Monthly Archives: May 2025

Wicked Thursday Rundown

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Let’s get ready to rumble! Okay, that was awkward. Moving on, I have five topics I would like to address. As usual, they are random and pretty inconsequential.

Disney Princesses – The promotion at the Spokane Indians game we attended this past Saturday was Disney Princess Night. The kids met Cinderella, Moana, Ariel, Rapunzel, and Snow White. Well, Sloan did at least—Beau was just interested in Moana. The performers were provided by Spokane Princess Portal and each one represented their character and their employer well. Even after going to Disney World just a few weeks ago, I can say that the way these local princesses looked and engaged with my kids was on the same caliber as those in Orlando.

Sloan (and Beau in one instance) with the Disney princesses from Spokane Princess Portal. 

Wicked – As I mentioned in my Memorial Weekend recap, our family watched “Wicked” on Monday night. Why did it take so long for me to watch it? Well, look at one of the other topics below for part of the reason. But to be honest, the price of a movie ticket couldn’t beat the more prominent reality that musical fantasies just don’t really appeal to me. With that said, I actually enjoyed “Wicked” more than I thought I would. And it wasn’t really the acting or singing that captivated my attention—it was the plot. For me, it was basically a different take on “The Wizard of Oz” and after watching that movie a billion times it was nice to get a fresh perspective. I didn’t think the movie needed to be nearly three hours long (I would have supported three movies instead of two) but I did enjoy it and I will watch Part II…probably just not in the movie theater.

I thought “Wicked” was pretty good.

Movie Theater Expense – Before I complain, I had a really nice time with my family at the movie theater on Friday night. It was relaxing and a great time to bond. However, I think the price for a family of four to attend the movies is getting just a little out of hand. We paid $63 to attend “Lilo and Stitch.” Yeah, I know, we should have went to a matinee and not ordered online—but still! For comparison sake, it cost under $30 for the kids and me to attend the Spokane Indians game on Saturday night. Am I overreacting?

I think this is too much for a family of four to go to the movies.

Cosmic Brownie Change – We almost thought it was an April Fools’ joke. We purchased a box of cosmic brownies over the weekend but when we opened them something was very different. There was no longer an indentation in the middle of the brownie bar, a courtesy that used to be offered to allow a 5-year-old child (or 38-year-old man) to easily break the treat into two equal-sized brownies. Instead, it was just a seamless, long brownie. Don’t get me wrong, it still tasted the same but the vibe was just a bit different.

There is no longer a breaking point in cosmic brownies.

I Want Candy – You never know what type of candy will fill the bowl at the front desk of our executive assistant. It is always changing! This week, a candy I have never seen/tasted before appeared. They are called Jelly Belly Chews but they are basically Jelly Belly-inspired Air Heads. Of course the buttered popcorn flavor (which I named my #1 flavor back in 2017) called my name so I had to try it. The verdict? It tastes exactly like a buttered popcorn Jelly Belly.

These Jelly Belly Chews taste just like the jelly beans.

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I hope you had a good May. It was by far the busiest month of 2025 (so far) for my family. Keep fighting the good fight and I will catch up with everyone next week. Don’t Blink.

My Best Burger This Year

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To commemorate National Hamburger Day last year, I wrote this tribute that I am pretty happy with. In fact, I don’t think there is anything else I could pen that would surpass it. So I am not going to try.

I am a big burger fan! After last year’s ode, however, I am not going to try and top it.

What I am going to do, however, is take a few short paragraphs to tell you about the best burger I ate since the 2024 National Hamburger Day and today…

The best burger I ate over the past 365 days was cooked in a small, no-frills café in downtown Coeur d’Alene. Called Hudson’s Hamburgers, you walk into the joint and there is literally a giant mound of ground beef out in the open on the employee side of the bar. You place your order, the cook grabs meat from the mound, throws it on the grill, and cooks your burger.

You can see the hamburger meat to the left. When I was there, the meat was much more plentiful and packed in a high tower but I didn’t have the presence of mind to take a photo of it (photo courtesy of Adam Peter Shinn).

I had never seen such an operation. I had also never tasted a burger quite like the one I had at Hudson’s. It was juicy, tasty, and savory. But its real distinguishing characteristic? The FRESHNESS! How do I explain? Well, as a blogger who finds it a challenge to truly define what freshness tastes like, eating that burger conveyed to me immediately what freshness is…words not needed.

