Just a Casual Night Drinking Wine With Giraffes

Selfie in Front of Japanese Garden

Saturday night, Carrie and I went to Roar and Pour at the Topeka Zoo. It was our first time attending, and we had a great time. The weather was perfect. We went with our friends Laura and Jason, who invited us to attend. They had been several times before and thought we would enjoy the event. They were right. We loved it. Carrie now wants to get a season membership so she can go and sit in the Japanese Garden whenever she wants.

We also ran into friends we had not seen in years. They live in Kansas City but still enjoy making time for events in Topeka. It was great to see them and catch up with Carla and her family. I met Carla back in 2000 when I went on a cruise, which is also where I met Carrie. We were able to chat with Carla and her family for a while at the end of the evening, which was a lot of fun.

I also saw one of my fellow Leadership Greater Topeka Class of 2026 classmates, Caleb, who was volunteering and serving wine. Caleb used to work at the Zoo, so he was helping out for the event. His station was serving Champagne. I had forgotten that Jason and Caleb worked together for a year or so, so it was fun to catch up and hear stories about their time working together.

Carrie Feeding the Giraffe

We arrived around 5 pm for the VIP session, which ran from 5 to 6 and included feeding the giraffes along with dinner. Feeding the giraffes was a lot of fun, although we could not pet them even though they seemed to be asking us to. The food was good as well, and Hazel Hill Chocolate provided desserts that were excellent. I had part of a caramel apple, and it was delicious.

The event picked up around 6 pm when the general public arrived. Even then, it was still a fun time and not too crowded as we moved from wine station to wine station. They also had food available as part of the event, including wings, and Toppers Pizza was handing out slices. It was a good way to finish the night. The evening wrapped up around 9 pm. Afterward, Carrie and I stopped by Erin and Greg’s place for a drink and to tell them about our night.

Group Picture to End the Night

It was a fun way to spend our Saturday while giving back to the community. We lucked out with the weather, especially since I remember hearing about downpours during previous years when friends attended. I would definitely sign up for this again next year. I really enjoyed the evening, and seeing the animals throughout the night was a bonus.

Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week!

Starting Over, One Run at a Time

I went on my first run this morning. The last time I exercised was in June or July of 2025. The last time I actually ran was in June of 2024. Wow. I knew it had been a while. I have not been exercising at all, so I was pleasantly surprised that it felt fairly easy to get out and run this morning. I felt good and honestly felt like I could have gone longer than the 28 minutes, but it was a good start for me. No, I was not running the entire time. I am working back into it gradually with walking and jogging to build up my endurance. I also made sure to stretch before and after.

As some of you know, I have lost weight over the past year thanks to Mounjaro, which I have been taking for a while now. I have lost around forty-five pounds since October 2024, and that is without doing much at all over the last year or so. I have been fairly stagnant with weight loss for the past six to eight months, so I am hoping that starting up an exercise routine will help jump-start things again.

I was doing well riding my bike on a regular basis, but I got out of the habit after traveling and never really got back to it. I enjoy running and I enjoy biking. This morning was beautiful, with a slight chill in the air, which had me wearing long pants for my run. It was perfect. My hands were a little cold at the start, but after running, I warmed up and felt great. I enjoy the whole process, from running when it is chilly to running when it is hot out.

After a workout, I still enjoy seeing our dog, Oliver, get excited for his walk. He knows he is getting walked. Even after not feeling well over the past few months, he did not disappoint this morning. He was excited and waiting for me at the door when I returned.

I took Oliver out for his walk, which ends up being my cool-down. Oliver had a great time, although I did have to pick him up and carry him home for the last block or two. He definitely enjoyed himself, and he is now spending his Sunday afternoon sleeping. Granted, that is pretty normal for him whether we go for a walk or not, but he does seem a little more sleepy this afternoon compared to most days.

All of this is to say that I am trying to get back into a regular exercise routine. For now, my plan is to run at least three times a week. Those days will likely be Sunday, Tuesday, and Thursday, although I can always move things around to accommodate other events. I am putting the workouts on my calendar to help lock them in and avoid excuses. I know Oliver will also enjoy me being on a more consistent workout and walking routine.

Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday.

Carrie’s Birthday Weekend and Easter Reflections

Happy Easter to all!

We spent the weekend in Kansas City to celebrate Carrie’s birthday. She wanted to get away, so we stayed at our favorite hotel in Kansas City, the InterContinental on the Plaza. We arrived Friday evening and have had a wonderful time. We did a little shopping, but mostly focused on relaxing around the hotel. We brought Oliver with us, and he has been enjoying the many walks we have taken.

On Sunday morning, Easter morning, we are headed to Lawrence to spend the afternoon with Mom. We picked up a dessert from Costco for everyone to enjoy. Everyone will be there except the Browns. Carrie and I keep talking about making a trip to Wichita to see them. We need to get that planned and just do it one weekend.

I am looking forward to spending the afternoon in Lawrence. Tim will be bringing his Bloody Marys for all to enjoy. I am sure I will overeat with all the Easter food. It will be good to see everyone, and we will miss our sister, Jen, who is in Wichita.

May each of you have a fantastic Easter. Have a great week, and know that spring is happening, with trees starting to bloom.

Hope Springs Eternal on Opening Weekend

The year is flying by, and somehow we are already at the start of baseball season. It feels like we just wrapped up spring training, yet here we are. The opening of the season has been a little odd this year, with teams starting play on different days. Only two teams kicked things off on Wednesday, a handful more played on Thursday, and then everyone else finally got going on Friday as they begin their 2026 run.

The Kansas City Royals opened their season Friday night, and it was not the start we were hoping for. We lost and did not score a single run. We left multiple runners on base, which has unfortunately become a familiar storyline over the past few seasons. The pitching was not great either, as we gave up six runs while putting up zero of our own.

It feels like expectations are higher for the Royals this year, at least in my house. I’ll admit I always start the season optimistic, but this year feels a little different. My expectations are higher than they have been in a while. Last season we finished 82-87, and there were some games that were tough to sit through. Most projections have us right back in that same 82-87 range again this season, and honestly, I would take that without hesitation.

This season also brings something new to the game with the introduction of the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System. Players can now challenge strike zone calls, with each team getting two challenges per game. If the call is overturned, the team keeps the challenge. In Friday night’s game, Salvador Salvy Perez wasted no time showing that he plans to use this new system. It will be interesting to see how teams decide when to challenge calls and how strategic they become with it. I’m also curious to see what this does to pitch framing. It did not look like Salvy was framing pitches Friday night, so I will be watching to see if that continues and whether other catchers follow the same approach.

Getting ready now to watch the second game of the season, with first pitch set for 6:15. Hopefully tonight brings our first win of the 2026 season and kicks off our march toward an 82-87 win year. Let’s go Royals!

Discovering Little Rock One Meal at a Time

Carrie and me walking across the bridge

We took a vacation this past week while Carrie was on Spring Break at her work. I took a few days off so we could all go on a trip together. We traveled with Erin and Greg, and while we had originally planned to go to Florida, those plans did not work out. Instead, we threw a bunch of destinations into a virtual hat and voted.

From that list, we narrowed it down to Chicago, San Antonio, and Little Rock. We do plan to go to Chicago at some point, likely by train, but decided now was not the right time. While we had all passed through Little Rock on various trips, none of us had ever spent any real time there. With the voting finished, we started researching places to stay and, more importantly, places to eat.

We reviewed several Airbnb options and selected one. About two weeks before our trip, the owner reached out to let me know they needed to cancel. What? There was some mix up on their end, and they said they could no longer host us. The host asked us to cancel the reservation so they would not lose their preferred host status. Instead, I contacted Airbnb customer service and asked them to assist with the process. The host was not happy about it, but they ultimately had to cancel, which allowed us to receive a full refund. Airbnb's FAQ clearly states that if a host asks a renter to cancel, you should not do so and should contact customer service, which is exactly what we did.

Lunch at Torchy's Tacos on our Way

We scrambled to find another place since several of the spots we had originally saved were no longer available. We did find one that had been on our original list, but it was outside of Little Rock. The house was in Alexander, about twenty minutes from downtown. It turned out to be the perfect spot. The host was excellent, kept us updated on everything, and provided great recommendations on where to eat and drink.

