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The Laser Tag Standard

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This past weekend, our family watched “Titanic.” However, that wasn’t the only thing that brought me back to 1997.

Growing up in Spokane, there was a certain place that 11-year-old boys loved to be at. It was the best place for birthday parties and the coolest way that you could spend the afternoon with a friend.

I am talking about Laser Quest. With an exterior resembling a castle and a multi-level game play maze that opened so many possibilities, those two attributes just scratch the surface of Laser Quest’s mystique. From high quality equipment to pre-game briefings to instant results, the Laser Quest experience was top notch.

In fact, I became a laser tag snob. When I would play at other venues it just wouldn’t compare to what we had in downtown Spokane. Employees weren’t invested, equipment was finicky, and play areas were one-dimensional. It became apparent that Laser Quest truly was something special.

With Beau just a couple weeks shy of turning 6, I determined the time had arrived to take him and his sister to my childhood happy place. This past Saturday, we journeyed to downtown Spokane to play a round.

I prepped myself that things would probably be different when I walked inside the doors even if the exterior still had the castle-esque façade. After all, the name of the place was different. Instead of Laser Quest, it was now LaserMaxx, a major power player in the laser tag industry. My thought was that everything would probably be “corporatized” when we strolled in.

This is the LaserMaxx Spokane lobby. It was just how I remembered it.

Talk about a wrong assumption! Instead of a cookie cutter operation, it was like walking into a time capsule. Everything in the lobby from the drink cooler to the front desk to the arcade games seemed like an exact replica from 30 years ago.

Sloan messes around with the coin dispenser inside LaserMaxx Spokane prior to our laser tag game.

But it wasn’t just the layout that was a blast from the past. Believe it or not, the laser tag was just as exhilarating as decades ago. Equipment was updated and efficiencies had been made but the basics and experience still held true from my pre-teen days.

A grainy photo taken of Beau as he navigates the LaserMaxx Spokane maze. That boy had so much fun!

Just like the late 1990s/early 2000s, we chose our own “trooper” names, ascended the stairs to the briefing room, listened to a pep talk, ran wild for 15 minutes of laser tag fun, and then received our performance scorecard at the end.

This was my scorecard. My trooper name was “Boss” and I finished in 12th place out of more than 30 players.

Dang, we had fun. Beau roamed by my side for most of the game as I showed him the ropes. The maze was the exact same from when I was a boy so I pointed out some of the advantageous spots to stake out. Sloan was pretty independent but we did cross paths a couple times throughout the course of our round. When our time ran out, the kids still had adrenaline pumping when we stepped out into the lobby to receive our scorecards.

Out of 30+ “troopers” who played the game, Beau and Sloan finished in 15th and 16th place, respectively. I did just a tad better with a 12th place finish. Hey, I didn’t say that just because I played a lot as a kid that I was any good.

Sloan and Beau hold their scorecards in the LaserMaxx Spokane lobby. They are still asking me when we are going to return to play another round.

On our way home, Sloan and Beau were already asking when we could go back and play again. The return questions continued throughout the weekend.

If you live in Spokane and are looking for something to do with your kids, I would recommend LaserMaxx. After all these years it still delivers a special and competitive experience mixed with modern day improvements. Even though the kids had a blast, the dad who is pushing 40 may have enjoyed himself even more. But a lot of that is probably the nostalgia talking. Don’t Blink.

My Recent Streams

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During the holiday break and through the beginning of the new year, I have managed to watch some movies. With space in my first couple Thursday Rundowns of 2026 tough to come by, I have not been able to write reviews about any of them. I thought writing a quick blog post that lists a handful of the films I recently watched might be warranted. Thus, here we are tonight.

Here are five movies I recently streamed…

Over the past month we have watched several movies. I review a handful of them in tonight’s blog post.

Soul On Fire – This was a superb family movie that my wife, kids, and I watched on a recent Saturday night. The true story tells about a boy who survived a horrific accident despite suffering burns over 100% of his body. I was a little concerned that the movie might be too graphic for the kids but the boy suffered no disfigurement to his face thanks to the quick thinking of his little sister. If you are looking for a defy-the-odds inspirational film that will bring the tears, try “Soul On Fire.” You can catch it on Netflix.

