Changing My Attitude On Outdoor Movies

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This summer, we have done something I have not been keen to do in the past. Despite the increased opportunities popping up each year, I have resisted the minimal effort it would take to attend such an event.

However, I finally shunned my own reservations and conceded to the desires of my kids. Earlier this month, we attended an outdoor movie.

Hanging with Beau and Sloan after the sun went down at Balfour Park on July 11, 2025. We were there to watch “Moana 2.”

Okay, you are probably thinking what is your deal with watching a movie under the stars on a gorgeous summer evening? Well, for the past several years I thought the whole thing was too romanticized compared to the actual experience we would receive. I basically found myself caught up in trivial BS that kids probably don’t care about: dull screen projection, soft audio, and oversaturated movies.

So what changed this year? Well, going on our cruise in April opened my eyes to the magic and relaxation that can be enjoyed from watching a movie in the open air. Sitting on the deck watching movies from the hot tub is a pleasant memory I have from our voyage.

Beau being goofy prior to the start of “Moana 2” at Balfour Park. A Kiwanis volunteer is up at the front quizzing the kids with trivia questions.

But I wasn’t convinced that watching a new release movie on the beautiful ship would be the equivalent of watching a 2010 Disney movie on a blow up screen in a local park. After all, the screen on our cruise ship was so crisp and high res that you could probably see it clearly from space. However, I could admit that based on my experience on the Freedom of the Seas, I knew a pleasant experience was at least possible.

How can an outdoor movie not be pleasant when the scenery is like this? This photo is of Beau sitting in his chair at Balfour Park on July 11, 2025.

Thus, earlier this month, at the urging of Sloan, we went to Balfour Park in Spokane Valley to watch “Moana 2.” The showing was part of the Outdoor Movies in the Park series sponsored by Spokane Valley Parks & Rec and Kiwanis Club of Spokane Valley. A couple of my hesitations were realized. With the movie start time of “sunset,” the first 20 minutes of the film was hard to see due to partial daylight. Also, as someone who doesn’t care to watch movies twice, I wasn’t too excited about watching “Moana 2” after we recently saw it in theaters this past Thanksgiving.

But you know what? I could see past those two quibbles because everything else was quite enjoyable. A local credit union was on-hand to pass out swag. A makeshift concession stand was distributing soda and popcorn. Event organizers conducted trivia beforehand with children earning pop-sicles for correct answers. And, hey, the volume of the film was perfect!

Not going to lie, the outdoor movie series at Balfour Park is really relaxing. Thanks to Spokane Valley Parks & Rec and Kiwanis Club of Spokane Valley for organizing.

And, overall, the aspect that made the cruise ship movies so fun was present at Balfour park: watching a movie under the night sky on a pleasant evening.

Beau and Sloan enjoy “Monsters, Inc.” at Balfour Park on July 18. The outdoor movie series is sponsored by Spokane Valley Parks & Rec along with the Kiwanis Club of Spokane Valley.

We set up our chairs and simply enjoyed some relaxation after a hectic week. You can’t beat a Spokane July evening and we soaked it all in as we ate licorice and Cheez-Its while watching Moana save the day. In fact, we had such a good time that we ended up returning to Balfour Park last Friday for “Monsters, Inc.”

We had such a fun time at the outdoor movie at Balfour Park on July 11 that we went again the next week. This time Sid came along and we arrived super early to have a picnic dinner prior to showtime.

What I ended up realizing was that attending an outdoor movie was much like attending a Minor League Baseball game. Although baseball is the advertised attraction, you don’t necessarily go to watch the sport played to perfection nor is your night ruined if the home team loses. Rather, you go for the promotions, stadium food, mascot, and—most importantly—the community. Sure, these outdoor movies aren’t shown on a flawless screen and I wish the films were more to my liking, but the community experience more than made up for it. Thank you to Spokane Valley Parks & Rec and Kiwanis Club of Spokane Valley for sponsoring Outdoor Movies in the Park! Don’t Blink.

