunking, because I can’t do that 

anymore. At this point, I’m running out of things to say. 

Now it’s just a hindrance. I haven’t been able to buy 

shoes at the mall since I was 12. Amazon and I are now 

best friends. 

What’s the most Fargo thing you’ve come across? 

All the sports fans are so negative. I thought Cleveland 

was bad! We’re used to being disappointed, too. The 

Vikings are 8-1, but I think most people would actually 

prefer them to 1-8. 

What does the good life mean to you? 

The good life means being happy with what I’m doing. 

After I was let go from my previous job, I felt like I was 

stuck, and I give all the credit to Scott and Steve for 

throwing me a life preserver and the chance to commit 

to a place where I’m happy to go to work. Having the 

staff and newsroom I do … they make my life extremely 

fun and easier than it could be. You already have a 

great home life, and now you have a great work life, 

too. It’s full circle. • 


LOCAL HERO | TIM BRIGGEMAN 

For the captain of the Cass county Sheriff’s office, 

words are the most important tool in his arsenal. 

WRITTEN BY: EMMA VATNSDAL 


Visit with Tim Briggeman for a few 

minutes, you’ll learn two things: he’s 

passionate and he loves his family. 

Stick around a little longer, and you’ll 

learn just what makes this Captain at 

the Cass County Sheriff’s Office tick. 

With 18 years in law enforcement 

under his belt, Briggeman has learned 

a few things that got him to where he 

is today. 

It isn’t only what he’s learned in the 

line of duty that has helped form 

his philosophy on the job, though. 

Through conversations with his 

children and his experiences at home, 

Briggeman is helping his agency 

become a lot more than what people 

may think — especially when it comes 

to taking care of the team. 

28 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com 

After graduating from Jamestown 

College with a degree in criminal 

justice, Briggeman began his career 

working at Luther Hall, a residential 

treatment facility with programs 

designed for men and women ages 

10-17.

“It was great,” Briggeman said. “I loved the kids I was 

responsible for. A majority of them came from tattered 

or broken homes, and it was wonderful to be an adult 

role model they maybe didn’t have.” 

But Briggeman felt he needed a 

change, and that change landed him 

behind bars. 

“I started at the jail, kind of on a whim, 

and I fell in love with it,” he said. “It’s 

terrifying at first when you’re one with 

48 inmates, but it definitely helped 

me develop really good interpersonal 

communication skills.” 

He says these skills helped him get a 

feel for how people can be, and when 

it comes to working with them from a 

law enforcement perspective. 

“The best tool that we have out of anything we learn is 

our ability to speak with people and treat them as human, 

treat them with the dignity and respect they deserve,” he 

said. “I can’t tell you the amount of success stories that 

"The best tool 

that we have out of anything 

we learn is our ability to 

speak with people and treat 

them as human, treat them 

with the dignity and respect 

they deserve." 

– Briggeman 

you get out of that, versus wrasslin’ with somebody and 

you getting hurt or them getting hurt.” 

Briggeman built relationships with the patrol men and 

women and decided to leave the jail for life on the road. 

“I thought, well, I’ll give this a try and 

apply for patrol,” he said. “I fell in love 

with it. Just like the cowboy blood 

that runs through me, patrol provided 

the same sense of excitement and 

fulfillment. I realized right away I 

wasn’t going to change the world 

one traffic stop at a time, but I was 

going to enjoy this profession and the 

unknown variables that come with it.” 

He may not be saving the world with a 

traffic stop, but he has helped educate 

a few lucky folks when they’ve gotten 

into a pickle. 

“Now that I have children, anyone that I stopped and 

they were in high school, I’d write very few high school 

tickets because I would call mom and dad,” he said. “I’d 



“I love this profession. It’s been a challenge the past few years, but our agency is very 

accommodating to the family side of things.” – Briggeman 

always offer suggested measures like ‘maybe let them 

drive to and from work or to and from sports’ or ‘I 

don’t know if I’d let them go out for a couple of weeks 

and they can come back to you and present you why 

their driving behaviors were not conducive to a safe 

environment.’ I’d like to think there’s a lot of success 

with that. It allowed the parents the opportunity to 

parent and collaboratively we were educating the kids 

and not merely enforcing and moving on to the next 

stop.” 