Miracle Season – Much like “Soul On Fire,” this movie was also based on a true story and packed plenty of inspiration. I watched it with Sloan and Beau on a lazy weekend afternoon and it kept both kids engaged the entire time. This is a volleyball movie that chronicles the improbable run to the state title by a high school that lost its team leader in a tragic accident at the beginning of the season. Don’t let the first 10 minutes turn you off—it is extremely hokey. But if you can get past that, you have another great option to watch with your family. This is also on Netflix.

American Sweatshop – Alright, we are done with the family movies for now. “American Sweatshop” presents an intriguing concept: what happens to the psyches of people who must decide whether social media content crosses the line? This movie focuses on employees who work for a social media management company and must watch graphic content all day long and decide whether it violates the platform’s content policy. When one particular employee is pushed to her limits, she tries to be a hero. I found this film to be a great social commentary on current society even if it won’t be winning an Oscar in March. You can stream it on Hulu.

Neighborhood Watch – I stumbled upon this one via Hulu as well. The cinematography really caught my attention as it portrayed instances of urban decay in such realistic and gripping fashion. The plot of the film centers on a mentally ill individual leaning on an ex-rent a cop to help solve a kidnapping that the actual authorities don’t want to believe. Sid and I watched it on New Year’s Day and found it to be watchable.

The Iceman – This movie caught my interest because my dad recommended it to me as he knows Michael Shannon is one of my favorite actors. However, I kind of wish I didn’t watch it. The film—based on another true story—centers on a hitman who murdered more than 100 people. He did all of this while his adoring family (wife and two daughters) thought he worked in a noble profession. The movie is dark and cold and definitely didn’t make me feel good about much of anything.

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In an age of streaming content overload, it can be overwhelming to pick something to watch. Sometimes you will make a good choice and other times you won’t. My recent list above is a perfect example of that conundrum. May you pick a movie that is worth your time tonight! Don’t Blink.

Finally Swapping It Out

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It was about time!

Thanks to the current hottest internet trend, I did something that I probably should have done nine years ago.

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For 10 years I have decided to hang on to youth, euphoria, and the mystique that only a decade-old black-and-white photo can pack. Since 2016, I have kept the same Facebook profile photo for 90% of the days leading up to this past weekend.

During a special photo shoot that took place during our honeymoon in Cancun, Sid hopped on my back as I ran along the shore of the beach. Even though the photographer told us what to do, the looks on our faces were as genuine as they come: happiness, exuberance, and carefree.

The photographer snapped the photo and produced a result that would take up prime real estate within my digital presence for years to come.

This image was my Facebook profile photo for the better part of 10 years.

It debuted as my Facebook profile photo on June 23, 2016. It would be replaced a few times in 2017, most notably with a photo taken of Sid, Sloan, and me shortly after our daughter’s birth. I would eventually revert to our honeymoon photo by the end of the year where it would stay until I switched it out for a short period in 2019 with a photo of Sid and me at dinner. That photo didn’t last long before it was back to the classic. It would stay in its place for seven solid years until this past Friday.

This photo was one of the rare images that spent time as my profile photo during an era that was dominated by the honeymoon beach photo.

When the new year started, so did a new trend. People became nostalgic about 2016 and decided to rewind a decade to remember that year with photos, video, and thoughts.

As I watched what seemed like half my social media connections take part in the trend, a realization hit: I had no business participating myself. Why? Well, I had been participating in it for the past 3,650 days.

This photo had a short stint as my Facebook profile photo in 2019. After that, I used the honeymoon beach photo for 7 straight years until this past weekend.

Instead of swapping my profile photo as I grew older (and looked older), I opted to keep the image of Sid and me etched in time running along the beach in sunny Cancun. Others deserved to throw it back to 2016 but I needed to get out of it.