We stayed in the Little Rock area for five nights, leaving on Saturday, March 14, and returning on March 19. We could not take Oliver with us, so Joan and Eddie watched him while we were gone. We figured he would have a better time with them than traveling with us, and the Airbnb we selected did not allow pets anyway.

Between friends, Reddit, vloggers, and our Airbnb host, we had no shortage of recommendations for places to eat, drink, and visit. We had a great time exploring the area and even managed to fit in some cultural stops along the way.

Some highlights from our trip included the following.

• George’s Little Rock is an upscale Italian restaurant in the Heights neighborhood of Little Rock, located on Kavanaugh Boulevard. The menu focuses on classic Italian dishes, along with house made desserts and a thoughtfully curated wine list.
  
  

  

  Lasagna at George's

  
  
• Brave New Restaurant overlooks the river and is located in a business area. The food was delicious, with a menu that includes seafood, wild game, and locally sourced ingredients. It was a perfect spot for lunch or dinner. We went for lunch and sat outside.
  
  

  

  Shrimp for Lunch at Brave New Restaurant

  
  
• The Oyster Bar was a place we discovered while searching for local spots. It was a great find, offering oysters, Cajun options, and other seafood selections. It worked well for either lunch or dinner.
  
  

  

  Oysters and Lobster for Lunch

  
  
• Dust Bowl Lanes was another spot we found when we decided to go bowling on Sunday. It is a retro location where we bowled on old school lanes, drank local beers, and had a great time.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Brood & Barley was recommended by vloggers Kelly and Cody, whom I follow. We stopped in for drinks. While we did not eat there, the food coming out of the kitchen looked amazing. We almost went back before we left town but decided to try something else. It is definitely a spot we will visit again on a future trip.
  
  
• Local Lime was another place we came across while researching. It offers Mexican inspired street food done very well. They also had some of the best margaritas I have had in quite a while. A great spot overall. No pictures from this visit.
  
  
• Scoops was one of the ice cream places we found that had not been on our original list. We each ordered two scoops, which turned out to be a lot of ice cream, but I finished all of mine. It was a great stop and one I would highly recommend if you are in Little Rock. We almost went back again before leaving the area. No pictures from this visit.
  
  
• Delicious Temptations was the one breakfast spot we visited. It is family owned and was very busy, with about a twenty five to thirty minute wait, but it was well worth it. This was a recommendation from our host, and I would absolutely suggest stopping in if you are nearby. No pictures from this visit.

Bill Clinton Presidential Library

Those are just a sampling of the highlights from the trip, covering breakfast, lunch, dinner, drinks, and dessert. We all want to go back again, as there was so much more to do beyond eating and drinking. We also did some sightseeing to expand our cultural experience. We visited the Bill Clinton Presidential Library, which was interesting to see, and stopped by the Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, a key moment tied to the Brown v. Board of Education Supreme Court ruling and one that connects directly back to Topeka, Kansas.

Sunset in Little Rock

It was a fun trip, and we all hated to leave and head back home. I cannot wait to visit again. Hopefully next time we will be camping, as we scoped out several locations for a future camping trip. After all these years of driving through Little Rock without stopping, I am glad we finally did. It was well worth the trip, and I look forward to going back.

Join Me for March Madness Fun in the Annual Bracket Regret Society

It is that time of year again. Brackets. Buzzer beaters. Questionable picks. And absolute chaos.

March Madness is back, and once again I am running my annual ESPN Tournament Challenge group. It is completely free to join, takes just a few minutes to set up your bracket, and makes every game way more fun to watch.

This is not about being an expert. It is about bragging rights, surprise upsets, yelling at the TV, and realizing by Saturday afternoon that your “perfect bracket” is already toast.

Whether you watch every college basketball game or only tune in during March, you are welcome. The more people who join, the better it gets. More brackets, more trash talk, more drama as the tournament unfolds.

Here is how it works:

• It is free
• You fill out one bracket
• You watch the madness unfold
• You spend the next few weeks checking scores way more than you planned

If you have joined in past years, you know the deal. If this is your first time, now is the perfect year to jump in.

