Hatched: Two Years at EWU

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.

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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.

Volcano Thursday Rundown

Happy Independence Day Eve Eve! As you prepare to celebrate America’s 250th birthday, I hope you read the latest Don’t Blink entry from a blog that has been around for 6% of those years.

Outdoor Movie – We did something last night for the first time this summer: We went to an outdoor movie. I took the kids to the Pavilion in Riverfront Park to watch “Captain America.” Doing these things is quickly becoming a tradition for my family. After years of skepticism and lukewarmness toward outdoor movies, I took Sloan and Beau to a whole bunch of them last year and even wrote this blog post about my new attitude toward them. We ushered in the outdoor movie season by drinking Zip’s milkshakes while we (more like “me” as all the kids wanted to do was run around 😂) watched the film.

Beau sits under the Riverfront Park Pavilion drinking his Zip’s milkshake while “Captain America” plays.

Volcano of Fries – In my Hoopfest post, I mentioned that since my bracket only had 10 teams in it, we had some time to enjoy the event away from our court. One thing we did was get food in Riverfront Park. On Sunday, our entire family was fed by what was called a “Volcano of Fries.” The idea was that in the middle of the “volcano” you could fill it with lava (ketchup, nacho cheese, etc.)…but we stuck with just plain potatoes. Lava or no lava, it was so good!

Sidney holds the plate of volcano fries at Hoopfest before we dug in.

Can’t Take Him Home – On a recent evening walk around the neighborhood, we encountered three cats at different points during our stroll. By the time we stopped to pet the third one, Beau had a question: Can we take this kitty home to be our pet? The photo below is Sidney actually explaining to Beau that the car actually belongs to someone else and it wouldn’t be right for us to keep him at our home. Ah, the innocence.

The exact moment when Sidney had to educate Beau on why we couldn’t just take the cat home as our own.

One of My Favorites – This photo was taken in a grocery store parking lot of all places but it is one of my favorites. Even though it was snapped in a sea of asphalt, the gorgeous sunset accented by my beautiful wife and kids never fails to make me smile. It was taken on this date (July 2) four years ago.

This photo was taken in the Yoke’s parking lot on Argonne and Montgomery in Spokane Valley on July 2, 2022.

EWU University Relations Student-Workers – One of the early things I was allowed to do when I arrived at EWU was to build our University Relations student intern program. I oversaw the hiring of three student-workers in 2025 and five student-workers in 2026. These EWU students bring a lot to our department via their talent but what I appreciate most is the energy they radiate on a daily basis. At the end of the spring quarter we had a small “thank you” gathering for our awesome and motivated young people.

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).

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Thank you for taking the time to read! I am officially on the Fourth of July holiday weekend and I can’t wait for what is in store. I hope you get tomorrow off as well. God bless America. Don’t Blink.

A Bold Statement in Downtown Spokane

Much in the same way that playing professional sports can be over-romanticized, so can being a professional marketer. Similar to the life of a major leaguer not always being about grand slams and perfect games, my role as a marketing director isn’t always about placing giant billboards in Times Square or running commercials during the Super Bowl (although I have done that 😉). An average major leaguer is typically more focused on doing the little things right like not making an error or laying down a sacrifice bunt. As a marketer for a university, I also take the low key approach of mastering the fundamentals and doing my best to be strategic as our marketing efforts are pushed in less prominent but more targeted placements.

However, just like any average MLB player will have his day in the sun to show off, that opportunity is also afforded to your typical marketing director as well.

And let me tell you, I am pretty proud of what I get to currently show off in downtown Spokane…

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

Last week our EWU brand showcase was installed on Spokane’s signature shopping center and entertainment complex. River Park Square is a gorgeous building that attracts people from across the region looking to shop at high end stores, catch a movie, dine at one of its many restaurants, or just hang out in a brightly-lit energetic space. Located smack-dab in downtown Spokane flanking the streets of Spokane Falls Blvd. and Main, it holds the same iconic notoriety and prestige as Riverfront Park.

Thanks to the talents of our EWU marketing team, we created an engaging design that incorporates our students, current branding, and recent honors.

It also has some very impactful and attractive advertising space.

I have said before that at EWU we have a digital-first mindset when it comes to our marketing strategy. However, we will always invest in powerful out-of-home opportunities that are impactful and help us reach key audiences. With this philosophy in mind, we took over River Park Square’s north and south main entrances with Eagle Red!

A look at the left side of the south entrance. We used one of our nursing students or this portion.

With a lot of real estate available via the building’s gorgeous glass windows, we designed a concept that utilized bold visuals of our students, key storytelling concepts of our region’s polytechnic brand positioning, and our most recent slate of honors/awards. With the brilliant photography of Chris Thompson combined with the thoughtful design work of Ryan Gaard, we created something that looked great on paper and even better when it was installed on River Park Square itself.

We used a biology student to fill the right hand side of the south entrance,

The combination of student photos, our brand promise, and recent awards packs a strong message in a high-traffic area. Our timing is strategic with June and July very busy months in downtown Spokane. Later this month, hundreds of thousands of people—many of them prospective students and their parents—will flock to the streets for Hoopfest. EWU will be ready for them.

