National Oreo Cookie Day

Posted on March 6, 2017 by brent

This morning, our director of creative services here at Coastal mentioned to me that today is National Oreo Cookie Day. He alerted me about the holiday to be funny because he knows my harsh opinion on gimmicky “national” days. However, no matter how much I say I hate the concept of a National Pancake Day or National Peanut Butter Lovers Day, I do admit that I have stooped to creative lows by using these occasions as blog material.

Today I want to pay the ultimate homage to the Oreo cookie by dusting off a blog post I wrote four years ago. Specifically titled Premium vs. Generic: Make The Right Decision, I wrote about a handful of products that can be substituted for a generic brand with no big taste/performance difference. Evening out the post, I also listed a second handful of products that, in my opinion, should never be substituted with a knockoff brand. At the very top of the list was the Oreo cookie.

Let me wish you a happy National Oreo Cookie Day!

There is simply no replacing an Oreo. It is one of a kind. While we can all pay a dollar or two less and buy an imitator chocolate cookie sandwich, it falls so short of the Oreo standard that it isn’t even funny. It just takes one nibble to figure out the truth. An Oreo will perfectly crumble and send a wave of freshness and chocolatey delight through the taste buds the moment the teeth make impact with it. The white filling of an Oreo is fluffy and delicious to eat by itself. An Oreo dipped in milk absorbs it in a way that achieves the desired sogginess yet doesn’t lose the hallmark flavor.

On the other hand, a knockoff cookie sandwich is bland and contains no special crunch. The filling is thin and tastes/looks artificial. Milk simply seems to run off the cookie wafers, failing to retain the beverage and produce a softened and refreshing version. There is no comparison at all.

The Oreo cookie stands by itself and it just isn’t the taste. The smell is distinctive. I could have my frozen yogurt topped with “Oreos” at an ice cream parlor and I would immediately know with a quick flex of my nostrils whether the place actually put on crushed Oreos or a knockoff. I could pick up an Oreo package at the supermarket and feel the distinctive texture of the cookies inside and contrast that with a generic package. I could look at a plate with two cookies on it, an Oreo and an imitator, and laugh at how superior the real thing looked to the wannabe.

The Oreo just carries with it a different standard, one that extends to the entire family of flavors. Just like with Pop-Tarts and potato chips, the Oreo cookie has gone through a major flavor expansion throughout the years. You can now purchase cinnamon roll Oreos, red velvet Oreos, mint Oreos, cake batter Oreos, etc. But it doesn’t matter if you are eating an Oreo cookie with golden wafers or an Oreo cookie with cookie dough filling, the freshness and quality is still there. The formula that Nabisco has for its most popular snack is in the same league as the formula that KFC has for its fried chicken.

Although I hate to say it, let me wish you a happy National Oreo Cookie Day! Although this type of recognition probably isn’t necessary, an Oreo cookie is pretty special. Don’t Blink.

A Weekend of Nesting

Posted on March 5, 2017 by brent

We have just about reached the final countdown for the debut of our daughter. Although the official due date is April 7, smart people who have medical degrees have told us chances are good that she might come a couple weeks early. That means we could very well be parents this month! With the greatest day of our lives quickly approaching, we took some major steps to prepare ourselves this weekend.

A few months ago when my sister asked through a group message if Sidney was “nesting” yet, I thought Miranda was a victim of autocorrect. Unless it had something to do with birds, I had never heard the term in my life. But as the time went by, I became quite familiar with the word and everything that went along with it. While I have watched and helped Sidney “nest” over the last several weeks, it seemed as if our “nesting” (sorry for all the quotations) became more intense over the past two days.

Yesterday, my in-laws came over and the four of us combined to prepare the house for a newborn baby. I scrubbed toilets and my father-in-law mopped floors downstairs. But it was upstairs where the major work went down. Sidney and her mom deep cleaned the nursery, guest room, and top level bathroom. They also did the monumental task of going through all the baby shower gifts and sorting, opening, and placing them. They then came downstairs and also cleaned the areas where I might have missed. At the end of the day we had a sparkling house and a beautiful baby-ready nursery.

