An Evening Washington D.C. Monument/Memorial Tour

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When I was at the AMA Symposium last week, my mind was focused on one thing: presenting to my peers. With that said, it wasn’t lost on me that Washington D.C. and all its glory was just a stone’s throw away from the conference hotel.

After I presented on Tuesday and the conference wrapped later that evening, I could breathe a sigh of relief. Before I headed back to Spokane early the next morning, I had a few hours at my disposal to do whatever I pleased. Luckily, I had someone willing to help me make the most of them.

My boss at WSU graciously volunteered to take me on a walking tour of the National Mall so I could see the monuments at night. Holly Sitzmann is our assistant vice president for marketing and communications and happens to live in the Washington D.C. area. It meant enough that earlier in the day she dropped what she was doing and made the trip over to the hotel to watch my presentation but now she was giving up her evening to show me around!

My boss, Holly Sitzmann, took me on an evening D.C. monument/memorial tour that provided some incredible views.

The last (and only other) time I was in D.C. happened to be nearly 20 years ago. As a 16-year-old high school sophomore, my dad took me to our nation’s capital for a special father/son trip. It was an incredible experience and the monuments we were able to see left a memorable impression on me. To go back and re-visit them a couple decades later, this time under the D.C. night sky, was an opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

Myself at Arlington National Cemetery in 2003.

Holly met me at the Washington Monument at around 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday night. As the country voted, we gazed upon the Capitol knowing that chamber seats were up for grabs as we spoke. Over the next 2.5 hours as we walked, many of those races would go final. Here are some of the monuments we visited…

Before we embarked on the tour, I took this photo from the Washington Monument of the Capitol Building.

The Washington Monument – Holly filled me in on the history of the Washington Monument, enlightening me to the fact that it is really old. The structure was built between 1848-1884 and different materials were used to construct it over the years depending on availability and cost at the time.

Our tour began at the Washington Monument.

WWII Memorial – When my dad and I visited in early 2003, the WWII Memorial was not open yet so this was my first time seeing it. Pillars surround the memorial with an individual state or U.S. territory engraved on each one. Holly was quick to point out to me the Washington and South Carolina pillars.

Hope you don’t mind my shadow. It was neat to see the WWII Memorial for the first time.

Lincoln Memorial – Wow, this is so much bigger than what I thought. That was my 16-year-old reaction when I saw the Lincoln Memorial for the first time. When I look back on that trip, the Lincoln Memorial is one of the few experiences that I vividly remember. To view it again in-person was pretty cool.

It was cool to see the Lincoln Memorial after such a powerful experience viewing it back in 2003.

Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial – This was another memorial that wasn’t built when I visited in the early 2000s. I thought viewing the MLK Memorial was unique because you enter the memorial from behind, pass a couple pieces of granite, and then approach the Stone of Hope. You walk in front of it and there is King’s statue.

The way you approach the WWII Memorial is pretty powerful.

FDR Memorial – As we arrived at the FDR Memorial, Holly told me that all Roosevelt really wanted was a park bench. He ended up receiving a literal park that uses its vast space to chronicle FDR’s four terms.

He wanted a bench and got a park.

Jefferson Monument – My dad and I missed out on visiting the Jefferson Monument during our trip. Holly took me to it and as we drew close I realized that although I had seen the exterior of the monument before in pop culture, I had no idea what was exactly inside. When we entered, I was surprised by the towering statue of Thomas Jefferson.

I had to include a couple photos from two different angles. I had no idea that the Jefferson statue was so large and impressive.

The White House – Because 9/11 was still fresh during my first visit to D.C., my dad and I couldn’t get that close. With Holly as my tour guide, we were able to basically walk right up to the fence. As I peered in, I couldn’t help but think, I wonder what President Biden is doing?

I had never seen the White House up close before.

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It was past 11 p.m. when I hopped on an Uber to take me back to my hotel. As I rode back, I reflected on what a peaceful and relaxing tour it was. Thanks to Holly for providing me the perfect way to conclude my AMA experience! Don’t Blink.

Monument Thursday Rundown

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Good evening, everyone. I am back in Spokane as I try to re-acclimate to the Pacific time zone after a few days in Washington D.C. Although a little groggy, I think I do have the energy for a Thursday Rundown…

School Portrait – Sloan recently brought home her individual school photos. I am unable to download a digital file so this version taken from one of the hard copies will have to do. My 5-year-old daughter is getting older but she still has her unmistakable curly hair and that mischievous grin.

This is Sloan’s kindergarten school photo.

D.C. Night Tour – I was able to escape the conference hotel for a bit on Tuesday night. I ventured to the heart of Washington D.C. where I was given a night tour of the monuments. I will write more about this next week but I wanted to point out now that a history buff like myself didn’t squander the opportunity to explore our nation’s capital.

