Hatched: Two Years at EWU

Posted on by
3

My second anniversary blog post is dedicated to Shelley Stickelmeyer. She served as our marketing project manager for more than a decade and was instrumental to not just the success of University Relations but to EWU in general. On a personal level, she helped me so much with my onboarding and was invaluable every single day I had the pleasure of working with her. Shelley retired in December 2025.

I have a whiteboard in my office behind my desk. Often it will have a shoot schedule, marketing metrics, or birthday message written on it. However, this past week a simple sentence in red dry erase marker was scrawled across it: I love my job.

That message, along with the cheer card positioned right next to it (PROUD TO BE AN EAG), described my thoughts perfectly as my second work anniversary at Eastern Washington University drew near.

When I left the office for the weekend, I didn’t erase the message. I wanted to make sure it still stayed on the whiteboard through Saturday, Aug. 1. Even though I wouldn’t be in the office for my actual work anniversary, the sentiment needed to remain even if the door was shut and the lights turned off.

That’s just the symbolic, corny person that I am.

Quite simply, I love my job.

A Year Defined By A Proposal

When isn’t a new employee “new” anymore? I think a good rule of thumb is after that first year. After my initial 365 days as an Eag trying to prove and endear myself to the EWU community, I went big at the beginning of Year 2. Backed by my boss, I wrote a proposal to President Shari McMahan for marketing funding to accelerate our brand evolution efforts as the region’s polytechnic.

Perhaps you aren’t “new” anywhere when Swoop jumps into your arms (photo courtesy of Luke Kenneally)

I swung for the fences and President McMahan responded with the resources needed to truly market our brand. With the budget intact and a talented team ready to do the work necessary to achieve results, we bulldozed forward to put EWU on the streets, inside living rooms, and blowing up screens like never before.

From a comprehensive billboard strategy to a sustained commercial blitz to well-placed print ads to a massive digital rollout, our awareness numbers from our Spring 2026 brand perception study smashed those from Spring 2025. However, I will remember my second year at EWU for more than just the strategic and successful brand campaign we launched.

During my second year at EWU, we were everywhere…including on billboards.

Meaningful Work

Although building the institutional brand should and will always be the top priority of any university marketing department, most don’t stop there—and that is certainly the case for my EWU team. During this second year, we were busy each day serving the Eastern community. We managed numerous marketing campaigns for academic programs, partnered with our admissions team to deliver them the applications they needed, marketed the third party recognition heaped upon EWU, and provided our Alumni Office the marketing support required to reach thousands and thousands of Eagle grads.

We also showed up each day to provide the marketing services needed by our campus. From design jobs to logo approval to video packages to photo albums to web work to sponsorship requests, our weekly production meeting to go over new and current projects was never dull.

Among all the work my team completed over the past 52 weeks, I do have a few favorite projects that will always pleasantly bring me back to my second year…

The River Park Square takeover we did put us in front of downtown Spokane during one of the busiest times of the year. Ryan Gaard, our graphic design supervisor, created something that was red, bold, and 100% EASTERN.

Our marketing team worked hard to take over the south and north entrances at River Park Square. This photo shows the south side from across the street.

I don’t know how we did it with the short timeframe we had, but we pulled off a Super Bowl commercial. When the dust settled on Championship Sunday, we had an alumnus playing on each Super Bowl team (Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots). Needless to say, we had to do something special. Working on an insane deadline, our ad incorporated both players and drove home Eagle Pride!

The 2026 Super Bowl commercial that I enjoyed the most was the one we did! This is the opening screen for the spot we created in a very short period of time.

And finally, I would be remiss not to include our award-winning holiday video. I convened our first planning meeting in September not knowing how we would top our 2024 holiday video. We did.

After a pretty intense process to identify a theme for our holiday video, President Shari McMahan chose an idea pitched by Amy Bradberry called “The Future Is Bright.” It would win a gold award in the Educational Advertising Awards.

Hatched

Believe it or not, a job isn’t always about the work. Sometimes you have to explain the work. Although execution is the most important part of the job, being able to explain, analyze, and defend it is also key.

I spoke in front of a lot of different groups during my second year at EWU. This photo shows me speaking at the  FY27 EWU Alumni Board Association Meeting.

The word I have used to describe my second year at EWU is hatched. I truly feel like I had the opportunity to hatch from my Eagle egg and fly. And when I type “fly,” I mean standing up in front of the Eastern community and describing how my team’s work is making a positive impact in the state and beyond.

I presented to students from Jessica Boyer’s Intro to PR class in November 2025.

