Let’s open this blog post with the sobering reality that many people in our country are facing unimaginable hardships due to disasters such as hurricanes and wildfires. Please pray for all those impacted and for the conclusion of these disastrous events. On that sad, but necessary, note, here are tonight’s five topics…

Night At Indians Game – On Wednesday evening we finally attended our first Spokane Indians game of the summer. Thanks to our friend Shauna (whose daughter, Aminah, is a great friend/classmate of Sloan) we had free tickets. Even better, Shauna arranged for Sloan to announce the first Indians batter. If you think I am lying, watch her flex her announcing chops here. It was a rainy day but it all cleared by first pitch as it was truly a gorgeous evening at Avista Stadium.

It was a great night for baseball at Avista Stadium as the Spokane Indians hosted the Everett AquaSox.

Other Drink Stand Business Models – Last night I told the story of the drink stand business model we concocted for Sloan. Well, there are many other creative options out there as well. Nearly eight years ago, several groups within a business class at Coastal Carolina University converged on Prince Lawn to compete against each other in a lemonade stand battle. Each group did something different and innovative to attract customers. I loved going from stand to stand and I wrote this blog post highlighting the models and tactics that each group used.

This was one of the lemonade stands I encountered on the Coastal Carolina University campus back in September 2015.

Pickleball – Our new neighborhood has a couple of really well-done pickleball courts and we are all about them. The Resers are now part of the national craze as we have ventured down to the courts multiple times for some family fun. Sidney bought a couple of the Target pickleball sets and they are working just fine for us at the moment. However, if we continue to have a blast playing, we might have to invest in equipment that is a little nicer 😎.

Sloan loves pickleball already!

Strike Force Five – It is kind of a neat concept. Colbert, Fallon, Kimmel, Seth Meyers, and John Oliver are collaborating on a podcast to support their striking writers. Although I am not a fan of any of them, especially the first three I mentioned by last name, I admire what they are doing. When reading about it, I kept thinking, Could you imagine Letterman, Leno, and Conan doing this in their heyday?

I admire the teamwork of these five comedians.

What A Feat! – Early in my career I was a marketing director for an intercollegiate volleyball team so I understand the challenges of packing the venue with fans. Because of this experience, I was blown away by the 92,003 people who filled the University of Nebraska’s football stadium to watch the Cornhuskers volleyball team host Omaha. Many Division I football programs would be ecstatic if just a third of the fans that showed up in Lincoln went to a game in their venue. What transpired on Wednesday night reveals so much about Nebraska’s passion for women’s sports, the commitment of the institution’s marketing team, and the success of the volleyball program. How cool it must have been to watch that match in-person!

What an incredible and encouraging sight! (photo courtesy of CNN).

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Okay, I think I am going to release all of you so you can enjoy a terrific Labor Day weekend. Be safe and savor these last official moments of summer. Don’t Blink.