I took this photo of one of the burgers we were served at Hudson’s Hamburgers. It was delicious and FRESH.

But it gets better. In a world of $20 burgers, a Hudson’s hamburger won’t even cost you $4. What kind of parallel universe are we living in?!

Our lunch at Hudson’s Hamburgers occurred in July. We had brought my in-laws to Coeur d’Alene for an afternoon of boating. I was a little nervous to bring them inside Hudson’s for a quick bite before we hit the water. But you know what? It was probably the favorite meal they ate the entire 11-day trip. Go figure.

Happy National Hamburger Day. Don’t Blink.

Memorial Day Weekend 2025

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It was the perfect Memorial Day weekend.

It was the perfect kickoff to the summer for our family. This is Beau and Sloan at Riverfront Park enjoying the Spokane Falls.

Although we never left Spokane, the four of us had a fun-filled yet also relaxing few days off. Thanks to incredible weather and two well-behaved children (because you never know), I don’t think we could have asked for a better start to summer. In order to save these memories for years to come, here are some of the big picture highlights from each day.

It was a hot weekend and luckily Beau and Sloan not only got along but they helped each other out.

Friday – We celebrated the weekend’s kickoff with an evening out. The four of us went to Burger King for dinner as the kids donned the restaurant’s paper crowns. After stocking up on candy from Dollar Tree, we went to the movie theater to watch the new “Lilo and Stitch” movie. It wasn’t bad! But it really didn’t matter the quality of the film at that point because at multiple times I remember just feeling so content sitting in the comfortable chairs sipping on a cold Coke with my family by my side.

Beau and Sloan right outside of the theater before going inside to watch “Lilo and Stitch.”

Saturday – With Sidney working in the yard, I took Sloan and Beau to Avista Stadium for the 5 p.m. Spokane Indians vs. Tri-City Dust Devils baseball game. It was Disney Princess Night and since I made sure we arrived right when the gates opened at 4 p.m., the kids got to meet all four princesses before lines formed (view photos). They also got to do all the activities in the Kids Zone without waiting. As for the game, we ate ballpark food and cheered on the Indians as they dropped a close one, 3-2. After the game, Sloan and Beau had the opportunity to go on the field and run around the bases.

Hanging with Sloan and Beau at Avista Stadium.

Sunday – This was the hottest day of the weekend so naturally we spent a lot of time outside…at three different parks. We started off at Riverfront Park where the kids played on the red wagon, admired the Spokane Falls, and climbed on the Ice Age Playground (view photos). We then went to Orchard Park where members of our Catholic Adult Group met and we celebrated Fr. Jeff Lewis’ 14th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood. From there we zipped over to Browns Park where we met my parents for an evening picnic. The park was filled with activity and as I drank a beer while watching Beau play near the splash pad, I thought, summer is here.

Beau and Sloan hanging with out on the red wagon in Riverfront Park.

Monday – After a very busy three days, we used Memorial Day to hang at home. The kids watched their devices while Sid and I watched Dateline. But the signature activity of the day was later that night when the four of us gathered in the living room for one last hurrah. We ate Otter Pops and watched “Wicked.” Although Sid and Sloan went to the theater to watch it originally, they had no problem watching it again with me. I will share my reaction to the film in my next Thursday Rundown.

On Monday night we ate Otter Pops and watched “Wicked.”

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I hope you enjoyed your Memorial Day weekend. If the past few days provide any indication of how the rest of the summer will play out, I think we will have a lot of fun in store. Don’t Blink.

My Blog and AI

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I love artificial intelligence. There is no doubt about it, AI can do some fascinating things, especially when it comes to marketing. Whether assisting with ad copy, checking code, or offering SEO suggestions, it is advantageous to work with AI to yield the best possible work.

I am well aware that I am not the first person to say this, but I think AI should be used strategically. I think it is a great tool to be used at the beginning and end of projects—the perfect brainstormer and a trusted verifier. However, I don’t think it is a capable substitute—at least not yet—for human talent…assuming the human is, in fact, talented 😜.

Now that I have laid out my brief AI professional philosophy, I want to make something really clear about my AI personal standard:

I have never before used AI to brainstorm, write, or edit any of the content I have written for Don’t Blink. My goal is to never use it in the future but I won’t go as far to promise that. Who knows what capabilities AI might come up with in the coming years (heck, just the coming months)? Then again, if the time does come when I feel the itch to use AI for this greatest personal project I have ever done, it will probably be the time to hang it up.

