Monthly Archives: January 2023

Hoodie Blanket Thursday Rundown

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So it’s Thursday again, huh? Well I guess that is a good thing because I have five topics ready to go. Thanks for joining me tonight and let’s get underway.

Honoring Dad – During my dad’s retirement party last week, I had the chance to deliver a five-minute speech in his honor. I always tell people that I am not a natural public speaker but I still seized the opportunity because my dad deserved it. The finale of my remarks is available if you want to watch it here. You might become distracted by a couple of young cousins fooling around up front.

A screenshot from video of me delivering a speech in honor of my dad at his retirement party.

Will Probably Pass – Right out of the bag isn’t the only way I like potato chips. I love layering a deli sandwich with a bed of potato chips…the taste and crunch are always excellent! However, I don’t think I would go as far as potato chips mixed in my Reese’s peanut butter cup. I saw the below product at Walmart a couple weeks ago and had to take a photo so I could include it in a future Thursday Rundown. The idea of slivers of potato chips, most likely stale, embedded in the peanut butter just doesn’t appeal to me. To be honest, I don’t know if I would even try one for free. Thank you, next.

I spotted these at my local Walmart. No thanks.

Barbara Walters – Wanted to recognize Barbara Walters. Because of the nerd that I am, I spent many Friday nights between the ages of 11-14 watching “20/20.” The program would come on at 10 p.m. with Walters and Hugh Downs at the anchor desk. I think I felt a sense of sophistication staying up late and watching an “adult” show. It definitely planted the news magazine bug inside of me. Long after my youthful “20/20” days I still enjoyed watching the work of Barbara Walters and always knew if she was covering something it must be a big deal.

May eternal rest be grant unto Barbara Walters.

Wear A Blanket – If there is one Christmas gift I am envious of, it is the blanket hoodies our kids scored. Supposedly Santa outsourced them from Costco at a pretty reasonable price. I become comfortable just sitting next to my children when they have them on…I can’t imagine the bliss of actually wearing one. For a blanket-obsessed family, this present was perfect.

These are the hoodie blankets that Sloan and Beau are now sporting.

That Must Be Uncomfortable – I think Spider-Man and the stuffed unicorn have a better idea of how to sleep properly in a bed. Several nights ago, I went to check on Beau and saw him sleeping horizontally. It didn’t bother me too much because at least he was still sleeping in his own bed—we have struggled lately with him coming into our bed. I still made the effort to turn him around so he was resting vertical and his head was actually on the pillow.

A weird position if I do say so myself.

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That will wrap things up for this evening. If you have a three-day weekend coming up, I hope you enjoy it. Don’t Blink.

Butting Heads

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On Monday, Sid received a phone call while at work. It was St. Mary calling to relay the news that Sloan had suffered a minor injury. While at PE, her class was playing a game and she collided with one of her classmates. They literally butted heads.

Sloan had a little accident at school earlier this week.

Both kindergarteners were sent to the office for ice. As both girls held packs to their wounds, Sloan with a noticeable bump on the left part of her forehead, the calls were made to parents. As this occurred, Sloan and her classmate chalked up the incident as an accident and held no ill-will toward each other.

Later that night, Sloan would basically sum up the same thing for me. After she proudly showed me her battle wound, she imparted her wisdom on me.

“We cried for a little bit but we weren’t mad because it was just an accident.”

Perhaps you have butted heads with someone in a more figurative sense recently. Or, maybe you have butted heads with an individual long ago or it has been a sustained butting of heads over the course of a long period of time. Whatever the case, wouldn’t it be great to amicably address it? Wouldn’t it be nice to use the beginning of 2023 to clear the air?

Sometimes using the example of kindergarteners just makes sense. What happened has happened. The crying/arguing stage has run its course. Now it’s time to move on. Reach out to someone during this first month of the year and make things right. Don’t Blink.

Blind Date

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I am not crazy about reality TV. With the exception of “Big Brother,” most of what I begrudgingly see is whatever Sidney might be watching on a given night.

I especially avoid the romance shows. Although I interviewed a “Bachelorette” contestant nine years ago, I am not a fan of that franchise or other shows such as “Love Island,” “90 Day Fiance,” “Love Is Blind,” “Married at First Sight,” and so on and so on and so on…

I interviewed Bryden Vukasin from “The Bachelorette” during the summer of 2013.

