Good evening! I love this part of summer. Nothing beats the mix of wedding season, Hoopfest weekend, and the lead up to Fourth of July. Throw in hot temperatures with some cold beer and what a time it is to be alive! And what a time it is to write a Thursday Rundown. I present to you tonight’s five topics…

Michael Jackson – The popular question was always “What were you doing when JFK died?” Although that event was barely before my time (😉), I have other high profile deaths that are etched in my memory. One of those was when Michael Jackson passed away unexpectedly on June 25, 2009. I had just graduated college and was starting off my professional career within the University of Montana athletic department. While all my older colleagues kept up with the news on television, I used a relatively new platform called Twitter to stay ahead of the news. That night I hit the streets of Missoula with friends and was amazed that even in my obscure corner of Montana that Michael Jackson impersonators were out in full force and all the bars were playing the greatest hits from the King of Pop. To learn about other iconic deaths I remember like yesterday, tap here.

My friend Dan and I with a Michael Jackson impersonator in 2012.

Hoopfest Memory – As I mentioned in the intro, Hoopfest weekend is almost here and my social channels are filled with past Hoopfest memories. One particular flashback that came up today was from three years ago. On June 25, 2022, the Reser Puffs made their Hoopfest debut in the family bracket. Despite the best of intentions and a spirited practice, we didn’t win a game. However, playing with my sister, brother, and sister-in-law was a ton of fun. I wrote about that unique experience here.

Although we failed to win a game we sure had fun.

Israel vs. Iran Conflict – Not everyone subscribes to my blog so a way I distribute Don’t Blink content to others is through social media. Earlier this week, I gave my thoughts on America’s involvement in the Israel vs. Iran conflict. It was a totally low key and non-controversial take from the perspective of a father with young kids. However, Meta didn’t like it and removed the posts. If you visit my blog via social media and didn’t see the entry, tap here for my thoughts (and you should probably just subscribe). All I can say right now is that I hope this ceasefire continues to hold.

The Israel vs. Iran conflict and America’s involvement has made me nervous.

Riverfront Park SkyRide – This past Sunday, Riverfront Park held its Kids Day event. Children could ride the Loof Carousel and rent roller skates for free. Another major perk was free admission on the Numerica SkyRide. How could I pass that up for Sloan and Beau? Although we did have to wait in line for a bit, we did eventually get the chance to float over the Spokane Falls in a gondola car. I last rode the attraction nearly 10 years ago during the winter with Sidney so it was cool to see the magnificent Falls during a different season. There were some nerves at first but everyone settled down and enjoyed the ride.

Beau and Sloan relax on the Numerica SkyRide in Riverfront Park.

Oh Deer – Yesterday afternoon, EWU’s executive assistant to the president walked into my office and directed me to open my blinds. Not knowing exactly what I would see, I was relieved that it was just a cute deer eating a late lunch right outside my window. Although I did say “cute,” upon close inspection you could tell that the animal probably wasn’t the healthiest. Despite the fact that it looked a little rough, getting an up close glimpse at EWU wildlife was a nice way to highlight the day.

This deer visited me at the window of my Eastern Washington University office yesterday.

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That’s all I have. Please pray for continued peace in the Middle East and have a wonderful weekend. Don’t Blink.