Can’t Get Enough of Dateline

Posted on September 29, 2026 by brent

Quite a bit of fanfare was made this past week about the season premiere of a long-running television show. On Friday night the 35th season of a pretty iconic news-magazine-turned-true-crime program hit the airwaves on NBC.

With that last sentence, I don’t think anyone is in suspense anymore. I am talking about Dateline.

“Dateline” has been with Sid and me our entire marriage and even before! It doesn’t get much better.

Because of its twisty and turny mysteries combined with its engaging/quirky correspondents, Dateline has enjoyed unparalleled success in a true crime-obsessed society.

That success has trickled all the way down to the Reser family living room.

Dateline has joined the ranks of “Jeopardy,” “Big Brother,” and “This Is Us” when it comes to shows that have drawn Sidney and me closer together throughout our marriage. Heck, I even awarded it a Don’t Blink Emmy in 2017.

The storytelling is just so well-done and the crimes so shocking that Sid and I keep coming back. We watch all the episodes on Peacock and make Dateline references all the time such as…

This should be a Dateline episode.
Didn’t we see this on Dateline?
I learned about this from Dateline.

A reason for the show’s success is the correspondents. And let me start with the one who is synonymous with Dateline and the fan favorite in our house: the legend, Keith Morrison. He is our hero. Not only is Keith easy to like because he is just so good at his job, he is also easy to poke fun at. Speaking of Dateline-specific phrases we utter constantly, you will hear Sid and me say “Oh, Keith” when we are watching one of his episodes. It is reserved for whenever he opens with a flowery introduction, places a particular emphasis on a word, or even takes a criminal to task with his questioning.

Josh Mankiewicz and Dennis Murphy are solid as well. Both are hardened Dateline veterans who know how to tell a story. But if I am watching a non-Keith Morrison episode, the correspondent I want to see on my screen is Andrea Canning. A complete pro who will put you at ease one moment but take someone to task the second, she adds so much to each episode. I could listen to her talk true crime all day!

But for a show to truly be special, it must transcend those who host it. For example, Jeopardy is still great even though Ken Jennings took over for Alex Trebek when he passed away. On the other hand, a show like “Family Feud” is only as good as its host which explains why it was a revolving door until Steve Harvey got there. Dateline is akin to Jeopardy. Although a certain correspondent might add a special element, the show has lasted for so long because it decided to focus on an in-demand genre in an engaging way.

That’s why ratings are high whether it is Keith Morrison or Blayne Alexander telling the story.

And it is also why Sid and I will keep watching whether we are eating takeout on the couch, laying in bed, or listening to a podcast episode on a long road trip. Don’t Blink.

Nourish Your Marriage

Posted on September 28, 2026 by brent

This past weekend, Sid and I found ourselves at Immaculate Heart Retreat Center serving as a presenting couple at an Engaged Encounter retreat. It marked the sixth time that we have presided over such a retreat in the past few years.

The couples we ministered to at the Engaged Encounter retreat this past weekend hold their completion certificates.

It also marked the third that time we presented with Ric and Cindy Gaunt—the other presenting couple and our good friends.

We presented with Ric and Cindy Gaunt for the third time at an Engaged Encounter retreat. This was us at the 2026 Engaged Encounter National Convention last month in Atlanta.

But while the Gaunts and Resers might be veterans when it comes to Engaged Encounter retreats, a special person made his EE debut this past weekend. Joining the four of us as the final piece of our presenting team, Fr. Kevin Oiland served as the retreat priest.

Fr. Kevin Oiland joined us and Ric & Cindy Gaunt at Immaculate Heart Retreat Center for an Engaged Encounter retreat.

Fr. Kevin joined our Engaged Encounter community this summer as our chaplain after Fr. Jeff Lewis was assigned as pastor of two parishes in Walla Walla. Although it was sad to lose Fr. Jeff, his self-appointed replacement made me happy—Fr. Kevin is a good friend of the Reser family.

A photo of my family with Fr. Kevin Oiland at a going-away party our young adult group hosted for him back in 2024. He would serve in Walla Walla for one year and then return to Spokane to become the pastor at St. Peter on the South Hill.

