Author Archives: brent

Thursday Rundown Returns

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21 Days. 3 weeks. 30,240 minutes. That’s how long it has been since I last wrote a Thursday Rundown. New job and vacation kind of interfered with my weekly topic dump. I hope you can forgive me…

Standing Out – Way back in 2021, I wrote a couple different blog posts that addressed how a family Mexican restaurant can stand out from competitors (here and here). The posts centered on chips and a complimentary dessert option. Thanks to a recent visit to a Spokane Valley Mexican restaurant, I can offer an additional differentiator: a colorful bathroom sink. The below image is from the men’s restroom at the Rancho Viejo in Spokane Valley. How creative and pretty is that? It made me want to wash my hands for five minutes.

I thought this bathroom sink in the Rancho Viejo men’s rest room was very colorful and inviting.

Annual Silverwood Trip – During the school year, Sloan and Beau participated in the Silverwood Theme Park Read 2 Ride program. Because they each logged 10 reading hours, they each received a free pass to the park. We let the kids enjoy the fruits of their labor during the time I had off between jobs. We enjoyed scoping out the water park’s significant improvements and watching Beau navigate his first Silverwood experience. Thanks to Silverwood for offering an educational program with a worthwhile reward.

We had a great family Silverwood trip at the end of July.

Shirley Temples – While in Leavenworth, we gave Sloan and Beau each $30 to spend as they saw fit. It was a good exercise in budgeting and planning. When we ate at restaurants, we stuck with water. However, at one particular spot, Sloan wanted something different. On the kid’s menu at Rhein Haus it listed Shirley Temples under the beverage section. Sloan asked for some of her money to purchase one (it was a restaurant where you went up front to put an order in yourself). Even though Beau had no idea what a Shirley Temple was, he wanted to follow the suit of his sister and order one too. They got more than they bargained for when the bartender mixed up a couple of Shirley Temples in the below big beer mugs. It was one of the better purchases they made with their spending money.

Beau and Sloan with their Shirley Temples from Rhein Haus. 

Alphorn Concert – One other Leavenworth tidbit I will share with you was the alphorn concert we were treated to each morning at breakfast. The Enzian Inn offers two alphorn sessions each morning and our kids were all about it. They would go out on the balcony when the musician would play and then visit with them (a couple different musicians rotated throughout our stay) afterwards. This photo shows Sloan and Beau hanging out with one of the alphorn players who also happens to be the owner of the Enzian inn.

Sloan and Beau pose with Enzian Inn alphorn player (and owner).

Happy Anniversary – I want to wish an early anniversary to my parents. Tomorrow my mom and dad will celebrate their 43rd anniversary. They were married at St. Francis Assisi Catholic Church on Aug. 16, 1981. I am so grateful for the incredible example they have set for what a fruitful marriage is all about.

My mom and dad celebrate their 43rd anniversary tomorrow. They were married at St. Francis of Assisi on Aug. 16, 1981.

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It sure feels good to be writing Thursday Rundowns again! Thanks for reading and I wish you an awesome weekend. Don’t Blink.

Hot Sauce High

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One of the last projects I worked on at WSU was a video we titled “Frozen Ones.” It depicted a food science professor taste testing different ice cream flavors and providing her expertise on each one. This video was a play on the wildly popular “Hot Ones” show.

“Hot Ones” is pretty simple: Celebrities eat chicken wings coated in hot sauce while answering questions from the host. The hot sauces get progressively spicier as the show goes on. It usually gets to the point where the famous person is drenched in sweat, holding back tears, and cursing in agony.

To be honest, I didn’t know much about the show until we filmed our ice cream video. However, once I watched an episode (Jenna Ortega was the celebrity) to get a better understanding of how we were going to film the WSU video, I was hooked. Sidney and I have since watched numerous episodes and get a kick out of the reactions from the participants while appreciating the thoughtful/quirky questions asked by host Sean Evans.

The first “Hot Ones” episode I ever saw was with Jenna Ortega.

One thing that I picked up on during many of the episodes came after the sweat/tears/agony. Surprisingly, many of the participants described a funny feeling they felt that was actually pleasant. Evans would explain to them that they were feeling a natural hot sauce “high” that he experiences too.

Internally I have contemplated the hot sauce high as I found it pretty interesting. After all, there should be some type of reward after torturing yourself, right? Well, this morning I learned about the science behind the phenomenon.