Wishing Your Spouse “Happy Birthday” On Social Media

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Not too long ago, I stumbled upon a TikTok video. It featured a dude ripping people who wish their spouses “happy birthday” on social media (watch it here). His demeanor was very smug as he argued there is no need to wish your wife/husband a “happy birthday” online when they are probably sitting right next to you as the post is drafted. Callng people who do this “insecure,” his overarching point was DON’T POST ON SOCIAL, JUST TELL THEM FACE-TO-FACE.

This TikToker would hate me. I wish Sidney a happy birthday every year on social media and I just don’t do it on Facebook either; I publish a birthday post on all my social platforms. Furthermore, I even dedicate an entire blog post to my wife on her special day.

I always wish my wife a “happy birthday” on all my social platforms.

Do I publish these posts because I am insecure? Well, I guess that might be a possibility, but it would be subconsciously. Believe it or not, I do have stronger, overt reasons for publishing happy birthday posts for Sidney. If you allow me, let me just point out three brief ones…

Wishing my wife a happy birthday notifies a lot of other people that it is her birthday. Of course not everyone is going to care but some definitely will—and that will allow them to reach out when otherwise they never would have because they never would have known. Sure, Facebook does have a feature that lists the birthdays of friends but many people never look at it. These days on social media, I find out about birthdays of friends because others issue them a birthday greeting and the algorithm decides to put it in my feed.

Extending a birthday wish to my wife on social media also allows me to be more creative. If I only wished her happy birthday face-to-face, I wouldn’t be able to use photos/video like social media permits me to. That means I couldn’t post a collage of photos from the past year or include the glamour shot I specifically asked the photographer to take during our family portraits in the fall. Wishing Sidney a happy birthday face-to-face is cool but I also enjoy a full multimedia experience as well.

Finally, I appreciate the memories that are documented via social media birthday wishes. Say what you will about someone’s digital footprint, but I actually do value the staying power of social media birthday posts. I use an app called Timehop that enables me each January 28 to rewind and view each birthday post I published for Sidney from the past 10+ years. I like taking that trip down memory lane and I think my kids will also find it kind of cool one of these days, too. There is just something neat about watching our ages and appearances change throughout the years.

So yes, I am not embarrassed to admit that I do publish social media birthday posts for my wife. And you know what? I don’t even think I am that insecure ever. Now believe it or not, this TikToker even added in his video that wishing your children a happy birthday on social media is even more asinine than your spouse, but that is a rebuttal for another day…stay tuned. Don’t Blink.

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza Thursday Rundown

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Well, how is your summer going? It doesn’t get any better in Spokane than July and we are certainly living it up. Let’s get started with my latest Thursday Rundown…

Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza – Apparently all the cool kids are playing Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza. It is a sequence-based card game that challenges players to think fast when a card is turned face-up on the pile. Sloan has played the game all summer at daycare and is pretty good. Me? I had a hard enough time getting the basic taco-cat-goat-cheese-pizza order down, let alone remembering what to do with the special cards. Even with my lack of skill, I still had a blast playing it with my family.

Beau was a little slower at “Taco Cat Goat Cheese” than the rest of us so Sid played a special 1-on-1 game with him.

Picture of the Week – How could you have anything but an ear-to-ear grin when you are at the pool on a hot summer day? I guess the answer is when your mom is photobombing you. Last Saturday, my family went to the Northside Aquatics Center in Spokane County. We had a great time at the sparkling facility as I raced Sloan on the water slides and Beau continued to impress us with his comfort in the water after his timidity last summer. Except for Sid, this photo definitely doesn’t convey the enthusiasm the kids exhibited for most of the afternoon.

I love this photo of Sid photobombing Beau and Sloan at the Northside Aquatics Center.

Dog Theme – Throughout the years, I have chronicled the clever birthday party themes (here and here) my sister has pulled off for her kids. Another opportunity came up this past weekend when my sister and brother-in-law hosted my nephew’s 8th birthday party. The family recently adopted a yellow lab they are in love with so it was natural that my nephew, John, would want a dog-themed party. Below is a photo of some of the “doggy treats” offered at the party. You have doggy poo (no-bake cookies), dog toys (oranges), puppy piddle (lemonade), puppy chow (muddy buddies), pup-corn (popcorn), and more. Happy birthday to John who celebrates his actual special day today!

