Brent’s Top 5 Worst Songs of 2016

I am not a negative person, but it has become mandatory that I follow my best songs of the year list with my worst songs of the year list. Limiting my choices to top 40 music released over the past 12 months, I have identified five songs I especially hated.

As I said yesterday, I am not really a big music fanatic. It is easier for a song to annoy me as opposed to inspire me. Because of this, I usually have a much bigger pool of candidates for this list as opposed to yesterday’s list. This year was no exception. I give you Brent’s Top 5 Worst Songs of 2016:

5. Dangerous Woman – Ariana Grande

I won’t be as hard on this song as I will be on the others that make the list because I really like the music of Ariana Grande. However, the disappointment I had over “Dangerous Woman” was just too much for me not to include on my countdown.

Grande has made her living off of fun, energetic tracks. This song was just too slow and too sultry for me. No part of it made me want to devote three minutes to listening to it. It is one of those songs where the more I listen to it, the more I lose patience with it. Sometimes a change of style works but I think she missed the mark with “Dangerous Woman.”

4. Close – Nick Jonas featuring Tove Lo

I have never been a big fan of the collaborations between a male singer and female singer describing the hardships of a relationship. By now it is such a cliché practice and when the lyrics are sub par it just means you have the inconvenience of listening to two people sing a bad song instead of just one. I never liked “Close.”

The song is just too whiny. The build up to the chorus is almost just as brutal as when the singers croon “clooooooose” over and over again. Speaking of repetition, even the words in the verses sound like broken records (i.e. I know, I know you know you’re scared). This song was a bore.

3. Toothbrush – DNCE

The title says enough, right? If you can get past what the song is called, don’t think anything better is waiting for you once the music starts. To me, this song is plain annoying. The aggravating and slow portion of the chorus that goes at my place, at my place turns me off. The verses are slow as well and the elementary rhyming used throughout the track don’t do it any favors. I get what the song is about and I get the significance of the toothbrush, but I just don’t think it was put together well.

In all fairness, I just don’t really care for the sound of DNCE. I almost put “Cake By The Ocean” on this list as well but I thought it would be mean to include two different songs by one artist. Nothing adds more to the frustration of waiting in traffic than when a DNCE song comes on the radio.

2. Megan Trainor – No

I dislike this song from top to bottom. First, the track sounds awful with the word “no” used over and over again. Yes, I get the device they were trying to achieve, but Trainor took it overboard. I appreciate the effort made to give the song a few different distinct sounds but the problem is I don’t care for any of them. The I’m feeling untouchable part takes repetitive to a whole new level and to put the icing on the cake, the only other words in that verse come at the end when she sings/says nah to the ah to the no, no, no.

I actually like the message of the song and I think it is very important, I just don’t think it was performed well. To me, it was just arranged in a very jumbled way.

1. I Hate U, I Love U – Gnash ft. Olivia O’Brien

This song embodies all of the critiques I have given the other songs above. It is repetitive, annoying, whiny, and uninspiring. In short, it is unlistenable.

Nothing dooms this song more than the words of the title. Hearing both Gnash and O’Brien singing I hate you, I love you in such a nursery rhyme way over and over again is beyond bad. Aside from that, the rest of the song is just a depressing mess. There is no energy, no passion. The song manages to actually get on my nerves. Until this song hit the mainstream, I had no idea who either of the singers were. With that said, I would normally give them the benefit of the doubt but the track was just so draining that I had to name it the worst song of 2016.

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Sorry for the negativity. If you disagree with me, well, good…..I know zilch about music. Until the 2017 list a year from now, I will try to restrain the musical critic inside of me. Don’t Blink.

Brent’s Top 5 Best Songs of 2016

Although I am not passionate about music, I do listen (or rather “hear”) to it a lot. Whether driving in my car, working out at the gym, or shopping at the grocery store, my ears are treated to the typical mainstream top 40 mix on a daily basis. It is because of this constant consumption of popular music that I feel at the end of the year I can make some declarations.

Tonight I present to you Brent’s Top 5 Best Songs of 2016. As was the case last year, I felt it was slim pickens when it came time for me to decide this year’s list. Nothing that came out over the past 12 months truly impressed me but something did surprise me. With that said, here are five songs released this year that I kind of liked.

5. “Hands To Myself” – Selena Gomez

I think it is a requirement that each year I must put a young female pop star on the list. However, I try to save whatever shred of masculinity I have left by placing that particular choice at the beginning of the countdown. In all seriousness, I did enjoy “Hands To Myself” by Selena Gomez. For me, the fast paced nature of the song kept me engaged. I also like Selena’s voice and this track just seemed fresh to me.