Our nursey and home are both ready for a newborn.

Today, Sidney and I started to “baby-proof” our main vehicle. Sidney completely vacuumed out the Toyota RAV4. We then took it through the car wash. When we arrived home, we installed the car seat base and placed the actual car seat on it. We then fastened the baby mirror to the head rest of where the car seat is. Finally, we put on the window shades that will keep the sun off of our daughter. A little later in the day, I met with our neighbor’s son-in-law who is in law enforcement. He checked the car seat base to make sure it passed inspection. He gave us his approval along with some tips on how we can be sure that it is always secure.

After our baby is born, we will be able to take her home from the hospital because our car is ready to go!

With so much necessary work completed this weekend, Sidney just told me, “Okay, she can be born now!”

As I write this, Sidney is sleeping on the couch next to me. She has reached the point where she is now very ready to become a mom.

Sidney has reached the home stretch and is in that not very fun stage of constant discomfort. With some major tasks now off our list, how can you blame her? I can only hope that the remaining time goes quickly for her. Big thanks to my in-laws for the tremendous help they gave us this weekend. Don’t Blink.

Castle on the Hill Thursday Rundown

Posted on March 2, 2017 by brent

One of my favorite months of the year is here. Happy March to you all! Now let’s get down to this week’s Thursday Rundown…

Update on Grocery Store Promotion – In October, I described a fun promotion put on by Lowe’s, the grocery store that Sidney and I shop at. For every $10 spent, you received a stamp that you put on a board. The more stamps you filled your board with, the greater selection of prizes you could choose from. Well, the game ended this past week. We ended up cashing in our 37 stamps for a paring knife. I had never been so excited for an eating utensil in my life.

We enjoyed doing the Lowe’s stamps promotion.

Making the Bed – Quite frequently, sports personalities will try to fill their three hour shows with silly debates not related to sports. This morning, the show I listen to on my way to work discussed the practice of making the bed. Both guys said that making the bed is a waste of time and that it is only done to “prove you are not a slob.” I couldn’t disagree more. I think hopping into a neatly made bed is 100% more comfortable and refreshing than slithering into a bed that is in the same state from when you threw the covers off that morning. If I somehow forget to make the bed when I wake up, I will make it that night one minute before I get back in it to go to bed.

Lion – This past Sunday, I went to the theater to watch “Lion.” Knowing that it was up for several Academy Awards, I was expecting a lot. Although the story itself was very interesting and although the ending was pretty special, I wouldn’t think for a minute to give it Oscar consideration. In the middle of the movie I asked myself “Umm…okay, what is the big deal with this movie? There has to be something more than this.” If you need a decent Redbox to watch I would recommend “Lion” (when it comes out) but it was not a good theater movie and definitely not a film deserving of the highest honor in Hollywood.

I went to the theater to watch “Lion” this past week.

ACC Tournament at Coastal – The HTC Center, our arena on campus, is hosting the 2017 ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament. The entire 15 ACC schools are in our area to compete for the automatic bid to the Big Dance. But we don’t just have the teams here, we have the mascots, bands, spirit squads, and fans of these institutions as well. It is a festival-like atmosphere at the HTC Center and the second you walk inside you know you are in the middle of a high quality sporting event. It is a really cool deal that we are the destination for so many big name schools.

The HTC Center at Coastal Carolina University is hosting the 2017 ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament.2017 ACC Women’s Basketball Tournament

Ed Sheeran – My wife is making me an Ed Sheeran fan! A year ago I would not have been able to pick him out from a lineup nor identified his voice if given a few songs to select it from. But he is starting to grow on me. My favorite current song is “Castle on the Hill.”

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Have a great month, everyone! Sidney and I know that something very special could happen this March for us. Don’t Blink.