My thought is that these programs are 90% scripted and cheapen relationships, especially marriage. Many are brutal to watch, just complete train wrecks. Cringeworthy to the max. With all that said, there is one reality TV/romance show that I kind of like…

I have almost made it through all 45 episodes of the modern iteration of “Blind Date” available on Hulu. It is an update of the original series that ran in the early 2000s that, yes, I watched as well. The newer version is made for modern times in a digital world.

I enjoy watching “Blind Date.”

Sidney has woken up more than once in the wee hours of the morning to me watching “Blind Date.” It has become a little addicting. The concept is simple. Each episode is cut into two halves, with each half following two people on a blind date. The formula is down to a science: the matched couple will do some type of activity (more on this in one moment), move on to dinner/drinks, and then usually take a dip in a pool.

What is the appeal for me? It is just so raw. There is editing in the sense that there are stupid air bubbles and narrator commentary, but beyond that the daters are left to their own devices. They are brought together, the date begins, and then BOOM…

I just enjoy watching the human interaction and gamesmanship that transpires over the course of the date. Observing how people react in awkward situations is interesting to me. Dating can be so weird and unpredictable and with “Blind Date” you really get a front row seat of one of life’s most scrutinized social interactions. You can almost see the gears shifting in the minds of the daters.

Again, I like “Blind Date” because it actually encompasses the “real” of reality TV. You aren’t witnessing a glitzy production. Heck, portions of the show are actually shot with the phones of the daters. Most of the dates don’t work out and there is nothing too over-the-top that makes you say come on.

The only unbelievable part of the show is the notion that the producers are trying to offer fun date activities. I get it that they probably want to offer unique options, but at this point they are grasping for straws. Going break dancing or feeding farm animals aren’t the best/conducive ideas.

Other than that, the show is pretty entertaining. The dialogue, social miscues, strategizing, and the courage of the people on the show can be fascinating. But the absolute best part of the show? It reinforces how happy I am to be married. Don’t Blink.

Tom Reser: A Devoted and Patriotic Career

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At the very end of 2022, the federal government lost an extraordinary asset. After 36 years of service, Tom Reser retired. By the time my dad walked off the Spokane Mann-Grandstaff VA Medical Center campus for the final time on December 29, he had helped thousands and thousands of veterans. It would be an understatement to say he earned the United States flag that was given to him just prior to his last day.

This is the flag that was presented to my dad upon his retirement.

Early Origins

My dad spent his entire career as a social worker. A bachelor’s degree from Washington State University and a master’s degree from Eastern Washington University, both in social work, prepared him well for the field. In the early 1980s, he worked a couple different jobs, including a position as a mental health counselor at Walla Walla Mental Health. But the federal government would soon come calling.

In 1986, he entered the VA system by accepting a position in the nursing home care unit at Mann-Grandstaff. The new job with the Department of Veterans Affairs meant my dad would re-locate to Spokane. He briefly left my mom and sister in Walla Walla and moved north. A few months later, his family would join him in Spokane. I would arrive a couple months later. 😊

It wouldn’t take long for my dad’s work to be recognized.

Did my dad envision that he would still be in Spokane, let alone still with the VA, nearly 37 years later? I can’t speak for him but it definitely worked out pretty well. Starting with that first nursing home care assignment, my dad would excel as he climbed the ladder and built an incredible career.

My dad gave nearly 37 years to the Department of Veterans Affairs.

A Decorated Career

A lot happened between that first day in February 1986 and his last day in December 2022 when his grandchildren helped walk him out of the VA Hospital for the last time. A blog post can’t come close to scraping that surface but I can at least highlight just a few of my dad’s accomplishments…

On my dad’s last day, his grandchildren came to walk him out of the hospital for the last time.

They include launching the Health Care for Homeless Veterans program in 1995. A couple years later he would keep that program rolling by bringing the services and support directly to the veterans themselves by opening a center in downtown Spokane. He was promoted to Chief of Social Work for the VA in 2004. In 2008 he was whisked off to Washington D.C. for two weeks where he would work in the federal central office and oversee the 10,000 VA social workers scattered across the country. He won several awards, including the coveted Hands & Hearts honor in 1993. He would receive consistent acclaim from his bosses, co-workers, and community members throughout his nearly four decades of service.