However, there is one part in the song that I especially like and it is a big reason why it earned recognition in this blog post. Throughout the whole track, Selena sings I can’t keep my hand to myself and the beat just continues to play. However, toward the end of the song she breaks from protocol and follows that line by half singing/half saying the words I mean I could but why would I want to? It makes Sidney and I laugh every time.

4. “Let Me Love You” – DJ Snake featuring Justin Bieber

I will be honest, I think Justin Bieber is extremely talented. Once he grew up a little, I started liking most of his singles. I think his vocal performance in “Let Me Love You” is top quality and worthy of a listen each time it happens to play.

But while I appreciate Bieber, the real show stopper in this song is the person who the track is credited to, DJ Snake. His skills are on display in grand fashion throughout the entirety of “Let Me Love You” but nothing is better than when he does his breakdown at the end of the song. The solo starts and it is the same solid beat that is featured the whole song but then it totally drops and goes a different direction. It is awesome. If you know what I am talking about you are nodding your head as you read this. If you don’t know what I am talking about, you really have to listen to the song.

3. “Peter Pan” – Kelsea Ballerini

My favorite newcomer to the country music scene is Kelsea Ballerini. Her music is fun, catchy, and contemplative. Before “Peter Pan” came out, I pretty much liked all of her stuff after just the first listen. Interestingly enough, it took this song a few listens before it really grew on me. But once it did, this track had cemented itself as one of my favorites of 2016.

The lyrics are really interesting to listen to. Even though the meaning of the song has nothing to do with Peter Pan, the lyrics are written so well that it uses Pan themes effectively to tell the story of an immature significant other. The metaphor makes perfect sense and it is easy to follow when listening to. The song also became a favorite to me because after Ballerini sings the chorus the second and third times, there is a short instrumental solo (probably only five seconds long) that I really enjoy.

2. “24K Magic” – Bruno Mars

Remember how I mentioned a surprise at the beginning of this post? Well, here it is. I have made it no secret that I am not a Bruno Mars fan. In fact, “Uptown Funk” made my worst songs list last year. However, I immediately liked “24K Magic” the first time I heard it and I will always give credit to an artist for a song I like whether I usually tend to enjoy his music or not.

I would describe this song as simply “a good time.” It has an old school ring to it but it doesn’t seem gimmicky. That was my biggest problem with “Uptown Funk,” it just didn’t seem authentic to me. With “24K Magic” it gives a nod to the past but it also has originality as well. It is catchy and fun. It is a no-brainer that  the song will eventually lend itself to a suave/hip movie scene one of these days. Until then, I will continue to let it make me feel special. Full disclosure here, I kind of feel like a force to be reckoned with when the song is playing in my car and I am driving along the highway. It is this energy and positivity that makes me like “24K Magic” so much.

1. “Can’t Stop The Feeling!” – Justin Timberlake

Above I mentioned that Justin Bieber is very talented. However, I don’t want “The Biebs” to get too big of a head because there is a sobering truth: He is not the most talented Justin in the music business.

In my opinion, Justin Timberlake is on a whole different level from others when it comes to God-given ability. When you take the singing talent of Timberlake’s and combine it with a decently written track, the result is a #1 song on the yearly list of a blogger who knows nothing about music.

To be fair to Mr. Timberlake, I am sure “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” will make many other lists not written by me.

The song of the summer was “Can’t Stop the Feeling!” and with good reason. The beat, the lyrics, and the performance deliver a major jolt of pure fun. The track just made me feel good and I always looked forward to hearing it no matter where I was at. The message is positive and when Timberlake performs it there is no doubt that he himself has “the feeling” that he is singing about.

“Can’t Stop the Feeling!” reminds me of Summer 2016. You know, the summer when I got married, went on my honeymoon, and had the opportunity to host my whole family down here in Myrtle Beach. When one song is able to conjure up so many awesome memories, it is easy to put it at the top of a list.

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Agree or disagree? I would love to hear your thoughts regarding both my list and where you stand on your own favorite songs of 2016. If you don’t criticize my taste in music too much, I might discuss my worst songs of 2016 tomorrow. Have a good evening. Don’t Blink.