While running on the treadmill I caught a story from NBC News. The topic was the effects of extreme eating and it zeroed in on the high that is generated from consuming intensely spicy foods.

The expert said that when people, including the celebrities on “Hot Ones,” eat an extremely hot food item, their body senses danger. After successfully consuming that item and thus escaping the threat, the adrenaline from the feat triggers the brain to release endorphins and dopamine. Yes, a true hot sauce high!

I like hot sauce, but not enough to bring on a high. 

I have mentioned before that I am a big fan of spicy foods and hot sauce. However, I do tend to avoid foods/condiments that are so packed with heat that they make me sweat profusely and lose any enjoyment from what I am eating. Because of these personal parameters, I have never consumed anything that gave me a hot sauce high. I think I will keep it that way. Don’t Blink.

Extinguishing the Paris Flame

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My 2024 Summer Olympics experience ended yesterday morning when Sloan and I cheered the USA women’s basketball team to a dramatic victory over France in the gold medal game. We were especially invested in the game because a win for the Americans meant that the United States would pull even with China in the gold medal count, a race that Sloan followed with borderline obsession over the past two and a half weeks.

I never watch the Closing Ceremony because I find it too depressing but I will share a photo from it.

Speaking of two and a half weeks, when I look back on the past 16 days, it actually seems like a really long time. That’s not a reflection on the Olympics being boring because they didn’t follow the adage of “time flies when you are having fun” but it just so happens that the Games coincided with a busy and transitional time in my life.

When the Paris Olympics started, I was still working in the office at Washington State University. The Games would then continue through my five days off between jobs, stretch through my first few days at EWU, go strong throughout our entire vacation, and then conclude after we returned to Spokane.

So when I look back on the 2024 Summer Olympics, my recollection won’t center solely on the amazing competition that transpired but also the comfort they provided me as big things happened in my life.

But enough about me, I did want to take a couple paragraphs to allude to the “amazing competition” I referenced above. Simply, I couldn’t get enough of the XXXIII Olympiad. Thankfully, Peacock (NBC) provided me the coverage I craved. The streaming service made it possible to watch all the events live while also making it a breeze to catch any event that you missed. I even enjoyed watching the nightly primetime packages hosted by Mike Tirico. I thought these specials did a terrific job at summarizing that day’s action while telling gripping stories of the athletes.

Looking back, I do have a few favorite performances. Watching Simone Biles achieve redemption after Tokyo was inspiring. Witnessing Noah Lyles overcome a slow start to win the 100M by the smallest of margins was exhilarating. Steph Curry going off in the final minutes of the gold medal game was insane. And then watching both the USA men’s and women’s 4X400 relay teams win gold was competition and guts at its finest.

As I extinguish the metaphorical cauldron of my Don’t Blink blogging series of the 2024 Summer Olympics, I want to once again convey what a pleasure it was to watch the action with my family. We truly bonded together during the Games with nothing beating the joy I felt when we watched them from our hotel room beds each night during our Leavenworth vacation. Bring on Los Angeles in 2028. Don’t Blink.

Our Leavenworth Summer Vacation

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Our family recently returned from vacation. I am guessing that your initial thought after that first sentence wasn’t Where did you go? but rather How did you go on vacation just a few days after starting a new job? Fair enough. My employer knew when I received the job offer that my family had a vacation planned for the first full week of August. Thanks to Eastern Washington University’s understanding and the fact that all my leave time from WSU transferred to EWU, I was able to make it work.

Okay, so where did we go? Thanks to recommendations, this summer we visited Leavenworth, Washington.

Sloan and Sidney hanging out in downtown Leavenworth.

Even though I grew up in Washington, I had never visited Leavenworth. The fact that it was only three and a half hours away (we didn’t want to travel far) and a totally new place for all four of us made it our preferred option. For those unfamiliar with Leavenworth, it is a town built to resemble a Bavarian village. Everything from the hotels to the shops to the McDonald’s embrace the German-themed identity.

Leavenworth is a Bavarian-themed town in central Washington.

To put it simply, based on our four-day stay, Leavenworth has a quaintness and charm that is utterly endearing. We had an incredible time and are so glad we chose this town nestled in the Cascades for our vacation. Here are 10 themes from our memorable time in central Washington.

We had an amazing time in Leavenworth. I wanted to share with you 10 themes from our vacation.