I don’t use AI for Don’t Blink.

But at this stage of the AI game, there is nothing it can do to help my writing when it comes to my blog. I simply still know myself better than AI does. Again, I am not naïve enough to say that this will always be the case, but at this point in time, AI would only make me sound stiff and generic.

Much in the same way that you can tell from a mile away that a social media post or email was written by AI, the same would hold true for my blog.

So again, one more time for those in the back of the room, I have never used AI for Don’t Blink. I respect artificial intelligence but I also respect my own brand and writing enough to not use it for my personal purposes. Don’t Blink.

Still Making It Look Easy: Fr. Pat Kerst

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A Smooth Delivery

It’s quite impressive. If you ever attend a mass celebrated by Fr. Pat Kerst, don’t expect him to use the pulpit during the homily. Rather, Fr. Pat will stroll to the front of the sanctuary and naturally engage the congregation. No notes, no hesitation, no ego.

He makes it look so easy. Sunday after Sunday, Fr. Pat preaches in a seemingly effortless way. But make no mistake about it, each homily is crafted with prayerful thought and preparation. But after that prep work is done and the gospel is proclaimed, Fr. Pat’s God-given talent takes over and he connects with those in the pews in his conversational and sincere way.

Congratulations to Fr. Pat Kerst on his 35th anniversary of his ordination.

Full Circle With Fr. Pat

Today, Fr. Pat marks 35 years of not just impactful homilies but overall dedicated and holy service to his vocation. He was ordained a priest on May 23, 1990.

Today, Fr. Pat celebrates the 35th anniversary of his ordination. Last week I included this slide at the beginning of one of our Engaged Encounter presentations so our attendees could recognize his achievement.

If his 3.5 decades as a priest makes him feel old—don’t worry, Fr. Pat—it makes me feel old too! You see, some of my first vivid memories of Catholic clergy are of Fr. Pat. Early on in his priesthood, he served in Walla Walla at the three parishes in that community. When my family would make our frequent trips to town to visit grandparents and other relatives, Fr. Pat would be the celebrant when we attended Sunday mass at St. Francis of Assisi. A little bit later down the road, he would preside at my grandma’s funeral in that very same church.

I left the state for college and would eventually move across the country for my career, but Fr. Pat’s influence eventually caught up to me. In the late 2010s, nearly 3,000 miles away from Spokane in South Carolina, I found myself listening to Fr. Pat’s distinctive voice once again. It came via the Bishop and Vicars podcast, an outreach of the Spokane Diocese in which Fr. Pat would discuss topics with Bishop Thomas Daly and two other priests in diocesan leadership positions. By that time, Fr. Pat had ascended to the crucial Vicar of Priests post, a role he still holds today.

Fr. Pat Kerst has positively impacted me at different times and in different ways throughout the course of his priestly ministry.

Sharing the Stage

Eventually, the mileage between Fr. Pat and myself dwindled from 3,000 to 30. My family moved back to Spokane and I was delighted to find out that he was now the pastor at my parents’ home parish, St. Thomas More. On weekends when I needed a break from that priest at St. Mary in Spokane Valley (just kidding, Fr. Jeff 😉), we would drive “up north” to St. Thomas More. While there, it was obvious that Fr. Pat had not missed a beat from decades prior as I felt blessed to attend each mass that he celebrated.

A couple years after moving to Spokane, my family’s connection to Fr. Pat became even more profound. Sid and I were asked to join Spokane’s Engaged Encounter community, a ministry near and dear to Fr. Pat. If you ask him, he will say he jumped headfirst into EE after he was “pulled into it” a couple days after his ordination.

Fr. Pat Kerst joined the Engaged Encounter ministry soon after he was ordained and immediately started to make a difference in the relationships of engaged couples. This photo was from the March 2024 retreat.

Upon our inclusion in the group, we found ourselves now sitting at the same table as Fr. Pat during monthly EE team meetings. But our bond would soon become even closer. In March 2024, Sid and I presented at our first Engaged Encounter weekend retreat. The priest who teamed up with us during that weekend? Fr. Pat! What an incredible experience that first retreat was—thanks in large part to Fr. Pat’s experience, expertise, and support. Needless to say, we were ecstatic to serve another EE weekend retreat with him just last week.

Sid and I presented with Fr. Pat for the first time at the March 2024 Engaged Encounter retreat. What a pleasure it was to present with him and Joe & Natalie Schroeder.