Finding Bethlehem In Surfside Beach

Those of us who love the holidays all have images ingrained in our heads of Christmas magic. For me, I have a few that jump right out: the Christmas tree farm my parents would take us to each year, the festive looking trolley my family rode through the streets of Walla Walla one Christmas Eve, and the fireplace at my grandparents’ house where we would lay out cookies for Santa. I can close my eyes right now and conjure up a vivid image of each scene.

This past weekend, Sidney and I enjoyed a very special Christmas visual that from now on will always resonate within me.

We were traveling back to Myrtle Beach from Murrells Inlet where we had just finished up a 3D ultrasound. About 10 miles separate the two areas. To be honest, the drive is an eyesore. Throughout stretches of the trek you are treated to very uninspired landscape. No colors, scattered trees, little architecture. Since it was 5 p.m. it was starting to get dark, making the trip even that more dreary. As we were driving along, we saw police lights flashing on the side of the road. Thinking the cop had pulled someone over, we drove past without thinking anything of it. After we had passed the police car by about 30 feet, something caught the corner of both our eyes…

In the dark, unimaginative area we were in, we saw a sight that transformed everything. To our right and off to a distance we saw lit tiki torches, white Christmas lights, and high powered lamps. We saw structures made to look like a town from about 2,000 years ago. Sidney squealed when she could make out the shapes of a camel and other animals (you just don’t see that type of wildlife in the Grand Strand area). Finally, you saw people that looked like they had jumped right out of the Bible.

From a distance, we could see a makeshift town complete with biblical characters and animals. We knew we had to go check it out.

From a distance, we could see a makeshift town complete with biblical characters and animals. We knew we had to go check it out.

Seemingly in the middle of nowhere on a dark highway, we had just seen a very unusual site. However, it didn’t take long for it to click for Sidney. She immediately identified it as a Drive-Thru Nativity. Overjoyed by the scene, we didn’t need much convincing. Although not the easiest thing to do, we managed to turn left down a street so we could reverse course on the divided highway and head in the opposite direction back to the Nativity. Once we were going toward the scene, we had to reverse course again once we passed it so we could get on the side of the highway where all the excitement was happening. As we approached the flashing police lights we saw earlier it became obvious…law enforcement was helping out with crowd control. We turned right past the car as a cop waved us in.

Sidney and I had managed to drive by the Church of the Resurrection at just the right time so we could see its Return to Bethlehem Drive-Thru Nativity.

Sidney and I had managed to drive by the Church of the Resurrection at just the right time so we could see its Return to Bethlehem Drive-Thru Nativity.

We had arrived at the Church of the Resurrection, a place of worship I never knew existed. Even though the church was a tall structure with an impressive steeple, it had never popped out to me while driving the monotony of Highway 17 Bypass in the past. On this particular weekend, the congregation was putting on its “Return to Bethlehem” Drive-Thru Nativity. As we drove by the church up to the gates of Bethlehem, we stopped at several stations. Each of these stations had a board with scripture written on it setting the stage for the different scenes we would encounter after going through the gates.

This was our view right after we turned into the property of the Church of the Resurrection in Surfside Beach. The church itself is on the left and the board you see right in front of our dash has scripture on it, describing one of the seven scenes of the Drive-Thru Nativity.

This was our view right after we turned into the property of the Church of the Resurrection in Surfside Beach. The church itself is on the left and the board you see right in front of our dash has scripture on it, describing one of the seven scenes of the Drive-Thru Nativity.

Church members arranged cars into one of three lanes in front of the Bethlehem gates. When we were given the go-ahead, we slowly drove forward. Two teens dressed as guards in armor halted us.

“Are you here for the Census?” one of the teens questioned.
“Yes we are!” replied Sidney.

We convinced the guards at the gates of Bethlehem to let us in so we could see the Drive-Thru Nativity put on by the Church of the Resurrection.

We convinced the guards at the gates of Bethlehem to let us in so we could see the Drive-Thru Nativity put on by the Church of the Resurrection.

With that the gates opened and we entered the birthplace of Jesus Christ.

For the next ten minutes or so, we were treated to several scenes that told the story of the birth of Jesus. So much effort was poured into the presentation. Each scene was built with care and craftsmanship. The church members serving as actors had microphones so you could easily hear from the comfort of your car. Church members not playing a part gave us clear directions on when to drive up to the next scene. The animals did not disappoint. Besides the camel we also saw goats, llamas, and sheep.

A look at some of the scenes we saw at "Return to Bethlehem," a Drive-Thru Nativity put on by the Church of the Resurrection in Surfside Beach..

