Making the Effort to Eat at the Cheesecake Factory

Posted on November 21, 2016 by brent

Growing up, I never used to eat at landmark/theme chain restaurants while traveling. It never appealed to me to eat at Planet Hollywood so I could get a t-shirt with the city name on it. I didn’t need to see if the Hooters girls in Seattle were cuter than the Hooters girls in Las Vegas. I didn’t care about the memorabilia in the Hard Rock Café of whatever city I was in.

Not that dining out when traveling didn’t interest me. To me, eating at restaurants away from home is a lot of fun (and usually delicious). However, my goal was to always eat at places specifically unique to the area I was in.

Over the past couple years, I have started to change my tune a bit. The main reason? My wife of course!

I will now go out of my way to eat at a certain landmark chain restaurant that is named after its signature dessert and that has a menu the length of a dictionary. Call me a major Cheesecake Factory fan!

Sidney helped me discover my love of the Cheesecake Factory. This photo is of Sid at the Charlotte Cheesecake Factory yesterday. She is with her favorite Cheesecake Factory dish, the Louisiana pasta.

But before I sing its praises, what is it about the Cheesecake Factory that relates to my wife? Well, I guess I should admit that it isn’t just about Sidney. In fact, it is about her whole family. Whenever the Mathis family takes a trip together or even when one of them travels independently, if the destination happens to have a Cheesecake Factory there is a 100% chance that they will eat there. Since I am now part of the family, I am also part of the tradition. And let me tell you, I have embraced it!

I now love the Cheesecake Factory. My initial experience at the chain was eating with my parents and siblings at the Caesars Palace location in Las Vegas several years ago. I liked it well enough but I don’t think I truly appreciated it until Sidney opened my eyes.

The first time I ate at a Cheesecake Factory was with my family in Las Vegas in December of 2010. The top photo is my mom and sister. The bottom left is my brother. The photo in the bottom right is of the orange chicken I ate as my first ever Cheesecake Factory meal.

The pleasant and aesthetically pleasing interior. The different types of complimentary bread. The all-encompassing menu. The great service. The huge portions. THE CHEESECAKE.

A look at the food we ordered yesterday at the Charlotte Cheesecake Factory. So good.

Speaking of that last little item I mentioned, Sidney’s family has a mini tradition built into the big tradition of eating at the Cheesecake Factory. Each person in the party will always order their own slice of cheesecake. When I was with the entire group a little over a year ago in Atlanta, we had I think eight or nine different pieces of cheesecake on our table. It was a beautiful sight. And believe me, the restaurant’s signature item lives up to its hype! There is no other cheesecake in the world quite like it.

This was the collage I made from the Atlanta Cheesecake Factory visit in August of 2015. Below is the original caption.
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The Cheesecake Factory was delicious. I had the spicy cashew chicken which was amazing. I got banana cream pie cheesecake and Sid got red velvet cheesecake.

When it comes to my preference at the Cheesecake Factory, my favorite dish is the spicy cashew chicken. Simply incredible. Sidney and her sisters always order the Louisiana pasta. Cheesecake wise I elect usually for a sweet option. Not wanting to goof up an already good thing, Sidney will 95% of the time order vanilla bean (except for that one time in Atlanta when she got the red velvet cheesecake).

Sidney usually always orders vanilla bean cheesecake at the Cheesecake Factory. This is her with a slice at the Cheesecake Factory in Baltimore in July of 2014.

I used to shake my head at the people who would announce something along the lines of “I have been to 16 different Planet Hollywoods.” However, I have changed my ways and I can proudly confirm that I have ate at five different Cheesecake Factories in the great cities of Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Las Vegas, and Charlotte.

Earlier this month I ate at the Cheesecake Factory in Boston (it was my second time in my lifetime eating at that location). I ordered the spicy chicken sandwich.

The latter one on that list was visited just yesterday. Although technically the reason for us visiting Charlotte was to watch the Griz-Cat football game, let’s get real here…the opportunity to go to the Cheesecake Factory was a big factor as well.

This was me yesterday at the Charlotte Cheesecake Factory with spicy cashew chicken.

What can I say? I am a big Cheesecake Factory advocate. I can confidently say it is one of the few major chain restaurants that is not overrated and I can thank Sidney and the Mathis family for helping me discover that fact. Don’t Blink.

