The Big Year: 2014

Posted on December 31, 2014 by brent

This special end of year blog post is dedicated to the memory of my Uncle Mike who passed away in June of this year.

One thing about me, I am honest. Since the creation of Don’t Blink I have used my blogging platform to tell it straight when it came time to evaluate the passing year. I have always made sure to sufficiently describe how I thought the 12 months went and what they meant to be. If it was average, it was average. I didn’t sugarcoat anything. With that said, you can take it to the bank when I say that 2014 was a terrific and significant year for me.

I believe what made this a banner year for me is pretty obvious. A third of the way through 2014 I decided to advance my career as I packed up all my belongings and headed to the exact opposite end of the country where I took a position at Coastal Carolina University. It was a big move, and with big moves come big gambles, but I ended up hitting the jackpot.

In 2014 I moved to a new city, a new state, a new area of the country. I moved into a new residence, got a new driver’s license, got a new address. I started going to a new gym, a new church, several new grocery stores. I became involved in a new culture, a new climate, a new way of doing things. I got a new phone number, new keys, and new license plates. I kind of became a new man.

I enjoyed some major highlights in 2014. My beautiful niece, Mikayla, was born. I started dating a wonderful and beautiful girl, Sidney. I made a cross country road trip with my dad. I traveled to places such as Atlanta, Baltimore, and Charleston. I made national television on one of my favorite shows as I attended College Gameday at the campus of the University of South Carolina. I participated in the filming of a Darius Rucker music video and actually made the final cut. I enjoyed Southern tailgating and watched big time college football from the sidelines. I had the fortune of appearing in newscasts and newspapers because of my work at Coastal Carolina University. I tallied up new experiences pretty much every day after my move to Myrtle Beach.

I learned some lessons in 2014 as well. I realized the necessity of taking risks. My eyes became even more open to the importance of family. I became more aware of how prominent and growing my career choice is in society. I learned about the importance of diversity. It became more apparent to me that when it comes down to it, no matter where you grow up in this nation people are people and we all have similar needs, tendencies, and thoughts. I probably learned most of all that sometimes distance from loved ones is very tough. My Uncle Mike, who this blog post is dedicated to, passed away in June. It hurt not being there for him and my family in those last days.

If 30 years from now you were to push four different years in front of my face on a sheet of paper (i.e. 2009, 2011, 2013, 2014) and ask what year sticks out the most, I would circle “2014” in a heartbeat. I grew, experienced, and enjoyed this year greatly. I want to take the momentum of 2014 with me into 2015. I have high hopes for the new year and when the next December 31 comes along, I want to write a recap similar to this one. Thank you to all my readers for the tremendous support in 2014, I can’t wait to share 2015 with you. Don’t Blink.

Instagram Resiliency: Ellen Seder

Posted on December 30, 2014 by brent

Today I want to recognize a certain person who answered a challenge I put forth in the waning days of 2013. This particular social media all-star showed endurance, creativity and humor throughout 2014. Before this year ends, I would like to say well done to Ellen Seder.

This is Ellen Seder, the person responsible for bringing a lot of humor to my Instagram account.

Many people know all about my Life’s Little Instructions calendar. I have written an all-encompassing blog post on it before and I have used it for inspiration for several other blog posts in the past. Anyway, each day I Instagram and Tweet out that particular day’s little tip. Several years leading up to this current year I would always get moderate interaction from the instructions I would post. However, in 2013 I became delighted with the sporadic humorous Instagram comments I would receive from a certain follower of mine. A couple times each week, my friend from my Missoula days, Ellen Seder, would comment on the LLI images I would post. Her comments were always funny, witty, and relevant. I wanted this humor more than just twice a week.

My Life’s Little Instructions calendar will be back in 2015…and so will Ellen.

Just a tad bit over a year ago I issued a challenge to Ellen: Comment on every single Life’s Little Instructions I post on Instagram in 2014. She accepted.