This was the birthday dog-themed spread at John’s party.

That Makes Sense – Last week I mentioned that a brother from my Knights of Columbus council recently passed away. Rob Heacock had many hobbies and areas of expertise, including that of a Lewis and Clark historian. He wrote a book that documented the various campsites of the explorers and how to access them. In the introduction of the book (I now own a copy), he encouraged those looking to discover the campsites with the following advice: There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing. In a moving eulogy, his son referenced his dad’s quote as well. So, whenever you want to mail something in because it is starting to rain or it might be too hot, just remember the words of Rob.

Rob Heacock was a talented, smart, and kind man. He was fond of saying, “There is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing.” I will miss Rob.

Jalapeno Chips Mania – I am a BIG fan of jalapeno chips. The heat and flavor just do it for me! On this date six years ago, I had the pleasure of blind taste testing three different brands of jalapeno chips. This experiment was made possible by my sister-in-law who purchased the goods and then conducted an extremely regimented and scientifically-acceptable taste test. The winner? Hands down it was Tim’s Cascade Jalapeno Chips. Thick, crunchy, flavorful, and HOT, no one does the jalapeno chip better than Tim’s. In fact, I would argue that no one does the potato chip better than Tim’s. The thickness and texture should always win over any potato chip fan. It is just a shame that Tim’s only distributes its products in the Pacific Northwest.

The best chip is the Tim’s Cascade jalapeno chip.

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Hope you continue to rack up those summer memories. Mid-July is a great time so take advantage of it! I look forward to touching base next week. Don’t Blink

Godparents to Neteyam

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Earlier this month, a very special thing happened: Sid and I became godparents again.

Neteyam is baptized by Fr. Jeff Lewis at St. Mary Catholic Church in Spokane Valley. Neteyam’s dad, Dylan, holds him while Sid and I look on (photo courtesy of Dylan/Fidela/family).

On July 6, 2025, Neteyam Perry was baptized at St. Mary Catholic Church by Fr. Jeff Lewis during the 9 a.m. mass. We stood next to our dear friends, Dylan and Fidela Perry, as their son was washed of original sin. We accepted the role of godparents and vowed to serve as strong Christian role models to Neteyam for however long we are on this earth.

Me, Sidney, Fr. Jeff Lewis, Fidela, Neteyam, and Dylan pose for a photo in the St. Mary sanctuary after the baptism on July 6, 2025. Thanks be to God! (Photo courtesy of Dylan/Fidela/Family).

For Dylan and Fidela to give us the opportunity to be Neteyam’s godparents is a nod to our friendship as well as the trust they have in us. In just about four years we have gone from not knowing them to serving in one of the most important roles one couple can bestow upon another. We met through our Young Adult Catholic group and shortly after that we found out we were neighbors. The rest is history!

Sidney and I with Dylan and Fidela at their wedding on June 3, 2023.

But even after we moved to a different neighborhood, our bond remained strong. We celebrate the Fourth of July each year, make annual memories at a favorite Hibachi restaurant, watch “The Chosen” together, and try to help one another out whenever we can. We have an epic group chat and we think similarly on many issues. Fidela and Sidney share a love for Taylor Swift while Dylan and I bond over “King of the Hill” 😂.

Sidney holds Neteyam at his baptism. Sid and Fidela share a bond over Taylor Swift (Photo courtesy of Dylan/Fidela/Family).

It has been such a blessed several years getting to know Dylan and Fidela. But with all that said, what brought us together at the beginning and what continues to be the glue of our friendship is our faith. And there couldn’t have been a more profound way to underscore our shared commonality than the honor of serving as Neteyam’s godparents. For Dylan and Fidela to trust us with such a responsibility is humbling.

The four of us plus Neteyam at the baptism on July 6.

In an age where the selection of godparents can sometimes be an afterthought, I know (or at least think) that Dylan and Fidela probably made a deliberate choice influenced by prayer. So, besides the “humbling” aspect of being selected that I mentioned above, there is just a bit of pressure as well. Sid and I are far from perfect—in fact, we are sinners. But thanks to God’s grace, we know we can pull this off.

