Feeling On-Brand At EWU

Posted on September 30, 2024 by brent

Fitting In

I definitely feel like an Eagle now. A major project championed by our University Relations Department flew into market last week. Its reveal proved a perfect way to mark my two-month anniversary at Eastern Washington University.

Last Tuesday, we officially launched EWU’s evolved brand positioning as the region’s polytechnic. Our university is owning our time-honored commitment to applied learning while continuing to invest in additional opportunities for all students across all disciplines to engage in hands-on experiences. By allowing students to do their craft while at EWU, we equip them for more opportunities once they enter the workforce. After all, there is a reason why 75% of our graduates find jobs related to their major.

We launched EWU’s evolved brand positioning last week. We are now the region’s polytechnic.

Hey, I Know About This

I had a really interesting perspective with the development of the evolved brand when I started at EWU. While still at WSU—where we were coincidentally working on debuting a major branding campaign ourselves—it was made public that EWU would embrace the positioning of the region’s polytechnic. Although it was months away from launch, the future of brand marketing at Eastern Washington University was now revealed. From this outside-looking-in vantage point, I paid close attention as the institution provided updates on the work, faculty offered feedback, and the media covered the developments/debate closely.

Yes, there was some controversy about the branding direction EWU was headed. However, it didn’t faze me.

You see, I was well aware of the shift to the region’s polytechnic long before I even applied to EWU. To be honest, I saw promise with the positioning. I firmly believe that the key to successful branding is differentiation. Often, I bring up the example of attending a higher ed marketing conference where a slide was shown with brand tag lines on one side and university logos on the other. The presenter asked if we could draw lines from each marketing tag line to the respective college it belonged to. It was just about impossible. All the tag lines were so generic (i.e. “Driven to Discover,”Here is How,” Creating Bold Futures,” etc.) that you couldn’t differentiate which mantra belonged to which university.

EWU wasn’t going to have an identity issue at all with the region’s polytechnic. At the same time, it wasn’t going to be easy. In addition to the massive amount of work required for any brand evolution, the push back element was very real.

And here is the actual slide I referenced in the previous paragraph. I couldn’t help but take a photo of it during the 2023 AMA Symposium for Higher Ed.

Joining the Effort

And that’s where I came in. Launching any type of brand is a marathon and I entered the race toward the home stretch. It takes a lot of time to successfully introduce any type of branding campaign—usually at least a year. Research, discovery, platform development, expression, and launch are just some of the major components. With my hire date roughly two months before launch, I entered the picture as we were finalizing our brand platform and building assets.

Basically, I jumped on the band wagon once all the hard work was already completed 😂.

To be fair, the home stretch was grueling and there were still plenty of challenges to navigate. However, the major effort put forth by those on the University Relations team and others across the university prior to me setting foot on campus was significant. I was impressed with what everyone had done.

I was also very humbled by how gracious my team treated me. My UR colleagues truly knew how to make me feel part of the brand squad, even if it could have seemed like the new guy was swooping in at the last minute to snatch glory for himself. My boss and co-workers provided me with in-depth context, valued my opinion, and tolerated my many questions.

Assisting Where I Could

They also allowed me to contribute. Providing input at strategy meetings, participating in calls with our marketing consultants (shout out to idfive!), approving brand assets/resources, and LISTENING were all ways I got my feet wet with the brand evolution.

As the days passed and crunch time drew near, I became very invested in our brand evolution and felt genuine camaraderie with my EWU team. I had the opportunity to build our paid media plan for the brand’s roll out, write brand-related content for the web, develop the SEM strategy, and deal with launch logistics. Again, small contributions compared to what my team had already done—and continued to do—but exciting nonetheless.

Our evolved brand positioning officially launched on Sept. 24, 2024.

Let’s Launch!

The official launch came on Sept. 24 during Convocation, a start-of-the-academic-year event where the EWU president addresses faculty and staff. Toward the end of the program, President McMahan talked about Eastern’s new positioning and then premiered the two-minute brand anthem video. The centerpiece of the brand evolution roll out, our team exerted a lot of effort to perfect it. The video was met with resounding applause and at that moment we went live with our paid and organic plans. We were finally in market.