I found myself in conference rooms and attentive Zoom calls a lot this past year. Some of the presentations I delivered were to Faculty Senate, EWU Associate Vice Presidents, and the EWU Alumni Association (twice!). And even though those groups are important and prestigious, I think some of my more memorable talks from my second year were to much different audiences. Having the chance to address an EWU public relations class and then seizing the opportunity to recognize the work of my team in an all-University Advancement meeting brought me the most joy.

I enjoyed speaking to all groups this past year but the chances I had to engage directly with students made me happy.

The Team

Speaking of my team, I have reached the most important part of my second year reflection. It isn’t by accident that the word joy appeared in the sentence I wrote above about sharing the successes of my team. The seven people who comprise our marketing unit radiate joy. They are fun, caring, and intelligent.

I have a talented team at Eastern Washington University.

They are also very talented. Like, seriously talented. And throw hardworking in there, too. As mentioned, I reached for the moon with the proposal I sent the president. Her acceptance dramatically changed the potential of our marketing efforts…but I had bit off a lot. It was my team’s job to chew. And chew they did. The extensive brand work they undertook (ad development, website building, content creation, etc.) was on top of everything else we did the previous year. They approached this mammoth undertaking with positivity and a ready-to-work mindset. They crushed it.

Carrying Christmas trees was just scratching the surface of all my team did this year 😉. Digital Supervisor Ginny Baxter lends me a hand while Amy Bradberry (communications team) walks behind to pick up any ornaments that might fall off (photo courtesy of EWU/Luke Kenneally).

But we couldn’t have done it without the two other teams working alongside us in University Relations. Our communications unit and alumni unit provided us additional talent, support, and encouragement to promote Eastern Washington University the way it deserves. When we all weren’t working our tails off together in our Hargreaves Hall offices, we were bonding outside of it. This past year we labored to make apple cider, hit the lanes for a bowling competition, and celebrated the holidays with an ornament exchange.

I really enjoy my University Relations team at Eastern Washington University. This was our infamous bowling outing.

On top of our fulltime professional team, I can’t forget about our student-workers and the value they bring to University Relations. We were able to sustain funding for the three student-workers I hired my first year PLUS add two more students this past year. Throughout the Spring 2026 quarter our Hargreaves Hall main suite was bustling with students as they occupied all open workstations. The energy they brought was contagious and appreciated by all.

A handful of our EWU University Relations student-workers. In addition to the five students I hired, we also had an Alumni Relations student-worker and a graduate assistant communications write (photo courtesy of Linn Parish).

I know I am biased, but University Relations is the place to be at EWU.

Our designers deserve a lot more than free ice cream but it is a start. I enjoyed a sweet treat with Ryan Gaard and Emily Ausere during a quick break from work. Ryan and Emily worked so incredibly hard this past year.

Wins

At first, one might think that “winning” in marketing is subjective. However, we do have literal wins from this past year. They come in the form of gold and silver honors from the largest higher ed awards competition. We received recognition for everything from our holiday video to radio ads to a social media video to a newspaper advertisement series. You know, stuff that pretty much runs the gauntlet of marketing.

A few of the Educational Advertising Awards my team won this past year.

Data is also another way to notch victories. Our efforts to promote our polytechnic identity paid off when our 2026 brand perception survey numbers topped those of 2025. The academic program marketing campaigns we spearheaded also generated results in the form of leads and enrollments. In a particularly proud moment, a new academic program will be able to start this fall thanks to the targeted campaign we launched to promote it. My team’s goal to work with Admissions to increase undergraduate applications was also realized.

My team conducts a photo shoot to promote our brand new Law Enforcement Leadership & Practice degree. Luke Kenneally takes photos while senior graphic designer Emily Ausere art directs. She would later take the images Luke shot and use them to make engaging digital ads. Thanks to our assistance, the program received enough enrollees and  will launch this fall.

But honestly, the biggest win of all—at least in my book—is that I am working a job with people who care. They care about Eastern’s mission but they also care about life beyond campus. I have an incredible boss, Eric Limburg, who I still feel indebted to two years later for hiring me. I work under the leadership of Dr. Shari McMahan, by far my most favorite university president I have ever served. My fellow directors in University Relations, Kelsey Hatch-Brecek (alumni) and Linn Parish (communications), form a bond of encouragement that is rooted in support of one another. And then of course I have the seven best professionals taking our marketing team to new heights. I would say all of that is a pretty decisive win.

I work for an employer that recognizes life extends beyond campus. I appreciate the opportunity to include my family in many EWU-sponsored events. This is Sid and me at the 2026 EWU Alumni Awards.

———————-

Please don’t take the “wins” above to mean that I am undefeated or that there is nothing to work on. Going into my third year there are plenty of challenges awaiting. We need to take our brand positioning from the awareness stage to the understanding stage. We need to promote more academic programs. We need to convert more applications into enrollments. We need to get more Eagle gear into stores, find additional ways for EWU to get involved in the community, and do a better job of telling the state that our institution offers the absolute best value in Washington.