Please take it from me: Fr. Pat is exceptional at these retreats. The way he connects with the engaged couples and pours all his energy into the weekend is inspiring. During the presentations we give about various marital/spiritual topics, Fr. Pat talks to the attendees in a relatable, knowledgeable, and—oftentimes—humorous way. Throughout the weekend he makes himself available for confession, sits with the couples during meals, runs the epic Yes/No game, sums up the key to marriage using a song, and presides over an intimate Saturday evening mass with a homily beautifully custom-made for the engaged couples in attendance.

Fr. Pat Kerst had fun with the engaged couples as he directs the infamous “Yes/No” game.

A Superb Priest

But there is a lot more to Fr. Pat besides his chops as an expert homilist, involvement with EE, and his privileged relationship with the Reser family (sorry, had to slip in another cringe-worthy joke 😂).

Fr. Pay stands with the engaged couples from last week’s Engaged Encounter retreat (May 2025). However, the Engaged Encounter ministry is just a drop in the bucket when it comes to all he does.

Where do I begin?

He is fluent in Spanish, a major asset in a diocese with a large Hispanic population. He serves on numerous boards while still making time to attend the sporting competitions of the parish school. He is on speed dial at hospitals because nurses know he will always answer when a Catholic patient need him. He is an effective administrator and authentic relationship-builder as evidenced by his assignments at the largest and most complex parishes in the diocese. He willingly travels long distances to distribute the sacraments—sometimes out-of-state and on his own dime. He owns a memory that would make an elephant envious (just ask any parishioner at St. Thomas More if the pastor knows their name 😉).

And I could keep on going but I want to make sure I wrap this up before the 36th ordination anniversary comes around.

This was our ministry team at the May 2025 Engaged Encounter retreat. After we passed out the certificates of completion to the engaged couples, we posed for this photo. Fr. Pat Kerst is on the far left and Natalie and Joe Schroeder are on the right.

But there is something I admire about Fr. Pat even more than the many ways he excels as a priest. For me, it is his faith. Many people might not know this—and I am at no liberty to elaborate—but he has gone through some painful stuff that would have shaken me to my core if the events happened to me. Still, he pursued the priesthood with vigor and has continued to be dedicated to his vocation and faithful to God. Talk about an awe-inspiring example!

What a blessing it is for Sid and me to know Fr. Pat Kerst.

Setting Himself Apart

He makes it look so easy. That’s how I started this tribute to Fr. Pat. But when I mentioned it, I was alluding to his homily delivery style. He is calm, cool, and composed—the golden standard when it comes to public speaking.

However, a favorable stage presence can only get you so far. The big reason why Fr. Pat has been such a blessing to the Diocese of Spokane over the past 35 years is because of how he frames the content he pairs with his delivery. There is no doubt about it, he conveys the word of God with simplicity and straightforwardness. He speaks in terms that anyone can understand. In a world where religious leaders can lose followers within two minutes, Fr. Pat can relate biblical principles and church doctrine with accuracy and ease.

So let’s celebrate Fr. Pat Kerst today. Take a moment in prayer to thank God for a talented and kind man who has brilliantly answered the call of his vocation for the past 12,775 days. And trust me: Make the effort to visit St. Thomas More one of these weekends. Not only will you hear an epic homily but from that point forward, Fr. Pat will most likely never forget your name 😊. Don’t Blink.

A Shattered Thursday Rundown

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I understand that this blog post might be the last thing between you and a four-day Memorial Day weekend so let me try to move fast. Thankfully, it is a Thursday Rundown so you don’t have to worry about reading a novel. But I guess continuing on with this introduction isn’t helping much so let’s get right to the five topics…

Olivia Is 1 – Last week my niece turned 1-year-old. Olivia, who was born on May 15, is the daughter of my brother and sister-in-law. I remember the day she was born I picked up the kids from school and surprised them by taking them to the hospital to meet Olivia. A strawberry-themed birthday party was thrown at my parents’ house to celebrate her first 365 days.

Olivia at her 1st birthday party.

Basketball Hoop Destroyed – Speaking of my parents’ house, I must convey some really tough news. Our family basketball hoop was recently ripped from its pole and rendered completely unusable. If you remember, we celebrated the hoop’s 30th anniversary last September and the post I wrote to commemorate the milestone was chosen as my #1 blog post of 2024. On Sunday, I helped my dad pick up the detached backboard/basket and place it in his truck for transport to the dump. My parents plan to purchase a new basketball hoop and I will update you when it is installed.

