Today is National Chocolate Chip Day, another bizarre and gimmicky “holiday” to “celebrate.” Despite its cheesiness and my supposed hostility toward days like this, I am appreciative that it gives me something to write about.

In tonight’s blog post I present to you five items I enjoy chocolate chips on the most.

Chocolate Chip Cookies – Big surprise, right? Although white chocolate macadamia cookies are my favorite, chocolate chip cookies are a close runner up. We all know the satisfying feeling of biting into a fresh cookie with the chocolate chips half melted. But chocolate chips in cookies are more versatile than just in liquid form. Chocolate freezes very well and I always liked eating the frozen chocolate chips in my mom’s famous ice cream cookie sandwiches.

Chocolate Chip Pancakes – Nothing is better than going to a hole in the wall diner and ordering a stack of chocolate chip pancakes. Topped with butter and whipped cream, you can’t have a more heavenly breakfast. The flavor of the gooey chocolate chips is always evident, even with maple syrup and buttermilk competing for an impression on your taste buds. You know you were served a good stack if after you finish your pancakes there is noticeable chocolate residue on your fork (at which point you lick it off).

These are some chocolate chip pancakes I had at Plantation Pancake House in Myrtle Beach.

Ants on a Log – Oh please, you put raisins on top of your celery as a kid? In our household, we didn’t adhere to the healthy recipe of ants on a log. After slathering peanut butter on the celery sticks, we topped it with chocolate chips. Whatever it took to get us to eat our veggies, right?

Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Ice Cream – On the third anniversary of our revolutionary experiment, don’t think I forgot to add chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream to this list. Although I think chocolate chips alone in ice cream is a mistake, I support gobs of cookie dough packed with chocolate chips in my frozen desserts. On this date three years ago, I had Sidney blindly test five different brands of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream––everything from generic store brand to premium industry leader. When the test was completed, it wasn’t Ben & Jerry’s that won. Rather, it was a complete shocker.

Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Sandwiches – For this last spot, I could have went with chocolate chip rice krispie treats or chocolate chip covered donuts. Instead, I wanted to go with something more unique that joined ants on a log as another childhood favorite. As a little boy during the summer, my mom actually granted me permission to plant chocolate chips on the inside of my peanut butter sandwich. We would then put it in the microwave for 20 seconds or so. Call it the start of my chocolate/peanut butter addiction, but it was something I did a lot back in the day. Although I haven’t had a chocolate chip peanut butter sandwich in decades, I remember them fondly.

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The irony of the chocolate chip is that it is good––just as long as you don’t eat it by itself. Chocolate chips compliment sweet foods (or healthy foods for that matter) but they taste rather bitter when consumed alone. Happy National Chocolate Chip Day (can’t believe I am saying that), I hope you celebrate responsibly. Don’t Blink.

Today marks the eighth anniversary that my blog has been on the world wide web––at least the Don’t Blink version hosted at www.brentreser.com. On this special date last year, I wrote about how my first blog post was quite awkward. Part of me wants to do something a little more significant (such as an all-time favorite post countdown) to mark my blogging anniversary this year, but I thought better of it. The truth is that an eight-year anniversary is no more of a milestone than a seven-year anniversary. So, for at least this year and next, I will mark the date with some basic commentary.

Today is the eighth anniversary of my blog. It was been a pleasure.

Authoring a blog brings with it many benefits, especially after you have established yourself as a consistent writer over a few years. If you write a wide-ranging blog like this one, you get plenty of free stuff, connections with people all over the world, and exposure on different websites/social media channels. People will also know you before you meet them, bring up your latest post as a conversation starter, and suggest ideas for future blog posts.

The ability to market yourself is also an advantage of maintaining a blog. By doing so, you can optimize search engines favorably for your name, showcase the talents you have, and push initiatives or beliefs that are important to you. As a blogger, you control what you publish…the creative freedom is awesome.

Of course a blog is work. Those with half-assed intentions need not apply. Any blogger who has respect for what he is doing will feel the pressure to post regularly, think creatively, and connect with readers. A calendar is constantly in the head of a blogger with topics and release dates. Finding the time to write is usually reserved for early mornings and late nights. No matter how good the intentions, not every post will be a home run.

But every now and then, you hit a grand slam. A post you wrIte resonates not just with your regular readers but far beyond. You might write a piece that effortlessly garners thousands and thousands of views, appears on a Facebook page with over a million followers, or entices a journalist to reach out to you. Those are cool moments.

