The “Funny” Guy

Posted on June 11, 2013 by brent

This past weekend I attended my brother’s college graduation in Ellensburg where he graduated from Central Washington University. The ceremony was held at the school’s 4,000 seat football stadium. With 750 graduating students for that particular ceremony, we knew a rather large crowd relative to the seating capacity of the facility would show up. With this basic reasoning, we arrived at around 1 p.m. for the 2 p.m. ceremony. Although people were already taking their seats, we got there early enough to find four seats together near the top and by an aisle. We were ready for the waiting game to begin.

When we first sat down in our seats we had plenty of room (my dad on my right and sister on my left).

On this particular day it was hot in Ellensburg. The sun was shining and its rays shot right at our faces and warmed the metallic bleachers considerably. While the minutes before the ceremony went slowly, the rush of spectators came quickly. By 1:30 p.m. we were completely surrounded by people. I couldn’t get over the excitement of feeling completely crunched in between a bunch of strangers in uncomfortable heat .

The crowd did start to fill up quickly and soon enough, it was packed.

Even though I felt a little claustrophobic and a little dehydrated, I was not going to let most things get to me. Hey, I was there to support my brother on his special day. Because of this attitude of mine, I didn’t mind the lady in front of my mom who decided to pop open a huge umbrella to shield the sun while at the same time shielding our view. I tolerated the kids who kept running amok through our own row, bumping our knees while no parents stepped up to put an end to the madness. I decided not to say anything to the guy in front of my dad and I who decided to stand up during the whole graduate procession, thinking that his son needed to see him waving his hands and acting like a fool for thirty minutes. I also even gave a pardon to the people who decided to clog the aisle way stairs (right where we were sitting), thus creating a major traffic jam for everyone who was actually using the stairs for their intended purpose.

But what really touched off my boiling point was the graduation attendee who sat right behind me, the person who you can find in almost every crowd: The Funny Guy.

I dislike “The Funny Guy” in crowds for three main reasons. 1. They are never funny. 2. They are annoying. 3. You are forced to listen to them.

This past Saturday, the funny guy we had the misfortune of sitting in proximity of fit all three characteristics above. The moment he and his family sat down, the wisecracks started coming. He joked about their graduate, other graduates, the camera display, the weather, the university president, the commencement speaker, and pretty much everything else both related and totally unrelated to the ceremony. Before commencement even began he had managed to annoy the hell out of my family and everyone else that was sitting close by.

Another aggravating characteristic about “The Funny Guy” is that he always makes sure to talk at a level so that everyone can hear him. You see, he actually thinks he is a comedian and that others appreciate his running commentary. I will never know why these types of people don’t realize that everyone despises them. I guess it is just their ego and total misconception of reality that leads them to think otherwise. For some reason, they think that the event they attend is about them rather than what is happening on the field/floor/stage etc.

When the ceremony started, the guy did not let up. With the heat escalating, the ceremony dragging on, and the jerk behind me still not shutting up, my dad and I checked out and left our seats and went down to the field level to the standing room only section. I watched and filmed my brother receiving his diploma in peace, away from the most bush league half rate comedy show I had ever heard in my life. I looked way up in the bleachers and saw my sister and mom who decided to stay in their seats and when I did that I swear I could still hear the loudmouth cracking some joke about the length of the ceremony.

This was the picture I took after leaving my seat. As you can see, it was an absolutely packed house.

People who like to show off their less than stellar comedic talents in public situations need to stop. Realize the reason why you are actually at the event and just go from there. You know, Twitter was made for a reason. If you have to give a funny play-by-play about the event you happen to be at, do it through your Twitter account to people who actually choose to follow you. I am sure your 10 followers will get a real kick out of it. But please don’t make other people suffer who are just trying to enjoy the event and honor what is happening. Much appreciated. Don’t Blink.

Congrats to my brother for graduating! Don’t Blink.

A Couple Fun Days on Tap

Posted on June 6, 2013 by brent

I always say that June is one of the best months of the year and it looks like 2013 will be no disappointment. Over the next couple of days I will get to enjoy a couple of fun events, some travel, and, if the forecast holds up, plenty of sun. June is here and the good times are just getting started!

Tomorrow the fundraising organization of our athletic department holds the Conoco Grizzly Golf Classic. Held at Canyon River Golf Course, this is definitely one of my favorite days on the work calendar. Starting early in the morning, many of our coaches, prominent community members, and diehard Griz supporters will tee up and play a round of golf on the beautiful course. The golfers won’t be alone. Many of our staff members, myself included, will help out throughout the whole day to make sure all participants have a great experience.