This was the challenge I made to Ellen on December 28, 2013. She accepted:

Throughout this year I have had the joy of reading a humorous caption that addressed the Life’s Little Instruction for that day. When I would open up my Instagram app and see that I had a comment notification I would always say to myself “What does Ellen have to say today?” She would never disappoint. Her comments addressed so many different topics and taboos but if I was pressed to categorize her responses under one major theme I would say she wrote under the banner of “The Struggles of a 20-Something Girl.” Self-deprecating and light, her comments resonated with many.

Although you can’t even see the captions she was commenting on, you can get a taste of her sense of humor.

My other Instagram followers became just as accustomed to seeing what Ellen had to say that day as they were to seeing the actual Life’s Little Instruction post itself. Many times throughout the year people asked me face-to-face (with endearment), “So who is that @ellenseder person who always comments on your photo.” Frequently other users would piggy-back off of the comments she would make. Ellen made herself a big part of my Instagram account in 2014.

Not all of her comments were for a laugh though. Sometimes Ellen offered inspiration.

It takes commitment and creativity to comment on something 365 times a year. Her comments, although definitely silly (most of the time), always revealed a lot of thought. I guess it makes sense though, Ellen is a very dedicated individual who is in a career that would allow her to strive at a challenge such as this. We met as regulars at the University of Montana gym and she now holds a job as a social media manager in Westlake Village, California. Her background made her an absolute rockstar as she completed my challenge.

Don’t worry! Ellen will be back commenting on Life’s Little Instructions in 2015.

The best part of this all? Ellen has graciously accepted to comment again in 2015. That’s right, come the new year, the comments that everyone has grown to love will continue to appear under my Life’s Little Instructions Instagram post. Ellen, thank you so much for all your hard work and time you put in to brighten the day of myself and all my Instagram followers. You are very appreciated. Don’t Blink.

A Snow Wish

Posted on December 29, 2014 by brent

When my girlfriend made the travel reservation to come visit me over the holiday break in my hometown of Spokane she had one request: She wanted to see snow. Having lived in South Carolina her whole life she had never seen a meaningful accumulation of snow before. When she booked the trip a few weeks beforehand I pretty much guaranteed that there would be white stuff on the ground during her stay in Washington state. This wasn’t an empty promise on my part, for as long as I can remember Spokane has always had snow (usually a lot) throughout December. But as it would turn out I was going to sweat a little bit.

I arrived home on Sunday, December 21, to a clear ground. It didn’t bother me at the time because I hate snow. Just as long as it snowed five days later when Sidney arrived it would all be good. But as those days passed without any snow precipitation I started to worry a bit. In that span I would have liked to see a flurry or light dusting to let me know that it still had the capability to snow in Spokane. For the first time in a long time, we didn’t have a white Christmas. With one day to go before Sidney’s arrival I was concerned that she wouldn’t experience one of the things she traveled so far to see.

On the morning of December 26 small snowflakes started to fall from the sky. It was promising but it would need to do a lot more to make an impact on the ground. Sidney arrived at 11:30 p.m. that night and when we picked her up at the airport there was no accumulation. It was dark and she was tired so I knew I would get a pass on this night. However, the next day I needed to see a nice white blanket outside my parents’ oversized living room window.

When I picked up Sid at the airport there was no snow on the ground.

It is funny how sometimes things happen right when they are supposed to. When I woke up on Saturday (December 27), snowflakes danced in the sky. I could see that the snow was starting to stick. Sidney woke up about an hour later and saw the glorious sight out our window. Even though it hadn’t accumulated much by that time she still thought it was remarkable. She immediately Facetimed her niece and nephew in Myrtle Beach who had been hoping for snow as much as her.

Sidney at Camelot Park writing the names of her niece and nephew into the snow.

As a white blanket started to develop on the ground, Sidney and I walked through the park across the street from the house. She was very surprised that the snow was “crunchy” when she stepped on it. We threw snowballs, wrote in the snow, and even shoveled mass quantities into our mouths (I am lying about that last part). My parents then took us on a ride through some country on the side roads and she got to experience what it is like to drive in wintry weather.