Sloan has given me inspiration numerous times for blog posts.

But hitting the grand slam was never the reason why I started Don’t Blink eight years ago. I simply did it because I wanted a digital space to organize my experiences, thoughts, and an opinion every now and then. It wasn’t primarily intended for friends, internet trolls, or the person on the other side of the world.

It was for me.

So as I sign off on my 1,639th blog post, I do it mostly for myself. But wait––I am not that egotistical. I also do it as inspiration for anyone else who is considering authoring a blog. Nowadays, vlogs and podcasts might trump this medium in the coolness factor, but never underestimate the power or sustainability of the written word. Thank you to my readers for eight great years. Don’t Blink.

Good evening everyone. I frequently say that the hardest part about the Thursday Rundown is writing the introduction. So, let’s kind of bypass it and just get started with tonight’s five topics…

In the Doghouse – Last Saturday, a play date was organized for a group of young children with CCU parents. Outside, the toddlers had a large backyard with several activities to engage with. Inside, there was a playroom and Playdoh station. What did they want to play with? The dog crate! The kids all conspired to climb inside and shut the gate. Should be a good picture in 20 years.

These #CCU little kids worked together to climb into the crate and slam the door.

The Best Remedy – I have suffered from canker sores my whole life. I even wrote about my problem and asked for remedies. Last week, I developed the most painful canker sore I have ever dealt with on the inside of my lip. Just when it started to heal, I developed approximately 10 smaller ones on my tongue. It was absolutely brutal. Earlier in the week I tried Orajel for the first time. It provided some relief but it wore off so fast. After my tongue outbreak, I tried Orajel mouthwash and it was incredible. Within a day of using it, the annoyance was gone. Where had this been all my life?! If you are prone to canker sores, I highly recommend Orajel mouthwash.

This Orajel mouthwash is the real deal!

The Derby – For three out of the past four years, Sidney and I have attended a Kentucky Derby party in full regalia. The gathering is organized by Lindsi Glass, our associate vice president for marketing and branding at CCU. Although Lindsi is a Chanticleer now, she used to do marketing for the Kentucky Derby before coming to South Carolina. She plans the bash way in advance and goes all out! From official Kentucky Derby plates to cigars to famous Derby drinks, the party has it all. This year was another great time and Sidney picked the winning horse…before he was disqualified. Serves her right for picking the favorite I guess.

Sidney and I in our 2019 Kentucky Derby costumes.

Smooth Taste – Cream soda. That is all. What do you think? Although it didn’t make my list of top five favorite sodas in a post I published two years ago, I have grown to really enjoy it. I find it pleasant to drink with a different taste from most other sodas. It goes down easy and has an old-fashioned vibe to it. Don’t think I am drinking the good stuff either…no A&W for me, it is all about Great Value. You can buy this stuff for cheaper than water and it hits the spot.

These Great Value cans of Cream Soda have been calling my name lately.

Ranky Tanky – What a way to close out my Thursday! Our campus invited nationally acclaimed band Ranky Tanky to perform a free outdoor concert on Prince Lawn and they delivered. I wish I could have stayed longer because the conditions were perfect for a May evening concert and the music was incredible. Ranky Tanky, a group that specializes in funk, is rising each day in profile. The band members recently appeared on the Today Show and are traveling all around the country. If this is the first time you are hearing about them, it won’t be the last.

Ranky Tanky filled the air with soulful music this evening. Wish I could have stayed for more!

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We have another fun weekend on tap. After I finish working spring commencement ceremonies on Saturday morning (congrats to all #CCU grads), I will focus my attention on a party we are helping to throw for my sister-in-law and her fiancée. Hopefully we can do half the job that Lindsi does. Enjoy your evening my friends. Don’t Blink.

You know what is coming this weekend, right?

Stop, don’t answer that, it was meant to be rhetorical. Of course we all know that Sunday is Mother’s Day. Aside from Easter and Christmas, I don’t know if there is a more necessary date on the calendar. Moms are absolutely invaluable and underappreciated. But don’t get me on my soapbox because I could go on and on (besides, I have written about this before, especially how it relates to one very special mom).

Some memories from Mother’s Day 2017.

This blog post is simply intended to steer you in the direction of how to show your appreciation to the moms in your life, especially those with young children.