A look at some of the scenes we saw at “Return to Bethlehem,” a Drive-Thru Nativity put on by the Church of the Resurrection in Surfside Beach..

All the special moments from the actual birth of Jesus to the angel appearing to the shepherds to the visit of the Magi were depicted. My personal favorite scenes were the first and the last. Starting off the Drive-Thru Nativity was the angel telling Mary that she would conceive the Son of God and concluding the display was a joyful performance by a choir of angels singing Angels We Have Heard on High.

My two favorite scenes included the angel telling Mary that she would conceive Jesus and then the choir singing "Angels We Have Heard on High" at the end.

My two favorite scenes included the angel telling Mary that she would conceive Jesus and then the choir singing “Angels We Have Heard on High” at the end.

The presentation was perfect, as was our timing. Not knowing about this event at all, we had arrived right when it started on the first of the only two nights that it was offered. It certainly was special.

But as I mentioned above, what will really stay with me from last Saturday night was the scene we saw while passing in our car. In the dreariness, we saw the town of Bethlehem fully illuminated, inviting us to stop. I won’t forget the image of the people, the animals, and the light that seemed to cry out to us as we drove by. Thanks to the Church of the Resurrection for doing such a cool thing. Don’t Blink.

An Ultrasound Like Never Before

Yesterday, Sidney and I gave ourselves an early Christmas present by going to a place called Prenatal Peek.

Prenatal what?

This is the business card of Prenatal Peek, the place we went to yesterday for a high quality ultrasound.

This is the business card of Prenatal Peek, the place we went to yesterday for a high quality ultrasound.

Located in Murrells Inlet just about 10 miles from Myrtle Beach is a business called Prenatal Peek. Pregnant women and their families can go to this place to have high quality ultrasounds done. When I say “high quality” ultrasounds I am talking about 3D and 4D displays that put your typical grainy black and white scan to shame. It is pretty cool.

As I just mentioned, Prenatal Peek is very much a business. Medical advice is not given, insurance does not cover services, and you won’t see any doctors walking around. Rather, customers choose from a variety of ultrasound packages. Services are rendered in an intimate room with a comfortable leather chair for the person with child and couches and televisions for everyone else. The Murrells Inlet Prenatal Peek doubles as a baby boutique. So, as you can imagine, what we did yesterday bore no resemblance to a doctor visit (the fact that it was a Saturday probably illustrates this point more than anything).

We arrived at Prenatal Peek at 4 p.m. We didn’t have to wait a minute. After Sidney signed the paperwork, we went right into the ultrasound room. Our technician made sure Sid was comfortable, letting her recline the fancy leather chair as much as she wanted. It was the time for the show to start…

Sidney filling out paperwork at Prenatal Peek yesterday. It was just a short process and then right away we were in the ultrasound room.

Sidney filling out paperwork at Prenatal Peek yesterday. It was just a short process and then right away we were in the ultrasound room.

Here is the thing: With a regular ultrasound, you can make out certain components and you can see the outline of your developing son or daughter. However, with a 3D ultrasound it is like going from black and white to color (almost literally). With our appointment yesterday, we were able to see our actual baby daughter. She looked exactly like a human being as opposed to what typically comes to mind when you think of the word sonogram. In fact, we got such a good look at our baby that we immediately started to compare who she looked like.

I rather not show the photos we got of our daughter, but in the Prenatal Peek lobby, they have example photos of what the ultrasound will reveal. As you can see, the images are very in depth

I rather not show the photos we got of our daughter, but in the Prenatal Peek lobby, they have example photos of what the ultrasound will reveal. As you can see, the images are very in depth

However, probably the most telling description of the technology came from my mother-in-law when we were showing her the photos. Because the images were so clear and showed our baby in such a human state, she offered in amazement, “It makes me wonder if we are even supposed to see this.”

You see, a 3D ultrasound takes the ultrasound game to new heights. It does take away some of the mystery of the baby developing process. But it also drives home the fact that Sidney very much has an actual identifiable human growing inside of her.

This is Sidney talking with our Prenatal Peek ultrasound tech at the end of our session yesterday.

This is Sidney talking with our Prenatal Peek ultrasound tech at the end of our session yesterday.

Our session went on for 23 minutes. Our technician was warm and helpful throughout the whole process. Watching the facial expressions of our daughter was the best part. In addition to our prints, we were given a DVD of the whole visit set to music.

