Saint or Sitter?

NOTE: Once again, Brent’s fiance, Sidney, takes over Don’t Blink for a Sunday. Enjoy today’s post where she gives us a glimpse at her profession.

I love my job. I have known since I was 5 years old that I wanted to be a teacher. There has never been another career path on my horizon. But I’d be a fool if I thought that everyone in the world viewed my job in the same light as I do. I know very well that there are two common opinions of my profession. There are some who think I am a saint, and others who would be more apt to call me a glorified baby-sitter.

In tonight’s post, I am asking all of you avid Don’t Blink readers to make the call. I’ll give you a rundown of a day in the life of Miss Mathis, and you can tell me what you think. Am I a Saint or am I a sitter?

Sidney with this year's class.

My class this year.

4:30 a.m. — Wake Up Call

I get up at this time every morning. As of lately, I’ve been getting out of bed throwing on some Nike Free Runs and taking a brisk 2 mile walk around my neighborhood (even though I’m a teacher, I still have a wedding to look good for!!). After my walk, I hit the showers, wrestle my hair into an acceptable hair-do, paint my face with make-up, and don my professional attire. At this point it is pretty close to 5:45 am. I hop in my car and make the 15 minutes commute to school.

6:00 a.m. — Hit the Classroom

I’m not required to be at school until 7 a.m. but if I did this I would feel rushed and unorganized starting off the school day. So I choose to get there an hour early and take my time preparing for the kids. Most of this hour is spent checking my emails, wiping down desks, and giving my lesson plans one last thorough look. Sometimes, I may dash down to the library and make a few copies or check out a new chapter book to read aloud to the kids.

Sidney and I in her classroom last year.

Brent and I in my classroom last year.

7:00 a.m. — Teacher Chit Chat

It’s at this time that my friends who also teach grade 2 (I don’t call them collegues, because they are genuinely my three best friends) have made it to school. I take a few minutes to tell them good morning, chat for a couple minutes, and then it’s right back to work.

7:05 a.m. — Breakfast Prep

I currently work in a Title 1 school. If you aren’t familiar, this means that a majority of the students at my school live at/below the poverty line. As a result, we have government funded programs to help aid students so that they can meet academic standards. One of the programs we participate in provides all children a free and nutritious breakfast, and it’s called Breakfast in the Classroom. This means that I get a laundry basket filled with individually packaged breakfasts and juice delivered to my classroom door every morning. I bring the basket in and then quickly fill out the paperwork and forms that accompany it.

7:15 a.m. — Breakfast/Morning Work/Day-to-Day Business

The bell rings at this time, and the children make their way to my classroom. I stand by my door and try my best to greet each kid. This might entail some hugs, high-fives, and handshakes. As I herd them into the room, I give the kids their breakfasts, urge them to eat quickly and quietly, and start on their morning work. While the kids eat and work, I start collecting notes from parents, transportation changes, answering questions, and occasionally I have to mop up spilled apple juice; all the while trying to mentally take attendance.

Welcome to my classroom!

Welcome to my classroom!

7:35 a.m. — Clean Up and Start the Day

At 7:35 a.m., my students and I watch the school’s news broadcast. We say the Pledge, observe a moment of silence, and pay close attention to special announcements. As the news commences I collect all the breakfast trash, change out the trash-bag in the trashcan, and put the breakfast trash outside my door to be collected. We review the morning work from that morning. I then give the kids a brief rundown of what we’ll be learning that day, and from here we dive right in!!

7:50 a.m. — Phonics

I teach 2nd grade. It’s a very important grade, where students are slowly transitioning from “learning to read” to “reading to learn”. I teach my kids phonics (basic letter sounds and combinations) to help them progress towards becoming successful readers. I won’t get into the educational jargon of this process but it’s mostly me modeling good reading skills and strategies based on spelling patterns and letter sounds (I know what most of you are thinking…BLAH BLAH BLAH…but trust me. It’s a necessary skill).

8:20 a.m. — Specials

My students have special area class (i.e. Art, PE, Library) every day at this time. I take them to that day’s special class. This time is the time in the day where I am kid-free for about 50 minutes. Two days of the week I have this time to use as a planning period. The other 3 days of the week I meet with my 2nd grade team of teachers and our school’s curriculum coach to discuss the matters of instruction. This is also a time in the day where I get to USE THE BATHROOM—YAY!!

I adore my students!

I adore my students!

 

9:10 a.m. — Back to Class

I pick the kiddos up from specials and we make it back to our classroom. What we learn/study during this time varies. There is a complex formula and pacing guide I use to determine the material to teach during this time, but I won’t bore you with those details. Just know that at this point in the day I am teaching 1 of 5 things: science, social studies, grammar, writing, or handwriting. For those of you who care to know, tomorrow (Monday) I will be teaching the little angels about common and proper nouns.

10 a.m. — Lunch/Recess

I know what you’re thinking…LUNCH AT 10 a.m.?!!?!? Yes. I know. It’s unbelievably early, but it’s not that bad. Some of you may be thinking that this is the time during my day where I sit and decompress and leisurely eat my meal with my friends. Wrong. Since dating Brent, I have heard of these mythical creatures called “Lunch Aides”. They don’t exist in South Carolina. I go to lunch with my students, send them through the service line, and sit with them as they eat. During this time, I will most likely open three snack packs, heat up 13 chicken nuggets in the microwave, and grant six precious souls permission to go to the bathroom. Oh, and I also take the time to pound back a SlimFast milk shake (back again to looking great for my wedding!!). At around 10:25 a.m., I get the kids to pick up their trash, dump their trays, wipe the tables, sweep the floor around their area, and line up. Then I corral the kiddos out to the playground for recess. (The mythical “Recess Aide” is also not present here in SC). For 25 minutes I supervise my students laughing, playing, running, jumping, and overall having a great time being kids. I love to watch them play. It can be quite entertaining!

