As a marketer, I know the value of a name. Fair or not, the success of a business can be tied to what it calls itself. Lots of money is spent on research and surveys to determine the best names for companies and products. It is definitely not a decision to be taken lightly.

With such a premium placed on names, perhaps there is nothing more valuable than a business that already has a name that is established and resonates with its customers. For these lucky entities, the thought of ever changing the core of its identity is preposterous.

Unless it is practically forced to.

One of the saddest examples of a strong-arm campaign to force a name change impacted a local business I frequent several times a week. Gold’s Gym in Myrtle Beach, at least under its old name, is no longer. After 37 years of association with the famous gym chain, our area location was left with little choice but to switch to a new name. More on the updated moniker in a minute, but first a quick explanation on what caused the switch…

Of course I don’t know all the details, but it boiled down to this: Corporate wanted the Myrtle Beach Gold’s Gym to move to a new location to encourage growth. The gym has been located on Jason Blvd. since 1989, tucked off of the intersection of Mr. Joe White Avenue and U.S. 17. Perhaps a little hidden, the location never stopped locals and tourists alike from gravitating to the old building with brick on the walls outside and 1980s depictions of body builders on the walls inside.

I have enjoyed my early mornings at Gold Gyms over the past few years.

Ah yes, nothing in the area has ever compared to the former Gold’s Gym. A true throwback in every sense of the word, the location has always delivered a no-frills but fitness-centric experience. Tourists made pilgrimages to the place based on word-of-mouth and online reviews. Simply look the gym up by its location on Instagram and see the special connection it has with so many people across the country. The name drew people to the place but the experience kept them coming back.

I do worry that the hook is now gone. The Gold’s Gym name is, well, at least in the fitness world, golden. To have this identity stripped is a blow. There is a correlation between fitness buffs who love the beach and Gold’s Gym. What will happen now that the name is no longer? Even from a personal standpoint, I am bummed. I took pride in telling people that I frequent Gold’s Gym, even though I don’t necessarily fit the hardcore “pumping iron” persona it is so well known for. I respected the history and tradition of the chain.

I would wear this Gold’s Gym pullover to the gym every morning.

But to be honest, I respect the history and tradition of the individual gym I attend at 4 a.m. more than the corporate baloney. Gold’s Gym or not, I have grown to love the friendly and clean exercise facility on Jason Blvd. I have the utmost respect for the owners who maintain the 24/7 operation and the people who exercise there. I appreciate the vibe and community-feel that is evident whenever I walk through the doors. I am so thankful that I have a place to exercise that allows me to get in early and return home before my daughter wakes up.

I am excited to support Iron Legacy Gym.

I am over Gold’s Gym. Way to go, Nancy and Tedd, for not taking caving to unrealistic demands. I am excited to be part of Iron Legacy Gym and will continue to support it no matter what –– fancy name or not. Don’t Blink.

I no longer have to write about it feeling like fall because it is now officially fall! I hope the season is off to a wondrous start for you all. Here we go with my latest Thursday Rundown…

Price of Froyo Going Up – On Sunday, I really needed a cold treat. On my way home from Sam’s Club, I stopped at a froyo place right next to my house. I am a pro at these self-serve froyo shops and know how it all works, but my experience couldn’t prepare me for what happened at the register. Yes, I did fill my cup up with yogurt and a few toppings, but I didn’t expect it to cost more than two pints of Ben & Jerry’s. When the employee said $9.47, I felt both embarrassed and shocked. Oh well, at least it was really good.

The froyo was good but the price was steep.

Sounds Refreshing – I have written about pink Starbursts a couple times before (here and here). But until this week, I had no idea that a pink Starburst DRINK exists. I saw this on an Instagram account I follow and couldn’t help but think about how it would taste. Basically just a Kool-Aid mix, I do want to try it sooner rather than later.

I gotta try this!

