Monthly Archives: May 2021

Wolves Thursday Rundown

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If April was nice, May has been gorgeous. We have enjoyed another perfect week here in our little corner of the world and I can’t but help feel appreciation as each day is noticeably longer than the previous. On that positive note, let’s begin the latest Thursday Rundown.

Gas Shortage – The Colonial Pipeline hack has impacted the Southeast by sending people to the pumps in a panic buying frenzy. Although the cyberattack certainly raised gas prices in the region, according to my father-in-law, the price per gallon is what it is currently here in Spokane…approximately $3. Recently I was waiting at a stop light and noticed the rates of gas on the digital board belonging to the convenience store out my passenger window. I assumed it was just too good to be true and kept driving once the light turned green.

I figured the store probably wouldn’t offer me this rate.

Wienermobile – Three years ago, the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile came to Myrtle Beach. Sid, Sloan, and I went out to our local Publix Supermarket to see it. We took photos, played with the cut outs, and ate free hot dogs. Last week, Sid and Sloan had the “rare” chance to see the vehicle again when it rolled into Spokane. The Wienermobile parked at our nearby Fred Meyer and Sidney and Sloan once again utilized the props and got their photo taken. No free hot dogs this time!

The top photo is from Sidney’s and Sloan’s visit to Fred Meyer in Spokane last week. The bottom photo is from our first encounter with the Oscar Mayer Wienermobile in 2018 in Myrtle Beach.

Blippi – The jaws of all toddlers and their parents dropped this past weekend when they tuned into YouTube for the latest Blippi episode only to be greeted by an…impostor! The dude who has always been Blippi since 2014 was no longer Blippi! Thank goodness Sloan, who is a diehard fan, wasn’t subjected to such a monstrosity! But breathe easy, little ones. The real Blippi will be back. It just turns out he was humble enough to let the actor who will star in the Blippi Broadway show—yes, there is a Blippi Broadway show—take part in one of the YouTube episodes. Considering many people thought the world was ending when the new actor was subbed in, I don’t know if it will happen again.

Who the heck is this???

Dances With Wolves – The movie I watched throughout this week was the 1990 classic “Dances With Wolves.” It was the first time I ever watched the film and I found myself impressed by the beauty with which it was shot along with the relationship development of Costner’s character and the Sioux tribe. Although it was a little strange to watch three seasons of “Yellowstone” and then see Kevin Costner play an entirely different character more than 30 years earlier, good acting is still good acting. I think the runtime of three hours is worth it and if you have Netflix you can watch it on there.

This movie is a masterpiece.

Urban Turkey – Now this isn’t nearly as cool as the porcupine I encountered in this exact same spot several months ago but I am running out of ideas for tonight’s fifth topic. The Spokane region, especially the specific area I live in, is home to a large population of urban turkeys. In fact, from time to time they will congregate in our backyard. This morning, however, on my way back from the gym I was forced to stop my car and ask Why did the turkey cross the road?

I encountered this turkey crossing the road this morning.

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I wish you the best this weekend. Let’s make sure to pray for the people in countries like India who are experiencing great suffering from the Coronavirus. Don’t Blink.

Hey Southern Belle, What Have You Learned After a Year?

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As I mentioned in Sid’s Mother’s Day post, she has now lived in Spokane for a year. Throughout the past 365 days she has definitely learned a thing or two about the culture and quirks of the Lilac City. For tonight’s blog post, let’s review 10 of the more prominent lessons taken in by Sid since May 2020.

After a year in Spokane, Sid has learned a thing or two.

1. Coffee stands are on every corner and no aroma is more prominent on the city streets than that of fresh brew.

2. Except of course for the pungent smell of marijuana that similarly can be smelled on every corner thanks to the surplus of dispensaries.

3. From smell to taste, Sid quickly learned that for what this city lacks in fast food chicken (think Bojangles, Zaxby’s, Popeye’s, etc) it makes up for it in fast food Mexican (Say hello to Taco John’s, Taco Time, and Senor Froggy).

4. Want a drink with that burrito? No matter how often my parents have said the word, a year is way too short of a time for Sid to ever think about referring to soda as “pop.”

5. Whatever you call your soft drink, at least it has a chance to stay cold for longer than a minute when you are outside in July. When Sid asked me why we weren’t sweating in the morning one summer day I remarked simply: Fresh air.

6. The climate isn’t the only thing that is at different ends of the spectrum in South Carolina and Washington. Political ideologies are at two different extremes as well. From the red to the blue for Sid!

7. Speaking of politicians, some might compare them to snakes and roaches. Thankfully Sid was able to escape the creepy crawlers (talking about the actual creatures) and now just has to worry about black widows and June bugs.