Camaraderie With Montanans in Charlotte: Attending a Griz-Cat Satellite Party

Posted on November 20, 2016 by brent

On Friday night, I pitched an idea to Sidney. It started like this:

“Hey, do you want to go to Charlotte tomorrow?”

She looked at me a bit puzzled. That was the easy part of it all. I now had to tell her why I wanted to make the four hour drive to the Queen City. You see, Sidney is not a fan of football. The reason why I wanted to go to Charlotte was to watch a football game. In a bar. To watch two teams she couldn’t care less about.

Although I have converted Sidney into a Griz fan (check the shirt she is wearing), I didn’t know if she would want to go to Charlotte to watch the football team play on TV.

Yesterday, the football teams from the University of Montana and Montana State University played in the 116th Brawl of the Wild. Like other big time college football rivalries, efforts are made to bring alumni together who live out of state to watch the game. This is achieved through what is called a satellite party. The alumni associations from Montana and Montana State recruit grads to team up together and host these satellite parties at various locations around the nation.

As an alum and former athletic department employee of UM, I still have a strong allegiance to the Grizzlies. I have wanted to attend a satellite gathering the past two seasons but because of Coastal Carolina home games, I was unable to. This year, with the Chants playing on Thursday night prior to Griz-Cat weekend, it opened up my schedule to attend a watch party. Out of the roughly 88 Brawl of the Wild satellite locations in the United States, Charlotte was the closest one to me.

Despite being skeptical that Sidney would embrace the opportunity to give up a weekend to watch my old college team, it wasn’t a hard sell at all. She actually said she would love to go. What a wife!!

We arrived at the Charlotte Griz-Cat satellite location at around 1:30 p.m. (2 p.m kickoff). The particular venue was called Taco Mac, a beautiful bar/restaurant that has a similar concept to that of Buffalo Wild Wings. When we approached the place, it had a GO GRIZ sign on the front entrance. It gave me a warm feeling and it felt like I was coming home in a way. Taco Mac has an entire upstairs private area that was reserved exclusively for the Griz-Cat watch party. We walked in the room and admired the maroon and silver decorations while also picking up some Griz promo items.

Seeing the Go Griz sign at the entrance to Taco Mac in the SouthPark area of Charlotte made me feel welcome.

It was at this time that I met Justin, a 1999 Montana grad who was the Griz organizer of the watch party. I would later meet Travis, the Montana State organizer of the watch party. Both guys worked together to provide a great experience for all who attended.

It goes without saying that whenever you see something Griz-related on the other side of the country, you must take a photo with it.

Sidney and I sat down and watched as Griz and Bobcat fans started to trickle in. For me, this was a great thrill. Living in South Carolina, you rarely come across someone who lived in Montana, let alone someone who went to the same university that you did. It was almost too much for me to handle. I felt compelled to go up to each person who was there and find out their story starting from where they grew up to what year they graduated to why they ended up in the Carolinas.

Sidney and I at Taco Mac for the Griz-Cat satellite party.

Sidney and I sat next to a couple who graduated about 30 years before me. Despite the age gap, we still had a lot in common. Both actually lived in the same residence hall I did my freshman year, both enjoyed some of the same bars I regularly went to during my years in Missoula, and both shared the same Griz Pride that I still store in my heart.

It was a complete joy to talk with the Montana State folks as well. While 200 miles separate Missoula from Bozeman, about 2,000 miles separate the state of Montana from the Carolinas. Thus, it was very apparent that although when we attended our institutions it seemed like the differences between us were great, when we met on common ground in Charlotte it was entirely different. While we still had our Griz and Cat ties, we were all proudly Montanans. It was just so nice to talk with people who could properly pronounce the word “Butte” and who still appreciate FCS football in an area dominated by the SEC and ACC.

At halftime, the party attendees, both Griz and Cats, took this photo.

Throughout the game at Taco Mac, the Griz fans would cheer when our team made a play and the Bobcat fans would cheer when their team made a play. It was a great back-and-forth. Of course I desperately wanted Montana to win. As a student and as a staff member, I grew to hate the Cats. I relished in the fact that our athletics program, especially over the past several years, always seemed to crush Montana State. But as I alluded to above, when you are separated from that atmosphere only to be reunited with people from both sides at a location thousands of miles away, it humanizes you.