My dad won the Hands & Heart Award in 1993. It was one of the many honors that would be bestowed on him.

A Veterans Advocate

Throughout his long, diversified career, my dad never lost track of who he was serving. The rapport he built with veterans was uncanny and honorable. I always marveled at the reverence and attention-to-detail my dad had for his patients. For everyone my dad helped, he could easily tell you the branch and location of where they served. But he could also describe, in expert detail, exactly what the veteran did/achieved (duties carried out, battles fought, awards won, etc.) and place it in perfect historical context. This genuineness and respect endeared veterans to my dad—they instantly trusted him.

Again, I can’t stress enough how much my dad cared for his patients. Although he was so good at turning off “work mode” upon returning home when we were growing up, the veterans he helped were never far from his mind. I could tell by how he would cut out newspaper obituaries of his patients, take me to weekend veteran ceremonies, and gaze long and hard at residences where he knew a veteran lived while we were out on family drives.

My dad never lost focus of why he was doing what he was doing.

Team Player

To know my dad is to know a very considerate, humble, and hard-working human being. These traits made him a special person to work with. Need evidence? Just take a look at the trophy he was presented with by several of his admiring former employees at his retirement party. So much of what I learned about relationship-building came directly from my dad. Whether it was how he treated his bosses, co-workers, and direct-reports when I would visit his office or how he rolled out the red carpet at the numerous office parties/dinners he threw at our house, everybody loved having Tom Reser on their team.

My dad stands with the trophy that his employees presented to him at his retirement party.

This sentiment was thoroughly expressed to me at his retirement party. VA employee after VA employee came up to this very proud son to say what an incredible impact my dad had on them over the years. To the very end, my dad was the ultimate team player, the fair and compassionate boss, and the one who stood out because he gave 100% every single day.

On the trophy, my dad’s employees placed this note.

Legacy

My dad’s career impact undoubtedly touched veterans, VA employees, and the Inland Northwest community. But if I can get personal for one moment, his career legacy does not stop there. It also extends to his three children. My siblings and I had the distinct privilege of living under my dad’s roof for 18 years. During that time, he taught us first-hand what it means to be a professional. No, he didn’t vocally convey it to us because he didn’t need to; we simply just had to observe. By watching my dad, we learned that being a professional meant waking up early every morning, embracing a positive attitude, and showing up at work ready to serve your employer. He taught us that being loyal and ethical always pays off and that there is no greater honor than supporting your family. His example has helped me tremendously in my own career.

Besides helping thousands and thousands of other people, this guy taught me what it means to be a professional

There is one final thing I need to make note of. My dad achieved his career success entirely upon his own devices. No one was about to do him any favors. He grew up in a poor family, lost both of his parents early, and was a first-generation college graduate. Despite obstacles, my dad didn’t take anything for granted, he didn’t complain, and he earned everything he achieved. He epitomized the American dream, and, in my opinion, is a modern-day American hero.

Happy retirement, dad. Don’t Blink.

Fruity Pebbles Oatmeal Thursday Rundown

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Welcome to the first Thursday Rundown of 2023. I actually have quite a few topics to choose from so I will make sure to select the five most insignificant, food-related ones I have at my disposal. Let’s go…

Arcade Prize Modernization – Last week we went to one of our favorite pizza parlors for dinner. One of the reasons why it is at top of our list is because it has an arcade for the kids. During our latest visit, we noticed the prize redemption area was gone and it was replaced by a prize kiosk. That’s right, no longer do you trade in your tickets to an actual person who rewards you with a prize from beneath a glass counter. You now engage with a machine. Upon feeding the kiosk your card with “tickets” loaded on it, you open up the machine’s door. From there, prizes are lined up according to the amount of tickets you won. Crazy, right?

And to think that I thought it was cool back in the day when you placed your tickets in a basket and it would automatically count how many you had. This prize kiosk is at Market Street Pizza.