There are plenty of hot dogs served at the tournament (picture with Stacey from last year).

But it is just not the golfers that have a great experience…us volunteers do too! Getting to enjoy a day out of the office around co-workers in a fun and relaxed setting is the best. Getting to see the amount of Griz Pride that our community members and supporters have is pretty cool too. This year my main job will be to shuttle golfers from the third hole to the fourth hole. Worried about my golf cart driving skills? Don’t be. Today a group of us drove four carts from campus to the golf course, a roughly six mile trek over bridges, through a supermarket parking lot, and down a highway. Call me a pro if you please.

Just like last year I will be driving the golf cart again.

After a tasty Outback catered lunch to conclude the golf tournament, I will get in my car and hit the road for Spokane. The Reser Family hotel will be open as I crash at my parents’ house for the night. Then in the morning, my sister and I will pile in my folks’ CRV and we will travel even further west to Ellensburg, Washington, for my brother’s college graduation.

My brother is graduating from Central Washington University with a degree in recreational tourism. The ceremony will take place in the Wildcats’ football stadium under what are supposed to be sunny skies. After it becomes official that day at 2 p.m. that my bro is a college graduate we will turn back around and return to Spokane. I will return for the night while my brother will return for the summer as he begins an internship with the Spokane Valley Parks and Recreation Department. But before that important internship starts, there will be some celebrating in order that evening. It should definitely be a fun time to commemorate by brother’s achievement.

Glen is graduating from Central Washington where he played baseball.

Golf and Graduation, doesn’t sound too bad, does it? Throw in the sunshine that the weatherman has promised and I am pumped up for an awesome weekend. I hope that all of you have a great weekend as well and thanks again for taking the time to read my blog. Don’t Blink.

That Awkward Moment When…

Posted on June 6, 2013 by brent

Although some might disagree, I don’t consider myself an awkward person. Even so, that doesn’t mean that I don’t occasionally find myself in awkward situations, whether it is others committing the awkward act or if the blame falls squarely on my shoulders.

Recently, a few situations have managed to come up more frequently than usual in my everyday life. Since I am having trouble sleeping tonight and because I just love to share with you all how awkward my life is, I thought I would reveal and dissect these less than comfortable situations that have seemed to pop up more often than not lately.

You Go This Way, I Go That Way: Out of the three situations I am sharing, this is the most prevalent one that I find myself in on almost a daily basis. You are walking somewhere in one direction and another person is walking in the opposite direction and your paths cross. It just so happens that there is not a lot of space between the two of you so both must make a calculated move one way or the other. Instead of you moving to one side and the other person moving to the other, you decide to go right and the other decides to go left making it so you block each other. After that awkward snafu it just gets worse as both you and the other person immediately move in the same direction again, once again impeding each other’s progress. After doing the dance a couple more times, you finally break apart and embarrassingly go on your merry way.

I have to pat myself on the back and say that this is one awkward situation that I never create myself. In my opinion, it is common knowledge that you ALWAYS walk to the right…always. If everyone followed the simple role to just stay right there would never be any awkward bumps, delays, or brushes when crossing paths with someone. I find myself dealing with violators of this basic rule at the gym all the time. Pathways are narrow and people are always walking in opposite directions. I get it that people get tired while working out but don’t use fatigue as an excuse to forgo simple etiquette. Awkward moments are bad but they are even worse when they happen up close with complete strangers. Remember, just always walk to the right!

Let’s Both Talk At Once: This is one situation where I find myself guilty of from time to time. You approach someone and start to say something to him or her only to realize that the person you are talking to is also in the middle of saying something. After the one or two second cacophony of both people talking at once there comes that awkward silence when both people immediately stop talking in hopes that the other person would continue talking. After both people realize that the other person is waiting for them to continue it never fails that once again, both people start talking at the same time again! This results in one of the people, sometimes both, saying “sorry, go ahead.”

Besides in face-to-face communication, this regrettable pattern happens all the time during phone conversations. Obviously without any nonverbal cues to go off of, this is something that can easily happen. Although maybe more acceptable, it is still awkward and still requires some apologizing and reiterating.

Talking right when someone else talks is something that we can all get better at (I definitely can), especially in face-to-face conversations. We just need to be more mindful of someone’s nonverbal language and evaluate for that split second whether or not they are going to say something. At times it is better just to have a strategy where you say “Okay, no matter what, I am letting this person open the conversation and will continue to let him/her do most of the talking throughout our talk.” When it comes to phone conversations, the key is to just anticipate when the other person is going to pipe up and to make sure to leave a couple seconds of silence just in case the person feels like adding anything. When both people talk at once during a conversation it is not only awkward but it just takes away from what the two people have going and makes the communication less impactful.