Hanging with our godson after his baptism. What an honor and blessing (photo courtesy of Dylan/Fidela/Family).

Make no mistake about it, baptism is an effective and necessary sacrament. To watch Fr. Jeff pour water over my godson’s head and anoint him with the sacred Chrism oil on July 6 was pretty awesome. With Neteyam now officially part of the Church community, it is time for Sid and me to serve in our role as godparents to him. Please pray for us. Don’t Blink.

How Our National Mac And Cheese Day Was Spoiled

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How could it be? On this special day of macaroni and cheese, how could I spew out anything less than the cheesiest and gooiest of compliments for the dish I love more than anything else?

I have always been a HUGE macaroni and cheese fan.

After all, not everyone is called upon to judge a mac and cheese cookoff. Nor does everyone write about their “favorite macaroni and cheese spinoffs.” Most people who are neutral about noodles and cheese wouldn’t dream up a hand soap based off it. And lukewarm mac and cheese connoisseurs wouldn’t find it imperative to point out five different toppings that truly enhance the dish.

While Sidney usually orders true adult meals when we go to a restaurant, I will often order macaroni and cheese. This was the Cougar Gold mac and cheese that I ordered off the menu at Three Peaks inside the Spokane Tribe Casino.

To be fair, this post doesn’t take aim at macaroni and cheese itself. Rather, it calls into question a certain brand that all but ruined National Macaroni and Cheese Day for my family on its eve. That’s right, I have an unfortunate story that took place just last night!

This buffalo chicken mac and cheese from Mac Daddy’s was some of the best I ever had. I thought this blog post gave me an excuse to share it again. Okay, now it is time to share some less than appetizing photos of mac and cheese.

I decided I wanted to prepare my family a truly gourmet Sunday evening dinner, so I reached for two boxes of macaroni and cheese 😂. Don’t worry, I did take it up a notch by upgrading to “Deluxe Shells and Cheese,” a form of the dish that for 50 cents more will get you a package of Velveeta-type cheese instead of the powder stuff.

This particular shells and cheese experience was packaged by WinCo. I have lauded this western grocery store chain in the past, but unfortunately last night was the first time I had a really negative experience with one of its products.

I heated a pot of water to boiling. Next, I grabbed the first box of mac and cheese and poured the noodles into the pot. No problem. Then I opened up the second box and also dumped its contents into the pot…sort of. Most of the pasta did splash into the water but a bottom corner of the box was still packed with noodles. At first I didn’t think much of it, the pasta just must be packaged very close together and might be a little stuck. After shaking and tapping the bottom of the box, the pasta still remained lodged inside. I then reached inside and tried to free the pasta with my hand. It wouldn’t budge. 

I glanced into the box and saw something truly horrible. Carefully, I ripped the top half of the cardboard to reveal the content of the bottom half to confirm what I saw…

Pasta packed with mold and cardboard!

When I ripped apart the box, this is what I came face-to-face with. This box of WinCo macaroni and cheese had moldy pasta in it.

My first thought? I can’t believe I touched that with my hand. My wife’s first thought? You need to dispose of that pasta in the pot right now. She was right, even though (or at least I hope) most of the moldy pasta was still in the box, some of it surely slid into the pot, thus contaminating the entire box of mold-free pasta I poured in first.

It is important to note that the macaroni and cheese wasn’t expired….it was just moldy.

Don’t worry, we were still able to eat macaroni and cheese. We had a Great Value box that I quickly prepared after disposing of the WinCo product. Sid’s theory was that the WinCo box got wet in the warehouse and created perfect conditions for the mold to grow. You see, the corner of the box was in slightly rough shape when I purchased it, a red flag that I sadly overlooked, but solid evidence for Sid’s theory.

This morning I called WinCo and told them what happened. The lady asked me if I still had the product. Nope, I replied, I wasn’t too keen on allowing moldy food to take up space in our pantry. I did tell her I had photos, though. Those were immediately sent to an email address she provided me with. WinCo will reimburse me for the box of rotten macaroni and cheese…so there is that.