For those husbands with wives who are mothers, sometimes it is tough to think of an original gift idea. With Christmas, her birthday, and even possibly an anniversary present (excluding Valentine’s Day because once you are married you don’t worry about that anymore), the pressure to get something unique for each one definitely exists. However, in my mind, a starting point is to identify the type of gift that is appropriate for each occasion. In my world, I think Christmas is great for a material gift (think jewelry, gadget), birthday is ideal for everyday items (clothes, sunglasses, etc.), and an anniversary is perfect for an experience that involves both husband and wife (fancy dinner, weekend away, etc.).

Mother’s Day fun in 2018.

But when it comes to Mother’s Day, I think you can never go wrong with a gift that allows your wife to have some time to herself. It only makes sense to use the day that honors all the hard work moms put forth to give something that encourages them to take a well-deserved break. Last year, I gave Sid a gift card to AR Workshop, a place that lets customers make custom home décor pieces. The amount on the card allowed her to bring a friend as well. When she decided to use it, I took care of Sloan for the night and Sid went out and had a great time with no worries or distractions. With all of these DIY places that now exist, you have a wide variety of options to empower your wife to express her artistic side. A free pedicure is also a go-to gift that your wife will be grateful for. Or think about salon credit for a haircut or a ticket to an upcoming wine tasting event. Speaking of tickets, get her one for a concert that she has interest in attending with friends or perhaps even a play she wants to see (but you don’t).

Sidney and Sloan holding the lazy Susan that was made at AR Workshop. Sid did a wonderful job!

The key is to let your significant other use the gift whenever she wants and to be excited for her to enjoy it. Show interest in her “night out” and ask her to send a photo of her having fun. Whatever you do, don’t bother her when she is doing the activity and give her no concern for the care of her child(ren).

Gifts focused on experiences for moms to enjoy without the whole clan make perfect Mother’s Day gifts. If you go in that direction this year, you won’t be botching it. Don’t Blink.

Is it really May already? Our family has a packed month and we can’t wait for all the fun that is to come. But for now, let’s just concentrate on the Thursday Rundown. I present to you this evening’s five topics…

Bling, Bling – For those who are curious about the ring my brother got for his fiancé, here it is. I know absolutely nothing about rings (Sidney picked her ring out for me) so don’t expect any commentary from me other than it looks really nice! 

This is the ring that my brother gave to Carrie.

Outdoor Fun – A couple items to report on Sloan. She has progressed nicely with her jungle gym since it was gifted to her about a month and a half ago. Sloan will now go down the slide without needing to hold one of our hands. More impressively, she can now climb up the rock wall with no assistance whatsoever, a feat of coordination and strength! But the biggest current spectacle in our back yard is a rabbit. The critter has been making regular early evening appearances in our lawn, sending Sloan into a frenzy. She likes to call out to it by yelling “Mr. Bunny, come here!” She will sit on our patio and wait for it to re-appear and she loves to leave carrots out for it.

Sloan can climb her rock wall with ease and go down the slide without assistance. She loves “Mr. Bunny” who lives in our back yard.

What’s the Big Deal? – Last night, Sid and I watched the Billboard Music Awards. We enjoy watching the performances and digesting a slice of pop culture. However, I had a tough time putting my finger on the absolute mania reserved for a group called BTS. The cameras switched to them in their seats every minute, celebrities on stage gave them shout outs, and the #BillboardMusicAwards Twitter hashtag was so inundated with BTS references that anything else about the show was practically invisible. Did these kids cure cancer or something? Please, fill me in.

I tweeted out my confusion last night.

Another Five Year Anniversary – My five year anniversary working at Coastal wasn’t the only milestone I was celebrating yesterday. May 1 also marked my five year anniversary of working out at CCU’s gym, the HTC Center. I had nervous jitters my first day of work so what better way to ease them than with exercise? I was blown away by the cleanliness and amenities of Coastal’s facilities. But aside from the state of the art equipment and scenic views, the CCU gym has allowed me to connect with students and staff who I normally would not have the chance to during my regular job.

The photo of me in the top left is from May 1, 2014, and the photo of me in the top right is from May 1, 2019.

Cool Story – Early this morning I was pumping gas. Once I started to refuel, the pump television screen flickered on and started to give a history lesson. This particular segment taught me that frozen treats such as popsicles and ice cream were only consumed by nobility back in the Middle Ages. Because devices equivalent to modern day freezers weren’t widely available, only the upper class had access to them. So, if someone was walking the streets with a frozen confection it meant they were a pretty big deal. I started laughing to myself thinking of an old king with a large crown sucking on a firecracker pop. Ha!