Oops, That Text Was Not Meant For You: This one has happened to everyone and it can perhaps be the most awkward and embarrassing moment of them all. Nothing is worse than when you type out a text message and then send it to the wrong person. Even an innocent text that went the wrong way is humiliating enough but many people have experienced the ultimate horror of writing a text message that criticizes someone and instead of sending that text to someone else that text actually gets sent to the person you were criticizing! Oh yes, serves the person right for attempting to talk behind someone’s back!

I have sent inadvertent texts before but I haven’t made such a gaffe for a long time now. I understand the consequences and confusion that can result from such hastiness and I avoid it at all times. My mom on the other hand still finds herself sending text messages to the wrong people, especially her kids. Quite frequently I will receive texts from my mom that were meant for my brother or sister. I can’t help but laugh when this happens and I try to play along with her, acting like I am my brother or sister until she figures out what she did.

The key to avoiding this situation is to just take care when sending text messages. Always take a second to double check who you are sending the message to before pressing that button that will transmit the text. Keep in mind the situations where you are most vulnerable to send inadvertent messages and then crack down on it.
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Everyone loves a “That awkward moment when…” story; except when it centers on ourselves. To avoid these types of situations we just need to plan things out more and really evaluate our own tendencies. Becoming “cool as a cucumber” takes some practice, even when it comes to the most basic social interactions. Don’t Blink.

2013 NBA Finals: The Lesser of Two Evils

Posted on June 4, 2013 by brent

So I suppose that once the conference finals were set, this was probably the most attractive NBA Finals matchup that could have occurred but I can’t lie, I am disappointed. Out of all the teams in the Western Conference I dislike the Spurs the most and out of all the teams in the Eastern Conference, check that…in the whole league, I hate the Heat the most. But I know I should shut up, this series will be “good for the league” and ratings will likely soar.

I am just having a tough time coming to terms with the reality that I will have to watch Manu Ginoboli flop and King James whine and cry for at least four more games. I cringe that I have to watch San Antonio’s style of play and Miami’s arrogance for one more series. I get depressed that I have to watch Greg Popovic pace the sidelines and Chris “Birdman” Andersen be himself for several more days. Sorry not sorry, I am not excited for Thursday.

On a lighter note, I really have no other reason to hate the Spurs than what I just highlighted above. The Miami Heat? That’s a whole different story. I threw the remote at the TV (well not at the TV but at the chair across from me) last night when Miami pulled away from Indiana in Game 7. I just can’t stand watching them play…or warm up….or conduct press conferences.

I just still have a lot of bitterness towards Lebron James over The Decision. I know by this time most of that venom should have worn off, and some of it has, but I still have a majority of it built up. I look at Lebron as the ultimate egotistical self-centered spoiled athlete. What he did three years ago on that stage across from Jim Gray, shamelessly trying to disguise it as an “act of charity”, will always stay with me. But as time goes on and people mature, feelings start to change. However, whenever it seems like I am warming up to Lebron it seems like something happens that turns me back the other way. I will watch a game in disbelief as he gets every single call humanely possible. Or I will watch a game in which a single call goes against him and he throws a king-sized fit or he decides to sprint down to the other end of the floor while the play is dead. Or I will watch a press conference and he will spout off that he had to “Go back to the Cleveland days.” All of these things rub me the wrong way.

Most of you can sense it, the main reason why I dislike the Heat is because of Lebron James. Well, Birdman is another big reason too. I want the Heat to lose 35% because of Lebron, 30% because of Birdman, 10% because of that rally that Lebron, Bosh, and Wade held three years ago, 10% because of the cockiness of the whole team, 5% because of that assistant coach who also got a technical foul when Lebron went on his full court sprint, 5% because I usually always root against the Eastern Conference, 2.5% because I hate the chants the Heat fans do during the game, 1.5% because my buddy Shaun Rainey likes Lebron, and 1% because the Heat logo is hideous.

If I had it my way, the Spurs would sweep the Heat 4-0. The series would be a bloodbath with San Antonio wiping the floor with Miami over the course of four games. I would stomach watching Ginobli hop around the court in pure glee in exchange for Lebron and his gang getting royally rejected. I would feel good about seeing the Heat players going to the post game press conferences dressed up in their ridiculous costumes answering questions about why they sucked so bad and how they couldn’t hang with the aging Spurs.

But gosh dang it, I have to be realistic. I think the Miami Heat will go back-to-back. They are younger, they are faster, and they are deeper. They have home court advantage. They also have the referee advantage. Anything close, especially anything close for King James, will go the way of the Heat. I believe the Heat will win both games to open the series at home, take one of the next three games in San Antonio, and then close it out in Game 6 in Miami.