My Five Favorite Seasonal Treats

Posted on February 28, 2017 by brent

As a marketer, I understand the need to capitalize on the holidays or other special times during the year. For whatever reason, if you can twist your product to fall in line with a unique day or time on the calendar, people will bite. I am not immune to this sneaky technique by any means. In fact, I am a big sucker for purchasing “seasonal” items (except for Starbucks holiday cups…I don’t drink coffee).

In tonight’s blog post, I want to share the five seasonal items I looked forward to the most growing up. This is not a countdown as I couldn’t bring myself to rank one sugary treat ahead of another.

Girl Scout Cookies – To be honest, this blog post was inspired by the fact that I just purchased Girl Scout Cookies. My co-worker’s daughter is selling them and I couldn’t resist. I bought a box of Tagalongs for me and two boxes of Trefoils for Sidney. Also, new this year is a S’mores cookie. I bought a box of those as well. Come on though, what seasonal treat is more beloved than Girl Scout Cookies? There is nothing better than seeing cute Girl Scouts out front at the grocery store and there is nothing better than making their day by purchasing a box or two.

Sitting around with the Girl Scout Cookies I purchased today.

Shamrock McDonald’s Shake – When I was growing up, I didn’t have access to a thousand different milkshake flavors like I do now. Back then, it was just chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla. When McDonald’s would release its Shamrock shake around St. Patrick’s Day, not only did it have that distinctive mint flavor but it was also GREEN, something that looked completely different from what I was used to. We didn’t get milkshakes that often but during March my parents would always let us get a Shamrock shake.

Heart Shaped Papa Murphy’s Pizza – My love for Papa Murphy’s take-n-bake pizza is well-documented. Back in the day, I spent a couple different Valentine’s Days with a heart shaped pizza as opposed to a date. I don’t know if the chain still does it, but Papa Murphy’s would offer $5 pepperoni heart shaped pizzas on Valentine’s Day. The discount and the shameless holiday cut of the pizza was enough to entice us.

Cap’N Crunch Christmas Crunch – There was not another cereal that got me more in the Christmas spirit than Cap’N Crunch Christmas Crunch. But hold on here, I am not trying to be cute or to overstate this. I sincerely looked forward to when the Yuletide cereal would hit the shelves. I loved the red and green crunch berries but I also just enjoyed the box itself. It was so festive how they put the Captain in front of a Christmas background while donning a Santa hat. A Christmas memory for sure!

Costco Pumpkin Pies – Although I don’t get excited about the mainstream obession with everything pumpkin flavored, I do very much enjoy the true pumpkin staple of the holidays. But it isn’t just pumpkin pie that I like, it is Costco pumpkin pie. When Thanksgiving comes around and Costco starts putting out big crates full of pumpkin pies I get happy. Not only is it an indication that the holiday season is here but it is also an indication that my taste buds are about to enjoy one of the most consistent and pleasant tastes that I know of. Thank goodness for Costco pumpkin pie.

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Go out and support your local Girl Scouts! If you need someone to purchase them from, let me know! Don’t Blink.

Sid’s Baby Shower

Posted on February 27, 2017 by brent

Yesterday was a special day for Sidney. She had a baby shower thrown in her honor. As someone who has desperately wanted to be a mom her entire life, this was a moment that she had always looked forward to. The coveted baby shower is a major step toward impending motherhood and Sid got to experience it on Sunday. It didn’t disappoint.

For her special party, Sidney spent a lot of time doing her hair, putting on makeup, and picking out that perfect maternity outfit. When she came out of our room, she looked absolutely beautiful (I love it when she curls her hair)! I took Sid to her older sister’s house, the location of the party. When I arrived, Sidney’s two sisters and mom were hard at work getting everything ready. With the event set to begin in an hour, I told Sid to have fun and I left for the movie theater.

Sidney looked so beautiful for her bridal shower. I took this photo before I took off for the movie theater.

While the girls enjoyed themselves, I went and saw “Lion.” By the time the movie was out, Sid texted me to invite me back over to Steph’s house to check out the “loot” she received and to of course eat some of the leftover food.