I took this photo while pumping gas today. How does the gas price in Myrtle Beach differ from where you live?

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A weekend that includes the Kentucky Derby and Cinco De Mayo, huh? Sounds like a good time to me. Be safe and enjoy. Don’t Blink.

Last night at 2:09 a.m., my phone rang. Caught in a deep slumber, I wasn’t coherent. As I gained more consciousness, I looked at my phone and saw that Carrie, my brother’s girlfriend, had FaceTimed me. When I saw the missed call notification, I also noticed countless text message notifications. I haphazardly looked through our family group message before calling back. Still too disoriented to make sense of the roughly 40+ new messages in the thread, I FaceTimed Carrie back.

Well, the FaceTime call wasn’t exactly necessary. It was pitch black in our bedroom and it was also dark where Carrie was at. As she answered my call, I heard my brother’s voice in the background. It didn’t take long before the good news came out…

“We’re engaged!” they exclaimed.

This photo was taken moments before Glen took Carrie to the site of the proposal!

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Carrie’s birthday was yesterday. After a day of wooing her with activities and fun, my brother led her to believe that they were capping the day off by going out to eat at a favorite restaurant. On the way to dinner, Glen made up an excuse that he needed to drop by his work. When Carrie and Glen arrived at his office, he took her into the break room area. SURPRISE!

My brother had organized a surprise 29th birthday party for Carrie. In attendance were co-workers, friends, and family. It was a joyous scene in and of itself, but things were about to get a lot more memorable.

The room of approximately 25 people sang happy birthday to Carrie. After she blew out the candles on the cake, my brother drew closer to her. Fighting back emotion, he told his girlfriend that he wanted to spend every birthday with her for the rest of his life. He then got down on one knee…

…GASP…

…she said YES!!

Carrie said YES.

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This morning in our text messaging thread, Carrie revealed that the wish she made when blowing out the candles was that Glen would ask her to marry him (how sweet is that?). Everyone in our family was wishing the same thing.

There is no debating that Carrie makes Glen extremely happy. It has been so fulfilling to see those two fall in love. As Sidney says, Carrie is an unmistakable positive force in my brother’s life. Although I felt that a proposal could be coming soon, I didn’t predict it would be last night. However, if there ever is surprise news you want to be woken up to in the wee hours of the morning, an accepted marriage proposal between two of the people you care about the most is it!

Celebrating after the successful proposal!

I wish Glen and Carrie a happy engagement. Fun and exciting days are to follow and I hope they savor each one. Welcome to the family, Carrie, we love you! Don’t Blink.

When I was a little kid, one of the million different things I enjoyed about visiting my grandma and grandpa was a creek located a short distance from their house. My grandpa would bring home old bread from the family restaurant and we would walk to the creek. Once there, we would look around for a few ducks who decided to make that murky body of water their home. Once spotted, we took pieces of bread out of the sack and broke it up into pieces. We then tossed the hardened chunks in the direction of the ducks, baiting them to swim up close to us.

I loved seeing real life animals of the non-dog and non-cat variety up close. The green headed male ducks always grabbed my attention and I felt like I was doing a genuine good deed by feeding them. I realized that birds beyond the ones in a residential creek in Walla Walla needed nourishment as well. So, throughout my childhood, whenever we went to a big park with ponds, we would bring bread with us to feed the ducks. It never got old.

Hobbies and entertainment options fall out of favor with children over the generations, but duck feeding has staying power. Our little girl proved it last night.

We took Sloan to our neighborhood pond to feed the ducks (and turtles…and fish) last night.

For the first time in her 25-month life, we took Sloan to one of the ponds in our neighborhood to feed the wildlife. We stood on a gazebo and Sid took out a sack of aging bread she brought from the house. Before Sloan really even knew what we were doing, she took a full piece of bread and threw it into the water…fail.

Sloan looking over the gazebo railing at the wildlife underneath her.

But it got better from there. We showed her the proper way to break up the bread and toss it into the pond. As we did this, we attracted a lot more than just ducks. The waters in our neighborhood are full of turtles and fish. As we threw the food, an army of turtles swam to us, their heads bobbing above the water as they made their trek to dinner. Sloan couldn’t contain her excitement. In much the same way as when we decorated our Christmas tree, she danced around hysterically pleading “more, more, more.” At first, we couldn’t satisfy her need for constant bread but she did calm down after several minutes.

So sad that all our bread is gone.

