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Here I Come, 2022 AMA Symposium!

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I am off to the East Coast! Today I am traveling to National Harbor, Md., an area about 15 minutes from Washington D.C. However, the purpose of my cross-country trek isn’t to sightsee in our nation’s capital. Rather, this is all about business.

Over the next couple of days, I will be attending the American Marketing Association’s Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Ed (longer names just sound more important, right?). This truly is the premier conference for higher education marketers and I am psyched to return after a three-year hiatus.

I attended and presented at the 2019 AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Ed. I am excited to do the same at the 2022 version.

But I guess I should add that I am just not merely attending the AMA Symposium, I will be presenting at it as well. On Tuesday, I will be sharing the Gaylord National Resort stage with Victoria “V.” Mendoza and Andy Thompson, my much-esteemed Pac-12 counterparts from USC and the University of Utah, respectively. We will present on TikTok and I will focus primarily on the paid advertising capabilities of the platform. Joining us for our presentation and bringing an extra layer of firepower will be Katie Camacho Smith, who leads TikTok’s higher education outreach.

I am speaking at the AMA Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Ed. Honored to share the stage with Victoria Mendoza, Andy Thompson, and Katie Camacho Smith.

The magnitude of this opportunity is not lost on me. To present with my talented colleagues in front of the best marketers in higher ed on a sizzling hot topic is a dream come true. The fact that it is taking place in a beautiful facility only a stone’s throw from our nation’s capital only adds allure. Pressure? Nerves? Sure, there is some of that…but hopefully it will just help me rise to the occasion.

The Gaylord National Resort will be the hotbed for higher ed marketing over the course of the next few days. Honored to have the chance to present within these walls.

I look forward to the next couple days of learning and professional development. I am grateful to Washington State University for the opportunity to attend and present. I also extend my gratitude to the American Marketing Association for facilitating this forum for higher ed marketers to assemble and grow. Special shout out to my co-presenters—Victoria, Andy, and Katie—we have been working hard at this for a few months now. Alright everyone, not much left to say but let’s go! My plane is heading toward Regan International and I can’t wait to touchdown in D.C. Don’t Blink.

Vote Thursday Rundown

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Good evening, ladies and gentlemen. I hope your week is going well and that your November is off to a strong start. Here is tonight’s Thursday Rundown…

Candy Shot – One of the most gratifying moments for a youngster is to dump the contents of their trick-or-treat bag on the floor in front of them. This captures that moment for Sloan moments after returning home after going door-to-door on the streets of north Spokane. This year, Sloan managed to score several full-sized candy bars and plenty of chocolate for her daddy.

Sloan examines her Halloween candy that she received from trick-or-treating.

Vote – Next Tuesday is Election Day and I am sure everyone and their brother already told you to vote. Well, let your favorite blogger deliver the same message as well…VOTE. If you live in a state like Washington where it is solely mail-in, make sure to mark your ballot and drop it in the mailbox or your local ballot drop box. If you live in a state where you can vote in-person, make sure to show up at the polls on Tuesday. There are some really important decisions to be made this election cycle!

Last night I dropped my ballot and Sid’s ballot in the ballot drop box in the Spokane Valley Library parking lot.

The Sweetest 5K – On this date four years ago, I successfully completed the Doughnut Dash 5K. I mean, come on, what other race would give you doughnuts to run?! I posted a time of 23:59 and earned second place out of the casual runners. This weekend, my brother will participate in a “Beer Mile” race here in Spokane. He will drink a beer, run a lap, drink a beer, run a lap, drink a beer, run a lap, drink a beer, run a lap. What a noble thing to do, right? Wishing him the best of luck!

Believe it or not, I actually completed the Carolina Forest Rotary Club Krispy Kreme Doughnut Dash 5K…and I have the photo to prove it.

Peanut Butter Battle – Sidney recently cleaned out our pantry. During the process, a jar of Great Value peanut butter was found. The discovery didn’t impact us too much because we already had a jar of Skippy peanut butter in our circulation. But as many of you know, I always enjoy a good premium vs. generic taste test. Yesterday morning, I made two pieces of toast for breakfast. On one slice I put Skippy peanut butter and on the other I put Great Value peanut butter. The verdict? Although the Great Value peanut butter seemed crunchier, the Skippy peanut butter had a much better taste.

In a super scientific taste test, I preferred the Skippy peanut butter over the Great Value peanut butter.