Although executing the launch took a big weight off our shoulders, the crucial work is now just beginning. Incorporating, explaining, supporting, and feeding EWU’s new positioning is something that our University Relations team and the rest of the institution will focus on each day moving forward.

A successful branding initiative requires differentiation and I think we nailed it. I am proud of my team for their tireless work and grateful that they allowed me to be part of the effort

Set For Success

I believe in the unique way that we are now presenting Eastern Washington University. Positioning ourselves as the region’s polytechnic will deliver us more attention from prospective students and their parents who are looking for colleges that offer hands-on learning and real-life experiences. Even though we aren’t changing who we are, just boldly stating who we are, I think our fresh approach is going to make EWU standout in a very crowded and competitive market.

Once again, much gratitude to my team members who worked so hard on this brand positioning and welcomed me with open arms. Working with Eric Limburg, Ginny Baxter, Amy Bradberry, Melodie Little, and so many others down the stretch was a rewarding experience. But in the end, a change of brand positioning goes way beyond just marketing. I recognize everyone else at EWU who helped us become the region’s polytechnic through their vision, research, planning, support, and time. Cheers to forward-thinking. Don’t Blink.

Bigfoot Pee Thursday Rundown

Posted on September 26, 2024 by brent

We have been blessed with such a gorgeous September in the Inland Northwest and the sunshine will continue through the weekend. Mid-70s are forecasted throughout the next few days, something I don’t mind at all for early autumn. Let’s get started with tonight’s rundown…

Best (or worst?) Bottled Water Name – This past weekend I was handed a bottle of Bigfoot Pee. Don’t worry, it’s not actual urine from sasquatch—it’s spring water. Sourced from the mountain springs of Oregon, it did have a purer taste than what I usually enjoy from my tap. The kind gentleman who gave me the bottle at his Bigfoot Pee booth at ValleyFest told me I would never go back to drinking “regular water” again. Although that prediction held for maybe an hour, Bigfoot Pee did capture my curiosity.

Would you drink a water called “Bigfoot Pee”? I did.

Snack Creativity – I have written before about the pressure that exists on parents who sign up to bring snacks at the conclusion of a child’s sporting event. From what I have experienced over the past four years as a youth sports parents, the offerings continue to get more and more bougee. Sid and I have evolved a bit from the old days of Goldfish crackers and a Capri Sun but we haven’t embraced full course meals in happy meal-like boxes either. This past Saturday, we were on snack duty for Sloan’s game. We purchased granola bars, trail mix, applesauce, and a small sports drink to place in brown paper lunch sacks. Sloan wanted to add something a little extra. She took the time to write the names of her teammates and draw a soccer scene on each bag. Our daughter was proud of her “special touch” and was beaming later that evening when her coach e-mailed to say he was impressed by Sloan’s extra effort and creativity.

Sloan organizing the team snacks prior to her soccer match.

Pass Through the Pillars – Tuesday was an awesome day at work for me on several levels. One thing that really stood out was the opportunity to participate in Eastern Washington University’s Pass Through the Pillars tradition. The day before the first day of fall quarter, first-year students walk through EWU’s iconic Herculean Pillars to ceremoniously begin their college careers. Faculty, staff, and community members line the path and give high-fives to the new students. It was a thrill to slap skin with these brand new Eagles and offer encouragement as they embark on a big journey. Wishing all new students the best!

It was cool to be part of the Pass Through the Pillars tradition at Eastern Washington University.

All About Beau – Thank goodness my wife took the lead on Beau’s latest homework assignment. As a way to develop community in the classroom and to express personality, each child in Mrs. Hoard’s St. Mary Catholic School pre-k4 class completed a “Read All About Me” sheet (or at least their parents did). Not only did Sid fill in all the required fields, she also used her coloring skills to make it look really nice. Word on the street is that Beau is really proud to see it attached to his classroom wall.

Take a look at Beau’s “All About Me” sheet.

National Pancake Day…Again? – Sometimes the gimmicky “National Day of _________” celebrations get so out of control that they show up TWICE in a single calendar year. Such is the case with National Pancake Day. I have traditionally celebrated this “special” day on February 13 but it turns out that date is reserved for IHOP’s National Pancake Day. Anyway, I guess today is just the generic National Pancake Day. Regardless, I am such a huge pancake fan (read my ode to hotcakes) that I can recognize both dates. Best way to cook pancakes? By undercooking them of course! I prefer “doughy” pancakes where the batter is slightly runny. If I didn’t tell you in February, let me tell you now…happy National Pancake Day!