11:00 a.m. — Reading, Reading, Reading

It’s 11 o’clock in my day, and I’ve already served two meals! I feel like a champion right now. I bring my kids down to the reading rug, and we have our most prized time of the day. Read Aloud. For about 15 minutes every day after recess, I take the time to read aloud from a chapter book to my babies. They love it. They live for these 15 minutes! Their only duty during this time is to sit and listen and enjoy a good book. Then we move straight into guided reading where we read a 2nd grade level text. I model the comprehension skills of good readers and as a class we dissect all different kinds of elements of a story. It’s fun stuff man!! This week we are going to put our brains to the test as we study the fable “The Lion and the Mouse”!!!

12 p.m. — Small Group

My classroom is a differentiated classroom with all different ability levels. I have some students who rank in the 99th percentile for reading skills and others who rank in the 3rd. During the small group session, I pull together about five kids at a time (all of the kids perform at the same level) and they work with me in a small group (hence the name!). All the other kids in the class are working independently. Sometimes this can be a stressful part of the day, because I’m actively trying to work with five kids at a time while still monitoring 20 others students and assuring that everyone is on task and still engaged in meaningful work. It takes lots of practice and strict rules to get the kids to cooperate during small group. But four weeks into the school year, I am proud to announce that my little nuggets have finally mastered it!

1:00 p.m. — Math

This is when I look at the clock and think…okay…we’ve almost made it guys. Don’t give up on me. We can make it! It’s a long day of learning and growing for my little 7 year olds and when I get to 1 p.m. my main goal is to keep them going and not let them get burned out. Math instruction in classrooms today is much like it was for all of us growing up. This week my kids and I are going to be diving into addition word problems and making a list of all the different strategies they can use to solve them!

2:20 p.m. — Pack Up

After Math instruction, my classroom finishes out the day by packing up. The kids will record their behavior code into their agendas and I will maniacally dart around and sign all of their agendas (I also try to write a positive comment in the agendas of at least three kids each day too). The kids collect their daily assignments, put them in their folders, shove everything in their backpacks, and line up for dismissal. I walk my children down the hallways to the bus loop and car-rider drop off. I give them hugs and kisses and tell them I love them, and wave goodbye as they head off towards home. After I’ve sent them on their way, I head back to my classroom to prep for the next day. Unless it’s a Monday…in which case I attend a staff meeting. Oh, and on Wednesdays, I contribute my services to the car-rider line. I walk the kids to their cars, help them inside, and send them off with their parents. But Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday…it’s back to the classroom for planning and prepping.

4:00 p.m. — Home again. Home again.

Sometimes it’s a little later, but most days at 4 p.m., I turn off the lamps in Room 222 and lock my door. I walk out to my car and take a moment to sit. It feels good to sit after a long day. I make my way back to my house, and upon walking in my door, I collapse on the couch. As I lay there, my mind will slowly wander back to the classroom and I’ll mentally start mapping out the next day’s activities.

So there you have it. A day in the life of Miss Mathis. Some of it, I know, seems mundane. Boring to most. But if you live it, you love it. So now the time has come. You can decide. Saint or Sitter??

An Upbeat Thursday Rundown

Sometimes I downplay my Thursday Rundowns. I would be lying if I said that my weekly blog post counting down five random topics always drums up a lot of excitement and relevance. However, I like tonight’s subjects. With that said, let’s get going.

The Best Recognition – Last Thursday I shared with you an article that was written about me for the faculty/staff newsletter here at Coastal Carolina University. That was awesome and made me feel good but a different piece that came out yesterday really made me smile. I have a job primarily because of students so when that demographic is celebrating what I am doing it is the ultimate compliment. The student newspaper here, The Chanticleer, did a feature on me that made the front page. The fact that I was spotlighted in the student paper meant enough but the way the article was written just added even more icing on the cake. I think Kara Thomas did a fantastic job pretty much explaining me. To read the article, click here.

I really enjoyed this article by Kara Thomas of The Chanticleer.

I really enjoyed this article by Kara Thomas of The Chanticleer.

Back to Mentoring – I had the opportunity to participate in a brand new program last year called CINO Legacy. What this program did was pair a student at Coastal with a staff member at Coastal. The student served as the mentee and the staff member served as the mentor. When I was asked to participate again this year I jumped right at the chance. This afternoon I had my first meeting with my mentee. Please meet Chelsea, a senior from Columbia, S.C., studying sport management. We sat down for the first time today on the outdoor porch at our campus Einstein Bros. As the time goes on we will discuss topics such as resume building, interview skills, and professional development. What a great program!

I met with my mentee, Chelsea, for the first time today.

I met with my mentee, Chelsea, for the first time today.