So this past weekend was definitely a treat for us. Fr. Kevin was the fourth priest that Sid and I have served with on a retreat and each one always brings something different to the table. In Fr. Kevin’s true nature, he brought his humble and down-to-earth demeanor mixed with a dry sense of humor and the ability to infuse any discussion with applicable quotes and bible verses.

Fr. Kevin Oiland makes a point during this past weekend’s Engaged Encounter retreat at Immaculate Heart Retreat Center. His EE retreat debut was a success.

The 10 engaged couples who signed up for the retreat loved him. From his presentation talks to the way he presided over mass in such a holy way to the personal approach he carried on conversations with the retreatants, he was a hit!

Fr. Kevin Oiland poses with all the engaged couples who went on the September 2026 Spokane Engaged Encounter retreat.

I could pull so many nuggets from the guidance that Fr. Kevin provided over the weekend but I will keep it short with one universal tip he gave…

A Catholic is called to nourish his/her soul by doing a few things consistently: At the minimum, as Fr. Kevin advised, we should partake in daily prayer, receive weekly Eucharist, and go to monthly confession.

He also said that we can nourish and re-fuel our marriages according to a similar cadence. Saying “I love you,” giving kisses, going on date nights, and taking an occasional couple vacation are all things that need to be consistently worked into a marriage.

Sid, Ric Gaunt, Cindy Gaunt, and Fr. Kevin Oiland pose for a photo in-between presentations at the Sept. 2026 Spokane Engaged Encounter retreat hosted at the Immaculate Heart Retreat Center.

So perhaps I will suggest this: mentally say “I do” to your spouse when you get up each day, give a kiss before leaving the house each morning, say “I love you” each night, go on a date night each month, and try to sneak away for a weekend vacation each year.

At every Engaged Encounter retreat, we always show the original Gary Chapman “Five Love Languages” lecture. Even though it is presented in a secular way, what he proposes is applicable to any marriage that is God-centered. He stresses that everyone has a love tank that needs to be filled. By doing seemingly small things on a consistent basis in a way that matches the love language of our spouses, we can keep the love tank full.

Thanks for serving at this retreat, Fr. Kevin, and thanks for your vocation. Don’t Blink.

Splint Thursday Rundown

Posted on September 24, 2026 by brent

Friday Eve has arrived once again and that means I need to write about five random topics. So excuse me while I flex my finger muscles so I can pound out my latest Thursday Rundown. Here we go…

Fair Food – The Reser family made its traditional visit to the Spokane Interstate Fair this past weekend. We browsed the booths, jumped on the rides, mingled with friends, and of course ate some food! This year it was a little disappointing for yours truly because the fair didn’t offer the deep fried pizza I scarfed down the past several years. I made do and opted for the grande burrito. However, I think my wife and children “out ordered” me with their corn dogs and curly fries.

Some photos from our time at the 2026 Spokane Interstate Fair, including the food we ate.

Slight Scare – On Sunday night at our Young Families Catholic group, Beau accidentally ran over his hand while riding a floor scooter. He was in pain the rest of the evening but thankfully he had a regularly scheduled doctor appointment the next morning. When the doctor saw his hand, she put it in a splint and sent Beau to the radiologist for x-rays. There was a fear that he had fractured it. Much to the relief of us all, we received confirmation the next day that no bones were fractured during the incident. We are all thankful!

Fortunately, Beau’s hand isn’t broken and he can resume his soccer activities even though he still must wear his splint.

First Day of Academic Year – Yesterday marked the start of my third academic year at Eastern Washington University with the kickoff of the Fall 2026 quarter. Prior to yesterday’s first day, EWU’s Pass Through the Pillars tradition commenced on Tuesday. All first-year students walked though the landmark pillars at the entrance to our university as they entered our beautiful campus. As they did this, the EWU community (me included) formed a walkway to properly welcome our new students. When these Eags graduate, they will ceremoniously walk through the pillars once again, this time exiting campus by going through the opposite way.

A photo I snapped on Tuesday during the Pass Through the Pillars tradition at EWU.