**Hold it right there though…I am absolutely awful in predicting the NBA Finals. Check out my blog posts from the 2011 Finals and the 2012 Finals. Pretty embarrassing if you ask me!**

Even if I won’t be, I hope everyone else enjoys the NBA Finals. Congrats to David Stern on a great run as commissioner. Don’t Blink.

Paige and Brent Take Las Vegas

Posted on June 3, 2013 by brent

Last week my girlfriend Paige and I took advantage of the Memorial Day Weekend and stretched it into a little vacation down in my favorite spot, Las Vegas. After pretty much every delay you could think of, we checked into our hotel room at the Flamingo at about 11 p.m. Sunday night and departed Wednesday afternoon. Throughout our short trip we had a fabulous time scoping out the city and enjoying some time “away from it all.” As I usually do with my trip recaps, I am going to pinpoint the five things I will truly remember about my most recent time in Sin City and then follow it up with some odds and ends.

Paige and I had a wonderful vacation in Las Vegas.

Paige’s First Time: Though she technically spent a few hours there about ten years ago, Paige had never really experienced Las Vegas before, at least not Las Vegas in its current state. I relished the chance of taking her around and showing her the one-of-a-kind city. Although we didn’t get to nearly all I wanted to show her (how could you though?) I think I gave her a pretty good representation of what the city is all about. I took her to the luxurious hotels, the dirtiest dives, the Freemont Experience, the even further off downtown district, and everything in between. She got to gamble, she got to club, she got to sunbathe, and she even got to ride public transportation…not too bad!

Paige had a great time in Las Vegas.

Pool/Weather: In every summertime Vegas recap post I will always mention the pool just because it is always such a highlight. This time around it was definitely no exception. All three mornings we were there, Paige and I were at the Flamingo poolside at 8 a.m. soaking in the sun rays and loving life. After spending time lounging in the chairs we would get in the water and explore around the huge pool complex. We had such a great time waddling around and meeting new people that it was hard to get on with the day. But while we couldn’t take the pool with us as we ventured onto the Vegas strip, we could definitely take the weather. The temperature averaged 90 degrees each day we were there and it felt wonderful! Although I probably could have taken about five more degrees of warmth I couldn’t complain much considering back in Missoula it was rainy, cold, and gray.

Paige and I loved our pool mornings.

Amazing Dining Experience: While in Vegas I wanted to make sure to take Paige out to a nice, five star restaurant. After doing some research, I ended up taking the advice of a guy I work with and on Monday night Paige and I had 8 p.m. reservations at Emeril Lagasse’s Delmonico Steakhouse inside the Venetian. Wow. That’s all I have to say about that meal. First off, the service was impeccable. They use a team of about five different servers to wait on your table. This was the type of restaurant where they pull the chair out for you to sit down and then place the napkin on your lap. This was the type of restaurant where once you take a sip out of your water glass someone comes behind you and refills it. This was the type of restaurant where the wait staff is truly at your service.

Oh, and the food? I had never had a better steak in my life. Paige and I both got the filet mignon and it was absolutely heavenly. I took one bite and the way it melted in my mouth and engulfed my senses with the best steak flavor I had ever tasted made me know that I was getting every cent worth of what I was paying. We got a potato chip appetizer drenched in oils that tasted fantastic and I got a twice baked potato and Paige got the potatoes au gratin. We shared as both sides were served in huge portions and just like everything else, tasted just splendidly. When we had concluded the meal and the wait staff came and cleared off all the dishes and excess silverware around us, we knew we had shared a special meal.

A look at our food at Delmonico Steakhouse.

Club Crawl!: The last night we were in town, Paige and I experienced a little bit of Vegas nightlife. The day prior I had bought “Club Crawl” passes from one of those promoters on the street. I talked him down to giving both Paige and I passes for $100 total. I showed him the cash and he bit. Just like that, we had a night all planned out where we would go to five different places.

The night of the crawl we showed up at the meeting point, Blondies. With about 50 other people on the tour with us, we knew things might get a little crazy. We went from Blondies to D.B.’s Pong and Pool to PBR Rock Bar to KOI to Pure. We had a good time going through the rotation and definitely came out with a couple stories. Paige was awesome and met a bunch of new girlfriends who we hung out with the whole night including a couple of Australians. I definitely liked the last club the best…Pure in Caesar’s Palace. It was cool just to go inside a big name club like that and Paige and I had a blast dancing the night away. To go to five different places, not wait in line, and get free drinks it was definitely worth the $100.