Spot-A-Chant – Today I revisited my high school days and wore a football jersey to school…ummm…I mean work. In a way to promote and build excitement for the first home #CCU football game, certain staff members were asked to wear old jerseys for the day. The wardrobe push also coincided with the main event of Spot-A-Chant. From 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m., students could come to the front of our main dining hall and take selfies with the football players. Designed to allow our students to get to know our student-athletes better, the second annual Spot-A-Chant had a lot of our football athletes perfecting their selfie skills with members of our student body. Despite the lighthearted jabs that came my way because of the jersey on my back, I enjoyed wearing it!

The photo in the upper right is an image of staff and football players. Can you spot me? The bottom photo is of our Vice President for Student Affairs Debbie Conner, myself, and our Food Service Director Jeff Stone.

The photo in the upper right is an image of staff and football players. Can you spot me? The bottom photo is of our Vice President for Student Affairs Debbie Conner, myself, and our Food Service Director Jeff Stone.

New Snapchat Filters – Those new Snapchat filters though. Man, Snapchat rolled out quite the update this week with brand new filters. They are colorful, scary, crazy, and kind of cool. They make for some pretty neat still images but the capabilities of utilizing them with video is the really rad part. I think Snapchat is doing what they can to get away from the reputation of offering grainy, low quality images. This new rollout is a step in the right direction.

These are some of the new Snapchat filters.

These are some of the new Snapchat filters.

The Second Republican Debate – I thought “Big Brother” last night was entertaining…then I started to watch the Republican debate. I never knew debates could make me laugh and drop my jaw so much. CNN did all they could to sling all the mud they could across that stage. They definitely “outfoxed” Fox News when it came to pitting candidates against each other and starting drama. Not that I am complaining. Sidney and I sat on the couch just eating up the whole thing. If you tuned in to watch a traditional debate filled with policy, strategy, and civility you would have been very disappointed.

A tweet from Sidney regarding us watching the debate.

A tweet from Sidney regarding us watching the debate.

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That will wrap it up. I am excited to watch the Chanticleer football team take the teal turf on Saturday to open up the 2015 home season. It will be a great ending for what has been a crazy week for me. Don’t Blink.

Staying Away From Fantasy Sports

I am a self-proclaimed sports nut. However, there is something that I don’t do that would make any person these days question my claim. Can you guess what I am talking about?

I don’t play fantasy sports.

Fantasy sports are king. People don’t just have fantasy seasons they have fantasy drafts, fantasy parties, and fantasy debates. ESPN has fantasy programs, fantasy analysts, and fantasy competitions. You can’t get through a commercial break during a sporting event without one or two spots advertising different fantasy leagues. Fantasy sports have captivated the interest of millions of new fans, driven up the business of sports themed restaurants across the country, sold countless television packages, and generated billions and billions of dollars.

Despite all this, I sit out when it comes to fantasy. When it all comes down to it, I am just not interested. I can say that I have had one non-memorable experience with the phenomenon. Several years ago, some friends roped me in to joining their NFL league. I haphazardly drafted players and then did nothing with my roster the whole season. Injured players competed for me every week. It completely bored me and I just didn’t pay it any attention.

Working in an athletic department also kept me away from fantasy sports for over four years. The NCAA stipulates that intercollegiate athletics employees may not bet or wager on any aspect of a game. Although this relates primarily to college athletics, I still stayed away to be on the safe side (and really just because I had no interest).

What do you guys think, are you surprised at my apathy? Am I a bad sports fan?

I admit, I am a little jealous of my friends and family who are hardcore fantasy players. They have an enthusiasm and investment in sports that I don’t have. Don’t get me wrong, I have an enthusiasm for sports as well, it is just different from my friends. Their fantasy leagues give them so much passion for NFL Sundays that you would almost think they started drinking at 6 a.m. They are engaged and ready to rage!

What I am probably most envious of is the knowledge that my fantasy playing buddies have. I used to pride myself on knowing all the players in all the leagues. These days I can’t keep up. However, if you know someone who plays fantasy you are aware that they know the professional leagues from top to the bottom. The degree to which they prepare for fantasy and then go full throttle with it for the entire season almost make them encyclopedias of the NFL or MLB.

I am debating giving fantasy sports another try. I think I want to experience the craze and actually manage my roster with an intent to actually win. What do my readers think? Is it worthwhile? I understand I might have to wait for the 2016 MLB season to really give it a go but I could use some friendly advice now. Don’t Blink.

Lemonade Stand Competition

Many summer days of my young childhood were devoted to Kool-Aid stands. We lived across the street from a park and we would constantly stand at the corner of it and sell the sugary drink for ten cents a cup. It gave us business insight and taught us customer service. However, the real winner were my parents. They would gladly buy us unlimited Kool-Aid packets and sugar to get us off their front lawn. We played whiffle ball every day during the summer and absolutely tortured the grass. 

Anyway, I am not kidding you, Kool-Aid stands have a big spot in my memory bank of fond childhood memories. Because of this, as I grew older I always followed the stories that would make news centering on lemonade stands. A kid would raise a bunch of money for a good cause, someone would have their stand robbed, or a sweet little girl would receive an outrageous tip. Pretty much all this stuff is cliché by now in lemonade lore.

Perhaps this is why I was so excited when I saw a new dimension brought to the lemonade stand concept this morning right here at Coastal Carolina University!

This morning lemonade stands took over Prince Lawn at Coastal Carolina University.

This morning lemonade stands took over Prince Lawn at Coastal Carolina University.

