Move over Grammy Awards, it is mid-December and that means it is my turn to tell the music industry what struck a chord (pun intended) this year. Yes, for the sixth time in Don’t Blink history, I am back to offer up Brent’s Top 5 Songs of the Year.

In 2019, it seemed to me that musicians actually started to do their jobs and make good music. Seriously! For the past three years I have complained that my countdowns were hard to populate due to lack of worthy tunes. But this year is a little different. Whereas I had a tougher time crowning one song as my undisputed favorite, the countdown from top to bottom is much stronger. So, without further ado, here is my annual list…

5. Shallow – Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper

Although “Shallow” was released in October of last year, it had a major impact in early 2019 as “A Star Is Born” mania spread across the country. I can’t say that it is a song that I can listen to over and over, but it has something that really makes it stand out: emotion.

The passion in this song is obvious to anyone who listens to it, even a tone deaf musical doofus like me. When I watched Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper perform it at the Oscars I made a mental note that the song would make this list. For those of us a little clueless on what a duet should be, we just need to listen to “Shallow.” Although “A Star Is Born” would probably rank higher than #5 on my top list of films for 2019, its title track bringing up the caboose on this “prestigious” top song list isn’t anything to scoff at.

4. “Here With Me” – Marshmello f. Chvrches

Sidney and I were at SunTrust Park this past May watching an Atlanta Braves game, one of our favorite weekends of the year. Between the sixth inning, the public address announcer encouraged those with small children to raise them in the air or put them on their shoulders as part of a Chick-fil-A promotion. After the prompt, “Here With Me” by Marshmello started playing as the video board showed children hoisted in the air.

As cheesy as the promotion was, the song made it work and it immediately stuck out to me. It was my first time hearing it and the melody combined with the enthusiasm of the parents in the stadium who participated really made Sid and I wish that Sloan was with us so we could also raise her in the air.

On our way back to Myrtle Beach the next day we looked the song up. We played it throughout the drive and it kind of became the mantra of our weekend. The good memories the song brings back every time I hear it gives it a spot on this year’s countdown.

3. “Never Really Over” – Katy Perry

This was our song of the summer. Its quick tempo, electronic beat combined with Katy Perry’s fast but signature vocal performance made it a fun song to listen to during the hot months of 2019. It kind of reminded me of a roller coaster; Perry starts off slow with the first several verses, seemingly building up momentum, until she starts spewing out lyrics at a rapid pace as the chorus takes over.

Just like with “Here With Me,” this Katy Perry hit takes me back to good times during the year. I used it for a couple highlight videos of big summer family events and I can’t help but think of my sister-in-law’s wedding or my brother’s July visit when I hear it. Easily one of my favorite Perry songs ever, I am happy to declare it one of my favorite tunes of 2019.

2. “Beautiful People” – Ed Sheeran

Talk about smooth. “Beautiful People” by Ed Sheeran is a song that makes for easy, yet sophisticated, listening. It has a relaxing and unique beat that lends itself to a track I don’t mind listening to regardless of the situation. It makes someone like me who is probably too old for Top 40 feel cool.

The song also tells an endearing story about staying true to oneself and denying materialism. It is about not selling out and never taking yourself too seriously. I can appreciate the message as well as every word that composes it. If you have time, just read through the lyrics themselves––no music is necessary, the pure poetry is beautiful enough.

In another year, this song could be in the top spot. But I don’t feel too bad for Ed because he topped my list in 2017. I look forward to listening to this song many more times in 2020 and beyond because it has qualities that will allow it to stand the test of time.

1. Sunflower – Post Malone, Swae Lee

If “Beautiful People” makes for sophisticated listening, “Sunflower” by Post Malone and Swae Lee makes for contemplative listening. I mean it, you can turn the track on and just get lost in the melody and on-point lyrics. Although I would classify its sound as completely unique, sometimes it does take me back about 12 years to “Don’t Matter” by Akon, a song I loved as well.

Throughout the year, this song would fill our house as Sidney played it on our Echo Dot. As “Sunflower” would play, literal beams of sunshine would come through the large windows in Sloan’s playroom. It was always a soothing experience, one that will always make me associate “Sunflower” with happiness and positive vibes.