Water Rodents (yuck) – In the newspaper this morning, I read the wildest story about water rodents. Animals called nutria are infesting the riverbanksof California. These 20 pound creatures have webbed feet, white whiskers, shaggy fur, and orange bucked teeth that look like carrots! Nutria are destroying wetland habitats and jeopardizing California’s water supply. I think I would freak out if jumped in the water and one swam up to me. Anyway, nutria are an invasive species from South America and the only thing I kept thinking while reading the article was I sure don’t want to drink water that those creatures have been swimming in. Got a couple minutes? Read the story.

Not the most attractive things, right?

Not Much Has Changed – It was another one of those ironic moments. This week, Sloan has taken a liking to the booster eating set she used as a baby. She prefers to sit in it during her precious “pad” time at the end of the night. This morning when I was looking at TimeHop I came across this photo from exactly two years ago of Sidney feeding Sloan. Same booster, different purpose.

Sloan in her booster seat in 2017 and 2019.

TV Tidbits – I give the “This Is Us” season premiere a B+. It is slightly annoying when some of my favorite characters aren’t included for most of the show but the final eight minutes of the season opener had me thinking, damn it, they did it again. So many light bulb epiphanies in the extended 480 seconds. As for the Big Brother 21 finale, the person who deserved to win based off of game play (Michie) did. However, if you didn’t see how the finale ended, you really have to Google it.

——————

Thank you for your enthusiasm of my blog. Have a terrific evening and enjoy your first weekend of autumn. Don’t Blink.

This is the post each year when I lose 90% of my daily reader traffic because I discuss a niche topic: Big Brother.

Ah yes, the season finale of Big Brother 21 is tonight and I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t give my thoughts on the past 100 days and offer a prediction. So, as I conclude my fifth season of watching Big Brother (seventh season if you count the two celebrity versions), let me get a few things off my chest.

Time to offer some thoughts on Big Brother 21

Season 21 won’t go down as one of my favorite seasons. There never really was a houseguest who I was actively rooting for. When the season started, I tabbed Bella and Jack as my early favorites, but it only took a couple episodes before I was turned off by both of them. As the season went on, I would start to warm up to a certain houseguest but then they would get evicted. I liked Michie and Holly enough, but I never got on the Cliff or Nicole bandwagons. Basically, I never felt passionately one way or the other about any of the final four houseguests.

I think Season 21 lacked signature moments. A year from now, I doubt I will remember much about what happened over the past few months. One way I remember seasons is by the musical guest who performed in the house (i.e. Bebe Rexha last year) and they didn’t even have one this year. Even the “twist” of having two people know each other (Tommy and Christie) didn’t excite me that much.

But I don’t want to sound too critical of all the twists. I thought the Camp Comeback concept was kind of interesting. Having evicted houseguests inside the house in a purgatory state was a unique social experiment. I also liked the “make a pie” punishment, especially the instance when they had to pie other houseguests who were sound asleep in their beds in the middle of the night.

The season honored tradition by including classic challenges and appearances (you made me laugh again, Zingbot). Game play seemed pretty solid (Michie’s blatant lying at the house meeting to evict Tommy was a bold move). Julie was Julie, although I think she was a little more aggressive than usual during the eviction interviews.

So, I wouldn’t say Season 21 was a disaster by any means because it delivered what it was supposed to. But it just didn’t standout and it didn’t keep me glued to the TV. Oh well, not every season can be a sensational success.

No questions asked, Michie should win tonight. I am pulling for him to win and I believe every jury member should vote for him. But I am not naïve. If there is one thing I have learned over the past few years, it is that the deserving houseguest rarely goes home with the half million dollars. I am predicting that Nicole will win. Although it is a little sad that the Big Brother season is concluding, I am excited to have my Sunday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights back! Don’t Blink.

This summer, a frustrating thing happened. Our cable company had a contract dispute with the parent company of a TV station we watch a lot. During this stalemate, which lasted two months, the station went dark. Not only did we lose local news and “Big Brother,” but we lost “Jeopardy.”

My dedicated readers know that “Jeopardy” is part of the nightly routine at our house. To lose this Reser family staple was pretty hard. During this period, my depression was strong enough that I had no interest in channel surfing to find another game show to fill the void. The same can’t be said for Sidney.

The Game Show Network became Sidney’s rebound as she searched for something that could replace Alex. After testing the waters, she found just the person…

Steve Harvey.