The professor of one of our Management 309 classes split the students up into teams. The eight teams then set up lemonade stands around the most scenic and busiest part of campus, Prince Lawn. The students had a budget ($30 I think) and about an hour to generate as much revenue as possible. All proceeds would go to a local animal shelter but the prestige from creating the most successful lemonade stand would swell in the prideful hearts of the victorious students.

I covered the event for #CCUSocialMedia and went around to each stand where I talked to the students. I got a real kick out of the tactics used by the various teams.

One group gave their lemonade a unique texture by mixing and blending it. They decided to strategically forgo a set price and accept donations only. Another group brought an actual dog out as a prop to sway customers. They also had the economical idea of selling their lemonade in cans so people wouldn’t fret about taking it to class or in their vehicles.

This team sold lemonade in cans and brought a dog out as a prop.

This team sold lemonade in cans and brought a dog out as a prop.

The third lemonade stand I went to added an ingredient…iced tea. Yup, this specific team decided to stand out by offering Arnold Palmers. The next group I encountered had candy poured all over its table. If you bought a cup of lemonade you received a complimentary mini candy bar and the option to play water pong.

This was the group that blended its lemonade.

This was the group that blended its lemonade.

I went on to the next group and they proudly informed me that their lemonade stand stood out because they had recruited a marketing team to boost sales. Sure enough, the two guys behind the table pointed to Wall Bridge where a few enthusiastic individuals were encouraging students walking across to the Prince Lawn side to splurge on an ice cold lemonade. I then walked the short distance to the next stand where the designated spokesperson for the group told me they had an “incentives program.” If you bought a cup of lemonade or a cup of PINK lemonade you would receive a souvenir cup or a sticker.

If you purchased either regular or PINK lemonade from this group you received an incentive such as a cup.

If you purchased either regular or PINK lemonade from this group you received an incentive such as a cup.

I hustled over to the final two stands. The first one on the final stretch was selling TEAL LEMONADE! Not only did that simple fact win my heart over but the color of the liquid was extremely close to the actual official #CCU teal color (it is very hard to replicate). The final stand wasn’t too shabby either. They offered frozen lemonade fresh out of the blender.

Competition over. In my mind, the teal lemonade was the best idea out on Prince Lawn.

Competition over. In my mind, the teal lemonade was the best idea out on Prince Lawn.

Although I didn’t get to actually sample any of the different lemonades, I definitely enjoyed conversing with the students and hearing their sales tactics. My award for best stand (not based on taste of course) definitely goes to the teal lemonade team. What an absolutely genius idea.

You know the best part of all this? The other Management 309 class will be out on Prince Lawn this Thursday at the same time to give their best shot at selling lemonade. I can’t wait to see what they come up with. Maybe this time around I will actually buy a cup. Don’t Blink.

Change

This semester I started a social media campaign at Coastal Carolina University titled #CCUwisdom. It is very simple. I ask students to provide me with quotes and each morning I tweet out one of the quotes over our main account. I also film them saying the quote and post that on Instagram.

Follow #CCUSocialMedia for your behind-the-scenes pass to Coastal Carolina University.

Follow #CCUSocialMedia for your behind-the-scenes pass to Coastal Carolina University.

I am not much of a quote guy so I didn’t know how much personal enjoyment I would get out of the campaign. I implemented it primarily because quotes on social media generate retweets and favorites. Little did I know that I would be surprised. I must have listened to the wrong quotes growing up because the ones our students are providing me with actually contain a lot of substance and meaning.

I grew up in awe of John F. Kennedy and because of this I knew several of his famous lines from speeches. However, at the end of last week I met with a student to film her quote. In the small talk before I recorded her, I asked her who her quote was from and she replied JFK. I thought I knew what was coming but when the student recited the quote my brain raced realizing that I had never heard this particular line before.

Tess Emiroglu, a transfer student from Myrtle Beach, offered this bit of wisdom from our 35th President:
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.”

Tess brought us this insightful quote from JFK.

Tess brought us this insightful quote from JFK.

For all the faults I have, this is actually wisdom that I embrace and try to practice as much as possible. In under three decades of life, I have watched people react to change in different ways. The ones who I have watched accept this law of life thrive while those I have seen reject this law fall behind. I don’t really know if it is the positive or negative examples that have really motivated me to always be receptive of change.

Even though I am accepting of change it doesn’t always mean that the implementation is easy. Perhaps this is a reason, besides stubbornness, as to why many people fail to welcome life’s most sure thing. Change brings with it bumps in the road and a learning curve. The transition is definitely not seamless.

One thing I can’t do though is give myself too much credit for being open to change. If I want to eat, it is necessary that I am able to make 180 degree turns every day. When you have a career in social media you are constantly tracking the next trend and preparing yourself to react to the latest bombshell. You see, while some professions might allow for people to adapt a little more slowly, new media demands that you accept change RIGHT NOW. So basically my good habit of not hiding from change really isn’t because of my own merit but rather because of the job I work in.

The second half of Kennedy’s quote is equally important. Wayne Gretzsky said (paraphrasing) that he skates to not where the puck is, but where it will be. If you dismiss impending change and believe that things will always be how they are, it is tough to make necessary adjustments and be successful in the long term. Of course it goes without saying that those stuck in the past are in an even more troublesome state.

Change can be hard but it is absolutely necessary. Not only is it “the law of life” but it is also the key ingredient for progress and success. Don’t Blink.

Don’t Blink Reader Appreciation Week

Hello my valued readers! I hope you have had a great weekend. As you watch football, let me roll out my offer for Don’t Blink Reader Appreciation Week.