Rather than continuing to use a photo from 10 years ago, I grabbed a photo from 10 months ago. Still using an image of my bride and me, I opted for something a little more recent but just as joyful. I turned to a happy photo of the two of us in Disney World when Sid was honored for her achievements with Traveler’s. Once it uploaded, I thought to myself, that’s more like it.

This is my new Facebook profile photo.

I decided I didn’t want to be that teacher in the high school yearbook who uses an almost unrecognizable photo from the 1990s year-after-year. Thanks to a silly trend, I was finally able to let go. Don’t Blink.

Icy Thursday Rundown

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I thought last week would be hard. It actually turned out to be less taxing than I thought. This week? That’s a different story! Time to take a break from the busyness and mess around with five random topics…

Snowman – Look what these two little boys created! We had just enough snow over the weekend to play in, so Beau naturally made the best of it. He teamed up with his next door neighbor buddy, Wallace, to create this snowman. Promptly after this photo was taken they proceeded to tackle and destroy it.

Beau and his friend, Wallace, worked together to make this snowman over the weekend.

Potato Parcel – It was on this day nine years ago that I wrote about the most unique item I ever received in the mail. Imagine my bewilderment when I opened a bulky manila envelope with a potato in it! Not only that, but a message was written on the potato itself. If you want to learn more about my experience with Potato Parcel, today is your lucky day.

It was quite the experience to receive a potato in the mail.

Grandma Throwback – I came across this picture the other day and thought it would be a good throwback for today. That is my grandma in the chair with my siblings and me surrounding her. I don’t have an exact date of the photo but I think I was still in high school which makes it at least 20 years old. My grandma passed away my freshman year of college and would be 108 if she was still alive today. Back in 2017 (on what would have been her 100th birthday), I wrote about Virginia Fazzari—a strong and faithful Italian woman.

This photo from the mid-2000s shows the Reser kids with our grandma, Virginia Fazzari.

National Bagel Day – I am not a big fan of bagels. I mean, they are okay, but there are several other pastry/breakfast items I prefer. On the other side of the coin, my wife really likes bagels. Although we haven’t ordered some in a long time, Sidney turned me onto Panera’s cinnamon chip bagels. Back in the day, they were a novelty because both Myrtle Beach and Spokane didn’t have a Panera. If we traveled to a city that had a Panera, we were going to make a stop and order bagels. Now that the chain has really extended its footprint and have locations that are local to us, they aren’t as special anymore. So, I guess what I am trying to say is that I am lukewarm when it comes to bagels but I really should be more ecstatic about bagels because my wife really likes them. Happy National Bagel Day.

Because she loves them so much,  I once surprised Sidney with cinnamon chip bagels from Panera.

Jokes – We were filming a video inside the University Recreation Center at EWU and I came across this whiteboard of jokes. I encourage you, especially if you are a dad, to use these on your wife or kids as soon as possible.

A couple of dad jokes, anyone??

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Thank you for taking the time to humor me. If you do receive MLK Day off, I hope you have a fantastic three-day weekend. Don’t Blink.

The Decline of Pizza

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Although a new Atilano’s seems to open each day in Spokane, I was still a little surprised by the news. Last week, the Wall Street Journal announced that pizza is no longer the #2 most popular type of chain restaurant in the United States—it has plummeted to #6. Furthermore, Mexican restaurants (here’s looking at you, Atilano’s) and coffee shops now outnumber pizzerias.

Supposedly pizza is in decline and MOD is one of the chains that is really struggling.

The WSJ report, which is hidden behind a paywall (sorry), offers a couple reasons for this development. One factor is that pizza no longer has a monopoly on the delivery business. Because of Uber Eats and other similar operations, people can order any type of cuisine to their home. The story also noted that folks are more health conscious and are seeking alternative options to a pie loaded with three different types of meat and extra cheese.

There are a lot of “healthy” people who don’t care for my favorite pizza toppings: meat, meat, and more meat.