Just like with Gaga and Cooper, Malone and Swae both contribute in big ways. If either performer was not on this track it would not be the same. Despite two stars crooning out lyrics, “Sunflower” proves that you can be short and sweet. It is only 2:39 but the singers make every single second count.

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As I said above, after a few years of disappointment, I was impressed with 2019. Thanks to the talented artists who made some great music this year and helped shape some of my memories from the past 12 months. Although I might not know music per se, I do know feeling. Don’t Blink.

Brent’s Top 5 Best Songs of 2018
Brent’s Top 5 Best Songs of 2017
Brent’s Top 5 Best Songs of 2016
Brent’s Top 5 Best Songs of 2015
Brent’s Top 5 Best Songs of 2012

Good evening, everyone. Today it is Dec. 12 and Christmas still seems a little distant. But think about a week from now…it will just be six days away! Let’s get started with my latest Thursday Rundown.

Christmas Picture Fail – I mentioned that we went to a Christmas tree farm to get a family photo taken with Santa for our holiday card. Well, scratch that. Let’s say Sloan’s reaction was one of the major reasons why we went with an alternative plan for this year’s card. However, Sloan did earn some redemption last weekend when she went back to the farm with Sidney’s parents. She sat on Santa’s lap and held back the tears…

Sloan got it together for her second visit with Santa. (Erin Dietrich photos)

Ain’t No Party Like a Teacher’s Party – Last Friday, I was Sid’s date to the Palmetto Bays Elementary staff Christmas party. It was held at the Grumpy Monk at Broadway at the Beach. We had a wonderful time! The food was delicious, the atmosphere was on point, and the games were fun. During the Chinese gift exchange I won a 40-piece Tupperware set and during the door prize session my number was called and I received a whiteboard. I enjoyed chatting with Sid’s fellow fourth grade teachers and just savoring the night out.

We had a great time at the Palmetto Bays Christmas party.

RAMEN – Have you noticed all the ramen-based restaurants popping up everywhere these days? The dish is much more gourmet than the 10 cent beef-flavored packages I used to eat. I recently got a ramen bowl with fresh veggies, shredded chicken, and a marinated egg. It was pretty good for my first foray into gourmet ramen. It definitely won’t be a weekly thing, but I think I would eat it again down the road.

Ramen is much more interesting than what I thought.

Pies By Toddlers – Sloan’s daycare just posted this on Facebook so that is why I am sharing it a little after the fact. A couple days before Thanksgiving, Oxford Children’s Academy hosted a Thanksgiving pie social. The students prepared the pies themselves (with teacher supervision of course) and the parents got to come by at the end of the day and eat them. Sloan’s class made a chocolate cream pie that was superb!

Sloan and I at the OCA Thanksgiving Pie Social.

Let Me Answer This One – I came across this Twitter poll from Coca-Cola and felt compelled to answer it on my blog. First off, I thought the idea of Cinnamon Coke sounded awful. However, after trying it, I had to admit that it wasn’t so bad. What is bad are the choices below. In my humble opinion, a Cinnamon Coke would go great with sitting around the Christmas tree because it does taste like a holiday drink to me. So if you don’t have hot chocolate, opt for a Cinnamon Coca-Cola when you spend some time by the tree this weekend.

Cinnamon Coke is prime for enjoying it around the Christmas tree.

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I hope everyone has an enjoyable weekend. I got Christmas cards to address and eggnog to sip! Don’t Blink.

When it comes to taking medicine, Sloan is usually awesome. We will approach her with a syringe, place it in the corner of mouth, and squirt the liquid in with no objection.

Usually, Sloan is great about taking her medicine.

Recently, Sloan found herself in an unfortunate battle with pneumonia. Our pediatrician prescribed her an antibiotic that, to put it mildly, was disgusting. It was basically a thick white paste that even made me gag. Suddenly, it wasn’t so easy getting our daughter to take her medicine.

After the first day of pleading with Sloan to take her medicine, Sid and I looked at each other and wondered how we could continue this for nine more days. I mixed the antibiotic with milk and tried to convince her that it contained no medicine. I encouraged her to chug it and she actually did. However, it would not last. The next time I offered it to her she called me out, Daddy, this is medicine. Yuck!