Sidney and I enjoying the snow together.

Later that day Sidney got to experience the real fun stuff. She built a fine-looking snowman. She attempted to make one several years back when South Carolina received a freak mini snowfall but the poor snow person was made up of so much grass and dirt that it looked more like a swamp monster. She laid down in the snow and made a perfect snow angel. She then even participated in a full out snow ball fight! She was happy.

Sidney had a good time building a snowman (upper right hand corner is my brother helping her out) and making a snow angel.

Two days later and we still have snow from Saturday. The snowman is toppled over and the consistency of the snow is more icy than fluffy but Mother Nature came through. Making the snow showers on Saturday a little more remarkable was the fact my parents told me when we were driving around that afternoon. It had not snowed in Spokane the whole season until Saturday, my dad explained, an absolute anomaly for the area. And while I did give Mother Nature credit for bringing the desired weather pattern, I prefer to explain it in the words of Sidney’s mom. When Sid called up her parents and told them it snowed, her mother responded with this: “Brent definitely planned it.” I think so. Don’t Blink.

Disney Themed Holiday Display

Posted on December 26, 2014 by brent

Before my family attends Christmas Eve mass, we partake in a long standing Reser tradition. An hour or so before the service begins at St. Thomas More Parish in Spokane, it is custom for us to drive around certain parts of the city and look at Christmas light displays. This year was no different as we piled into my dad’s truck and cruised around the frosted streets looking at houses covered in the holiday spirit. This Christmas Eve I think I saw the most creatively decorated house I have ever seen.

In an upper class neighborhood not too far from our own dwelling, we pulled up to a home decked out in Yuletide cheer. It definitely had all the characteristics associated with show-stopper decorated homes: Every inch was covered in lights, it had its own radio station to listen to in your car, and it had a steady flow of cars driving up to it. But something set this house apart and that “something” had to do with a theme. This particular house was completely inspired by Disney.

A look at the holiday Disney-themed house I visited on Christmas Eve.

If you couldn’t tell immediately upon pulling up across from the house that something was special, it would eventually dawn on you once you noticed the crowd standing at the curb. Legions of children and their parents crowded in front of the house to look at the spectacle. It is quite likely that these young kids thought they were standing in Disneyland.

You can see the silhouettes of people looking at the display. Below you can see the “Little Mermaid” portion of the display.

This particular house was an homage to Walt Disney himself and iconic characters he and his team created over the years. You had all the classics lined up…”Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs,” “Cinderella,” “The Little Mermaid,” and “Aladin.” You also had the newer Disney productions included in the display as well such as “Toy Story,” “Monsters Inc.,” “Cars,” and “Finding Nemo.” Of course you also had a heavy dose of Mickey Mouse and his family. The display also included Winnie the Pooh and Mr. Potato Head.

Toy Story, Mickey Mouse, and Snow White.

Every inch of the front portion of the home was decorated. The whole lawn was covered, house windows were incorporated into the display, bushes were lit up, and even the basketball hoop was covered in lights. Cars lined the street from both sides of the street and a mix of both Christmas and Disney music filled the air.

Even the basketball hoop and windows were decorated.

That last part I just mentioned is the reason why this display stands out from all the rest I have seen. You see, the designers of this holiday delight took two magical franchises and put them front and center for all to see. With Christmas and Disney themes tastefully and beautifully depicted front and center for all to see it is hard for even the meanest Grinch to balk at. The magic of Christmas and the magic of Disney are both powerful by themselves; in conjunction together they are unstoppable. I will remember this display for a long time and will look for it next year. Amazing job to James and Karrie King of 832 East Brierwood in Spokane for creating an incredible display. Don’t Blink.

