Overlooking Lefties

As I was stumbling through Facebook last night, I clicked on a Buzzfeed link. It took me to a page that laid out all the hardships left-handed people face. Because yesterday was International Lefthanders Day, it was surely getting a lot of traffic.

No, I am not left handed. But I now sympathize with those who are.

Up until the point last night when I was scrolling through the list, I had not given much thought to the challenges that left-handed people face in a right-handed world. But as I continued to read inconvenience after inconvenience, I thought to myself, wow, lefthanders really are confronted with minor obstacles in everyday life.

I hate that it took me over 30 years to figure this out. I just thought that left-handed folks sometimes got screwed when they sat down at old school desks. Even with that, I didn’t have much sympathy because lefties always had an advantage on the baseball field. Chalk it up to ignorance. I grew up in a right-handed family (with the exception of my brother who bats/golfs left) and married a right-handed wife. We have had it easy.

After my light reading last night, I have a better understanding of how it goes on and on for lefthanders: Zippers. Spiral notebooks. Crosswords. Scissors. Built-in pens at banks.

But what really made me realize the unjustice lefties face? Credit/debit card swipers. I tried to imagine making a transaction with my left hand at the grocery store and I just couldn’t deal.

Imagine using this with your left hand.

The jury is still out on what hand Sloan will favor. As parents we all hope that our kids will be prodigies and be ambidextrous. However, betting against the fact that Sloan will be part of the 1% of the population that can use both hands equally well, I hope she turns out to be a rightie.

To all my left-handed friends: I feel for you and I apologize for not being more understanding of your situation. Don’t Blink.

Remembering That Special Moment

If you have a Facebook account, there is no doubt you have seen the creative and crazy methods that couples will use to announce that they are expecting a baby. I like to think we used more creativity than craziness when we announced that we were expecting Sloan.

But before a couple can make the big public announcement, there is the task of delivering the news to your loved ones. It was an emotional Skype call when we let my parents in on the big news.

I created a video of the reaction of my parents after Sidney and I told them we are expecting.

However, even before you let your parents and siblings know, there is an even greater disclosure that must be made.

Spouse to spouse.

I have never revealed how Sidney delivered me the beautiful news. But because I was recently reminded of it via Timehop, I thought it would make for a good, brief blog post.

As a child, I loved Curious George books. In fact, they were some of the first books I was ever able to read myself. My admiration for this troublesome but good-intentioned monkey has always stayed with me. Sidney used to work at a baby store filled with furniture, accessories, toys, and stuffed animals. One day when I was paying her a visit at work, she noticed that I was looking at a stuffed Curious George. I told her my connection to the popular children’s book character.

A week or so later, Sid was over at my apartment. I went to use the bathroom. When I walked out, the stuffed Curious George was sitting on my little dining room table. It was a thoughtful and silly surprise that immediately put a huge grin on my face.

Some photos of us with George. The one on the left is of me with George inside the store prior to Sidney “adopting” him.

From that point on, we kind of designated George as the “mascot” of our relationship. He would travel with us, sit with us, and appear in photos with us. Ya, it was a little bit creepy.

During a late July morning at work in 2016, my iPhone indicated I had a message from Sid. I swiped and this is what was waiting for me…

Sidney told me the good news with this photo.

I was in shock. I immediately called Sid and asked her if she went out and bought a dog. She told me no.

“Is it true?…” I remember saying, using every ounce of energy to get out the words.

Sidney confirmed that it was. I remember the rest of that day being a blur. I was so surprised! But the feeling of surprise was trumped by the feeling of happiness that God had blessed us with Sid’s pregnancy so soon after we had tied the knot.

It was a selfless act of George to deliver the news. From that moment on, he would never hold the prominence he once did in our relationship. For him to be a good sport about it says a lot about his character, even if he is just an inanimate object full of stuffing.

I will never forget that day. The feeling I had when I opened up that text message will always be with me. Well played, Sid. Don’t Blink.

Back From Hiatus Thursday Rundown

What a hiatus it has been! An unprecedented four weeks have passed since I last wrote a Thursday Rundown. Oh my gosh, do I even remember how to write one of these things? Let’s find out. Here we go…

Turtles at CCU – Earlier this week, I took photos of the turtles that make Wall Pond their home at Coastal Carolina University. I published variations of the photos on a couple of our main #CCU social media accounts. My personal favorite is the one below. Although it focuses more on the beauty of our campus than it does the turtles, I love the colors. Needless to say, CCU is truly a scenic place to work. If you want to see more of the turtles and less of the greenery, click here.

I work at a very scenic campus. Very fortunate to be employed by Coastal Carolina University.