I took this photo, along with many others, on Tuesday night. I can’t wait to show more from my night tour in a post next week.

Special Visitor – We are blessed to have my mother-in-law currently in town with us. She flew to Spokane last Friday to visit and to assist while I was out of town. I think we were all pleased that our first snow of the season has coincided with her stay. There is nothing like experiencing the white stuff when you live in a climate that rarely sees it!

Brenda surprised Sloan when we picked her up from school last Friday.

Spokane From Above – As my flight descended on Spokane yesterday, we took a unique route. Because of the way the wind was blowing, the pilot took us for a cruise over the city, something that usually does not happen. What a treat it was. With a dusting of snow and the sun shining, Spokane sure looked gorgeous. I had an unobstructed window seat that allowed me to identify as many landmarks as possible. When we flew over the Shadle area, the famous water tower sure stood out.

I took this photo from my seat window as we flew over Spokane. Can you see the Shadle water tower?

Gourmet Mac and Cheese – How do you make an impostor upscale macaroni and cheese? Well, this was how I did it last week: I cooked some generic Great Value macaroni and cheese. I then added crushed Ritz crackers, melted shreds of string cheese, and salt/pepper. It sure hit the spot.

This was my “gourmet” mac and cheese.

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Off to spend time with my wife, children, and mother-in-law! Thanks for reading Don’t Blink and make sure to thank a veteran tomorrow. Don’t Blink.

AMA 2022: Presenting With New Friends

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What an hour it was. Yesterday afternoon, I stood on stage with some special colleagues and presented to a crowded conference room at the American Marketing Association’s Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Ed. For 60 minutes, we had the undivided attention of our fellow higher education marketers as we poured out our TikTok expertise and experiences.

As we concluded our presentation and conference attendees swarmed us up front to ask questions, the satisfaction of that particular moment was savored. We had successfully presented to a large group of dedicated higher ed professionals and made the most of our time on stage. However, the presentation itself wasn’t necessarily what brought me the most pride. Rather, it was the process that led us to that opportunity and the relationships that were forged.

The four of us were all smiles after we presented at the American Marketing Association’s Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Ed in National Harbor (from l-r: Me, Katie Camacho Smith, Victoria Mendoza, Andy Thompson).

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Over the past several months, I have had the pleasure of working with Victoria “V.” Mendoza from USC, Andy Thompson from the University of Utah, and Katie Camacho Smith from TikTok. After receiving notice back in the spring that our speaking proposal (#LearnOnTikTok: Higher Ed Strategies) had been accepted by AMA, we “met” for the first time on August 5. Of course I use quotation marks because that initial meeting—and all subsequent ones—would be held via Zoom.

Before I got my AMA credential badge earlier this week, a lot of work was devoted toward our session in the months prior.

Although V., Andy, and I knew of each other, that early August meeting was the first time we truly worked together in earnest. During that initial Zoom call we planted the seeds for what our presentation could become. From that point forward we met pretty regularly, basically once every couple weeks. Our presentation went from a concept to an outline to an actual Powerpoint. When we weren’t meeting on Zoom, the three of us were collaborating on our working files within Google Drive.

At the beginning of October, a very fortunate development occurred. Our efforts to include someone from TikTok materialized. In fact, V. received notice of our new group member as the three of us were in the middle of one of our Zoom meetings. Katie Camacho-Smith, head of the TikTok “EduTok” vertical, was on board to present with us!

Katie’s presence immediately added credibility and a new level of intrigue to our presentation. The four of us worked together to instill Katie’s material into our Powerpoint. We really have content that AMA attendees will crave, we thought.

As late October and early November arrived, we started to put the bow on our presentation. Katie made an intro TikTok video (watch here), we submitted our final Powerpoint slides to AMA, and we participated in a Zoom dry run. It was then time to fly to Washington D.C.!

Our TikTok intro video used the “Full House” trend. Give it a watch!

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I met Andy first. My flight itinerary to D.C. called for a layover in Salt Lake City and Andy was on my connecting flight. Once we landed at Reagan Airport, we Ubered together to the conference site—the Gaylord National Resort in National Harbor, Md. We would meet V. in-person that night and Katie the following morning.

I got to hang with V. and Andy in-person for the first time on Sunday night. After working together for several months on a virtual basis, it was awesome to visit in-person.

A major highlight of the conference was hanging with Andy, V., and Katie. We enjoyed conference meals together, mingled at the reception events, and promoted our session to the many attendees we would meet. We also managed to find a random spot in a hallway to rehearse our presentation the day before.