Briggeman says he’s even run into parents who’ve 

gotten that call in the past who said it opened their eyes 

to what could happen with unsafe driving behaviors. 

“I’ve never been a cop that couldn’t sleep at night if I 

didn’t make an arrest,” Briggeman said. “I’ve never been 

that guy. Have I made a lot of arrests in my career? I did, 

but those are the ones that I had to. If an opportunity 

was there for an educational component first, I’d go for 

that. That’s what I try to instill in the guys and gals that 

I’m responsible for. They don’t have to write four tickets, 

maybe they write the most egregious ticket and give 

the rest warnings. Whatever they feel would generate 

voluntary compliance, we as an office will support that 

— these are the same people who may come across me 

in trouble on the side of the road, if I’ve given them a 

break in the past, they may come help me out.” 

Helping each other out is the name of the game when it 

comes to this profession, and it seems the Cass County 

Sheriff’s Office has figured it out. 

“I love this profession,” he said. “It’s been a challenge the 

past few years, but our agency is very accommodating 

to the family side of things.” 

Whether it’s Monday-Friday, or overnight or weekend 

shift work — the team looks out for each other. 

“We try to do everything in our power to make sure 

that you’re taking care of the homefront,” he said. “And 

being taken care of, so when you get back to work, we’re 

not seeing a level of burnout to the point of leaving this 

profession. We have some very talented deputies in this 

agency and we’d like to keep it that way. If we can help 

out at times to make home life easier, in return get a 

better work product out of the deputy, why would we 

not want to do what we can for them.” 

And helping out even extends across state lines. Many 

familiar faces make up the agencies that watch over 

communities in this area, as well as the Red River 

Regional SWAT team, which is made up of individuals 

from Fargo, Moorhead and West Fargo, as well as Cass 

and Clay counties and NDSU. Calling on one another 

for support and advice whenever the need arises is 

common practice. 

“When you think back to cops in the 70s, 80s and 90s, 

it was definitely a ‘rub some dirt on it and move on’ 

mentality,” he said. “But in 2008, we started working 


PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: TIM BRIGGEMAN 

with a team to learn Critical Incident Stress Management 

(CISM). So any type of critical incident they are on, a brief oneon-one 

conversation or more in-deputy debriefing to check in 

on one another and take care of each other is another common 

practice. 

Those conversations and screenings don’t just happen with 

critical incidents, though. Briggeman has an open-door policy, 

which aims to nip burnout in the bud. 

“My office is a revolving door,” Briggeman said. “Sometimes I 

get into a project and someone walks into my office. I learned 

early on in my supervisory career that the most important thing 

at that immediate time is the person who walks into my office 

and pulls up a chair. I may lose a few hours of work during the 

day, but it’s something I’ll take with me until I retire from this 

organization. Someone needed to talk and my hope is I made 

a difference because I was there for them during that time of 

need. Whoever walks in my door at any given time is the most 

important person, and that’s how it has to be.” 

The Cass County Sheriff’s Office as a whole also adheres to this 

sentiment too. 

“We have a huge open-door policy through our whole agency,” he 

said. “That’s where some of the best training happens. They tell 

a story and I’m like, ‘I had that happen to me, and I remember 

we did this and approached it from this angle with a successful 



PHOTOS SUBMITTED BY: TIM BRIGGEMAN 

“We also take pride in trying to pump the brakes and point out the importance of worklife 

versus home-life balance and do what we can to accommodate.” – Briggeman 

outcome. This type of dialogue allows us to continue 

and grow and get better at providing an excellent level 

of customer service together. 

Does it take a lot of time out of my day? Yes, but I 

would have it absolutely no other way.” 

Briggeman’s life isn’t all visiting with coworkers and 

helping them out in times of distress, though. His 

relationship with his kids and ex-wife is something 

many only dream of. 

“They’re my everything,” he said. “And I carry myself, 

professionally, knowing I’m going to do everything 

in my power so that I’m not on the front page of the 

Fargo Forum embarrassing them. I want to be around 

for years, so whether that’s tactically or my approach 

to how I deal with people in the general public, I don’t 

want to put myself in a position where they’re not 

going to have a dad.” 

He doesn’t just mean in life-or-death situations. 

Briggeman strives to be there for his family whenever 

at all possible. 

“This job is extremely important,” he said. “It’s one 

of the most noble professions that I feel is out there. 