I put some milk in a sippy cup for myself and tried her to get to drink with me but to no avail. We tried straight up bribery, promising almost the world if she would just take it. Sidney would pretend to give some of Sloan’s stuffed animals the medicine, reasoning that if they could take it so could she.

When the stuffed animal strategy didn’t work, Sid let Sloan give her the “medicine” (straight milk) via syringe with the promise that Sloan would take it after her. Can you believe that our honest little daughter broke her promise?

It came to the point that she had to be forcefully held down on the floor by one person and the medicine entered into her mouth by the other. Sidney’s mom helped us refine the process by advising us to just squirt a tiny bit at a time. It helped a little but getting her to take the dosage was still an awful process filled with lots of tears and anger.

Then, miraculously, toward the end of the 10 days, Sloan simply allowed us to give her the medicine. No fight, no protest, no squirming. Sidney rationalized that Sloan finally realized that no matter what, she would have to take the medicine eventually. Once she had the epiphany, it just made more sense to suck it up and take the medicine.

Sometimes in life we can be like Sloan and refuse to do something that is for our own good. We can fight it and resist it, but until we realize that taking our own medicine will be the best option for getting healthy and not spending negative energy, it can be a brutal process. If you have any tips for getting your toddler to take their medicine, please let us know! Don’t Blink.

Let me be the first to wish you a Merry Christmas Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve Eve! Okay, that was a little lame. Here we go with my latest Thursday Rundown…

I Can Relate – When I ran across this meme on Facebook, all I could say was you bet I remember! This was a tradition that was dutifully practiced in our household growing up. We loved it when our dad would take us on a spin through neighborhoods to see some of the best decorated houses in the city. I have fond memories of those dark, snowy nights with the car heater blasting and Christmas carols playing on the radio. Sloan has already been treated to this tradition!

Yes, I do remember this!

My Big Red Tractor – When deciding on a Sloan photo for this Thursday Rundown, I opted for this one of her behind the wheel. Our daughter strangely loves engineering vehicles such as excavators and tractors and this past Thanksgiving she got to actually “drive” one. It was a real thrill for her to hop on the red tractor that was parked outside my brother-in-law’s business during our Turkey Day celebration. Our little girl is going to grow up to be a farmer!

Would you like to take a ride on Sloan’s big red tractor?

Got Milk? – I grew up drinking milk with every meal and I still do it for the most part today. Because I enjoy the beverage so much, I took note when a TV at the gym had a news story about the decline of Americans purchasing milk. You want to know the main reason? It isn’t about diet, it isn’t about other competing beverages, and it isn’t about the taste. Rather, it is about cereal. Yes, cereal. It turns out that Americans are buying even less cereal than milk. The correlation is an easy one to understand but I didn’t figure that cereal’s woes would take such a big bite (or gulp) out of milk.

I love milk!

Good Holiday Treat – Although I prefer my own homemade snack mix, we ate something over the Thanksgiving holiday that was pretty good. Walmart sells a Great Value peanut butter trail mix. What’s not to like about peanuts, pretzels, and Reese’s Pieces? However, if you have low self-control you might want to pass because the stuff is addicting! But for a holiday party or for a snack during a Christmas movie, it is still pretty good. But it doesn’t hold a candle to Rudolph’s Mix.

Great Value Peanut Butter Trail Mix is pretty good!

Follow Up On Ms. Lommasson – On Tuesday night, I wrote about my 2013 encounter with Emma Lommasson, the oldest person I have ever been privileged to meet. In the post I noted that we rubbed elbows because I attended a visit between her and Mick Delaney, the head football coach of the University of Montana at the time. I mentioned that I was there to cover the event for social media but I didn’t think I still had any of the content from that day. Well, crazy enough, the six-year anniversary of the visit is today and when I opened up Timehop I came across some photos of an elated Ms. Lommasson reacting to her visitor. After a long life, she passed away this past Saturday.

These photos document the meeting between Mick Delaney and Emma Lommasson in 2013.

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So what is everyone doing this weekend? As holiday parties start to take place, remember to use my tips for hitting the circuit. Enjoy! Don’t Blink.

Over the weekend, the oldest person I have ever met passed away. In fact, the distinction isn’t even close.