I returned to the house a little after 4 p.m. When I arrived, it was the same people who I had left there at 1 p.m. (Sid, her sisters, her mom, and brother-in-law). However, within those short three hours around 20 additional women had come through the house, showered Sidney with gifts, and celebrated the upcoming birth of our daughter.

A look at some of the women who lined Steph’s living room and kitchen for Sidney’s bridal shower (photo courtesy of Rhonda Shelley)

However, you would not have known about the tornado of activity, fun, and laughter if it wasn’t for the area in the living room that was overran with gifts. Sidney was not kidding, she had made out with some serious “loot.” While I pigged out on wraps, chicken, and brownies, Sid took me on a tour through our new baby items, a tour that lasted long enough for me to go up to the food table three different times.

After seeing all of the stuff, a lot of it I had no idea how to use, I felt a little overwhelmed. But I wasn’t alone. Even Sidney admitted feeling a bit of anxiety over the haul. But the pressure she felt wasn’t from fear of looking like an idiot when using the gifts, it was from the standpoint of realizing that we still have a lot to do before the baby comes.

A look at some of the baby shower gifts we received. We took it all up to the nursery.

But the last thing I want to do is sound like I am complaining because that is completely not the case. We can’t describe how thankful we are for the outpouring of warmth and generosity. Not only did we get incredible and useful items but Sidney also got a whole bunch of love from the women who attended. It just doesn’t mean a lot to her, it also means a lot to me.

We packed up the car and drove to our house. We unloaded all of the gifts and took them upstairs to the nursery. Later that night we FaceTimed my mom and showed her everything we got. By the end of it, we were tired! We were going to do the same thing for my sister but we told her she would have to wait until the next day.

The stars of yesterday were definitely my mother-in-law and sisters-in-law. They put in so much work to pull that baby shower off. Everything from invitations to decorations to the organization to the food (especially the FOOD!) was top notch. It makes my heart warm how much love and consideration they show toward Sidney. They truly go all out to make their daughter/sister feel special. It surely makes Sid and I want to pay it forward! Don’t Blink.

A Man of Faith: Monsignor James LeBlanc

Posted on February 26, 2017 by brent

Last weekend, St. Andrew Catholic Church was packed. As is usual for the 4:30 p.m. Saturday vigil this time of year, a standing room only crowd had gathered. A few minutes before mass started, Monsignor James LeBlanc left his spot in the entrance procession. Walking away from the staging area near the vestibule, he started strolling past the rows. Giving the hardworking ushers a big hand, he used his lapel mic to point out to the folks standing against the walls of possible seats within the pews.

“We got some room here.”
“Looks like we got a spot right there.”
“Brothers and sisters, please make sure to move to the center of the pews so others can sit down.”

St. Andrew is not a small church. Msg. LeBlanc had probably went 20 rows deep, almost reaching the altar itself, before turning back around and meeting his altar servers and deacon back at the vestibule. You don’t usually see a pastor of a large parish take on the role of usher but then again you also usually don’t get the opportunity to be in the presence of a special priest like Msgr. LeBlanc.

Msgr. James LeBlanc strolled past several rows of pews inside St. Andrew Catholic Church to try and find seats for the people standing. Try to picture this photo with an overflowing crowd.

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A parish is not defined by its pastor. Rather, it thrives or declines based on the faith of its community. To make this point perfectly clear, the Catholic Church does not keep priests around at one church for too long. Dioceses hand out new assignments to priests on a regular basis, uprooting them from one parish home and transferring them to another.

It is by design that the names on a parish marquee won’t be there forever. However, it is still bittersweet when the priests move on.

Although I understand this thinking and although I have come to expect it after three decades of practicing the faith, it is still bittersweet to see a priest move on. However, when Msgr. LeBlanc announced he would be departing St. Andrew a few weeks ago, I felt more “bitter” than “sweet.”

When Msgr. James LeBlanc announced he was leaving St. Andrew, both Sidney and I couldn’t help but feel sad.