I would recommend a place such as Prenatal Peek to someone who wants to see the miracle of human life up close. I would also recommend it to those who want to view their baby in a stress free atmosphere devoid of the pressures of a regular visit to the doctor. For those who want to just wait to see their baby when he/she is born and for those who don’t want to know the sex of the baby until birth (because even the most amateur of eyes will be able to identify the sex at a 3D ultrasound), I would not recommend such a place. For us, it was a great choice! Don’t Blink.

December 8 Thursday Rundown

Good evening to you all. Two weeks ago we celebrated Thanksgiving. The significance of me bringing that up? Absolutely nothing. Let’s get started with the Thursday Countdown.

Watching Hairspray Live! – Last night, Sidney and I sat down to watch the live production of Hairspray. I had never seen any version of it before and didn’t really know if I would like it. Sidney, a Hairspray fan, was singing the songs right from the start. As I started to watch it, I found myself pleasantly surprised. I enjoyed the singing and the plot. The only problem? It was just way too looooong. The whole thing lasted three hours. That is just too much to ask of a TV viewer. By the time the two hour mark rolled around, Sidney was asleep and I had enough. I turned it off.

A Movie I Highly Recommend – So while I would not recommend NBC’s production of Hairspray to someone, I would 100% recommend the movie “Hacksaw Ridge” to anybody and everybody. Sidney and I honored a Thanksgiving tradition and went to the theaters that evening. Even though the film had been out for a few weeks, we decided to see it. We were so glad we did. “Hacksaw Ridge” tells a remarkable true story about a war hero who never touched a gun. The end will have even the hardest of folks in tears. It might have been the best movie I saw all year.

Hacksaw Ridge is an excellent movie and you should see it.

Hacksaw Ridge is an excellent movie and you should see it.

Spot Brent – Last night, I wrote about the spectacular holiday video that Coastal Carolina University put out. However, I didn’t mention something in that post. Believe it or not, I am actually in the video…four different times. In case you have trouble finding me, I have given you a hint of the scenes I am in with the collage below. Click here to watch three minutes of fun and creativity that will put you in the holiday spirit.

A grainy look at each of my cameos in the holiday video.

A grainy look at each of my cameos in the holiday video.

Reaction to College Football Playoff – Since the playoff field was announced in college football this past Sunday, I have received a common question from lots of people here in South Carolina: Are you glad the University of Washington made it? The one word answer to this question is yes. However, if the person who asked the question wanted more clarification, I would tell him/her that I grew up a Washington State Cougar fan. My dad is an alum of WSU and I grew up going to the games with him. Since I was a Coug, I despised the Huskies. To this day, I have generally rooted against UW. But with such a great opportunity to represent my home state on a national level and because of the fact that my good friend and groomsman (Kenny) is the cheerleading coach of the Dawgs, I couldn’t help but pull for them. Yes, ultimately I am glad that the University of Washington is in the College Football Playoff.

Baby Update – Yesterday we hit the four month mark until our baby daughter is due. Sidney turns 23 weeks tomorrow. To celebrate, she has been working on our baby registry. Sid has a tough time getting comfortable at night but overall she is feeling well. We are doing our best to not let our excitement overwhelm us so much that we don’t take the time to enjoy the limited days we have left before our family of two becomes a family of three.

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Well, I am going to take a couple days off from blogging. I will be back on Sunday to touch base with you. Have a great weekend. Don’t Blink.

An Original and Impactful Holiday Video

To watch the 2016 #CCU Holiday Video, click here.

Today, we released an annual piece of content here at Coastal Carolina University. At noon, the 2016 #CCU Holiday Video premiered on our social media channels and our website. Although it has only been live for roughly seven hours, analytics and reaction from our social media users seem to prove that the video is already a smashing success.

The #CCU holiday video is outstanding. (This is a screenshot from the video).

The #CCU holiday video is outstanding. (This is a screenshot from the video).

Although a holiday video at Coastal is an annual tradition, this year’s edition is anything but traditional. That was by design. Our senior marketing director, Lindsi Glass, and our production manager, Geoff Insch, set out to create something that was completely original. The duo worked extremely hard to put something together that was not only creative but also embodied the Coastal Carolina University #TEALnation spirit. To say they succeeded is an understatement.

The premise of the video is this: the President of our University observes the performance of a traditional choir singing a traditional song. He steps in and suggests that the group might benefit by adding “more cowbell.” From there, the video takes off…

The video starts with a subdued choir scene but then takes off. (This is a screenshot of the video).

