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Cancel The “Taco Tuesday” Trademark

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Because I grew up in Spokane and then lived in Missoula for several years thereafter, I became familiar with Taco John’s. Although I didn’t eat there on a regular basis, I was still fond of the regional fast food Mexican chain that served its signature Potato Oles.

I always thought Taco John’s was pretty solid.

However, one bit of trivia that I was not aware of at that time was that Taco John’s actually trademarked the phrase “Taco Tuesday.” That’s right, the Patent and Trademark office approved the trademark for Taco John’s back in 1989.

Fast forward almost 35 years later and “Taco Tuesday” is a major cultural event for bars, restaurants, and family dining rooms across the country. In fact, back in September of 2020, I wrote about the insane level the Taco Tuesday phenomenon had reached and even revealed that our family observes its own Taco Tuesday.

A couple tacos prepared at one of our family Taco Tuesday evenings.

Thankfully, Taco John’s isn’t coming after Sid and I with cease and desist letters to halt our usage of the phrase during our Tuesday dinners. The same is true for the local dive near our house that uses the popular phrase every Tuesday when it offers up the greasiest tacos you have ever seen.

But while American homes and local watering holes are seemingly safe from Taco Tuesday trademark enforcement, the same can’t be said for Taco John’s competitors. Needless to say, the worldwide giant of Mexican fast food is counted as a worthy rival and restricted from using the alliterative term. However, Taco Bell is officially sick of it.

Sloan enjoying a Taco Tuesday at our house a couple years ago.

Last week, Taco Bell filed a petition of cancellation to the Patent and Trademark office asking for “Taco Tuesday” to no longer be trademarked. Now, I am usually a guy who will side with the underdog to exploit any competitive advantage it might hold over a gigantic corporation, but I must side with Taco Bell on this one.

I think we can all admit that the term “Taco Tuesday” is not overly creative and very much generic. It is a phrase comprised of a popular Mexican food and a day of the week for Pete’s sake. Any kindergartener could naturally piece together the phrase, no marketing background needed. A trademark is issued to help a business distinguish itself from competitors, but other than the ultra amount of media coverage Taco John’s has garnered because of the Taco Bell challenge, no one in the country ever connected “Taco Tuesday” with Taco John’s.

While my argument above is that “Taco Tuesday” should never have received trademark protection in the first place, Taco Bell is arguing its case from a slightly different angle. The main argument of Yum Brands, which owns the Taco Bell brand, is that “Taco Tuesday” has reached a point where it is so common that it is now a “ubiquitous term.” It cites terms such as escalator, aspirin, and yo-yo that used to be trademarked but had the protection removed because of how common and mainstream the words had become.

Taco Tuesday is simply not a Taco John’s “thing.” Let’s use common sense and remove the “Taco Tuesday” trademark. Don’t Blink.

A Dozen Years of “Don’t Blink”

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Make it a dozen. Last weekend I celebrated my 12th anniversary of Don’t Blink. For those itching to guess my age, I can now say that I have authored my blog for exactly a third of my life. During that span, I have written more than 2,340 posts.

I have authored “Don’t Blink” for 12 years…way before these children were born! (thanks to Sloan for making her own handmade sign to commemorate the anniversary).

Just a quick history lesson: My blog launched as a Blogger site back in 2011. After a year of writing on that free platform, I decided to “get serious.” During a summer night in 2012, my friend and I bellied up at our favorite college bar so we could use the establishment’s free internet. With drinks in hand, he set me up on WordPress and we purchased my current domain name (brentreser.com).

So while the destination to Don’t Blink has been the same for most of its existence, the primary goal has not. I started blogging as a cocky young 20-something who wanted to spout off his “insightful” hot takes. As my ego lessened (but just a bit) I started writing more to maintain a personal brand, strategically grow my digital footprint, and increase my professional prospects. These days, I am no longer writing solely for me. Rather, I put forth such an effort with this blog to chronicle memories. My posts have become dramatically more family-centered over the last several years. It is less about my opinion and more about lifestyle. My hope is that my writings will forever remind my family about these precious years and be something that my children will value decades down the road.

Call it perspective, I guess.

Cheers to 12 years of blogging, indeed (and cheers to my wife’s artistic skills).

I questioned the sustainability of this blog during my past several major life events, especially when I got married and when my children were born. But I have continued to write. And at this current point in my existence, I don’t see anything—including a major lack of sleep from writing late at night and early in the morning—preventing me from publishing blog posts. Besides, I just paid my annual hosting dues so you are stuck with me for at least another year.

