Reiny days.

Hey there!

Thanks to the news of my layoff, I had to visit the unemployment office. We took the family after one of the kids’ checkups.

It only took about three hours – ugh.

While I was waiting, I turned around from my chair and noticed there were these guys walking reindeer around the square below.

I messaged my wife to see if she wanted to take the kids and see them up close. I gave Elijah my phone, and he snapped a few photos while I was waiting upstairs. I eventually got around to seeing them once my meeting was finished.

Pretty cool.

What else?

There is a coffee shop in the Portland area that recently received a significant donation, thanks to the government shutdown. This was when Trump did not allow funding for Food Stamps. Locally, people donated to various non-profits. One of which was a coffee shop that started offering free breakfasts at this time. Due to our newfound financial struggles, and now that we are also on food stamps, we took a trip over, and they graciously provided breakfast for the kids and us.

Here is the coffee shop: Heretic Coffee Co.

The Blazers were feeling a little nostalgic lately and invited the team from the 99-00 season back for a reunion night.

This was THE team for me: Rasheed, Sabonis, Bonzi, Pippen, Stoudamire – the Western Conference finals. The lead against the Lakers going into the 4th quarter, along with the subsequent shot misses and bad calls, were all designed to give the game to the league-friendly, big-city team against the small-market team, the LA Lakers. Still makes me sick to my stomach.

In the interviews after the game, Damon mentioned that he wasn’t sure about coming back. A reporter asked him, ‘Don’t you realize that the city loves this team?’ He responded that it didn’t feel that way. Generally speaking, he knew that other cities across the NBA respected the Blazers, but Portland? Not so much.

As a diehard fan, that was heartbreaking to hear. Damon, if by some chance you ever end up reading this: I LOVED that team. All of you, from the starting 5 to the bench players. This team solidified my love for the Blazers and no other team. Bonzi was one of my faves as well.

Coach Dunleavy: Your recollection of game 7 is as sharp as what I can recall. The fire you feel, I still think back on the same way (also looking at you, Steve Smith). You are one of my favorite coaches we have had. I love the memory I have – the Lakers’ Rick Fox was talking trash to our team, and you wouldn’t have it. You got between our bench and him, and then both of you were jawing at each other until you reached the half-court stripe. That’s a coach -having his teams back.

Anyway, before I go off on any other tangent of Blazers basketball, I should end here!

Christmas is coming!

just Pray