If you celebrate tonight, I hope your mac and cheese doesn’t look like this.

Based on the fact that we still ate macaroni and cheese last night, this incident hasn’t put a bad taste in my mouth (pun intended) when it comes to one of my favorite foods. However, I do hope WinCo removes any remaining boxes of “Deluxe Shells and Cheese” from its shelves. In this case, deluxe was simply disgusting. Don’t Blink.

Count Your Lucky Stars Today, President Trump

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I won’t go as far to say that it was a JFK or 9/11 moment, but here we are at the one-year mark of the assassination attempt of President Donald Trump and it seems just like yesterday. I was inside the pool area of a YMCA celebrating my nephew’s birthday when news started circulating that shots were fired at a Trump rally. From the initial photos I saw and the chatter I heard, I thought it was a minor incident that involved a BB gun or air rifle.

Boy, was I wrong.

The day Trump was shot will be one of those days that people will always remember.

My family moved from the pool into the YMCA lobby where we watched live coverage of what was unfolding in Butler, Pennsylvania. It quickly became apparent that things were much more serious than I originally thought. This wasn’t a BB gun. Although President Trump escaped death by millimeters, someone else—Corey Comperatore—did not. That night I couldn’t sleep and ended up penning this blog post during the wee morning hours.

My dread wasn’t politically induced. It could have been Joe Biden or Kamala Harris helplessly under the scope of an AR-15 and I would have felt the same sickness in my stomach. No one should be a sitting duck just waiting to get decapitated in front of a live crowd and millions watching at home.

This morning, the most prominent thought going through my mind is how different this world would be today if President Trump hadn’t so slightly moved his head. And trust me, I am not entertaining this thought in the context of whether we would be better off or not. Rather, I am just conceptualizing the million things that would be different from what they are today. Who would be in the White House? Where would Donald Trump be buried? What would be done today to mark the anniversary of Trump’s death? How many views would a presidential candidate getting his head blown off have on YouTube?

Thankfully, we don’t know the answers to these questions. But sadly, political violence is still a very real thing. President Trump would once again be targeted for assassination that summer and even more alarmingly were the recent shootings in Minnesota. State Representative Melissa Hortman and her husband were murdered while State Senator John Hoffman and his wife were shot but survived. You don’t need to take it from a blogger that this is wrong.

May an incident such as what took place in Butler never occur again and heaven forbid that a gunman should ever succeed. It is my hope that President Trump will remain safe during his term along with every future successor and aspiring successor as well. Don’t Blink.

American Heroes Thursday Rundown

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We are now in the second half of Thursday Rundowns for 2025. I hope you have enjoyed this year’s posts thus far and if you haven’t—I doubt you will like this one 😉. Alright, let’s get started.

Moving Moment – On Independence Day morning, I took my kids to the Coeur d’Alene American Heroes Parade that is held every Fourth of July. With the parade occurring just five days after the ambush attack on firefighters just outside of town, you figured the community would use the event to honor the two individuals who lost their lives. Did they ever. The parade’s opening was dedicated to John Morrison and Frank Harwood. Two riderless horses representing the lives of Morrison and Harwood led the procession with firetrucks and firefighters following close behind.

Two riderless horses pass from our vantage point at the Coeur d’Alene American Heroes Parade.

Backdrop Photos Back – With the arrival of summer, Sloan and Beau returned to St. Paschal’s Educare, a daycare center we have enrolled our kids at the past few years. Everything from the hours to the food to the values instilled are great, but what I really enjoy are the monthly photos they take of the kids in front of fun backdrops. The classic Fourth of July backdrop from last year returned this week. I always get a kick out of the faces that Beau makes. Thanks, St. Paschal’s!

I love the monthly photos that the staff at St. Paschal’s EduCare take of my kids.

Frozen S’mores – While we are still on the topic of Independence Day, I wanted to tell you about the dessert Sidney made for my parents’ Fourth of July cookout. She brought frozen s’mores to the party! She got the idea from a friend and then replicated them perfectly for Friday. The dessert is refreshing with an interesting frozen texture. Chocolate pudding, marshmallow crème, cream cheese, and cool whip form the layers of goodness stuffed between the two graham crackers. There is still plenty of time to make these for your next summer BBQ so tap here if you want the recipe.