Sloan and I carry the EWU title sponsor banner at the 2026 Jr. Lilac Parade. The encouragement from leadership to allow us make time for family and even include loved ones in Eastern activities is one of the many reasons why I love working here. (Photo credit: Amy Bradberry)

But for today that can wait.

On this second anniversary of my employment with EWU I am just going to be thankful. Thankful for a job that pays my bills, challenges me, allows me to march in parades with my daughter, encourages me to travel with my family to Seattle, instills pride whenever I wear Eagle Red, and empowers me to be the best version of myself. Forgive me for saying it, but I have truly hatched. Bring on Year 3.

Go Eags! Don’t Blink.

Cola Contradiction Thursday Rundown

Posted on by
Reply

Where did July go? By the time the weekend arrives it will be August. But remember, even if school does start for most in August this year, the month is still all about the summer. Here we go with the Thursday Rundown…

Cola Wars Slip – I promise I did not plan this. On Friday night, we had our annual summer picnic with my sister’s family. I threw on a Pepsi hat I recently acquired and hit the road with my kids. Before picking up pizza, we stopped at Dollar Tree to purchase paper plates and drinks. I bought a 16 oz. Coke without even thinking about it. It wasn’t until we were at the park that I realized my beverage didn’t match my headwear. Oops.

I seriously did not mean to do this.

Little Free Library – One of the main streets we drive down to get practically anywhere is closed this summer for road construction. Because of this, we have been re-routed through a neighborhood (I am sure the people living in it are thrilled). On the main neighborhood street is a Little Free Library that caught our attention because of its vibrant purple color. I have never stopped at one of these before until now. Thanks to the mini library, the kids have “checked out” books on both the Kelce brothers and the Beatles. It has made an inconvenient detour kind of cool.

We have become patrons of a Little Free Library on Skyview Ave.

Great Mom – I admire how resourceful my wife is. After watching Beau struggle to ride his bike and carry his basketball at the same time to our neighborhood basketball court, Sid came up with a tangible solution. She zip tied a multipurpose basket to the inside handlebars of his bike. Beau no longer has any issue bringing his ball to the court.

Sidney zip tied this basket onto Beau’s bike. It is the perfect fit for his basketball.

Savage Love Re-Do – In July 2020, a certain TikTok trend continued to take the country by storm. My daughter, niece, and nephew decided they wanted to participate in the fun so I recorded them doing the “Savage Love” viral dance. For the past six years, it has been our extended family’s favorite video of the kids. This past weekend, the trio decided to perform the dance once again. I put the clips side-by-side and made this video.

After dancing to “Savage Love” in July 2020, Sloan and her cousins did it again in July 2026.

Collectibles Or Garbage? – That was the title of a blog post I wrote on this date in 2019. I came to grips with the fact that my baseball collection from my childhood was worthless. I also touched on other items I collected that most people wouldn’t think twice about throwing in the trash can during this present day. If you want a decent laugh, you can read it here.

A look at my bouncy ball collection. More than 230 balls are pictured here and all 230 are worthless….just like my baseball card collection.

———————-

That will do it for tonight. I need to hop on a plane right now but I will be back Saturday with a special blog post. End July on a high note! Don’t Blink.

Returning to the Breakfast Table

Posted on by
Reply

One of my blog posts didn’t age well. Or, at the very least, it proves that I should practice what I preach.

Ten years ago I wrote a post urging my readers to go out for breakfast. I highlighted the joys of sitting down at a restaurant and ordering the most important meal of the day.

I took this photo of Sidney with our food on the table at the Southern House of Pancakes in Myrtle Beach in 2016. This photo was included in that blog post from 10 years ago about the benefits of going out for breakfast.

However, before this past weekend, it had been over a year since we went to a restaurant for breakfast. And, if you want to be real technical, it had been even longer than that (I can’t even remember how long) since we ate brunch at a true greasy spoon.

Thank goodness that deplorable streak came to an end on Sunday. After mass, we took the latest engaged couple we mentored out for breakfast. Victor and Helen chose a place on Sprague called Jenny’s. We entered the diner smack in the middle of the church rush. Thankfully, we waited all but 10 minutes until we were seated.

We ate at Jenny’s Cafe in Spokane Valley on Sprague this past Sunday.

Man, it all came back at that moment. The hustle and bustle, the aroma of coffee, the comfy booths, the worn menus, the sun shining through the windows…I hadn’t even taken a bite of food yet and I was already experiencing the allure of going out for breakfast.