After looking at this photo, does anyone question my love of pancakes anymore?!

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Time to stick the fork in another Thursday Rundown. I hope to watch the “Mr. McMahon” Netflix docuseries over the next several days but we will see what happens. Have a great weekend. Don’t Blink.

Community Outreach At Its Best

Posted on September 24, 2024 by brent

This past weekend, I attended ValleyFest with Sloan and Beau. The event is a tremendous showcase for Spokane Valley that offers entertainment, food, a car show, 5K race, and countless vendors. It truly is a major community gathering.

The Spokane Valley Fire Department showed up in full force to the event. Several fire fighters were on-hand to pass out plastic station hats and allow youngsters to sit inside one of the department’s shiny red fire trucks.

Sloan hanging out in a Spokane Valley Fire Department truck.

As Sloan and Beau each took a turn climbing into the truck, I couldn’t help but think how fire departments all across the country seem to excel at community outreach. From as far back as I can remember, the local fire department has always made it a priority to connect with the families it serves outside of emergencies. This has always been the case—no matter where I have lived. I thought I would briefly mention three ways that I remember the fire department connecting with the community in non-crisis situations when I was a boy.

Beau loving life hanging in the Spokane Valley Fire Department truck while his new “buddy” stands close by.

Fire Hydrant Flushing – If we thought running through the sprinklers was cool, the annual flushing of fire hydrants took our excitement level up several notches. When we would see a fire truck pull up to the fire hydrant across the street, we would manically get our swimsuits on and wait for the high-pressure soak that was about to ensue. When the fire fighter pulled the valve and the water came bursting out, it momentarily flooded the street, much to our delight. When this happened just a couple years ago at the same fire hydrant across from my parents’ house, Beau was able to experience the same joy I did decades ago. The sticker that one of the fire fighters came him afterwards was a nice touch.

Santa Visits – Perhaps no fire station outreach tactic is as beloved as Santa visits. I have so many beautiful memories of resting in bed on random December evenings only to hear sirens filling the neighborhood. My parents would help my siblings and I get out of bed and hobble out to the front of our house in our pajamas. With canned food in our hands, we would wait for the procession of fire trucks to reach our street with the Christmas light-decorated vehicle towing the rear. Situated in the caboose trailer was Santa Claus himself. After donating our cans to the food drive we would sit on Santa’s lap and get a candy cane. It was purely magical!

Simulated Situation – My family would always attend a Fourth of July celebration at Pioneer Park in Walla Walla. It was something similar to ValleyFest with vendors and community partners present. The fire department would always attend and haul in this small house on a trailer. Children could enter the house and go through a simulated fire emergency. I remember crawling on my knees (where the fresh air is) and locating a door handle to determine whether it was hot (don’t open) or cool (go ahead and open). If my memory serves me correctly, they even pumped in a smoke-like substance to make the simulation even more real. This little house was such an effective way to draw in kids while teaching them some extremely important lessons.

I salute fire fighters everywhere not just for their savvy ways of making their presence known in the community, but for the critical/brave work they do every single day. Let us not take for granted how lucky we are to have a strong fire department infrastructure in this country. Don’t Blink.

Managing A Hall of Famer

Posted on September 23, 2024 by brent

I can now say that I supervised a hall of famer.

This summer, Monte, the grizzly bear mascot at the University of Montana, was selected for the Mascot Hall of Fame. This past Saturday, he was officially inducted into the esteemed fraternity when he received his Hall of Fame “ring” during the Griz vs. Western Carolina football game.

After being selected to the Mascot Hall of Fame this past summer, Monte was inducted this past Saturday. Former University of Montana students who played Monte, including a couple who I personally supervised, took part in the ceremony and are featured in this picture (photo courtesy of the University of Montana).

Call me proud.

I started my career on the marketing team within the University of Montana Intercollegiate Athletics Department. I was pretty much the low man on the totem pole as I wore a lot of different hats but gained some fantastic experience. One colorful duty I held was that of mascot coordinator. It was my responsibility to manage the mascot program and make sure that appearances were scheduled, game entertainment was planned, our student performers were taken care of, and much more than you could probably ever imagine.