Trick-Or-Treat Fuel – We spent Halloween at my parents’ house. On Monday night, 275 trick-or-treaters came to their door. Crazy, right? We needed a good dinner to have the stamina to pass out candy to all those children/teenagers (while also going trick-or-treating ourselves). Thankfully, my mom prepared wiener wraps and tater tots. A wiener wrap is a hot dog wrapped in Pillsbury dough that is topped with cheese and baked. My mom made them all the time growing up and they were very much appreciated again just the other night.

Regardless of whether I was a 6-year-old or a 36-year-old, wiener wraps never get old.

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Thanks for stopping by. I think a couple pieces of Sloan’s Halloween candy are calling my name so I am going to excuse myself from sitting in front of the computer screen. Have a great weekend. Don’t Blink.

Post-Holiday Meal Walks

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It is November 1 and that means we are at the beginning of holiday feast season. Many of us will sit down at the table for epic meals on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Some might even get a bonus banquet on New Year’s Day. It goes without saying that these lavish meals pack a bunch of calories and plenty of food comas.

Holiday meals can pack on the calories. A recent article suggests to take a walk after the meal is finished.

I recently read an article that said the best thing you can do after a holiday meal is take a walk. I know, easier said than done for some of us who live in cold climates. But even if it is a snowy blizzard where you live, the idea is that if you can take a few steps and get your blood flowing, you are doing your body and mind a good service.

Some of the benefits of taking a walk, according to the article, include…

– Good for digestion
– Controls blood sugar
– It’s calming
– You will sleep better
– Opportunity to strengthen family bonds

Now those are all good reasons to take a walk after the Thanksgiving meal or Christmas dinner, but I have another advantageous reason to add: It provides the perfect buffer between finishing your plate and digging into dessert.

Our family doesn’t typically eat holiday dessert the moment that the meal is done. We like to lounge around, chat, and let our food settle before indulging. It is just more comfortable and usually the dessert is more gratifying.

Before digging into dessert, it might be a good idea to take a walk

With the benefits of walking and the natural time period between our dinner and dessert, why shouldn’t we implement the walk to help fill that space? Not only would it offer some exercise between two major calorie pig outs, but it would also clear the house so that the person who prefers to do the dishes can do so in peace.

I love the idea of the walk serving as kind of a “path” to dessert. So many times we approach our pumpkin pie with full bellies and dread. I think a walk would help to generate more enthusiasm and appreciation for dessert time.

After going full throttle on the prime rib, perhaps we should consider a walk this holiday season?

Although not for every family, I think at least considering a walk after holiday meals this season could be wise. Happy Eating! Don’t Blink.

Halloween Costumes 2022

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Happy Halloween! I hope you have a great day/evening while making good choices. That’s right folks, be safe.

Today marks the third Halloween that we have been blessed with two kids to dress up. Although we are yet to dress Sloan and Beau in themed costumes, I did make this TikTok video that chronicles their Halloween history together.

But this blog post isn’t about the past. Instead, this post is about Halloween 2022 and the costumes that Sloan and Beau will be wearing tonight. Let’s begin with the eldest.

Introducing Sloan and Beau for Halloween 2022!

Sloan is a witch this year. As will be even more obvious when we get to Beau, Sid and I went for convenience and thriftiness in 2022. Putting together a witch costume isn’t that difficult and it only really entailed us purchasing a witch’s hat and black skirt. We added everything else with stuff we had around the house, including a magic wand.

Sloan is a witch this year.

Beau is Georgie Pig from Peppa Pig. If you remember, Sloan was Peppa three years ago. That costume came in handy this year. As I mentioned in a recent Thursday Rundown blog post, Beau found the Peppa costume and wore it for a day. However, we didn’t necessarily want him to revive the female costume for Halloween. So Sidney went to Walmart and purchased a $2 shirt that is similar to what Georgie wears. She made alterations to the Peppa costume and fit it with the Georgie shirt to totally transform it. Beau is now a convincing Georgie.

Beau is Georgie Pig this year.

We have enjoyed a few Halloween activities this month but tonight is the main event. If a witch and pig come to your door tonight, I hear that their dad…oops…I mean themselves…really enjoy Reese’s peanut butter cups. Don’t Blink.

The Watcher Thursday Rundown

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BOO! It is the Halloween edition of the Thursday Rundown. Prepare for five topics that are spooooooky…

Pumpkin Competition – I serve on a committee at work that stages fun social opportunities for our team. Yesterday we had a fall celebration that included a pumpkin decorating contest. The photo below shows most of the submissions. My wife actually created the string art pumpkin on the far left! We voted on our favorites and a couple of our designers received the most votes (go figure). Those submissions were Entry #2 and Entry #4. I work with some pretty creative people!

A glimpse at some of the pumpkins from yesterday’s fall celebration event.