Meeting New People: Of course I would be totally remiss if I didn’t take time to mention the incredible people we met in Las Vegas! Luckily I was with Paige who can strike up a conversation with anyone so I guess it was only natural that we would leave Vegas with new friends.

We met a fabulous group from Iowa down at the pool who we spent time with all three days we were there….Carissa: Paige and I will always remember how fun you were and how you could look so different with your hair up and your hair down. Great times at the pool and at Stage Door. / We met two of the nicest and prettiest girls from Canada you will ever meet who we talked to each day at the pool….Chelsea and Katherine: You two were so nice, down to earth, and genuine. Thanks for talking to us! Keep hash tagging like crazy! / We met the craziest party girl from Georgia…Josie: You were nuts and absolutely crazy. / Thanks to Paige we met five girls on the club crawl who we hung out with most of the time…Tara, Jordan (and I forget your other names): Thanks for making the club crawl so much fun and hanging out with us in between KOI and Pure. / We met a great group of people at the tables at El Cortez in downtown Vegas where Paige gambled for the first time…To All of You: Thanks for being so chill and low key. Even though we lost all of our money it was a lot of fun!

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Random Notes:

– It was almost like we were in Montana. While in Vegas we visited two country western style bars…Gilly’s in Treasure Island and PBR Rock Bar in Planet Hollywood. Both places had mechanical bulls, country music, and a Montana feel!

– I slept three hours the entire trip with all three of those hours coming the third night.

– On Monday during the afternoon, Paige and I wore Montana trucker hats up and down the strip, causing a few people to stop and ask us about them.

– When we went downtown on Monday night there was some type of punk rock convention going on that definitely made for very interesting people watching.

– The Flamingo pool had happy hour morning specials…although it didn’t include the $25 drink that Paige bought.

– Got to hang out with a couple of Montana friends the first night we were there (Melissa and Cleo) who happened to be in Vegas for a bachelorette party.

– Paige loved the Venetian. She got to look at some great art, visit an awesome candy store, listen to a little bit of a concert that was going on, and watch the boats in the Venice replica canal.

– After this past experience, I will make sure to always fly direct in and out of Vegas.

– We ate like rock stars. Besides our nice meal at Delmonico and a decent meal at a Mexican place called Cabo Wabo, we managed to scarf down hot dogs, cheesesteaks, chili dogs, fries, pizza, and stromboli.

– We had an amazing view of the strip from our room.

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What a great time Paige and I had down in Las Vegas. It always takes some adjusting when you come back from down there, especially when the weather is so depressing here in Montana. Oh well, summer is just beginning and pretty soon the temperature will rise. Until then, Paige and I will hang onto some of that sunshine we bottled up in Vegas and look back fondly on the time we spent together. Don’t Blink.

That Time of Year Again: VEGAS

Posted on May 26, 2013 by brent

Probably one of the reasons why I have written some 320 blog posts in a couple short years is because I have written this very similar post about six times now. Yes, it is time to go to Las Vegas again.

Today I embark on the summer half of my bi-annual Vegas getaway. Maybe I tried too hard to find a deal this time because instead of my usual non-stop two hour flight from Missoula to Sin City, this time around there are a couple more obstacles. I will fly out from the Garden City at 1 p.m. and land in Denver at around 3 p.m. I will then sit through a FOUR HOUR layover and then finally board a plane that will take me to Vegas. With the two hour flight and the change from mountain time to pacific time, I will be at McCarran Airport at 8 p.m.

Besides the roundabout way of getting to Vegas, I know this trip will be a blast. Accompanying me this time around will be my girlfriend, Paige. Except for a very short time ten years ago, Paige has never really experienced Las Vegas so I can’t wait to show her around the crazy city. Staying true to how I always arrange my summer trips to Vegas, we will stay at my favorite hotel, the Flamingo. This trip is mainly to explore the city, lay by the pool, and eat some good food.

Taking advantage of the Memorial Day Weekend, I will be in Vegas from today through Wednesday. As is custom when I go on trips, I will not be contributing to Don’t Blink. But it never fails, whenever I come back from Vegas I always have one or two good stories to write about. Enjoy the rest of your holiday weekend, everyone! Don’t Blink.

Always Keep a Checklist

Posted on May 23, 2013 by brent

One of the few good habits that I have developed is constructing checklists. Growing up I always remember my dad writing out a checklist of tasks to do the next morning before work. Before going to sleep that night he would put the list at his head spot at the kitchen table. When he would get up for the day the list would be waiting for him and he would get to work doing what he needed to do before he set out to the office.