A look at the main floor of Taco Mac from upstairs where our party was held. The venue was awesome and had just about any beer on tap you could want.

Although it stung that my Montana Grizzlies were upset by Montana State on Saturday afternoon, I felt no animosity toward the Bobcat fans right by me who were basking in the glory of their 24-17 win. In fact, I actually felt happy for them.

I want to thank the alumni associations from both Montana and Montana State for organizing these satellite parties. I especially want to thank Justin and Travis for putting on the Charlotte gathering. I had a great time and hope to be back next year (just with perhaps a different result). Don’t Blink.

Thursday Night Lights Rundown

Posted on November 17, 2016 by brent

Good evening to you all! No time for small talk because I have a football game to work, so let’s get right to the latest Thursday Rundown…

Thursday Night Lights – Obviously I just can’t mention something in the introduction and not explain it. This evening, the Coastal football team will host Liberty at 7 p.m. in Brooks Stadium. The fact that it is a Thursday night game is interesting in and of itself, but here are a few more things adding intrigue to it for me. First, the game will be nationally televised on ESPNEWS. Second, it is a rivalry game and most likely the last time the Chants will play Liberty for quite some time because of the move to the FBS. Finally, a Coastal Carolina win could help the Montana Grizzlies (who I still root for) make the FCS Playoffs. Should be an interesting night.

Baby Update – Sidney is now at the halfway point of her pregnancy, and, (drum roll)…..we now know the gender of our new baby!! You better believe that Sid is already on the internet looking at items and themes that will fit with the daughter/son we will have in less than five months. It is a very exciting time and Sidney is feeling great (stay tuned down the road for a gender announcement).

A Unified National Anthem – The Kent State men’s basketball team came up with a powerful way to promote respect during the Star Spangled Banner. Last night before the team’s latest game, the players went into the stands and each invited a fan out on the court to stand with them for the anthem. It was a touching and proud tribute. Because it went so well, the Golden Eagles will do this at every home game this season. Please read the story to see some of the great quotes from the student-athletes but the overrall message was that the display was about community unity. Well done!

The Great Gatsby – Last night, “The Great Gatsby” (Tobey Maguire/Leonardo DiCaprio version) was on television. I had never seen the film before so I decided to watch some of it. OMG, the party scenes are incredible. The colors, the costumes, and the extravagance were all pretty spectacualr. The people behind that movie really did a great job making it. However, I never realized that the famous Leonardo DiCaprio meme backdrop was taken from “The Great Gastsy.” It was kind of weird to see the image I have seen about a million times over the internet actually in context right in front of me on my TV.

This is the infamous Leonardo DiCaprio meme. I had no idea it was from “The Great Gatsby” until last night.

From the Archives – Although I have written a lot of garbage in my time, I kind of like some of the posts I have penned on November 17 in the past. In 2015, I described the ten mistakes social media professionals make (yes, plenty of homemade memes are involved). In 2014, I paid tribute to former Griz football coach Mick Delaney. Then, on Nov. 17, 2013, I wrote about what makes the #GrizCat Brawl of the Wild football game so passionate and special. For once I actually encourage you to click on these links.

This is one of the memes from Nov. 17, 2015. Follow the link above to see all 10! Remember, social media pros can never be found asleep on the job.

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If you aren’t in Brooks Stadium tonight, make sure to tune in on ESPNEWS. Also, remember to rejoice…we are just a week away from Thanksgiving. Don’t Blink.

The Baby Name Game

Posted on November 16, 2016 by brent

Names are a big deal. Most people have a tough enough time deciding on a name for their pet, let alone a child. When Sidney and I first started discussions on what to name our baby, I didn’t know how deliberations would go.

From the time we started dating, Sidney would throw name ideas my way. She kept a list on her phone with both boy and girl options she liked. To be honest, I wasn’t always enthusiastic about all her ideas. When it came to names, Sidney is much more adventurous while I am much more conservative.

It was because of this difference in name style preference that I didn’t know how smooth the process of deciding what we would call our first child would go. But you know what? The decisions came easily. When we found out we were expecting, we immediately started to discuss names. I don’t even know exactly how it all went other than Sidney pitched some names to me. She gave me selections that weren’t totally out in left field while at the same time not your typical run of the mill classics. I told her I really liked a certain girl’s name she presented to me and I told her I really liked a certain boy’s name she presented to me. Sidney responded to me by saying she loved both of those names as well.