But then our plates came and the real magic happened. Between my family, we had pancakes, waffles, hash browns, eggs, and biscuits. With maple syrup and gravy standing by, I scolded myself for missing out on breakfast for so long.

I actually think Beau had the order of the table! He got the mohawk pancake that came with whipped cream, sprinkles, and peanut butter to “glue” it together.

Then the absolute wildest moment of the morning came.

Sloan ordered the classic pancake face.

As we were finishing up our plates and I was preparing to pull out my debit card, our server approached us.

Biscuits and gravy for me, please!

“By the way guys, someone paid for your meal.”

My jaw dropped. I know it might seem like a minuscule thing, but that was the first time I had ever had my bill covered by a random customer. For someone to cover the breakfast tab for our party of six was unexpected, kind, and absolutely made my day. It is time for Sid and me to pay it forward.

Sid, me, Victor, and Helen (thanks for taking the photo, Sloan) were touched by the generosity of a random person to pay for our meal.

Needless to say, I can’t wait to go out to breakfast again (and actually pay this time). Don’t Blink.

Meet Our Porch Goose, Greta

Posted on by
Reply

Although I have denied constant cat and dog requests from Sid and the kids, I recently agreed to something else…

A goose.

Perhaps it isn’t the “real” pet they want but at least they now have one of the country’s hottest trends gracing our porch.

Yep, we now have a porch goose. Say hello to Greta.

This is our new porch goose, Greta.

As we have taken our summer walks, it has been hard to avoid. Geese dressed in clothing are starting to line the porches in our neighborhood. It has turned into a game amongst the of who can spot them first.

And of course, just as the geese started to migrate to our neighborhood, I started to hear more about them elsewhere. I saw them on social media, my sister’s family got their own, and a news station polled viewers on the best names for a porch goose.

With their popularity, customization, and low maintenance, I would have been a pretty rotten husband/dad to say “NO” to my wife and kids. When we returned home from work/daycare last week to a brown box on our porch, I knew Greta had already figured out exactly where she needed to be. 🙂

Greta was already on our porch when she was delivered but we had to take inside for a moment to unbox her.

Sid and Sloan are in love with our porch goose. They already had an outfit ready to go when Greta arrived and they placed her in a perfect spot on our porch so she can live her best porch goose life.

If this lessens the pleas for a real pet, it will be the best purchase ever. 😉

Sloan stands with Greta, our family’s porch goose.

Do you have a porch goose? If so, let me know. Greta could use some fashion inspiration and perhaps a pen pal. Don’t Blink.

Double Scoop Thursday Rundown

Posted on by
Reply

It is the middle of summer and it is HOT. Hope everyone has access to a pool and plenty of popsicles. Here we go with my latest Thursday Rundown…

Ice Cream Flavor – I mentioned in my Seattle blog post that we visited an ice cream shop when we took a ferry over to Bainbridge Island. However, I didn’t reveal the unique flavor I ordered. Cool Island Ice Cream Shop was screaming my name when I looked at the flavor list and noticed they offered oatmeal cookie. It was delicious. But perhaps even better than the taste was the texture! Actual oatmeal oats were in the ice cream and whether that sounds appetizing or not to you, let me say one thing: it worked! Trust me, take my word for it.

This was my cone of oatmeal cookie ice cream from Cool Island Ice Cream on Bainbridge Island (sorry for the blurriness, the photo focused on my kids drinking their shakes). The texture was great!

Slime Bar – Another thing that stuck out during our time on the west side was a slime bar. A store in the Bellevue Square Mall allowed kids to choose a slime color and then bedazzle it with charms, glitter, and more. The eyes of my kids widened with glee while my wife’s eyes scowled with an “Oh hell no!” glare. Needless to say, despite Sloan’s and Beau’s persistence to create a slime souvenir, the answer was NO.

We found this slime station inside a Bellevue Square shop.

Building That Tower – As a nod to Throwback Thursday, I thought I would share this photo of me. As a kid, I loved combining blocks and Legos to make structures. I don’t know exactly what I was going for in this particular instance but judging by my smile I was pretty proud of it.

This Throwback Thursday photo is from 30+ years ago and features me building a tower.

The Hawk – I thought I would give it a chance…and I regretted it. This past week I selected “The Hawk” on Netflix, realizing it would probably be a combination of “Happy Gilmore 2” and “Unfrosted.” If it was more of the former, I reasoned, even though I have never been a big Will Ferrel fan, I might be able to stomach it. Unfortunately, it resembled more of the latter and I wasn’t going to stick around for it. They made 10 episodes but by 10 minutes I had already turned it off. After nine minutes of stupidity, the beginning of the “Thong Song” sequence sealed the deal for me. Don’t waste your time.