Costco Grand Opening – One of the things we did in Spokane that I didn’t directly address in my recap post was attend a Costco grand opening. The gigantic new warehouse is located about two minutes from my parents’ house in what was once a wooded area (bye bye trees). It opened at 8 a.m. on a Friday and we were there a couple minutes after the doors flung open. Unexplainably, people were leaving the store with carts full of merchandise as we walked in (talk about speed shoppers!). The experience was pretty much exactly what you would expect: huge crowds but numerous samples. As someone who visits Costco every now and then, I enjoyed checking out the sparkling new store.

At 8:30 a.m. in the morning it was chaos at Spokane’s new Costco.

Eggs Up Grill – A Conway/Myrtle Beach breakfast staple is a place called Eggs Up Grill. With several locations now around the Grand Strand area, its popularity is evidenced by its expansion. Oddly enough, as a guy who likes to hit up great breakfast spots, I had never visited an Eggs Up Grill until this past Sunday. While out and about in Market Common, our family stopped by the newly opened location in the area for some breakfast. An efficient and inexpensive dining experience, I ordered a biscuit sandwich. What delighted me the most was that it came with a side of gravy for dipping. I will be back!

My breakfast at Eggs Up Grill, complete with the side of gravy.

Longest Red Light EVER – I have complained about a certain traffic light on Twitter before but today’s experience has motivated me to take my beef to the blog! When I leave Gold’s Gym in the early mornings, I come up on a light at U.S. 17 and Mr. Joe White Avenue in Myrtle Beach. For whatever reason, it makes me wait at the very least 5-8 minutes for the green arrow to flash so I can make a left turn onto the highway. For an area that has a low volume of traffic at 5:55 a.m. in the morning, I find the wait a little excessive. That was until today. I was stuck at the light for 12 minutes (yes, I keep track on my car radio how long it takes each morning)! No amount of flashing my brights or pulling slightly forward/pulling slightly back will work. I am too chicken to run it. In all seriousness, why do some lights stay red for such an insane amount of time?

Because I sat here for 12 minutes this morning, I had plenty of time to take a photo.

Cute Photo to End It – Sorry again for neglecting the Thursday Rundown for four weeks. To make up for it, here is a cute photo of Sloan and her cousin, Henry. Both babies found themselves in baskets while we were on vacation at Lake Keowee. They stayed in them for maybe 30 seconds before jumping out and resuming to create havoc throughout our vacation house. Gotta love them!

Sloan and Henry hung out in some baskets while on vacation.

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I think a lot of times we forget how lucky we are (me included!!). Take a moment or two to thank God for the many blessings many of us living in this country enjoy. Have a great weekend, everyone. Don’t Blink.

The Recent Developments of Sloan

It has been a long time since I wrote an update on Sloan. As she approaches 17 months, it is plainly obvious that she is no longer a baby – rather, she is a full functioning toddler. But I look at her as more than just a toddler. I see Sloan as a miniature human with actual thoughts, ideas, emotions, and wants. It is incredible how she can understand us and grasp concepts.

Sloan isn’t a baby anymore.

For tonight’s blog post, I want to quickly list 10 ways in which Sloan connects and engages with us on a daily basis.

Our daughter is showing no signs of slowing down.

Puts on our shoes – If Sloan wants to go somewhere, she will go to the closet and bring us our shoes. She might bring me non-matching sneakers or two left foot shoes, but she knows that in order to leave the house, we can’t go out barefoot. She will even try to put them on for us.

Sloan loves to be outside and will let her intention be known by bringing us our shoes.

Covers us in a blanket – Sloan knows how comforting it is to snuggle under a blanket. If Sid is watching TV on the couch, our daughter will use all her might to haul over a cozy blanket and drape it on her.

Expresses when she is finished eating – When Sloan has had her fill at lunch or dinner, she will rub her hands together and say “all done!” Sure, it is a little irritating when she says it after just taking a couple bites but it is meaningful communication at the very least. “All done” has actually now extended past the dining room table. If she is tired of a toy or gets impatient while we change her diaper, she will make the motion with her hands and say the two magic words.

If Sloan is finished with dinner or a bottle, she will clasp her hands together and say “all done.”

The actual two magic words – It warms our hearts every time Sloan says “thank you.” She overuses it a bit because she will say it when she gives us something, but our thinking is that saying it too much is better than not saying it at all. We are happy that Sloan has learned how to express gratitude and we hope she continues to do so.

Sloan is very gracious…to humans and animals.

Father, Son, Holy Spirit – Taking Sloan to church and praying with her daily has paid off. She can now do the Sign of the Cross. It might not be as pronounced as when the Pope does it, but she has the general idea. Additionally, when we take her to mass, she points to the baptismal fountain and makes sure that we bless her with holy water.

Throwback photo to Sloan with her rosary. She is now able to start and finish the prayer because she knows the Sign of the Cross.

Showing Affection – Nothing is better than receiving love from your little girl. Sloan has blown kisses for several months but she will now give real hugs and kisses. Talk about sweet!

Sloan is very affectionate and happy.