Wenatchee – Let me start pre-Leavenworth. On Tuesday, we stopped in Wenatchee to stretch our legs, grab some lunch, and kill some time before our 4 p.m. hotel check-in. We ended up at a cool spot called Walla Walla Point Park. We played on the playground and then looked for a geocache that took us to an island within the park. As you can probably tell from the photos, it was hot.

Before arriving in Leavenworth we stopped at Wenatchee and went to Walla Walla Point Park.

The Enzian Inn – Most of what we did started and ended with our hotel. This particular property had everything a family needed to be busy for four days. The “charm” of Leavenworth that I spoke about is very much embodied by the Enzian Inn. If I could describe this hotel in one word it would be wholesome. This place is simply perfect for families and we would stay there again in a heartbeat.

We had it made at the Enzian Inn. Perfect for families!

Swimming – It isn’t vacation without a pool, right? We got our money’s worth with the outdoor and indoor pools on the Enzian property. Large, long, and comfortable, we spent hours at the pools throughout our stay. We met new friends, read our books, and splashed the time away. The numerous hot tubs on site also added to the enjoyment. Perhaps the most memories were made during our night swims—it just doesn’t get more magical than swimming in a well-lit pool when it is pitch dark on vacation.

We spent a lot of time at the Enzian Inn pools.

Golf – Our hotel offered a miniature golf course that guests could play for free. Well, calling it a “miniature golf course” probably isn’t the right phrase. I think the Enzian calls it a “putting course.” The 18-hole oasis is immaculate with perfect greens, flowing water, and roaming wildlife. We played the course three times with Sloan and me starting the day off on the course bright and early for two of them.

A unique feature at the Enzian Inn is a putting golf course that is gorgeous and fun.

Movie Night – Each night our hotel would offer movies at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. in the family room. Popcorn was popped from an old school machine and you were welcome to take as much as you pleased. The irresistible popcorn aroma would reach our noses and practically pull us into the family room. Sloan watched “Charlotte’s Web” in its entirety while Beau and I watched “Rudy” together. After long days spent in the sun, it was relaxing to sit in the very well air conditioned room and watch a movie while munching on popcorn.

Each night the Enzian Inn offered movies and popcorn in the family room.

Alpine Coaster – Leavenworth has a roller coaster built into one of its signature mountains that is impossible to miss for anyone visiting the town. On Thursday we visited Leavenwoth Adventure Park that is home to the Tumwater Twisted Alpine Coaster. Because it is an alpine coaster, that means the rider controls how fast (or how slow) their respective car/sled goes. Sidney and Sloan rode together and had an absolute blast although there are discrepancies on who wanted to go faster and who was more prone to pump the break.

Sidney and Sloan had a blast on the Tumwater Twisted Alpine Coaster.

The Shops – Downtown Leavenworth is beautiful and eclectic. The variety of shops appealed to both my kids and Sidney. We had fun strolling through toy stores, souvenir shops, the Christmas/nutcracker boutiques, candy stores, and much more. Sloan and Beau each had a set amount of money they could spend as it was entertaining to watch them budget and make decisions on what they wanted to buy.

Downtown Leavenworth has something for everyone.

Food – We went with the Bavarian vibe and dined at a couple different German restaurants. We ate multiple pretzels, tried some sausages, and sampled German potatoes. To be honest, some of the restaurants were hit and miss but we were never dissatisfied with the copious amounts of ice cream we scarfed down throughout our trip.

We ate our share of pretzels and ice cream while in Leavenworth.

Games – The family room of our hotel offered ping pong, shuffleboard, pool, and skee-ball. We played all four. Sidney and I had some competitive and spirited ping pong matches while Beau impressed me with his serve. We also had fun with the jumbo Jenga set and wide selection of board games.

We took advantage of the many games available in the family room of the Enzian Inn.

Family Time In Room – For all the fun and excitement that the Enzian and Leavenworth offered, my favorite part of vacation was probably just hanging with my family at the end of the day in our hotel room. After dinner, swimming, movies, and games finished up, we would head back to our room and watch the Olympics, eat a dessert, and enjoy endless laughs. It simply didn’t get any better and was the highlight of my trip. As we hung out talking and joking with each other as it grew late, I kept thinking to myself, this is what vacation is all about.

I really treasured the fun nights we spent together in our Enzian Inn hotel room after long, fun days.