Blast from the Past on a Monday Morning

Posted on December 23, 2014 by brent

Yesterday morning I had a Throwback Thursday on a Monday. For the first time in probably eight years, I walked through the doors of the North Spokane Library, the library that I spent my childhood in. I spent countless hours inside that building’s walls but when my mom dropped me off yesterday I wondered to myself if I would even be able to recognize it once I walked inside. Library technology has changed so much and eight years is a long time for any structure to go without some updating. What would I see?

This is the North Spokane Public Library, the library I grew up going to. (Photo courtesy of www.scld.com).

Let me put it this way: I thought I was put inside a time machine. The place was the exact same. The layout, the stations, the offices, and the book shelves hadn’t changed one bit from a decade ago. Somehow this particular library had missed out on the plethora of computers, charging stations, and community areas that have swept through libraries across the nation. No big deal to me though, the reason why I went wasn’t really because I wanted a “21st Century Library Experience.”

This photo was taken by me yesterday but it very well could have been taken in 1992 as well.

I was at the North Spokane Library yesterday morning because my sister and niece were attending baby story time. At 10:30 a.m. the three of us went into the exact room that I went to for story time some 20 years ago. It was a completely adorable experience as a young library employee blew bubbles, read a few Christmas books, and sang some songs. Afterwards she brought out a bunch of toys and the babies played. With Mikayla only pushing four months she didn’t really partake in the play time or get excited by the singing and bubbles but she definitely observed. I enjoyed myself watching the babies of crawling age roam throughout the area and check one another out. Such a refreshing, innocent way to spend the morning.

Mikayla had a great morning at story time.

After the story time session I did browse the library for about 30 minutes. After you spend time in university libraries you can’t help but feel cozy and at home in tiny, one level neighborhood public centers. Another change that immediately jumps out at you is the type of literature available. The books on the shelves were things I actually wanted to read rather than long academic tomes. I found five books that interested me and proceeded to the self checkout area.

I spent a little bit of time going through the book shelves.

Although I knew it probably wouldn’t work, I tried scanning my library card that I was issued over 20 years ago. You better believe I hung onto that card for all this time. Not a big surprise that it got rejected. I had to depart the self checkout and go to one of the librarians at the front desk where she marveled at the relic of a card that I still had. She promptly issued me a new one. She checked me out my books and I walked back out into the Spokane cold, smiling a little bit after my blast from the past.

My ancient library card. If you look on the back, you will see my name. I only wrote the first letter of my name before my mom completed the rest of it because of my awful toddler penmanship.

Merry Christmas everyone! Don’t know if I will write over the next two days. Have a very blessed holiday. Don’t Blink.

Home for the Holidays

Posted on December 21, 2014 by brent

As I type this I am sitting in my parents living room admiring a beautiful Christmas tree with a warm fire providing a special type of welcome and peace that can only be obtained for me at the house I grew up in. After a trek across the nation I am back home.

Although I started this morning in just about the easternmost point of the country, I arrived in Spokane in the early afternoon. Due to the magic of time zones, short layovers, and a travel day that started at 5:40 a.m., my plane touch downed in the Lilac City at 1:03 p.m. local time.

While I did have two weeks off when I transitioned from jobs in April of this year, I have never experienced two weeks off while employed in a certain position. In fact, in the past, such a luxury was such a far off fantasy that I never thought of such a possibility. But because of Coastal Carolina University’s friendly and accomodating faculty/staff holiday schedule, I have a full week off. Add on the annual leave that I have finally managed to accumulate and I was able to stretch my holiday break to two weeks by adding a couple days before and after the one week given by CCU.

Don’t expect too much out of my unprecedented freedom. I am looking forward to just spending the 14 days celebrating the holidays with my family in this average-sized Washington town. Enjoying Christmas, watching the bowl games, seeing my niece, hanging out with my brother, and relaxing are top on my to-do list.

Although I would be remiss if I didn’t mention one very special aspect of this homecoming of mine. For a few days after the Christmas holiday my girlfriend will be coming to town. Having never seen the western United States nor even seen actual accumulated snow, it should be an eye-opening and fun trip for Sidney. I am excited to introduce to her my family and show her where I came from. After all, it is the very least I can do after she has done such an amazing job doing the very same thing for me in Myrtle Beach.