Click the link below, join the group, and get your bracket in before the games tip off:

Join the ESPN Tournament Challenge Group

Feel free to share this with friends, family, coworkers, or anyone who enjoys a little March Madness chaos. Let’s make this year’s group the biggest one yet.

Good luck. You are going to need it.

Coming Back to Gaming After All These Years

I am going to write about something that is not necessarily new to me, but something I had not done in a long time. I grew up with the Atari game console when I was little. In 2002 or 2003, I got back into gaming after not having played for years and spent a few years playing games on the PlayStation. After that, I went through a long stretch where I did not play games much at all.

Well, this past week, for some reason, I felt the urge to play games again. We have been using an Apple TV as our primary device for entertainment, and I knew it could support a PlayStation game controller. Over the years of having the Apple TV, I have played a few games here and there, but it was never ideal using the Apple remote. Because of that, I decided to buy a game controller specifically for the Apple TV. It arrived this past week, and I have been playing games each day since.

It is amazing to see the graphics in the games I am playing now compared to what I experienced growing up with Atari and even later with the PlayStation. My favorite games to play are sports games, and the first one I tried with the controller was PGA Golf. I also enjoy action role‑playing games, so I downloaded a few of those and have been spending time playing them as well.

I had forgotten how quickly time can fly when playing games. Granted, I am still learning the controller and how it works with the Apple TV, but there have already been a few times when I completely lost track of time. Before I knew it, it was past my bedtime and I was still playing. It has been a lot of fun, but I realize I will need to set a timer to make sure I do not play too late.

Through this process, I also realized that I can use the Steam app on my computer and play games from my Mac on the Apple TV using the controller. I am still working through this setup and have downloaded a few free games, but nothing too exciting yet. My home Mac does not have a lot of storage space, so I need to try out each game to decide whether to keep it or remove it to make room for something else.

For now, I am enjoying a renewed appreciation for gaming consoles and the ability to use a game controller with the Apple TV. I am sure there will be more games for me to download, learn, and test as I continue this process. I look forward to improving my skills and continuing to learn along the way.

Until next time, I hope you have a great rest of your weekend and a wonderful week ahead. This was a slightly different post for me, but I wanted to share my refreshed enjoyment of gaming and learning something new.

Washburn Basketball Clinches the Regular Season Title

Team Celebrates MIAA Title

Another successful season for the Washburn basketball team this year. We clinched the regular season title with only one loss on the season, finishing with a 28-1 record. Wednesday night, the team cut down the nets and celebrated another win. It has been a fun journey, with still some work to do ahead. The MIAA Tournament starts this week, and Washburn plays on Thursday.

I made it to the majority of the games this season, though I did have to miss a few. With the newly renovated Lee Arena, it is a great place to be to watch Ichabod action. I considered making the trip to Kansas City for the MIAA Tournament, but with other events happening those days, I decided to watch from home instead. A friend of mine attends the tournament every year and makes a fun weekend out of staying in the area. It sounds like a great time, and I hope to do that one year.

Below are a few pictures I captured Wednesday night of the team celebrating the conference title and cutting down the nets.

I look forward to following the tournament starting this week and continuing to cheer on the Ichabods as they begin their postseason.

Go Bods!

From Flowers to Final Scores A Valentine’s Weekend

Happy Valentine’s Day. We had a low key weekend to kick off the holiday. I sent some flowers to Carrie at work and got them to her on Thursday. She brought them home from work on Friday so we could enjoy them together. They look pretty and smell really good. Friday night, we went out to White Linen, which is a fancy place here in Topeka. They were offering Valentine’s dinners all week, and it was fantastic.

Saturday was a day of basketball, with Washburn playing at home. The women tipped off at 1 and the men at 3, and Carrie and I made plans to go to both games. We had a fun time cheering on the Ichabods. For the women’s game, we sat in the comfy chairs, had a few drinks, and talked with some friends. For the men’s game, we moved to our season seats to watch. Both the women and men won their games.

The games were broadcast on WIBW Channel 13 out of Topeka and were also shown in Kansas City, Lawrence, and Wichita. I was hoping for a sold out crowd, but it was still a good turnout.