But the reason that actually contradicts my family’s current reality is that the value of pizza can’t match the value of competitors. The article stated that a $20 pizza can’t compete with $5 fast food deals. On the surface and given those numbers, that reasoning appears to have merit. However, when it comes to my family and the prices of fast food in our little corner of the country, things couldn’t be further from the truth. When the Resers order McDonald’s, Subway, or even Taco Bell (yes, Taco Bell of all places), we usually always rack up a bill near $30. In some instances, the cost is even north of that! So perhaps the $20 pizza isn’t so bad after all, right?

Sadly, people are starting to buy less dough.

But here’s the thing: We aren’t paying $20 for a pizza. In fact, we aren’t even paying $20 for two pizzas.

I found it telling and accurate that in the Fortune story, it mentioned that pretty much every American pizza chain is in decline except for one…Domino’s. Thanks to what the article attributed as “riding pizza promotions to relative success,” the pizza giant is managing to stay relevant in a market where Papa John’s and Pizza Hut are floundering.

Sloan standing next to the pizza we ordered from Domino’s.

Let me raise my hand in agreement that Domino’s truly is the outlier. It was only last month when I confessed that our family orders pizza from them probably much more than we should. But can you blame us? As the Fortune article alluded to, the promotions offered at Domino’s are too good to pass up. For probably the past two years, we have cashed in on the $7.99 carryout large pizzas at least 2-3 times per month. We turn to Domino’s for family movie nights, potlucks, meeting fare, and sleepovers. Most of the time we order just two pizzas, stay under $20, and then have leftovers the next day.

It is very common to see my front passenger seat occupied by two Domino’s pizzas.

The best part? Domino’s actually makes pretty decent pizza! And because the base price ($7.99) is so cheap, sometimes we will add a premium topping or go with an alfredo-based sauce to enhance the taste just a bit. Furthermore, Domino’s offers a really solid rewards plan so we are constantly redeeming points for free pizza.

Beau and his cousin, Johnny, enjoy some pizza from Domino’s earlier this month.

So, whatever. The Wall Street Journal can say that pizza is in decline but at our house it has never been more popular. With that said, I will say that I love myself a chicken and rice burrito from Atilano’s every now and then. Don’t Blink.

Christmas Break Fun and GAMES

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I grew up in a board game family and my wife also came from a family that liked to roll the dice. Both of us have fond memories of board/card games really ramping up during the holiday season when time was aplenty, everyone could stay up late, and uncles/aunts/cousins were around to join in the fun as well.

Per usual, over this recent Christmas break, we played a variety of different games. This included some that we had never played before until the past few weeks. For tonight’s blog post, I wanted to highlight three of the new games that brought our family together and made the holiday season just a bit brighter.

Hues and Cues – This game brought some serious color to a season that is usually defined by just red and green. The game board is a large, colorful grid with different colors. A player draws a card with a specific color on the grid and then has to describe it to other players in hopes that they will identify it. Sloan and Beau loved playing this with their cousins as it really did stretch their creative thinking. Sid and I liked to jump in as well, both priding ourselves on giving outside-the-box descriptions of the colors we drew.

Hues and Cues is a fun family game that stretches one’s ability to describe colors.

Hearing Things – I thought this game was pretty clever! Hearing Things is all about reading lips. To play, you pick a partner and determine who will wear the headphones first. Once the selection is made, the person wearing the headphones taps a button and a soundtrack of cacophonic noise is emitted through the device. The other person then begins whispering phrases from drawn cards, hoping to emphasize each syllable so the teammate wearing the headphones can read lips well enough to blurt out the phrase (i.e. “Pigeons like to cuddle,” “I’m a dinosaur,” etc.). The adults played this at our big family Christmas celebration and it was a riot. The phrases those wearing the headphones thought the other person said had our family rolling on the ground in laughter.

My sister-in-law tries to decipher what my brother is saying during the game of “Hearing Things” we played at my parents’ house during our family Christmas celebration.

Tower Stack – This game is JENGA! meets Bop It. A balancing apparatus is used to hold blocks but if one side takes on too much weight, you better watch out! I have enjoyed playing this game with Beau because it teaches him strategic thinking and how to perform under pressure. It is simple to learn and easy to set up/put away. No matter how you look at it, this game is perfect for children.