Best Fast Food Burger – The recent article from Delish about the top fast food burgers resonated with me for a specific reason: only plain cheeseburgers at each location were evaluated. My whole life I have eaten burgers with only the meat, cheese, and bun so I loved the approach. I didn’t find the results too surprising (#1 = Shake Shack | #2 – Five Guys | #3 – Burger King | #4 – Sonic | #5 – Wendy’s | #6 – McDonald’s). For the bottom half, McDonald’s is McDonald’s and I probably had the worst burger of my life at Wendy’s this past summer. I really enjoy the charbroiled taste of Burger King cheeseburgers and no one can argue with a Five Guys cheeseburger. However, even though I had the chance a couple times recently at airports, I have not had a Shake Shack burger. Obviously I need to try one.

Burger King makes a pretty good hamburger these days and deserved placement in the top half of the list.

Happy Punctuation Day – Supposedly today is Punctuation Day so it is super important to adhere to one of the most prominent components of grammar…so remember to properly use your periods and commas, folks. Speaking of grammar, about 11 years ago I wrote about how I am held accountable when it comes to my blog. The moment either my brother or sister spots a grammatical error in Don’t Blink they will text the family text thread and put me on notice! Their “service” continues to this day. I hope they are properly celebrating Punctuation Day.

My sister will point out my spelling errors. Most of them come when I type too quickly and make a basic typo and overlook it. This conversation was from 2o15 but 11 years later she still points out any errors I might make.

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Please pray for Sidney and me this weekend. We will be delivering another Engaged Encounter retreat. Hopefully we can effectively convey to the engaged couples who will be attending how crucial it is to have a God-centered marriage. Don’t Blink.

Distraction

Posted on September 22, 2026 by brent

We do allow Sloan to keep a tablet that allows her to play some games and watch curated videos on YouTube. We set it so she can only access content at certain times during the day.

With that said, when the tablet is “open for business” she definitely takes advantage of it…perhaps too much so.

Over the course of this past year, I have observed her walking with it like the device is her best friend. Whether she is making macaroni and cheese, taking a bath, or (gasp) even doing homework she will have it with her. Many times, her eyes and mind will be more fixated on the tablet than the primary task she is doing.

This “Non-Sequitur” comic strip from 9/16/2026 perfectly describes our society’s addiction to screens.

I have even caught her watching the tablet as she brushes her teeth, walks down the stairs, and searches for a snack in the pantry.

This behavior furiously irritates me and I let her know about it.

“You don’t need your tablet to brush your teeth, Sloan,” I will scold.

But if I am honest, Sloan’s focus on the tablet isn’t a condition she developed and created herself. The comic strip I shared a few paragraphs ago epitomizes society’s dependence on devices. It doesn’t matter what is going on around us, we allow screens to distract us to the point of catastrophe. It is a total lack of prioritization and consideration for others.

And when it comes to “society” I am absolutely counted in the ranks. Sadly, I haven’t done much to steer us away from hyper-device fixation or even pull my head away from my own device. I wonder where Sloan gets it from. Don’t Blink.

Stephen King: Beyond Horror

Posted on September 21, 2026 by brent

Stephen King turns 79 today. Maybe I should wait until next year to write this post for his milestone birthday. But I can’t guarantee I will read any of the legendary author’s works over the next 365 days (although I want to) so I am writing it today.

Stephen King celebrates his 79th birthday today. I have read a few of his non-horror books over the past couple years.

An icon. How else can I describe Stephen King? Well, some people might put a modifier before the word “icon” with the word “horror” but that would be selling him immensely short. Although King is the king of the horror (pun intended), he is also an overall master of literature.

Stephen King established himself in the horror genre but over the past couple decades he has written novel after novel about plots and topics that aren’t scary. Although I really enjoy a good spooky book, I am a big fan of King’s recent work as well. His contemporary stuff is detailed, engaging, and super funny.

Over the past couple years, I have read three Stephen King books that were all terrific. In case you need a good reading recommendation, here are the ones I picked up off the library shelf…

Billy Summers – The story of a former Marine sniper who continues his work as an assassin in the civilian world. Only taking jobs that target the most evil humans and that pay lucratively, Billy accepts an offer he can’t refuse…only to wish that he refused it. This was a serious page-turner and I was impressed with the character development of Billy—definitely someone you don’t want to mess with.