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Mark my words, one of these days we will return to Leavenworth. It is a special place with plenty to do for families. Speaking of families, I feel so fortunate that I got several days with just Sidney, Sloan, and Beau. I will latch onto the memories made and look forward to next time. Thanks be to God. Don’t Blink.

How to Spend a Summer Evening

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When I look back on our memorable, fun-packed month of July there is one evening that especially stands out. What is funny about this particular Thursday night is that it was such a basic, low key affair but for whatever reason it epitomized summer.

On this evening that I speak of, we simply went to a park to listen to live music.

The scene at Audubon Park in Spokane on July 25, 2024.

I took the kids to Audubon Park on July 25 for the latest show in its summer concert series. Taking the stage was The Moops, a classic rock cover band. We bought some Carl’s Jr. hamburgers and snagged some sodas from the gas station and headed to the 27 acres of rolling Ponderosa Pines in northwest Spokane. We found some grassy space, set up our lawn chairs, and prepared to enjoy the evening.

Beau eats hjs hamburger during the concert at Audubon Park.

It is funny, amateur live music isn’t usually a big draw for me, especially if it is indoors in a confined spot such as a restaurant or bar. However, if a band is playing in an outdoor open space, I am all for it. It is similar in the respect that I feel a soda, beer, and hamburger always taste better in the open air than at the dining room. So, as you can imagine, when you have both going for you on a gorgeous evening it is pretty easy to enjoy yourself.

And enjoy ourselves we did. Even though Sloan didn’t know a single song the band performed, she danced the night away. Self-conscious that hundreds of people surrounded her as she busted her moves toward the front of the stage? Not my daughter! Beau also had his dancing shoes on—well, technically he was barefoot—but he took breaks to climb on the playground.

Sloan dancing the night away at Audubon Park.

Although Sloan may have been clueless when it came to the artists and lyrics of the songs, her daddy wasn’t. At one time as a young teenager, I loathed the rock music from the 1970s and early 1980s that my dad listened to on the radio but that is no longer the case. I had a relaxing time as The Moops played songs such as “American Girl,” “Dancing With Myself,” “Two Tickets to Paradise,” “867-5309,” and so many more.

As it approached 9 p.m., I had to round up my young ones and head home. As you can imagine, they didn’t want to leave. Sadly, it was the last concert of the series but next summer we will return earlier in the season. It was an innocent, inexpensive night of fun under the sky during one of Spokane’s nicest months…what isn’t there to like? Don’t Blink.

More Thoughts on 2024 Summer Games

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Olympic fever continues to register at an intense level in our house. A week after I wrote my first blog post of thoughts and notes on the 2024 Summer Olympics, we are still cheering hard on a daily basis for the USA while admiring the competitive spirit of all the Olympic athletes. Fresh off a weekend of exhilarating competition, here are 10 more of my tidbits…

The three of us huddled on the couch watching the Olympics over the weekend.

– World Class Production. It doesn’t matter if you are watching table tennis, the high jump, gymnastics, or one of the many other sports, the NBC family of networks is stringing together superb broadcasts of each event. From the angles to the replays to the technology used, the coverage is gold medal-worthy. It has been a lot of fun to watch.

– Ages. NBC has made it a point to document the age of pretty much every athlete that makes it on a broadcast. I have found it fascinating (and encouraging) that many of these athletic specimens are in their thirties. Perhaps there is still hope for me to become an Olympic athlete? Not so fast, when the next Summer Olympics arrive in 2028 I will have aged out of that specific decade demographic.

– Men’s 100M. What fun this was to watch live with Sloan and Beau. To be honest, I didn’t know if Noah Lyles was going to have any energy left to compete after his very animated entrance to the track. Then once the race started it looked like my assumption was going to be correct as the Jamaican athlete seemed to have the advantage the whole way and (to me) it looked like he held Lyles off at the finish line. But what a pleasant surprise it was when they flashed the times and an American had one a gold medal in the men’s 100M for the first time in 20 years. Our household went nuts!

– Women’s 100M. I have enjoyed all the lead-up coverage of Sha’Carri Richardson prior-to-and-during the Games. My hope was that she would take home the gold but it took just a nanosecond to know that wasn’t going to happen once the gun went off. Julien Alfred from Saint Lucia seemed to leave Richardson in the dust out of the blocks and cruised to the top of the podium. Although I wish Richardson won, I know she will be back in 2028 and I am happy that the country of Saint Lucia won an Olympic medal.