I emulated my dad in a lot of ways and this was one of those rituals that I adopted from him. In fact, when it comes to this particular task I latched onto it from a young age. In my late elementary school years I too was scribbling out checklists and placing them at my spot at the dinner table to await me the next morning. Most of them just reminded me to bring simple items to school but a lifelong habit was formed.

It is very important to keep checklists.

Throughout my high school and college years I used checklists to remind me of components to include in presentations/papers, questions to ask when I visited with teachers, different study items to go over, and daily tasks to complete throughout the school day. However, utilizing checklists during my academic years definitely did not constitute a unique idea on my part. Creating and working off checklists might possibly be the most popular study skill that any teacher, counselor, or planner might give you. Take heed all of my school aged readers, always make lists to help keep you on track.

But I think outside of the classroom and outside of the studying atmosphere, checklists lose importance to a lot of people. I want to get across that I don’t think checklists should vanish when we age but rather they should stay as prevalent as they were during our school years. Right as this moment I have three active checklists. I have one lying on my desk at work right now with a big heading that says “Friday” on it. It will be waiting for me when I get in tomorrow morning. I have a second checklist to the left of me as I type this that has all the tasks lined out that I want to accomplish tonight. Finally, I have a third checklist on the top of my refrigerator that has items I need to buy and items that I need to pack for my trip to Vegas this Sunday.

Besides my active checklists, I have way too many inactive checklists from days, weeks, and sadly, even years ago lying around in my junk drawers, storage unit, and my work files. Although I do like to pick up some of these old crumpled lists every now and then and glance at what I had on my plate 16 months ago, I do want to do a better job of disposing of them. After all, I already have my journals to fill me in on my past.

Apologies for the irrelevant last paragraph.

Checklists are important for all of us to use. In the same ways that they helped us when we were younger (sorry if I keep assuming that everyone used them in school), they help us in the same way today. They keep us on task, they help us feel accomplishment when we mark items off, and they save us from forgetting important details that could negatively impact us. If you use checklists you will never: not call someone back, miss a meeting, not pack your cell phone charger, wonder what you have to do next, forget to pay rent, not pick up milk at the store, lose track of an important date, neglect to update something, etc. etc.

While it is definitely effective to pull up a chair and create a checklist in one sitting there is always the fear that you might miss something. That is why the key is to have running checklists so that whenever something comes to your mind you can jot it down. The notepad option on my iPhone works wonders for this. I type notes into my iPhone non-stop throughout the day. Then, when I do have time I sit down and transfer those notes to an actual hand written to-do list. Because I am constantly typing notes into my phone about everything that comes to my mind (even the very trivial) I tend to have quite long checklists. But for the security and peace of mind that comes from knowing you are covered it is well worth it.

Always keep checklists. Taking the small amount of time to make them will always pay off in the long run. If you know someone who might not utilize checklists but could definitely benefit from using them, purchase him/her stationary that is printed for such purposes. Well, time to mark off the third item on tonight’s checklist that says Write Blog Post because this baby is done. Don’t Blink.

My Fascination With Cemeteries

Posted on May 22, 2013 by brent

I have met one other person in my life who shares the same little fascination that I do. Well, I think she considered hers an “obsession” but let it be known that my intrigue with this subject is just a fascination. To some of you who might read my blog regularly this might not come as too much of a surprise as I have subtly alluded to it a couple times before (here and here), but many others might find this interest of mine a little weird, and yes, maybe a little twisted.

For at least 20 years of my life, I have had a fascination with cemeteries. It started when my grandma took me on annual Memorial Day trips to Mountainview Cemetery in Walla Walla, Washington, to visit our departed relatives and past parish priests. As time went on and I visited more cemeteries my level of interest grew and grew.

Myself in a very old cemetery in the Harvard District in Boston.

The first reason why I appreciate cemeteries so much is just because of the history. I am a major history buff and I love it even more when I can experience it hands on. Going to a graveyard and having the opportunity to walk from tombstone to tombstone and see the dates, inscriptions, and pictures really paints a vivid historical picture in my head. When I went to Boston last month, I got to view grave stones that were 300+ years old! The language and symbols depicted on the monuments were completely different than today and it was just pretty cool. Getting to reach out and touch something over three centuries old seemed to teleport me back to the revolutionary years in our country. But even modern cemeteries have this historical element. I like nothing more than to visit a cemetery and find a tombstone of someone who was born in 1898 and died in 2001. Just looking at “1898-2001” seems almost surreal like. Thinking about everything that person lived through in three different centuries always gets my head spinning.

A very old tombstone in a Boston cemetery.

