I SAW YOU
MAGICAL ….AT BEST. I saw you swim out and save that dog last Summer, and you were wearing a DRESS!! I saw you hiking the bluff near Comstock last week, and you didn’t miss a beat in that icy stride. I heard you singing an other worldly version of a ’70s blues ballad by Brenda Russell, last night at a dive joint! Stunning!! Why in the heck do we keep crossing paths? (I left my number with that KJ after you had to dash out and pick up your friend from the base.) I want to swim and hike and sing with you. Your friend told me: “Those are, indeed, her favorite things to do, and yes she IS magical. You should hear her play piano!!” I hope you phone me so I can show you my favorite place on the planet. Your friend told me, you’d LOVE it. I’ll wait. – Mr. Guy in the Sky Blue Shirt –
CHEERS
SEXY GANJA GURU: Cheers to the guru – after all these years I am still amazed with all of who you are and what you are capable of. You’re the best human out there. Hoping you see this in time for your big day, the 38th – love, DSH
CHEERING ME TO BUY A TYPEWRITER: To the women who did a drive-by cheering me on to buy a vintage typewriter from the bed of Travis’ pickup outside Yoke’s (and to Travis for bringing it from Bellingham) – I’m writing stories with it now, and you made my day. What a fun confluence of characters, you ladies were so lovely and uplifting <3
CHANCE ENCOUNTER AT PARK: The place: Spokane, Browne’s Addition Me: Tall, bespectacled, looks like he sunburns easily. You: An outdoorsy type with boundless energy, a flowing mane, and the rhythm of a dancer! I was enchanted by your tenacity as you bothered the neighborhood squirrels. The way you knocked down that toddler really resonated with me. Next time let’s ditch miss “stop looking at my dog like that” and traumatize some mailmen together.
SENIORS ABLE TO SAVE ON TAXES: Great news. There is a bill in the Washington state Senate. SB 5020. If you or a spouse have reached the age of 75, you may be able to save on your property taxes. There are no financial restrictions. Read the bill, and if you like, please contact house and senate members to voice your support.
CHEERS TO THE LOVAS! Cheers to the lovas of Spokane and beyond — I love you — yes you!! Spread it as best you know how. Love yourself! Even give love to strangers — put it on your sleeve! Be kind, love and love and love, love
THANK YOU, CITY GATE: Sincerest thank you to all that have made City Gate a safe place for individuals experiencing homelessness and food insecurity over the last many decades. City Gate has provided not only a safe space for individuals experiencing homelessness, but they have also provided a clothing and food bank, community resources, showers and two meals four days a week in the downtown area, volunteer and community services hours, as well as so many wonderful humans that have made City Gate-City Gate. Thank you, City Gate for the Alberta House and shelter rooms, which have provided so many individuals a chance to rebuild their lives and a safe place to lay their heads at night. You will all be missed and just know how many lives you all collectively changed and in the darkest of days brought a smile to so many faces. Thank you Pastor John, James, Buffy, Kathy, Jimmy, Dale and Eric and to all the volunteer staff in the kitchen as well as gratitude to all our folks experiencing homelessness who have helped in the kitchen and assisted in keeping the area clean. So many will miss you and the consistency you provided in our community. You all will be missed however not forgotten for all you have given to this community. Thank you!
JEERS
RE: TV PROPAGANDA: Shame on the local station? Shame on YOU. Who are you to say the young transgender athlete does not have any consideration for the other female athletes? I’m not quite sure how one could accuse others of being so biased when you clearly lay out your biased opinion on trans people. Many more people are appeased to this story rather than “a small minority with gender dysphoria,” which you so eloquently said. The only thing wrong with this story is the fact that someone like you felt the need to spread hate after watching an innocent story on the news. How about you put yourself in someone else’s shoes, maybe then you could see what an ignorant human being you are.
RE: REGISTER: This To the idiot who wrote that “nobody cares” about expired license tabs and called the writer of the original jeer by the tired name “Karen,” first develop a unique mindset. That name calling makes you seem even more incompetent and out of touch than you probably are. Second, people do care about expired license tabs. That’s why there are complaints in the local papers as well as other news stories about it. Third, as you indicate, people who have expired tabs pay more than other people when they do license their vehicles. I’d add to that the statement many people may not be aware of. Law enforcement actually does impound vehicles that aren’t current within 45 days of the tab expiration. This event is initiated by people other than yourself who do care and report the illegal vehicle. This ends up costing the owner a lot more than the very inexpensive tab. So, it’s cheaper to license your car LEGALLY than to pay all the other expenses later. Duh! Duh! Dumb!
NO THANKS FOR OUR SERVICE: Jeers to the City of Spokane for refusing to do anything about the continued vandalism of the Vietnam War memorial in Riverfront Park. We veterans of the Vietnam era suffered enough during our time; now the City won’t even bother to save our memorial? Probably the Mayor and the City Council are too busy spending their recent raises to pay attention.
FLAG CODE IGNORANCE: I will be flying my flag at half mast till the 29th of the month, I will not disrespect the past president, to honor the incoming one, if the shoe was on the other foot, they wouldn’t do it either. In the early days of our country, no regulations existed for flying the flag at half-staff and, as a result, there were many conflicting policies. But on March 1, 1954, President Dwight Eisenhower issued a proclamation on the proper times. The flag should fly at half-staff for 30 days at all federal buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and its territories and possessions after the death of the president or a former president. And for those unaware, the flying the flag at half-mast during President Trump’s inauguration is NOT a first… during former President Nixon’s second inauguration in 1973 the flag was flown at half-staff to honor and memorialize the death of former President Truman. Hopefully they add those hours back so it adds up to a total of 30 days in hours
STATE FISCAL LUNACY: Let me get this straight: The WA State government is facing a budget deficit — the exact amount of which legislators cannot even agree on — somewhere in the range of $5-12 Billion (with a “B”!) dollars as we start the new year. And now the WSDOT is going to be issuing “rebates” of up to $1,200 a pop for people to purchase e-bikes? Can they really afford to give away ANY amount of money in a program like this when the abyss of red ink is so large? To borrow a phrase from the pandemic, I would consider a giveaway for people buying e-bikes (which can be very expensive) a very “non-essential” fiscal expenditure. Sounds like Olympia could use a good dose of DOGE logic, but the Democrat majority and its outgoing governor were never known for being logical. Or responsible. Oh, if you are one of the beneficiaries of this government largesse, be very careful where you park and charge these lithium battery-powered conveyances. Spontaneous combustion and large, hard-to-extinguish fires are a known hazard of the power source. ♦