We also took over the north entrance as well. Although we didn’t have as much real estate as the south side, we still made the space count. We used a dental hygiene student for this placement.

And we are ready for you, too. If you do live in the Inland Northwest region, you have about three weeks to see it. Our advertising will run through July 8.

A look from the right side of the EWU River Park Square north entrance placement.

This latest activation by my marketing team was met with pride from Eag Nation and admiration from counterparts and competitors at other higher ed institutions. Of course, none of it would be possible without the confidence and funding from President Shari McMahan. What an opportunity she has given us! As we continue to tell EWU’s story in the most effective way possible, we are committed and driven to prove that President McMahan’s investment in marketing is just what our institution needs. Don’t Blink.

Rosa’s Thursday Rundown

I hope the beginning of my latest Thursday Rundown finds you well. If you are new to Don’t Blink, each Thursday I write briefly (debatable) about five random topics. If this format sounds acceptable to you, please continue reading for your enjoyment and pleasure…

First Communion TBT – The night before Sloan’s First Communion, I went through my old photo album and showed my daughter some photos from my own First Communion. I also showed her the program from my First Communion mass. Instead of telling me I look “funky” as she seems to do every single day, she reacted to the photos by saying verbatim, “You were low-key kinda cute.”

This was me moments before we got in the car to attend my First Communion mass.

Fruity Pebbles Candy – I am always on the lookout for new and interesting treats so when I saw Fruity Pebbles Candy at Dollar Tree this past weekend, I couldn’t resist. The verdict? They tasted exactly like Fruity Pebbles (seriously)! However, the taste of nostalgia and fruitiness quickly dissipated and I was done with them after eating the contents of a quarter of the box. My kids couldn’t even eat much more than me.

This candy definitely tasted like Fruity Pebbles.

Bowling Fun – Each quarter, our University Relations team takes a break from the office to spend some quality time together doing something fun off-site. This past Friday we found ourselves at Rosa’s for pizza and bowling. Even though I have gone on record stating that I am not a huge fan of bowling, I had a great time with my colleagues. Perhaps part of it was that I actually bowled well. I don’t know how I managed it, but I posted scores in the 130s and 140s as I won all three games we played (to be fair, just three other University Relations staffers bowled with me 😂). Even though not everyone bowled, everyone had a great time. I am lucky to work with such awesome people!

I really enjoy my University Relations team at Eastern Washington University. This was some of us last week at Rosa’s Pizza in Cheney.

Bringing Hacky Back – There was a major article in the New York Times this week (along with other publications) about the comeback of hacky sack. Gen Z has become obsessed with the hobby and all of a sudden stores across the country that used to sell two hacky sacks a month are selling 30 in a day. Many of these media reports site that hacky sack was a fad and “The Thing” to do in the 1990s. I find that funny because I was a die-hard “hacky sacker” in the early 2000s when I was in middle school…no wonder why I wasn’t a cool kid 😂. But yes, I LOVED hacky sack for a certain period in my life and to this day I still maintain some of the coordination needed to play it. I even wrote about my obsession with the hobby in a blog post from three years ago. I am thrilled to see hacky sack make a comeback with a new generation.

That’s me, wearing my Gap t-shirt and jean shorts, playing some hack sack probably 25 years ago.

Carry That Banner – As part of my role as EWU’s marketing director, I oversee sponsorships. For the second year in a row, we were the title sponsor for the Jr. Lilac Parade. Because of our designation as the top sponsor, Eastern Washington University led off the parade. With President McMahan riding in the car as the grand marshal and the cheer squad/Swoop energizing the crowd, someone needed to carry the banner. I gladly stepped up to help but it was a two-person job so I enlisted some assistance 😉. What a joy it was to bring Sloan with me so she could get a small taste of what her daddy does. At the same time, she got to go behind the scenes of a parade and chat more with her new BFF…President McMahan.

Sloan and I carry the EWU title sponsor banner at the 2026 Jr. Lilac Parade. (Photo credit: Amy Bradberry)

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That will wrap things up for tonight. However, I am not done for the week. I will publish a blog post about an embarrassing moment tomorrow morning…so stay tuned. Don’t Blink.

Housemaid Thursday Rundown

How is your bracket doing? If it isn’t busted yet and you are intently watching the NCAA Tournament games tonight, hopefully you can take a few minutes during a timeout to read my latest Thursday Rundown. Because I don’t want you to miss a moment of the action, I will try to breeze through tonight’s topics…

Educational Advertising Awards – I was stoked when I received word this month that my team won multiple national awards for our work. Our recognition stretched across many different categories as Eastern Washington University took home six different honors—including two gold awards. As I said in the story that was written about the accomplishments, this recognition not only affirms the work we have done but it also motivates us to continue to do it. Our University Relations team is killing it!

I have a talented team at Eastern Washington University and it was great to see them receive the recognition they deserve.

Sloan’s Birthday Recap – What a nice birthday celebration it was for Sloan. She chose Five Guys as her birthday dinner and insisted we eat it at home. She then opened gifts as Uncle Glen, Aunt Carrie, and Olivia cheered her on. Sloan then blew out the candles on her purple unicorn-themed birthday cake.