Saturday night we watched movies. There was not a lot planned for the rest of the evening or for Sunday. We needed a quiet weekend, so it was good to relax by watching basketball during the day and movies at night. I am hoping to get some reading in on Sunday and finish another book. I still need to read two books a month to meet my goal for the reading challenge.

Winding down for a Valentine’s Day Saturday. I hope you had a good Valentine’s Day and an enjoyable weekend.

Secret Santa Whiskey and the Case of the Coughing Dog

Whiskey Exchange Bottles
Sampled on Friday Night

I am in a Secret Santa whiskey exchange with some friends and have been part of it for about four years now. It’s a fun tradition that lets me sample new whiskeys. The first two years, the friends who originally invited me to the group happened to draw my name. The past two years, though, the people who drew me were folks I didn’t know—and both times I didn’t receive my gift until well after the holiday season.

On Friday night, a few of us got together to meet, share, and talk about whiskey. It was a great time!

I took a Lyft to and from the event. When we did the gathering two years ago, Carrie was my designated driver. I told her I could easily take Lyft this year so she didn’t need to go. It worked out great—I had a fun time and got to connect with friends through a social activity I really enjoy.

Haverty Cousins in
Kansas City for Dinner

Last Thursday, Carrie and I traveled to Kansas City to meet up with some Haverty cousins. My brother was there too. We met at a new spot for us called J. Alexander’s Restaurant. It was really good! I’d definitely like to go back and try some other dishes. It’s a chain with locations in different cities, and I’d recommend it if you have the chance to visit one.

It’s a long weekend with the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday on Monday. I’m spending the weekend watching sports, reading, and knocking out a few things around the house. I watched Washburn basketball on Saturday afternoon, where they won and moved to 17–0 on the season. I also caught some of the NFL games, even though my Chiefs are no longer playing.

Oliver Coughing

Oliver hasn’t been feeling well since Saturday afternoon. Out of the blue, he started coughing, hacking—just something nasty sounding. He’d been perfectly fine before that. He kept Carrie and me up all night with the coughing. We’re not sure what to do since it’s very similar to what he had about two years ago. When I took him to the vet back then, they said there wasn’t much they could do. It seems like he’s trying to get something out of his throat.

He’s still drinking water, eating, and asking for snacks, but the cough is rough. We were supposed to head to Lawrence to meet Erin and Greg for lunch, but we canceled so we could stay with Oliver.

After being up most of the night with him, I fully plan to take a nap or two today—possibly during the afternoon football game, which will make for good background noise while I snooze.

Another short and choppy update this week, but that’s how things go sometimes. I hope you have a great week!

Leadership, Sports, and Reading Goals: A Midweek Update

Another busy weekend with a quick trip to Kansas City. We went to celebrate November birthdays for Erin and Eddie. Joan and Eddie arranged a vacation rental and treated us to a wonderful weekend of fun. We even squeezed in some game time Saturday afternoon before getting ready for dinner. Unfortunately, no pictures from the fun weekend.

When we got back to Topeka Sunday afternoon, I wasn’t feeling well—so much so that I took Monday off work. I simply needed a day to recover and get back to feeling better. Going to bed at 8 p.m. on Sunday cut into my writing for the week. I think this was the first time I haven’t written something in over two years. So tonight is about catching up on my weekly post. As it turns out, this is more of a meandering post on different topics since I’m starting it on a Wednesday night.

A few months ago, I was nominated to participate in Leadership Greater Topeka. I’m happy to report that I was accepted, and class starts in January. We have our orientation session this Thursday. I’m looking forward to the process and appreciate the opportunity to serve with fellow Shawnee County participants. I’ll be interested to see what we accomplish when the program ends in May 2026. I think it will be fun and a great way to make connections with fellow residents.

Sunday was the last chance the Kansas City Chiefs had to make the playoffs, and it did not go well. After several years of making the postseason, we’re eliminated. I know fan bases for other teams are happy that it finally came to an end. I’m hopeful we can still finish out the season without completely imploding.