8. One thing Sidney doesn’t have to worry about is her accent. It is adored and celebrated by the locals who enjoy a Southern dialect in a town that is dominated by accent-neutral speaking folks.

9. Although her accent is celebrated some of her South Carolina idioms aren’t—or should I say they are just misunderstood? People here don’t understand what constitutes “being ugly” beyond bad looks and if you say “going to cut the grass” people will think you are getting your personal scissors out to do some precise trimming.

10. Sid is thankful she didn’t push harder for a riding lawn mower because gas prices to fill it are much more expensive in Washington (roughly $3.20 per gallon right now) than the cheaper prices in South Carolina. It’s okay though, moving to a state with no state income tax was a welcome treat!

Two great places, two vastly different ways of doing things. We love them both. Don’t Blink.

Sloan’s Top 5 Spokane Parks

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Alright folks, we like parks. Well, at least Sloan and I do. Luckily, we live in a city with a lot of them. In tonight’s blog post, Sloan and I thought we would reveal our top five parks in the Spokane area. My daughter doesn’t like when I write a lot so we promise this will be brief!

5. Holmberg Park – This park is located in north Spokane and it has a little bit of sentimental value because I used to play there as a little boy. But Sloan could care less about that! She likes Holmberg because it is an awesome summer park and a winter park. You can play on the toys and have a picnic in the warmer months and go down some of Spokane’s best sledding hills in the snowy months.

Sloan preparing to sled down a hill at Holmberg Park.

4. Mirabeau Point Park (Discovery Park) – This gem can be found in the Spokane Valley and is a nice modern option. Sloan and I like it because it reminds us of a certain park we played at in Myrtle Beach. Discovery Park is an accessible/enabling playground with a lot of special equipment and fun things to do. We have enjoyed our time at this park so much that we even made a TikTok.

Sidney and Sloan relaxing at Discovery Park in Spokane Valley.

3. Lincoln Park – Oh man, this particular park is pretty wild. It has a lower portion and an upper portion. The lower portion is where we begin our visits because it has a decent playground and a swing area. Once Sloan and I get our energy flowing, we then tackle the upper portion. A steep bluff connects the two halves of the park so bring your hiking shoes—I say that only half sarcastically. If Sloan can scale the hilly trails you probably won’t have much of a problem. Once you reach the top after a scenic and colorful mini hike, you are treated to beautiful views of Spokane and a pond. This tucked away park is awesome! (Oh yeah, we made a TikTok here too).

Sloan becoming one with nature at Lincoln Park in Spokane’s South Hill.

2. Edgecliff Park – Our neighborhood park isn’t making this list simply as an honorary gesture…Sloan and I honestly love it! This park is well-kept and boasts a playground, basketball court, baseball diamond, shelter, splash pad, benches/picnic tables, and lots more. We have had numerous picnics here and we appreciate the many shady areas. This place just feels like home…it is “our” park!

Sid and the kids hanging with my sister and her children at Edgecliff Park last summer.

1. Riverfront Park – The signature feature of the city of Spokane must be good for something, right? Well, tonight it is good for #1 on our list. Filled with history, nature, and personality, this large park in downtown Spokane is the place you need to take someone who is visiting the city for the first time. Sure it was cool back in 1974 when it hosted the World’s Fair but Riverfront Park is just as cool today. Although you might think Riverfront Park is our top choice simply because it has a lot more than what the other parks on this list have (a carousel, big red wagon, garbage goat, light show, etc.) you would be mistaken. Sloan and I like Riverfront Park because of the green space, trees, playgrounds, and smell of the outdoors. Nothing screams “Spokane” more than this place and we adore it.

Riverfront Park is the best that Spokane has to offer.

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Do you have a favorite local park whether it be in Spokane, Myrtle Beach, Missoula, or somewhere else? Let me know and happy park-ing! Don’t Blink.

Mother’s Day 2021: Sid’s Best Work Yet

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This weekend marks the one-year anniversary of when my wife and kids got off a plane and joined me in Washington. It also marks another year of extraordinary and selfless parenting by Sidney.

It was so great to get my best friend back on May 8, 2020!

For Sidney, almost everything changed with the move. Geography, circumstances, and number of children transformed—but her overflowing mother’s heart did not. The job she has done in between Mother’s Day 2020 and Mother’s Day 2021 is an exquisite work of art.

Just a couple days after Sid and the kids arrived in Washington we celebrated Mother’s Day. This is Sid with my sister and mom on May 10, 2020. These three women are superb mothers.