Fruity Pebbles Oatmeal – As a little boy, I loved oatmeal. In fact, there is a story about a 3-year-old Brent waking his dad up at 5 a.m. demanding oatmeal. That was bad enough, but I happened to pull this stunt when we were at Seaside, Oregon, on vacation and there was no oatmeal in sight. I think my dad had to take me to a restaurant to satisfy my craving. I say all of that so you can understand why I recently bought Fruity Pebbles oatmeal at a very discounted price. Unfortunately, it was a disappointment. The Fruity Pebbles were stale (hence why they were probably discounted) and even if they were fresh I don’t think they would have meshed well with the oatmeal.

Fruity Pebbles Oatmeal was disgusting.

Another Perfect Ornament – During my final Thursday Rundown of 2022, I shared a special ornament that we added to our tree. I have one final sentimental tree decoration to show off. Beau brought this home from daycare. It contains a ribbon inside that is Beau’s current height. Will we take it out at least once during all future Christmas seasons? I think so!

This ornament will be treasured for years to come.

Barnes & Noble Mystery Books – No, I am not talking about the mystery genre of books. Rather, I am talking about a gimmick I noticed that Barnes & Noble was offering during the holiday shopping season. The idea is that you purchase a wrapped book with only the genre revealed. The title and author are only brought to light after you purchase the book and tear open the wrapping paper. I don’t mind the idea, but the sticker price of $16.99 was a little too much of a gamble for me, especially if I was gifting it to someone. If I want the thrill of reading a random book, I will just go to the library, shut my eyes, and grab something from the shelf.

Not a gamble I am willing to take.

Sriracha Game – I like Sriracha. In fact, I like it enough to possibly wear a Sriracha t-shirt. But a Sriracha card game? That might be pushing it. Board and card games have made an incredible resurgence to the point that it is starting to get a little out of control. Every brand seems to have a game these days and I have extremely little interest in playing any of them.

I will pass on the Sriracha game.

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That will shut the door on tonight’s Thursday Rundown. I hope 2023 is off to a wonderful start for you and your family. Be sure to enjoy the first Friday of the year tomorrow. Don’t Blink.

May Pope Benedict XVI Receive His Heavenly Reward

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God is love. Those were the opening words written by Pope Benedict XVI in his first papal encyclical. For a man of unparalleled theological talents, the phrase might seem quite simple for someone of his immense scholarship. However, it was right on character.

Pope Benedict XVI was as sharp as they come (photo cred: New York Times).

I awoke on New Year’s Eve morning to the expected news that Pope Benedict XVI had passed. Although I knew it was coming, his death still made me pause for a moment. Pope Benedict XVI is a central figure in my faith journey. I entered adulthood with Pope John Paul II the only pontiff I had lived under. When he died, I consumed all the funeral coverage that I possibly could and then followed closely the conclave that would elect then-Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

When Pope Benedict XVI appeared on the Vatican balcony, it was a profound moment for me. It was the first time I had ever seen a new pope elected and the abundant joy exhibited in Vatican Square was not lost on me. How special it was!

When Pope Benedict XVI made his first appearance as pope, I was mesmerized.

Pope Benedict XVI served the world’s 1.3 billion Catholics with humility and effectiveness. He was a champion of our faith and protected the Church to the absolute best of his ability. The way he continued to live his life after his resignation and co-exist with Pope Francis was nothing short of honorable.

As I mentioned, despite Pope Benedict’s prowess as a theologian and his ability to produce extremely thorough writings on complicated matters of faith, he was simple at heart. If the opening to his encyclical wasn’t enough evidence of that, perhaps his last words are. As he slipped into eternity, Pope Benedict XVI said Lord, I love you. Eternal rest grant unto Benedict, O Lord, and let Your perpetual light shine upon him. Don’t Blink.

A Staycation Holiday Break

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I don’t think there is a harder day to return to work than after the holiday break. After so much fun, joy, and celebrating, it isn’t easy to return to the (virtual) office, even for people who really enjoy their jobs, like me. But today I ripped off the band-aid and worked my first day of 2023. It wasn’t that bad and after a couple more days the holiday vacation hangover will be a distant memory.

With that said, while the hangover is still lingering a bit, I can’t express what an awesome break it was. This year was different because we didn’t travel anywhere. When you fly cross country, like we have for many of the past several years, you lose a couple days to travel and then you have to deal with jet lag. Thanks to staying in Spokane for the nearly two weeks I had off, I was able to maximize the time I had.

