I SAW YOU
CHARLIE SWEETGRASS: Your downward spiral is thrilling to watch! Was it worth it?SPONGEBOB WATCH OUT: Hey, SpongeBob, there's literally no way that's all a coincidence, your Squidward is the Slenderman in the title. If you can't accept you're being stalked, at least let people know about this creep.
PUNK ROCK FOREVER! It was 6:30 am on Friday. There you were in your punk rock T-shirt. I peered at you across the room while drinking my coffee. I see you there often. Maybe next time we can share a donut.
SIGH. I saw your message "Homelessness in not a crime!" scrawled on the wall next to the exit ramp at Fifth and Ash. Nope. Not a crime, but graffiti might be. Certainly poor lettering skills needs to be.
YOU PUT THE PUNK IN 'PUNK ROCKER' I saw you bright, blonde with tattoos from head to toe!! Talking about chickens to a bunch of chickens. I saw you sharing smiles, dirty jokes and serious Punk with a group of us at 6:30 am, when half the city is not even awake yet. We are not a glum lot, especially with you in it. You, my friend, put the Punk in "Punk Rocker."
YOU SAW ME
YOU SAID I LOOK LIKE YOUR DAD: I was in the lobby of the Lincoln Building during the noon hour last Wednesday when you said hello and that I look so much like your Dad. I was very flattered. Your smile was irresistible. Could I buy you lunch and talk more? That would be very nice.
CHEERS
CHEERS TO COACHES FEW AND FORTIER: Congratulations, Gonzaga ballers, for another winning season! You do your program, your school, your community and most importantly yourselves proud. As a mere spectator it has been a privilege to watch you all shine bright like diamonds.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY: Happy Birthday, Zane. We love you!!!
THANK YOU: A note of thanks to the Spokane Police Department. I am 80 years old, and I appreciated that they promptly and professionally dealt with the homeless person sleeping under a sleeping bag on the stairwell close to my apartment door in Pacific Terrace Apartments in Browne's Addition.
FLIRTING OR JUST REALLY GOOD AT YOUR JOB? You served me lunch and recognized me from last fall when you'd served us at your place of work (vegan restaurant on the South Hill) and seemed genuinely interested in chatting with me. I couldn't tell if you were flirting or if you're just great at your job! You complimented me on all the wild colors I was wearing and remembered my name and asked about my dog. Anyways you're cute, and if you were flirting — I was too.
REGIONAL GEOLOGY PRIMER: Tim Connor's excellent April 6 article highlighting regional geology is an accurate and interesting introduction to the physical features that one often passes by without a clue as to the astounding significance they represent. For those interested in more detail, Andy Buddington, esteemed professor of geology at SCC, presents with fervent enthusiasm, most fascinating and thorough classes on the topic not only for students, but also for people not seeking a degree through the Act 2 program. Having lived here all my life, Andy's classes have enlightened me to the point that life is much more interesting as I now understand many of the geologic features that are readily visible all around us. The Act 2 classes are almost free!
JEERS
RE: NURSING HOME BOZO: By all means, bring a baby to a bar then. I bet you're one of those who truly believe that everyone shares your view of your child's cuteness and needs to be exposed to them as much as possible. Probably a person who throws a fit if you receive an invitation to a wedding that says, "The bride and groom respectfully ask that you leave your children at home." You know, on their most precious day that they are paying for. News flash. Your kids aren't cute, they aren't special, and they aren't of age to be in a bar. Nursing home bozo? Here's a thought. Maybe prioritize interacting with your kids over drinking, and nurse your baby at home instead of bringing them to a bar.
TELL THE WHOLE STORY: Jeers to the local TV stations regarding the failed levy in CDA. The coverage has been one-sided in favor of the levy, predicting doom if the new levy doesn't pass. Why don't you cover the burden on taxpayers whose property taxes have already increased tremendously? Seniors and low-income families are particularly hurt. Why doesn't the media ask the school district why every high school looks like a private college with numerous athletic fields. And why can all the schools in Spokane share one field, but CDA can't? Why hasn't the school district made any effort to cut costs, choosing instead to just limit the new levy to two years only to come back to ask for more in the future. And then there's the whole March levy date issue, which proponents love because the schools can sneak through levies. The CDA schools think property owners are their personal piggy banks. Hey media, wake up. These taxes are killing us. Tell the whole story!
CDA SCHOOL LEVY LOVERS — CATCH A CLUE! Property owners in Coeur d'Alene are fed up with the smug arrogance of school levy mongers. They just won't learn. All the hand-wringing and wailing after their last well-deserved loss didn't result in new fiscal responsibility — now they're demanding the same $25 million tax increase, just removing the "permanent" as if that word was the problem with the last one. The lipstick on this pig doesn't make it any prettier and doesn't fool anybody. You'll be right back in a year for another $25 million, and the year after that and the year after that. Sharpen your pencils and cut unnecessary spending first, then ask for only what schools really need.
THE LIBRARY DEBATE: Jeers to all the bad faith arguments. Of course no one wants harassment and free-for-all drug use in libraries. That's not what people are protecting, and claiming such is disingenuous and malicious. The person who wrote about helping homeless people inject in front of children, why are you so angry? Why do you enjoy being so mean? What people are advocating for is treating the homeless population with compassion, and not banning them from the libraries that provide valuable resources and shelter. They're people who are struggling; they deserve kindness. This isn't a black and white issue, and treating it as such is part of why nothing ever improves. The cruelty in last weeks Jeers section was breathtakingly awful. I cannot understand why the idea of helping homeless people invokes such vitriol. I pray you find goodness in yourself.
SUCH STRONG 'CHARACTER' To the macho man in the oversized all-black, gas-spewing pickup northbound on Monroe Street bridge April 7 at 2 pm: Did your therapist recommend that semi-truck airhorn for your forays amongst the humans? I'm sure you've got the AR-15 at home or in your cab to defend your right to be the obnoxious sack of trumph that blows that monstrosity not for traffic reasons but at the sight of anyone walking/driving by who offends your right-wing-snowflake hair-trigger sensibility. I'm so happy for you that you have an iconic world-"class" boy-in-the-spotlight, whose prominence gives you permission to be the loud burping buffoon you always aspired to be.
THOUGHT EXPERIMENT: If there were no guns in America, how many mass shootings would take place? ♦