Beau places a piece during a game of “Tower Stack.” Note: I realize the green piece is illegally placed but sometimes you have to tweak rules when playing with a 5-year-old.

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The creativity of board games these days is insane. However, I think the creativity needs to be harnessed with simplicity and practicality to be an effective and fun game. I think the three examples I gave above check those boxes. Let me know if you have any questions about what we played over the holiday break. Don’t Blink.

Fun With Banished Words in 2026

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Several times this decade I have reviewed the annual Banished Words issued by Lake Superior State University. Designed by the institution to retire “overworked, redundant, oxymoronic, cliched, illogical, and nonsensical” words, I started writing about the list after a lively conversation with my then-WSU colleagues in January 2022. Since then, I have also offered my two cents about the Banished Words of 2023 and 2025.

That brings us to the 2026 words. Did my writing improve so much over the past 365 days that I no longer resort to “cliched” words and phrases when it comes to this blog and elsewhere? Hardly. But before I identify the words on the list I shamelessly used this past year, let me take a quick moment to address the most cringe-worthy trend of 2025…

Full stop. I learned about the 67 trend from our family priest. During a perfect September evening, Fr. Jeff spoke about the massive trend to a group of us while Sloan helped him fill in the blanks in a very non-demure way. As a way for him to reach out to the students of St. Mary and incentivize good behavior, Fr. Jeff visits each class on a weekly basis. It was during these visits that he learned firsthand about the trend, leaving his mind cooked. This might be my bad, but as our priest spoke about 67 (complete with hand motions), I came to the conclusion that the St. Mary student body wasn’t as gifted as I thought.

When reflecting on this list, I can confidently say that I don’t use 70% of the words on it (Demure? Cooked? Full stop?). However, I do lazily reach for some of the prominent adjectives more often than I should. Apparently I don’t give perfect the prestige it deserves because I often use it to describe the seemingly average from pizza to apps to board games. The other word I turn to is massive—both in speech and writing. Whether to describe my blogging audience or the outpouring of a response, I don’t know if I assign it the true quantity it deserves.

The other word I use from the list is actually a phrase—one that I am sure makes GenZ cringe. Yes, I tend to reach out a lot. Whether it is to schedule a meeting, simmer tensions, or make an acquaintance, those I work with will tell you that I do a lot of “reaching out.”

I don’t know if many of the words on this list agitate me so much that I personally want to see them retired ASAP. However, if you did press me, I would say that cooked needs to go. There have been too many times I found myself at wit’s end listening to the teenyboppers on my children’s YouTube shows saying “cooked-this” and “cooked-that.” Please make it stop.

So that is my very demure reaction to the 2026 Banished Words. If you have any thoughts, please don’t hesitate to reach out. Don’t Blink.

First Thursday Rundown of 2026

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Okay gang, this isn’t just my first Thursday Rundown of 2026, it is my first rundown in more than a month! The last time I graced you with five random topics was on Dec. 4. But the holidays are over and my regular blogging schedule is back so I will let normalcy prevail. I am enthusiastic about tonight’s lineup…

Beau Wins The Pickle – A beloved Reser holiday tradition is finding the pickle in the Christmas tree. It isn’t for the faint of heart. People get pretty competitive as the tree shakes back and forth as branches are pulled and ornaments fall. My parents offer a children competition and an adult competition. When it came to the competition for the kids, Beau dethroned his cousin Mikayla who had found it for multiple years straight. As for the adult division, Zella, the oldest cousin of the family, spotted it first. To the victors were given scratch offs (can someone check Beau’s I.D.?!).

Beau found the pickle during our family’s Christmas celebration. This is him with the pickle ornament and his prize.

Thank You, Shelley – At the end of the year, a member of my team retired. Shelley Stickelmeyer served as our marketing project manager for more than a decade and was instrumental to not just the success of University Relations but to EWU in general. On a personal level, she helped me so much with my onboarding and was invaluable every single day I had the pleasure of working with her. I had the honor of delivering a speech in her honor during our department’s holiday party. I stressed how lucky we were to have someone of Shelley’s caliber who never brought ego to the job as she thrived at some major university responsibilities while at the same time enthusiastically completing many imperative (but not glamorous) jobs that kept University Relations running. It has only been a week and I already miss her dearly.