Thank you to everyone who chooses to hang around. I have never suffered from a lack of reader support and for that I am grateful. For all my posts about silly TikTok trends and nerdy food reviews, I hope that every now and then I publish something that actually resonates with you. Again, thank you. Don’t Blink.

Eccentric Pancakes Thursday Rundown

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I can’t help but feel optimistic. The weather is gorgeous, the days are longer, and the birds are chirping. Summer is on the horizon. But before we get to that point, I want to enjoy the rest of what has been a busy and fun month of May. Let’s go to the Thursday Rundown…

May At St. Mary – Speaking of May, it has been a blessed month for Sloan at St. Mary. She helped with the Mary crowning, participated in a special children’s rosary, and won a class raffle for a Happy Meal lunch. But what really made me proud was on Tuesday when she delivered a reading during the school mass. Proclaiming from the Acts of the Apostles, Sloan stood at the lectern and read flawlessly in front of the entire school and a crowd of parents. I admired the bravery of Sloan and her classmates who also read during the mass.

It has been a busy month at St. Mary School in Spokane Valley. Photos include Sloan and her friend holding Mary’s crown, the group of children who prayed the rosary, and Sloan delivering the reading at the school mass.

Lucky Charms Pancakes – On Mother’s Day, Sidney requested I make my famous pancakes. I happily obliged and in addition to the traditional buttermilk hot cakes I made for her, I whipped up something a little different for the kids. I had a package of Lucky Charms pancake mix that I threw on the griddle for Sloan and Beau. The mix itself had Lucky Charms bits inside it and the box was accompanied with a package of actual Lucky Charms pieces that I sprinkled on top. Overall, the Lucky Charm pancakes were better than the Cinnamon Toast Crunch pancakes I made 15 months ago.

Despite Beau’s scowl, these Lucky Chams pancakes weren’t that bad.

Last MLB Game – It is hard to believe that it has been four years since I last attended a Major League Baseball game. On this date in 2019, Sidney and I visited brand new SunTrust Park to watch the Atlanta Braves host the Milwaukee Brewers. Sid’s parents took care of Sloan as we had a fantastic weekend that also included TopGolf and Cheesecake Factory. Perhaps we will break our MLB drought this summer and go to a Seattle Mariners game.

A photo of Sidney and I from our seats at SunTrust Park on May 18, 2019.

Mother’s Day Photo – During our Mother’s Day celebration at my parents’ house, my siblings and I took a break from the good food, ladder golf, and the metal detector to snap this photo with my mom. We sure owe a lot of gratitude to her for all she has done for us over 3+ decades.

My sister, brother, and I stand with my mom.

7th Grade School Photo – Not much else to share tonight so I thought I would throw in this headshot of a pudgy seventh grader. Let’s hope Beau doesn’t go through this awkward phase 😂

My school photo from seventh grade at Northwood Middle School in north Spokane.

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Yet another Thursday Rundown is now in the books. Thanks for reading and keep your eyes open for a rare Friday blog post tomorrow. Don’t Blink.

Not Striking Gold

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It was another perfect Mother’s Day celebration at my parents’ house this past weekend. The weather was gorgeous, we ate grilled hamburgers on my dad’s new deck, and we played competitive games of ladder golf.

Mother’s Day 2023 was a blessing with beautiful weather, delicious food, and fantastic moms.

However, come to think of it, there may have been one thing that wasn’t so perfect.

As a kid, I dreamed about how cool it would be to have a metal detector. The way I saw it, there was buried treasure waiting to be found in every yard or park I stepped foot in. If only I had the right implement to verify where my fortune rested.

I do remember a particularly magical moment from my childhood when we had a family gathering at Pioneer Park, Walla Walla’s oldest and largest green space. We spotted a man with a metal detector searching near our picnic tables. Much to the poor dude’s chagrin, a few of us kids became his shadow and followed him around the area as he ran his device over the ground. I remember he had small digging tools with him and would artfully puncture the ground when he found a hit worth investigating. Although we didn’t find anything of value while stalking him, my fascination grew.

The years passed and I became an adult. Up until Sunday I had never placed my hands on a metal detector despite my dream of going on treasure hunts. Well, wouldn’t you know it? For my sister’s birthday in March she was given a metal detector—apparently she had the same aspirations as me.