Monte and I at the NCAA Tournament in 2012.

Don’t look at me to take credit for Monte’s ascension to mascot stardom. By the time I was installed as the mascot coordinator in 2009, Monte was already well on his way to the Mascot Hall of Fame (even though it didn’t even exist at that time 😂). Legends like Scott Stiegler and Barry Anderson had already catapulted Monte to the national level by their epic portrayals of the costumed grizzly bear. Basically, when I started in the athletic department there was already a profound legacy and established program to oversee. It was both a lot of pressure and a lot of fun.

What an awesome opportunity I had to manage the Monte program!

Just like with my time at UM in general, I learned a lot from managing the Monte program. Whether it was navigating a packed schedule of appearances, billing the hundreds of people who would hire Monte, ordering new mascot suits (not cheap!), or answering fan mail, there was never a dull day…and that was just behind-the-scenes stuff.

There was never a dull day with Monte.

The public-facing, athletics-related work was another dimension of mascot management. Basketball halftime performances, skits between volleyball sets, fulfilling in-game sponsorship obligations, and making the mascot available to fans just scratch the surface of Monte’s presence at Grizzly Athletics events. And that doesn’t even cover the most stressful part…football home entrances! Whether Monte was cruising out on his motorcycle, tubing across midfield, roaring out on an ATV, or saluting the stadium on top of a military vehicle, all of these spectacles took down-to-the-second planning and plenty of rehearsing.

Monte pours his heart out for the community, but he especially goes hard when it comes to supporting the student-athletes of all sports at the University of Montana.

But for every minute of stress incurred from being the mascot coordinator, I was rewarded with two minutes of joy. Because I was the staff member responsible for Monte, I got to accompany him to road games, national mascot competitions (went to Disney World twice), cheerleading camps, and some super cool community events where we were treated like gold.

Monte and I at the UCA Championships at Walt Disney World in 2013.

I also had the opportunity to produce “Monte Movies” (I even appeared in one), direct a couple different Capital One National Mascot of the Year campaigns, coordinate birthday bashes, and have a front row seat to the unbelievable chemistry that exists between Monte and Griz Nation.

The opening scene of the Monte Movie I appeared in back in 2013.

And that last item truly is what makes Monte so special. It is why I am in the position to brag about the rad things I got to do all those years ago. Simply, the students who have portrayed Monte over the past few decades are beyond amazing. Starting with Scott and Barry and followed by all the talented others, the Monte alumni inner-circle is almost as prestigious as past U.S. Presidents. Although they have all brought a slightly different skill set and personality to the role, they still honored the Monte legacy and left no doubt that the greatest tradition and ambassador at the University of Montana is a beloved grizzly bear.

Had to include the most awkward photo I have with Monte.

But to be honest, I think Griz Nation only knows half of what Monte truly does for the community. I saw firsthand the truly heroic acts the students I supervised would do. I am talking about donating hours of their time in the suit to help non-profits. Or going to hospitals to brighten the days of sick children. Or going out of their way to help kids petrified of Monte overcome their fear. Or answering the call when a clueless mascot coordinator would ask them to go back on the field in the fourth quarter after they had already spent every ounce of energy. These are the individuals inside the suit.

Congrats to this special bear!

Congratulations to Monte, especially the three students I had the pleasure of supervising at the start of my career. May the country’s best collegiate mascot forever enjoy enshrinement in the Hall of Fame. Don’t Blink.

Uglies Thursday Rundown

Posted on September 19, 2024 by brent

Hello, it’s me again! Honestly, why do you keep coming back here? On second thought, don’t answer that—I am just thrilled someone wants to read my scribble. Okay, let’s go with tonight’s five topics.

Passport PSA – This is a public service announcement brought to you by your favorite blogger…you can now renew your passport online! For those readers who like to travel internationally, we all know there is no bigger nag than making arrangements to extend your passport. Thankfully, a pilot program has now been introduced to the general population. Tap here for details.

Rejoice! You can now renew passports online.