It was an honor to work with Shelley Stickelmeyer. She served Eastern Washington University as its marketing project manager for more than a decade.

Ears Pierced – Perhaps the most prized Christmas present for Sloan was a gift card to get her ears pierced. Last Sunday, we went to Silver Safari in the Spokane Valley Mall to get it done. When we got to the shop, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that they weren’t going to charge us for a full piercing but rather just a “re-piercing.” Several years ago, Sloan got her ears pierced but the piercings had closed up over time. Because of the much lower price of the re-piercing, Sloan had plenty of extra gift card funds to spend on new earrings. As for the re-piercing procedure itself, Sloan barely flinched.

Sloan gets her ears pierced at Silver Safari in the Spokane Valley Mall.

Happy Ordination Anniversary, Fr. Mike Kwiatkowski! – Sidney and I hosted the Spokane Catholic Engaged Encounter Christmas party last month. Not only did we celebrate a terrific year for the ministry but we also celebrated the 47th ordination anniversary of Fr. Mike Kwiatkowski. When it comes to legendary priests in the Spokane Diocese, Fr. Mike is right up there. He served as pastor at several big parishes in the diocese and oversaw deacon formation for many years. His service to the Engaged Encounter ministry and the many weekends he has given up to minister at the retreats is just another notch on his legacy.

Sloan poses with Fr. Mike Kwiatkowski at the Engaged Encounter Christmas Party. Fr. Mike is holding an ordination anniversary card that Sloan made for him. He was ordained a priest 47 years ago in December 1978.

Holiday Trash – I ate waaaay too much over the holidays. It was tough for me to turn down the many treats that seemed to come my way. But believe it or not, the holiday snack I enjoyed most of all was something I made! A couple days before Christmas, I purchased the ingredients for a very large batch of Holiday Trash. Consisting of peanuts, M&Ms, pretzels, Chex cereal, and Honey Nut Cheerios all blanketed in white chocolate, I first made this irresistible combination several years ago. This year it was better than ever as I substituted plain M&M’s for peanut M&M’s. If you didn’t get to sample any this year, I apologize!

This was the batch of Holiday Trash I made. It was enough to feed an army.

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Lots of good stuff within that rundown, don’t you agree? Hope everyone has a great Friday. I hope to enjoy mine after my 7 a.m. dentist appointment. Don’t Blink.

Another Journey Through the Bible

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In 2021, a movement transpired. Fr. Mike Schmitz, a Catholic priest from Minnesota, released a podcast titled Bible In A Year. As you could probably surmise, the podcast took the listener through all 73 books of the bible over the span of 365 days.

After its release, the podcast ascended to #1 globally and was the subject of numerous news stories—catapulting Fr. Mike to fame. But the podcast didn’t flame out after 2021. Every year since, it has consistently ranked #1 in the Religion & Spirituality podcast category. As of right now, Bible In A Year is on the cusp of a billion downloads.

The Bible in a Year podcast with Fr. Mike Schmitz is incredible.

What gives? It isn’t like Fr. Mike was the first person to develop a yearly bible reading plan. However, he was the first person to journey through the bible in such an organized and compassionate way. By reading different books simultaneously, offering heartfelt prayer, and then analyzing the daily readings in such a straight-forward/loving way, he brought God to millions and won over a massive audience. In fact, this audience extends not just beyond Catholics to Christians of all denominations but to people of completely different faiths—including those with no faith at all.

I joined Fr. Mike during the inaugural year in 2021. The experience opened my eyes and brought so much clarity to how the New Testament fulfills the Old Testament. It was such a comprehensive and rich experience that it truly defined my year.

In 2025, I did it again. Realizing I probably waited too long for another very detailed reading of the bible from front to back, I made the pledge to journey with Fr. Mike for the second time. But this past year my bible odyssey was enhanced just a bit thanks to the participation of someone very close to me…

My mom.