I am home for the holidays, Spokane! I hope to see some faces that I have missed. Don’t be afraid to contact me through social media, this blog, or through text. It is going to be a rejuvenating two weeks! Don’t Blink.

Modernizing: My Website’s New Look

Posted on December 20, 2014 by brent

It is with great excitement that I introduce the brand new look for my website. Last month I reached out to my audience asking if anyone would want to design a new banner for me. In the post I was very specific that I wanted something that incorporated the area in the country where I live while also telling the story of who I am. The person who stepped forward knew exactly what to do.

Say bye bye to this banner that graced by website for 3 years.

My co-worker and friend Jonathan Ady (aka Jady) took time out of his busy schedule to usher in the new era of Don’t Blink. A graphic designer here at Coastal Carolina University and creator of the “I Love SC” merchandise line, I knew I was in great hands. We met and discussed specifics of the project and then he went to work.

Jonathan Ady and I at our work’s Christmas party. “Jady” did an awesome job designing my website’s banner.

The images on the banner come directly from Jady’s camera. The beautiful ocean photo of Myrtle Beach gives an accurate and expressive depiction of where I now call home. The other photo is of Coastal Carolina University. It highlights the center of campus with Blanton Park and the Singleton Building, the latter being the actual structure where I go to work at each day. In the center of the banner is the goofy author of this blog, photography also done by Jady. I wanted to make sure I was showing off my support for CCU and my super comfortable white Adidas Chanticleer jacket was the perfect way to do it. As with my previous banner, the title of my blog and my social media handles are included only this time they look professional.

I am very pleased with the new banner of my website.

For those of you who pay close attention to detail, you will also see that I made a switch to my background. I eliminated the PNC Park image and replaced it with Myrtle Beach ocean clouds. I think it gives my website a classier, less distracting look. Tomorrow I will update my Facebook banner with the custom graphic that Jady also provided me with.

I took the clouds from this image of me on the beach and used it for the background of my website.

Thank you so much to Jonathan Ady for modernizing Don’t Blink. I am pleased with the results and am no longer embarrassed with an outdated look. If you would like to inquire about Jady’s services or order “I Love SC” merchandise, you can contact him by clicking here. My website is looking good for the new year! Don’t Blink.

Festivus 2014

Posted on December 19, 2014 by brent

Inside our University Communication office we have a very special group. If you are drawn to interesting/nerdy/humorous dudes, you would love our graphic design department. They produce outstanding work while letting their bizarre personalities shine through. The reputation they hold around campus is one of craziness and creativity. I get to eat lunch with them every day.

Our graphics department holds a not-so-typical Christmas party each year. The story is long but to sum it all up, the graphics guys created their own holiday gathering because their twisted sense of humor and tendency to draw a little too much attention to themselves at other parties demanded they hold their own. Every year now, the graphics department hosts Festivus.

This was the brilliant graphic for Festivus.

Inspired by Seinfeld, Festivus is a parody of Christmas. Our graphics folks use the term to create a party that is laid back, fun, and original. The past few years a different type of main event or exchange has highlighted the gathering. For Festivus 2014, the party centered on a bad t-shirt exchange. Attendees had to either create or purchase a bad t-shirt and sacrifice it up to the exchange. With the shirts concealed in gift bags, wrapping paper, and campus envelopes, numbers were drawn to determine the picking order. From there, one-by-one, participants went up and grabbed a t-shirt from the Coastal Ale House table. Drawing roars of laughter as each person opened up a package to reveal a hilarious shirt, he/she then had to put it on and wear it for the rest of the night!

Festivus attendees getting ready for the next person to pick his/her shirt.