Much of the joy I experienced from my break centered on hanging with my children. We did a lot. Yep, this wasn’t a hiatus from work where we slept in and watched Disney+ the whole time. Tonight I thought I would share 10 of the fun things we did over the past couple weeks (in no particular order). I would have included 20 things but no one has time for that…

Rise of the Guardians – The Garland Theater is a large, historic theater in Spokane. During the holiday break, it offered free morning showings of older movies. At the start of break, I took Sloan to “Rise of the Guardians” where she watched the film while enjoying popcorn and soda.

Sloan stands at the marquee of the Garland Theater after we watched “Rise of the Guardians.”

Craft Day – The Spokane Valley Library held an ornament craft day the first week of break. Sloan and I attended and had a great time. We decided to make an elf ornament that turned out pretty great and earned a place of honor on our Christmas tree.

Sloan made an elf ornament at the Spokane Valley Library ornament craft event.

Outback Dinner – One of my favorite things we did all break was a family dinner at Outback Steakhouse. After Sid finished her last work day before Christmas, the four of us went out for a Blooming Onion and steaks. It was relaxing and special to enjoy a nice dinner with the impending Christmas holiday just a couple days away.

It was cold outside but inside it was toasty and the steaks were warm. In all honesty, it was a wonderful dinner with the family.

Trampoline Park – A couple times during break I took Sloan and Beau to the Flying Squirrel, one of the many trampoline parks in Spokane. On one of the visits Sloan had a play date with her school friend, Aminah. During the other, we met up with my sister and her two children.

Sloan and Beau jumped at the Flying Squirrel twice during break. This is her with her friend, Aminah.

McDonald’s Lunch – The same day that Sloan and Beau jumped with their cousins at the trampoline park, we continued the fun at McDonald’s. The kids ate Happy Meals and played with their Mario Bros.-themed toys.

It is always a great day when you get to eat a Happy Meal.

Build-A-Bear – Sloan and Beau decided to use some of their Christmas money for a Build-A-Bear experience. After much debate, Sloan opted for a rainbow unicorn and Beau chose a Chase doll. It was a long process but what kid doesn’t need another stuffed animal to add to their overflowing collection?

Sloan and Beau holding their creations after an afternoon at Build-A-Bear.

Lunch With Sid – After the Christmas holiday, Sid returned to work. On Tues., Dec. 27, the kids and I joined her for lunch! We drove out to River Park Square which is right next to where my wife works. The four of us ate in the food court and then walked around the mall for a bit after.

We went to River Park Square to have lunch with Sid. As we waited, we crossed the sky walk and enjoyed a beautiful view.

Jump For Joy – Close to our house is a fun center called Jump For Joy. It specializes in inflatables such as jump castles. In-between our trampoline park visits, I took Sloan and Beau here for a fun afternoon.

Beau loved running around Jump For Joy.

Noon Year Party – On Dec. 31, Sloan, Beau, and I headed to the Shadle Public Library for its noon year celebration. We arrived at 11 a.m. and listened to a New Year’s Eve-related book. We then went to different stations and made noise makers, party hats, and a fireworks craft. As noon approached, the kids all surrounded a play parachute and ruffled its sides before launching balloons out of it at 12 p.m.

Sloan and Beau had a lot of fun making crafts at the Shadle Park Library Noon’s Year Eve party.

New Year’s Eve Date Night – Call me a bad father, but I allowed Sloan to stay up with me until midnight on New Year’s Eve. She just about made it on her own devices, falling asleep at 11:30 p.m. I couldn’t let that solid effort go unrewarded, so I woke her up at 11:55 p.m. to watch the ball drop. We spent the evening watching “Edward Scissorhands,” baking cookies, and watching the fireworks go off around our house.

Sloan and I all snuggled up for New Year’s Eve.

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After so much “out and about” activity, it is tough to confine yourself back to a desk. However, I am managing, as are Sloan and Beau at school and daycare, respectively. We will hold memories tight from this past break and will look to have just as much fun in 11.5 months. Don’t Blink.

Sloan’s 500 Book Achievement

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As I browsed social media on Dec. 30 and Dec. 31, the popular topic seemed to be how many books a given person read in 2022. Granted, most of these were quantities of adults. To break through the noise a bit, I decided to share the number of books Sloan read during the year via a tweet…

The tweet I sent out on Sloan’s behalf after reading her 500th book.