Two and a half years ago, I challenged you all to share my blog on social media. If you did, I sent you a personal card through the mail. It worked great and I shipped off numerous envelopes across the country.

Almost 1,000 days later I want to do something similar. However, this time around there will be no condition of promoting my blog. If you enjoy reading Don’t Blink and would like a personal “hello” from me, all you have to do is let me know via a simple message. You can accomplish this by:

1. Sending me a message on Facebook.
2. Sending me a direct message on Twitter (@brentreser).
3. Sending me an e-mail to my personal address at brent.reser@yahoo.com.

Would you like to receive something in the mail from the author of Don't Blink himself? Just complete one of the options above.

Would you like to receive something in the mail from the author of Don’t Blink himself? Just complete one of the options above.

The message you send my way can be as simple as just leaving your address. Once it reaches me, you will be added on my list and in short order a simple but sincere form of correspondence from me will reach your mailbox.

The conditions are few. I am giving you 24 hours to submit your request to me. The deadline is September 14, 2015, at 5 p.m. ET. Only one request per reader. There will be a 100 person limit if the demand reaches that high.

I sincerely appreciate my loyal and involved readers. Throughout this week I hope to write other posts that somehow say thank you as well. Have a great week everyone, I hope to connect with you through the U.S. Postal Service soon. Don’t Blink.

Let’s Run It Down Again

It has seemed like the time between last Thursday and this Thursday has flown by. But that is a good thing because I always look forward to my Thursday Rundowns. Off we go…

Putt Putt Mania – I mentioned in the recap of my brother’s weekend here in Myrtle Beach that we played some putt putt over the few days he was here. Perhaps the word “some” is a little bit of an understatement. We played four different courses, totaling 72 holes of miniature golf fun. The courses we played were eclectic and diverse. On Friday night we played Mt. Atlanticus, on Sunday we played Shipwreck, and on Monday we played a doubleheader with a round at Jurassic Mini Golf first and then a round at Jungle Lagoon second. I enjoyed showing Glen one of Myrtle Beach’s signature pastimes. The competition wasn’t bad. Glen won the first two rounds but I registered a victory of my own at the Jurassic course. When it came to the fourth location I was ready to equal him in wins but it wasn’t to be. SIDNEY came out of nowhere and defeated us both.

We took a photo at each course we visited. Going clockwise starting with the image in the upper right hand corner: Mt. Atlanticus, Shipwreck, Jurassic, Jungle Lagoon.

We took a photo at each course we visited. Going clockwise starting with the image in the upper right hand corner: Mt. Atlanticus, Shipwreck, Jurassic, Jungle Lagoon.

I Spy – When you work in higher education, the best type of recognition you can get is from students. Our Atheneum Newsletter here at Coastal Carolina has an “I Spy” feature that highlights a staff or faculty member each month. The featured employee is nominated by someone of the campus community. A student here wrote in about me. Because of that, I was spotlighted in the September issue. To view the story, click here. Thanks Lindsay for nominating me and thanks to Lauren for the great piece.

Click the image to read the article on me.

Click the image to read the article on me.

Happy Birthday, Mikayla – My niece turned a year old this past Saturday. I still remember September 5, 2014, sitting on the couch in my apartment receiving updates on how the delivery was going. My mom told me that at this particular hospital chimes would play whenever a new baby was born. She sent me several texts that traveled across the country telling me that the baby had not yet entered the world. Finally, she sent me a text that simply said “I think I heard chimes.”

Although Mikayla had her first birthday last weekend, the celebration is this Saturday. I received an invite to her party but will unfortunately not be making the cross country trip. Sidney and I sent gifts home with Glen and we will definitely be there in spirit. Happy Birthday, Mikayla!

This is the invitation I received for Mikayla's birthday party.

This is the invitation I received for Mikayla’s birthday party.

Football, Football, Football – Tonight the NFL season gets underway. This excites me quite a bit my greater love, college football, has been going on the past couple of weeks. I genuinely love football season and can’t wait for this first weekend of both college and NFL games. Until Coastal enters the FBS I can still cheer for my favorites at that level as I root for Notre Dame and Washington State. Of course the Chants are my favorite when it comes to the FCS and I still have a soft spot for the Montana Grizzlies. When it comes to the NFL, it is all about the Seattle Seahawks! How about a third straight appearance in the Super Bowl?!

Wedding Update #9 – The biggest update I have for you is that tomorrow it will be exactly NINE MONTHS until Sidney and I tie the knot. Also, the flower girl dress that Sidney’s beautiful niece will wear has been picked out. For those in Myrtle Beach who have an idea of the area, we will be having our reception at Waterway Palms Plantation.

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Tomorrow is September 11. Please take a few minutes to think about all those who lost their lives or were impacted. Have a fabulous weekend. Don’t Blink.

Still Respecting Those Photographers

Two years ago today I wrote one of my favorite blog posts in the history of Don’t Blink. I explained how social media really turned upside down the photographer profession. The men and women behind the lens who actually spend years of training perfecting their skill started to see their work devalued, stolen, and depersonalized thanks to services out there called Facebook and Instagram (to just name a couple).

A big part of what made my post 730 days ago so memorable was that I drew from the experiences of a former colleague of mine. Todd Goodrich, the superb photographer at the University of Montana, was candid with me about his initial hesitations regarding the social media boom. It took him a little longer than overnight to come to terms that a lot of his work would be demanded of him practically on the spot just so clueless people with no appreciation for good photography could “like” his images on an iPhone screen.