“The Hawk” consists of 10 episodes but I couldn’t even watch 10 minutes of the first one.

So Vanilla – I started this Thursday Rundown with ice cream and I am going to end it with ice cream. Today is National Vanilla Ice Cream Day and at first that might seem limiting and bland. However, there are many options to choose from if you opt to celebrate tonight. From french vanilla to homestyle vanilla to just plain vanilla, there are a lot of options to choose from. When it comes to my preference? Give me vanilla bean any day of the week! I think one of these days I will have to do a blind taste test on all the different variations of vanilla ice creams.

Sloan knows what is up! Vanilla bean ice cream is the best type of vanilla ice cream.

———————

Okay, time to shut things down for the night. Enjoy the upcoming weekend and make sure to eat some vanilla ice cream. Don’t Blink.

The Gum Wall

Posted on by
Reply

When we visited Seattle this past weekend, there was something Sloan and Beau really wanted to see. In fact, they were looking more forward to this particular attraction than they were about swimming in the hotel pool, going to the Mariners game, and even having the opportunity to drink soda.

They were stoked to visit the gum wall.

An up close photo I took of the gum wall when we visited it on July 18, 2026.

The gum wall is a very visual and viral phenomenon that my children were no strangers to thanks to YouTube. Seeing the colorful display from a screen was exciting enough but to have the opportunity to view it up close and personal was a thrilling prospect to Sloan and Beau.

And can I be honest? I was pretty excited to see it too.

Despite my many visits to Seattle and Pike Place Market over the course of my life, I had never seen it in-person before. Once we started searching for it this past Saturday when we converged in downtown Seattle, I realized its location might have had something to do with that.

Because quite frankly, it wasn’t easy to find. I used my phone’s walking navigation to locate the spot but the many curves and stairs not necessarily reflected on the screen proved challenging. Thankfully, once we arrived in the general vicinity of the wall a Seattleite who was selling popcorn pointed us in the right direction. He instructed us to take a nearby elevator and then walk a few paces in a certain direction to finally arrive at the infamous gum wall.

We followed the man’s directions to a “T” and sure enough we found ourselves right in front of the gum wall. It is even more vibrant and colorful in-person than photos and videos do it justice. Gobs and gobs and layer upon layer of gum cover two different brick walls running parallel to each other. Amongst the gum are wrappers, papers, and business cards that people have stuck on the wall in hope of making a special mark or perhaps generating some business.

Beau poses in front of the infamous Seattle gum wall.

What I wasn’t expecting—although I shouldn’t have been surprised about it—was the ground around the walls to be covered in gum as well. Even if you were in the middle of the walkway between the two walls you could still feel the stickiness on your shoes.

The kids were definitely entertained. Sloan placed a piece of her own chewed up Bubblicious gum on the wall. However, when I dared her to make room for her piece by removing another piece and placing it in her mouth she vigorously declined. We were going to offer the same challenge to Beau (we thought he would have done it) but by that time he was already walking away from the gum wall with Sid.

If you ever have the chance to view the gum wall in Seatle you should…at least once. It is a cool site and actually has 30+ years of history attached (or stuck?) to it. Don’t Blink.

Work And Pleasure: Seattle 2026

Posted on by
2

Never before had I enjoyed the opportunity to pair an out-of-town work obligation with a family trip. That changed this past weekend.

My family poses for a photo near Seattle’s downtown waterfront on Saturday, July 18. I had an incredible opportunity to take my family with me on a work trip.

Our alumni office recently hosted its EWU Day at the Seattle Mariners this past weekend. The main event culminates in the baseball game on Sunday. However, the day before is devoted to a day-long alumni board meeting. The best university alumni director in the world, Kelsey Hatch-Brecek, asked me to speak to her board about my team’s marketing efforts. Of course I said “yes” and she told me my family could come along.

Since my speaking obligation was on Saturday morning, that gave my family the excuse to drive over to the west side on Friday. We rolled into Bellevue, a Seattle suburb where the alumni board meeting was taking place, just in time for check-in at the hotel. Once we got settled in our room, we went and did the #1 requirement of any Reser family trip: We ate at the Cheesecake Factory.

Sloan and Sidney living their best lives at the Bellevue Cheesecake Factory.

After we stuffed ourselves silly and checked out the nearby Bellevue Square Mall, we went back to the hotel and hit the pool. We then retreated back to our room and settled in for the night after a long day of travel.

Beau taking a dip in the Hilton Bellevue pool on Friday night.

I awoke on Saturday morning poised to complete the task I was brought to Seattle to do. I had a 10 a.m. presentation with the EWU Alumni Association Board of Directors.

Kelsey did a fabulous job at staging the EWU Alumni Association meeting.