Sidney holding a plate of her s’mores dessert.

$5 Meal Deal – The latest trend is for Fast food restaurants to offer some type of meal for $5. After years of increasing prices and shrinkflation, I think we all deserve it. But the university I work at has actually offered a similar deal way before fast food restaurants embraced it. Earlier this week, I forgot my lunch at home so I went to EWU’s PUB (the student center) for the $5 meal day that is offered daily. For just 20 quarters, I got a cheeseburger, tater tots, and a 24 oz. drink. What a treat!

This was my lunch on Monday…EWU’s $5 meal deal.

Memorable Photo Shoot – On this date in 2016, I wrote about a photo shoot that ended up being worth every penny. While on our honeymoon, the DreamArt Photography rep stationed in our resort sold us on a private photo session to commemorate our time in Cancun. I went back and forth on whether to bite the bullet, but I thought the shoot would ultimately be a timeless souvenir. I am so glad we did it. The photos turned out great at the time and I love them even more now. In fact, I might love them a little too much—one of the photos is still my profile photo (yeah, I should probably change that).

I loved how our honeymoon photos turned out.

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That will do it for now. Please pray for the repose of the soul of Rob Heacock. He died unexpectedly this past weekend. I got to know Rob through my involvement with our St. Mary Knights of Columbus Council and was saddened to hear of his passing. Don’t Blink.

The Texas Floods

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There is not much someone like me can add to convey or capture the grief felt from the Texas floods. I am lucky to have my family completely intact in my dry corner of the country.

So, I am aware that anything I write will ring hollow. However, even though I tried to immediately space it from my mind, the thought of losing my children to such a savage disaster has entered my head. Sloan is the age of some of the girls who lost their lives while attending Camp Mystic. They went to swim, make friends, sing songs, and grow closer to God—all things that scream my daughter’s name. I couldn’t imagine her going to camp and not coming back.

The other story that rips my heart is that of Blair and Brooke Harber. They went to visit their grandparents and brought their rosaries with them. Sadly, the waters carried the sisters away around 3:30 a.m. on Friday. They were found deceased 15 miles from their cabin…their hands locked together in an incredible display of sisterhood.

Some of the acts of heroism have been documented. A Coast Guard rescue swimmer named Scott Ruskan, 26, is credited with saving 169 people from the floods, including Camp Mystic survivors. Not bad for his first rescue mission. By my count, he saved nearly seven people for every year of his young life. He had this to say about his heroic actions:

I’m just a dude. I chose to enlist in the Coast Guard. Anyone is able to do this. Anyone’s able to do this job; if you raise your right hand, do it. So, I’m just happy I was given the opportunity to help these people out.

Yep, anyone is able, but most take the route that I did and don’t. During such a dark tragedy, the heroism and humility of Ruskan brings a glimmer of respite. Please pray for those who have died, those who have lost loved ones, those who are helping with the recovery effort, and everyone else impacted by this disaster. Don’t Blink.

Happy 68th Birthday, Dad!

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I had the chance to spend a lot of time with my dad during his latest trip around the sun. And trust me, I never take it for granted after going several years where I would only see him a couple times every 12 months. It is a blessing to live in the same county as him.

Stuffing my face with pizza while hanging with my dad this past fall.

But back to the time spent together during his stint as a 67-year-old. We attended games, sailed on a cruise, celebrated holidays, worshipped at church, chowed down at restaurants, drank beers on the deck, and much more.

My dad and I on the cruise in April…we had a lot of fun!

Perhaps my favorite memory with him though occurred shortly after his birthday. On my last day at Washington State University, he traveled with me to Pullman. He walked around campus while I took care of business and handed in my equipment/lap top/phone. Once all the formalities had played out, I invited him to my office. He hung out with me for those last few minutes and then helped me carry my few boxes to the vehicle.

I took this photo of my dad in my old WSU office a couple moments before we walked out for the last time.