By no means is Festivus exclusive to just the CCU graphic design artists. They make sure to invite anyone else who wants to forget about their reservations for a night and “nerd out like a designer.” I definitely had the evening circled on my calendar! Below is the shirt I designed for Festivus. I countered the good-natured ribbing I receive from the graphics department head honcho, Rob Wyeth, with a playful shot at his profession (he is pictured on the back). Although he told me that this means war, and even though the shirt is the exact opposite of what I truly think, everyone in attendance got a great laugh out of it.

This is my shirt that I designed for Festivus.

Jady, one of our other graphic designers, ended up with the shirt I created.

Below is the shirt that I received in the exchange. Created by Ron Walker, one of the designers in the graphics department, you can put the following equation together: Walter White + Donkey + Text = Bad Ass to the Core.

This is the shirt I proudly wore for the whole night.

This is the t-shirt that Ron Walker received. Designed by our graphics intern, Daniel “Scoops” Mableton, he created a Mr. Rogers shirt with the phrase “It’s All Good in the Hood.” Look closely and you will see some “enhancements” to the face of Mr. Rogers.

This is Ron Walker sporting his Mr. Rogers shirt.

Sidney attended the party with me and got to experience the weirdness of Festivus. She had the privilege of drawing a souvenir t-shirt from a roadside attraction called South of the Border. Regarded as the biggest tourist trap destination in the state of South Carolina, the attraction’s t-shirts are just as tacky as South of the Border itself.

Sidney wearing her super tacky tourist shirt.

I want to include Director of Creative Services Rob Wyeth himself, the biggest jokester in the department and the biggest promoter of Festivus. He picked an ice cream shirt.

Rob wearing his shirt.

Finally, our Sustainability Coordinator Jennifer Sellers ended up with this t-shirt that showed it was perfectly okay to simply take a sharpie marker and go to town.

Jennifer received a homemade shirt.

I think we had 18 shirts in the exchange. The reason why I am not showing more of them is because, well….some were a little inappropriate. But let me tell you what, last night was a ton of fun. Even with the weirdos in the graphics department (partly kidding of course) it was a nice evening of conversation, laughter, and holiday cheer. What a unique event I had the privilege of attending! Don’t Blink.

Last Rundown of the Year

Posted on December 18, 2014 by brent

The moment before I started to write this it popped into my head that this will be my final Thursday Rundown of 2014. While I can say for sure it will be my last, I can’t say for sure it will be my best. Let’s get this thing started.

My Social Media Awards – On Monday morning I met with my social media group for the final meeting of the semester. I got to surprise them by making a dramatic entrance dressed in a red suit and fake beard. Besides wrapping up the semester from a social media standpoint, I also handed out awards. Congrats to the following #CCUSocialMedia Dream Team members on their accomplishments: April Betsch (Most Inspirational), Travis Overton (Twitter User of the Year), Erika Pomerantz (Team Player of the Year), Jennifer Sellers (Social Media Promotion of the Year), and Jeff Stone (MVP).

I enjoyed presenting some awards on Monday morning,

Party Circuit – It is that time of the year where holiday parties are in full swing. Last Friday I had the pleasure of hanging out with a bunch of teachers at the Palmetto Bays’ Christmas party. Sidney was nice enough to take me as her date for the function. Yesterday we had our department holiday potluck up in the hospitality suite of the football stadium. It was a food-overload as I gorged on delicious entrees and desserts. As I wrote about in my previous blog post, yesterday evening my apartment complex hosted their Resident Holiday Party at Texas Roadhouse. This evening I get to enjoy the holiday party I have anticipated the most, Festivus 2014. The brainchild of our graphics department, this is the gathering that pokes fun at all other Christmas parties. The main event will be an ugly t-shirt exchange. It will no dubt be epic and I will make sure to share with you the hilarity that will take place in a future post.

Travel Plans – I leave the great state of South Carolina for the rest of the year on Sunday. I will be flying back to Spokane for the holidays. I will make sure to unpack my bags when I arrive at my parents’ house because I have a long two-week stay ahead of me. I am stoked for every minute I will get to spend out west and of course I am eagerly awaiting the chance to see my niece again. Something else will be making this holiday vacation especially memorable but I will address that a little bit down the road.