The Reser basketball hoop after it was taken to the ground.

Crazy Hair/Tie Dye Day – It is Spirit Week at St. Mary Catholic School as Sloan and Beau have thrown their full participation behind it. Yesterday happened to be Crazy Hair/Tie Dye Day and while both children were able to check the “tie dye” portion, my youngest struggled with the “crazy hair” part. Sidney recently cut his hair extremely short and when he asked for a mohawk, we couldn’t exactly swing it. Maybe next year, Beau!

Sloan and Beau pose for a photo before going to St. Mary Catholic School for Crazy Hair/Tie Dye Day.

Fun and Original Pizza – Before heading to the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center on Friday night, our Engaged Encounter ministry team went out for dinner. At the recommendation of Fr. Pat Kerst, the five of us went to Republic Pi on the South Hill. What a great choice! The sandwiches were made with the freshest bread, the service was great, and the atmosphere was on-point. But the best part was the restaurant’s signature item—pizza! I ordered the Wilson pie which consisted of garlic cream sauce, smoked chicken, Yukon potatoes, cheese blend, green onion, and roasted garlic. It was excellent and worth another trip one of these days.

This was the Wilson pizza I ordered from Republic Pi. It was good!

Peanut Butter Sandwiches for Days – In another example of how some things seldom change, I want to flashback to a blog post I wrote 11 years ago on May 21, 2014. It chronicled my obsession with eating peanut butter sandwiches for lunch. In this particular blog post, I outlined the long history I had with eating the classic staple and shared some of the reaction from co-workers who became astonished with my consistent hobby. Well, guess what I ate for lunch today? Yep, you know.

A peanut butter sandwich I devoured 11 years ago. I still eat these delicacies every day.

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I am pumped for the Memorial Day weekend. The weather is going to be gorgeous and I am looking forward to just relaxing. After a couple big trips and a retreat, I am ready to stay home and rest. Please enjoy and be safe! Don’t Blink.

A Marital Lesson I Recently Accepted

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This past weekend, Sidney and I had the blessing of serving at an Engaged Encounter retreat. We teamed up with another couple and a priest to help prepare a group of engaged couples for marriage.

Sid and I presented at our third Engaged Encounter retreat this past weekend.

Throughout the weekend, numerous presentations were given. Sidney and I delivered half of them while our partner couple delivered the other half. The priest participated in all the talks, leveraging everything us couples presented with biblical context, teachings of the Church, and his own personal examples.

For this particular weekend, our presenting team was identical to the first weekend Sid and I attended back in March 2024. We served as Couple A (the “younger” couple), Joe and Natalie Schroeder served as Couple B (the “senior” couple), and Fr. Pat Kerst joined as the weekend priest.

This was our ministry team at the May 2025 Engaged Encounter retreat. After we passed out the certificates of completion to the engaged couples, we posed for this photo. Fr. Pat Kerst is on the far left and Natalie and Joe Schroeder are on the right.

The weekend was full of blessings and special moments. However, I wanted to focus on one specific sentiment conveyed by the Schroeders on the final day of the retreat.

Joe captivated my attention when he said the following to all the soon-to-be husbands in the room: The greatest gift to your family is to prioritize your relationship with your wife.

Joe and Natalie Schroeder present at this past weekend’s Engaged Encounter retreat.

This hit me hard because I usually think and act the opposite. Over the course of my marriage with Sid, I have put our children first, usually believing it to be the right and noble thing to do.

But could my good intentions be misguided? Joe explained that when the relationship between a husband and wife is prioritized before all other earthly relationships, everything else—children, extended families, friends, in-laws—will seamlessly and orderly fall right in line behind it.

Joe and Natalie Schroeder present at a precious Engaged Encounter retreat.

I guess there is a reason why a marriage rooted in the Church is a sacramental bond, right?

Again, in the past I have made it my mission to drop everything for our kids above all else. If it meant Sid and I missed out on time together then so be it! I did this even when my wife preached the same knowledge that Joe delivered over the weekend.

Why am I re-considering my priorities only after a fellow brother-in-Christ mentioned it? After all, Sid has urged this approach for years. However, I don’t think my wife’s past pleas have been made in vain—they simply set the foundation and the Schroeder’s presentation sealed the deal and drove the point home for me.

Joe and Natalie Schroeder are an inspiring couple!