Over the past several weeks, my wife has become a major “Family Feud” fan. Because it plays on multiple stations and because she records the shows, there is a good chance that it will be on our TV if you ever decide to unexpectedly walk through the front door. Like with other things, except for her reality TV preferences, I have followed suit in enjoying what my wife watches. Yes, I can admit that “The Feud” isn’t that bad.

Steve Harvey does a pretty darn good job on “Family Feud.”

I remember watching the show as a kid when Louie Anderson was the host. I watched maybe once or twice when the sidekick from “Home Improvement” took over. But I have never watched it as much as I have over the past month. In my opinion, I am glad it has worked out this way.

Why? Because Steve Harvey is HILARIOUS!!

Harvey’s facial expressions, rapport with contestants, and quick one-liners are entertaining. He knows when to let a moment play out with no narration and he can subtly question the intelligence of the contestants without appearing mean. The way he confidently walks out on stage sets the tone for the show and the way he will remove himself from a family’s celebration at the end puts a bow on it. He does a really nice job.

The show itself isn’t bad. It takes an entirely different skillset than Jeopardy but it is kind of a nice change. There are things I don’t like. I believe playing first is more of an advantage than it should be, I think some of the categories contain peculiar/insignificant answers, and I think the scoring system is wonky. But there is something simple and fun about playing Scattergories on TV.

The dispute has ended and Jeopardy is back on our TV…but Family Feud hasn’t gone anywhere. For now we are a two-game show household, at least until Steve Harvey leaves the show. Don’t Blink.

Gooooooood evening! Can you feel autumn in the air? Believe it or not, we can in Myrtle Beach. But I am stealing my own thunder, I will get to that later. So before I spoil any of my other topics, let’s get started…

Story Time – Sloan has reached the stage where she will patiently listen to us read her multiple books in a row. There was a time in her early toddler days where she was really antsy and a little disruptive. We have made frequent trips to the library to check out books to keep things fresh, but there is something she loves for us to read over and over. She is a big fan of “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” One of Sid’s co-workers found out about Sloan’s fondness for the book and her purchased her a mini version with a stuffed caterpillar! As we read the pages, Sloan likes to move the caterpillar’s head over each food item, pretending that the stuffed animal is eating it. Thanks, Reni!

Watch out for that caterpillar!

Fall Has Arrived? – I put a question mark at the end because perhaps today was just a teaser, but the lack of humidity was really nice. How cool was it? Well, I turned the heat on in my car and Sloan asked me if she could wear a jacket (I could only find a rain coat). It has been a hot summer and I don’t necessarily mind the humidity, but today’s weather was nice for a change.

Sloan stepped outside this morning and asked for a coat.

Tailgate Fun – I normally don’t get the opportunity to tailgate because I work the football games, but last Saturday was different! Coastal Catholics held a (dry) tailgate a few hours prior to kickoff of CCU’s win over Norfolk State. I was able to bring Sid and Sloan and we had a great time. I enjoyed socializing with faculty, staff, students, and community members while eating delicious tailgate fare. Sloan couldn’t stay still and especially enjoyed the Bruster’s ice cream that was available to all. Who am I kidding?! I enjoyed it too! I was given a large portion of caramel apple crunch, one of the store’s latest seasonal flavors.

We had a really nice time at the Coastal Catholics tailgate.

Can’t Argue With That – This wasn’t today’s Life’s Little Instruction but rather it was the instruction from four years ago. Nonetheless, it resonated with me. I have grown so cynical of any type of inspection, regardless of whether it is free. If I am taking my car in I know there will be many suggestions on what else I can do to improve it. Same with my personal computer. I know I should probably change my attitude but it is tough to erase from your memory the feeling of being taken advantage of.

This instruction carries with it a lot of truth.

How Did You Celebrate? – Thankfully I still follow some local news stations in Montana, otherwise I don’t know if I would have been aware of this little fact. I decided to go all-out celebrating this important second in time, sitting at my desk doing work. Although I appreciate the info, I have never been one to get too excited about these fleeting moments.