Upon deciding that I would do Bible In A Year again, I asked my mom if she wanted to do it as well. There was no arm twisting needed, she simply and immediately said yes. We listened independently and only checked in periodically with each other about the latest episodes. However, knowing she was listening motivated me even more to listen to God’s word with Fr. Mike each day. Even though we didn’t discuss the content on a regular basis, I would find myself during the podcasts thinking, I bet my mom appreciated hearing that or I wonder what my mom thought about that?

This year, the different letters from Paul spoke to me. When reading the different books that he authored, I found comfort in the fact that a well-documented sinner like him could become one of the greatest Christians to ever walk the earth. I guess there is hope for me. From an Old Testament perspective, I tried to listen closer to the prophets. Jeremiah stood out to me and his devastating account of Jerusalem’s destruction in Lamentations made it obvious why he is often referred to as the “Weeping Prophet.”

Hearing the accounts of the wars, murders, and atrocities in the Old Testament proved difficult for me at times just like it did in 2021. However, I think Fr. Mike’s commentary stuck with me a little more this time around: The world was broken but God was still present. Things were so bad and people were so evil that progress took time to achieve but God guided the positive steps forward…even if some of those steps were baby ones.

But for as difficult as some of those Old Testament books were, the beauty and promise of the gospels made up for any apprehension that bottled up inside of me. I never tire reading about the incarnation of Jesus, His ministry, and His Resurrection and the way that Fr. Mike presented and preached about these four sacred books were the absolute best days in my 2025 Bible In A Year journey.

Friends, we are just one week into 2026. If you are looking for something to do that will truly make this year unforgettable, give BIAY a try. Simply listen to a couple of the podcast episodes per day for the next week and then you will be caught up and primed to listen to a single episode per day for the rest of the year. Of course, don’t let a yearly goal confine you. The truth is that you can listen to Bible In A Year at your own pace and stretch out the podcast over the course of three years or five years.

However, in the end, the mission should be simple: read the bible. Whether you use a podcast or not, read God’s Word. I have always needed to do a much better job at following my own advice and thankfully Fr. Mike Schmitz offered a helpful option. If you think he could assist you as well, give Bible In A Year a try and please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you need support or have questions. Don’t Blink.

Breaking It Up

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It isn’t just tough for kids to return to school after Christmas break. It can be tough for adults to return to work after the holidays, too. And believe me, yours truly isn’t immune to the post-holiday/return to work hangover.

A look at the message I scribbled on my office white board. I tried to allow my employees to ease back into things.

In the past, I have managed to take a continuous two-week holiday break from work. That first day back in the office can be brutal, but from my experience the bark is usually worse than the bite. You see, true gloom arrives the evening before. That is when the anxiety hits and the mental to-do list starts to populate.

However, the return-to-work doldrums didn’t attack me as hard this time. That’s because I handled my holiday PTO a little different this season. Because of the way the holidays fell this year, I took the entire week of Christmas off (Dec. 22 – Dec. 26). I then returned to the office at the beginning of the next week (Dec. 29 – Dec. 31) and then enjoyed a four-day weekend before reporting to the office on Monday, Jan. 5.

Working a few days in the middle of the holiday schedule allowed me to stay on top of things and not lose total sight of what a day in the office entails. It also gave me an even greater appreciation for the remaining time off I got to enjoy after leaving the office on New Year’s Eve. I framed it as a bonus “Thanksgiving weekend” and enjoyed it to the fullest.

But to be honest, even with the time off approach I took this holiday season, there is still always some sadness that comes with returning to work at the beginning of the year. If I can feel it, I know my employees feel it as well. Taking a page out of my old boss’ playbook, I let my team know yesterday that they were under no expectation to move mountains or solve all the problems of higher ed. Instead, I just told them to take a breath and ease back into things. That grace, which I appreciated immensely from my old boss, can go a long way.

Here’s to a successful 2026 for all of us who work for a living. For those who were lucky enough to take time off this holiday season, I sure hope your transition back to the office is going smoothly. Don’t Blink.