At the time I talked to Todd two years ago I understood his point of view. I also had an amazing sense of appreciation for how collaborative he was with me and, even though it was tough for him to initially do, had fully accepted and thrived in the new age of photography.

Two years before our talk in 2013 I didn’t completely understand good photography. Of course I knew the difference between a grainy phone image and one of Todd’s high res masterpieces but I didn’t see the distinction as clearly between an amateur with a really nice camera and a professional who had worked behind a lens for years. Seeing more photos, building relationships with photographers, and just maturing in general made me truly able to respect Todd for the incredible talent he possesses.

Now here in the present, my admiration for photographers has heightened even more. As social media continues to dominate society, everyday users are becoming more and more savvy. Our society consumes content at an alarming rate each and every day. With more “stuff” thrown at them now than ever before, people know very well the difference between quality and amateur hour.

You see, two years ago I don’t think the majority of social media users completely understood the difference between professional and non-professional work. Because we wanted to give our audience the best experience possible even if they didn’t know it, I tried to include as much of Todd’s photography as I could. However, that ignorance simply doesn’t exist as much anymore. With social media still growing every single day and the competition absolutely fierce between rival colleges/businesses/etc., good photography is as crucial to a social media program as good creativity and good graphics. Whereas in the past some might have thought someone with a phone in their hand could substitute for a photographer, the average social media user is now starting to reject that display of amateurism. Users notice a difference when they visit the social media page of Brand A and see vibrant, colorful, detailed photos and then visit Brand B and see regular, dulled images.

When students and other people who are looking to break into social media ask me for tips, I always tell them to become good friends with the photographer. They are such an important part of a social media program’s success and it pays to be on great terms with him or her. Some photographers, like Todd, get it. Others might not fully understand the importance of their work being utilized for social media. It is crucial to let your photographer know how much you value them and then show them how their work is received on your social media outlets.

Of course most of us social media professionals won’t have the luxury of securing our institution’s photographer at every event we cover. While a fair amount of events overlap that are covered by both social media personnel and the photographer, you will also have many others that don’t. My general rule is to use images from the photographer whenever they are available but to take the most quality and clear images you can when he/she is not.

Two years later, I still love my photographers! Without them, the social media channels that I have presided over wouldn’t look very good. For all those working in social media, make sure to show your appreciation. Don’t Blink.

#GlenDoesMyrtle

I don’t think my Labor Day weekend could have went any better. As I mentioned on Thursday, my brother visited me all the way from Spokane for a few days of fun. Besides all the entertainment that was planned, I also wanted to really show him my life here in Myrtle Beach. Looking back at it all on this Tuesday night while Glen is flying through the sky to the west coast, I can undoubtedly say that the trip was a smashing success.

As I often do with these type of things, I like to give a recap of the happenings by going one day at a time. So, if you don’t mind, I will do the same thing this time around.

Friday – September 4

Sidney and I went to the Myrtle Beach Airport to pick up Glen after his long day of flying. He landed at 7 p.m. and after welcoming him to the South we went to the luggage carousel to pick up his bag.

Glen and I pose for a picture right after he arrived in the Myrtle Beach Airport.

Glen and I pose for a picture right after he arrived in the Myrtle Beach Airport.

It never came.

So yes, the trip started off a little rough but that would be the end of the hiccups. His luggage would arrive in the wee hours of the next morning so until then he could just borrow my clothes. We went to my apartment and chilled out for a few minutes and then we went out into the Myrtle Beach night. We first went to Chick-Fil-A and ate dinner, a meal Glen was looking forward to. After we ate our chicken sandwiches and fries we headed off to the Mt. Atlanticus putt putt course where he received his first taste of both the eclectic miniature golf courses and the stifling humidity that characterizes this area. The latter didn’t bother him too much though as Glen beat Sidney and I in his Myrtle Beach putt putt debut.

Playing some putt putt at Mt. Atlanticus was a fun way to start Glen's vacation.

Playing some putt putt at Mt. Atlanticus was a fun way to start Glen’s vacation.

After golf we headed out to Myrtle Beach’s adult playground, Broadway at the Beach. With various themed bars and fun night clubs, it is an area perfect for someone Glen’s age. We had a fabulous time hopping around the various establishments. The highlights were playing the arcade games inside Broadway Louie’s and then entering a certain complex that has about three or four different clubs located under one roof. Once we finished at Broadway at the Beach we took a taxi back to my neck of the woods and I showed Glen around our neighborhood watering holes and introduced him to the extended hours that bars enjoy in Myrtle Beach. We walked inside my apartment after an amazing night at 4 a.m.

It was a long but very fun night.

It was a long but very fun night.

Saturday – September 5

I hassled Glen to get up early and we started heading in the direction of Conway. We stopped at Waffle House for breakfast so Glen could experience another Southern institution. After eating a heavy meal that was much welcomed after the previous night, we visited the Coastal Carolina University campus. I had the privilege of showing him around as he got to see Prince Lawn, our athletic fields, my office, and much more.

I got to show Glen our teal football field.

I got to show Glen our teal football field.