I didn’t do much to mark this moment.

—————————-

I sincerely appreciate the time you give me. Not the best five topics in the world but thanks for following along. Have a nice weekend and I will catch up with you soon. Don’t Blink.

You want to know something? When I go to KFC, I never order fried chicken. Instead, I get a bowl. Filled with popcorn chicken, corn, cheese, and gravy, I can enjoy a full homestyle meal without the mess and bones. It never disappoints.

Until about a week ago, I had the thought in my head that these bowls were somehow unique and that I could only order them at KFC. That notion was debunked when my co-worker and friend, Geoff, told me that his family used to make homemade mashed potato bowls for dinner.

Wait…how could you possibly pull that off? I wondered in my head.

But then it kind of dawned on me (with some assurance from Geoff)…it really isn’t that difficult.

There is nothing too entirely special about what KFC does. The “trick” is to take several items and throw them in a bowl. Hey, I can do that!

These were the items we used in our Reser Bowls.

Last night, we made Reser Bowls for the first time. We purchased a family sized Bob Evans mashed potato container, sweet corn, Great Value popcorn chicken, and a big package of shredded cheese. We prepared the items that needed cooking and then we built our bowls. I made a base of corn and cheese and then layered on the mashed potatoes. I then added the popcorn chicken. Finally, I topped it with another layer of corn and cheese.

The first layer of my bowl consisted of corn and cheese.

Before taking that first bite, I sprinkled my bowl with salt and pepper and then dug in! I was so tickled that we were able to make this “out of the norm” dish for dinner. Sidney wasn’t as impressed, but didn’t try to kill my enthusiasm. I ate my bowl, then ate a much smaller bowl, and then ate the rest of Sidney’s bowl.

The finished product…minus the corn and salt/pepper.

The best part? We still had enough ingredients that I was able to make a bowl for lunch today! As is often the case with leftovers, it was even better this afternoon than last night.

I ate a leftover bowl at lunch today.

Looking for something easy and new for dinner? Consider potato bowls. In addition to the simplicity, they are inexpensive (not to mention delicious). Don’t Blink.

When you are little, half birthdays mean more. In fact, I consider turning 2 and a half a bigger milestone than the whole age I will turn next month. Any guesses on who we are celebrating today?

Sloan has now reached a point that when someone asks me her age, I will no longer say “she is 2.” Although I no longer describe her age in months, I do feel it is appropriate to include half years––so when I am asked the age question, I will now respond with “she is 2 and a half.” With her new “age promotion,” a few things stand out to me.

– By the time these next six months are over, she will be a big sister.
– After today, she is more of a 3-year-old than a 2-year-old.
– I can’t believe how fast the time has gone!

For tonight’s blog post, I thought I would just share a photo from every March 17 and September 17 she has lived through (three each!). Not only is it easy on me, but it is a good way to show her development over the course of the past 913 days. P.S. – I got to mark on my calendar the day she will turn 1,000 days old (Thursday, Dec. 12, 2019).

March 17, 2017 (0 years old)

This photo was taken very soon after Sloan was born.

September 17, 2017 (a half year old)

Sloan at a half year.

March 17, 2018 (1 year old)

Sloan eating her cake during her first birthday.

September 17, 2018 (1.5 years old)

I took this photo of Sloan exactly a year ago.

March 17, 2019 (2 years old)

Sloan eating her cake on her second birthday.

September 17, 2019 (2 and a half years old).

This is Sloan today at 2 and a half years old.

Happy half birthday, Sloan! Enjoy the final 50 percent of your trip around the sun, someone will be joining you as you reach the home stretch. Don’t Blink.

I twitch my eyes, fold my arms, and tug at my wedding ring. These are just physical mannerisms, some might call them nervous ticks, that I have. The first one gets my wife the most, who believes it is a sign of agitation (it really isn’t). But, there is one outwardly quirk that I do the most.

I rub my hands together. Obsessively.

I have rubbed my hands together obsessively for a couple of decades.

Although excitement will cause me to start rubbing my hands the most vigorously, I will do it in other instances, including for no reason at all.

