Bagpipes Thursday Rundown

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March is in full swing and we are enjoying the sunshine that has been prevalent this week. If you don’t mind, I think I will start with tonight’s rundown…

Garbage Woman – I think it is important for children to have a fundamental understanding of how our modern day conveniences work and who makes them possible. Garbage pickup is such an important resource we enjoy and it has served as a great topic to explore with Sloan. Not only do we talk about who picks up our trash and where it goes, Sloan has embraced an opportunity to help in the whole process by taking the garbage bin back to the garage every Monday afternoon.

Sloan taking in the trash this past Monday.

This Time in 2020 – I have been following my Timehop closely as I look back two years ago. At this time in 2020, we were packing up our Myrtle Beach house and I was preparing to hop on a plane to head west. Simultaneously, a thing called COVID was starting to cause a minor panic. We were also up all night with a 1-month-old and Sloan was looking forward to her 3rd birthday in just a week. What a crazy, stressful, emotional time!

On March 11, 2020, this moving truck pulled up at our house in Myrtle Beach and packed up all our belongings.

Marry Me – My movie of the week that I am highlighting for this Thursday Rundown is “Marry Me.” The Netflix film stars Jennifer Lopez as a music superstar who has her heartbroken and on a whim points at stranger Owen Wilson in a crowd to be her husband. When we started watching it on Saturday morning I was like Oh brother, here we go. But in all honesty it wasn’t that bad. Super light movie without a lot of intellectual depth but some catchy music. “Marry Me” was perfect for Sid and I to enjoy together while the kids entertained themselves.

For what it was, I didn’t think “Marry Me” was too terrible.

Good Luck, Russell – It was a bombshell this week when news broke that Russell Wilson was dealt to the Denver Broncos. What a loss for the Seahawks. I wish #3 nothing but the best with his new team and I hope the 12th Man fan base can truly appreciate everything that Russell Wilson delivered while a Seahawk, especially the Super Bowl title he brought back to the Pacific Northwest. Also, I imagine that now that Wilson is gone, people won’t mistake me as much for him anymore. But you never know.

I would like to introduce you to my double, Russell Wilson.

International Bagpipes Day – There is simply nothing better than the sound of bagpipes. Oh, the feeling that stirs inside of me when I hear that instrument. A half dozen years ago I even went as far as to say my favorite part of St. Patrick’s Day (this was before Sloan was born on the holiday) is listening to bagpipes. I can’t wait to go to Spokane’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade this Saturday and take it in as that special sound cuts through the air. Happy International Bagpipes Day, everyone.

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Continue to pray for peace in Ukraine and everywhere else that war is rampant. Let us not forget how blessed and lucky we truly are. Don’t Blink.

Madness at the Pumps

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It has been a running theme in Don’t Blink for about eight years now. Every now and then, usually on a Thursday Rundown, I will report on gas prices. Such is the life when you are a nerd. Let’s take a look at some examples.

First off, if it seems too good to be true it probably is. When I saw all the zeros at this AmeriMart last May, I knew there was most likely a technical difficulty.

I figured the store probably wouldn’t offer me this rate.

At the time I took the photo of the AmeriMart sign, gas was hovering around $3 per gallon. But exactly two years prior in May of 2019, I was filling up at this Circle K for $2.39 while watching the little TV explain that back in the Middle Ages popsicles were seen as status symbols because only nobility had access to the 1500s equivalent of a freezer.

I took this photo while pumping gas in May 2019.

Throw it back to June 29, 2017, and I was pumping gas for just $1.85 per gallon at the gas station right next to Coastal Carolina University. Not a bad price for the week before the Fourth of July.

The gas was $1.85 per gallon in Myrtle Beach today.

Several months before that BP visit, I was smiling from ear-to-ear because despite the major pipeline leak that plagued Alabama in September 2016, Myrtle Beach was pretty much unscathed as I topped my car off at $1.79 per gallon.

I am not smiling at the pump in this manner today.

Think prices couldn’t get much lower than that? Think again. The year of 2016 obviously made a New Year’s resolution to keep gas at super low prices because in January of that year I was filling up for $1.56 per gallon.

Take me back to 2016.

Although gas prices were 33 cents more in September 2015, I surely wasn’t complaining about paying only $1.89 per gallon.

It is harder than it looks to take a photo of gas prices when you are driving. I snapped this in 2015.

Fast forward 6.5 years later and this was the gas price at the Mobil station right next to our house….

I pulled into the parking lot this morning to take a photo of the gas prices at the station right next to our house in Spokane Valley.

Wow. Call me spoiled, but I became accustomed to sub $3 per gallon gas prices over the years. However, things change and we have been dealing with $3.69 per gallon gas over the past several months. It was annoying but I wasn’t complaining (at least not publicly 😉).

Now I am complaining (but not blaming). Gas prices are at historical highs and I understand current events play a role in that. Trust me, I get it. But I think something can be done to relieve the madness at the pumps. Do I know what that is? No. Do I think a solution exists beyond telling everyone to buy electric cars? I think so.