Once we finished at CCU, we went out to Sidney’s parents’ house to retrieve Glen’s luggage. We had Delta deliver it to the home of her parents because we wanted to make sure people were home when the delivery person came by. Glen got to meet Sid’s dad as we watched tennis in the living room for a few minutes. We returned home and watched the first three quarters of the Washington State vs. Portland State game. We then went to 4:30 p.m. mass at St. Andrew Parish, allowing Glen to see the church where he will serve as the best man at in eight months. After the service we stopped at a produce stand on the side of the road and purchased boiled peanuts. From there we went back to Broadway at the Beach so I could show him the area during the daytime while also taking him out of the Celebrity Circle bar district.

Glen and I enjoying Broadway at the Beach.

Glen and I enjoying Broadway at the Beach.

After Broadway at the Beach we went right to Sid’s house and ate some peanuts. From there we went to the Murrell’s Inlet Marshwalk for a relaxing evening. It was a 90 minute wait at the restaurant we wanted to eat at so we had the luxury of walking around the whole marsh area at our own pace. After Glen saw the sights, including the place where I proposed to Sidney, we went to this really cool bar called Wahoo’s and watched people dance while also checking the television screens showing football games. At 9:30 p.m., we finally received a text message from Drunken Jack’s telling us that our table was ready. We made the short walk over from Wahoo’s and enjoyed a fabulous dinner in a great atmosphere. Glen got to try hush puppies and eat some great meat. After we finished our meal we returned to Sidney’s house where we watched highlights of the day’s football games.

We had a wonderful evening in Murrells Inlet at the Marshwalk.

We had a wonderful evening in Murrells Inlet at the Marshwalk.

Sunday – September 6

I once again did my best to get Glen up at a reasonable hour and then we were off to the beach! I took him to Springmaid, the beach area close to my place where locals go. We had a nice morning stroll up and down the shore. We finished our walk and then went to a putt putt course called Shipwreck. Despite my noble efforts, Glen once again beat me. We shook hands and then went to a place called Damon’s for lunch. We sat on the outdoor patio overlooking the beach as we ate and had a couple cold ones. Now well-nourished, we went on with our day.

We enjoyed some time at the beach, shot some putt putt at Shipwreck, and ate yummy food at Damon's.

We enjoyed some time at the beach, shot some putt putt at Shipwreck, and ate yummy food at Damon’s.

We drove up Kings Highway and stopped at a few of the souvenir shops so Glen could start getting an idea of the inventory available. This journey helped lead us to the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk. We had a nice time walking around, checking out the arcade, and browsing through the Gay Dolphin (a giant gift shop). The weather was beautiful and the scenery nice. After Glen did some major purchasing at a nearby gift store we left the area and stopped at a random bar halfway to my apartment. Sidney joined us here as we had fun listening to one of the gruff customers chat us up the whole time we were there.

Glen pinned his hometown on the big map in the bar.

Glen pinned his hometown on the big map in the bar.

After our time in the dive we hustled home and showered. We needed to look and smell nice because we were going over to eat dinner with Sidney’s family. We went over to the house of Sidney’s sister for the meal. Glen had the opportunity to meet all of Sidney’s sister’s family, Sid’s parents, Sid’s aunt, and her cousin. We smacked our lips as we ate an incredible spread that included ribs, macaroni and cheese, corn, green beans, rice, and rolls. I ate so much that I couldn’t even do dessert. Glen was definitely shown Southern hospitality.

My plate of food at Sidney's sister's house. Glen had a plate similar to this!

My plate of food at Sidney’s sister’s house. Glen had a plate similar to this!

We said thank you to Sid’s family and the three of us went to the Boathouse, a bar in Myrtle Beach with a gorgeous backyard area that overlooks the Intracoastal Waterway. The venue was crazy and packed with lots of people watching to be done. We stayed for a little bit and then returned home to my apartment where we watched “Big Brother” and “Bar Rescue.” We then went on a six stop bar tour where some of the establishments were in desperate need of Jon Taffer’s assistance. It was a lot of fun though as we picked up a story from each place we visited.

Monday – September 7

Labor Day started with us driving the short distance to the beach but it started to rain. We reversed course and drove to Sidney’s house, stopping at Bojangles on the way to pick up breakfast. We ate our food in Sid’s living room, giving Glen a taste of yet another Southern staple as we munched on chicken and Bo-Berry biscuits. In an effort to wait out the rain, Glen and I went to the movie theater to watch the 11 a.m. showing of “The Gift.” Although the movie wasn’t stellar by any means we accomplished our objective as it was beautiful outside by the time we exited the theater. Sidney met us outside the doors and we briefly looked around the mall. After our quick tour of the shopping center, it was time to play more putt putt.

We drove to Jurassic Mini Golf where we played 18 holes with the dinosaurs. This course was a lot of fun and it helped also that I won! It was hot and humid but that didn’t detract us from wanting to play more. We drove to the Jungle Lagoon course where we once again had a ball. Out of the four courses we played, this was our favorite. Sidney pulled out the victory this time around, making it so that all three of us won at least once during Glen’s trip. After 36 holes of putt putt in the Labor Day sun, we were thirsty. We had Sid pick out a bar for us and we went inside for a couple more cold ones.

We had a ton of fun playing putt putt. This is Glen and I at Jungle Lagoon.

We had a ton of fun playing putt putt. This is Glen and I at Jungle Lagoon.