I can’t pinpoint how I picked up the habit but I know I have been doing it since early high school. Well, at least that is as far back as I remember my friends mocking me for it. You see, it is not a subtle or quiet rubbing of the hands. Rather, it is a hands-tightly-clasped-aggressive rubbing that can be heard through walls.

Believe it or not, I do it so much that Sloan started to do it! Don’t worry, she is not doomed. Sidney immediately intervened and weaned her from performing the act. Not just that, but Sid taught her to actively push back against it. Now when I do it, Sloan will assertively say, “Stop rubbing your hands together, daddy!”

I think everyone who knows me well is aware of my habit and I am sure people I don’t think are aware of it actually are. Like I said, you don’t need to see me doing it to know that I do it.

Maybe in the future I will be more cognizant of it and try to stop. But, for the time being, judging by what my wife thinks it means, I should work on my eye twitching first. Don’t Blink.

So you stumbled upon Don’t Blink again, huh? Well, welcome back! You picked a good day to do it because it is time for the Thursday Rundown. Let’s go…

Big Sister Books – In my blog post on Monday, I mentioned that we are trying to slowly help Sloan understand and become comfortable with the fact that she will soon be a big sister. One way we are trying to do this is by reading her subject-related books. We recently checked out the below stories from the library. They are a lot of fun to read and Sloan actually listens to them. We love story time and when the books can actually educate her on a situation she will soon face, it is all the better.

Here are the books we currently have checked out from the library.

Mt. Dew Mystery Flavor – Last week I tweeted about my desire to try a new “Voo-Dew” mystery flavor Mt. Dew. My good friend and co-worker Geoff saw the tweet and brought in a couple cans to work on Monday. Once lunch came around, we sat at my office table and tasted Voo-Dew for the first time. For a few minutes, we thoughtfully discussed what we thought it tasted like. Geoff noticed a sweet, almost candy-like, flavor. After taking a few more sips, I said I thought it tasted like creamsicle. Around this time, another one of our co-workers, Tad, just happened to be walking by my office. He popped his head in and mentioned that it is supposed to be a candy corn flavor as a lead up to Halloween. When it was all said and done, we agreed that it was fun to taste the new soda together and share our observations.

The Voo-Dew Mystery Flavor Mt. Dew taste test took place in my office during the Monday lunch hour.

Water in Road – Hurricane Dorian didn’t seriously impact our area in terms of storm destruction, but it sure did bring some heavy rain. The street right outside of our house flooded and the below image is what it looked like at 7 p.m. on Thursday. I was convinced that the water would still be there on Friday morning and that my father-in-law would have to take me to work (I was going to walk to the entrance of our neighborhood where he would pick me up). Luckily, the water had completely receded by 6 a.m. on Friday and I was able to report to the CCU EOC in my own vehicle.

When Hurricane Dorian impacts hit our area last Thursday, this is what the street in front of our house looked like.

Reflecting on our Evacuation – Hurricane Dorian was a breeze compared to Hurricane Florence. One year ago today, Sid, Sloan, and I packed up some belongings and evacuated to Florida. Florence was supposed to pulverize Myrtle Beach and we wanted no part of it. Before we left, I published this blog post laying out our insecurities. Our evacuation to Jacksonville turned out to be awesome. The three of us bonded and made trips to Disney World and the Jacksonville Zoo. When we finally returned to Myrtle Beach, our house had suffered no damage. It was almost a blessing in disguise.

Our evacuation included a trip to Disney World!

Birthday Cake Remix Cereal – Wait, Cold Stone makes cereal? I was as surprised as you! When we went to pick up hurricane snacks last week, I couldn’t help but grab a box of Cold Stone Birthday Cake Remix cereal. The idea was better than the reality. Let’s just say the odd-tasting birthday cake flavored pieces and chocolate marshmallows didn’t exactly jibe with one another. But that doesn’t mean it wasn’t edible. By the end of the weekend Sloan and I had finished the box.

A look at the Birthday Cake Remix cereal.

—————

It has been a pleasure bombarding you once again with five random topics. Have a fabulous weekend filled with gorgeous mid-September weather. Don’t Blink.