If you know Msgr. LeBlanc, the story about him navigating a crowded church to find seating for those on their feet wouldn’t surprise you. You see, the man just doesn’t fit the mold that some people might concoct of a Catholic priest. Msgr. LeBlanc made no qualms about challenging the congregation to sing louder or say a prayer with more conviction. He liberally exclaimed “AMEN” with the expectation that the congregation would respond with the same (they did). He opened up his homilies for discussion. He wasn’t always 100% politically correct.

But even though he effectively smashed stereotypes that some people might have about how Catholic priests should serve and/or act, make no mistake about it, he was always Catholic to the core. He ran smooth services, gave beautiful homilies, displayed absolute reverence for the Holy Eucharist, and was very knowledgeable about any question you might have about Catholic doctrine. He made me proud about my faith; he made me confident to introduce Sidney to it.

Sidney and Msgr. LeBlanc made quick friends. He helped make me comfortable to introduce Sid to the faith.

St. Andrew is a tough assignment. Serving as an administrator for a large parish is one thing, it requires management and diplomacy skills. But St. Andrew is more than a big community. On any given Sunday, the crowd for that mass could be comprised of 75% vacationers and/or snowbirds. The constant revolving door of new worshippers can throw a wrench into a pastor’s plan for cohesion. Traditions that priests want to instill with their parishes become harder when the population changes drastically week to week. However, Msgr. LeBlanc successfully implemented the type of mass he wanted to run. More importantly, he served as a strong and holy man of faith for the thousands of people who travel to the Myrtle Beach area on a yearly basis. By giving a great impression to our visitors, he not only represented the parish well but the entire Diocese of Charleston.

Sidney and I with Msgr. LeBlanc at his farewell party.

As you can see, Msgr. LeBlanc was an incredible pastor when it came to Sundays. He mastered the responsibilities that many outsiders and even people of the faith think priests solely concentrate on. But Msgr. LeBlanc’s mass presentation, preaching style, and rapport with the audience weren’t the only things that endeared himself to so many during his time at St. Andrew. Rather, it was what he did on the days when the church wasn’t overflowing with people that made him stand out.

Sidney and I had the pleasure of getting married by Msgr. LeBlanc. In addition to listening to a workshop he gave on marriage in the Catholic Church that was open to the parish community, he also privately counseled us. About 10 days before our big day, we met with Msgr. LeBlanc in the parish offices. He blew us away. We chatted for almost two hours, a truly inspiring conversation that touched both Sidney and I. As Sid and I talked later that night, we both expressed how thankful we were for that special time.

About 10 days before our wedding, we sat down with Msgr. LeBlanc for a very spiritual and memorable conversation.

The day of our wedding was incredible. He squashed nerves, provided a sense of calm to the ceremony, and made it special from the entrance procession to the signing of the marriage certificate. He preached about how it wasn’t him that was administering the Sacrament of Holy Matrimony but rather Sidney and myself. We will never forget him coaching Sidney’s 3-year-old nephew to give us the rings right before we said our vows.

The moment where Msgr. LeBlanc coached our nephew, Harrison, to help with the ring delivery. Under LeBlanc’s guidance, Harrison held out the rings so they could be sprinkled with holy water and then he brought them to us.

Whether it was listening to confessions, attending church functions, or pouring his heart into starting the area’s first Catholic high school, Msgr. LeBlanc gave 100%. He didn’t do it for recognition or praise, he just did it for God and the people of the parish. You see, they don’t come more humble than Msgr. LeBlanc. During the summer, a nice reception was held to honor his 20th anniversary to the priesthood. But the truth is that if parish officials had not learned about that milestone themselves at the last minute, Msgr. LeBlanc would have let it pass by without saying a word. He also said next to nothing (at least when I was around) about his elevation to the rank of Monsignor, a major and holy achievement in the career of any priest. And, as I have been told, any gratuity he received for performing special ceremonies such as weddings went promptly into the collection basket at the next mass.