– Stephen Nedoroscik. It took one look at “Steve” for me to know he would be a darling of the Olympics. When I saw him at the very beginning of the games sporting his trademark glasses, I immediately wanted to know more about the pommel horse specialist. Thanks to the approximately 50 TikToks my sister sent me about Nedoroscik over the past week, my desire for info was fulfilled. What a cool moment it was to see him capture the bronze.

– Medal Count. An objective, easy-to-follow aspect of the Games is the medal count. This has been such a great learning tool for Sloan as she keeps track of what is going on in Paris. She constantly asks me to pull it up as she obsesses over the neck and neck race between the United States and China for most golds. At least she doesn’t have to worry too much about the overall medal count—the U.S. is making us proud with a massive lead over all the other countries.

– Triathlon. On Saturday, I gave Sloan the option to choose any event she desired for us to watch. She chose the women’s triathlon and I am glad she did. Although I know the Seine River has been the source of much controversy, it was interesting and quirky how the athletes had to swim three laps in the river while getting out at the conclusion of each one only to dive back in. Also, watching the competitors swim at a freakishly fast speed because of the current was very entertaining. Thanks, Sloan, for getting me out of my Olympic “comfort zone.”

– Take a Shot. As someone who threw the shot put all four years in high school, I always watch the event during the Olympics. I am consistently blown away at the power and footwork these massive, strong athletes bring to the ring. Of course, the intrigue this year was whether Ryan Crouser could win his third straight gold medal, and, spoiler alert, he did. However, I will always remember the Paris competition because of the rain that caused the ring to be dangerously slick. Multiple competitors took falls while executing their spins as I held my breath. Thankfully, no one was hurt, which is a testament to how gracefully these dudes landed.

– Fatigue. I totally get it that beach volleyball is a signature Summer Olympics event and that it brings in big ratings, but I think I have seen my fill this year. And this is coming from a guy who actually really likes the sport. However, pool play lasts so long and it seems like the sport is featured every single night during primetime. I am glad we still have U.S. athletes competing and I will watch the gold medal match but it has lost some luster for me.

– Entrances. Okay, I want to end with something fun. All events now offer elaborate entrances which I can appreciate because if you deserve it if you are an Olympic athlete. However, sometimes they take a long time. I will admit that on more than one occasion when I was watching late night events that I fell asleep in the middle of the introductions.

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Although the home stretch of the 2024 Summer Olympics is almost here, there are still lots of medals to be won. You better believe we will continue to watch. Don’t Blink.

Part of the EWU Team

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I am now officially an Eastern Washington University Eagle. I have put in my first three days, met my team, walked the campus, and even participated in my first few meetings.

Check the ID, I am an official EWU employee.

And oh yeah, I have also sported the red and white…

I love my college gear and I have an initial wardrobe of EWU polos. This is what I wore on my first day.

I was given a very warm welcome on my first day. My boss brought in donuts and everyone came out to the gathering area and welcomed me. The rest of the day continued with the same warm sentiment as my new colleagues weren’t shy about stopping by my office to introduce themselves. Speaking of my office, it was completely ready for me when I walked in with a swag bag on my desk, a welcome message on the white board, and a case of my favorite soda waiting for me.

I had a warm welcome awaiting me when I strolled into my office on Aug. 1.

For those of us who have switched jobs and been fortunate, there is a feeling of excitement and relief that is evident after the first few days. With initial nerves out of the way and a better understanding of the environment you will be working in, you start to feel confident in your decision and hopeful that you can contribute. I think I am at that spot right now.

I work in the Hargreaves Building on the Eastern Washington University campus.

Of course a lot more is expected out of me than just feeling “hopeful” but that will come. As I have mentioned in previous blog posts, the best attribute I can bring to the table at this specific time is the ability to listen. I have learned much from my EWU colleagues just over the past few days but there is much more learning to do—and that requires listening.

I feel very fortunate to have this opportunity at EWU.

I have been welcomed and accepted by Eastern Washington University. This initial embrace has made me even more determined to make a positive impact. The ball is now in my court to reciprocate this good will and do my best. Don’t Blink.

The Eagle Era

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I have that first day of school eve feeling! You know what I am talking about? A mix of excitement and nerves combined with images of arriving at school (or work) and mentally walking through those first initial hours. No holding back now, it is go time.