Over the past couple months, she has taken it to the campground where her family stays, the park across the street from my parents’ house, and other various locations. On Sunday, I asked her to bring it over to the Mother’s Day celebration. She obliged.

Miranda gave me permission to “play” with her new toy. When I removed it from the trunk of her car, I realized that it wasn’t some rinky-dink metal detector. Rather, it was a high-tech piece of equipment with multiple settings and all the bells and whistles. Alright, let’s do this.

I took the metal detector to my parents’ yard and started to search for the gold that I knew always existed within the earth. Of course, much in the same way that I observed the man in the park years ago, I suddenly had my own kids and Miranda’s kids tracking my every move.

Unfortunately, sometimes the fantasy doesn’t quite live up to the reality.

Although it was exhilarating at first to move around with the detector, I kind of started to lose interest with it. It wasn’t that I was not registering hits with it—because I was—but there is only so much you can pursue when your dad has stricter “no dig” rules than the Utilities and Transportation Commission. And even if I did have permission to disrupt even a single blade of grass on my dad’s prized lawn, I wouldn’t really know where to start as pretty much the whole premises made the detector go off. Gigantic treasure chest that spanned the entire area or sprinklers and pipes? Sadly, most likely the latter.

It wasn’t long before the detector was off my hand and in the possession of the aspiring young buccaneers who had matched every step I had taken for the past 15 minutes.

I wouldn’t say that my time with the metal detector was a complete bust. I just think it was impossible for it to live up to my expectations that were years and years in the making. I believe if in the future I am able to conduct a “Round 2” in a spot where I can dig freely that isn’t tainted with irrigation equipment, I might have a better experience…and perhaps even find some gold. Don’t Blink.

Walmart Takes A Stand

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Back in October of 2021, the state of Washington issued a ban on single-use plastic bags. This was supposed to save the environment by eliminating plastic bags from grocery and retail stores. However, it seemed to backfire.

A year later, in October of 2022, I wrote that the plastic bag ban didn’t really ban anything—it merely upgraded the item that was supposed to be purged. Grocery stores still used single-use plastic bags, they were just higher quality and you had to pay for them. However, at a fee of 8 cents per bag, I considered the product a bargain. These plastic bags were sturdy, dependable, and re-usable. Most of the time I visited the grocery store I was tempted to buy MORE plastic bags than what I needed just because they were so useful for day-to-day life.

This is me holding one of the new bags in October 2021. I found them very useful.

Well, I have an update for you!…

I can no longer purchase these useful plastic bags at the grocery/retail giant our family shops at the most. Why? Because Walmart has banned all single-use plastic bags—flimsy old version AND sturdy new version—from all its stores in Washington. Wally World has swooped in and given teeth to the initiative that the state started.

Walmart started bracing us for the change a couple months ago and then it actually went into effect in April. At the check out areas you won’t see a plastic bag in sight. Unless you bring your own tote bags or pay 74 cents for the Walmart “reusable shopping bag” (made in China), you will be carrying your groceries out of the store by hand. Try doing that after going Sunday grocery shopping.

This is the reusable Walmart shopping bag that I purchased the other day because I didn’t have any tote bags with me.

I miss the new plastic bags we could purchase. At the same time, I kind of respect Walmart for taking a stand and doing what the state had probably hoped it could do at the onset. I will continue to follow future developments. There are still mom and pop stores around Spokane that offer plastic and paper bags free of charge, but I am curious to see what other major grocery chains do. Stay tuned. Don’t Blink.

Spokanite Thursday Rundown

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Thank you for inviting me into your computer, phone, ipad, or other smart device. I am back with another Thursday Rundown so instead of fawning over the terrific weather, let’s get right to the five topics…

True Spokanites – This week marked the three-year anniversary of when Sidney, Sloan, and Beau arrived in Spokane. I greeted them at the airport and although it had only been two months it felt like two years. I posted this video of our happy reunion. I am so impressed by how everyone has adapted. We miss everyone so much in South Carolina but feel so fortunate that we found such a great home in Washington.

Sidney holds a sign my dad made for her and the kids upon their arrival in Spokane.

Bloomsday Quilt – Those people familiar with Bloomsday know that the finisher t-shirt is a huge deal. Kept under lock and key until the first person finishes, participants will guess and debate what color it will be. Heck, I wouldn’t be surprised if Vegas has odds on it. When Sloan and I went to the Bloomsday trade show on Friday so I could pick up my bib, there was a beautiful quilt hanging that was stitched with every Bloomsday t-shirt over the course of the race’s 46 iterations (47 now). It was a lot of fun to point out to Sloan all the Bloomsdays I had completed in my youth by pointing to its corresponding shirt on the quilt. A photo op was impossible to pass up (Read my Bloomsday blog post).

