I can’t believe another Thursday is already here. August seems to be flying by. But enough small talk, let’s get started with the latest Rundown…

Headphone Switch – A little more than a year ago, I wrote about Sid making a purchase at the Fort Lauderdale airport for Sloan. My wife bought her Minnie Mouse headphones so she could watch her tablet without the bothering the heck out of us. Let me tell you, she wore out two different pairs of those suckers. Well, Sloan’s tastes have evolved over the past 14 months so when it came time to get her a new pair, we went for the “Trolls”-themed product at Target. Modeled after Sloan’s personal hero, Poppy, she had no issue making the transition.

Sloan with her Minnie Mouse headphones in June 2019 and then with her brand new Poppy headphones in August 2020.

Dog Bite Increase – I am interested in the different effects caused by the pandemic that most people wouldn’t think about. For example, did you know that dog bites have increased threefold since stay-at-home orders were enacted? The basic conclusion of the study blames stress for the increase—both from a general household sense and from that of the dog. The combination of COVID-19 uncertainty and the family pet now sharing his domain 24/7 with the little ones has led to dogs lashing out with their teeth.

Dog bites have increased during the pandemic.

Friday Night Park – Multiple times this summer, our family has concluded the work week with a park picnic. We will order sandwiches at a different local restaurant and head to a large green space to enjoy the summer air. Sloan will run wild on the playground and Beau will roll around on the playground while Sid and I might throw the frisbee around. It is always a highlight of the week.

Beau and Sloan hanging out at Edgecliff Park this past Friday.

Looking Back and Ahead to the Eclipse – This Saturday will mark the three-year anniversary of the Great American Eclipse. The event brought a very memorable conclusion to the summer of 2017 as it united our country. I count the Great American Eclipse as one of my top moments at CCU as I fondly remember spending the day in a tiny South Carolina town as I experienced totality with some colleagues. However, I am also bringing this up because another solar eclipse will cross the United States in April 2024. If you live in one of the 13 states that will be in the line of totality, you might want to purchase your glasses now.

Experiencing totality was an incredible moment

Radio – Today is National Radio Day and I am celebrating this year because I have discovered the luxury called SiriusXM Satellite Radio. When we bought our new car it came with a subscription to Sirius and it has to be the best thing ever. I have dealt with bad FM stations, awful reception, and endless commercials for a long time now so to get something as crisp and diverse as Sirius has been awesome. One of these days I will have to countdown some of my favorite channels because I am sure you will get a kick out of them but until then I just want it to be known I finally like radio again.

Sirius Radio is awesome.

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That will wrap things up for tonight. Whether you are cheering on a professional sports team, watching a political convention, or just laying low I wish you a splendid evening. Let us continue to pray for an end to the Coronavirus. Don’t Blink.