I am grateful that I am not behind the wheel a lot in this current climate. I make the commute to Pullman once a week but other than that I am not logging serious miles on a daily basis. For those who are, I hope relief at the pump comes soon. Don’t Blink.

Dimes N’ Critters

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When I graded this year’s Super Bowl commercials, I gave high marks to the Meta commercial that followed the “career” of an animatronic dog. As the ad revealed, the awkward canine spent his glory years playing for a band inside a pizza arcade. I admitted I liked the commercial because it stirred up some nostalgia inside of me. Little did I know about the next animatronic-based commercial I would watch just a month later.

I liked the Super Bowl Meta commercial that featured an animatronic dog.

Over the weekend while browsing YouTube, I crossed paths with a commercial from the mid-1980s that also packed nostalgia but included a big side of weird as well. Like the Meta spot, it featured a pizza arcade with an animatronic band…only a lot creepier.

There used to be a restaurant in Spokane called Dimes N’ Critters. It was a pizza place that offered 10 cent video games and an animatronic band. Before you continue reading this post, you must watch the commercial.

The story of Dimes N’ Critters, which used to be in the 5 Mile Shopping Center in Spokane, is pretty wild.

Could this place scream 1980s any louder? I never knew I could enter a time warp simply by watching a nearly 40-year-old commercial. To be honest, in this case, I think the nostalgia was just a little too much for me.

Welcome to the 1980s, folks.

Yep, by the time that rat delivered pizza to the kids I am pretty sure they were scarred for life. Heck, after watching it on Saturday I think I am scarred for the rest of my thirties. Man, that thing looked rough.

This rat featured in the commercial is pretty gnarly.

The band members are sus too. There is no doubt the 80s glow adds another layer of wackiness. Do you notice that the skunk (or at least that is what I think it is) is holding flowers? That is kind of funny.

The Dimes N’ Critters Spokane rendition of a skunk.

I am intrigued about the wide selection of arcade games that Dimes N’ Critters had. And only a dime to play! I wonder if there is a record of the game inventory that the restaurant once boasted?…

It looked like Dimes N’ Critters was a pretty good place to play video games…and affordable too!

Stupid question. There isn’t. Believe it or not, Dimes N’ Critters gets even more interesting/weird. Of course, I had to do some research after I watched the commercial. It turns out the place met its demise via a fiery blaze. Dimes N’ Critters fell on hard times when Chuck E. Cheese came to town. I guess the Dimes N’ Critters rat just couldn’t compete with the Chuck E. Cheese mouse. The local pizza arcade was in so much financial trouble that the owner resorted to torching the place.

The demise of Dimes N’ Critters is pretty wild.

Sadly, the band served as the origin of the fire. The owner doused the creatures in gasoline and lit a match. Wait, was that actually sad?

These guys played their last song shortly after Chuck E. Cheese moved into town.

RIP Dimes N’ Critters. Don’t Blink.

The Idea

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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.

Cold Cut Thursday Rundown

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You know what? In exactly 1,311 years today’s date that will be 3/3/3333. Alright, on that note let’s get to the Thursday Rundown…

Celebrity Big Brother Reaction – Well, Sidney and I watched every episode of the third season of Celebrity Big Brother and enjoyed it thoroughly. Before the game started, I said I was going to pull for Todd Bridges. He made it far into the game but UFC fighter Miesha Tate outlasted everyone for the $250,000. To be honest, I could not have been happier. I became a Miesha fan early in the game and cheered for her to be victorious. I liked how she played hard and with intensity…she never tried to “lay low” during competitions. I also admired how well she did considering the strict training and diet regimen she was on. Sidney didn’t like her but I sure did.

I was happy to see Miesha Tate when Celebrity Big Brother.

The Godfather – If you haven’t watched The Godfather movies, at least the first two, you should probably get on it. I didn’t watch them until four years ago but I was glad I did. The films are classic American cinema and contain pop culture references used today (that you have no idea about). In honor of the franchise turning 50 years old, I think it is time that you get some popcorn and watch The Godfather.

Me holding last Sunday’s Parade issue that celebrated the 50th anniversary of The Godfather.

National Cold Cuts Day – Back before Subway got expensive, it was actually my favorite fast food restaurant. During this era that ran roughly from 2010-2014, the only sandwich I would order was the $5 cold cut combo. Oh how I loved chomping into one of those things. Simple, fresh, and filling. But Subway has really gone down hill over the past several years so I won’t be celebrating today.

I used to like nothing more than a fresh cold cut combo from Subway

Sriracha – This weekend will mark nine years since I wrote an ode to Sriracha sauce. Back in those days, I put it on pretty much everything…well, except for ice cream. What made Sriracha so special? I think it packed both heat and flavor to a degree that other hot sauces couldn’t come close to reaching. But a couple years after I wrote this, I ended up phasing Sriracha out of my life. The reason for this was that I met Sidney, an incredible cook. I quickly learned that when you are eating delicious homecooked meals there is no need for a hot sauce.

Back in 2013 when I didn’t need just one BUT two bottles of Sriracha in my apartment.