The video starts with a subdued choir scene but then takes off. (This is a screenshot from the video).

Using the talents of both students and faculty, a rocking track begins that includes witty rap lyrics, powerful vocals, and killer guitar playing. While the song is performed, different groups on campus are captured jamming out. A wide variety of Coastal entities from our national champion baseball team to our financial aid office to our housing staff to our deans to even our CCU NASCAR driver are all showcased getting their rock on. In the end, well over 200 Chanticleers were featured.

A scene from the video. This took place on Prince Lawn. Can you spot a "Don't Blink" author trying to dance?

A scene from the video. This took place on Prince Lawn. Can you spot a “Don’t Blink” author trying to dance? (This is a screenshot from the video).

But I will stop there and just let you watch it. Seriously, it is worth three minutes of your time. Lindsi and Geoff took a big chance with creating this type of holiday video and I think the risk paid off immensely. As people have already echoed on social media and elsewhere, this production makes you proud to be associated with Coastal Carolina University. In my opinion, it does an outstanding job at showing that we are a close knit, creative, and big time institution.

What makes this year's holiday video so unique is that actual students performed the vocals to the original song that was written.

What makes this year’s holiday video so unique is that actual students performed the vocals to the original song that was written (this is a screenshot from the video).

Once again, great work to Lindsi, Geoff, and everyone else who helped out on creating something that represents Coastal Carolina so well. Also, awesome job to the Coastal community for coming together to make this work. The bar is set high for next year. Don’t Blink.

An Artificial Beach

The point has already arrived in the year where I drive to work in the dark and come home in the dark. I know depravation of sunlight really impacts people but fortunately for me, it doesn’t mess with my mental health. However, do I prefer the light to the dark? Of course.

Driving to work this morning, I thought about an interesting business venture that developed in Missoula, Montana, over six years ago. For those who are unaware, winters in Montana are long and bitter. Not only are the days gray and the nights dark, but the whole climate itself will wear on you unless you love freezing cold, howling wind, and loads of snow.

Needless to say, if you live in Montana you will really start to crave the sun and some cheerful weather during the winter. Looking to capitalize on this desire that many Montanans had, including myself, an extremely unique business opened up in Missoula around 2010. It was called Staycations.

Built to cater to both Seasonal Affective Disorder sufferers and those people who just wanted to get out of the ugliness, Staycations was a pretty innovative place. You would enter inside the doors to a lobby area. Then, when it was your turn, you would stroll inside to one of the several rooms that waited past the front desk. You would then open the door and walk into an island oasis.

Each room was overflowing with white beach sand. Matching the color of the sand was one of those “happy lights” that transmits magnificent bright white light. A large television displayed ocean and tropical scenes. Sounds of the sea radiated throughout the area. A lounge chair was available to sprawl out on. As you can imagine, it was a very welcoming scene to walk into.

Here in Myrtle Beach we definitely take the ocean for granted. People desire so much for what we have in our backyard that they do all they can to replicate it inside rooms in landlocked geographical areas.

But don’t knock the attempt until you have lived in Missoula. I thought it was the greatest idea ever. I paid a visit to Staycations once. I believe I had some type of a promo card (if I remember correctly you paid by the half hour) and was able to spend 30 minutes inside one of the rooms. It was an interesting experience.

However, I never returned and I don’t know if Missoula ever really got on board. Staycations didn’t stay in business long.

Despite the lack of success, I stand by my belief that in theory it was an incredible idea. Perhaps the premise could be revived somewhere else. I thank my morning commute to campus for making me think of something that had not entered my head for over a half of a decade. Don’t Blink.

Christmas Cards

Christmas trees are thrown out, holiday dinners are consumed, and Santa heads back to the North Pole after Christmas Eve. Once the holidays pass, what is left to remember them by?

Christmas cards.

A tradition that started in my family before I was born and continues to still faintly live on is the Reser Family Christmas card. Year after year, my parents would either call the neighbors over to take a quick snapshot of our family or decide on a nice group photo from a vacation earlier that year.

Here is one of our earlier Christmas photos. This is from 1990.

Here is one of our earlier Christmas photos. This is from 1989.

**Disclaimer: Hopefully by now it has become obvious that I am writing about Christmas photo cards that families send out. However, I also have a major love for classic Christmas greeting cards as well. To hear about my obsession, read this blog post that Sidney wrote.**

We would then take the image to Costco and choose one of the warm holiday themed templates to put it in (of course all three Reser kids always had a different opinion on what template should be selected). The order would then be put in and a couple days later we would pick up our Christmas cards for that year.