Uglies – This week I watched the #2 Netflix movie in America. “Uglies” is a movie about a dystopian society where the largest segment undergoes cosmetic surgery at 16 years old to reflect the idealized physical version of themselves. However, there is a dissenting and outcast population, the Uglies, who don’t. The first half of the film was really captivating and the soundtrack is on point. Not to mention one of my favorite actresses, Joey King, stars in the lead role. But the second half of the movie isn’t as interesting and some parts are tacky. When I finished watching “Uglies,” I couldn’t help but think it was just a poor man’s “Hunger Games.”

“Uglies” started promising and then fizzled.

Nazareth Guild – I feel that sometimes people think, “A Catholic education is way too expensive for my family.” Well, first thing I would say is that tuition might not be as cost-prohibitive as you think. It would be worth your time to check rates at your local Catholic school. Second, financial assistance does exist for those serious about a Catholic education. Here in eastern Washington, a non-profit organization called the Nazareth Guild provides financial aid to families who want to enroll at a school in the Spokane Diocese but might lack the funds to do so. On Saturday night, we joined the principal of St. Mary Catholic School along with some of our other friends for the Nazareth Guild’s Celebration of Light fundraising dinner. What an inspiring and lucrative evening…$425,000 was raised!

Some quick photos including a selfie of Sid and me, Bishop Daly at the podium, and a group photo with some of the people we attended the event with.

Pirate Day – Whenever people talk about niche national days, the example of “National Talk Like A Pirate Day” is always used to describe the absurdity of this recent phenomenon. So, to those who genuinely do talk like a pirate, let me legitimize your hobby because today is your special day 😂. Although I don’t ever talk like a pirate, I have been known to dress like one. While I am at it, let me send my regards to all those celebrating National Butterscotch Pudding Day. Count me among your legions—I love butterscotch…especially in milkshake form.

Sidney and I dressed as pirates in 2015.

Ice Cream Fake Out – I took a photo of this random ice cream sign at the fair because it didn’t look right to me. As I waited for Sloan to finish a ride, I scanned through the text and noticed the statistic that said 4.90% of Americans store ice cream in their freezer. I thought there is no way less than 5% of people in this country have ice cream at home. Well, when I pulled up this photo yesterday, I couldn’t help but laugh. It turns out 90% of Americans store ice cream in their freezer. This tidbit was the fourth item on the list and thus designated with the numeral 4 and a period (.) to convey it. My brain had mushed the “4.” and “90” together to form 4.90%.

I didn’t read this ice cream sign correctly on Friday night.

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And with that, another Thursday Rundown is in the books. All our September weekends have been packed thus far and the trend will hold true for this upcoming one as well. Thanks again for reading! Don’t Blink.

Thirty Years of Fun

Posted on September 18, 2024 by brent

My parents call it the best investment they ever made. No, it wasn’t testing the stock market, purchasing a mini van, or investing in our college educations. It was something far different…

They installed a basketball hoop.

My family stands underneath the basketball hoop during the same year it was installed—1994.

On this date 30 years ago, my dad and a couple of his friends worked together to erect a basketball goal in the driveway of our childhood home. The trio labored to put the hoop together and plant it in cement on one side of my parents’ long and curvy driveway.

It was a rather ceremonious day as my siblings and I each pressed down with our right hands on a portion of that wet cement, thereby securing our handprints and legacies for decades to come. As it was technically my early birthday present, the honor was bestowed on me to make the first basket.

Beau placed his hand in the imprint left by my hand on this date 30 years ago.

It was the first of many.

That basketball hoop truly was a game changer for the Reser family. We played on it for hours and hours and hours. Time we could have otherwise spent indoors was transferred to our driveway where we “hooped it up” with ourselves, extended family, friends, and the whole neighborhood.

My friends, brother, and I pose underneath our basketball hoop during one of my birthday parties in the mid-90s.

I remember feeling a lot of pride when my dad installed our hoop. We had purchased an easily adjustable goal that allowed us to set it at regulation height (10 feet), bring it all the way down to seven feet for beginners, or set it anywhere in-between to test our hops. It also featured a glass backboard that seemed to give our “court” a level of prestige that the basketball hoops in my friends’ driveways did not.

We obviously loved posing with the hoop 😂. Just an awkward photo with my siblings as we hold our basketballs.

As I alluded to, the time devoted to playing hoops in our driveway can’t be quantified. Simply, I can’t begin to add up the thousands of hours spent on “Reser Court” (as we affectionately called it). From one-on-one battles to three-on-three skirmishes to HORSE showdowns to Twenty-One slugfests to dunk contests to Bump rounds to long summer days of just shooting hoops…the ball never stopped bouncing on our driveway.