One of the biggest blessings about moving out west was that Sidney could be a stay-at-home mom. There has been nothing more valuable or precious than Sid being home with Sloan and Beau for most of the day. With that said, most worthwhile things are not easy, and let me tell you, being a stay-at-home mom is not easy.

The four of us shortly after Sid and the kids arrived in Spokane.

Sidney is a super mom. She exhibits love, patience, and selflessness every day. In case you didn’t know, a 4-year-old and 1-year-old aren’t the easiest customers. Those are tough ages. With our little ones come an endless cycle of messes, breakdowns, meal prep, laundry, doctor appointments, entertaining, and so much more. From the time I go up to my office in the morning to when I descend the stairs after work it is 100% Sidney managing what at times can be a mad house. It can be exhausting but Sid never runs out of energy.

Sid always has that “mama energy.”

I am amazed at the schedule she has developed for Sloan and Beau. Although a day in the life of a stay-at-home mom is never predictable, Sid has still managed to work in a routine that goes somewhat according to plan at least a few times per week. Although she showers the kids with many of the loving behaviors I mentioned above, Sid institutes discipline when it is needed as well. You can trust me on that one. At the same time, the rapport with Sidney and the kids is so solid that any hard feelings from discipline are simply fleeting moments within the course of the day.

Sid has brought structure to the lives of Sloan and Beau.

In the year since Sid has uprooted her life for her family, she has done so much more than just nailed it as a mom. She has thrived in her new environment as she has grown even closer with my parents and siblings, developed a killer gym regimen, made friends, and tried new things. She has made what would be a tough adjustment for anyone look easy.

Well done, Sidney! You are the best mom.

Thanks for being the best mom, Sidney! I love this life our family has together but it would be nothing without your strength and daily effort. Happy Mother’s Day. Don’t Blink.

Flurry Thursday Rundown

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Life sure has been extra enjoyable these days. The beautiful spring weather, longer days, progress on the COVID front, and the promise of summer have me feeling very optimistic. Speaking of positivity, how about we begin my latest Thursday Rundown?

New and Free McFlurry – Last night, Sidney and I cashed in on a free McDonald’s offer. The fast food giant was giving away its newest caramel and brownie McFlurry…for free! The only catch was that you had to download the McDonald’s app but I really don’t think it is much of a catch at all because I have found fast food apps to be very helpful and full of great deals. Now we all know that a McFlurry doesn’t deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as a Dairy Queen Blizzard but what we had last night was actually really good. It was full of brownie pieces and a thick caramel swirl. 10/10 recommend.

Me gripping the two caramel brownie McFlurries we got for FREE from McDonald’s on Tuesday.

Come On, Subway – After giving kudos to a fast food chain I must do the opposite to another. In an earlier period of my life, I loved Subway. It was my favorite fast food option and I admired its aggressive expansion and marketing practices. But times have changed. Subway has fallen out of favor to competitors such as Jimmy John’s and Jersey Mike’s, restaurants have closed, and we all know what happened to Jared. I guess with all these things going against it I shouldn’t be surprised that prices have gone up so much. But it still rubbed me the wrong day when we went to Subway the other day and had to pay $8 for a Spicy Italian and $7.50 for a Cold Cut Combo. No deals were available and the Subway location we went to was empty except for us and a lone employee. With all that said, I still really enjoyed my sandwich.

I used to really like everything about Subway….not so much anymore. 

Back on Campus – After 412 days, I finally set foot on the WSU Pullman campus again. This past Saturday we honored our graduating students with a drive-through celebration and I had the opportunity to cover the event. It was a beautiful morning and the students brought plenty of enthusiasm and Cougar spirit. It was also awesome to meet many people in person after solely working with them over Zoom for the last 13 months. The icing on the cake was after the event was over and we were able to take our two graduating interns out to lunch. Thanks so much for your contributions to WSU Social Media, Chloe and Dani!

A screen capture from the recap Instagram post about the Drive-Through Celebration. It was awesome to finally work a live event on location.

Visit From Ice Cream Truck – Last weekend, we were over at my parents’ house for Sunday dinner with my sister and her kids. In a wishful thinking, offhand type of way my mom remarked that if the ice cream truck came by that she would be buying for all the kids. Because it was a Sunday night and April had only recently ended, I thought sure mom. In my opinion, there was a better chance that Chick-fil-A would be open on a Sunday than the ice cream truck rolling down my parents’ street. At the end of the night as we were literally packing up the car to go home, I heard that all-too-familiar jingle. No way. We extended our visit by another 30 minutes as the kids picked out a treat and ate them on a blanket that my mom and dad spread out on the front lawn. It was no Mr. Softee but Sloan certainly did not care.

Lots of smiles after the visit from the ice cream truck.