The EWU Alumni Board is comprised of 24 members who live all over the state and even out-of-state as well. It was my intention to give the best presentation possible to this group of people who traveled far and sacrificed much to take part in the meeting—including listening to what I had to say.

EWU Alumni Director Kelsey Hatch-Brecek asked me to speak at the FY27 Alumni Association Board Meeting.

Thanks in large part to an engaged and gracious audience, my talk went great as I had the opportunity to recap what our marketing team pulled off this past fiscal year and what we have planned for the next fiscal year. I gladly answered many excellent questions and I left the ballroom at the conclusion of my presentation feeling so honored and energized that I had the opportunity to speak with so many passionate and successful Eagles.

It was an honor to speak with the EWU Alumni Association at its FY27 Alumni Board Association Meeting.

With the important and stressful part of the weekend out of the way, I joined my family back in the hotel room and then we walked to the Light Rail to begin our day of exploration.

Our day in Seattle started at Pike Place Market.

We visited downtown Seattle and immediately hit up Pike Place Market. I think everyone was a bit overwhelmed by the people, shops, and smells but it was such a great learning opportunity to be in the midst of countless cultures and big city hustle and bustle.

Sid and I take our turn in front of Pike Place Market.

After Pike Place, we found the gum wall, climbed on a super cool playground, ate lunch near the water, and engaged with a large animatronic sasquatch. We then made our way to the ferry station.

Beau poses in front of the infamous Seattle gum wall.

An item on Sidney’s to-do list was to visit Bainbridge Island. We purchased our ferry tickets and boarded the boat for a 35-minute ride across Puget Sound to the island. We stood on the top deck as we admired the Seattle skyline and the various surrounding mountains. When we landed on solid ground it didn’t take us long to find ice cream.

The first order of business once we got to Bainbridge Island was finding some ice cream. We succeeded by going to Island Cool Ice Cream.

We also attended mass while on Bainbridge Island. We worshipped at St. Cecilia’s for the parish’s 5 p.m. Saturday vigil. The gospel centered on Jesus telling multiple parables, including the farmer who had an enemy sew weeds within his wheat harvest. The priest preached about the need to remain focused on cultivating good wheat as opposed to dwelling on the weeds.

A look inside St. Cecilia’s on Bainbridge Island where we attended mass.

Another highlight of our Bainbridge Island experience was touring the many shops in the community. Eventually we re-boarded the ferry. On the ride back to Seattle the four of us sat inside the ship around a table and chatted while enjoying beverages (soda for Sid and the kids…a beer for me). It was one of my favorite moments of the trip.

Sid and the kids enjoy the ferry ride back to Seattle.

Back on the mainland I shared with Sloan and Beau my favorite Seattle location growing up: Ye Olde Curiosity Shoppe. For those who have never been, it is just a shop filled with odd and interesting items. The kids (and Sid) loved it just as much as me.

Beau and Sloan absolutely loved looking inside Ye Olde Curiosity Shop. It hasn’t lost any of its charm.

By the time we closed down the shop at 9 p.m., it was time for us to head back to our hotel. We caught the Light Rail and traveled to Bellevue. After picking up some hamburger we went to sleep looking forward to Sunday.

One of my favorite photos from the weekend! Sid and Sloan on the dock of the waterfront as a beautiful day in Seattle comes to a close.

The main event of our trip was the Seattle Mariners vs. San Francisco Giants baseball game at T-Mobile Park on Sunday afternoon. This game was billed as EWU Day at the Seattle Mariners and served as another way to support the wonderful institution I work for.

Sunday was all about the Seattle Mariners game. We had a wonderful time!

We took the Light Rail to Seattle and scoped out all the vendors on Occidental Ave. before entering T-Mobile Park.

We took in Occidental Ave. and all the vendors before entering T-Mobile Park.

Once in the stadium, we walked around the outfield concourse for a bit. We then made our way up to the third deck for the EWU gathering. Once surrounded by fellow Eagles we picked up our EWU/Mariners co-branded jerseys and then entered the private area for the pre-game rally. After posing for a photo with Swoop, munching on kettle corn, and watching the kids take some batting practice we headed to our seats in section 146.

Swoop took a photo with the kids and I at the pregame rally for EWU Day at the Seattle Mariners.

Despite the fact that it only reached 72 degrees in Seattle on Sunday afternoon, our seats were in the sun for majority of the game so it actually felt like 90 degrees. But the warm temperatures didn’t deter us at all as we had an absolute blast watching the Mariners come from behind to defeat the Giants.

Sid in her EWU/Mariners co-branded jersey. They were designed by Emily Ausere, the senior graphic designer on my marketing team.