Just taking a break from the action back in the day.

Did we always play nicely? Heck no. Fights broke out every now and then, score disputes arose, and my mom would occasionally have to clear the court and send everyone home. But for the most part, we had so much clean fun just playing basketball. Did my parents ever become annoyed with the constant bouncing of the basketball that would radiate from outside and echo inside the house? Hardly. I think they were just thankful that they had unlimited time to enjoy the house to themselves without kids hogging the TV and eating all the snacks.

Playing some basketball with my childhood best friend, Jordan Brink, at some point when we were either in middle school or early high school.

After my siblings and I left the house, I know Reser Court went through some lonely years. That’s not the case any longer. Grandchildren now test out their skills on the hoop. In fact, Sloan, who once made 50 shots in one afternoon while staying with grandma and papa, is the age I was when the hoop was installed—7. And, just as interesting, on today’s 30th anniversary of the hoop installation, I am the same age my dad was when he worked with his buddies to make our basketball dreams come true.

Reser Court now belongs to a new generation and these two are part of it.

I know I write a lot about meaningless anniversaries in an attempt to be humorous and to generate content. This isn’t one of those. I absolutely love that hoop in my parents’ driveway and am so thankful that my parents gave into my pleas to install it. That a new generation now gets to enjoy it is icing on the cake. Thanks to the hundreds who have played with us on Reser Court. SWISH! Don’t Blink.

The Great Pumpkin Seed

Posted on September 17, 2024 by brent

Last Friday evening, my family honored a four-year tradition and visited the Spokane Interstate Fair. Although there were many highlights (perhaps I will share some of those anecdotes in this upcoming week’s Thursday Rundown), there was something I learned that really stood out.

At one point during the night, we entered the agricultural pavilion. After looking at the award winning vegetables, fruits, and pies we ventured over to the corner of the building that showcased the giant pumpkins that farmers proudly grew.

Beat takes a long look at the giant pumpkins at the Spokane Interstate Fair.

Many of the pumpkins tipped the scale at over 900 pounds. However, the blue ribbon pumpkin did not have a weight assigned to it. Why? Because that was for fair-goers like us to determine. Yep, there was a contest to guess how much the “best in show” pumpkin weighed.

The four of us all submitted our guesses on pieces of white paper, folded them up, and placed them in a box. The box was situated on a long rectangle table with a man sitting at one end. This gentleman was overseeing the pumpkins and the contest. As someone who doesn’t mind talking to strangers, especially at community events, I approached him with a question.

Now, before I reveal the question, just a little bit of background: My inquiry was asked in the same vein that caused me to once wonder aloud what happens to horses and other large, non-butchered livestock when they die? How do people manage such a large mass when it is no longer alive or needed? Do you see where I am going with this?…

“What will happen to these pumpkins after the fair?” I asked the man.

Beau thinking about how many pounds he was going to guess for the weight of the pumpkin.

I mean, a 1,000 pound pumpkin takes up a lot of space and is extremely heavy. If I was the owner of these large pumpkins and I didn’t plan to make a lot of pumpkin pie, I think I would ask the fair if they could find some way to dispose of them.

Oh Brent, how naïve you are.

The man at the table told me the truth: the owners make money off them!

Once the fair is over, the owners come back and retrieve their gourds. They then cut them up and sell the seeds. But they aren’t putting a handful in a pack and selling them for a couple dollars like what you find at any gardening store. These people are selling them PER seed. And let me tell you, the going rate is not $2 per seed.

They are selling them for $50 EACH.

Of course the numbers started to swirl in my head. When we carve regular-sized pumpkins at Halloween, there are seemingly hundreds of seeds inside. How many seeds must be inside a pumpkin that is 300X bigger than the ones we buy at Safeway. Now take that large amount of seeds and multiply it by 50. Is anyone else seeing dollar signs?

If only all those seeds my dad removed from that pumpkin were worth $50 each!

I am always on the lookout for a revenue-generating side hustle and giant pumpkin seed harvesting sounds extremely lucrative. In fact, the ROI seems incredible considering it only takes one seed to plant a mammoth pumpkin that would produce hundreds (or perhaps thousands) of new seeds. Sounds like I could turn $50 into $50,000 over the course of a summer. But alas, I don’t really have the space in my neighborhood to grow a pumpkin that would likely nudge into my neighbor’s yard.