Sloan had a really nice 9th birthday. This is her with her unicorn cake.

St. Patrick’s Day Parade 2026 – To be honest, I didn’t think we would be attending Spokane’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade this year. The forecast the night before wasn’t looking favorable and we have just been so busy lately. But when the sun was shining this past Saturday for a parade that didn’t start until noon, I made the choice to take Sloan and Beau downtown. We picked out a front row spot toward the end of the parade route and really enjoyed a couple hours of bagpipes, candy, and community fun.

The weather was great for the 2026 Spokane St. Patrick’s Day Parade.

Good Luck, Jeremy Lagoo – My favorite local meteorologist announced this week that he was stepping away from news. Jeremy Lagoo started at KREM about the same time that we arrived in Spokane. I always appreciated his loose and eccentric style but at the same time respected the fantastic job he did at explaining weather concepts and patterns. We met Jeremy a couple times at the annual Bloomsday tradeshow and he was always so fun and engaging with the kids. I wish Mr. Lagoo nothing but the best in his next chapter!

Despite pleas from Sloan and Beau, they couldn’t get KREM 2 meteorologist Jeremy LaGoo to change his rainy forecast for Bloomsday in 2024. I am going to miss Jeremy!

Housemaid – Sidney and I paid the $9.99 rental fee to watch the Sydney Sweeney/Amanda Seyfried psychological thriller. I don’t know if it was worth it and I am certainly glad we didn’t see it in theaters but “Housemaid” wasn’t bad. However, it was graphic in spots that didn’t sit well with my stomach. Not to brag, but I saw most of the plot twists coming. If you want a film with some solid performances and a decent flow, “Housemaid” is a safe pick but I would wait until you don’t have to pay anything to watch it.

It won’t be the end of the world if you don’t see “Housemaid” but it did keep our attention.

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Okay, back to the basketball! Thanks for taking some time to read my blog and I hope you have a nice weekend. Wish us luck, we have a birthday party to execute on Saturday for a certain 9-year-old girl. Don’t Blink.

The Best Super Bowl Commercial Ever.

Tap here to watch EWU’s Super Bowl commercial

When I wrote my Super Bowl LX review, I scrutinized the commercials. However, except for a brief mention, I didn’t say much about the ad that meant the most to me during the big game.

Perhaps my relative silence was due to conflict of interest because the commercial I watched/appreciated the most was that of my employer. I am referring to the Eastern Washington University spot that ran three times during the Super Bowl broadcast.

The 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.

This academic year at EWU has been special because our university president accepted a marketing proposal my team submitted. Because of her willingness to move forward with the plan, our marketing program was significantly funded with the resources needed to do some pretty cool things. While our brand marketing strategy is digital-first, that doesn’t mean we turn a blind eye to traditional advertising. And because we haven’t lost faith in the power of traditional advertising, we did just about the coolest things you can do with it—we decided to run an ad during the Super Bowl.

Thanks to our decision to pay for a lot of TV inventory up front in the early fall, we were allotted local spots to run during the Super Bowl. The plan was to run our brand anthem commercial during our moment in the sun but then something remarkable happened that scraped those plans.

When Championship Sunday concluded and the teams for the Super Bowl were decided, there was something that had any Eastern Washington University fan beaming from ear-to-ear: The Seattle Seahawks (Cooper Kupp) and New England Patriots (Efton Chism III) each had an EWU alumnus playing on their teams.

Our University Relations and athletics departments did everything possible to celebrate/market that two Eagles were playing in the Super Bowl. From flyers to stories to website banners to a watch party, we had it covered.

But what about that Super Bowl spot?

We knew creating an entirely new spot that was Super Bowl-worthy in less than two weeks would be extremely difficult. So we decided to hedge our bets. Our team worked with our marketing agency to create a social media video that was focused on our brand identity as the region’s polytechnic while infusing Cooper and Efton to make our hands-on promise quite literal. Although the plan was to use it solely on social media, we knew it might have greater potential.

Our spot was 100% on-brand with our identity as “the region’s polytechnic” but at the same time it infused the timeliness of two of our alumni playing in the Super Bowl.

When the video was finished, there was no doubt it was too good for just social. Working with our media buyer, we were able to swap out our brand anthem commercial for our new Super Bowl masterpiece.

The spot premiered during pre-game just moments before kickoff. It was then shown during the actual game at the beginning of the fourth quarter. It then had an encore showing as the Seattle Seahawks celebrated with the Lombardi Trophy.

Another screenshot from the commercials shows the point when Efton Chism III was introduced.

The reaction to the commercial was overwhelming pride. The EWU community was amazed just by the fact that we pulled off a Super Bowl spot in the first place. But to make it timely and aligned with our brand positioning as the region’s polytechnic? There was no doubt about it…we had scored a touchdown.

Even though it was just broadcast locally, running an ad during the Super Bowl was probably one of the most exciting things I have done in my career. Thanks to my talented team and our partners at idfive for making it happen. Don’t Blink.

