I read a piece yesterday that was interesting to me. It said that the toughest part of a comic writer’s job is not doing the actual illustrations and layout but rather just coming up with different ideas and jokes on a daily basis. The column characterized it as “plain labor-intensive.” The piece also chronicled a similar issue with stand-up comedians. For many people who induce laughs for a living, the difficult part isn’t rehearsing or developing a stage presence; rather, it is coming up with fresh material. The comedian referenced in the column says he spends almost every waking hour on the lookout for inspiration to create new jokes.

I can relate. At least to a degree. I have authored a blog for almost 11 years and written nearly 2,150 posts. For the most part, each of those posts was based on an idea. Although I like to think that my bandwidth for brainstorming creative ideas is limitless, I sometimes find myself in a rut figuring out what to write about, especially since I have already written about so much in the past.

Let’s face it, coming up with ideas can be hard.

You see, I usually don’t have an issue pounding out a blog post—just as long as I have an idea. Although some of my posts take a lot of concentration to draft, the toughest part for me as a blogger isn’t the actual writing but rather the identification of the idea. I can empathize with comic writers and comedians.

But because of my day job, I think I do have a leg up when it comes to overcoming blogger brain drain. As a marketer and social media strategist, a big part of my success centers on content generation. It is imperative that I have a bank full of ideas, pitches, and angles ready to offer and deploy so that our platforms are fresh and our audiences engaged. The constant replenishment of this content war chest is a mind power exercise that can be applied not just to my professional career but my personal blogging aspirations as well.

Thankfully, new blogging content doesn’t solely depend on a finite reservoir of past experiences and ideas stored in my noggin. Life happens 24/7. Much of what I write about centers on current events, trends, and personal episodes. In short, what I write about next week will likely be influenced by what happens this week.

Even with timely writing, however, you must frame it in a way that is interesting and engaging. That takes idea development and brain power too.

For those of us who are content creators—comedians, bloggers, vloggers, designers, etc.—we aren’t worried about our talent shining through. For the most part, we are confident in our ability to tell jokes, write, make video, design graphics, or whatever. The tough part is the most fundamental aspect of it all—the idea. It is easier said than done. Don’t Blink.

Yesterday I wrote about the optimism I have for March after a rather shaky start to 2022. One reason for my positive mindset is the opportunity that presents itself right out of the block.

Lent begins tomorrow. I think this holy season will offer all of us the chance to really reclaim 2022 and trend in the right direction. After a couple months that illustrated how life is short and that evil truly exists in this world, I don’t think there is a better time to embrace prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.

When Ash Wednesday rolls around tomorrow, let us not forget that Pope Francis has called us to hold Ukraine in our hearts. Our Holy Father has requested that we use our Ash Wednesday fasting and prayer to lift up a country that is currently in a world of peril.

Pope Francis has asked us to devote Ash Wednesday to praying and fasting for Ukraine.

Following the events in eastern Europe can be very jarring. We watch actual fighting on TV. We follow military analysis threads on Twitter. We listen as Putin threatens the world with nuclear warfare. It is all very scary and very real. But can you imagine what it is like for the Ukrainian people? Lent has arrived at an opportune time for us to suffer in solidarity with Ukraine. Of course we can’t come close to experiencing the desert they are forced to march through but we can do small self-sacrificing acts to remember our Ukrainian brothers and sisters on a daily basis.

As we draw closer to Jesus over the next 40 days, let’s make it a point to answer Pope Francis’ call. Let’s pray for Ukraine. Don’t Blink.

Past Lenten Blog Posts
The Lenten Road
The Journey of Lent
The Real Purpose of Lent

Today is February 28 and it marks the end of what I call “the gloomy months.” January and February can be tough for many as we shake off the holiday hangover, battle through cold/short/dark days, and live up to expectations we set at the beginning of the year. Yep, the initial 1/6th of any year can be challenging.

It seemed like the gloomy months were just a little gloomier in 2022. Our family dealt with death, COVID, and other ailments. Add all of this to the sobering Russian invasion of Ukraine and the immense anxiety that has resulted from that atrocity and you can gather that 2022’s debut was a little bit of a downer.

But I am an eternal optimist and I don’t discount the good things that happened in January and February because they did occur. However, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t looking forward to March. I have a laundry list of reasons about why the third month of the year is so awesome (you can read them here if you want) but I think my family is just more looking forward to leaving the starting blocks of 2022 and getting into a routine.

Although we faced challenges in January and February, good things did happen. Just having these two in our lives is a positive gift every single day.

May everyone end their February on a good note. I am eagerly anticipating the longer and brighter days that lie ahead. Don’t Blink.

There is no discounting the fact that a song can elicit powerful thoughts and memories that can transport you back in time to a certain stage of your life. Back in July of 2015, I chronicled the songs that made imprints in my life from 1998-2014. Now 6.5 years later, I realize this list needs updating. Using the same format that I used in my initial blog post, here are the songs from 2015-2021 that have stood the test of time for me.