Despite the disappointment that growing a giant pumpkin probably won’t work out for me, I am still glad I found out the very interesting story about what happens to overgrown gourds after the fair. Happy pumpkin spice season, everyone. Don’t Blink.

I Lost It Again!

Posted on September 16, 2024 by brent

Panic shot through my veins at the beginning of last week. After I arrived at work, dropped my items off in my office, and used the restroom, I noticed something alarming as I walked back to my work station. My left hand felt a bit lighter. I looked down and confirmed my greatest fear: my wedding ring was missing.

A deep dread overcame me like it did five years earlier when I had another wedding ring crisis. While leaving the gym I realized the ring wasn’t on my finger and worried that it vanished in some random spot while I exercised. Thankfully, after frantically searching the gym to no avail, I found my ring on my car floorboard once I arrived home. Guess I just needed the drive back to the house to clear my head.

Okay, back to last Tuesday. I texted Sid immediately to ask if I left my ring on our bathroom counter. You see, I only take my ring off for two reasons: while exercising and showering. Could I have somehow left it behind while getting ready that morning? Nope. My wife said she actually cleaned the counter that morning and my ring wasn’t there. Oh, shit.

I started retracing my steps within Hargreaves Hall, the building I work in at Eastern Washington University. My immediate thought was that my ring came off somewhere within that facility because the unmistakable sense of my hand feeling lighter didn’t come until after I used the restroom. After searching throughout the building and coming up empty, I was pretty dejected. Pull it together, Brent, you need to get to work.

It was lost but now it is found.

However, before I summoned the mental toughness I needed to be productive, I decided I would re-trace my steps all the way back to my car. I took the same three-block path (in reverse) I forged into work 20 minutes earlier. Nothing. But then I latched onto a tiny bit of hope as I reached my Ford Escape. Perhaps, just like what happened five years ago, my ring had fallen off inside my vehicle. Nope. I looked everywhere and it definitely wasn’t there.

With it now almost 8:15 a.m., I had to muster the professionalism to begin the work day and hope my ring would turn up. As I started the walk back to Hargreaves Hall, a thought entered my brain. Acting upon it, I plunged my hand into my left pocket and felt around. BINGO! My fingers touched a circle-shaped metal object. Mystery solved.

At some point, most likely as I entered the restroom and took my hand out of my pocket, the ring must have slipped off my finger and descended to the bottom corner of my pocket. Yes, it wasn’t lost on me that I went on a panic-fueled wild goose chase to find a ring that was on my person the whole time, but I didn’t dwell too much on that. I just felt gratitude and relief that such a meaningful possession of mine was not lost.

A wedding ring is simply a symbol and can be replaced…I know that. But the thought—and even the 25-minute reality—of losing such a visual object of my commitment and love for Sidney is heart wrenching. I am grateful that my ring is currently secure around my finger and hopeful that it will remain that way in the years to come. Don’t Blink.

Garth Thursday Rundown

Posted on September 12, 2024 by brent

Here in the Inland Northwest, we have transitioned from hot temperatures in 90s to more early autumn-like temperatures in the 70s. With school now in session and football in full swing, it seems about right. You know what else seems about right? Five random topics on a Thursday…

Garth – At the end of August, Garth Fritel passed away (read obituary). This man was afflicted with ALS but still managed to live a fulfilling life centered on his family and faith. Garth embraced his debilitating disease as his cross and inspired so many (including myself—I wrote this post in 2022) by his love for Christ. Those of us who attended mass with Garth will never forget how he gave all his strength to receive the Holy Eucharist via syringe at every opportunity. I am grateful I had to chance to say goodbye to Garth and thank him for increasing my faith. Please pray for Garth’s soul and for his wife, Adeline, and daughters, Tovah and Daphne. May eternal rest be grant unto Garth, O Lord, and let perpetual light shine upon him.

Garth is pictured with his two daughters, his wife, Fr. Lewis, our St. Mary formation director, and NCR’s Kevin Wells (this photo is courtesy of Kevin Wells).