The Watcher – I “watched” (pun intended) this seven-episode Netflix series over the past week. The fact that someone like myself, who doesn’t typically binge watch stuff, watched the entire season in just a few days should tell you my thoughts. I enjoyed the balance of spooky, eccentricity, and mystery. In my opinion, it was the perfect late October show and whenever you get a heavy dose of Shooter McGavin it can’t be a bad thing, right? It isn’t for everyone, but “The Watcher” is a thrill if you are looking for a show to watch this weekend.

I thought “The Watcher” was great. The role of “Theodora Birch” played by Noma Dumezweni is spectacular.

New Halloween Decoration – Nearly five years ago I asked an important question: Are inflatable holiday lawn decoration festive or tacky? I responded in a resounding way with FESTIVE. Now, a half decade later, I have a lawn decoration of my own. Well, technically, it belongs to Sloan and Beau. My mother-in-law sent the kids this pumpkin-clad ghost. Isn’t he cute? We needed something to spruce up our Halloween décor and this inflatable is perfect. Thanks, Gami!

Sloan and Beau with their Halloween inflatable decoration.

Fancy Coffee – Have you ever seen a coffee machine like this before? I found myself in a car dealership last weekend and advanced to the area of the building where they keep the really nice (and supposedly super expensive) espresso dispenser. I don’t drink coffee but did they have a hot chocolate option and I filled up my cup TWICE. If you ever want to install a coffee machine at your office, just Google Encore 29.

This espresso maker made a damn good cup of hot chocolate.

From Coffee to Soda… – Growing up, there was a certain shaved ice stand that we would sometimes frequent. Out of its numerous traditional flavors, it also offered an option called Tiger’s Blood. I always thought, well, what is Tiger’s Blood supposed to taste like? On Friday night, I tried a new beverage that brought up a similar question. It was dream-flavored Coca-Cola. Again, I was like, what does a dream taste like? The curiosity caused me to buy it and after drinking it I guess dreams taste like mangoes.

My bottle of Dream-flavored Coca-Cola.

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Have a safe Halloween weekend, everyone. I appreciate your readership and will touch base on Monday. Don’t Blink.

911, What Is Your Emergency?

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Yesterday, Sid barged into my office (which is really just our bedroom) with her hand clasped on her forehead and an exasperated look on her face.

What did our 2-year-old do this time? I thought…

“Beau called 911!” my wife exclaimed.

Well, okay. A bit more serious than dumping the whole box of Trix on the floor.

Beau managed to call 911 yesterday.

Pretty soon I was listening to the whole story. With Beau content in the playroom with his snack and TV show, Sid literally stepped just a few feet across the hall to run a bath. Only a couple minutes later, Beau entered the bathroom with Sid’s phone.

“Mama, my friends!”

Beau has a pretty loose interpretation of who his friends are. Sid could see that someone was in fact on the line so she grabbed her phone and said “hello,” expecting it to be her mom or my sister.

“Ma’am, this is 911. Do you have an emergency?”

The dispatcher had obviously “spoke” to Beau long enough to know that there wasn’t grave danger at the Reser residence.

My wife apologized profusely and confirmed that our house wasn’t burning down. But she wasn’t about to get off the hook that easily.

“We still have to ask you some questions, ma’am.”

The dispatcher asked Sidney for her name and the address of our house. She then asked for Beau’s name and age. Sid then had to double down that there was no emergency.

After the business was taken care of, the lady did manage to remark that she had a nice little conversation with Beau. What the heck was said during that brief moment between toddler and operator will forever be a mystery to us.

I guess we could request a transcript but since no fire engine came racing out to our cul-de-sac, we will just let this one go. Do you have a non-emergency 911 story to tell? Don’t Blink.

Venturing Through Small Towns

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My recent travels have taken me through some small towns. On this cool October evening, I have decided to share with you three of those small towns representing three different states.

Arlington, Oregon – On our way back from the Vancouver conference, we stopped to stretch our legs in a tiny town called Arlington. Obviously not the major city in Texas nor the same-named area in Washington, this community was in Oregon. While most of the people on the bus admired a scenic view not too far from where we parked, I ventured over to the Arlington Grocery & Deli. Obviously the storefront has seen better days but the employees inside sure were nice and welcoming. I purchased a pack of combined red and black licorice.

I purchased candy from the Arlington Grocery & Deli.

Haugan, Montana – While traveling both to/from Missoula, Sidney and I pulled over in Haugan at the $50,000 Silver Dollar Bar. We made the stop to use the restroom and look around at the diverse knick-knacks. I wrote about the $50,000 Silver Dollar Bar more than nine years ago in an in-depth blog post. At the time, I was skeptical that the location actually contained 50,000 coins. However, after a thorough review of the quantity of the silver dollars hanging in the bar and documentation by the business itself, I know the amount now exceeds 50,000.