What made such a seemingly mundane moment so special? I think it was the fact that I got to have him by my side as a I closed a chapter of my life. Taking the job at WSU was a nice career progression but more importantly it re-united me with my parents and siblings. After living out-of-state for 15 years, it was nice to return to Washington. It was also really nice to work at my dad’s alma mater. He earned his undergraduate degree at WSU and he bleeds crimson and gray. His pride for the Cougs rubbed off on me when I was a kid. Taking a job at WAZZU was cool for both of us. Ending my tenure by walking off campus with him just seemed fitting.

My dad and I pose for a photo inside the Field House prior to a WSU game. He is a true Coug.

And the burgers and shakes at Cougar Country before we left Pullman was the cherry on top. 😋

The burgers we had at Cougar Country were good but so was this turkey my dad carved during Thanksgiving 2024.

I want to wish my dad a very happy 68th birthday. I am grateful for all he does for me and my family. I admire how he fills his days when he is not around grandchildren by volunteering for Hospice and the local food bank. If that wasn’t enough, you won’t find a better event management staffer when you encounter him at a sporting event or concert. But even if you stripped away his grandfather duties, his service to the community, and his many retirement activities, one thing would still remain: an incredibly awesome human being.

My dad working an EWU football game as part of his gig with Allied Universal event management.

Cheers, dad! Don’t Blink.

Fireworks Critiques

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I hope everyone had a fantastic Fourth of July. It was nice to have it on a Friday and not worry about going to work the next day. I remember in previous years battling the traffic from the fireworks show on Independence Day evening and thinking if there ever was a day to call in sick, this would be it.

Hanging with the family at Pavilion Park for the 2025 fireworks show.

And that is what I want to discuss tonight. No, I am not talking about calling in sick. Rather, I want to ever so briefly discuss a couple key components of fireworks shows. Yep, just a couple.

Sloan, Beau, and Sid watch the fireworks at Pavilion Park.

For the past four years, my family has gone to Pavilion Park in Liberty Lake, Washington, to end our Fourth of July with a bang. It is the gathering spot for the community’s pretty solid fireworks show that always starts at 10 p.m….usually.

Watching the fireworks with my girl at Pavilion Park in Liberty Lake.

I say usually because the fireworks show at Pavilion Park “jumped the gun” just a little bit on Friday night when the first rockets burst in the air at 9:57 p.m. I know you are probably thinking big deal but it is my belief that fireworks shows should always start on the dot or a little bit after. My family was set by 9:45 p.m. so we were ready for the early start but what about those who did show up late or ran to use the bathroom thinking they still had three minutes to spare? Or, what about those who simply like to countdown to 10 p.m. as they savor every second of anticipation? Unless concerned parents thought the show needed to start earlier this year so their kids could get three extra minutes of sleep, I think a fireworks display scheduled for 10 p.m. should start at that time sharp.

The fireworks show at Pavilion Park started at 9:57 a.m. The display was beautiful!

But perhaps the early start time was due to an upgrade this year. Instead of the 7-minute show from past years, this one lasted for 15 minutes. It is my belief that the quarter of an hour mark is the sweet spot for a fireworks production. Because I have attended the past fireworks shows that lasted under 10 minutes at Pavilion Park, I can say they kind of left a little to be desired. If you travel more than 15 minutes for the show and you are going to be in traffic for at least 20 minutes after, a little longer show makes it more worth your while. On the other side of the coin, I have also heard about and even attended some fireworks shows that last considerably longer—pushing 30 minutes and beyond. When these displays go for extended periods of time, you do start to become desensitized to the dazzling colors and effects. And even if you don’t, your kids do—and that’s never a good thing.

I think the 15-minute show at Pavilion Park was perfect.

So perhaps the pushed up beginning was to account for the extra pyrotechnics. Either way, I probably should find something else to complain about instead of a free fireworks show. Oh come on, you know I am not really complaining—just offering some bad commentary on a hallmark of Independence Day. Anyway, unless something changes in 52 weeks, we will be back at Pavilion Park next year at least 10 minutes early with my stop watch. Don’t Blink.