This is my all-time favorite Christmas card my family sent out. This was us at the Christmas tree farm in 1995.

This is my all-time favorite Christmas card my family sent out. This was us at the Christmas tree farm in 1995.

Then, over the course of a couple nights, my dad would put his talent for calligraphy to good use and address all the envelopes and sign all the cards. We would watch him carefully write out all the addresses but woe to any of us who accidentally bumped the table while he was using his fancy gold pen.

This is my mom's all-time favorite Christmas card. We were all wearing our Bloomsday shirts. Bloomsday is a popular road race in Spokane. This is from 1998.

This is my mom’s all-time favorite Christmas card. We were all wearing our Bloomsday shirts. Bloomsday is a popular road race in Spokane. This is from 1998.

As the years passed, my parents would add a copy of the latest Christmas card to a photo album that showcased all of the cards in chronological order. As technology improved, my mom invested in one of those frames that changes itself, rotating pictures every few seconds. When Christmas time would come around, the frame would be displayed front and center in our living room as the photos from the past would flicker by.

This Christmas card photo was taken when we visited Arizona one October in 1999 to watch the Washington State Cougars play the Arizona State Sun Devils.

This Christmas card photo was taken when we visited Arizona one October in 1999 to watch the Washington State Cougars play the Arizona State Sun Devils.

What made these cards so special? It was the fact that we could watch ourselves grow over time. It was the fact that we could remember highlights and stages from years past. It was the fact that we could watch the evolution of Christmas cards go from a single print with a basic Christmas graphic to a glossy photo collage with artistic holiday scenes.

This Christmas card is from 2001. Glen is wearing his middle school shirt, I am wearing my high school sweatshirt, and my sister is wearing her college sweatshirt. I really like the colors in this photo.

This Christmas card is from 2001. Glen is wearing his middle school shirt, I am wearing my high school sweatshirt, and my sister is wearing her college sweatshirt. I really like the colors in this photo.

This year, Sidney and I start our own Christmas card tradition. Over the past weekend we worked on creating our inaugural holiday correspondence. With a wedding in the books and a baby on the way, we weren’t scraping the bottom of the barrel for ideas. We enjoyed the ease and variety of making our first card and we are pretty happy with how it turned out. For the sake of the card being a surprise for those who receive it, we thought it might be best to not share on this blog post.

If you are sending out Christmas cards this year, perhaps you will add the author of Don’t Blink to your recipient list. I promise he will return the favor. Don’t Blink.

The Special Ornaments on our Tree

Last week, I mentioned that Sidney and I had to start from the ground up when it came to stockpiling Christmas decorations. We took our first step toward this goal by purchasing a bunch of Christmas tree ornaments from Target.

However, not all of the ornaments that adorn our tree are of the major box store variety. Believe it or not, we have some items that hang on our tree that bring more of a sentimental value with them. Don’t get me wrong, Target ornaments still outnumber more personal ornaments by at least 5:1, but over the years this ratio will start to close.

Today I want to share five of the more unique and personal ornaments on our tree. I hope you enjoy.

5. CCU Ornament – Coastal Carolina University holds a special place in the hearts of both Sidney and I. As my employer and as Sid’s alma mater, our Coastal Carolina ornament is very much valued. Making it extra special is that it once belonged to Sidney’s grandma.

It is a no-brainer that we have included a Coastal Caorlina University ornament on our tree.

It is a no-brainer that we have included a Coastal Caorlina University ornament on our tree.

4. Toddler Sidney – This ornament just tugs at my heart. It is of Sid as a little girl over 22 years ago in 1994. Such a sweet decoration to put on the tree. My mom asked me if I wanted her to send a similar ornament of me from my early years to hang right by Sidney’s but I told her to hold off for the time being.

I love looking at this ornament that depicts a young Sid.

I love looking at this ornament that depicts a young Sid.

3. First Tree Stump – Sidney saw this brilliant idea somewhere (probably Pinterest) and wanted to make sure to replicate it for us. When we purchased our tree, we had the guy cut off the bottom of the stump for us. Sidney then wrote on it and converted it into a creative ornament. You know, as a kid I always felt a bit sad when we would throw out our Christmas trees. The bonding, the joy, and the fun we had with the tree seemed to go with it to the dumpster. For the two of us, I am thrilled that we will always have a piece of our first tree together.