I took this photo from inside the actual bar of the $50,000 Silver Dollar Bar on Oct., 16, 2022.

Connell, Washington – Driving back to Spokane with a couple of my co-workers, we passed by Connell. I have a soft spot for Connell because it is the hometown of a friend from our Catholic Young Adult group. What I find most intriguing about this small Washington town is that it is home to a Dollar General. When I lived in the South, Dollar Generals were everywhere. However, I had never seen a Dollar General in the state of Washington until we stopped in Connell for gas last year.

I took the photo of the welcome sign earlier this month and I took the photo of the Connell Dollar General in Aug. 2021.

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So go ahead and cue the classic John Mellencamp song. Even though I wasn’t born in a small town, I sure appreciate them. Don’t Blink.

Olivia Thursday Rundown

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What do you say we do this rundown thing again? I have five topics to present to you so let’s get started…

Peppa Pig Reser Kids – Last week, Beau got into our old Halloween costumes and put on what Sloan wore when she was Beau’s age. For Halloween 2019, she was Peppa Pig, and, conveniently, Beau watches the show a lot currently. Sid couldn’t get Beau to take the costume off the whole day as he even insisted on sleeping in it. Although he won’t be Peppa for Halloween 2022, it was kind of cute.

Sloan (left) and Beau (right) each sport the same Peppa Pig costume as 2-year-olds. Beau’s photo is a little blurry because it was taken from video.

Naughty Step – Sometimes Peppa needs a timeout. Our newest form of discipline in our house is “the Naughty Step.” When Sloan and Beau get a little too out of control, they can see themselves to this branded step stool in a corner of our house. So far it seems to be working but perhaps it is just the novelty of it all? Hopefully not but we shall see.

Beau and Sloan have found themselves on this step lately.

Driver’s License – Red lights. Stop signs. I still see your face… Oh sorry, I am not talking about the song. On this date 8 years ago, I was issued my first South Carolina driver’s license. That part was cool but I sadly had to surrender my Montana driver’s license. If you are interested in learning about that strange trip to the DMV and you want to see some hilariously bad driver’s license photos of yours truly, make sure to read this post from October 20, 2014.

I wish issued this South Carolina driver’s license on this date 8 years ago today!

National Chicken and Waffles Day – Throughout my life, I have ordered chicken and waffles every now and then at various restaurants. I have to be in the mood for the combination as I don’t always prefer syrup on my fried chicken. But on those days that I am craving it, if the waffle is fresh and chicken is crispy, it makes for a pretty tasty treat. Chicken and Waffles Lay’s potato chips are a different story…

A chicken and waffles dish that I ate in a Missoula diner back in 2015.

Pumpkin Throwback Thursday – I shared this photo of me with a jack-o-lantern on Twitter. My mom reached out to me (since she is always browsing Twitter) and said that she could see Beau in the picture. Now I don’t know about that, but I am getting excited to carve pumpkins with the kids a little later this month.

Hanging with my pumpkin back in the 1990s.

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Our extended season of gorgeous weather looks to be coming to an end. Today we once again hit 70 degrees but tomorrow the high temperature is forecast to plunge into the low 50s. Although I wouldn’t mind more sunny and 75 days, I am sure sweater weather lovers are happy. Don’t Blink.

The Value of Cheap Souvenirs

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When I was in Vancouver last week, I chatted with a co-worker about what we could bring home to our kids as a souvenir. I brainstormed Crumbl Cookies or Voodoo Doughnuts. But then one of our speakers, Aaron Draplin, passed out sticker samples of his work. These will do, we thought.

I brought these Aaron Draplin stickers back to Sloan and Beau.

I then told her a story about when I was a child. I recalled that when my dad would go on business trips, he would bring back a couple bars of soap from the hotel he stayed at. When he would present them to us, we would marvel at the “exotic” soap from a distant town wrapped in hotel-branded packaging. We thought it was awesome!

Both the stickers and soap are examples of souvenirs that cost nothing. Despite their low monetary investment, both items still showed thought and were appreciated by the youthful recipients. I have one additional recent example…

Sid and I visited Missoula this past weekend. After the Griz football game on Saturday afternoon, we found ourselves inside the Adams Center. Right outside my old office was a table with Griz Cheerleading posters. We thought of Sloan and grabbed one of the free posters along with a couple of the maroon “You’re In Griz Country” cheer cards. We stuffed them in our bag and went about our day.