Although the game was exciting, the best part was just sitting with my family and my EWU friends. Many people from my office were seated right next to us and even President McMahan and Athletic Director Tim Collins were in our row. It was relaxing and nice to enjoy a casual afternoon in Seattle with people who I usually only get to interact with in a professional environment.

Sidney had to shed her jersey as it was very warm in our section. President McMahan takes int the game just a couple seats down from Sid.

Sloan and Beau loved the Mariner gameday experience. Sloan made the video board and Beau got the souvenir baseball he had his heart set on.

Beau and I enjoying every moment of Eastern’s victory over the Giants.

We stayed until the final out of the Mariners’ 6-3 victory over the Giants and then we made our way to the Light Rail. We returned to the parking lot of our hotel, used the restroom, jumped in our vehicle, and started the journey back to Spokane. We would arrive home around 10:30 p.m.

Before hopping on the Light Rail to head back to our car, we took one more family photo. What a weekend!

Again, what made this trip truly memorable was that I was able to infuse both work and family. At times it was exclusively work and at other times it was exclusively family but on Sunday afternoon I was able to infuse both…and that doesn’t happen very often. Don’t Blink.

Breaking Stuff

Posted on by
Reply

It was a little cooler a couple Sundays ago so my family spent the afternoon visiting the mall and some other stores. However, by the time we left the final location the lower temperatures no longer provided relief because I was red hot angry.

Two episodes of embarrassment fueled my rage…

Perhaps allowing Beau to unleash on a punching bag at Dick’s Sporting Goods wasn’t the best decision. It might have increased his aggression as we visited several more stores that day.

When we were at the Spokane Valley Mall, we entered Nerdify, a shop that offers Japanese-inspired products. Eventually, Beau found a clearance tub that had a toy sword. The sword was made of foam material and in addition to swinging it around, Beau was bending the sword too. I told him a couple times to stop because I knew little good could come from “testing” the strength of the foam. Unfortunately my direction wasn’t taken seriously enough because the ‘blade” of the sword broke in half.

I took Beau with me to the front of the store with the broken sword. I showed the store employee what we had done, apologized, and asked her if she could please ring me up for it. She said that wasn’t necessary as she could just “charge it as damage.” Beau also apologized as we walked out of Nerdify feeling embarrassed.

An hour or two later, we found ourselves in Fred Meyer. Sid was off looking at clothes while I was inspecting a couch. I jumped when I heard glass fall on the floor. I looked toward Beau as a shattered candle jar was at his feet. He had offered his sister a smell of the scent but she refused. Once Sloan declined, Beau’s attempt to place the lid back on didn’t go as planned.

I ran over to him quickly as he immediately started bawling. After confirming that he wasn’t hurt, I started profusely apologizing to the employee who was rushing over with a broom and a dustpan. For the second time that day, I pleaded with an employee to allow me to pay for the broken item. She kindly rebuffed my offer.

After Beau offered a tearful apology, I marched him out the door to the car as Sid and Sloan continued shopping.

A few things about these two experiences…

1. There is no way around it, most of the blame falls at my own feet (pun intended). I need to do a much better job watching our son while taking action when I feel like my direction is not being heeded (would have saved us a sword).

2. I did get mad at Beau, especially the second time. I forgot about the advice I gave myself two years ago. He definitely deserved discipline but perhaps quickly marching him out of the store was a bit much.

3. The store employees we encountered during both of these accidents were so kind and understanding. I greatly appreciated their empathy.

Needless to say, I won’t be taking Beau to an antique store anytime soon. Don’t Blink.

Costco Tenders Thursday Rundown

Posted on by
Reply

It is another glorious and that means it is time for another not-so-glorious Thursday Rundown. Let’s roll tonight’s five topics…

7/11 Day – For at least the fourth year in a row, Sloan and Beau partook in 7/11 Day by enjoying a Slurpee. The added wrinkle this year was that I joined them for the first time and I got to enjoy a Slurpee as well. We celebrated at the brand spanking new location in Mead at the corner of Mt. Spokane Dr. and Newport HWY. When we entered there wasn’t much of a line. However, after I helped the kids get their Slurpees (thank goodness Beau let me help him) a pretty long line had formed that I had to stand in to get mine. It was well worth the wait as I couldn’t remember a Coca-Cola Slurpee tasting so good.

Beau and Sloan pose with their Slurpees outside of 7/11 on July 11, 2026.

Independence Photos – Although my children will only be at St. Paschal Educare for one month this summer, I will still cherish the single photo op they took part in. For those who don’t know, each month St. Paschal offers a seasonal backdrop and takes a picture of each kid in front of it. This is at least the third photo of Beau I have in front of the Fourth of July backdrop…

St. Paschal Educare takes a photo of each kid every month in front of a seasonal backdrop. This is Beau’s photo.