Yesterday I wrote that “it is almost time to get to work.” Well, that time has now arrived (after a few hours of sleep of course) and a new chapter is about to begin.

Okay, enough with the clichés. My goal starting tomorrow is to listen and learn with humility as I go through the on-boarding process and become better acquainted with Eastern Washington University. I then hope to positively contribute to this institution that has given me such an incredible opportunity.

I officially become an Eagle tomorrow.

Speaking of this incredible opportunity, I also owe gratitude to my previous universities who undoubtedly helped prepare me for this role. Also, much thanks to my wife for her overwhelming support and enthusiasm as I navigate my career.

Tomorrow I become an Eagle! Don’t Blink.

Unemployed Or Not?

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Over the weekend, I had a couple people reach out to me and tease, “How does it feel to be unemployed?” Well, the truth, (I would respond), is that I am technically not unemployed. My employment at Washington State University runs through July 31. However, to give me a few days between jobs, I did take annual leave for the first half of this week before starting as the director of marketing at Eastern Washington University on Thursday.

In the past when I have switched jobs, the unemployment ruse was accurate. Because my previous position changes included relocation, the time between the end date/start date was much longer and thus my separation date from my departing university fell during that range. Let me tell you this: it is so nice not to deal with relocation on top of accepting a new job!

So far, I have taken this week to do all the essential stuff prior to beginning a job: got a haircut, filled out some paperwork, bought some new clothes, etc. I have also continued to watch the Olympics and may have had a cold beverage.

It is almost time to get to work. I will enjoy the rest of today and tomorrow but EWU is in my sights. Don’t Blink.

Thoughts After First Weekend of 2024 Summer Games

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Our family jumped right into the 2024 Summer Olympics this past weekend. In fact, we watched so much of the opening weekend from Paris that I already have 10 observations/thoughts to convey. Let the games…I mean “thoughts”…begin!

Sloan has turned into quite the fan of Team USA and the Olympics in general.

– First thing’s first: our daughter can’t get enough of the Olympics. She is all-in and has turned into a USA super fan. Will she keep up the intensity throughout the whole 16 days? I will report back once the flame is extinguished.

– I watched the entire four-hour opening ceremony package offered by NBC. There were things that I liked and things that I didn’t like. However, I can separate a production delivered by the host city from the Games themselves. The TV will continue to remain on Peacock in our house.

– Speaking of Peacock, I really enjoy Mike Tirico. He brings the same reverence to the Games that Bob Costas did (read my ode to him here) and I loved the tour he gave us of the studio last night.

– So far, I have not jumped on the Snoop Dogg bandwagon. It seems like his presence is a little overbearing. Take for example the women’s gymnastics qualifying round last night. I am interested in the reactions of the gymnasts’ parents after their daughters complete a routine but not those of Snoop. Placing him right by the families of Suni Lee and Simone Biles takes away the focus on mom/dad and shifts it on him.

– Sticking with gymnastics, it is the Olympic sport most loved by Sidney and Sloan. Yesterday afternoon we watched the entire rotation of the Brazilian women’s team in the qualifying round and then returned to the couch later in the evening for the primetime coverage of the American team’s rotation. Sloan is a huge Simone Biles fan and wants to be placed in gymnastics classes.

– A sport that doesn’t quite capture our enthusiasm the same way that gymnastics does is cycling. Sidney and I tried watching it on Saturday afternoon only to wake up from unplanned naps about 90 minutes later (we were at my parents’ house so the kids were taken care of).

– A sport that doesn’t put me to sleep even when it is past midnight is handball. It reminds me of a soccer + basketball + arena football hybrid. I stayed up late on Friday and Saturday watching both men’s and women’s action.

– It took the Olympics for me to actually watch a rugby game. I tuned in for the France vs. Fiji gold medal match and was impressed by the atmosphere in the stadium and all that the athletes do without any type of protective equipment.

– I have watched probably every 2024 Summer Olympics Peacock commercial about 20 times. As of right now, the Nike “Winning Isn’t For Everyone” spot is my favorite.

– Finally some decent weather for these Games! Watching the rain-soaked opening ceremony and the Saturday washout was a little depressing. Beach volleyball just isn’t meant to be played when the game officials are wearing windbreakers. Oh well, today is supposed to be sunny and warm!

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Dang, all those thoughts after just a couple days; can you imagine how many I will have in two more weeks? Hope everyone is enjoying the action from Paris. Don’t Blink.