My Super Bowl LX Review

Okay, I am sitting in my favorite armchair (not really, but you get the point) and ready to dish out my hot takes regarding Super Bowl LX. For the TENTH time I am back to offer my unsolicited and annoying commentary on the game action, national anthem, halftime show, and commercials from football’s grandest night. Without further ado, let’s get started with this year’s analysis…

The Game: From a personal perspective, the game couldn’t have been better. As a lifelong Seattle fan, watching the Seahawks capture their second Super Bowl was sweet. From an objective standpoint? To paraphrase one of this year’s commercials, it was meh. Although the Seahawks did turn in a dominant defensive performance, the Patriots played sloppy as they made many errors that had nothing to do with Seattle’s “D.” Watching the two teams play nearly to the half with no penalties was nice but this definitely wasn’t a hard-hitting defensive battle played by two equally-matched squads. The Seahawks were in total control the whole time.

I was ecstatic that the Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl LX but the game itself from an objective standpoint was very average.

The Anthem: I thought Charlie Puth did a decent job. He performed the song a little on the slow side but he did it with honor. The background vocals and band complemented Charlie at the beginning but then drowned him out a bit in the middle. By the time he arrived at the last quarter of the national anthem, Puth managed to bring it together and delivered a solid finale. Definitely won’t go down in the books as an especially memorable rendition but he did avoid any gaffes.

I thought Charlie Puth did a solid job performing the national anthem at Super Bowl LX.

The Commercials: Besides the overload of AI spots, I thought the rest of the commercial crop was pretty balanced with a good mix of funny and emotional spots. If there is one thing that stood out to me, it is how much a spot can be enhanced with well-placed and powerful music. From Michelob using “Eye of the Tiger” during the Kurt Russell ski training montage to Enya’s “Only Time” in the NFL prostate cancer PSA to the Backstreet Boys T-Mobile commercial, using familiar and critically-acclaimed music at the perfect time can increase the likability and recall of advertising. Advertisers might have to pay a whole bunch of money in licensing fees but I am sure the ROI is worth it 😉.

The Michelob Super Bowl LX ad with Kurt Russell used the familiarity of “Eye of the Tiger” to make it stand out.

When it comes to last night’s most impactful commercials, I always like to recognize the spots that either did something super creative or extended their brand beyond the allotted 30 seconds. I thought the Lay’s “freshest bag” QR stunt was genius. A giveaway CTA with a bold promise will always engage an audience (and win you lots of data). I was amused by Coinbase’s spot that simply played “Everybody” by the Backstreet Boys while the lyrics appeared on a blue screen. I smiled as those around me had “WTF” reactions as the lyrics were displayed. No doubt, when the advertiser was revealed at the end, everyone was talking about Coinbase. And then the Liquid I.V. commercial with the singing toilets also received an “attaboy” from me. After an original concept of commodes performing in unison, the screen flashed with “TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR PEE | YELLOW?” There is no doubt in my mind that everyone was silently assessing the current color of their urine.

The Lay’s commercial was successful because it had an engaging call to action that viewers could complete in their living rooms.

My personal favorite commercials from Super Bowl LX? Well it was our Eastern Washington University spot of course! But when it comes to national placements, I have three: The Pepsi polar bear commercial was great. It was the ultimate flex at Coca-Cola, it included a major viral moment from the summer, and it also incorporated music in an impactful way (“I Want to Break Free” by Queen). The Rocket Mortgage commercial was the spot that resonated with me the most. As a family that has moved to several new homes and neighborhoods over the past 10 years, the kindness of new neighbors can mean so much. And finally the NFL “belief is a superpower” commercial was so inspirational and so cute that it was the one spot that truly captured my heart. I give the Super Bowl LX commercials an A.

The Pepsi commercial with the polar bears was my favorite spot of Super Bowl LX.

The Halftime Show: I have said this in past reviews and I will say it again regarding this year’s Bad Bunny halftime show: the bookers and organizers must have done something right because I didn’t like it. The stage sets were cool and the energy seemed to be there but the musical content, crotch grabbing, and booty shaking just didn’t do it for me. Not being able to sing along to anything that was performed nor feeling the least bit of inspiration also contributed to my lackluster reaction. I do feel this particular show will age well because the colors were vibrant and it looked fantastic on TV but even the cameos by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin couldn’t make me feel connected and impressed by the show.

The Bad Bunny Super Bowl LX halftime performance won’t go down as my favorite.

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To be completely honest, I write this annual blog post just so I will have my talking points straight when I chat with my EWU colleagues about the game this morning 😂. Nah, I also do this yearly entry because it is fun to write about…especially the marketing aspects. Congrats on your NFL title, Seahawks! Don’t Blink.

Past Super Bowl Commentary
Super Bowl LIX
Super Bowl LVIII
Super Bowl LVII
Super Bowl LVI
Super Bowl LV
Super Bowl LII
Super Bowl LI
Super Bowl 50
Super Bowl XLIX

First Thursday Rundown of 2026

Okay gang, this isn’t just my first Thursday Rundown of 2026, it is my first rundown in more than a month! The last time I graced you with five random topics was on Dec. 4. But the holidays are over and my regular blogging schedule is back so I will let normalcy prevail. I am enthusiastic about tonight’s lineup…

Beau Wins The Pickle – A beloved Reser holiday tradition is finding the pickle in the Christmas tree. It isn’t for the faint of heart. People get pretty competitive as the tree shakes back and forth as branches are pulled and ornaments fall. My parents offer a children competition and an adult competition. When it came to the competition for the kids, Beau dethroned his cousin Mikayla who had found it for multiple years straight. As for the adult division, Zella, the oldest cousin of the family, spotted it first. To the victors were given scratch offs (can someone check Beau’s I.D.?!).