Before I returned “Billy Summers” to the library, I had to snap a quick photo in my car.

Mr. Mercedes – A retired cop who is deeply depressed is brought back into the game when he starts receiving letters from a serial killer. This detective novel includes a love story as well but what really stood out to me was how sadistic Stephen King can get with his villains.

Me clutching my library copy of “Mr. Mercedes.”

Later – Cue the “Sixth Sense” references but this book is about a boy who can see dead people. Only in this story, the dead people can not just talk but they can only tell the truth. When the boy becomes the favorite resource of a corrupt cop, things get very interesting. Although this seemingly has elements of King’s signature horror storytelling, it is more a crime novel…and it is also a relatively quick read by King standards.

Sorry, I didn’t snap a photo of my hand holding the actual book. But “Later” was a mix of crime and creepy.

Happy birthday, Stephen King! Anyone out there read a King novel recently? Or is there a certain work that I must read? Please let me know. Don’t Blink.

Cookie Dough Thursday Rundown

Posted on September 17, 2026 by brent

Alright, we are in mid-September and with that comes a fascinating mixture of summer and autumn here in the Inland Northwest. The best way I can describe this special time is with one word: glorious.

Friday Night Greasy Food – I live for Friday nights with my wife and kids. Whether we are watching a movie at home, catching a high school football game, or going out for dinner I will always cherish the carefree/celebratory evenings after a week of work and school. Last Friday we hit up Ron’s Drive-In, a classic hamburger place in Spokane Valley. We ordered burgers, chicken, French fries, and onion rings and it was so good. Look at the below photo of Sloan and our tray of food. Can you get anymore wholesome/American?

I live for Friday nights with my family. This past Friday evening we ate at Ron’s Drive-In in Spokane Valley. Our tray just looks classic!

Beau In Foam – Our St. Mary Parish Festival was held last Friday and for the second year in a row a foam machine was part of the festivities. Beau went a little overboard and got…ummm…drenched? Excuse my lack of a better word, I don’t know quite the term for being covered in foam (foamed?). Anyway, to be honest, I think Beau regretted his decision a bit. He actually got the chills but luckily I had a beach towel in the back of my trunk to wrap him in.

Beau was covered in foam during the 2026 St. Mary (Spokane Valley) Parish Festival

Quirkie Dough – I love it when one of my big ideas that I was too lazy to implement hits it big. Back in 2015, I pitched my idea for Cookie Dough Café, a dessert shop that resembles an ice parlor but instead of ice cream you are served cookie dough. My vision included edible cookie dough in various flavors served in bowls with toppings. I sat on the concept a little too long because this week I learned of Quirkie Dough, a shop in Coeur d’Alene that delights customers with cookie dough creations. I have not visited Quirkie Dough yet but when I do I will make sure to write a blog post about the experience.

I need to try Quirkie Dough in Coeur d’Alene. Don’t worry, I won’t ask them to pay me for my original idea 😉.

Soccer Season Is Here – Beau is back on the pitch! His fall soccer season started this month and he had his first game on Saturday. The White Sharks came out of the gates with a 6-3 win as Beau notched his first goal of the fall campaign. After this summer’s World Cup it seems like soccer is hotter than ever and our son is still manic for the sport. I will update you on how the season ends next month.

Beau poses with his teammate and classmate, Grant, after the White Sharks won the first game of the fall season.

Don’t Blink Feature – Industry recognition and kudos from your bosses is one thing, but affirmation from those you serve is another. During this week 11 years ago, the student newspaper at Coastal Carolina University (The Chanticleer) ran this front page feature on me. Of course the absolute best part was the title of the piece. The story has been completely wiped from the internet (😂) but the photo of the physical paper I took with my phone remains. Go Chants!

I felt special when Kara Thomas of The Chanticleer wrote this article about me.