After probably a week of thinking about those two names while also tossing around a couple other contenders, we became set on our frontrunners. This was all in early August.

We are now more than halfway through the month of November and we are set on what we have chosen. Surprisingly, it was more difficult deciding on middle names than it was first names. We have waivered a bit on those but we are pretty sure what we are going with.

One of these days, I will make a list of the concerns/conditions I ran each potential name through. For me, because I am weird, they run much deeper than “how does it sound?” or “who does it remind me of?” But thankfully for Sid and I, we very quickly decided on names that met the standards for both of us. We can definitely say that this important decision was not a stressful one. Don’t Blink.

Go Out For Breakfast!

Posted on November 15, 2016 by brent

This past Saturday, I asked Sidney to go out to breakfast with me. Kindly, she sacrificed some of her well-deserved sleep and obliged. At 8:30 a.m. we drove to one of the many breakfast houses that line Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach. This particular one was called Southern House of Pancakes and we made sure to bring our appetites.

We sat in a worn booth inside the busy but warm restaurant. It was the type of place that had the silverware placed in plastic sacks, waitresses that called you “hun,” and a system where you brought your check up to the cashier when you finished. This particular place had a little more personality than your typical breakfast joint though. The owner joyfully mingled with staff and customers on the restaurant floor and the walls were lined with colorful southern phrases. Sidney made me laugh by saying each one with an exaggerated accent (which is very exaggerated considering she already has a thick southern accent).

I took this photo of Sidney with our food on the table at the Southern House of Pancakes in Myrtle Beach.

I ordered pancakes, eggs, and sausage. I also ordered a hot chocolate complete with whipped cream that seemed to reach as high as a foot above the mug. Sid got a waffle and hash browns. We traded bites of our food and had a delightful morning.

A close up look at our food that we enjoyed at the Southern House of Pancakes in Myrtle Beach.

I say this not to promote the Southern House of Pancakes nor to go off on another pancake tangent. Rather, I am writing just to say this: go out for breakfast every now and then.

I advocate eating breakfast at a restaurant for a few reasons. First, doing so helps get the day off to a great start. Sleeping in on the weekend is nice, but getting up when others are sleeping and sitting down for a warm meal is even nicer. Second, breakfast is more of a treat than anything. When you go to a diner for the first meal of the day, you aren’t eating salads and fancy hors d’oeuvres. Rather, you are eating pancakes, French toast, waffles, biscuits and gravy, bacon, and crepes. It is your time to indulge in something hearty and sweet. Third, breakfast is just low key. Prices are cheaper and people are more relaxed.

But the main reason why it is important to go out for breakfast every now and then is simply because of the experience. Most of the time when you go to these breakfast houses, it is just pure nostalgia. Many of these places haven’t been updated in years. At the cash register you can grab a mint or an issue of some strange alternative newspaper. Glassware is simple, the menu is straightforward, and the atmosphere is warm. Even for people who don’t drink it, the rich aroma of coffee dominates the inside of these places bringing a soothing feeling. The butter is whipped, the milk is from a machine, and the syrup is homemade. To me, the yummy food is just a small part of the breakfast appeal.

When Sidney and I went out for breakfast this past Saturday, it was our first time doing so since our honeymoon. It proved to be just what we needed. Are you overdue for a warm breakfast at a family restaurant? Perhaps this weekend is your chance. Get up a little early and enjoy yourself. Don’t Blink.

Upcoming Facebook Feature Not a Substitute for Common Sense

Posted on November 14, 2016 by brent

Over the weekend, the man behind Facebook made a big announcement. Mark Zuckerberg stated that his company is going to do whatever it takes to put an end to fake news stories running wild on the social media giant.

We all know the issue here. Too frequently a story comes up on our news feed that has been shared 41,419 times and carries with it a questionable headline: Facebook to start charging access fee or Cam Newton hands football to kid despite $50,000 fine or Don’t go to the polls, just vote via text message.

It is time for Zuckerberg to do something to put an end to fake news stories just so news feeds aren’t so cluttered. However, I think people can figure out for themselves whether something is legit or not.