Long ago, a job I held allowed me to DJ for thousands of people. Some of those songs I played appear on this list.

2021
Song: “Butter”
Artist: BTS
Memory: Sid and I in our Las Vegas hotel room eating huge pieces of cake watching The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. BTS performed this song on the show and whenever it comes on my wife and I always reminisce about that very hot July week we spent in the desert.

2020
Song: “Savage Love”
Artist: Jason Derulo
Memory: I don’t think I am alone in associating this song with 2020. Fueled by TikTok, “Savage Love” by Jason Derulo was the soundtrack to the first year of the pandemic and I know my family not only watched the trend unfold but we participated in it too.

2019
Song: “Never Really Over”
Artist: Katy Perry
Memory: A summer smash hit, we listened to this song a lot. It reminds me of Sid finding out she was pregnant with Beau and it also reminds me of our vacation to the Florida Keys. In fact, “Never Really Over” is the track I used for the highlight video I made of the trip.

2018
Song: “In the Middle”
Artist: Zed and Maren Morris
Memory: I am pretty sure we spent double what we usually do at Target in 2018 just because the commercial that featured “In the Middle” was played so much. Oh well, at least this song was fun to listen to as it crossed over from just being associated with Target to being a major hit.

2017
Song: “Castle on the Hill”
Artist: Ed Sheeran
Memory: Not only does this song bring me back to 2017 but I just really like it in general. Out of the 24 songs on this list, it is one of my favorites. This song reminds me of Sloan as an infant and I can vividly visualize Sidney dancing to the song while holding her.

2016
Song: “Can’t Stop the Feeling”
Artist: Justin Timberlake
Memory: During the summer of 2016, this song was a smash hit. It also happened to be the summer I got married, went on our honeymoon, and hosted my family in Myrtle Beach. When one song can conjure up so many awesome memories, it is easy to see how it can be so defining.

2015
Song: “Homegrown Honey”
Artist: Darius Rucker
Memory: After the music video for this song was recorded at Coastal Carolina University in late 2014, it became the unofficial defacto theme song of the institution in 2015. The fact that I appeared in the music video will forever bring me back to the mid-2010s whenever I hear “Homegrown Honey.”

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Here is my original list from 1998-2014. I guess six years ago I wanted to count up instead of my current preference to count back. Since this is just a copy and paste job, I hope you can excuse the inconsistency.

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1998
Song: “Semi-Charmed Life”
Artist: Third Eye Blind
Memory: Driving around in my mom’s car hearing “doo doo doo, doo doo-doo doo” all summer long.

1999
Song: “Livin La Vida Loca”
Artist: Ricky Martin
Memory: Played all through basketball camp and it also turned into a cultural sensation.

2000
Song: “Hanging By A Moment”
Artist: Lifehouse
Memory: This song accompanied our 8th grade end-of-year slideshow.

2001
Song: “Beautiful Day”
Artist: U2
Memory: Heard this song quite a bit in the post-9/11 months and it is one of my personal all-time favorite tracks.

2002
Song: “Hot in Herre”
Artist: Nelly
Memory: Extremely trashy song but heard it all summer long in our high school weight room during football workouts. Best memory is one day when the lyrics “Get up onto that dance floor” started to play our conditioning coach yelled in his best Nelly voice “Get up onto that football field” (it was time to transition from weights to sprints).

2003
Song: “Ignition (Remix)”
Artist: Usher
Memory: Still a favorite for many today, this was one of our victory songs that we performed on the bus ride home after football wins.

2004
Song: “Let’s Get It Started”
Artist: Black Eyed Peas
Memory: During the 2004 season, the NBA used this song as its theme music during the playoffs.

2005
Song: “Scars”
Artist: Papa Roach
Memory: My friends and I had just turned 18 and we would drive out to a big casino about 30 minutes away. This song was on one of my badly burned CDs that we would listen to on our journey out to lose money.

2006
Song: “How to Save a Life”
Artist: The Fray
Memory: Not having a car my first couple years of college, I relied on other people for rides. This one friend of mine always played this song in his truck when I drove around with him.

2007
Song: “Glamorous”
Artist: Fergie
Memory: I was a resident assistant my sophomore year of college and it seemed like the whole residence hall believed they were glamorous as I remember hearing this song coming out of many doors.

2008
Song: “Don’t Blink”
Artist: Kenny Chesney
Memory: Right when this song came out it spoke to me. I watched the music video over and over. Anyone surprised that this made the list?

2009
Song: “I Gotta Feeling”
Artist: Black Eyed Peas
Memory: How can anyone not listen to this song and think immediately of the summer of 2009? My greatest memory though is playing this song immediately after the Montana-Appalachian State semi-final football game in December of that year (before the song was cliché). The win was so big and the party on the field so crazy that it was the only time we played music AFTER a game.

2010
Song: “Dynamite”
Artist: Taio Cruz
Memory: Someone submitted a Monte mascot audition tape to me in April or May of 2010. It was set to this song and was the first time I had ever heard it. Liked it right from the start.