Msgr. LeBlanc speaking at the reception marking his 20th anniversary of ordination to the priesthood.

Msgr. LeBlanc is off to the Columbia area to become pastor of two parishes, Transfiguration Church and St. Theresa Church. Undoubtedly he will touch countless more people. Both parishes are very lucky.

It goes without saying that the community of St. Andrew is so appreciative toward Msgr. LeBlanc. We are sad to see him go. On a personal level, I will really miss listening to him preach. I will miss the way he impacted Sidney, an influence that has helped her express to me that one day she wants to become Catholic. We will both miss him when it comes time for the baptism of our daughter. But more than anything else, we are just thankful. Msgr. LeBlanc touched and enriched our lives and we can’t express our gratitude toward God enough. Don’t Blink.

Wild Thursday Rundown

Posted on February 23, 2017 by brent

It is only the 23rd of the month but it is February so that means this is the final Thursday Rundown before March. With that said, here we go with this week’s five topics…

Popcorn With What? – I am a follower of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch Twitter account (@CTCSquares) so when it tweeted out this snack idea it definitely caught my eye. Popcorn and Cinnamon Toast Crunch? In my opinion, it is probably just a better bet to go with kettle corn. It is proven that chocolate goes with popcorn (have you ever combined Junior Mints Peanut Butter M&M’s with popcorn before?) so if I was to sprinkle cereal on my favorite movie theater concession item, I would go for Coco Puffs or perhaps Cookie Crisp. Just my opinion though.

The Cinnamon Toast Crunch Twitter account suggested it is a good idea to mix the cereal and popcorn.

Baby Update – Sidney will turn 34 weeks tomorrow! The arrival of our daughter is very quickly approaching. This afternoon we had another ultrasound and baby looks great. On Sunday, Sidney’s sisters will throw her a baby shower. I am excited for Sidney to have a good time at this special occasion with her family and friends. I think I might go watch a movie while they are enjoying themselves. Things are happening fast!

A photo I took of my beautiful wife at the doctor’s office today.

Hey I Heard You Were A Wild One – Over the past week, Sidney and I have watched episodes of a Netflix documentary series called “Wild Ones.” The series features animals from all around the world. Each episode centers on a region such as the African Savannah, wetlands, Amazon Rainforest, deserts, jungles, etc. For each region, about five different animals are featured. With the footage being absolutely incredible and with each episode only 25 minutes, they are pretty addicting. The documentary is full of unbelievable moments of nature, making Sidney and I constantly ask each other how the filmmakers are able to capture such brilliant scenes.

February Heat Wave – Although I have lived in Myrtle Beach for almost three years, I still have to pinch myself when the mercury hits the 70s in February. Winter has been non-existant here this year in South Carolina, something I am not complaining about one bit. For a month that is characterized as cold and bleak for many, it has been pool weather conditions for us.

A look at the 7-day forecast here in Myrtle Beach.

From the Archives – I had a couple different blog posts that I wrote on this date in the past that I felt would be worth mentioning. Just last year I counted down the top ten concerts I have attended in my life. Then, three years ago on February 23, 2014, I wrote about a phobia that impacts children. As I oversaw a mascot program at one point in my life, I saw this phobia first hand. Is that a good enough teaser for you to click on the link?

Believe it or not, some children have a serious phobia of mascots.

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Have a great rest of your Thursday night. Try to do something nice for someone else this weekend. Don’t Blink.

Cooking Lessons

Posted on February 22, 2017 by brent

Over the past couple of years, I have made fun of my very limited culinary talents by writing posts about my halfhearted attempts to cook. Although I did put forth effort into these endeavors, most of the “dishes” I made were either of the no-bake variety or incredibly unhealthy (most of the time both).

In a genuine effort to help out more around the house, and to give my wife a break during the upcoming final weeks of her pregnancy, I have sought the incredible teaching skills and patience of Sidney. Over the past couple of weeks, she has given me a Cooking 101 crash course.