Beau found the pickle during our family’s Christmas celebration. This is him with the pickle ornament and his prize.

Thank You, Shelley – At the end of the year, a member of my team retired. Shelley Stickelmeyer 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. I had the honor of delivering a speech in her honor during our department’s holiday party. I stressed how lucky we were to have someone of Shelley’s caliber who never brought ego to the job as she thrived at some major university responsibilities while at the same time enthusiastically completing many imperative (but not glamorous) jobs that kept University Relations running. It has only been a week and I already miss her dearly.

It was an honor to work with Shelley Stickelmeyer. She served Eastern Washington University as its marketing project manager for more than a decade.

Ears Pierced – Perhaps the most prized Christmas present for Sloan was a gift card to get her ears pierced. Last Sunday, we went to Silver Safari in the Spokane Valley Mall to get it done. When we got to the shop, we were pleasantly surprised to learn that they weren’t going to charge us for a full piercing but rather just a “re-piercing.” Several years ago, Sloan got her ears pierced but the piercings had closed up over time. Because of the much lower price of the re-piercing, Sloan had plenty of extra gift card funds to spend on new earrings. As for the re-piercing procedure itself, Sloan barely flinched.

Sloan gets her ears pierced at Silver Safari in the Spokane Valley Mall.

Happy Ordination Anniversary, Fr. Mike Kwiatkowski! – Sidney and I hosted the Spokane Catholic Engaged Encounter Christmas party last month. Not only did we celebrate a terrific year for the ministry but we also celebrated the 47th ordination anniversary of Fr. Mike Kwiatkowski. When it comes to legendary priests in the Spokane Diocese, Fr. Mike is right up there. He served as pastor at several big parishes in the diocese and oversaw deacon formation for many years. His service to the Engaged Encounter ministry and the many weekends he has given up to minister at the retreats is just another notch on his legacy.

Sloan poses with Fr. Mike Kwiatkowski at the Engaged Encounter Christmas Party. Fr. Mike is holding an ordination anniversary card that Sloan made for him. He was ordained a priest 47 years ago in December 1978.

Holiday Trash – I ate waaaay too much over the holidays. It was tough for me to turn down the many treats that seemed to come my way. But believe it or not, the holiday snack I enjoyed most of all was something I made! A couple days before Christmas, I purchased the ingredients for a very large batch of Holiday Trash. Consisting of peanuts, M&Ms, pretzels, Chex cereal, and Honey Nut Cheerios all blanketed in white chocolate, I first made this irresistible combination several years ago. This year it was better than ever as I substituted plain M&M’s for peanut M&M’s. If you didn’t get to sample any this year, I apologize!

This was the batch of Holiday Trash I made. It was enough to feed an army.

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Lots of good stuff within that rundown, don’t you agree? Hope everyone has a great Friday. I hope to enjoy mine after my 7 a.m. dentist appointment. Don’t Blink.

2025: Stepping Up

About three weeks ago, I sat down on the couch with the kids prior to school. Usually things are hectic in the morning and I don’t get the chance to hang with them before loading up the car.

I asked Sloan and Beau a question: What is a leader?

“The person who stands at the front of the line,” my son responded.

Hmmm. Not exactly what I was going for.

“Someone who sets an example and shows people how to do things,” Sloan said, before adding, “And brings others closer to God.”

In 2025, the themes of leadership and prioritization emerged (photo taken by Nicole Lynn Photography).

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It has been a good year. As I write in every one of these annual entries, even-numbered years always bring change and disruption to our family while odd-numbered years usually bring more consistency. This pattern once again held true as 2025—although busy and adventurous—didn’t pack life changes or any “rug pulled from under us” moments.

Our 2025 didn’t pack too many surprises…which isn’t a bad thing.

It was a busy 12 months for our family. Compared to last year, we boarded more planes, embarked on more trips, played more sports, and even lost more teeth. Let’s see if I can summarize 2025 in two paragraphs…

Usually, for us, the first half of the year is mellower than the second half. Don’t know if that was the case in 2025. The year started in South Carolina with Sidney’s family. Once back west, Sid celebrated her 33rd birthday at the end of January and Beau marked his “golden” birthday (5 years old) in early February. During this latter month, Sloan asked me to be her date to the Daddy/Daughter dance and she won a Taylor Swift trivia competition. Speaking of my sassy daughter, Sid threw her a spa-themed 8th birthday party in March and then our family friend, Fidela, took her to the real thing shortly after. Sports ramped up in April with soccer and t-ball seasons but the real highlight of the month was going on our first cruise. Before our Caribbean tans disappeared, we were off to Disney World a couple weeks later. June was nuts with participation in a color run, Catholic Summer Camp, a wedding in Brewster, and a family affair at Hoopfest.