But it’s a means to an end. Don’t let it be your whole 

identity, you’re going to lose everything that you were 

raised with and thought was righteous if you let this 

profession consume you.” 

For him, it was a life-changing event that helped him 

slow down and savor everything his life had to offer. 

“I was extremely selfish professionally,” said 

Briggeman. “My office wasn’t demanding in a sense 

that I had to (work) but you just feel that sense of 

responsibility in this field. So when we had floods, 

when we had critical incidents and when we had all 

of that stuff going on — or if we only had one or two 

people working and (my kid) was sick, I would tell my 

wife ‘Well, you know I have to work so the burden is on 

you.’ It was a very selfish thought pattern and it came 

to a point where that wasn’t going to be a success 

anymore. I’ve told her many times now, ‘my selfish 

thought pattern got us divorced, I’m not going to have 

that thought pattern with my children and have them 

divorce me, too.” 

“While there are times when duty calls and work can’t 

be avoided, our office tries to give deputies a chance 

to be with their family when time allows and staffing 

needs are met. We are not a Monday-Friday operation 

and our community depends on us 24/7. But, if time 

allows for you to get home and tuck your child into 

bed or share a quick meal and get back out there once 

done, that’s 100% supported.” 

“There are times where I’ve told people ‘I know you 

want to work that event, but you’ve told me three or 

four times that things at home aren’t good because 

you are always working. So no, I’m not going to let you 


do that assignment, go home and mow your yard, grill 

with your family, do whatever makes you happy, but it 

won’t be behind the wheel of a squad car.” 

This profession has a high divorce rate and 

unfortunately myself, and others within our agency, 

relate all too well to what some of our staff are dealing 

with regarding home life. Those of us that have gone 

through a divorce do well helping out and conversing 

with them about the unexpected future. We also take 

pride in trying to pump the brakes and point out the 

importance of work-life versus home-life balance and 

do what we can to accommodate” 

phenomenal balance outside of the law enforcement 

community. I’ve had that conversation with my bosses 

that when they’ve got me, I’m all in. But when my kids 

have me, I’m all in. It’s about finding that balance and 

I’ve more than found that. 

So when I think of The Good Life, I think I have it.” • 

He says in those times it helps to know what is going 

on and it all comes from being a relational leader and 

establishing those relationships early on in someone’s 

career. 

“There are so many things that create a good life, 

right?” Briggeman said. “I mean, I have the world’s 

greatest life. I’m healthy, gainfully employed in a 

profession that I absolutely love, I make enough money 

to provide for my two little loves and I’m surrounded 

in my agency with people I enjoy coming to work with. 

It’s not a job, it’s a passion and a career. And I have a 


Cheesy Bourbon 

Hot Brown Skillet Dip 

Try this beefy take on a classic Game Day recipe 

featuring bourbon, cheese and roast beef. 

INGREDIENTS: 

• 8 ounces Deli Roast Beef 

• 8 ounces cream cheese 

• 6 ounces white cheddar cheese, shredded 

• 1/2 cup Romano cheese, shredded 

• 1/2 cup sour cream 

• 4 strips cooked bacon, finely chopped 

• 2 Roma tomatoes, diced 

• 2 tablespoons bourbon 

COOKING: 

1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F. Set aside 1 tablespoon 

parsley, 1 tablespoon chopped bacon, and 1 

tablespoon diced tomatoes for garnish. 

2. In a standing mixer combine cream cheese, 

white cheddar cheese, bacon, Deli Roast Beef, sour 

cream, Romano cheese, tomatoes, paprika, garlic, 

mustard, parsley, Worcestershire sauce, bourbon, 

and pepper until well incorporated. Remove bowl 

from mixer and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes 

or until ready to bake. 

• 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 

• 1 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard 

• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, finely chopped 

• 1/4 teaspoon paprika 

• 2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper 

• 2 teaspoons granulated garlic 

• 2 tablespoons cornstarch 

3. Spread the dip into a 8" cast iron or oven-proof 

skillet. Bake in a 350°F oven for 25 minutes or until 

golden brown and edges are bubbling. Remove 

from oven and top with remaining bacon, parsley, 

and tomatoes. Serve warm with crackers, toasted 

bread or celery & carrots. 

34 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com 

COURTESY OF BEEFITSWHATSFORDINNER.COM

The Good Life – January-February 2023

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