I had a great uncle who lived to be 101 but he was a spring chicken compared to University of Montana legend Emma Lommasson. On Saturday, she died at 107 years of age, just shy of her 108th birthday. A few months before I moved to South Carolina I had the privilege of meeting Ms. Lommasson. Based on that special afternoon, I am not surprised one bit that she would live for six more years.

In 2013, former Griz football/basketball broadcaster Mick Holien arranged a visit between former Griz football head coach Mick Delaney and Ms. Lommasson at her nursing home. Besides the two Micks and the centenarian, I was the only other person there. I was invited to document the occasion for social media.

I watched as Coach Delaney held Ms. Lommasson’s hand while the two discussed life and football. Totally alert and with her wit intact, Ms. Lommasson convinced me that she should be the one calling plays on Saturday!

After she spoke with Coach Delaney, Ms. Lommasson focused her attention on me. She asked me questions and I tried my best to explain what I do. She was warm, humble, and funny. She made me think that perhaps living past 100 wouldn’t be so bad after all.

This is me with Emma Lommasson in December of 2013.

I feel blessed that I was able to meet Missoula’s oldest and one of its most famous residents. There is no doubt that she lived a long, happy life. RIP Ms. Lommasson. Don’t Blink.

It was another pleasant Thanksgiving holiday weekend for our little family. It entailed plenty of lounging around the living room but just enough “out-of-the-house” activity to not make us go stir crazy. Tonight I am reflecting on Thanksgiving break with 10 ways that made it memorable.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood – On Wednesday, Sidney did not have to teach and CCU let all employees out early. With the extra time, we went to the theater and watched the Mister Rogers movie before picking up Sloan from daycare. My review is simple: There is no need to see the movie in theaters as the cinematic experience does little to enhance it. But, you will cry and be inspired whenever you do choose to watch it. Tom Hanks nails the role of Fred Rogers and it is definitely a movie to watch with family during the holidays.

We saw “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood” on Wednesday.

Thanksgiving – This past summer, my sister-in-law married her fiancée (John Henry) in the Florida Keys. For Thanksgiving this year, we spent the holiday with his family. They own an auction business and held the big meal inside what they call “the barn.” More than 50 people joined in on the Thanksgiving feast as it was delicious.

We had plenty of food at this year’s Thanksgiving celebration.

Pig – I had to honor this tidbit with its own section. As part of the Thanksgiving meal, John Henry’s dad cooked a 130 lb pig. I don’t know if I have ever eaten better pork in my life. It was true Southern barbecue at its finest and we were encouraged to fill up a big ziploc bag when we left. I am still making sandwiches out of it!

This pig was so dang good.

Thanksgiving Evening – Perhaps my favorite part of the holiday weekend was spending the peaceful Thanksgiving evening with Sid and Sloan. Our daughter was in a sweet mood and we just vegged out on the couch and relaxed. It was so nice. We watched a Disney holiday special and after we put Sloan to bed we started an adult movie (read below for more).

The Irishman – Netflix recently released “The Irishman,” a gangster movie directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Robert De Niro, Joe Pesci, and Al Pacino. Because of the film’s 3.5 hour length, we watched it over the course of two days. Let me tell you this, it is the exact opposite of “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.” A sucker for these mob-based films, I loved every minute of it and would recommend it to anyone with a Netflix subscription.

“The Irishman” was really good.

College Football Black Friday – I don’t spend much time in bars, but I do honor a Black Friday tradition that I started with my brother. While everyone else floods the malls and shopping centers, I take a calmer approach and find a place that has a lot of televisions. I then relax and watch the day’s football games while enjoying a couple drinks. It is the perfect tradeoff between Sid and I; she shops in the morning and I watch football in the afternoon.

Santa Photos – On Saturday we took a drive into the country. We went to Booth’s Christmas Tree Farm so we could get our family Christmas card photo taken with Santa. Although Sloan talked a big game about how much she loves Santa, it became apparent when she was sitting on his lap that her phobia is still lingering. We are crossing our fingers that a good shot was captured despite Sloan’s tears.

Two years later and Sloan still has a Santa phobia (this year’s photo will be part of our Christmas card).

First Sunday of Advent – Even more important than Thanksgiving itself is the start of Advent. This season of waiting and preparation for Christ precedes Christmas. The first Sunday of Advent was yesterday and we marked it by mass and prayer.