It started off on a very remedial basis. Sidney taught me the best way to boil water. She also educated me on the various kitchen appliances we have at our disposal. After those first couple of lessons, I could confidently prepare buttered noodles, one of my favorite meals.

This week we have graduated to more advanced techniques. We cooked Hamburger Helper on Monday night and then we made tacos last evening. Being able to properly cook ground beef is imperative because it opens up the possibilities for so many different meals. Sidney showed me best practices for thawing, cooking, draining, and serving the meat. It was very helpful. Along the way, I also learned about mixes and seasonings, additional skills that provide options for countless dishes.

During our kitchen sessions I literally keep notes with a pen and paper pad. I know Sidney would probably rather do other things than teach me basic cooking skills but she makes light of it, saying she “feels like Trisha Yearwood” as she explains each step she takes while making a dish.

Over these several sessions in the kitchen, I have learned that cooking is a bit more complex than what I might have thought. It takes patience, attention to detail, and discipline. Making a mistake can lead to sickness, disappointment, and/or a waste of food. There are definitely risks when cooking.

But the risks seem to usually pay off. The past two nights, Sidney has given me a big high five after we prepared our meals. Being more aware of the labor that goes into a dish, the food does seem to taste a little better.

I have a looooooooooong way to go. But I am trying to learn and I have the best teacher there is. My goal is to one day make a delicious and healthy meal for my wife and our future daughter. Don’t Blink.

Seniority Card Not Working Here

Posted on February 21, 2017 by brent

In a Dear Abby column on Sunday, a reader described her recent frustration at her apartment gym. She had a longstanding routine each day where she would arrive at the gym, hop on her favorite machine, and turn the television to a certain channel. At one point, the reader noticed a younger woman arriving shortly after she started her workout. After a couple weeks, this younger woman started arriving before the reader did. To the reader’s horror, when she would walk into the gym the younger woman would be on her machine with the TV set to a different channel. The reader explained that this new development was ruining her exercise time.

The reader asked Abby if it would be appropriate to pull her “seniority card” and ask the younger woman to defer the machine and the television remote to her. The woman was obviously hitting the gym earlier so she could beat out the reader for the preferable equipment and the TV privileges. It wasn’t fair, the reader reasoned, because her work schedule didn’t allow her to “one up” the younger woman and get there even earlier than her.

Rightfully so, Abby told the reader her proposal was out of line. It is gym etiquette, Abby responded, that equipment usage and amenity availability is distributed on a “first come, first serve” basis, not a “seniority” system.

I will say this, I know the reader’s frustration. A fan of routine myself, or, as my wife calls me, “a creature of habit,” I like doing certain tasks in a predictable manner. This translates to my workouts as well. Depending on what I am focusing on that day, I have a specific plan on what benches, machines, equipment, etc. I will be using. In a perfect world, everything will be clear and available to me at the exact minute my body says I need it. One reason why I exercise right when the gym opens early in the morning is so I can increase the chances of this “perfect world” scenario.

But, it doesn’t always happen that way. When I am in a groove and all I want to do is keep the momentum going by jumping on the incline bench, nothing sucks more than when someone else is using the only incline bench that happens to be in the gym. It might cause me to say a bad word in my head.

Although I am already at fault for letting it get to me, I always do have a backup plan. I have created my workouts in a flexible manner so that even if the backup to my backup to my backup is being used, I have something else to turn to. Although having this many alternatives is easier said than done in an apartment gym, the Dear Abby reader needs to learn to cope.

We don’t just need backup plans in the gym, we need them in all facets of life. If a meeting goes off schedule, a trip is delayed, a show is sold out, or weather ruins an occasion, we have to respond the best way possible by countering with an alternative. In most cases, pulling the “seniority card” or writing to an advice columnist is not going to solve the issue. Don’t Blink.

My Top Ten Presidents

Posted on February 20, 2017 by brent

Today is Presidents Day. For someone whose obesession with presidents reached an almost unhealthy level when I was younger, it is hard to believe that I have never written this type of blog post before. So, even though I can no longer recite all the United States Presidents in order while giving you obscure information on each one, I still have my favorites. In tonight’s blog post, I will countdown my top ten favorite commander-in-chiefs.