Washburn sports is going strong. The basketball team is still doing great, sitting at 13-0 on the season. Carrie and I have missed the last couple of home games since we were out of town. We don’t play at home again until January 3, so we have a bit of a wait. The team just finished a tournament in Texas, where they handled the games without any problem. Related to that, you might recall that two weeks ago we went to St. Louis to watch the Washburn soccer team play—and we won. I’m sad to say that we played in the Final Four last week and lost after being ahead for most of the game. A great season, but tough to see us lose.

My reading journey continues as we have just a few short weeks left to finish out the year for the reading challenge. I had set a goal of twenty books for the year, and right now it looks like I’m going to come up short once again. No, I’m not giving up, but I think it’s going to be tough to meet my twenty-book goal for 2025.

That’s about all I have for tonight. Posting midweek instead of over the weekend, but I’ll get back on track this weekend. Have a great week!

The Roller Coaster of Sports: Jayhawks, Washburn, and Chiefs

The college basketball season is finally here, and wow, it’s already been a ride keeping up with my teams! As many of you know, I’m all in on two squads: the Kansas Jayhawks and the Washburn Ichabods. I’ve been a Jayhawk fan for as long as I can remember, going to KU games as a kid was a big part of growing up. My Ichabod loyalty started when I attended Washburn in 1994 and grew even stronger when I began working there in 1997.

Kansas Jayhawks

The Jayhawks have been a powerhouse for years, but honestly, the last couple of seasons have been tough to watch. There were games last year where I just turned the TV off because we were playing so poorly. I was hoping this year would be different, but here we are, still struggling. We’re sitting at 3 - 2 right now, and it feels like it’s going to be another roller coaster season.

Washburn Ichabods

Newly Renovated Lee Arena

Now, Washburn basketball? Completely different story. Lee Arena just got a major facelift, and it looks incredible! Carrie and I went to the first game of the season, and seeing the new paint, court, and scoreboard in person was awesome. Washburn has started the season with an impressive 6 - 0 record.

View from our Seats

Last year, Washburn made it all the way to the NCAA Division II championship game. We didn’t win, but following that run was so much fun. This year, they’re ranked number 2 in the country, and I’m pumped to see what’s next. Our next home game is Tuesday night, and you better believe I’ll be there.

Other Sports Frustrations

Of course, being a fan isn’t all sunshine and wins. KU football? Rough year. Washburn football? Same story. And don’t even get me started on the Kansas City Chiefs. Sitting at 5 - 5, they’ve had games that were just painful to watch. I keep hoping they’ll turn it around, but so far, not so much.

The Roller Coaster of Sports

That’s the thing about sports though, it’s a roller coaster. Some days you’re frustrated, and other days you’re jumping out of your seat because of a last second shot or an upset win. Those are the moments that keep us coming back. They’re the stories we share with friends and family, asking, “Where were you when that happened?”

Until next time, enjoy the rest of your Sunday. Here’s hoping your teams give you something exciting to cheer about this season!

A Weekend in Tulsa: Celebrating Eddie and Kiersten

Kiersten and Eddie Married

Carrie and I took a weekend trip to Tulsa, OK. We left Friday morning and returned Sunday afternoon. My friend Eddie got married on Saturday, and we were excited to be there for the celebration.

Picked up TBo from Airport

We met up with Eddie late Friday afternoon at our hotel. We had picked up TBo (Tommy), who had flown in from Houston. His flight was delayed, which gave Carrie and me a chance to do some shopping. Since we were all staying at the same hotel, we planned to meet at 5 p.m. when the bar opened. We had a few drinks before heading out to dinner that evening.

Sunset at Wedding Venue

I really enjoy Tulsa. It’s a fun town, and our hotel was in a great location with plenty to do nearby. Eddie’s parents, Carol and Charlie, were also staying at the hotel. They treated us to dinner Friday night and lunch on Saturday. We had a great time! It was wonderful to be able to make the trip and celebrate with Eddie. I met his fiancée Friday evening at dinner. I’m so happy for them—they’re a great match. I’ve known Eddie for over ten years. I’m not exactly sure when we first met, but he started attending the King Biscuit Blues Festival years ago, and we became friends through that.