Sloan poses for a photo with the Bloomsday t-shirt quilt that was displayed at the Bloomsday Trade Show.

Inspiring Morning Drives – How do I know summer is almost here? When I now drive home from the gym, it is no longer pitch black. Instead, the sun is rising and beautiful landscapes are revealed. With endorphins still buzzing combined with the promise of a new day, these sunrises are the icing on the cake for some pretty powerful moments of solitude in my car.

There is something beautiful and calming about these Spokane sun rises that reveal industrial landscapes. This was the scene outside my windshield yesterday morning.

Power Rangers Throwback Thursday – This week I walked into the living room to see Beau watching a classic from my childhood. Sid had turned on the ORIGINAL Power Rangers series from the 1990s for him. I wasn’t as fanatic about the Power Rangers as my brother was, in fact, I made fun of the series to look cool, but it was still a big part from when I was a kid. My impression nearly 30 years later? I couldn’t believe how old, outdated, and low budget everything was! It truly was a blast from the past.

Beau chilling on the couch while watching Power Rangers.

Mother’s Day Challenge – It is Mother’s Day this Sunday and I would like to pose a challenge to you. Make sure to spoil your wife and your own mom but don’t stop there. On Sunday, reach out to five additional moms and wish them a happy Mother’s Day. It can be a co-worker, friend, teammate, acquaintance, or maybe just a stranger at the grocery store. But try to extend the “Mother’s Day cheer” to multiple moms who you wouldn’t usually celebrate. It won’t go unappreciated.

My mom, Sidney, and my sister pose for a photo during our 2022 Mother’s Day celebration.

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That’s a wrap for tonight. I hope everyone is able to get outside this weekend and enjoy the glorious weather. Thanks for reading and godspeed. Don’t Blink.

Bloomsday 2023: It’s Now A Tradition

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We are building a tradition! After completing my first Bloomsday in a couple decades last year, we did it again this past weekend. I once again joined my brother and sister-in-law for Spokane’s signature road race.

Beau took a moment to snap a selfie with me on Bloomsday morning.

As with last year, we all drove in one vehicle to Ferris High School where a Spokane Transit Authority (STA) shuttle took us downtown. On Sunday, our shuttle was pretty full so I was separated from Glen and Carrie. With no one to talk to, I took the 15-minute ride to gaze out the window and psych myself up for the race.

The four of us arrived on the streets of downtown about 90 minutes before our heat of the race started. Oh, did you catch how I mentioned the four of us? Glen’s friend, Grant, had met us at Ferris to do Bloomsday with us. Anyway, because of our incredible excitement, we arrived a bit earlier than necessary. No matter, we made the most out of the hour and a half by playing “Guess the Tune” to the pump up songs blaring from the Bloomsday speakers.

The four of us hanging near the start line prior to the beginning of Bloomsday 2023.

The long countdown eventually elapsed and the moment had arrived to run! I threw my long sleeve shirt on one of the Riverside trees, spiked a couple of the beach balls flying around, and approached the start line. The four of us crossed the threshold together and we were officially on the clock.

Can you spot my discarded white long sleeve on the tree?

Although we crossed the starting line as a group, we would soon separate. I went off on my own, tackling a course that seemed more familiar to me this year compared to the previous year when I navigated it after a long absence. Despite the threat of rain that loomed over the race the week leading up to it, all precipitation held off and racing conditions were perfect. However, despite the ideal conditions, I found myself struggling more than last year. Perhaps I lacked the additional adrenaline boost I had last year from doing something for the first time in a long time OR perhaps it was just because I was a year older, but it felt like I was grinding a lot more in 2023.

A photo of me navigating the Bloomsday course. Thankfully the race conditions were good but I did have to grind.

Despite the increase in difficulty, I actually achieved something I didn’t expect at all—a PR! I beat my time from last year by two minutes, crossing the finish line at 1 hour, 9 minutes. I didn’t bring a watch or phone with me to downtown so I really had no idea how I was doing until I saw my time at the finish line.

Soaked in sweat, I crossed the finish line at 1 hour 9 minutes.