Many times these stories gain steam and trick our Facebook obsessed friends and family. In fact, sometimes these fake posts pull such a fast one on us that not only do we believe them, we actually follow what they tell us to do!

How many of us have seen poor souls actually copy and paste a status update to “protect” against Facebook accessing and selling their most personal information?

Yes, I am elated that Facebook is doing something to put a road block right in the middle of the high speed fake story freeway where these links/updates spread to millions of users. The bogus articles are garbage. They clutter up timelines and put a damper on the Facebook experience. This social media litter is very prevalent.

Zuckerberg and his team will huddle together and create some type of detection software that will test each piece of Facebook content for authenticity. The trash will be incinerated before it ever sees a second of a news feed. This will be a very anticipated feature.

But let’s hold up one second and hold ourselves accountable. Fake Facebook stories are easier to spot than an elephant in a tent. We are smart enough to know that Tupac didn’t appear at a music festival and we have enough intelligence to know that Hillary Clinton is not going to contest her presidential election loss. I firmly believe that if we just take one second to question the legitimacy of a story (look at the source, look at the author, look at the URL) we would never even click on it, let alone share it to our very own coveted social media real estate.

I am glad that Facebook is going to start protecting against scams just from the standpoint that our news feeds will be cleaned up. However, I don’t think we should have to rely on Zuckerberg for help deciphering something that our common sense alone should already tell us. Don’t Blink.

Ideas for the Ultimate Snack Mix

Posted on November 13, 2016 by brent

My whole life I have really enjoyed snack mixes. As a big fan of the Chex Mix varieties and of traditional trail mix concoctions, I have always liked the combination of “mega salty meets slightly sweet.” But forget the “slightly sweet,” I like the combination of just “mega salty” as well. Have you ever had the Costco Pub Mix before? You know, the snack mix packaged in that big tub? You can’t get me away from it!

I love the salty and very flavorful Pub Mix from Costco.

In general, I like snack mixes just because I enjoy the different textures and different flavors coming together for one bold taste. Just make sure to have a drink with you because any mix worth a darn will make you thirsty.

When these snack mixes came out, the pattern was what I described above: either “mega salty meets slightly sweet” or just “mega salty.” However, in recent years many options have surfaced that deliver on a taste that is either “mega sweet meets slightly salty” or simply “mega sweet.”

Need examples? Chex Mix offers a family of snacks such as chocolate turtle, dark chocolate, and even muddy buddies! Reese’s even offers a snack mix that is high on peanut butter and chocolate. My favorite sweet snack mix, introduced to me by my mother-in-law, is called Monster Mix. It still has the traditional peanuts and raisins included, it just has a much higher ratio of M&M’s added with a generous portion of chocolate chips and peanut butter chips as well. I like it so much that on Halloween I opted to eat Monster Mix instead of candy.

I opted for Monster Mix over candy on Halloween.

But then on Friday everything changed. My wife surprised me with a snack mix that takes the “mega sweet” concept to a completely different level. When I came home at the end of the week, she told me to go look on our bed. When I did, I came upon a tub of Rudolph’s Mix.

Sidney surprised me on Friday night with a tub of Rudolph’s Mix. You have to try it!

An item you can only get at Target, Rudolph’s Mix is probably the most sinful holiday treat you can purchase. The packaging doesn’t call it an “indulgent snack mix” for nothing. It includes milk chocolate & white chocolate-covered cereal pieces, graham bites, M&M’s, and peanut butter cups. The snack is so delicious and so sweet that you can practically feel it in your teeth when eating it.

This is me holding our tub of Rudolph’s Mix. It is incredible.

Perhaps the best part of it all? Rudolph’s Mix tastes like Christmas! It is hard to explain through words but just sample some and it will all make sense. The Hallmark Channel is already running Christmas movies and I kid you not, watching the films while munching on the Rudolph’s Mix will really make you feel the Christmas spirit even if it is still mid-November.

Okay, time to get to the point of this blog post. I hope I illustrated that snack mixes are getting much more…ummmm…to borrow a word from Rudolph’s Mix…indulgent. If any of my readers out there has a wild, wacky, or delicious concept for a snack mix, please let me know. I will take one idea that is submitted and actually create it. Of course I will write about it as well. So please don’t hold back. Let me know the ingredients of your dream snack mix by contacting me over social media or through Don’t Blink. Have a great Sunday and happy snacking! Don’t Blink.

