Target Thursday Rundown

I know a lot of my readers are fans of “The Bachelor” so I hope you all have regained your composure after the bombshell episode this week. Sorry to disappoint, but I don’t watch the show (although I did write a post on a contestant from “The Bachelorette”) so don’t expect to see it included in my latest Thursday Rundown. Onward and upward…

The Target Trick – My wife was quite tickled last Sunday as she excitedly told her family what she got me to do. I am not a fan of Target – I find it overhyped and overpriced. Sidney does not share my opinion. If at all possible, I try to never walk through the doors of that store. This past weekend, Sid asked if I would join her and Sloan on a shopping outing that included Target. Not wanting to stay home by myself, I accepted. Our first stop was Target as we looked at presents and party decorations for Sloan’s upcoming birthday. We spent a long time in the store before eventually leaving. It was now time for lunch. After Sonic fell through because no one asked to take our order, Sid enticed me to go to Which Wich, a sandwich chain we really enjoy but is also really out of the way. The hidden motivation for going to the restaurant? It is right next to another Target! Yep, Sid convinced me to spend an hour in that location too, noting that this second store was so much bigger and better than the previous one. She found her little stunt quite amusing.

This is Sloan at Target (the first store) this past Sunday. As you can see, she is already getting ready for St. Patrick’s Day/her birthday.

Message in a Bottle – I am fascinated by messages that find their way to random people by way of a bottle at sea or a released balloon. In today’s newspaper, I learned that the oldest message in a bottle ever recorded was recently washed ashore in Australia. The note inside was in perfect condition and dated June 12, 1886 (132 years old!). Sadly, it wasn’t a love letter or prophetic scrolls. Rather, it just contained scientific information relating to a German experiment on global currents. Although the content of the correspondence was a letdown, it was still really cool that someone would find a message in a bottle that old.

Sloan at 51 Weeks – Here we are folks, just single digit days away from Sloan turning 1. I think Sloan is excited although I know mommy isn’t. Even though Sid is a little sad to see Sloan reach a major age milestone, she has kept herself busy planning for Sloan’s birthday party. Our little girl is standing up more and can walk with our aid or by using the walker toy she has. Sloan is starting to figure things out and she seems to have a little bit of daddy’s OCD in her. Over the past few days, Sid and I have taken moments to reflect on what we were doing a year ago at the given time, reflecting on the buildup to the birth of Sloan. So many memories.

This is Sloan’s photo collage at 51 weeks.

March 8 Archives – I have written some creative blog posts on March 8. Take for example just last year when I notified my readers about a website that gives your life historical musical context (when I was born, “Stuck With You” by Huey Lewis and The News was the #1 song in the country). On this date in 2016, I wrote about some unique treats that the Reser household grew up on. In 2015, I wrote about the great experience I had working the Big South tournament as the Coastal Carolina men’s basketball team punched a ticket to March Madness. Additionally, on March 8, 2012, I attended the best concert of my life. Standing front row at the Spokane Arena, I watched Blake Shelton put on an incredible show.

I took this up close photo of Blake Shelton at the Spokane Arena exactly 6 years ago today on March 8, 2012.

Gonzaga Still Amazing – Speaking of Spokane, I must give another nod to Gonzaga. The Bulldogs played in their 21st consecutive WCC tournament championship game on Monday night, defeating BYU. The victory automatically put the Zags into their 20th consecutive NCAA tournament. I will always be proud of the accomplishments of this small Jesuit school and will always hold tight to the small connection I have to the program.

I was a ball boy for Gonzaga years and years ago.

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We are going to try to enjoy Sloan’s last weekend as a 0-year-old (typing that made me laugh) as much as we can. Thanks for reading and I will catch up with you again soon. Don’t Blink.