Sloan and I living our best lives on Freedom of the Seas. Our family went on our first cruise in April 2025.

In July, we attended numerous community events from park concerts to parades to outdoor movies. But the ultimate pinnacle was becoming godparents to Neteyam. In August we watched my niece get married, spent 24 hours in Walla Walla, and vacationed in Leavenworth. Sidney’s uncle and aunt paid us a visit and I went with my brother and dad to Seattle to watch the Mariners play. Baseball was a constant theme throughout the summer as I took my kids to several Spokane Indians games and we even branched out and attended a professional soccer match. The fall brought the Spokane Interstate Fair, lots of high school football, a visit from Sid’s parents, and a weekend trip to Missoula. Both kids played fall soccer seasons, Sloan joined Chess Club, and Sid and I presided over our second Engaged Encounter retreat of the year. During the winter Beau played basketball, we tried our luck at bingo, we hired a babysitter for the first time, and we attended as many holiday events as possible.

During the second half of the year, Sid’s parents came and visited. We had the pleasure of taking them to Montana for a portion of that visit. This photo was at a Griz football game.

Dang, did you catch all that? If you didn’t, perhaps what I am about to discuss next will be easier to digest. As all the fun mentioned above transpired, a couple themes that defined the year developed…

The first theme of 2025 for us was leadership. In January, Sid and I were elected leaders of our Spokane Catholic Engaged Encounter chapter. We didn’t seek the position nor expect it, but it has been a blessing (and a lot of work) to oversee such an important ministry. Teaming up with Sid makes it even sweeter. 2025 also marked the first full year in my marketing director role at EWU. As I continue to manage more people than I have ever before, I seized the chance to sharpen my leadership chops. Additionally, Sid volunteered for a 24-hour work innovation challenge and ran point of her squad. Despite all that, Sid and I realized where our leadership is needed most of all: in our family. I feel like we have relished the role God has given us to be the best guiders and examples for/to our children.

Sid and I were elected leaders of the Spokane Catholic Engaged Encounter chapter in January 2025. In this photo we pose with Ric and Cindy Gaunt (former leaders) plus Fr. Ken Krall during an October 2025 retreat.

Speaking of Sid and I, the other theme that manifested itself in 2025 was prioritization. And what I mean by this is placing my relationship with my wife above all earthly things—including our children. The necessity of this became apparent during one of the Engaged Encounter weekends we gave in May. The couple we presented with conveyed the importance of this prioritization and it really hit home. Sid and I have enjoyed a fruitful marriage but I thought forever that I was “doing it right” by embracing a “kids are always first” attitude. We tweaked things after that retreat and things have never been better.

I am lucky to have such an awesome wife; we had a wonderful 2025. #Prioritization

With those two unique themes defining 2025, the big three values I pinpoint each year continued to be critical in our lives…

Let’s start with family. The prioritization theme I just finished explaining contributed to the positive dynamic in the Reser household this year. The truth is that when the husband/wife bond is placed before all earthly relationships, everything else—children, extended families, friends, in-laws—will seamlessly and orderly fall right in line behind it. With Sid and I taking more time for each other—even hiring a babysitter at times—we set the necessary foundation for solid family life. It was a blessing to spend time with Sloan and Beau in fun spots like the Caribbean, Orlando, and Leavenworth but we continued to make memories inside our own home. Perhaps some of the best bonding time occurred when we had movie nights centered on “classic” films that Sid and I watched as children. My parents’ home continued to be a haven for my siblings and our respective families to gather for birthdays, holidays, Sunday dinners, and special events. We were blessed to see Sid’s parents three times this year—South Carolina in January, Florida in May, and Washington in October. Perhaps I should add “Montana” to the October meeting because a true highlight of that trip was taking “Gami and Dada” to Big Sky Country for their first time when we spent a weekend in Missoula. The Florida excursion was especially meaningful because in addition to my in-laws, Sid’s siblings and their families joined us as well.

Welcome to the Reser family Thanksgiving table! We had a lot of good times around my parents’ dining room table in 2025.

Our faith was in action in 2025. Thanks to our election as Engaged Encounter leaders, we spent lots of time nurturing the ministry through planning retreats, running meetings, hosting social events, and doing the behind-the-scenes work to keep our chapter healthy. Sloan and Beau finished and started school years at St. Mary Catholic School, attended Catholic Summer Camp, and showed up for as many Family Faith Nights as possible. It was a big year for Sloan and the sacraments. She made her first confession and started prep for the Sacrament of Confirmation and the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist. Sid and I mentored two couples for marriage, gave two Engaged Encounter retreats, and became Godparents again. Other highlights included hiking to a sunrise mass, attending the Easter vigil, joining a Catholic young family group, continuing my membership with the Knights of Columbus, and worshipping as guests at some beautiful Catholic churches across the country. For the second year, I made it through the entire bible. We mourned the death of Pope Francis and cheered the election of Pope Leo. We celebrated the ordination anniversaries of Fr. Ken Krall (54th), Fr. Mike Kwiatkowski (47th), Fr. Pat Kerst (35th), and Fr. Jeff Lewis (14th).  It was a faithful year that can best be described in four words: Thanks be to God!