Post Election Day Thursday Rundown

Posted on November 10, 2016 by brent

Tonight I deliver my first ever Thursday Rundown with a President-elect Trump in existence (trust me, I never thought I would say that). So let’s make my Thursday Rundowns great again (awful, cliché joke) and get started with the five topics…

Eating at Wahlburgers – For those fans of the Wahlberg brothers and of their television show, you might be interested to know that Sidney and I ate at Wahlburgers on Monday night. The restaurant itself was pretty cool. You could eat in the “full service” section or you could go through a cafeteria type line if you were in a hurry. The place also had a nice bar. As for the food, I wasn’t too impressed. I ordered the basic cheeseburger and sweet potato tater tots. Both items were average. If given the choice, I would opt for Five Guys.

Sidney and I ate at Wahlburgers in Myrtle Beach on Monday night.

Speeches from the Candidates – Last night after work I came home and watched Donald Trump’s victory speech and Hillary Clinton’s concession speech on YouTube. I actually enjoyed both addresses. I liked how Trump playfully made fun of himself and I also liked the army of Republican power players he brought up to the stage and introduced. When it came to Hillary’s situation, I always feel bad during the presidential election concession speech. She tried so hard to keep it together and did a pretty good job at it. I felt she was gracious in defeat, something that couldn’t have been easy considering never in her wildest dreams did she think Trump would beat her.

I also want to touch on an incredibly inspiring scene that took place today. President Obama hosted President-elect Trump at the White House. For a president geek like myself, the image of the two of them sitting in side-by-side chairs in front of the press was totally cool. After a terribly bitter campaign in which both men took unmerciful shots at each other, they were able to put it all behind them and get down to business. I was actually surprised when I learned that Obama and Trump had never met before but I guess it made the encounter even that much more remarkable.

I thought the meeting between Trump and Obama today was pretty inspiring.

Amazing Sunrise – I have taken photos of sunrises at Coastal Carolina before, but nothing like what I captured yesterday. The heavenly display on Wednesday morning was spectacular. I was working out in Coastal’s gym when the sun started to come out and the colors started to dance. I stopped what I was doing and ran outside to take a couple photos. Our #CCUSocialMedia audience seemed to appreciate the beautiful sight.

This was the photo I took of the Coastal Carolina sunrise. What a beautiful scene.

One Final Reminder Not To Say This – Although I have linked to this a couple times in my previous blog posts, I think it is worth highlighting in tonight’s Thursday Rundown. I know a lot of people are angry with Donald Trump’s shocking win and that is fine. However, I think it is important to express presidential election frustration in a way that doesn’t entail threatening to leave the country. We need to be thankful for where we live. We need to be thankful for democracy. We need to be thankful for a government that is set up with checks and balances. Go ahead and fume, but please be respectful.

Dr. Strange – After Wahlburgers on Monday night, Sidney and I went to watch “Dr. Strange.” I had heard great things about the film from friends, social media followers, and critics. However, I didn’t enjoy it as much as I thought I would. In all reality, I should have anticipated this considering I am not the biggest fan of Marvel movies. However, I thought “Dr. Strange” would be a little different. For me, the film just contained way too much fantasy and science-fiction elements for my liking. I guess you could say it was just too sophisticated for me. I kind of wished I chose “Hacksaw Ridge” for our date night.

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Please make sure to thank a veteran tomorrow. Have a great weekend and know that I appreciate you reading my blog. Don’t Blink.

Shock of the Century

Posted on November 9, 2016 by brent

What. A. Shocker.

What else can I say? Time and time again, President-elect Donald Trump proved me wrong over the past 18 months and he did so again last night in historical fashion. I doubted he would make a serious push for the presidency, doubted he would win the Republican primary, and doubted he would hang with Hillary Clinton throughout the general election campaign. And, on the eve of election day, I doubted he would even come close to making the final tally respectable.

Last night, he shut me up for good. Congratulations to Donald Trump on defying the odds, overcoming countless obstacles, and winning the highest office in the land. Although I questioned him and called him out, I can’t take away the grit, talent, and the determination that man has.

I love behind the scenes photos. Seeing this glimpse of the Trump camp watching the election returns was pretty cool.