We are now in Advent season.

Decorating for the Holidays – Yesterday we cooked up some hot chocolate and decorated the interior of our home for the Christmas season. Sloan, like last year, was exuberant to help put the ornaments on the tree. Thanks to my mother-in-law for assisting us!

We spent Sunday decorating our house.

Ending the Weekend With a Bang – Was there a better way to put a bow on the Thanksgiving Weekend? Before going to our beds to prepare for the work week (and daycare week) we sat down and watched “Christmas Vacation.” Yep, December is here.

We started off the month right by watching “Christmas Vacation.”

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The Thanksgiving weekend has passed and December is now here. I hope everyone has a special month and remembers the reason for the season. Don’t Blink.

Over the past two years, I have written longer-than-needed blog posts about this holiday and its meaning. So, in a departure from 2017 and 2018, I plan to write much less.

Today is Thanksgiving. It is not the official start of the Christmas season, nor is it Black Friday Eve. It isn’t about making a magazine-worthy spread or polishing off numerous holiday nums nums. It isn’t about your fantasy football team or whether the Dallas Cowboys will finally fire Jason Garrett. It isn’t about saving room for pumpkin pie or making yourself a plate of leftovers for tomorrow. It isn’t about a parade or a dog show. It isn’t about social media likes or photo ops.

Thanksgiving is about gratitude. It is about recognizing that we have consciousness. It is about cherishing our loved ones. It is about accepting that we have what we need. It is about realizing we are so lucky to live in this country. It is about thanking God.

Take time to be thankful today. Enjoy the food and the football and the parade (I love the parade) but don’t let the extra stuff overshadow the real point of today. Happy Thanksgiving.

For a week now, I have been intensely focused on a series available on Netflix called the Greatest Events of WWII in Colour. Comprised of 10 mini documentaries chronicling some of the pivotal moments of the war, this British series has captivated my interest and sent chills down my spine on multiple occasions.

So far, I have watched the first six shows: Blitzkrieg, Battle of Britain, Pearl Harbor, Battle of Midway, Siege of Stalingrad, and D-Day. Each one tells the stories of these events in masterfully restored color with the brilliant narration of Derek Jacobi. The episodes are complimented by the commentary of war historians and the real accounts of war heroes involved in the battles.

You will learn a lot from this series.

Each mini documentary delves deep into the respective conflicts. The intentions of the world leaders are revealed and the strategies of the generals are analyzed. No decision is made lightly as every move is tactical; it is the ultimate chess match––a chess match that often-had millions of lives riding on it.

As I have watched these programs, and become more aware of the brutality and death of war, I have felt a little ashamed at how often I have used war terms/analogies (“chess match” included) in everyday life. From sports to simply going to Walmart, I have used terms such as “going to war,” “in the trenches,” “hostile territory,” and “behind enemy lines” to describe mundane life experiences that don’t involve thousands of people getting killed.

Growing up, I would hear people say that war and football share common experiences and that war terminology is valid on the battlefield and the football field. You know, I am not so sure about that.

No matter how violent and popular football might become, it is still simply a game. War, although characterized sometimes in terms of a game, is not. Perhaps we should keep the two separate?

If in fact we decide to do that, this blogger needs to lead by example. In my eight years authoring Don’t Blink, I am sure I have probably hundreds of instances in this blog where I use a war term to describe something non-war related. What can I say? I have been ignorant.

I hate to say that it has taken me over three decades and a Netflix documentary to think twice about my word choice, but I guess better late than never? Time to do some re-evaluating. Don’t Blink.

A year ago on this date, I revealed my best $10 gift suggestion for the 2018 holiday season. I recommended that my readers purchase an LED cinema lightbox for their next Chinese Gift Exchange or simply for their holiday sweetheart. Leading up to that blog post, I had vigorously used my own lightbox that I won at a gift exchange during the 2017 holiday season. I still use it to this day.

Throwback of Sloan playing with our lightbox. This was my recommended gift idea for the 2018 holiday season.

From what I heard, my endorsement of the product led to an additional 1,923,431 lightboxes being sold.

But a new year is here and that means I have to throw my support behind a new gift. In 2019, I am ditching last year’s $10 or under stipulation and simply recommending a gift that would be worth any cost you pay for it.