On Monday, the four of us found a random spot in one of the resort’s hallways to rehearse.

When our presentation drew near on Tuesday afternoon, the four of us walked together from lunch to the conference room (this was it….eeeeeek!). We met with the AV professional who mic’d us up, tested our audio, and allowed us to become familiar with the presentation clicker. The four of us were ready to do this…together.

This was the sign that greeted attendees of our session. We presented “#LearnOnTikTok: Higher Ed Strategies” at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.

As I chronicled at the beginning of this post, we survived the presentation. Nah, we didn’t just survive it—we rocked it. After we had finished answering the many questions from the attendees who approached us near the stage at the presentation’s conclusion, we took some time to document the moment. The four of us took some group photos, including an epic shot on the main AMA stage. Katie, Andy, and I would reunite later that night for the closing reception before going our separate ways.

The four of us took advantage of the opportunity to hop on the main AMA stage and take a photo together after we finished our presentation. What an experience!

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Undoubtedly, what I will remember most from this experience was how four people came together for a common goal. It didn’t matter that we came from four different states or had different employers. Nor did it matter that we had different professional experiences and different management/workflow styles (I was the OCD/annoying Type A personality…sorry team!). What mattered was that the four of us wanted to work together for the benefit of our fellow higher ed marketers and perhaps for the internal professional challenge as well.

I left D.C. with more than a solidified professional relationship with three talented colleagues; I departed with three new friends. Thanks V., Andy, and Katie. Don’t Blink.

Constraint Breeds Creativity

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As I write tonight, I am looking out at the majestic Potomac River on a beautiful sunny evening in National Harbor, Md. It has been a packed day at the American Marketing Association’s Symposium for the Marketing of Higher Ed. I have learned a lot but perhaps the best lesson from today came from the morning’s keynote speaker/bestselling author Andrew Davis.

As I write this, I am looking out my hotel window at the Potomac River.

Perhaps his message resonated with me so much because it doesn’t have to be marketing-specific. Trust me, I am a marketing nerd who enjoys concepts that only people in my field would find remotely interesting. But I also appreciate marketing principles that transcend concepts such as ROI, KPI, and CPC. Truthfully, I have a soft spot for marketing lessons that can be applied to everyday life.

Andrew Davis is brilliant! (photo is courtesy of his Twitter account….@DrewDavisIsHere)

Today, Andrew Davis introduced the Cube of Creativity. Its overlying message was that constraint breeds creativity. In a marketing industry and in a society where unlimited budgets, excess, bells and whistles, complexities, and add-ons run supreme, his message was different…but refreshing.

Davis’ Cube of Creativity was born out of the pandemic but its components might be even more necessary in present day. Whether you want to run a marketing campaign, throw a party, get in shape, beautify your lawn, or start a podcast, his four-step model can help you. It’s tenets are…

1. Stop all non-critical work activities – Eliminate the unnecessary
2. Define the outcome – Which single result defines success?
3. Limit the options – What unreasonable limitations can we apply to whatever project we are working on?
4. Raise the stakes – What will happen if we do not achieve the outcome?

A photo I took this morning of Andrew Davis entering his physical Cube of Creativity.

These four components are meant to cut down on waste and lead to activation. You want to get in shape? Who says you need a year to do it at a fancy gym? Couldn’t you set parameters based on a 6-week program that you do at your home?

Or who says you need to plan out a whole year of content for a podcast and meticulously shop around for the best podcasting platform before you begin? Couldn’t you, um, just give it a shot?

And do you really need a couple weeks to prep and prepare for a dinner party with your neighbors? Couldn’t you just send them an invite on Thursday and host them on Friday?

In life, long-term planning is necessary. However, what if we don’t have the luxury of time? Do we just throw in the towel? No. As Andrew suggests, you might have to kill a couple of current projects if it means achieving the objective that is currently most important. We can’t let our “business as usual” routines prevent us from achieving crucial goals.

Thanks to AMA for inviting Andrew Davis to this year’s symposium. His advice can be practiced both within our jobs and outside of the office. Don’t Blink.

Here I Come, 2022 AMA Symposium!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Vote Thursday Rundown

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Post-Holiday Meal Walks

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Halloween Costumes 2022

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

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

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

Introducing Sloan and Beau for Halloween 2022!

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

Sloan is a witch this year.

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

Beau is Georgie Pig this year.

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

The Watcher Thursday Rundown

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sloan and Beau with their Halloween inflatable decoration.

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

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

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

My bottle of Dream-flavored Coca-Cola.

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

911, What Is Your Emergency?

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

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

“Beau called 911!” my wife exclaimed.

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

Beau managed to call 911 yesterday.

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

“Mama, my friends!”

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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