As courageous and intuitive as it might seem to boldly claim that nothing comes before the needs and wants of our children, I need to walk back on that seemingly innate thought. After all, being a parent is not a sacrament—but entering into holy matrimony is. The sacramental bond between Sid and me needs to be prioritized and nourished at all times…or at least most of the time.

Because when it is, our marriage will continue to thrive. And marriages that thrive illuminate the light of God’s love to those gathered around the husband and wife. That is why Joe told the guys that the greatest gift we can give our kids is to prioritize the relationship we have with our wives. When we do this, God’s love is on full display to our children and they come to know, respect, and appreciate the holy bond between their parents.

Although Sidney and I hold positions as leaders/presenters at these Engaged Encounter retreats, we aren’t experts. And because we aren’t experts, that means there is plenty for us to still learn. In addition to Fr. Pat Kerst’s incredible wisdom and the bursts of inspiration I absorbed from the engaged couples, I am especially thankful for the 39 years of marriage that Joe and Natalie Schroeder brought to the table. Even beyond the prioritization of the husband/wife relationship, I learned so much from them this weekend.

It won’t happen overnight because old habits die hard, but I am going to try harder to put Sidney first, even when it doesn’t seem instinctive. Because again, God didn’t institute marriage to play second fiddle to any other relationship on earth. Also, if I truly am trying to do the absolute best for my kids—like the Schroeders said—I need to honor and take care of their mom first. Don’t Blink.

An Ordinary 14th Anniversary for “Don’t Blink”

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Another year in the books! Last week I marked the 14th anniversary of Don’t Blink. I still remember penning my first several blog entries from my bachelor’s pad bedroom I rented shortly after I graduated college.

I celebrated the 14th anniversary of my “Don’t Blink” blog this month.

More than 2,700 blog posts later, I am still writing. Only I am no longer a bachelor and I graduated college a long time ago.

I guess that’s why my wife wrote “going faster than you think” on the latest homemade blogging anniversary sign she made me. It seems like just yesterday I was thick in the festivities for the big 10-year anniversary of my blog—how has another presidential election cycle and summer Olympiad passed so quickly?

Well, I guess time flies when you are blogging. 😂

Time goes by fast when you blog so Don’t Blink!

I don’t think I have too much to write about this non-milestone anniversary. In the past I have made threats about ceasing blogging or I have highlighted significant posts from the previous years. I won’t be doing either of those things to mark this particular anniversary, but I will make one observation: it seems like the number of in memoriam posts continue to increase each year. That’s distressing.

But on a happier note, I sure have enjoyed authoring this blog over the past 5,110+ days. Even greater than my enjoyment is my appreciation for those who consistently continue to visit brentreser.com to read, subscribe, and provide feedback. Thank you.

Thanks for reading my blog. 

When my 15th anniversary rolls around next year, I will plan to do something a bit more thoughtful than this rather vanilla blog post. But until then, please continue to keep reading—I will try to make it worth your while. Don’t Blink.

Bling Thursday Rundown

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Don’t Blink because we are already halfway through May. Dang, after concluding every blog post I have ever written with “Don’t Blink” it was kind of weird to begin a post with my iconic phrase. Okay, let’s get to the rundown…

Ring Bling – It was 10 years ago on this date that I walked into a mall jewelry store and purchased an engagement ring for Sid. Not going to lie, I felt like a boss. You see, I wasn’t sweating whether my future wife would like her rock or not because we had already gone ring shopping. Several years ago, I wrote a post about the intricacies of purchasing an engagement ring and explained why it is wise to have some specific advice from your special someone before making the investment.

This photo is from the night I asked Sid to marry me. Because I asked Sid exactly what she wanted, I didn’t stress over whether she would like the ring or not (instead, I stressed over whether she would say ‘yes’ or ‘no.’).

Banner Bearer – Part of my job as marketing director at EWU is to oversee sponsorships. This past Saturday I found myself in downtown Spokane at the beginning of the route for the Jr. Lilac Parade. EWU served as the title sponsor and we had the honor of leading off the event. I was there to make sure President McMahan, Swoop, and the EWU cheer squad were all taken care of and ready to go. However, right before the parade started, the realization hit that Swoop needed a little help carrying the banner as he naturally wanted to interact with the adoring fans lining the parade route. Thus, I carried the banner for a good portion of the parade. Although I can’t say it was an adrenaline rush, I did feel semi-important.

