It is time for the Thursday Rundown! Are you excited for the five topics that I am about to write about? Or are you just excited for me to finish so you can look forward to Sidney’s post on Sunday? Whatever the case, let’s get started.

Tax Free Weekend – The state of South Carolina stages a pretty cool event. Once a year, sales tax is suspended for a whole weekend. Shoppers can go nuts purchasing clothes, schools supplies, big screen televisions or whatever without paying tax. This is the weekend where those pesky cash register add-on charges are thrown out the window. When I lived in Montana, there was nothing I liked more about the state than not paying sales tax. Knowing that the $10 bill I had in my pocket was going to cover the $9.99 item I had in my hand was beautiful. I totally get the allure of Tax Free Weekend and I hope my South Carolina friends with a lot of purchasing to do take full advantage of it.

Sweet Digs – Today our Director of Housing here at Coastal Carolina University took a small group of us on a tour of the brand new residence halls recently built on our growing campus. With four new buildings in all, two of them will be ready for classes starting on August 17. The other two will open next year. As you can imagine, the two finished structures are amazing. The new era of residence halls nationally is all about technology, community spaces, and beefed up security. I assure you that Coastal has made a big splash in this “new era.”

This is what the “new era” of residence halls look like. I took this photo of Tradition Hall at Coastal Carolina University this morning.

Atlanta Bound – After a few weekends sticking around Myrtle Beach, I will be getting out of the state on Saturday. After working the Coastal Carolina summer commencement that morning, Sidney and I will make the five hour drive to Atlanta. We will meet her family who are spending a little more time in the city than we are and then attend the Braves vs. Marlins game that night. On Sunday we will visit the aquarium. I am really looking forward to this.

Sidney and I at Turner Field in Atlanta last year.

Television Choices – Tonight at 9 p.m. I will have a tough call on what to watch on TV. The crazy thing about my conundrum? Not one sporting event is involved. Sidney did what she set out to do and got me addicted to “Big Brother.” Sad, I know. This evening is an eviction episode! But competing with it for my viewership is that Republican debate. I really want to see Donald Trump’s performance while taking in the spectacle of ten different candidates up on stage at once. Of course if Sidney was around it would be a total non-issue as we would be watching “Big Brother.” But she is attending a teacher event tonight that stretches until 10 p.m. so I will have a little bit of freedom with the remote. There will definitely be some flipping back and forth. ***To those asking why I just don’t record one or the other you have to understand that I am a social media nut and must watch things live.***

Wedding Update #5 – This is a big development…Sidney has selected her dress! Actually, she has had it picked out for a few weeks now. But do you know what she is waiting on?! Tax Free Weekend!! The purchase, minus the sales tax, will be made this weekend.

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Have a fantastic weekend, everyone! Time to see if Shellie or Clay will go home and whether Donald Trump can live up to expectations. Don’t Blink.