Eulogy for a Dad … and a Teacher

A bluebird box surrounded by a floral wreath. Two flags - an American flag and a 4-H flag - flank the birdhouse.

My dad, Jim Newquist, passed away on Dec. 22, 2023. My sister and I gave this eulogy at his memorial service on January 13, 2024. Sections in italics were spoken by my sister. Our dad taught elementary and middle school students for his entire career. Growing up with our dad as a teacher taught my … Read more

Getting Ready for Puppy “F”

A Golden Retriever puppy sleeps with his head on a yellow Labrador Retriever

My family started raising Seeing Eye puppies in 2014. We get the pups when they’re seven weeks old and then spend a year teaching them basic obedience and socialization. They go back to the Seeing Eye at around 14-16 months old, where they get a physical and (hopefully) complete their training to become guide dogs … Read more

Good Luck, Bob!

A German Shepherd puppy looks intently at the camera.

Bob, the third Seeing Eye puppy my family raised, is off to puppy college. Our area coordinator picked him up this morning. Bob, true to form, was happy to see her and left home without any fuss. We were sad to see him go, but (hopefully) he’s off to do great things. Bob, a male … Read more

Radio Active #90: Outdoor Geek

A middle-aged man (Ken Newquist) gives the thumbs up from a snow covered tent

On this episode of Nuketown Radio Active I celebrate Nuketown’s re-ignition, meet Bob the Seeing Eye Puppy and talk about my evolution into a geek who loves the outdoors. I also  ruminate on three games I’m playing now: Destiny 2: A massively multiplayer first-person shooter by the creators of Halo. Skyrim: Special Edition: An open world sandbox game set … Read more

What about Bob?

A black-and-tan male German Shepherd Dog takes a nap.

Bob, our newest Seeing Eye puppy, arrived today. He’s an eight-week-old, black-and-tan German Shepherd Dog. He’s a pudgy little thing whose floppy ears haven’t figured out how to stand up yet (unlike Olaf, our previous German Shepherd for the Seeing Eye, who came with his ears pointing skyward). He’s damn cute. Not quite as cute as Hank, … Read more

Radio Active #87: The Show Awakens

A photo of a yellow Labrador puppy looking at the camera. A river flows in the background.

After slumbering for four years, Nuketown Radio Active returns to find a world transformed. In this show I’ll get up to speed on what’s changed around the ol’thermonuclear burg, and what you can expect to see in the future. I talk about the role-playing games and video games I’m currently playing, and introduce the audience … Read more

Meet Hank

A small puppy sleeps curled up against a cloth bacon chew toy. The puppy is a yellow Labrador retriever/golden retriever mix.

Meet Hank. He’s a Golden Retriever/Labrador Retriever mix that my family and I are raising as part of the Seeing Eye’s Puppy Raising program. The Seeing Eye is a non-profit organization that breeds, raises, and trains puppies to serve as guide dogs for the blind and visually impaired. We got Hank when he was just … Read more