I waited for Glen, Carrie, and Grant to finish the race. While I awaited their completion, I hung out on the Monroe Street Bridge and people watched. I observed as finishers celebrated with their friends, whipped out their phones to check their times on the app, and posed for photos. Watching my fellow Bloomies rejoice in their accomplishment made the time fly by and soon my crew was reunited with me.

From that point it was off to claim our finisher t-shirts. The four of us took a poll prior to the race with our t-shirt color prediction and none of us entertained the idea that it could possibly be black—not that we were disappointed! We approved of the surprise color (black is slimming, folks) and the abstract design.

A look at my personal 2023 Bloomsday finisher t-shirt.

I threw my t-shirt on over my sweat-drenched race shirt and we headed to Flat Stick Pub, another part of the Bloomsday experience that has become part of the tradition. A beer never tasted so good as I downed that mason jar of hops in a few minutes.

After Bloomsday we went for a beer at Flat Stick Pub. The brew I had tasted amazing.

After the round of beers we hopped on the STA shuttle and headed back to Ferris High School. As I got off the bus, I could feel the soreness start to manifest itself throughout my body. But some aches and pains wouldn’t be enough to derail our victory lap. Still clad in our Bloomsday shirts, my brother and I waltzed into a watering hole close to our homes.

Glen with his victory beer and Bloomsday t-shirt at Stormin’ Norman’s Shipfaced Saloon.

The rest of the afternoon was a bit of a struggle. I was pretty sore by this point and battled cramps. But it was a good sore and my wife helped me with my electrolyte intake by running to the store to get me plenty of Powerade. Also, sitting next to a certain 3-year-old made everything a bit better, too.

Beau hanging with me on the couch on Bloomsday afternoon. I used the Bloomsday app filter for this photo.

Will I be back on the Bloomsday course in 2024? You bet. Will I achieve another PR? Doubtful. But regardless, I love the Spokane community and our beloved Bloomsday race. Stay classy, Bloomies. Don’t Blink.

Prices Going Up

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Everything costs more these days, there really is no debate about that. What you can argue, however, is whether all price hikes are caused by inflation or something else. I am no economist so I can’t give an expert opinion but I can unequivocally say the following: This blogger is often annoyed and impacted by the constant price escalations. Heck, even my blog hosting fees doubled this year!

Just this past week I was a little agitated by a few items that seemed to be priced excessively. Because I am a good American and reserve my right to complain, I thought I would use tonight to point out what they were. Okay consumers, watch out for the following…

Sunscreen ($15.49 for 5 oz. bottle) – In response to last week’s heat wave, Beau’s daycare contacted all parents and requested we bring in a bottle of sunscreen for our respective children. The daycare employees then label each bottle and apply it on the kids before they go out for recess. I am all for the application of sunscreen but I wasn’t enthusiastic about the prices. I went to Safeway on Thursday morning and couldn’t believe how much they wanted for a small bottle. Obviously Sidney had done the sunscreen shopping for the past several years because I could not remember a time when the product was so expensive. I ended up opting for the double pack generic brand that I could secure for $16.99.

A photo I took of the corner of the sunscreen aisle at Safeway. Prices are getting outrageous.

Parking ($18.34) – On Friday, Sloan and I went to the Bloomsday Trade Show in downtown Spokane. Yes, I knew I would have to purchase parking but I had no idea how much that would end up costing. We felt we lucked out by finding a single spot in a packed lot when a car pulled out. I prepared myself to pay up to $10 for the hour we would be there but was a little mortified when presented with the $18.34 minimum charge. By default, the app offered the price for four hours. I managed to highlight just an hour time block but the price was the same. When we left the lot after visiting the trade show, we had paid about $1 per every three minutes we were parked.

If we weren’t already out of our car there is no way I would have paid this.

Lotus Drinks ($11.56 for 2) – I have written before that while I don’t drink coffee, I will sometimes order Lotus energy drinks from the espresso stands that are on every corner in Spokane. Believe it or not, I have even converted Sid to embrace my taste as she has ditched her typical white chocolate mocha for a Lotus. We try to treat ourselves once a week to espresso drinks but it seems like we might have to revert to a can of Rockstar instead. To be fair, these espresso stands have been placing notes on their menu for several months now warning about price increases but paying over $10 for a couple drinks is still a tough pill to swallow.

These were our Lotus drinks from last week. So good but perhaps too expensive.

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Okay, time to stop complaining. To be honest, there are items and services out there that are still affordable so perhaps I will highlight them one of these days. Until then, make smart decisions with your hard-earned money. Don’t Blink.