After reading a little more than 400 books in 2021, Sloan topped the previous year’s mark by reading 500 books in 2022. The milestone book came on the afternoon of Dec. 31 as we read What If You Had Animal Teeth?, a creative work about different animal teeth and how they would function if they grew inside a human child’s mouth.

On Dec, 31, 2022, we read the above three final books–#498, #499, and #500–of the year. The 500th book was “What If You Had Animal Teeth?”

At the conclusion of the book, we had a little celebration as we recognized Sloan for her commitment to reading over the course of the year. In a ceremonial act, Sloan added a string of emojis at the bottom of the 2022 book log we kept on my Notes app.

A screenshot of the final four days of our 2022 reading log.

Similarly to Sloan’s reading output in 2021, her success in 2022 was consistency. Every night, with the exception for some weekend evenings, we would read 1-3 books as part of our Books and Prayers bedtime routine. Her reading supply came from numerous trips to Spokane County libraries. Every two weeks, we would visit a branch—Spokane Valley, Argonne, and North Spokane were our favorites—and check out 20-25 books per visit.

Sloan poses with “Gilbert the Gnome” during her last visit to the Spokane Valley County Library in 2022.

Because of the quantity of books we read the past two years, a new issue reared its head in 2022. As we would sit down for our nightly Books and Prayers routine, we would look at the covers of the book(s) we were about to read and sometimes say, “Hey, haven’t we read this book before?” I would then search the book’s title in my log, and, from time to time, would discover that we had read that book 18 months ago. It’s okay, I think we still have many books to go before we read the entire library. 😊

In 2022, we started to inadvertently check out some of the books we had already read in the past.

Like 2021, many of the books we read in 2022 resonated with Sid and I. In the same way that the brains behind “Bluey,” make episodes with underlying adult themes, many children’s authors are just as savvy. Thus, for those of you thinking from a parents’ perspective that reading 500 children’s books must be really boring…it actually isn’t.

Sidney and I never tired of reading books to Sloan and Beau in 2022.

Then again, it wasn’t like it was just Sid and I reading those 500 books. Over the course of the year, both sets of Sloan’s grandparents joined in our Books and Prayers routine by serving as guest readers. Some of Sloan’s aunts and her Uncle Glen also assumed the honor. But it just wasn’t adults reading the books. By the time Sloan reached Kindergarten this fall, she started reading some of the books too! It has been exhilarating seeing the progress she has made. In addition to the excellent teaching she receives at school, I like to think the emphasis we have placed on books might have also contributed to her developing reading skills.

Carrots anyone? Sloan holding one of the 500 books she read in 2022.

Just like last year, I think the best part about Sloan’s reading prowess is the universal themes she has picked up on. By reading 500 books, we have learned a lot about love, death, family, honesty, self-care, friendship, hard work, preparation, sharing, diversity, and much more.

The books we read in 2022 dealt with countless different themes.

Looking ahead to 2023, we hope to introduce more books that go beyond picture books. If anyone has suggestions, please shoot them our way. Thanks to our Spokane County Library system for being such an awesome resource for our family! Don’t Blink.

Welcome to 2023

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Happy New Year, friends! For those longtime Don’t Blink readers, you know my thoughts about the two New Year’s holidays. I am not a fan of New Year’s Eve as I find it more depressing than anything. With that said, Sloan and I had a nice time last night watching “Edwards Scissorhands” as Sid and Beau slept. My perspective changes when it comes to New Year’s Day. I find January 1 to be full of optimism and possibility. It truly is a fresh start!

So as we begin 2023, I encourage you to take advantage of the fresh blank slate you have in front of you. I have grappled with my opinion on New Year’s resolutions over the years but this is where my current mindset is: Set goals!

Wishing all my readers a great 2023!

You don’t have to change the world, but there is no harm in improving yourself over the next 52 weeks. Open up your phone, pull up your Notes app, and jot down a few of the aspirations that you have for 2023. Check it often.

I plan to continue authoring blogs in 2023. However, I can’t promise a certain quantity…or quality (sorry!). But you can probably expect some posts about food, a Thursday Rundown or two, and plenty of Don’t Blink sign offs. I look forward to having you along for the blogging ride in 2023. Thanks for your readership and have a blessed year. Don’t Blink.