10. Grover Cleveland – It always intrigued me that on my presidents poster that hung above my bed was a portrait that appeared twice. Grover Cleveland is the only president to be elected to two non-consecutive terms. This distinction made him special to me and is the best explanation on why he cracks my list.

9. Franklin Delano Roosevelt – The only four term president, it is hard to overstate the good that FDR did for this country. By ushering America out of the Great Depression and leading it to victory in World War II, he goes down as perhaps the best president in history as well as one of my favorites.

8. Dwight Eisenhower – I always loved the look of a modern day decorated general going from the battlefield to the Oval Office. Dwight Eisenhower just fit the bill of what it meant to look presidential. The guy experienced the horrors and triumphs of both world wars, thus giving him a pretty extensive worldview when he took office.

7. John F. Kennedy – Growing up, I always felt sadness and asked “what if…?” when I would pass his pages in my presidents books. Through my eyes as a kid, he seemed to look 50 years younger than all the other leaders. As I grew older, I still asked “what if…?” as I became more fascinated with both his political career and family life. He had so much potential.

6. Abraham Lincoln – For me as a youngster, Abraham Lincoln was extremely interesting. He was on money, he was the tallest president, and he was assassinated! Of course as I evolved from just knowing interesting facts to knowing the impact the presidents had on our country, my respect for Lincoln grew even more. Perhaps no president governed in such hard times as President Lincoln.

5. John Adams – The David McCullough book on the life of John Adams is a must read. It took me on an extraordinary ride through the times and career of our second president. Adams served our country both at home and abroad and his contributions helped shape this country. The relationship between him and Thomas Jefferson was one for the ages, as well as his beautiful marriage to his wife, Abigail.

4. Theodore Roosevelt – When it comes to personality, I don’t think any president (including President Trump) can match that of Theodore Roosevelt. When I watched the documentary done on the Roosevelts a couple years ago, Teddy was rightfully portrayed as a complete badass. Forget that he went to Harvard, served in the army, and became president….I was fascinated by the safaris he went on that brought him face-to-face with some of the world’s most dangerous animals. In fact, on one of these safaris he was pretty much left for dead. I also like Teddy because when I was little my dad would take me to Pioneer Park in Walla Walla, Washington, and lead me to an area where Roosevelt once gave a speech. To know that a president at that time in history made it that far our west proved pretty cool to me.

3. Thomas Jefferson – Although this man had his flaws, he did write the Declaration of Independence, the greatest document ever authored in this country. He also goes down as one of the nation’s greatest presidents, serving young America for two terms. But what drew me to Jefferson was his flamboyancy. Although he was a great writer, politician, and ambassador, he was also really into art. The man loved nice things but was extremely well-educated on what was “nice.” He was good looking and smart, a man who would absolutely take over a room when he entered. Having the distinction of appearing on the $2 bill, Jefferson is one of my favorites.

2. Ronald Reagan – The first actual adult biography on a president I ever read was about Ronald Reagan. The man had a very colorful life and encountered his fair share of disappointments. He served his country, thrived in Hollywood, governed over the largest western state, survived an assassination attempt, and did so much good during his two terms in office. Just like John and Abigail Adams, his marriage to Nancy was another example of true love and selflessness. There is no wonder why even Democrats genuinely respect the guy.

1. George Washington – It all starts with him. Remember above how I said I liked the story of a modern day general succeeding on the battlefield and succeeding in the highest office? Well, George Washington might not be modern but his heroic story is the epitome of the American spirit. Ask yourself this: what would our country be like without Washington? Kind of a scary question, right? In fifth grade at lunch, my teacher put in a movie about George Washington’s life. The film was extremely long because I think it took us about half the school year to finish it. But it was awesome. Washington paved the way for this great country and it is fitting that Presidents Day is celebrated right around his birthday.