Scrambled Thursday Rundown

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For the past several days, our state has been home to the best weather in the nation as we have enjoyed sunny skies and humidity-free 80-degree temperatures. We have basked in these pleasant conditions while areas like Washington D.C., New York, and even Los Angeles deal with cool weather and rain. Okay, enough of the weatherman act, let’s get to tonight’s five topics…

Softball Update – Sloan is now exactly halfway through her t-ball season. To commemorate her first five games, I made this “highlight reel” video. I am pleased with Sloan’s hitting and team spirit but I really need to teach her how to throw. The first major test Sloan will have once the second half of the season begins? Snacks! We are responsible for the end-of-game refreshments on Monday. Last t-ball season (and coincidentally enough a year ago on this date) I wrote about this important and highly scrutinized task.

Sloan after her t-ball game last night.

Kentucky Derby – These days I don’t care too much about the Kentucky Derby but I was sure singing a different tune when I lived in the South. When Myrtle Beach was still home, my boss (who is now just my meme bestie—Lindsi) would throw epic Kentucky Derby parties. Prior to coming to Coastal Carolina University, Lindsi worked at Churchill Downs and knew a thing or two about how to do the Derby right. Sidney and I had a lot of fun dressing up for the parties and drinking mint juleps. The photo below was taken exactly four years ago. Hope everyone enjoys the race this weekend!

Sidney and I at Lindsi’s Kentucky Derby Party on May 4, 2019.

Omelette Guy – I have become pretty proficient at making omelettes. I had to master the art of getting the eggs to cook just perfectly before executing the tricky flip but I am getting quite good at it. As someone who has naturally low protein levels, the best way for me to address it is by making a three-egg omelette stuffed with various meats. Let me make you one!

I cooked up this omelette last Friday.

Cereal Straws – The other day we found these Froot Loops Cereal Straws at the store. Because Beau had a good day, I allowed us to get them. The idea is to use one of the straws to drink your cereal bowl milk. However, Beau used them to simply drink milk out of a glass. As someone like me who will usually try anything, you can probably guess my thoughts on the straws by my decision to stay as far away as possible from them.

Although Beau seemed to enjoy the Froot Loop straws, I stayed away.

30-Year Mustache – I am surprised that during the six years I lived in South Carolina, this guy’s mustache never reached out and touched me. Paul Slosar of Summerville holds the Guinness World Record for longest mustache on a living person. He has been growing it for 30 years as it now measures 2 ft 1 in. Good for Paul, but this is definitely not something that I would ever want to aspire to. But if I did have to grow something for 30 years, I think I would opt for the mustache over something like…ummm…fingernails? I remember as a child looking at Guinness World Record books and seeing a guy from India with fingernails measuring over 30 feet that took all sorts of twists and turns. So ridiculous!

Paul Slosar has a pretty long mustache (photo courtesy of Guinness).

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A big weekend is coming up for me so I should probably wrap things up. Got to focus for Bloomsday this Sunday. Hopefully by the time I touch base early next week I won’t be too sore. Don’t Blink.

Anxiety About the Future

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I had a beer with a friend over the weekend and he made an insightful observation. He said that often times we can look at future life events/milestones that are years away with apprehension and anxiety. While the example he provided isn’t mine to tell, I do have a few random ones that I can share…

Sometimes we just need to take it one day at a time and realize that the future will take care of itself

– When I was in elementary school, I was nervous about middle school gym class because of the shower requirement. How was I going to finish gym, take a shower in strange facilities, and then make it to my next class in time? Well, those couple of sleepless nights were for naught because there was no shower requirement and no one used them anyway.

– I had a hard time visualizing myself driving in my later pre-teen years. Someone is going to trust me behind the wheel of 3,000 pounds of steel? In 8th grade, my math teacher had us write letters to our high school senior-selves. She kept those letters and four years later mailed them to us the week of our graduation. In my letter I specifically asked my older self whether I had managed to get my driver’s license and what car I drove.

– In college I constantly fretted over whether I would get a job upon graduation and what it would be. Every night I prayed to God asking for his guidance on what I should do career-wise for the rest of my life.

Despite my concerns, everything in the three examples worked out just fine. Do I have new worries for future life events that don’t deal with middle school showers and getting behind the wheel? Sure. But even though they are always in the back of my mind, I don’t necessarily allow them to gnaw at me. Things have a way of working themselves out and we just need to trust in God’s plan. Don’t Blink.