Mindy Thursday Rundown

Posted on November 7, 2024 by brent

Good evening, everyone! I think it is about time for another Thursday Rundown. Let’s get going with tonight’s five topics…

I Voted Sticker – On Election Night, Sloan made one of her homemade stickers for me. However, this particular sticker wasn’t a flower or smiley face—it was an “I Voted” design. She put it on me and flashed a big smile. Her creativity, thoughtfulness, and recognition of the evening’s significance made me feel some type of way. I wore that sticker proudly all night.

Sloan made this sticker for me and I wore it proudly.

Best Halloween Costume – Can you believe Halloween was just a week ago? With the election, a busy week at work, daylight savings, and more, it seems like a distant memory. But I can’t completely forget about Halloween without recognizing my brother’s costume. Glen dressed up as Blippi and totally nailed it! He didn’t just have the look, he had the vibe. We unleashed Glen to pass out candy at my parents’ house and he stayed in-character the entire time as he delighted kids—young and old—throughout the night. It was quite spectacular.

Me hanging out with Blip—I mean my brother .

Trick-Or-Treater Count – While we are on the topic of the Halloween that seemed ages ago, let me announce a record-breaking night of trick-or-treaters at my parents’ house. Last Thursday, 318 young candy-seekers rang the doorbell! That surpassed the 292 trick-or-treaters from last year and the 275 trick-or-treaters from 2022. Was it Blippi that helped smash the record? Perhaps, but I think it was the larger supply of candy that allowed my mom and dad to keep the lights on longer and serve more trick-or-treaters.

The tally sheet of trick-or-treaters from the Tom and Mary Reser household.

Mindy Kaling Book – Every now and then I like to share the children’s biography books we read to Sloan and Beau. Well, I want to share one I read—wait, one that SIDNEY read—this week. If you have ever watched “The Office” or “The Mindy Project,” you might know about Kaling, an Indian actress/comedian/author/extremely talented individual. On Monday night, Sid read “Little People, Big Dreams: Mindy Kaling.” This was a special book for my wife to read because Kaling brought a lot of joy to my wife in her young adult years. She watched Mindy’s show and read her books. In fact, her fandom of Kaling rubbed off on me. Even before “Big Brother,” the show that Sidney and I bonded over during our early days of dating was “The Mindy Project.” It was nice to teach Sloan about Mindy Kaling while also describing the role she played in our relationship.

Sidney read “Little People, Big Dreams: Mindy Kaling” to Sloan and Beau.

Pumpkin Disposal – A thought went through my head this morning: What must the trash day after the Halloween holiday be like for garbage employees? They would most likely have seven different days after Oct. 31 where households on their specific routes are disposing of jack-o-lanterns, much like my family was today. How fitting would it be if the crews blasted music from the Smashing Pumpkins for the entire post-Halloween week? Sorry for the dad joke.

Photo of our pumpkins before we threw them away this morning.

————————–

That will do it for tonight. Renewing my call from Tuesday, be kind to those around you, especially those with different political affiliations. Don’t Blink.

Nice To Meet You, Swoop!

Posted on November 6, 2024 by brent

Part of my interview process at Eastern Washington University was to deliver a presentation that outlined a comprehensive marketing strategy. Before I dove too deep, I wanted to give my future colleagues some background on why I enjoy working in higher education so much.

I told them it was because of the mascots.

I’m dead serious. And, yes, they still hired me .

To be honest, I also told them a couple other reasons why I like higher ed, but I did show slides that showed me with furry friends from past jobs. I then told my audience that I really wanted to meet Swoop. Guess what? This past weekend, it happened.

But before we get to Swoop, I need to recognize my other homies.

I was introduced to the insane world of intercollegiate mascots at the University of Montana with Monte. In fact, I was very hands-on with UM’s grizzly bear since one of my responsibilities was to serve as the mascot coordinator. I wrote about that experience in-depth just a couple months ago.

Monte and I at the 2012 NCAA Tournament

When I moved east to work at Coastal Carolina University, it didn’t take long until I met Chauncey the Chanticleer. What is a Chanticleer, you might ask? It is a proud and fierce rooster made famous in The Canterbury Tales.