This is probably my “weird” reason for liking cemeteries so much but I can’t get over the somewhat overwhelming feeling of walking above the ground where thousands of people have been laid to rest. Don’t you see where I am coming from with my “overwhelming feeling” talk? To think that I get to trot six feet above where people are resting in their coffins rattles my mind a little bit. I can’t help but think what it would look like if my eyes could see through the grass and dirt as I scanned the whole grounds. Thousands of different caskets of different colors, different designs, different eras, and different shapes all lined up in close quarters. Then to think about the remains of the people in those coffins combined with what clothes they were buried in and what jewelry/rings/pictures/trinkets they took with them always makes me just really reflect on that particular earth that I am walking on. When I think about everything that lies underneath my feet when I stroll through a cemetery I never need a reminder to be on my best behavior.

Thirdly, I like graveyards because they are just so peaceful and reflective. They are sad too, but I think that adds to the reflective part. I can go to a cemetery and my thoughts are just so much clearer and I become so much more connected to everything around me. I definitely feel the energy of the dead underneath my feet and it just really helps me to appreciate life and to not take it for granted. I will never forget the feeling that engulfed my whole body when I set foot at Arlington National Cemetery. I was definitely not prepared for the multitude of white tombstones and solemn people walking around. When I finally gathered myself, I just felt so lucky and so spoiled that I never wanted to waste another second of my life again.

Despite never feeling shy to visit a random cemetery for my own historical and reflective purposes, I also like to visit the ones where I have loved ones buried. To have a location to visit the deceased who loved us so much is a great blessing, one that I will definitely take time to think about this Memorial Weekend. Don’t Blink.

National Chains That Missoula Needs

Posted on May 21, 2013 by brent

Yesterday it became known that the old and undesirable K-Mart building all the way down Brooks Street would be bulldozed down and up from the ashes would rise a Kohl’s and a Cabela’s. I think most of Missoula is thrilled about this. To get two major national stores right next to each other is great news. Especially to get a store like Cabela’s in the Missoula market has to make this community very happy, in fact I can hear the cash rolling in right now. For me personally, I am pretty pleased about the Kohl’s announcement. I have bought cheap but decent looking work clothes from them for years.

With these two businesses setting up shop in Missoula I really think it helps close the void just a little in terms of retail services that our city lacks. With that said, I certainly think Missoula could use a few other national chains to come in and bridge some gaps.

In this blog post I want to introduce 5 national chains that I would like to see come into the Missoula market. These choices are a reflection of places that I personally like (cause I am selfish like that) AND places that I think would be successful in Missoula. Let’s face it, it is not like any national retailer can just open its doors in the Garden City and expect to make bank. Krispy Kreme floundered here. Golden Corral couldn’t make it. Even Macy’s had to close its doors. Not every business will work. So here is my list and to end all suspense, NO, Olive Garden is not on it.

Panda Express: I wanted to include a fast food restaurant on the list and along with Panda Express I also tossed around Sonic and Jack and the Box. However, I decided to go the way I went because first and foremost, if someone gave me a choice to get dinner at one of those three restaurants, I would almost always choose Panda. Missoula has enough burger places, this city needs a little bit of diversity.

Growing up in Spokane, there was a Panda Express right next to my house. I salivated when I thought of the orange chicken. Besides their signature item though, they have a solid menu with traditional and tasty Asian selections. Prices are very low and if you even just get a 1-item plate (which comes with fried rice or chow mein) you will get full. Because there is nothing like it in Missoula, it would do well.

Nordstrom Rack: Missoula has an American Eagle and will soon have a Kohl’s so I am pretty much set but having a Nordstrom Rack would be nice too. I don’t fool around with high end department stores but I do change my tune when high end department stores send their clothing to their little brother for much lower prices.

Nordstrom Rack offers some great clothing items for both men and women and although still a little pricey, I like buying a few shirts from them every now and then. The selection is stellar and they even have offshoot items such as colognes, sunglasses, and shoes. A Nordstrom would not do well in Missoula, a Nordstrom Rack would.

7-Eleven: I think Missoula has it covered when it comes to quality gas stations but I think a couple 7-Eleven convenience stores around town would be a great addition. I think our city would just benefit from the culture that a 7-Eleven would bring, considering I don’t think there is one location in the entire state.

I just feel like everyone should have the option to walk inside a 7-Eleven on a hot summer day and see 12 different slurpee dispensers filled with crazy flavors ready to give relief on a sweltering afternoon. And even though I hate soda and what 7-Eleven offers is extremely unhealthy, I think we all should get to go inside and find someone with a Big Gulp and utter that famous “Dumb and Dumber” line.