“The Interview” Pulled – I think my opinion aligns with what most people think. I totally understand (and support) movie theaters deciding not to show it, I agree with Sony responding by not releasing it, and I hate it that this is a big win for terrorists. I sympathize with the actors and crew over the decision. I know they received their paychecks but their hard work is going for naught. Their toil and talents will go unseen by the audience who they worked so hard to please. To me, that is a shame.

A Southern Christmas Card – To close out this post, I want to share a Christmas card I received today. My co-worker Mona gave the card to me and it is titled “A Southern Christmas.” For a guy who has loved getting accustomed to Southern culture over the past eight months, this card made me smile:

The cool Christmas card I received today.

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That is a wrap! I got a Christmas party to get to. I hope you enjoyed the ever so random Thursday Rundowns. Just one week before Christmas! I hope you are all getting into the spirit. Don’t Blink.

My Apartment Complex Going the Extra Mile

Posted on December 17, 2014 by brent

Almost nine months ago I made a big decision based primarily off of social media research. After accepting my job at Coastal Carolina University I needed to find a place in the area to live. Well aware that I would not get to visit Myrtle Beach until my actual move at the end of April, I knew I would be making my housing selection blind. Once I narrowed down my top choices, I used Instagram hashtag searches to find out more information about my prospective finalists. After reaching out to Instagram users based on these searches, I chose an apartment complex called Alexan Withers Preserve.

When I pulled into the complex after a four day cross country road trip I knew I had arrived home. Alexan Withers Preserve is an insanely nice place with immaculate grounds, a sparkling resort style pool, and the best apartments I have ever stepped foot in. Maintenance is done constantly, a clubhouse equipped with all the amenities is available to residents, and the couches/refrigerator/gardens/television that surrounds the pool compliments the property in a big way. But all this stuff doesn’t mean anything if the management doesn’t care about the residents living inside the community. Fortunately at Alexan Withers Preserve they do.

This is the pool at Alexan Withers Preserve.

This evening provided me with yet another example justifying the last sentence I wrote. Tonight I attended the Alexan Withers Preserve Resident Holiday Celebration. Please keep in mind that this wasn’t just a tacky, halfhearted attempt to justify that they did something for their residents at Christmas. Rather, my complex invited all of us to the Texas Roadhouse for a nice meal on them. I had the option between prime rib, baby back ribs, chicken, or fried flounder. It also came with a salad and a side. We sat upstairs in a private room while AWP staff members came around and mingled with the tables. Obviously the management at my complex not only cared about inviting us to a nice restaurant, they also cared that we enjoyed premiere menu items in a welcoming and warm environment. I was very thankful and impressed.

The menu we ordered off of tonight.

This is just one way in which my apartment has showed that they value their residents. Every month or so Alexan Withers will offer a free continental breakfast. In October they put on a Monday Night Football party. Just because my favorite team happened to be playing in the game and just because they won (Seahawks beat the Redskins) weren’t the only reasons why I had a nice time. Pizza, wings, and drinks were provided and I got to watch all the action outside on the deck overlooking the beautiful pool on a gorgeous night. This past month, Alexan Withers hosted a Thanksgiving potluck for all residents. Although I was not able to make that particular evening I thought it was really cool that they would do such an event.

My prime rib tonight.

My complex also does several little things as well. They sponsor charity initiatives, hold contests, and offer incentives for referrals. They communicate frequently with us residents via e-mail and social media. They do their best to put a halt to the inconsiderate people who let their dogs go to the bathroom on the grounds. Management is in touch with us and an effort that is sincere rather than desperate is always on display to keep us happy and content at Alexan Withers Preserve.

Yeah, you are going to pay a little more to live here. But that extra money isn’t just evident in the outstanding apartment units, it is also evident in the community that is fostered. Don’t Blink.

Don't Blink

By Brent Reser

Monthly Archives: December 2014