I got a little more than I bargained for last night. As someone who never obsessively latched onto a candidate, I wanted to see at least a tiny bit of drama unfold as the votes rolled in. You know how a football fan who has no interest in the teams playing in the Super Bowl wishes only for a good game? Well, much in the same way, last night I wanted to see a competitive race in what was supposed to be a runaway. What I got was the most unpredictable, surprising, underdog victory in political history.

Watching the coverage last night, I kept asking myself is this really happening? As I watched the surprising results unfold and monitored the social media chatter, I could actually sense inside of me the air deflating from the Clinton camp and the confidence rising in the Trump camp. Yes, what occurred was so surreal and unexpected that I could feel the shift inside of me. I went to bed at 1:30 a.m. last night, about an hour before the media projected Trump would win the presidency but a couple hours or so after the writing was on the wall. When I awoke this morning, I turned on the TV and the ticker on CNN boldly proclaimed DONALD TRUMP ELECTED U.S. PRESIDENT. At that moment, the reality sunk in.

I woke up this morning and took this photo of my TV screen. Even though I went to bed with Trump having the election in the bag, it was still shocking waking up to the news.

I take full blame for underestimating President-elect Donald Trump. But of course, I am not the only one. Please bear with me for another football analogy…

In 2008, the New York Giants faced the undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. The Giants weren’t given a chance. It was supposed to be a blow out. Perhaps the most lopsided game in Super Bowl history. A snoozer. From the time the matchup was set, the media talked nonstop about the Pats. New England had superstars, a superior passing/ground game, and a legacy to defend. The team also had impressive statistics that were sure to help them play that much better on that particular Sunday. We all know what happened…

The upset of Hillary Clinton and the Democratic Party reminded me of the upset of Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in 2008.

When I saw this morning that Donald Trump had won the presidency, it reminded me a little bit of when the Giants beat the Patriots 17-14 to win the 2008 NFL title. Despite a media desperate to crown its own champion along with fancy statistical models seemingly backing up the anointed choice, the exact opposite happened in both cases.

I think the national media can do a better, less biased job. I think the constant polls that are shoved down our throats can be less frequent and much more scientific. Along with myself, I blame the media and polling professionals for getting this all so wrong.

Disappointed with a Trump presidency? That is fine, but please remember to express yourself in a civil way. In anticipation for this bitter election, I wrote a full eight months ago about the road we should never travel if our preferred candidate is not elected. It is time to heal and it is time to support the person we elected as president. What a saga it was. Don’t Blink.

Our 2016 Voting Experience

Posted on November 8, 2016 by brent

Today it was the pleasure of Sidney and I to perform our civic duties and vote. We went to Ocean Bay Elementary School in Myrtle Beach to cast our ballots.

We voted at Ocean Bay Elementary in Myrtle Beach today.

We quickly learned we weren’t just poking our heads in to vote. With the line stretching outside the school, it made for a long afternoon. Inside, the line stretched and curved all around the school’s cafeteria.

The turnout at our voting precinct was heavy. The line snaked around the entire cafeteria and out the door.

We passed the time in line by talking to our neighbors in front of us and in back of us. As South Carolina is very much a red state, I overheard a lot of people voicing their support for Trump. One man said he would “wait all day to vote for Trump” while another commented that he didn’t care about the rest of the ballot, he just wanted to vote for Donald.

After we checked in at the voting precinct, we were given these little “vote” cards that we eventually would give to the voting official at the front of the line.

After two hours and 20 minutes in line, Sidney and I finally reached the front of it. A main reason for the long wait wasn’t just because of the strong turnout, it was also because out of the seven voting machines installed, only three were in working order.

After two hours and 20 minutes, we finally reached the front of the line.

Once we submitted our ballots we received our coveted stickers and took the obligatory “we voted” selfie. Then, hungry from the long wait in line, we went off to lunch.

Wearing the stickers to prove it, Sidney and I posed for this selfie outside of Ocean Bay Elementary after casting our ballots.

My story, along with the millions of other voting experiences shared by others today, is a major example of why the United States of America is the best country on the planet. To have the opportunity to voice our opinion for the top leader in the nation along with our preference on many other races and issues is an extraordinary right that we all need to appreciate and take advantage of. I voted and I am proud of that. Don’t Blink.

Don't Blink

By Brent Reser

Author Archives: brent