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That will wrap up another Thursday Rundown. We have an extremely busy weekend that will include a trip to the Spokane Interstate Fair. Wishing you all the best until we catch up again next week. Don’t Blink.

There’s Something About September

Posted on September 16, 2026 by brent

Did you know that September 16 is a very significant date? This might be the coolest fact you learn today, but for many years 9/16 was the most common birthday in the United States. A Harvard study that took years to complete confirmed this fact based on real data that tabulated the births of Americans.

Happy birthday to everyone celebrating their birthday today…there are a lot of you!

However, since 1994, September 9 is now the most common birthday in the United States. This is attributed to C-sections becoming more prevalent. Moms no longer have to wait until their exact due date if delivering a week or two earlier is better for her health or the baby’s health.

But here comes the craziest thing: When it comes to the top 10 most common dates for birthdays in the United States, NINE of them are in September. The only outlier date belongs to July (7/7 to be exact).

By this time I can sense all my readers doing the math in their heads and your likely assumption is correct: Many of these September babies are conceived around Christmas when spirits are high and people are at home.

Makes sense, right?

No wonder Beau has two birthday parties to attend this weekend.

My brother was born on September 23…which equates to almost exactly 9 months after Christmas.

Of course, there are exceptions to every rule. Surprisingly, out of the 16 people who work in our University Relations office here at EWU, none of us have a September birthday! The closest person to a September birthday is your favorite blogger, who was born on October 8.

And a quick look at my Facebook friends indicates that four of them (.3%) were born today—happy birthday Ric, Kailey, Chris, and Neil! Facebook won’t let me easily see birthdays of my friends prior to September 13 but from 9/13 – 9/30, I counted 50 people with birthdays. If you are generous and double that to account for 9/1 – 9/12, it would be 100 September birthdays that equates to 8.4% of my friend list…which is almost exactly 1/12th…and we all know how many months are in a year. So it isn’t like September is dominating in respect to the birthdays of my Facebook friends.

My niece, Mikayla, was born on September 5.

But don’t worry, I will take the data from Harvard and FiveThirtyEight over my Facebook friend list any day. There is no dispute—September is the most common month for birthdays in our country and we have the birthday of Jesus Christ to thank for that. Don’t Blink.

Thoughts On Tuesdays?

Posted on September 15, 2026 by brent

What are your thoughts about Tuesday?

Is it automatically the second worst day of the week because only Monday is furthest from Friday in terms of the work week? Or do you approach it with more optimism?

Even though most of you know me as an eternal optimist, I don’t even know if I hold Tuesday in high regard—at least when it comes to other days of the week. Although Tuesday isn’t Monday, it kind of is in a sense. Usually Tuesdays and Thursdays are lumped together in a scheduling-sense. Those two days usually mirror each other in terms of how a day is structured and how activities take place. When you think of it that way, the Tuesday is kind of the “Monday” while the Thursday is the “Friday.” I didn’t lose you there, did I?

There’s “Taco Tuesday,” “Fat Tuesday,” and “Teal Tuesday” (IFKYK) but other than that the day of the week is kind of overlooked.

In terms of productivity, I think Tuesdays can be good. We have all suffered through “a case of the Mondays” before. After that band-aid is ripped off, we are usually ready to get after it on Tuesday. So there is that, I guess.

But I would say that Tuesday is definitely the most overlooked day of the week. It seems like nothing truly significant occurs. Even Monday is celebrated multiple times per year when it hosts holidays like Memorial Day and Labor Day. And when those holidays roll by on the calendar, guess what happens to Tuesday? It is yet another example of it being treated as a Monday.

Tuesday is a day that is taboo to take off. Who in their right mind takes a Tuesday off? Well, I pushed for it a couple years ago. You might also mention that Mardi Gras takes place on a Tuesday. That’s true, but how can you get too crazy when the beginning of Lent is just hours away?

If there is one thing that holds a special spot in my heart regarding Tuesdays, it is this: For a period when I was in elementary school, new episodes of “Home Improvement” would premiere on Tuesday evenings. It also happened to be discount night at our local frozen yogurt shop (Didier’s). My parents would get all of us ice cream and we would watch the latest “Home Improvement” episode together. Those were some great times.