Fr. Jeff Sketch – I have written extensively about how our parish priest, Fr. Jeff Lewis, enriches our family in faith and friendship. Both of our children love him dearly. This photo is from this past weekend at the home of our friends. Sloan drew a portrait of Fr. Jeff and presented it to him for his approval. I don’t know if he was impressed…

Sloan reveals her sketch to Fr. Jeff Lewis.

Evacuate! – I could handle the humidity and rain of South Carolina, but the hurricanes sure got old. Every year I lived in the South, there was always a major storm that threatened our area. However, there was only one that caused us to evacuate. On this date six years ago, we packed up (Sid, 1-year-old Sloan, and me) and drove to Jacksonville where we stayed at Sid’s aunt’s house for a few days. We made the best of a stressful situation as we visited Disney Land, went to the zoo, and caught up with Sid’s cousin.

When we evacuated to Jacksonville because of Hurricane Florence, we made a day trip to Disney World.

National Chocolate Milkshake Day – Judging by the bold words to the left, you know what day it is. Let me take you back seven years to when I revealed my list of Top Five Favorite Corporate Milkshakes. Usually I make you follow the link to see my #1 choice but I am feeling generous tonight and will straight up tell you: Sonic is home to the best milkshakes in the country. However, if you want to find out the other four chains with excellent milkshakes, you need to actually read the post.

Beau and Sloan drinking a milkshake in November 2023.

Back to Homework – Last week, Sloan and Beau returned to St. Mary Catholic School. They spent those first few days getting acclimated to everything. This week? The homework has started! The below photo is from Monday night as my children hammered out their assignments. Sid and I have differing philosophies on homework but I think it is a great way to instill responsibility and time management while keeping the mind sharp.

Sloan and Beau hard at work completing their homework.

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We have a busy weekend ahead of us. The fair, first soccer game, birthday party, fundraising dinner, and more! Whether you have a packed schedule like us or not, I hope your weekend is fulfilling. Don’t Blink.

Reflecting On 9/11

Posted on September 11, 2024 by brent

I am a chronic journaler. I have mentioned before that sometimes I will randomly look back at past entries—from a year, five years, 10 years ago—and be astonished and saddened that I don’t remember much of anything from the particular day described. An obvious shortcoming of the human brain…or at least my brain.

What is the best way to reflect on 9/11?

From the surface, we might say that September 11, 2001, is a day we would like to forget. But I think what we mean to say is that we wish 9/11 never happened. Since it did happen, we must never forget.

Despite my lapses in memory that are made so obvious by my 25 years of journaling, I have no difficulty remembering September 11, 2001. I often, especially during September, re-hash my day from 23 years ago…

Wake up and turn on TV to see confusion in Times Square.
Anchor greets reporter with “good morning.” Reporter grimly responds, It’s not a good morning.
Television coverage projected onto main gathering spot wall at high school.
Principal cries on intercom when addressing school.
Football coach gives speech at practice, telling us what happened was an attack on us all.
Talk to my parents that night about what happened.

Of course, solely reflecting on my own day is tone deaf and selfish. I try to put myself in the position of those innocent people on the planes, in the buildings, and on the scene as first responders who experienced unspeakable horror and lost their lives. Each year around this time I watch different documentaries about that awful day and gain more perspective. But I am conscious of the fact that making my 9/11 remembrance an annual thing is hollow. For the past couple years I have followed a TikTok account that shows September 11 clips, news reels, and interviews. It keeps the tragedy top of mind year-round but I am not kidding anyone, following a social media account doesn’t cut it.

So, as I have mentioned before, perhaps just educating those who weren’t alive during the attacks is the best approach. Last year, Sloan brought up 9/11 for the first time. She questioned me about it again last night. This time around, she wanted to know how the planes flew into the towers and what happened to those aboard. I told her.

Let us pray for the souls of those who lost their lives on September 11, 2021, and for their surviving family members. Don’t Blink.

Past 9/11 Blog Posts
An Anniversary That Hits Harder Each Year (2023)
Putting Faces to the Victims (2021)
Never Forget, Always Educate (2019)
Putting Hurricane Florence in Perspective (2018)
What Touched Me on This 9/11 (2017)
Standing With Unity (2016)
10 Years Later (2011)

Don't Blink

By Brent Reser

Monthly Archives: September 2024