And here is Sloan…

This is Sloan’s St. Paschal Independence Day-themed photo.

RIP Lindsey Graham – I was sad to hear about Lindsey Graham’s sudden death. He represented me for nearly six years when I lived in South Carolina. I had the chance to watch him speak in-person once. It was 10 years ago when Sid and I attended a Jeb Bush rally for his unsuccessful 2016 presidential run at the Springmaid Beach Resort in Myrtle Beach (we would attend other Republican and Democratic rallies that year). Graham opened for Bush and although his introduction was a little awkward, it was cool to see a sitting U.S. senator. Please pray for the repose of Lindsey Graham’s soul.

Sidney and I saw Lindsey Graham speak in-person 10 years ago.

Costco Tenders – Various social media food accounts in the Spokane area posted that our local Costcos now offer chicken tenders in the food court. This is great news for my wife and children who could eat chicken tenders every single day. I am sure we will try them next time we pay Costco visit. But did anyone else think the same thing that went through my head the second I saw the photo?…

Where are the fries?!

We will definitely try these soon but there should really be fries included in that serving boat.

Home Run Derby – And finally, just some quick feedback on the home run derby. These days, I don’t watch too many sporting events but since the derby was broadcast on Netflix, Sid and I tuned in. I thought it was fun! I wanted Kyle Schwarber to win as I thought the Philadelphia Phillies’ hometown player coming out on top would have been a great story. But as I saw Jordan Walker go up against a hostile Citizens Bank Park I started cheering for him. What he did when he was down to his final swing was unbelievable TV. Congrats, Jordan! And yes, the derby format this year was improved.

I enjoyed watching the home run derby. I snapped this photo of my TV after Jordan Walker won the competition in thrilling fashion.

—————————

Thanks for reading, everyone. We have a fun weekend planned so I am excited to get to it. Be safe and I will catch up with all of you next week. Don’t Blink.

Hot Dog Experiences From Past 12 Months

Posted on by
Reply

Today is National Hot Dog Day. Over the years I have devoted a lot of ink to hot dogs but I won’t re-hash the many mentions tonight—you can just read about them here (it is pretty entertaining).

So while I won’t re-hash the old, I will update everyone with three extremely brief hot dog stories and developments from the past 12 months…

By the way, I really love hot dogs!

– I took Beau to a 250th America celebration in June. I packed us picnic lunches as it was an outdoor event that occurred over the course of lunchtime. When he saw I had packed him a Subway sandwich that had a topping he didn’t like, he started to throw a fit. I was content to let him just feast on the chip but he insisted on a hot dog. Since there was a local hot dog vendor close to us, I decided to comply with his request.

I stood in line and eventually made it to the front and ordered him a marked up hot dog. Despite the cost, it looked and smelled great—way better than anything that comes in an Oscar Mayer package. In fact, if I didn’t have to put ketchup on it to appease Beau, I think I would have ate it myself and accepted the scorn when I returned empty-handed. Alas, I didn’t do that. When I presented Beau with the hot dog, you should have seen the look of disgust on his face. Although grill lines indicate a hot dog that was cooked right, my son apparently considered them to be the plague.

Knowing this probably wasn’t going to end well, I told him to at the very least try it. He took the smallest nibble and spit it out. What a waste of time, money, and food.

Beau hanging with some colonial men at the “Celebrating America’s 250th: Picnic in the Park” event at Balfour Park in Spokane Valley. This was a few minutes before the lunch disaster.

Two more super quick hot dog anecdotes…

– Although Beau won’t eat a hot dog with grill lines, he will certainly eat one surrounded by sour candy. When we attended a Gonzaga Prep football game this past fall, Sloan and Beau took advantage of the free hot dogs given away prior to kickoff. Instead of topping his frank with ketchup, he topped it with Sour Patch Kids. I will take the “Worst Dad of the Year Award” for actually letting him eat it.

Beau’s candy hot dog. He would later sprinkle Nerds on it too.

– And finally a positive story about hot dogs. Back in August, my brother caught something special from the sky during a Seattle Mariners game. If you have never heard of the team’s Hot Dogs from Heaven promotion let me enlighten you. Once each game, hot dogs that are attached to parachutes are dropped from the upper deck onto a lucky lower deck section. The cards aligned during our Seattle visit and my brother used his height to snag one of the dogs that floated over our row of seats.

My brother holds the hot dog he caught during the “Hot Dogs from Heaven” promotion.

Hope everyone takes some time to celebrate today by eating a hot dog. Here’s to more hot dog experiences (hopefully all positive) between now and the 2027 National Hot Dog Day. Don’t Blink.