Brent’s Top 5 Best Songs of 2012

Believe me, I try to limit posts with a negative overtone. However, sometimes I have to write them. When I do though, I try to “right the ship” so to speak by later following up with a positive post. Last week I listed my Top 5 WORST Songs of 2012. Now that I got that out of my system I would like to recognize the artists who actually made good music this year and present my Top 5 Best Songs of 2012.
Enjoy:

5. “Titanium” – David Guetta and Sia

I really enjoy about 75% of Guetta’s beats and “Titanium” definitely fits into that percentile. I dig how the song starts really slow and then picks up speed but never goes off the track and gets real fast. Even though it doesn’t get too crazy beat wise, you can still dance to it.

But I don’t even think Guetta’s role in the song is the best part. How about the vocals of Sia? She has such a strong and sexy voice. Although I really don’t know much about Titanium besides it on the periodic table, after listening to the song I definitely want to be it too! The song carries a message about being resilient and tough and I can relate.

4. “Let Me Love You” – Ne-Yo

I am lucky enough to receive “Promo Only Mainstream” CDs each month. These CDs contain the tracks of singles that will be released in the next month. When I heard “Let Me Love You” for the first time I knew it would be a hit.

As with “Titanium” the song starts a little slow and then picks up speed and really gets going. The lyrics, although overused by millions of girls on social media, are meaningful and heartfelt. This is probably the one song on the list that I am now sick of hearing but during its prime I really enjoyed it. GIRL LET ME LOVE YOU!!!!

3. “Drunk On You” – Luke Bryan

This was definitely my anthem of the summer and listening to this song will always take me back to it. Luke Bryan had an incredible year and this is an incredible song. If you absolutely despise country you might not go for it but if you are open at all you will like it.

The lyrics of “Girl you make my speakers go boom boom” work so well and provide a special kind of imagery. The melody is a masterpiece and Bryan’s voice is gold. Nothing says summer more than “Drunk On You” and almost everyone can relate.

2. “Wide Awake” – Katy Perry

Okay, I will admit that I feel like less of a man by admitting that I like a Katy Perry song, let alone saying it was my second favorite of the year, but I can’t lie. “Wide Awake” is by far the best thing that Perry has ever made. A song that will also remind me of Summer 2012, I still have no problem listening to this song on the radio.

Katy Perry’s voice in this song is just so clear and crisp. You get a great feel for her vocals and she in general just does a superb job of performing the song. The part where she shouts out “Til I woke up on the concrete” still registers as a favorite line of mine and you just gotta love all of her “I’M WIDE AWAKE” declarations at the end of the song. Of course, part of the reason why I love it centers on the song title itself…anything that follows the same type of message as “Don’t Blink” will get on my good side! I can definitely say that I relate to being WIDE AWAKE most of the time.

1. “God Gave Me You” – Blake Shelton

Not even close.

“God Gave Me You” is by far and away my top song of 2012. I can’t express how amazing of a song this is or put into words how much it means to me. Blake Shelton puts so much emotion, effort, and feeling into four minutes of absolute musical bliss that it hits me every single time.

For “Drunk On You” I said if you despise country you might not like the song BUT when it comes to “God Gave Me You” I don’t care how much you hate the genre, you will appreciate Blake’s masterpiece. When this song came out, I didn’t even have someone who I could count as a person who ‘God gave me” but it didn’t matter…the song was just so powerful that I fell in love with it and wanted to make sure I met that person who Blake sings about.

It is a song about self-critique, appreciation, togetherness, and love. It is the ultimate ode to someone you can’t live without. I have several favorite lines but let me just share a few: 1. “I’ve been a walking heartache, I’ve made a mess of me….the person I’ve been lately, ain’t who I want to be.” 2. “There’s more here than what we’re seeing…a divine conspiracy.” 3.. ‘We are stitched together, and what love has tethered I pray we never undo.”

I had the opportunity to watch Blake Shelton perform this song from the front row in Spokane this past March and I will never forget it. “God Gave Me You” will always be with me.

Seeing Blake Shelton in concert from the front row sing "God Gave Me You" was amazing.

Seeing Blake Shelton in concert from the front row sing “God Gave Me You” was amazing.