Tech Baby – We have to develop a plan to limit Sloan’s use of our devices but for the time being she has figured out how to use an iPhone. She is skilled at swiping and has taken several selfies. If she is not engaging with the screen of the phone, then she is holding it up to her ear and saying “hello.”

No, No – There is never a doubt if Sloan doesn’t like something or if she wants to change the behavior of someone else. With a piercing look, Sloan will make eye contact and say “no, no” (as if the first “no” wasn’t enough). She says it so much that Sid and I now say it to each other!

Sloan likes to be in charge and if she sees something she doesn’t like, be prepared for “no, no.”

This little piggy went to… – Did you ever play the this little piggy went to market, this little piggy stayed home, etc. game with your toes? We play it with Sloan all the time and now she plays it with us! Last night, Sid and I were in our night time clothes watching a movie and our daughter went from one foot to the other, pulling our toes and saying the rhyme the best way that she could. It was 100% cuteness.

Fashion diva – Sloan loves to brush her hair! She used to carry around the brush we got for her at the hospital when she was born but she has since graduated to more sophisticated beauty tools. She will walk around the house carrying one of those hand mirrors while using either Sid’s brush or my brush to make sure her hair looks just right. Hey, her curly mane is tough to handle!

That is enough on Sloan for now, she has to go to bed. Thanks for reading!

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Watching your child transition from a baby to a toddler is sad in some ways but very joyful in others. We enjoy watching Sloan develop and hope she continues to grow at a healthy pace. Don’t Blink.

The Problem With “Brent”

I personally am content with my first name. I feel Brent is not overly common (think John or Matt) nor outrageously bizarre (think Blue Ivy or Prince Michael). Sure, it isn’t the most flashy identifier and it won’t get you many points in Scrabble, but it does the job. My first name is unique enough that when paired with my last name it makes me the only Brent Reser in the world.

However, there is one thing about my first name that always causes some confusion. It happened again today…

I was talking to someone I recently met. We had corresponded via text message a couple times. While in mid conversation, this particular person suddenly looked alarmed.

“I am so sorry! I have been referring to you by the wrong name.”

Her eyes were fixated on my name tag, the pesky “n” between the “e” and the “t” standing out like a sore thumb. Very apologetic about writing my name as “Bret” instead of Brent, I told her it happens.

A lot.

Being called “Brett” is second nature to me.

It happens at least on a weekly basis that someone will call me “Brett” or type “Bret”/”Brett” when addressing me in electronic communication. But how can I get mad? Brent and Brett are very closely related, probably cousins, if not brothers. I concede that “Brett” is a more popular name in society but I like it that way.

Two personal side stories about my first name…

Side Story #1: When I was a little kid, probably 3 or 4, a contractor came over to look at the house next door. Word got to me that his name was also Brent. I was mortified that someone had the exact same name as me. My parents told me that I cried and cried.

Side Story #2: In 5th grade, things got a little confusing. In my class we had a Brent, a Brett, and a Brenton. It took a few weeks for our teacher to get things straight. Currently, in the department I work for at Coastal, there is a friend of mine named Brentley. Emails intended for him are sometimes sent to me (and vice versa).

Back to the main blog post…

So if you call me “Brett,” don’t worry about it. As I told the person today, it is second nature to me. Just as long as my name is spelled correctly on my passport, I never take the “n” too seriously. Don’t Blink.

Back At It

Exactly three weeks ago, I sat here writing about a particular stretch of fun I was about to embark on. It was a much anticipated half month of vacation, a period of time that would see me travel cross country to see my family and also travel to a cozy lake spot in South Carolina to spend several days with Sid’s family. In between those two trips, I did a couple of other things as well.

But we are now well into August and my whirlwind of a summer vacation extravaganza is now over. To be honest, it is probably for the best.

Think about doughnuts or those really good frosted sugar cookies. The first couple you eat are delicious. You keep eating them and they still taste pretty good. Once you have finished off a box, however, you start to feel a little guilty.

It is in my nature to want to work. If I am not in the office (when there is work to be done) or sticking to my regimen in the gym, I get very antsy. Although I can convince myself to take breaks every now and then while thoroughly enjoying the time I away, there is a limit to this bliss.

Although I worked a couple days in between vacations, I was basically out of the office for a span of three weeks. When I returned to Myrtle Beach for good last Thursday night, I was ready to get back at it.

Come the next day, I was given that opportunity. Friday was summer commencement at CCU so I had a 12 hour day that culminated with a graduation ceremony that evening. It was the perfect week to get my feet wet again.

But today was the start of the first full week of work for me in what seemed like ages. I am back on a normal schedule and ready to rock again. Vacations are meant to re-charge and my late July odyssey did just the trick.

With so much to look forward to, my refreshed self is ready to take on this busy time that comes each year when classes start back up at Coastal and Sid’s school year begins. All I have to say is bring it on. Don’t Blink.