Throwback Humor – I thought we would end tonight’s rundown with a little bit of humor. I still enjoy the concept of Throwback Thursday after all these years and sometimes participate myself. But I thought this angle on Throwback Thursday was pretty cute.

I thought this was pretty good!

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Thanks for your kind attention tonight. Enjoy your Friday and I hope you have a nice weekend. Don’t Blink.

Contemplating Mortality

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Today at Ash Wednesday mass, the familiar dictum was said as ashes were sprinkled on the foreheads of millions.

Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.

This blunt reminder of our mortality and the fate of our earthly bodies resonated just a little bit more this year. With multiple untimely deaths of people I know in early 2022, I have naturally taken time to reflect on the reality that my number will be called one of these days—perhaps tomorrow, perhaps 50 years from now. When that time comes, will I be ready?

I plan to reflect more on my mortality throughout Lent, which is the perfect time to do so. I also hope to live in a way that will better prepare me to be ready, embracing the other refrain that is uttered with the sprinkling of ashes: Repent and believe in the Gospel.

Ashes remind us of our mortality. Lent is a perfect time to reflect on it.

It is easy to become depressed and scared about death. But as we journey through Lent and delve more into suffering and our impending demise, we must not lose track of what awaits us at the end of these 40 days. On Easter Sunday we will celebrate Christ’s resurrection and the ultimate victory over death. Yes, we all will die in our own earthly way but there is the promise of eternal life that will be given to those who prepare accordingly. Let’s make the most out of Lent 2022 while remembering to keep everyone impacted by war in our hearts. Don’t Blink.

Lent 2022: Solidarity With Ukraine

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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

Anticipating March

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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.

Tootsie Thursday Rundown

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Good evening on this last Thursday of February. I appreciate you joining me for another Thursday Rundown. Quick note: Although we have been following along and watching every episode of Celebrity Big Brother, we are just a little behind and will watch the finale tonight (it aired last night). Therefore, I will give my reaction regarding the season and the winner next Thursday. Okay, let’s get after it.

Fun Weekend Treat – Last Sunday, I made Beau and Sloan Cinnamon Toast Crunch pancakes. The package came with pancake dust, “cinnamon dust,” and Cinnamon Toast Crunch pieces to sprinkle on top. They turned out pretty well as I couldn’t resist eating a few myself. However, Sloan already has her eyes set on something else: Lucky Charms pancakes. They were advertised on the side of the Cinnamon Toast Crunch pancake box and now Sloan can’t stop talking about them.

Beau and Sloan sitting at the kitchen table eating the Cinnamon Toast Crunch pancakes I made for them.

The Tootsie Roll – I learned via Timehop that the Tootsie Roll was invented in 1896…that’s 126 years ago for those keeping track at home. Tootsie Rolls are unique because they have qualities similar to both taffy and caramels but actually aren’t either. However, all these years I just assumed they were a chocolate candy. Approximately 64 million Tootsie Rolls are made annually. Oh wait, I read that wrong…64 million Tootsie Rolls are made PER DAY. I will never forget the time my brother and I secured a birthday gift for my mom by going hard at an arcade in Walla Walla and winning enough tickets to redeem them for a cup and a bunch of Tootsie Rolls that we were able to stuff inside.

Tootsie Rolls were invented in 1896.

The Five Chinese Brothers – Last night at the library I stumbled across a book from my own childhood, “The Five Chinese Brothers.” This book was in my elementary school library and for some reason as a little kid I was drawn to it. So when I came across it yesterday, I couldn’t check it out fast enough. Even though the book has same dark themes with the death of a boy and several execution attempts, I went ahead and read it to Sloan and Beau. Sloan was intrigued by the story and had figured out the pattern by the time we got to the end. Nice little stroll down memory lane.

My parents read me “Five Chinese Brothers” as a kid and last night I got to read it to Sloan and Beau.

National Tortilla Day – Today is National Tortilla Day (yay). Last year I celebrated by writing an entire National Tortilla Day-themed blog post. The specific content? How Mexican restaurants can really separate themselves from other Mexican restaurants…with the chips they serve! From the temperature to the thickness to the taste to the salsa they are served with, I offered many ways on how tortilla chips can stand out. It was a fun blog post to write and I encourage you to check it out.

Today is National Tortilla Chip Day and tortilla chips are definitely very important at Mexican restaurants

Spring Hope – I don’t care what the groundhog said and I recognize that it was in single digits here this week, but Spring is coming. When I make my weekly drive to Pullman I am no longer doing it entirely in the dark. In fact, when I backed out of my driveway on Tuesday at 5:45 a.m., it was already starting to get light out. Likewise, when I leave at the end of the day, I get to drive in at least 30 minutes of daylight on my return to Spokane. I have always found it very encouraging when it is easy to tell that the days are getting longer.

A photo I took of the sunrise on my drive to Pullman on Tuesday morning. I encountered some snowy roads later in the trip.

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Thank you for your kind attention tonight. Let’s pray for peace in Europe. Have a good weekend and I will catch up with everyone next week. Don’t Blink.

24 Songs That Define 24 Years

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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.