Fred Meyer: I would love it if one day if I got a tweet that said “Fred Meyer Opening in Missoula.” Fred Meyer stores are nice, convenient, and organized. Imagine Wal-Mart and then elevate it two big steps and you have FM. Sure prices are a little higher but the products they offer and the shopping experience afforded is worth it.

Fred Meyer is a grocery store, electronic store, appliance store, furniture store, gardening outlet, etc. all combined in one. If there was one in Missoula, I would definitely furnish my apartment with their furniture. Affordable and classy, they offer some great selections. I would also visit their deli frequently, buy my groceries there, and shop for all my gifts inside the store. I think it would be very competitive in Missoula.

Chuck E. Cheese’s: Although these days I could not step foot in one for a couple seconds before I went absolutely bonkers, I say Missoula most definitely needs a Chuck E. Cheese’s. I mean honestly, how can there not be a place in this city where “a kid can be a kid”? For Missoula not have a location for the most popular children’s fun center in the nation is a little surprising to me.

I will say this…Missoula is a very healthy and fit city and I can definitely see that parents would want their kids engaging in more active entertainment options than an arcade/pizza place. However, in my opinion every single kid deserves to visit Chuck E. Cheese’s a few times a year. If you think about it, there is not a single place in town where kids can dive into a ball crawl or listen to oversized animal creatures play music. Missoula needs a Chuck E. Cheese’s and I guarantee it would be a hit.

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Best of luck to Kohl’s and Cabela’s! I think they will make a great impact in the Missoula market. If you have any suggestions on what retailers you think would make a great addition in Missoula please let me know. You know I love interaction with my readers. Don’t Blink.

Do I Spend Too Much TIme on Social Media?

Posted on May 16, 2013 by brent

At work today while I simultaneously shot a Vine video of our equipment room, posted a photo on Facebook of our stadium in graduation set up mode, Instagramed an image of a yummy Griz cake, and tweeted out a press release it dawned on me that I can’t escape social media. Definitely not at work, and not in my personal life either….not that I am complaining.

I take care of social media duties at Grizzly Athletics. I oversee 11 different Facebook accounts, 11 different Twitter accounts, an Instagram account, a Vine account, a YouTube account, and very soon a Pinterest account that we are currently developing. I could spend twelve hours each day non-stop just working on this end of job. But I can’t because of the other part I am in charge of that includes: running a website, promoting other forms of digital marketing, overseeing a mascot program, contributing to various special projects, and of course working at pretty much every Griz event there is.

While not at work I become fully engrossed in my personal forms of social media. While I don’t Pin or YouTube, I do spend a considerable amount of time blogging, Tweeting, Facebooking, Instagramming, Vining, Snapping, and doing whatever social app is popular at the moment. I am constantly charging my phone because the battery dies so quickly as the result of my constant usage. A full battery will usually last me from the morning until about 2 p.m.

Do I spend too much time on social media? Just read right below and I answer that question.

Do I spend too much time on social media? I sure do! This is something that I am well aware of, just on some certain days (like today) it becomes even clearer. Do I regret spending too much time on it? Hmmmmmmmm. I would say that 90% of the time I don’t while 10% of the time I do.

The 10% kicks in when I get burnt out. Or it kicks in when I see people acting stupid on it or when I see spam accounts running rampant and ruining the content of others. I also regret it when I realize that at that certain moment social media is taking me away from enjoying a beautiful day outside, a great game coming down to the final seconds on television, or a face-to-face conversation with someone I love. Those are definitely reality checks.

But the majority of the time I honestly don’t regret it. Social media has opened a lot of doors for me and connected me with so many people. It is a huge reason why I am getting paid right now. I have learned so much and contributed so much by way of SM. I also take solace in the fact that social media is simply the communication tool of our time. One hundred years from now there will be far more advanced forms of communication and I guarantee you that people will remark, “Remember back in the old days when I could simply just send someone a Facebook Message or an eight second snap picture? Today everything is just so complicated.” I don’t let people who believe that social media is corrupting communication to guilt trip me. Everything is relative and people will always have a skewed sense of the past.

So while 9 out of 10 times I don’t think twice about my excessive use of social media I want to get to the point where 10 out of 10 times I never let it bother me. I think I am on the right track because at least I recognize the rare times I do feel like social media gets in the way. I just need to take to heart that I don’t need to document every single moment via some social channel and instead just experience it through my soul…no smart device needed. I am a few minor adjustments away from feeling totally content with one of my passions and when I make them, it will be a great thing. Don’t Blink.

Don't Blink

By Brent Reser

Author Archives: brent