Me, Sidney, Fr. Jeff Lewis, Fidela, Neteyam, and Dylan pose for a photo in the St. Mary sanctuary after the baptism on July 6, 2025. Thanks be to God! (Photo courtesy of Dylan/Fidela/Family).

Our careers continued to progress thanks to the supportive family and strong faith I just highlighted. Sid earned her company’s national In-Synch Award, traveled to Orlando for special recognition, and was promoted to underwriter. I enjoyed my first full year at Eastern Washington University as I grew our team, marketed our academic programs, generated community pride for the return of commencement to Cheney, and produced the 2025 EWU holiday video. But my proudest accomplishment in 2025 was writing a successful proposal that funded our marketing program and enabled the launch of a major brand awareness campaign. The key to our professional success in 2025 was the support we gave each other. Whether it was visiting each other at our respective offices, attending one another’s work events, or just being a cheerleader/open ear, there was never a doubt that we valued the workplace growth of each other in the same way that we value our own.

It was a good professional year for both Sid and me. This photo shows me with my colleagues in November 2025 with communications director Linn Parish on the left and digital marketing supervisor Ginny Baxter on the right.

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My apologies, these year-end blog posts always run long. As I prepare to sign off, I want to mention those our family knew who passed away this year: Ed Galloway, James Gibson, Rob Heacock, and Susan Yarborough. May perpetual light shine on them all.

Although it has been a good year for our family, we did lose some really good people. This photo was taken on Christmas Day at my parents’ house.

Thanks to everyone who entered/remained in our orbit over the past 365 days. We thank God for his many blessings and hope to use the lessons learned and the experiences gained throughout 2025 in the years to come. Don’t Blink.

My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2025

Let’s make it a dozen. Today marks the 12th time I have scrutinized my blogging from the past year to recognize my top posts. A tradition I started in 2014, I affectionately refer to this entry as “The Big Blog Post.”

With an unofficial title like that, I always try to bring my “A” game for this post. When crafting this countdown, I take great care to select posts that matter to me. Entries that required extra effort, mixed in creativity, recognized special people, or adequately documented major milestones will always appear before posts that only stand out because of high views or social media popularity. Quality over vanity.

For the fifth straight year, I increased my blogging output by penning 188 posts in 2025 (2020: 172 posts, 2021: 173 posts, 2022: 180 posts, 2023: 185 posts, 2024: 187 posts). Faced with my highest number of published posts since 2019, I had the challenging task of identifying the top 5% of my work for this prestigious recognition. I think I did okay…

10. Soda and App Family (March 19) – Sid and I are aware of our different familial upbringings and we usually see the humor in it. One such instance occurred this year when we watched a TikTok video about “Soda and App” families and “Only Water” families. In my blog post I highlighted that dining out with the Mathis family usually meant fun/colorful drinks and a couple appetizers for the table. In my family, we stuck to water and if we ate anything prior to the main course it was either free bread or free chips that the restaurant provided. Our different ordering preferences growing up established the way we order as our own family of four. This entry makes the list because it is humorous but it also conveys how traditions from our families of origin can be fused together to make new ones.

Our family eating at Prospector’s, a delicious restaurant in North Spokane. Portions were so huge at this restaurant that there was never a need to order appetizers.

9. The Fun of Taste Tests (September 17) – My my my, we are starting strong with food-related blog posts, huh? Well, losing weight wasn’t one of my goals for 2025. In an attempt to offer my readers a fun idea to do with their families on a rainy day, I suggested unofficial taste tests conducted right in the living room. I demonstrated how easy it is to conduct such a test by re-hashing some of the ones my family conducted in the past. From jalapeno chips to cookie dough ice cream to lemon lime soda, I offered not just examples but tips as well. This post was entertaining to write and I hope I sparked some inspiration among my readers.

Sloan received the opportunity of a 5-year-old’s lifetime when I told her she would get to sample three lemon lime sodas.

8. Wishing Your Spouse “Happy Birthday” On Social Media – This post made the countdown because it did spark some debate and because I had a strong opinion about it. A smug influencer made a cringy video in which he declared that spouses who wish each other “happy birthday” on social media are insecure. Hmmmm. Although I conceded that I might be subconsciously insecure, I made it clear that I consciously wish Sidney a “happy birthday” on social media for other reasons. In the post I fleshed them out, including the desire to notify others that it my wife’s birthday, the creativity that social media allows for birthday wishes, and the documentation/historical aspect that digital communication offers. If the happy birthday/insecure arguments becomes “trendy” in the future, I won’t hesitate to point to this blog post.

I always wish my wife a “happy birthday” on all my social platforms.

7. Falling Down the Stairs (August 19) – Although short and rather insignificant, I knew when I wrote it that this post would make my yearly rundown. This entry takes the reader through my traumatic experience of falling down the stairs and the toll it took on my old body. But what seemed to really make this post shine was my daughter’s response when I told her my fall was caused by tripping on one of her toys. I still don’t appreciate what she said.

A look at the stairs I fell down in our house.