Chauncey welcomed me to CCU with open arms.

Whereas I met Chauncey relatively quickly at CCU, it took longer into my tenure at Washington State University to rub elbows with Butch. Although I had met him several times as a young fan in the 1990s, I didn’t grab a photo with him in my working capacity until a few months before I left WSU.

I met Butch on the job but I also met him at a wedding.

Thank goodness I didn’t have to wait long to meet Swoop. This past weekend Sidney and spent a minute with him at the EWU vs. Montana State football game. He came over to where we were sitting in the Endzone Club and made our day.

Sidney and I met Swoop this past weekend.

Lucky for me, that won’t be the last of my dealings with Swoop. We get to work together tomorrow (more on this down the road) and I can’t wait. Mascots rule! Don’t Blink.

Election Day Is Finally Here

Posted on November 5, 2024 by brent

We have finally made it to Election Day. Since the beginning of October, many news organizations have described the past 30+ days leading up to today as a sprint to the finish. But dang, it has felt more like a never-ending marathon.

After what has seemed like an endless “Race For the White House,” the Presidential Election is finally here.

It seems well overdue that the Presidential Election—the actual voting at least—comes to a conclusion tonight. Even for an election news junkie like myself, the coverage and noise has all been a bit much. I can only imagine what it must feel like for someone living in a battleground state.

Even though many of us will breathe a sigh of relief that the campaigning and ads will cease after today, it won’t be a complete full stop. Because of how close this election is, it could be several days before a president-elect is declared. The ensuing process and uncertainty will bring with it even more anxiety.

Sloan about to put Sid’s ballot into the ballot drop box at the Spokane Valley Library.

There is also the possibility that a winner could emerge by the time we go to bed this evening. In that case, half the country will be happy while the other half might be tossing and turning.

What I am trying to say is that some of us should find a long-lost degree of comfort today. However, there is the real possibility that the marathon I referenced above will trudge on for a few more miles. If a winner is declared, many people on the wrong side of the victory might find it a very tough pill to swallow.

So as hard as it might be, let’s try to practice restraint, kindness, and gracefulness today and through the rest of the week. It Is best to keep in mind that many people are at wits’ end and our actions, social media posts, and interactions could push them even more over the edge.

Let’s continue to pray for the safety of both candidates, a peaceful day here in the USA, and general understanding/acceptance. No matter what happens, let’s be proud Americans. Don’t Blink.

Latin Lesson From Sloan

Posted on November 4, 2024 by brent

Yesterday afternoon, Sloan and I were running errands. As we pulled out of the grocery store parking lot, we started talking about death. Don’t worry, our conversation wasn’t completely random. Earlier that morning, Fr. Jeff Lewis preached about the squirm-inducing topic as he covered its origin, inevitability, and earthly aftermath (the funeral).

As we chatted, Sloan admitted that death was a difficult concept for her but that she is doing her best to embrace memento mori.

Memento what?

Thanks to Sloan, I learned about “memento mori.” We need to remember death.

I didn’t expect a Latin lesson from my 7-year-old daughter (thanks, St. Mary Catholic School!). I had Sloan explain what it meant in her own words and then I feverishly looked it up once we arrived home. Memento mori translates to remember your death in English. In the context of Catholicism, it is a reminder to anticipate and meditate on our own deaths. By practicing memento mori, we can prepare for the reality that we all face while living a life that will put us in the best position for God’s judgment.

Tough stuff, right? If you are like me, memento mori can be a difficult topic to grapple with, especially when you encounter it head-on late at night. But just because something is difficult or seemingly unpleasant doesn’t make it unnecessary to examine.

This month is an opportune time to contemplate memento mori. In the Catholic Church, we use November to contemplate our own mortality while also remembering the faithfully departed. As part of the “Month of Remembrance,” we place a special emphasis on those souls in Purgatory and pray even more intensely for them. Thus, I think by remembering those who have gone before us and praying for them, we can become more in touch with our own memento mori journey.