My 2019 holiday gift suggestion is a blanket.

If you need to purchase a material gift for someone, I feel there is no better option. In terms of use, a blanket should last forever. My parents still routinely use a couple blankets they received as wedding gifts. Sid still uses a blanket she received as a child. We have blankets that we have had since we started dating.

Blankets rule in our house!

Blankets don’t lose their warmth over the years. In fact, I would argue that they age like a fine wine, becoming more form-fitting and comfortable as the years go by. You don’t grow out of them, you don’t lose interest in them, and they don’t break. A blanket is for life.

You also need not worry about whether someone will put a blanket to use. Our family lives in one of the warmest climates in the country and we use blankets on a nightly basis. If you walk into our living room, you will find a large wicker basket containing five different blankets. Each one is used on a regular basis.

Or living room wicker basket holds our blankets.

Which brings me to my next point. Out of those blankets in our wicker basket, a couple were homemade just for us and the remaining ones came from stores. Although the homemade ones are very special and have love woven into the fabric, we really enjoy the ones that were purchased for us as well. So if you can’t sew, don’t think you can’t give someone a blanket you bought from Target…it will still be well-used and appreciated.

In closing, shut your eyes and think about someone draping a warm blanket around your body on a cold winter night. The practical feeling of warmth is nice but the psychological feeling of protection and homeyness isn’t too bad either. Remember what I said above about blankets being worth more than what you pay for?

Struggling for a gift idea this year? Want to be the hero at your gift exchange? In 2019, go with a blanket. Trust me. Don’t Blink.

Did you think I was joking on Thursday when I said I was going to review the Mystery Oreo snack that recently hit shelves? If you know me, the dude who once wrote a blog post exclusively about Oreos, I am guessing not.

Yesterday I braved the pre-Thanksgiving week Walmart crowds to buy myself a package of Mystery Oreos. The $2.98 purchase was more than worth a little Sunday afternoon fun.

Well, to be honest, I didn’t go to Walmart just to buy Oreos…I was on a diaper run!

When I arrived home I swung open the front door and told my girls it was time to eat some cookies! Before ripping open the top of the package I let my mind drift a bit on what the flavor might be (or what I hoped it would be)…

The Mystery Oreo package on our dining room table.

Dr. Pepper. Cake batter. Snickers. Sunny Delight. White chocolate macadamia. Coconut. Marshmallow.

I wanted something fun! I was hoping for a flavor that was unique and not something you would necessarily expect an Oreo to taste like. Spoiler alert: I was disappointed.

The smile on my face was not reflective of what I thought about the Oreos.

The moment I opened the top of the package I already had a good idea what the mystery flavor was. The aroma that drifted out was that overpowering and telling. Hoping that my sense of smell was off, I took a bite of the cookie. No disconnect between my smell and taste. I untwisted the remaining cookie and ate the wafer with very little filling on it. I then scraped the filling off with my teeth on the second wafer before eating that too. Both the wafers and filling tasted the same.

A look at the Mystery Oreo package ripped open.

Hiding my disappointment so I wouldn’t skew Sidney’s opinion, I gave her a cookie. She took a bite and looked at me. Well, someone had to give their opinion so I spoke up…

“It’s gingerbread.”

Sidney immediately concurred. The flavor was so distinctive and so unpopular (at least for us) that there was a lot to be desired. It tasted like a dang Ginger Snap. As you can probably guess, I am not a big fan of Ginger Snaps.

The Mystery Oreo itself looks exactly like a regular Oreo.

Although a majority had already been reached in the Reser household, we still let Sloan give her opinion on the Mystery Oreos.

“I like the butter,” she said, using her own term for the Oreo filling.

Sloan liked the
butter” of the Mystery Oreo.

So, um, 2-1 in opposition of the Mystery Oreos?

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After tasting the Mystery Oreos on our own with no outside influence, I did do an internet search. There is a common opinion that the flavor is graham cracker or possibly a more sophisticated s’more flavor. In my opinion, I think graham cracker is just as boring as gingerbread.

Whatever the flavor Oreo was going for, I think Nabisco missed an opportunity to really pack a punch and leave an impression. I love the promotion, just don’t love the taste. Don’t Blink.