6. One Year An Eag (August 1) – I had multiple work-related posts I considered including but I decided to go with the most significant and all-encompassing option. I celebrated my one-year anniversary at Eastern Washington University by looking back at the main themes from my first 365 days while including a pretty spiffy Dr. Pepper motif. In the post I highlighted the meaningful work I embraced, the powerful work relationships I made, and the growth I experienced. I also questioned whether people telling me “It seems like you have been here much longer than a year” was a good thing or not.

Members of my team and I take a photo during a video shoot at Turnbull National Refuge. My first year at EWU was full of growth and adventure.

5. Our Father/Daughter Dance Tradition (February 11) – Earlier this year, I attended the St. Mary Catholic School Father/Daughter Dance with Sloan for the third consecutive year. Over those three evenings from 2023-25, some special traditions have been established. This blog post shared those traditions and included photos from each dance. I am grateful for this post because I think it will help Sloan and me uphold traditions at future dances and also serve as something to look back on years after my daughter has finished her time at St. Mary.

This post touched on the traditions we have established at the Father/Daughter Dance and showcased photos from all three years.

4. Why We Went to Disney World (May 5) – In 2025, we had the privilege of going on two major vacations: a cruise and a trip to Disney World. However, the blog posts that covered those adventures didn’t make “The Big Blog Post.” Rather, the post I wrote about why we went to visit Mickey did. You see, the only reason why we had the opportunity was because of my wife’s incredible work with her company, Traveler’s Insurance. Sidney won a prestigious award and was granted an all-expenses paid trip to Orlando. This post dove more in-depth about why she received the honor and how she was celebrated once we arrived at Disney World. Yep, the post is brimming with pride but it was the least an awestruck husband could do to properly say CONGRATS to his wife.

Thanks to Sidney’s work performance with Traveler’s Insurance, we were given an all-expenses paid visit to Disney World. This is us at the beach welcome party on Thursday, May 1.

3. Fr. David Gaines Dispensing Healing and Forgiveness (February 7) – Earlier this year, a priest I know was suddenly thrust on the national news outlets after being attacked at Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral. Fr. David Gaines was participating in a prayer service from the cathedral’s sanctuary when a mentally ill individual sprinted from the pews and ambushed him. In the post, I expressed how touched I was by the way Fr. Gaines conducted himself both during and after the attack. While the attacker was throwing punches, Fr. Gaines did his best to calm him down. Afterwards, when Fr. Gaines was sought by organizations ranging from TMZ to NBC News (and everything in-between), his message was the same: forgiveness. How inspiring! The post allowed me to convey that I am proud to be Catholic, proud to be part of the Diocese of Spokane, and proud to know Fr. Gaines.

My brother and I receive a blessing from Fr. David Gaines right outside of Our Lady of Lourdes Cathedral during Bloomsday 2024. About nine months later he would be attacked inside that very same church.

2. Travis Overton: A Kind and Selfless Leader (January 1) – 2024 ended on a sad note when I learned on New Year’s Eve that Travis Overton had passed away unexpectedly. I worked with Travis during my time at Coastal Carolina University and was shocked to learn of his death. I wrote the entire next morning about our history together, his ascension up the career ladder, and how I respected him. I then told a story I had never shared publicly about Travis coming to my rescue during a very vulnerable moment. By far, the post was my most-read entry in 2025 but like I said before—I don’t strongly consider views when building this countdown. Rather, this blog post earned such an esteemed spot because it was a raw tribute to a friend and mentor.

Travis Overton was a special person. This photo is a screenshot from the 2016 holiday video. I was pretty surprised that I didn’t have an actual photo with Travis but you can spot me in the background trying to do a “dance move” in the teal hoodie.

1. Godparents to Neteyam (July 15) – This past summer, Sidney and I received the incredible blessing of becoming godparents again. That’s justification enough to earn the top spot on this countdown! However, the post I wrote regarding our godson receiving the holy sacrament went beyond just Neteyam getting baptized. It also delved into what set us up to become his godparents: our friendship with his mom and dad.

My top blog post of the year chronicles the mass in which Fr. Jeff Lewis baptized Neteyam Perry but it also speaks to our relationship with his parents, Dylan and Fidela. In just about four years we have gone from not knowing them to serving in one of the most important roles one couple can bestow upon another. The post fills in the blanks of those four years and reveals the glue that keeps us so united. It also gives glory to God for the gift of baptism. A post of the year for sure.

Me, Sidney, Fr. Jeff Lewis, Fidela, Neteyam, and Dylan pose for a photo in the St. Mary sanctuary after the baptism on July 6, 2025. Thanks be to God! (Photo courtesy of Dylan/Fidela/Family).

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And that will do it for my top posts of 2025. Thank you for your readership throughout this year and for any feedback you might have about my selections. The plan is to continue to write in 2026 so I hope you will continue to read Don’t Blink as we enter the new year. Stay tuned for tomorrow’s annual year-in-review. Don’t Blink.

Past Annual Top Blog Post Entries
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2024
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2023
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2022
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2021
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2020
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2019
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2018
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2017
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2016
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2015
My Top 10 Blog Posts of 2014