We returned to Spokane on Sunday afternoon and gave Sloan her poster later that night, right before she went to sleep. If only you could have seen her face light up. It was like it was 1996 and she had unwrapped a Tickle Me Elmo. To see those cheerleaders and Monte smiling back at her really made her evening. Before she turned off her lights, the poster was hanging on her wall.

Sloan was so proud of her new posters that they went up on her wall that night.

So what is the point of this? That cheap souvenirs are the best souvenirs? While this can sometimes be the case and I certainly don’t mind when it works out, I am focusing on something different. What warms my heart is the genuine appreciation that children display. It isn’t about the expense of the item but rather just the fact that they were remembered.

As we go about our lives on a daily basis, let’s remember the appreciation and gratefulness of children. We need to apply and express it ourselves. Not only will we better recognize the smaller efforts of others but it will make us happier people as well. Don’t Blink.

Returning to Missoula for a Griz Weekend

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For the second consecutive year, Sid and I returned to where I attended college and where I started my professional career. Like we did in October 2021, we visited for a Griz football weekend. And, just like last year, it was a blast.

It was another awesome trip to Missoula for Griz football and other fun.

On Saturday, we hit the road at 5:30 a.m. We made it to Missoula by 10 a.m. and Ubered from our hotel parking lot to the Press Box (aka the most famous bar in town). After a quick round we walked across the footbridge to campus as we admired the most beautiful view of any college campus in the country.

I took this photo as we walked across the footbridge. With the mountains, the M, the Clark Fork River, and the beaming sunshine can you really ask for anything more?!

We scored free Chick-fil-A sandwiches and took them over to the Adams Center where we watched the Griz Walk. Just with many other college football programs, the University of Montana football team marches through a portion of campus lined with supporters before going to their locker room to dress. After we participated in that tradition, we enjoyed the one-of-a-kind tailgating that Griz football boasts. I also had the opportunity to visit with Seth Bodnar, the president of the University of Montana.

The coaches participate in the Griz Walk too. This is head coach Bobby Hauck kissing his wife before entering the Adams Center.

Sid and I entered Washington-Grizzly Stadium in time to watch the entire pregame show. From there we basked in the glorious October sun to watch the Griz battle the University of Idaho Vandals. Unfortunately, UM would come up a little short but we sure enjoyed being part of the crowd and cheering hard for four quarters.

Sidney and I from our seats in Washington-Grizzly Stadium. The Griz would ultimately fall to the University of Idaho, 30-23.

After the game we jumped on a shuttle that took us to downtown Missoula. We barhopped as I watched other college football games and Sid tried her luck at the gaming machines. Once that luck ran dry, we hopped an Uber to our hotel.

Sid and I had great seats! This was our view.

Once we checked in, we walked across the street to the Montana Club for dinner. We had the best date as we enjoyed quality food and watched the epic 18-inning marathon between the Seattle Mariners and Houston Astros. After we paid the tab we made a quick visit to Dairy Queen and brought back a couple Blizzards to our room. We spent the rest of the night eating ice cream and watching TV.

Our entrees and the TV that we were watching the Mariners game on.

On Sunday morning it was mass at St. Francis Xavier, a parish that turned 130 years old in 2022! Fr. Steve Lantry presided and preached about what God’s justice looks like. It is always a gift to return to the parish that I was a parishioner at back in my early-to-mid-20s.

I snapped this photo outside of St. Francis Xavier in Missoula on Sunday morning before entering for mass.

After mass, it was time for brunch. Sid and I went to the Oxford, a business that is even older than St. Francis Xavier—it was established in 1883. We sat at the kitchen bar that overlooks the grill and watched the chef make meal after meal. Think of it like American hibachi!

A few of the images from our visit to the Oxford. The cook was a complete rock star and my sausage + cheddar cheese omelette was delicious.

We then picked up treats at Mary’s Mountain Cookies. We did the same thing last year too as I think a new tradition is brewing.

Mary’s Mountain Cookies is a fun shop with creative and fun treats.

To cap off the trip, we returned to campus and explored my old stomping grounds. To see all the new buildings mixed in with many of the timeless landmarks was a thrill. When we finished, we drove down the gorgeous university district streets lined with trees in different stages of autumn-colored leaves and then headed for the freeway where we made the drive home to Spokane.

Sidney and I on the University of Montana campus. It was good to be back.

The next time we do this trip, we hope to bring a couple of Griz cubs with us. We think that Sloan and Beau might be ready for a Missoula trip once the 2023 football season comes around. With that said, thanks so much to my mom and dad for watching them this past weekend (we brought them home some of those cookies for their troubles)—Sid and I sure enjoyed ourselves! Don’t Blink.