I walked shoulder-to-shoulder (or wing-to-wing?) with Swoop for most of the parade. When he would go engage with people lining the route, I would carry the banner (photo courtesy of Hawkinson Photography).

Nonnas – It seemed like it had been forever, but Sid and I finally watched a whole movie together last weekend. We opted for “Nonnas,” a Netflix new release featuring Vince Vaughn. Based on a true story, it chronicles the ambitious business plan of a down-on-his-luck mechanic to open a restaurant employed entirely by Italian grandma chefs. For someone of Italian heritage, this film was a lot of fun. The dialogue, music, and FOOD all made “Nonnas” a movie that Sidney and I really enjoyed. If you are looking for something that is relaxing and won’t stress you out, you should give it a watch.

I recommend “Nonnas.”

Party Like a Rockstar – I have mentioned before that I drink Rockstars every now and then. My wife? She drinks them every day! Because of our preference for these caffeine-packed beverages, I can’t help but get excited when they are on sale. The moment I walked through the door at WinCo on Tuesday night, this display greeted me. You better believe that I stocked up and even drank one of them today.

This was the display at WINCO the other night.

Spring Sports Updates – May could possibly be our busiest month of the year. There is something on our calendar every single day with many of those obligations pertaining to Beau’s t-ball season and Sloan’s soccer season. Both kids are doing decent on their teams (although there is room for improvement). The biggest challenge? Trying to figure out if Beau is a left-handed batter or a right-handed batter. It seems like he is opting for a different side of the plate each time he is up to bat. Of course it would be cool if he matures into a switch hitter but I want him to first find a primary side that he prefers. Switching gears from offense to defense, Beau had the opportunity to play catcher last night.

Beau played catcher on Wednesday night.

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And just like that, this May 15th Thursday Rundown has come to an end. Thanks for reading and please pray for Sidney and me as we lead another Engaged Encounter retreat this weekend. Don’t Blink.

A Field Trip For Work

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A unique characteristic of Eastern Washington University is that we are only one of three universities in the country with a research facility on a national wildlife refuge. Just six miles from campus is Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, a 15,500-acre “playground” of beauty and nature.

Lucky for me, I finally had the opportunity to visit.

My team is currently working on a student profile of an accomplished individual, Jeff Schell, who will wrap up his undergraduate career at EWU next month. A differentiator at Eastern is that undergrad students actually do real research and Jeff took full advantage of this perk. In order to tell his full story, we went with him to the location where he conducted fish research—Turnbull!

Our team setting up a shot with Jeff Schell where he tosses a net into one of the Turnbull ponds.

On Tuesday afternoon, I accompanied four members of my team to Turnbull. We followed a group of grad students and Jeff to some cool spots so we could document hands-on learning in action.

Now, to be completely honest, there was some minor anxiety in our group. During the spring and summer months, ticks are very active at Turnbull. In fact, research is ongoing at the site centering on the various species that are thriving there. So, if you notice in photos that some of us have our pants tucked into our socks, we weren’t trying to make a fashion statement—we were just trying to keep the ticks at bay. But lucky for us, we had absolutely no issues or encounters with the creatures while we were there (or when we got home and checked our clothing one last time).

I promise, my socks are pulled up like that for a reason! Meet some of my team members (l-r): Emily Ausere (graphic designer/art director), Ali Saragoza (digital content strategist), me, Aaron Weer (intern), and Luke Kenneally (multimedia specialist).

Turnbull is such a gem. Beauty is visible with every step you take. Gorgeous wild flowers, calm ponds, fascinating birds, and picturesque hiking trails surround you. Perhaps even better than the visual stimuli is the symphony of nature that pleasures the ear. If you ever needed a place to escape and close your eyes to soothe your soul, make a trip to Turnbull.

Turnbull is so relaxing. In this photo, our multimedia specialist Luke captures a headshot of Jeff.

What a treat it was to take a work “field trip” to this nature sanctuary. Jeff was amazing to work with! As for my team, they brought their “A games” as they collaborated to generate the b-roll footage that will make the final product something that prospective students will want to watch over and over again. Special thanks to Luke Kenneally (multimedia specialist), Emily Ausere (graphic designer/art director), Ali Saragoza (digital content strategist), and Aaron Weer (intern) for working hard and making the afternoon so enjoyable.

Our team takes a selfie with Jeff at the end of the shoot.

If you ever get the chance to visit Turnbull, don’t miss the opportunity—just remember to tuck your pants into your socks 😂. Don’t Blink.