Glen and I then set off to do what we had originally planned to do earlier that morning…go back to the beach. We went to Springmaid again and had just a relaxing time. The conditions were perfect and nothing said “Myrtle Beach” more than those 45 minutes we spent yesterday afternoon carving stuff in the sand, picking up seashells, and going in the water. When it was time to move on we went to one final souvenir shop to purchase a last minute item. I then took Glen on a tour of my apartment complex and we ran a couple errands.

Glen and I enjoying a perfect day at the beach.

Glen and I enjoying a perfect day at the beach.

We returned to my place and showered. Sidney came over and met us and we all sat down and watched Jeopardy. After the show we went to dinner at Longhorn Steakhouse and had a terrific final meal. After we had stuffed our bellies we chose a movie out of the Redbox and came home. The film we selected was “Unfinished Business” and it definitely went unfinished by us. We didn’t even watch an hour of it before stopping it and watching the remainder of the Ohio State vs. Virginia Tech football game instead. By that time it was past midnight and we were ready to go to bed. We knew we had enjoyed an incredible 3+ days so instead of going to bed sad that vacation was coming to a close, we went to sleep fulfilled.

Last night, Sidney presented Glen with this sign to take back to Spokane with him.

Last night, Sidney presented Glen with this sign to take back to Spokane with him.

————

This morning I had to say goodbye to my brother as he slept soundly. Because I leave for campus at 5:30 a.m. each morning and his flight didn’t depart until 11 a.m., he had to get a cab to take him to the airport. I felt a little guilty leaving him to take a taxi but I know he understood and didn’t care that much.

Probably my most favorite picture of the trip. Glen and I in our Myrtle Beach polos right before we went to dinner at the house of Sid's sister.

Probably my most favorite picture of the trip. Glen and I in our Myrtle Beach polos right before we went to dinner at the house of Sid’s sister.

During my drive to campus and pretty much this whole day, I constantly thought about the great weekend we had. Words can’t describe how nice it was to spend time with my brother here in Myrtle Beach. I had waited a long time for him to come visit me and we had more fun than even I thought we would. Thanks to my best friend Sidney for doing all she could to make sure I had such a memorable experience with my other best friend. Hanging out with those two in tandem provided me with so much joy. Finally, in closing, we used the hashtag #GlenDoesMyrtle the whole trip to chronicle our Myrtle Beach adventures on social media. Glen, my good sir, you have earned the right to change that hashtag to #GlenDidMyrtle. Thank you, well done, and I love you. Don’t Blink.

Those Dark Facebook Users

We all have our friends who we follow on social media who take full liberty to air out their griviences and opinions. We may get annoyed and we may just laugh while saying to ourselves “Oh man, here we go again.” These are the people we complain and make fun about.

So while I never lose sleep over the digital rants of those I know, I sometimes feel a little unsettled by those strangers who have the tendency to let loose with bizarre statements fueled by obsessive dedication.

I remember while working at the University of Montana, there was a certain person who would mix his strong beliefs and inappropriate language into awful Facebook comments. He would publish his garbage underneath our Facebook posts, many times not having anything to do with the featured content (this was an athletics page for crying out loud). I gave him a long leash before I finally blocked him. Just because I banned him from our Montana Grizzlies page didn’t mean I had seen the last of his Facebook mug, however.

I would frequently see his comments appear on unofficial Griz Facebook pages. I would also always see his filth on every social media account belonging to a local Missoula news outlet as well. What was up with this person? It went way beyond acting as a troll.

I wish I could say this was the only occurrence I have seen of this. Not even close. You don’t have to work in social media to see these Facebook crazies make their daily rounds on pages with large followings and high engagement. They rant, they spam, and they threaten.

Just this past summer, Myrtle Beach held a major country music festival. It was a massive event, one that was heavily covered by the local media. As it was the event’s first year, minor hiccups did occur. I observed one certain Facebook user, disgruntled over the festival’s high ticket price, ambush not just the festival’s Facebook page but every single page of our area’s various television outlets covering it. This particular lady, who didn’t even attend the festival, went on an absolute crusade creating long winded posts (copying and pasting many of them) that she plastered on all these different Facebook pages. The dialogue that ensued between her and users defending the festival always turned nasty.

I have too many examples to write about here, but you know exactly what I am talking about. The same questions probably run through your head that run through mine. Why are these people so angry? Why don’t they care about their reputation? Don’t they know that everyone can see their name/identity? Are they sane?

By the way, that last question is a legitimate one. Have you ever done what I have a hundred times and gone to the profiles of these folks? Their timeline is filled with rambling status updates, incredibly offensive memes, and photos of them flipping off the camera. After seeing the carnage they do on public Facebook pages I am always able to confirm their instability by checking their personal page and seeing the same trash. Defacing the digital presence of others shows that you are inconsiderate and rude. Making a joke out of your own digital presence shows that you are crazy.

I mentioned at the start of this post that these type of social media users make me feel uneasy. Can you see why? Not only do they have strong and polarizing views, they most likely also have a mental illness. What happens if these people ever do damage through other means besides just causing social media unrest? Now I know most of these people would never act in such a way but the thought does cross my mind.

The other day I was looking at a Facebook page for a Spokane news station. Under one of the posts I saw a vile comment. I had to look twice but it was completely obvious…the same person who terrorized social media accounts in Missoula was now spreading his “wisdom” to a new audience in a new town 200 miles to the west. How he still has a Facebook account is beyond me. These people are relentless. We have to balance between ignoring these people while at the same time keeping a watchful eye. Don’t Blink.