Crazy, Stupid, Love – I used to not be a Steve Carell fan, at least not his comedy. But then I watched him play diverse roles in movies such as “Vice” and “Welcome to Marwen” and learned to appreciate his talent. My renewed respect for Carell made his comedic roles more tolerable to me. This week, Sidney and I watched “Crazy, Stupid, Love” on Netflix. It is a 2011 film that details how a nerdy guy named Cal (Carell) rebounds after his wife announces she wants a divorce. Many of the laughs come the interactions between Cal and Jacob, a womanizer played by Ryan Gosling who prepares Cal for the dating world. If you subscribe to Netflix and want to relax with a funny and light movie, give “Crazy, Stupid, Love” a try.

Steve Carell has grown on me.

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Thank you for reading, friends. Let’s not lose sight about who this upcoming weekend is all about. Make sure to thank and celebrate your moms. Don’t Blink.

Covid Anxiety Syndrome

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Yesterday I learned about a condition doctors are starting to talk more and more about called COVID Anxiety Syndrome. Experts say that as the battle against COVID continues to trend in a positive direction and the re-opening process continues to progress, people with the syndrome will have difficulty moving forward with the rest of society. Instead, they will likely continue to cling to safety behaviors that were necessary during the darkest days of the pandemic.

What this means is that a portion of society, perhaps 1 in 5 people according to the articles I read, might resist letting go of COVID coping strategies they practiced pre-vaccine. These folks will most likely avoid crowds of any size, refrain from touching anything, and watch others closely to see if they are displaying any COVID symptoms. They will perform these behaviors in a constant state of worry.

Anyone with basic knowledge of human nature probably won’t find COVID Anxiety Syndrome that surprising. This pandemic has been an extremely traumatic event for many and it is difficult to transition back to a carefree way of life when you are dealing with an invisible enemy, no matter how much the virus has been wounded.

Throughout the past 14 months I have tried to pray for the people paralyzed by fear of the coronavirus just as much as I have prayed for those paralyzed by the actual physical symptoms of the coronavirus. To say that this disease has had just as much of a mental impact on the population as a physical impact is an understatement.

As many of us start to celebrate certain milestones of COVID-19 progress, it is important to remember those who might have a tough time reintegrating into society. Vaccinations can make our bodies immune from the pandemic but not necessarily our minds. Let’s take care of each other. Don’t Blink.

An “Explosive” YouTube Video

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Chalk it up as one of those sensory videos that is just soothing to watch.

How else can you explain why we wasted 10 minutes of our lives watching it?

On Saturday night, Sid and I were watching YouTube videos on our TV with Sloan. One thing to another and instead of Ryan’s World or CookieSwirlC, we ended up watching this video. Basically it is a giant scale version of the Elephant’s Toothpaste experiment you did as a kid.

The video takes place on what might be the shore of a beach. A guy starts building a sand volcano. After he has piled a good amount of sand to resemble a volcanic shape, he places what appears to be a five-gallon bucket on top of it. He then packs sand around the bucket to form the volcano’s crater.

A sceenshot as the guy packs sand/dirt around the bucket to form the volcano’s crater.

Now comes the first monotonous part of the video. He starts pulling out sodas from a trash can that is serving as a cooler. Over the course of a couple minutes he pulls out 22 different soft drinks. They range in variety from flavor to size to can/bottle.

This guy has a pretty impressive lineup of sodas.

Next up is the real monotonous portion of the demonstration. He starts opening up the sodas and pouring the contents into the bucket/volcanic crater…one at a time. It takes over four minutes for him to open and dump all the drinks but for whatever reason we watched it through without fast forwarding. Granted, Sloan did fall asleep during this part but Sidney and I remained transfixed. Heck, my brother was waiting out in our driveway as the two of us had plans for the night but I made him wait as I watched.

Most of the time he would empty one can or bottle into the bucket at a time. This was one instance when he did two….a Sprite and an orange soda.

After the last soda was poured, the bucket was nearly full. But it had just enough room to add a few additional ingredients. First came dish soap followed by Pepto Bismol. He then combined several rolls of Mentos and yeast into a separate container and poured hydrogen peroxide in it. Finally, he poured this mixture into the volcanic crater…

And there goes the Pepto Bismol

ERUPTION!!!

A gigantic plume of pink “lava” exploded out of the volcano followed by another plume and several other bursts. It is quite impressive to watch. All I kept thinking was This could perfect for a gender reveal.

This is just the very start of the eruption. Must watch the video to see the whole show!

If you are really bored, take a chance and watch the video. Not only did we devote 10 minutes of our lives to watching a guy pour soda into a bucket but I followed it up with a blog post as well. Don’t Blink.