I SAW YOU
OUTSTANDING SERVICE FROM USPS: Riverside Station Spokane, U.S. post office customer service window, postal clerk Alex always has a beautiful smile for customers. She is outstanding in her professionalism, friendliness and patience, going the extra mile in serving, helping and answering questions. She is an outstanding representative of our Postal Service. Thank you, Alex, and have a very Merry Christmas and New Year!COMCAST-XFINITY OUTSTANDING REPS: Xfinity-Comcast N. Division store, Spokane. Heather W. provides excellent customer service, is a good listener, patient in answering questions and explaining complicated technical issues. She also offers helpful tips and suggestions. At the East Buckeye store, Kevin B. also provides excellent customer service with the same attributes just described. Both are excellent representatives of Comcast. Thank you, both, and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
HOLIDAY BLUES: Work through the trust issues someday? Hopefully. Come back together again someday? That would be nice. Take things slower this time? Sure. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
A PRIVILEGE, NOT A RIGHT: When on the road, a hand pointed downward at 45 degrees means the person in front of you is preparing to stop or slow down. A hand pointed straight out to the left means they are turning left. It doesn't mean that you should whip around them as fast as possible so that you nearly crash into them. If you need a refresher, all of these signals are in a handy booklet. It's called a driver's guide, and you were supposed to have read and understood it before you tried to wield a potentially deadly piece of heavy machinery.
CHEERS
BEST OF BING: We are so incredibly fortunate to have two treasures in Spokane. The Bing Crosby House and Museum is the first treasure. We went to visit during the open house and were taken back in time. The house feels just like Bing is still upstairs in his bedroom. The collection of memorabilia, gold and platinum records, and photos is simply incredible. The docents did a wonderful job of guiding us through Bing's life, career and time in Spokane. But the highlight of the day (and the best treasure) was listening to Brad Rovanpera, a docent at the museum and a member of the board of Bing Crosby Assoc. He spent over a half an hour regaling us with amazing tales of Bing's life, career, movie trivia and history. It was a magical day filled with songs, movies and memories. Thank you to the museum and Brad for such a fun day.
SPOKANE CIVIC THEATRE: Shout out to the Spokane Civic Theatre and cast and crew of A Christmas Carol. I was so impressed with the performance, particularly that of the actor playing Ebenezer Scrooge. He was both funny and heartwarming. Incredible job!
GOOD PEOPLE: I'm happy to see people reconnect again and reaffirm their friendships. Many of us have separated over the years because of political differences. I've never seen the fervor we've experienced over the last few years in my lifetime. I never really cared about political opinions we differed on and always enjoyed a brief conversation about it. We respected each other. Anyhow, I have returned to that, and many of my friends have too. We've only been hurting ourselves and each other. Please step back and realize this, we're better off working together.
THANK YOU, ELECTION WORKERS! On behalf of the majority of grateful citizens, thanks to all the election workers who carry out the foundational work of our democracy. You do this despite low pay and the criticism of an obnoxious minority who cast baseless doubt on your integrity. We see and appreciate you!!
JEERS
KNOCK IT OFF, ANTI-CONSTITUTION GQP: Jeers to the local GQP leaders who're following The Former Guy's lead in trashing elections and the members of our community who perform the public service of ensuring we continue "the great experiment" of representational democracy. TFG lost to President Joe Biden in 2020. The kindergarten teacher-turned-legislator lost to highly qualified CPA Vicky Dalton in the 2022 race for county auditor; only those who value party over country (or county) would believe otherwise. Consider using this holiday season to take your losses, and contemplate the possibility of running qualified candidates for office in the coming new year.
RICHES BEYOND ALL UNDERSTANDING: The wealth of material provided in the past few weeks to wannabe Jeers writers is obscenely rich. Donald the Terrible wants to rip up the U.S. Constitution. He tells the world he has a little crush on Hitler. And of course, Herschel Walker. Period. These gimmes for la comédie noire make choosing among them so difficult! But one horrifyingly bad joke stands out in the personae of Nick Fuentes, virgin prince of furious Incels, making a dangerous movement out of their impotent rage. Pull back the veils on the pock-marked, scraggly bearded faces of the men outraged because they can't get a date or keep a wife, and see who's contemplating the next violent crime against a female (or a female "impersonator"). Fuentes fuels their misogynist fantasies. This 24-year-old maiden denies the Holocaust, calls for the lynching of journalists, idolizes that old lecher Trump, admires the ruthless tactics of the Taliban, and has the hots for Putin. How could such a ludicrous combination of proudly asexual perversions, this little boy authoritarian, be worthy of jeering? Because, Dear Relatively Sane Reader, now even you know he who he is.
RE: SHOVELING SNOW INTO STREET: OK Boomer!
GESTAPO AT CAMP HOPE: What a waste of resources and taxpayers money, sending police and sheriffs into Camp Hope two days in a row! You can't find any of them writing speeding tickets, stopping road rage, taking care of nuisance neighbors, etc. Not sure we have a force in Nadineville, this is the first they've been seen in public!
RECALL NADINE WOODWARD: Mayor parades law enforcement two days in a row in Camp Hope, scaring residents while not having enough shelter for them while people are being robbed in downtown Spokane and crime is rampant, terrible use of resources.
S'NO GOOD COMPLAINING: 1. Of all things in this world to lose sleep over, you choose this? Man, you need help. Seriously! 2. Three of my neighbors who are homeowners and were born and raised in Spokane all do it, so I am going to do it. Let the plows take it away instead of piling up in our yards. In fact if you wish, the entire city could all take our extra snow, pile it in a big dump truck and dump it in your yard! 3. Get a decent year-round car instead of some low rider because you think chicks dig it. 4. I bet you're one of those losers that doesn't even clear your walk when it snows, at least there are city laws for that. 5. I'm finding out now that shoveling snow into the street will keep jerks like you out of my neighborhood, and I will encourage this practice! Thank you!
I'M A CUSTOMER TOO: To the older white woman at Huckleberry's, you're entitled privilege was showing when you demanded service when the Huckleberry employee was helping me. Were we discussing uses of essential oils and cat safety? Yes. Because I was planning to buy some but needed to know some things first. You could have stepped in asking for help when we were done or a brief pause... but no. You demanded service and honestly, shame on the employee for not handling that situation. If you find yourself pushing others out... don't be shocked if and when they push or snap back. I'm so tired of literally being stepped on in this town, and I can't help but think it's racism.
THANKS A LOT, CATHY: Thank you, Cathy, for banning veterans from petitioning your offlce for help. Shame on you for turnlng your back on your constituents.
PEOPLE AND PETS: If you can't take care of pets, you don't deserve to hold their lives under your thumb. For those of you moving up here from warmer climates, please understand that it gets cold here during winter and pets die in the cold. How would you like to freeze to death helpless? Please, PLEASE take care of your pets. ♦