Carrie and me with Sunset Backdrop

The weather was perfect for the wedding. On Friday and Saturday, temperatures were in the 70s with wispy clouds and a beautiful sunset, creating the perfect backdrop for the countryside ceremony. Around 50 to 60 people attended, and it was a fun night. The ceremony was beautiful, and the party afterward was lively. They served BBQ for dinner—some of the best catered BBQ I’ve had at a large event. The wedding cake was delicious too. I limited myself to one piece, but I definitely could have gone back for more.

At the Bar Enjoying the Friday Night

Friday night was a late one, spent catching up and enjoying time with friends. Saturday night was more low-key since TBo and a few others had early flights. Carrie and I headed back to the hotel and caught up on some shows.

Hanging with the Groom

We left Sunday morning to head back to Topeka after a fun weekend. The weather had shifted across the Midwest. It dropped into the 40s in Tulsa, and by the time we got back to Topeka, it was down to freezing. I’m glad the weather held out and was so nice for the wedding celebration.

Networking, Sessions, and Southern Charm: My EDUCAUSE 2025 Recap

I traveled to Nashville, TN for work to attend EDUCAUSE 2025. I made several new connections, caught up with old friends, and had many conversations with vendors. It was a great trip, though I was exhausted when I returned home on Thursday. Still, it felt good to be back at EDUCAUSE. I hadn’t attended the conference since 2012, when it was held in Denver, CO.

This year, a new feature called Braindates was introduced. These were small group discussions with peers from other campuses and vendors on specific topics. I participated in two Braindates, and on Thursday morning, I led a session focused on upskilling staff. I really enjoyed the format and would definitely do them again.

I flew out early Monday morning and returned late Thursday night. Each day was packed with sessions, meetings, and evening social events. I also had the chance to eat at some great spots. My first visit to Nashville was in June 2024 to celebrate my friend Corrie's birthday, and we had a fantastic time. It was fun to return for the conference and recognize many of the places we visited last year. I’m looking forward to going back again to explore more.

On Monday night, I attended a vendor-hosted event at Husk, a unique venue that appears to be a converted historic home. It was a great setting to connect with colleagues, enjoy some excellent drinks, and eat well. After the social, a few of us headed to Broadway to find a Chiefs bar and watch the game. After a long day of travel, I left at halftime and watched the second half from my hotel room.

While EDUCAUSE offered great sessions and networking opportunities, I did have a complaint about the conference app. It didn’t allow me to add sessions directly to my personal calendar, which made scheduling difficult. I had to manually input events, and with vendor meetings and colleague meetups, it was hard to keep track of everything. At other conferences, like ELive 2025, sessions could be added to my calendar seamlessly. I was double-booked on Tuesday and missed some sessions I had planned to attend. Wednesday and Thursday were smoother after I adjusted my schedule to allow more time between meetings.

Tuesday night, I had dinner at Jeff Ruby's with a small group. The food was excellent—my steak was cooked perfectly, and the sides were great. It was a fun evening filled with good conversation and information sharing.

On Wednesday night, I joined another small group for lively discussion hosted by a vendor. I connected with CIOs from Johnson County Community College, Nebraska Community College, UMass, and UNLV. It was a great venue and a night full of engaging conversations.

It had been a long time since I last attended EDUCAUSE, so it was great to be back and reconnect with both new and familiar faces. I’ll be encouraging staff to attend next year when the conference returns to Denver, Colorado for 2026.

Have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week!

Returning to C2T Ranch: A Perfect End to Camping Season

We went on our last camping trip of the season and returned to a place we had only visited once before but loved so much that we had to go again. We stayed at C2T Ranch on the Saline from October 17 to 19. This is a HipCamp site we first visited in 2022, and we were excited to go back. This spot never disappoints. It is on a working ranch where we saw and heard cattle roaming the land. At night, after going to bed, we heard coyotes in the distance. It was a fun spot, and we ate well too.

We decided to rent a U-Haul so we could all travel together in one vehicle, which worked out great. We went with Erin and Greg, who joined us on our first trip to C2T Ranch in 2022, so we all had good memories to revisit. We left early Friday morning and already had plans for lunch in Plainville, Kansas, where we ate at The Handle Bar Tavern and Eatery. It is an excellent spot north of Hays, Kansas, where we enjoyed drinks and delicious food. The Handle Bar Tavern and Eatery has a large menu, and everything the four of us ordered was excellent. I highly recommend stopping by if you are in western Kansas.