This was a brilliant idea by Sid to make this ornament using the stump of our tree.

This was a brilliant idea by Sid to make this ornament using the stump of our tree.

2. Wedding Ornament – As part of the wedding gift that our sponsor couple gave us, they included this special ornament. It has two figures that look like Sidney and I along with our names and the date of our wedding. After our special day in June, we had been waiting to finally hang this up on our tree.

Our sponsor couple, Tim and Kathy McCormick, gave us this ornament as part of the wedding gift they graciously gave us.

Our sponsor couple, Tim and Kathy McCormick, gave us this ornament as part of the wedding gift they graciously gave us.

1. We Are Expecting Snow People Family – Sidney and I saw this at our local mall and couldn’t resist but have it customized. The woman snow person with the “snow bump” stole our hearts. We had the bump customized with the name of what we will call our daughter but for the sake of this blog post I am “white washing” it.

Needless to say, this is a very precious ornament and it will be a treasured part of our tree for years and years to come.

Needless to say, this is a very precious ornament and it will be a treasured part of our tree for years and years to come.

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There is a quick look at some of the finer ornaments on our tree. This is a big weekend for purchasing and decorating trees, so if you are on this bandwagon, I hope you picked a good one and have lots of special/pretty ornaments to hang on it. Don’t Blink.

Kicking Off December With a Thursday Rundown

Happy December to you all! What a fun and magical month this is. It brings me no greater pleasure than to lead off December 2016 with a Thursday Rundown.

Thanksgiving Recap – I apologize for not writing a Thursday Rundown last week…I was a little busy celebrating a certain holiday. I think it is only proper that I post the obligatory Thanksgiving spread photo in this post. If you count, you will see that we had 19 different dishes to enjoy. NINETEEN! The food was incredible and I stuffed myself silly. As usual, great work by the Mathis family.

A look at our large Thanksgiving spread.

A look at our large Thanksgiving spread.

Christmas Movies – We have prepared for December by watching way too many Christmas movies in November. Besides a full slate of Hallmark movies I have watched bits and pieces of with Sidney, we also watched a couple of classics over the past couple of nights. On Tuesday, we watched “Rudolph” and then last night we watched “Christmas Vacation.” Before watching the Chevy Chase holiday staple, I asked Sidney if she felt we were going a little overboard. She said no.

A look at the movies we watched over the past two nights along with the tweet I sent out about Sid's willingness to watch "Christmas Vacation" in November.

A look at the movies we watched over the past two nights along with the tweet I sent out about Sid’s willingness to watch “Christmas Vacation” in November.

First Visit to Sam’s Club – Some might find this hard to believe, but in my three decades of life, I had never visited a Sam’s Club before. This fact isn’t just because I am a Costco fan, rather, the truth is that Sam’s Club locations didn’t exist in the previous places I lived. But this past weekend, I finally went through the doors of the alternative wholesale warehouse giant. My initial impression? It was much more like Costco than I thought. I was hoping for some obvious differences. However, besides the store layout (which was actually in some ways similar to Costco) and the non-crowded aisles, Sam’s didn’t really distinguish itself from “the other guy.”

Price Is Right – On Tuesday night, my mom and sister were audience members at the Price Is Right. But before you ask me if they met Drew Carey, let me tell you something. They attended the non-TV version of the show that travels around the country. As you can imagine, Drew and his models don’t extend themselves past the main Price is Right studio in Hollywood. My mom and sister attended their show at Northern Quest in Spokane. Although they were eligible to be contestants, they were never told to “come on down.” But they had a really good time and looked great in their cliffhangers t-shirts.

My mom and Miranda in their t-shirts before they went off to the Price is Right.

My mom and Miranda in their t-shirts before they went off to the Price is Right.

From the Archives – Oh man, I have a couple of great posts I wrote on this date in previous years. Two years ago, I wrote about an extremely unique and special tradition my dad did for us kids growing up. Then, three years ago on December 1, 2013, I wrote about a very uncomfortable situation I found myself in when I picked up a stranger in the middle of nowhere. If you want some of my more recent stuff, just last year on this date I wrote about the hottest Christmas lights trend (one that I am following this year).

My dad had a neat tradition where he would create drawings for us on special occasions. Here is some of his work from my high school years.

My dad had a neat tradition where he would create drawings for us on special occasions. Here is some of his work from my high school years.

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May you all have a blessed month. I am excited for these next several weeks and I hope you are too. Don’t Blink.