See, I told you I was an eternal optimist. Don’t Blink.

The Best Brownie Piece

Posted on September 14, 2026 by brent

As I have mentioned before, our University Relations department has something we do daily called “Topic of the Day.” A whiteboard at the entrance of our office suite displays a question for each member of our team to answer. Every now and then, I will share one of these questions on a Thursday Rundown.

However, sometimes the “Topic of the Day” is too important for just a passing mention on a rundown blog post…

This was the brilliant Topic of the Day within our EWU University Relations office on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026.

Such as the one I posted above. Presented in an easy-to-answer and aesthetically-pleasing way by our senior graphic designer, Emily Ausere, the question is quite simple: Which piece of the brownie is the best?

Answering the question as if you had a freshly baked pan of brownies in front of you, the choices included: A corner piece (A), a piece that borders the pan on one side (B), or a middle piece that doesn’t border the pan at all (C).

It didn’t even take a split second for me to answer. I put my tally underneath “C” instantaneously.

I want a brownie that is consistent in texture throughout the whole piece. Give me softness in every bite, please. Corners are chewy at best but most of the time burnt…no thank you. I don’t know about you, but hard and scorched is not my preference when it comes to a brownie.

Thanks to Hurricane Matthew many years ago, we swapped a birthday cake for brownies. You better believe I ate the middle and gave the rest to Sid and her family.

Let me put it this way: The “C” piece as defined in the “Topic of the Day” is the filet of the batch of brownies. It is where all the good stuff resides and where perfection can be found.

My philosophy on opting for and savoring the “filet” goes beyond just brownies (and steak, for that matter). If I am eating a hamburger or a traditional square sandwich, I am eating around the border first so that I can save the best for last when I eat the middle.

This can be applied to pizza, too. We commonly cook a certain type of frozen pizza in our family that is square-shaped. I take the insulated pieces in the middle. Thankfully, this never causes controversy because my wife and kids all want the corner pieces—which brings up my next point…

People actually do prefer corner pieces—even when it comes to brownies. And I guess that is a good thing because in life not everyone can have the filet and when people voluntarily opt out of it, that just means more for me.

Sid, Sloan, and Beau can eat all the corner pieces of brownies and pizza they want. Don’t Blink.

A Quarter Century Since 9/11

Posted on September 11, 2026 by brent

As I wake this morning on the 25th anniversary of 9/11, I can’t shake that it has been a quarter century (I still remember commemorating the 10th anniversary). When the attacks occurred I was a freshman in high school but the time that has elapsed since then hasn’t touched my memory of that day.

However, this blog post isn’t meant to necessarily reflect back on September 11, 2001, but to simply point out three things that are top of mind on September 11, 2026. Three quick thoughts…

Three thoughts come to mind when I reflect on the 25th anniversary of 9/11.

First, it is beyond sad how many people have had their lives negatively impacted by the attacks. In addition to the nearly 3,000 who lost their lives on 9/11, they now say even more people have died from breathing the toxic air at the Twin Towers clean up site. And then you have the friends and family of the victims who don’t live a day—even 25 years later—without thinking about their loved ones who perished and the manner by which it happened. The death and pain of 9/11 definitely wasn’t contained to one day.

Second, even though we live in a world that is increasingly violent, I don’t think we will ever become desensitized to the terrible images ingrained in our heads from 25 years ago. From desperate individuals jumping out of buildings to dead people carried out of the wreckage to commercial airliners blowing up upon impact with buildings, those moments of tragedy will continue to live rent free in my head for the next 25 years as well.

And finally, third, if there is one thing to take solace in, it is this: There has not been another major terrorist attack on American soil since that awful day 25 years ago. I am thinking about that a lot this morning and just appreciating the fact that out of all the scheming, plotting, and hating that we all know has inevitably taken place over the past two and a half decades, our government has kept us safe.

What are you thinking about on this solemn anniversary? Whatever it is, take time to remember those who died, honor those who responded, and educate those who were born after the attacks. May we never forget and may we never relive. Don’t Blink.

Don't Blink

By Brent Reser

Monthly Archives: September 2026