2011
Song: “Super Bass”
Artist: Nicki Minaj
Memory: I have multiple memories associated with this song, making it just a little bit more meaningful than runner-up “Party Rock Anthem.”

2012
Song: “Give Your Heart a Break”
Artist: Demi Lovato
Memory: The first time I heard this song, right when it gets to the part where Demi sings “The World is ours, if we want it…” I thought to myself, man, this girl is really belting it. I became a Demi fan that day and still enjoy overdramatizing the song when it comes on.

2013
Song: “Can’t Hold Us”
Artist: Macklemore
Memory: Became the theme of both Montana basketball programs when the Griz and Lady Griz made it to their respective NCAA tournaments. I heard it and played it a lot.

2014
Song: “Beachin’”
Artist: Jake Owen
Memory: First several months in Myrtle Beach I would constantly hear this song and know it was written exactly for me.

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Hit me up in six more years when I update this list. In all seriousness, I think it is pretty cool to have all these musical memories documented. Don’t Blink.

In case you missed it last week, a racoon fell through the ceiling of a dining hall on the Louisiana State University campus. It just so happened that it was dinner time so the animal landed inside a full cafeteria. Pandemonium took hold as students scattered and screamed while employees tried to catch it. I watched several videos and it looked like a big mess.

One student who was interviewed said the racoon ran over her bag during the chaos. The thought of a possibly diseased animal scampering across her stuff made the student lost her appetite. I can’t say that I blame her.

I have a restaurant experience with “wildlife” that I have actually told before and that Sidney brings up from time to time. Just like with the LSU student, the episode caused me to lose my appetite.

Sid and I were eating at the original River City Café restaurant in Myrtle Beach, one of the best burger joints I have ever visited. The location we were eating at is a short walk from the beach and customers are encouraged to eat peanuts and throw the shells on the floors. Those who live in the South know that restaurants in hot climates close to the beach attract pests, especially when floors are constantly littered with salty snacks.

River City Café, a famous burger place in Myrtle Beach, makes a delicious peanut butter burger.

We were finishing up our hamburgers when Sidney looked at me with giant eyes. Picking up on her gaze, I returned a confused, yet concerned, glance.

“You have a bug on you!” she warned.

I jumped up and started doing a little dance to get it off. By the direction of Sid’s gaze, I knew it was a little below my collar. But I didn’t dare look. A “bug” in South Carolina means one thing: a Palmetto Bug, which is basically slang for the largest and nastiest cockroach you can imagine. I can do spiders, snakes, and rodents—but I can’t do bugs—especially cockroaches. I didn’t look down until Sid told me the threat was gone.

Once I returned to my seat I gathered enough courage to look under our table to see if I could spot it. I couldn’t, which I didn’t know was a good or bad thing. Sid didn’t sugarcoat the situation as she admitted that the Palmetto Bug was huge. Needless to say, I didn’t take another bite.

Indoor food and outdoor creatures just don’t mix. Whether it be a racoon or a cockroach, even a gourmet dinner is bound to be ruined. Don’t Blink.

It seems like the only thing that can rival the popularity of Wordle these days is that “abcdefu” song. If you are drawing a blank, trust me, you have heard it. This is the masterpiece by Gayle where the first six letters and the 21st letter of the alphabet are strung together with an angry emphasis on those last two letters (abcdeFU). If you don’t know what that stands for, she sings “F@#$ You” plenty of times as well. And, just in case you are doubting what you heard, she ends the chorus with “…you can all F@#$ off!” Not as intellectually stimulating as Wordle, right?

Gayle, a 17-year-old teenager, sings “abcdefu.” Credit to her for making a top song but it is not for me.

At least it is catchy. Very catchy. I admit that much. It is also a dream for content creators. In fact, I can’t stop laughing at a TikTok video that uses the song to narrate an interaction between a cat and a toddler. Totally relatable to Beau and my parents’ cat.

But excuse me if I question the content and tact of the song. Have we really become so rude, crude, and uncreative that “abcdefu” is a top 10 song on the Billboard chart? Or maybe I should just shut up. After all, what right does a 35-year-old dad have to critique a song performed by a 17-year-old teenager?

Or perhaps I just proved my own point when I wrote TEENAGER. I get uncomfortable enough with the lyrics in general but I think they sting a little more coming from someone who was born in 2004. I understand that she is directing the song at an ex-boyfriend but shouldn’t we at least wait until someone is an actual adult before glorifying a song that uses the F bomb in such an insulting way?

My 4-year-old daughter knows the song which is an indictment on me as a parent but I wish it didn’t have to be an issue. I just think we can do better.

I have appreciated the creativity of some who have switched out the expletive and anger of the original version to deliver a more positive message but I fear that the original is so ingrained in our minds that the message might be lost. Kudos to Gayle for creating a song that has brought her fame and fortune but “abcdefu” won’t make my annual list of top songs. Don’t Blink.