Check-in for our HipCamp was at 2 pm, and we arrived right on time. It looked just the way we remembered from our first visit. We set up quickly and were ready for the evening with fresh hamburger meat delivered by the HipCamp host. We did this the first year and remembered how good the burgers were on the open range. Along with the meat, we ordered potatoes to cook over the campfire.

Since we had an early start Friday morning, we did not stay up very late that night. I think we were all in our tents by 1 am. It was getting rather cold, so we were ready to call it a day. It was a fun first day of travel, camping, and relaxing.

Saturday morning we all got up somewhat early to make pancakes. Waking to the sound of cattle far off in the distance was something I had never experienced before. We all talked about how, during our previous visit, we did not recall hearing any cows. We guessed they were in a different pasture in 2022, which is why we did not hear them then. This time they were loud throughout the night and most of Saturday. Mid-afternoon the winds started, just as we expected, and that helped drown out the cows, but then we had to deal with gusts up to 40 to 50 mph. Chairs were flying around, items blew off tables, tents came unlatched, and even a few tumbleweeds rolled through our campsite.

We managed to play some cornhole Saturday afternoon before the winds really picked up. We had a few tournaments, but as the wind strengthened, we realized the game had to end because the bags were turning in the air and landing in random directions. It was still a fun afternoon as we listened to the sounds of the ranch, played music, and enjoyed games.

Saturday night we planned to cook pork tenderloin for dinner over the campfire. Greg took the lead in preparing the pork, and we got the fire ready for cooking. The pork turned out juicy and flavorful, and everyone enjoyed it. Erin and Carrie made instant mashed potatoes that paired perfectly with the pork.

After dinner and cleanup, we sat around the campfire enjoying the warmth. Having an unlimited supply of firewood is a real treat at this HipCamp because it allows us to keep the fire going as long as we want without worrying about finding more wood.

When Sunday morning rolled around, we were all sad to pack up and head home. As we packed, we talked about how we need to do the Hays, Kansas trip again and stay for more nights. We will see when we can fit that into our camping schedule since this year was busy with multiple trips. We enjoy camping so much, and I look forward to doing it again next year.

Until next time, have a great rest of your Sunday and a wonderful week.

Blues, Friends, and Good Times at King Biscuit Blues Festival 2025

I’m behind on this week’s update since I was away camping over the weekend, so here’s another short recap of the prior week.

The 2025 King Biscuit Blues Festival took place over two days this year: October 10 and 11. That’s one day shorter than in previous years. After almost not having a festival at all, it was great to enjoy two days of music, friends, and blues.

Corrie didn’t attend this year, which meant Carrie didn’t either. Eddie and I headed down on Wednesday even though the festival was only Friday and Saturday. We planned to meet up with Tommy, Eddie’s childhood friend, Tommy’s nephew Eddie, and Bart, a family friend. We stayed together for four nights in a VRBO. Two nights on our own before the festival started gave us time to relax and get ready for the fun.

The house was in Dundee, MS, right across the river from Helena, AR. It was our first time staying there for the festival, and it turned out to be a great spot. We spent time relaxing by the lake, enjoying the sun patio, and watching baseball at the house while we prepared for the weekend.

Thursday is usually busy with the festival kicking off, but this year was different. We had a laid-back day with lunch in downtown Helena and plans for dinner at Kathryn’s that evening. We called ahead and heard their voicemail say they were now open Thursday through Saturday. Perfect! We left a message for reservations. But when we arrived Thursday night, they were closed. We were so disappointed because we had really been looking forward to that meal. Instead, we headed back to the house and had leftovers from the night before.

Friday, the festival began, and we had a great time. There were some solid acts, including regulars we see every year like Anson Funderburgh. The weather was perfect, not too hot, cold, or rainy. Ideal for a festival.

Saturday was another good day of music and catching up with friends. With the schedule changes and uncertainty about the festival, the crowd wasn’t as big as usual for a Saturday night, but it was still a fun day and a great festival overall.

Until next time...