Tag Archives: Great Clips Spokane Valley

Beverage Switch Thursday Rundown

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September is here, school is in session, and fall is right around the corner—even if we are still in the midst of a heat wave. So please feel free to cool off from the 100-degree temperatures outside and read my latest Thursday Rundown…

First Day of School Drawings – A tradition my dad did for me as a child has continued with his grandkids. Whenever a big milestone comes around, my dad will always do a quick sketch to commemorate it. Below is what he did for Sloan and Beau on their first day of school.

These are the 2025-26 first day of school drawings my dad made for Sloan and Beau.

Costco Beverage Switch – In Costco news (no, I am not going to criticize their muffins), the food court beverages are now served by Coca-Cola. We noticed the change when we visited the wholesaler this past weekend to stock up on items for school lunches. Although I do prefer Pepsi, I didn’t lose too much sleep over the change. There will come a time when Pepsi will most likely return to Costco food courts just like it did in 2013—when it replaced Coke.

Hey Sloan, switch that Pepsi cup out with a Coke one! Coca-Cola is now serving the soft drinks at Costco’s food court.

Griz Vision Star – Before I appeared in a Darius Rucker music video, I developed my acting chops by appearing in a video with the University of Montana mascot. While working in the Griz athletic department, I helped produce “Monte Movies” that were played on Griz Vision (aka jumbo tron) during football games. It was 12 years ago when we released Monte’s Roommate. I will give you one guess on who his roommate was.

The opening scene of the movie I appeared in with Monte!

Expensive Clips – We took Sloan and Beau to Great Clips on Sunday for back-to-school haircuts. The venue was clean, the stylists were welcoming, and the overall cuts were satisfactory. With that said, perhaps the $21 price-per-child cut was worth it, but I kept hearing my dad in the back of my head remarking, “When I was a kid, the prisoners at the Walla Walla Penitentiary cut my hair for a quarter.” I know I complain about prices a lot, but I feel like a 10-minute cut for a 5-year-old at a discount salon should be slightly south of $20. We appreciate the Dum-Dums though!

Sloan and Beau get their ears lowered at the Great Clips off Sullivan in Spokane Valley. Each haircut cost $21.

Blood Falls – I saw the below photo of “Blood Falls” on social media and I immediately looked it up to verify its legitimacy. Turns out, the waterfall is truly bright red (but don’t worry, it isn’t actually blood). Blood Falls is in Antarctica and the 15-meter-high waterfall is red because of iron-rich saltwater. You can look it up on Wikipedia to learn more about the science behind it but the image definitely caught my attention.

Blood Falls is in Antarctica and the water is actually red.

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Stay cool, everyone! Enjoy your first weekend of September and I will touch base next week. Don’t Blink.

Veterans Day Thursday Rundown

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There is no other way to begin this Thursday Rundown than to say thank you to our veterans. If you are reading this and happen to be a veteran, I am honored that you would even read my blog. But more importantly, please accept my gratitude for your service to our country. Let’s begin tonight’s post…

Ears Lowered – It wasn’t the first time Beau got a haircut but it was my first time tagging along. My son got his ears lowered at Great Clips and I got to stand on the salon floor with him as his hair drifted to the ground. After the stylist was done with him it looked like Beau had aged about a year. What a handsome young man!

Beau getting a haircut at a Spokane Valley Great Clips on Sunday,

Not in Prime Films – This week I watched a couple movies from the late 2000s with similar themes. The first one I viewed was “The Wrestler” followed by “Crazy Heart.” Both films told stories of substance abusing washed up entertainers. Both movies also boasted fabulous leading role performances with Mickey Rourke playing professional wrestler Randy “The Ram” Robinson and Jeff Bridges playing country western singer Bad Blake. The movies did such a great job of portraying the battle to stay relevant, the pains of falling from grace, and the relationships that suffer. Out of the two, my favorite was “The Wrestler” and if you have Hulu I highly recommend watching it.

“The Wrestler” and “Crazy Heart” were both good films.

Thanksgiving Reads – In a previous Thursday Rundown I mentioned how Sloan’s nighttime reading routine becomes a little more exciting during the holidays and I used Halloween as an example. Well, it is now November and we are picking up Thanksgiving books during our regular trips to the library. Our library has a five-item limit on holiday-themed materials (which I think is a good thing) so we are always really selective when choosing our books. My favorite among this handful of books? For those who know our family tradition, it might come as no surprise that it is Milly and the Macy’s Parade.

These are the current Thanksgiving books we have at our house.

College Gameday in Missoula? – Pay attention this weekend when ESPN announces where College Gameday will go on Saturday, Nov. 20. If everything continues to go according to plan, the University of Montana should receive hosting privileges. In recent years, Gameday has chosen one Saturday out of the season to spend at an FCS site, a welcome change to its usual Power 5 tour. The show has been in contact with the University of Montana and a social media campaign spearheaded by the Grizzlies has generated a lot of enthusiasm. I am hopeful that my alma mater will land the coveted show and the beautiful city of Missoula will be on full display for a national audience a week from Saturday. Oh yeah, if it all comes to fruition, Gameday would be in town for one of the best rivalries in college football…THE BRAWL OF THE WILD (University of Montana vs. Montana State).

From what I can tell, it is looking good that the University of Montana will land College Gameday. (graphic courtesy of the Montana Kaimin)

Veterans Day Personal Reflection – During my junior year of high school my dad took me on a very memorable trip to Washington D.C. to really get a grasp of my American roots. We did everything from the monuments to the museums to the cathedrals. We walked past the White House, walked on the steps of the Supreme Court, watched Congress in session, saw the newly constructed 9/11 museum, and walked through the National Mall. For a history buff like me, my eyes were wide open the entire time. It was an awesome experience, one that I will never forget.

However, the part of the trip that will forever be cemented inside my mind and in my heart came when we visited Arlington National Cemetery. We got off the metro and after just taking a few steps you could see it. Rows and rows of white tombstones poking out of the earth and expanding further than the eye could see. As we got onto the cemetery grounds and started looking around a thick aurora of reverence engulfed me. Although other tourists were all around me there was no noise whatsoever. We were on the hallowed grounds of where close to a half million people were buried, people who had the courage and inclination to give up their lives so someone like me could live a comfortable life with invaluable freedoms. It was an absolute overwhelming experience. From that day forward, Veterans Day has always had more meaning for me (full blog post).

Myself at Arlington National Cemetery in 2003.

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Thanks for reading today. It is still early, so if you have not thanked a veteran yet, you better get on it. Happy Veterans Day and God bless America. Don’t Blink.