Once she was subdued, it was a very relaxing and nice experience on the gazebo. It was a gorgeous evening and we were the only ones feeding the aquatic animal kingdom of the Spring Lakes neighborhood. Much like myself as a child, Sloan loved the concept of feeding animals that aren’t normally found in people’s houses. We enjoyed our special time with nature and questioned what took us so long to finally do something like this with Sloan.

Fellow parents, if you need a cheap and peaceful activity for your child, take them to feed the ducks. It will keep them occupied and provide a great opportunity to educate them about the environment. Yes, they might throw a fit when the bread runs out, but you will find out that it is still worth it. I hope those ducks in our neighborhood are still hungry because they have not seen the last of the Resers. Don’t Blink.

What a beautiful week it has been! By far the best in 2019 thus far, we have enjoyed temperatures in the upper 70s and lower 80s the past several days. If you haven’t had favorable weather conditions in your neck of the woods, cheer up; the Thursday Rundown is coming your way…

The County Fair – Yesterday evening, Sidney, Sloan, and I spent a couple hours at the Horry County Fair. We ventured out to the Myrtle Beach Speedway (location of the fair) after a generous invite from Sloan’s friend, Riley, and her mom. We arrived when it was still light out and stayed until night fell. We had a nice time walking through the carnival and feeding the animals in the petting zoo. But let’s be real here – the best part was the food! We ate foot long corn dogs and devoured a delicious funnel cake. We came home pretty dirty after stomping around on the dusty grounds but it was worth it.

We sure enjoyed ourselves at the Horry County Fair last night.

New Era of Gift Cards – You used to only be able to purchase a gift card to a single place. Then you were able to purchase a gift card that would be valid at multiple restaurants under the same parent company. Now something even greater has arrived! A couple months ago while at Kroger, I noticed gift cards that are good at restaurants, stores, and entertainment centers. They are grouped according to what certain demographics would appreciate. For example, the “Happy Student” card has Burger King, Dell, Bed Bath & Beyond, American Eagle, and JCPenney on it. The “Happy Her” has Panera, Macy’s, Ulta, Bed Bath & Beyond, Sephora, Cheesecake Factory, Express, Under Armour, and more. “Happy Teen” has Panera, Dave & Buster’s, Barnes & Noble, American Eagl, Regal Cinemas, Jumba Juice, and more. The cards don’t stop there – “Happy Eats,” “Happy Dining,” “Happy Moments,” “Happy Bride,” and “Happy Guy” are all options as well. These are all really fun and you are in total control of how much money you want to put on them.

These gift cards are fun and very useful.

Now That’s a Bit of a Stretch – Mellow Mushroom is a fabulous gourmet casual pizza chain in the Southeast. It is so yummy that one time I was in Spokane, a stranger connected with me by saying her best memory while visiting the South was dining at a Mellow Mushroom. But the company is as much known for its pizza as its humor. No matter what location you are at, you will usually find something witty or clever on the marquee. The one I recently saw below takes the cake! The North Myrtle Beach Mellow Mushroom made this completely illogical inference but it sure made me laugh…well done.

This had me laughing. Nice try, but I don’t think beer can qualify as salad.

New Shades – Sidney admits to being a sunglasses brat. She doesn’t understand someone like me who is happy with a $5 pair of knockoff shades. My wife is doing her best to pass on her taste for premium sunglasses to Sloan. Last week, she purchased Sloan the exact same pair that she has! Much smaller and less expensive than Sid’s, I sure think they look cute on her (and Sloan loves them!).

Sloan loves her sunglasses that match mommy’s!

15 and Counting  – I know many of my readers were wondering when I would finally break my silence on Jeopardy champion James Holtzhauer. Well, since he surpassed the $1M mark this week, I guess the time has come. As an avid Jeopardy fan, I have watched all 15 victories of his unprecedented run and I am impressed. He is something special and seems absolutely unbeatable. Do I want to see him continue to dominate? Hardly! James, much like Arthur Chu and Austin Rogers, rubs me the wrong way. Just a little too sure of himself and smug for my taste. I better get over it because he is poised to be on the show for a long time. Some brainiac will have to catch James on an off night where he incorrectly answers every Daily Double and misses Final Jeopardy just to have a chance. Stay tuned.

Jeopardy champ James Holzhauer is not my favorite contestant.

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This is the last free weekend that Sidney and I have for what seems like until August. We hope to relax and enjoy our little girl. Thanks for reading. Don’t Blink.