Happy October and good day! I hope everyone is enjoying a pleasant beginning to the HalloweenGivingMas season. Let’s begin with tonight’s five topics.

Sloan Discusses Trend With Fr. Jeff – One thing you should know about Fr. Jeff Lewis is that he spends just as much time involved with the school side of St. Mary as he does with the church side. He visits each class once per week and discusses faith with the students. However, pop culture topics come up frequently during these conversations. This past weekend, we were spending time with Fr. Jeff when he started talking about the “6-7” trend. I had heard nothing about the meme until my priest mentioned it during our visit and noted how St. Mary children seem pretty enamored with it. Of course, Sloan got a giant kick out of it and within no time both pastor and student were saying “6-7” with hand motions and all. It was quite the sight.

Fr. Jeff Lewis and Sloan go back-and-forth about the “6-7” trend.

National Smarties Day – Today is National Smarties Day and I have one big memory of the candy. Growing up, my mom would take us grocery shopping with her every week. When it was time to pay, we would always get in the line staffed by an elderly bagger named Kermit. This kind soul would joke around with us and then always hand us a pack of Smarties. If he didn’t already have such a distinctive and fun first name, I probably would have just started calling him “Smarties.”

This Valentine treat character, which was created in February 2021 for my daughter’s pre-school Valentine’s Day party, has Smarties as arms.

Lesson on Disabilities – The book I read to Beau last night was titled “You’re So Amazing” and was about a little boy with one leg. Whenever he would do anything—even the most mundane tasks—people would gawk and say you’re so amazing. Then, if he decided to sit something out just because he didn’t want to partake, people would take immense pity on him and think his disability was limiting him. The point of the story was to normalize those who might have a disability and refrain from making a big deal out of everything they do. The story’s subtitle summarizes it perfectly: being singled out doesn’t always feel amazing.

Beau and I received an important perspective when we read “You’re So Amazing”.

Eat Mor Chikin – The Chick-fil-A cow was at last week’s high school football game between Mead and Mt. Spokane. Sloan jumped at the chance to take her photo with the mascot. After I took the photo, I mentioned to her that I had my own photograph taken with the cow approximately 11 years ago when the Chick-Fil-A restaurant opened at Coastal Carolina University. I don’t think she was that impressed.

I took a photo with the Chick-fil-A cow at the grand opening of Coastal Carolina University’s Chick-Fil-A restaurant in September 2014..

Flood Waters – This weekend is the 10th anniversary of when Myrtle Beach was flooded via the byproduct of Hurricane Joaquin. It was the most surreal scene as people were literally riding on jet skis and floating on kayaks through the neighborhood streets. Although the governor told people not to go exploring, Sid and I did the exact opposite. Hey, you make stupid decisions in your 20s, right?! This was the blog post I wrote about the crazy spectacle.

This is me in the water during the expedition that Sid and I took during a massive flood that took place in Myrtle Beach in 2015. Follow the link to my original blog to see photos of the kayaks and jet skis.

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Have a great month everyone. This is my last Thursday Rundown as a 38-year-old (😱). Don’t Blink.