I Saw You

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I SAW YOU

PRETTY GAL AT THE SATELLITE WITH GOOFBALL FRIEND: Just by chance we met when we were 12. We became fast friends, sleepovers, Jim Carrey impressions, being dramatic over crushes and overall just figuring out who we were together. No matter the distance between us, we remained family. A year ago I felt like my world turned upside down when I was told of your passing. Was even harder to tell my little one her auntie was in heaven. You are so present still in our life and that will never change. I just wanted to drop you a note in here because we use to pour over these pages in college. You would get so annoyed you weren't in the "I saw you"! Just wanted to let you know, you were seen ... love you hoochie.

CHEERS

RE: LIBRARY CONCERN: American Library Association's definition of a library: "A library is a collection of resources in a variety of formats that is (1) organized by information professionals or other experts who (2) provide convenient physical, digital, bibliographic, or intellectual access and (3) offer targeted services and programs (4) with the mission of educating, informing, or entertaining a variety of audiences (5) and the goal of stimulating individual learning and advancing society as a whole." Pay attention to 3, 4, and 5, and maybe go back and read the Inlander article again yourself, to see how the library has become even more of a help for those who you say "choose" to be homeless. Don't insult someone else's education if the best you can do is quote a Webster dictionary definition and misremember an article. And as for me, a library employee for many years, I'd take the complications surrounding homeless visitors over angry conservatives trying to ban books and resources any day.

PUBLIC LIBRARIES OPEN TO ALL: As a librarian in the Spokane area — but not with the city or county — I'd like to add my particular 2 cents to the discussion of "proper" uses and functions of a public library, since there seems to be some disagreement . Early Colonial libraries in the U.S. were mostly private reading rooms designed to be available only to select few. ... It wasn't until Andrew Carnegie traveled from town-to-town funding the construction of libraries that the idea of a public library began to grow. Carnegie had stipulations, however: Public libraries were to provide services to everybody, and maintenance was to be at least partly secured from public funding instead of just private donations. Public libraries have always been intended to be used by everyone, not just those who pay the property taxes that help fund them. So, what is the proper use of a library? Yes, a library houses books, magazine, newspapers, music, and movies to be borrowed. Some libraries also offer video games, board games, craft materials and yard tools, and events... Perhaps most importantly, libraries exist as spaces where people can simply be.

THANKS TO THOSE WHO HELPED AFTER MY FALL! After a badly twisted ankle and fall outside of the Northwest Boulevard Safeway on St. Patrick's Day, several people stopped to help. I was surely a bit stunned by what happened and in a lot of pain. A kind man on a bicycle picked up my two bags of groceries — including the corned beef planned for dinner — and placed them in the car. Thanks also to my neighbor Jeff, who helped get me and the groceries safely inside the house. I'll pay this kindness forward!

RE: SPOKANE SPECIAL: A perfect assessment of the situation of Spokane drivers and vehicles. Bravo!

AUSTIN AT GREENWOOD CEMETERY: March 18. A beautiful day at Greenwood Cemetery. I was visiting my Mom's grave site. It was her 95th birthday, and the first year anniversary of her burial. I had been crying but in a good way... You were walking your dog and said hello as I was getting in my car. You were so friendly, and we got to talking about cemeteries and how peaceful they are. ... You had this incredible aura about you! You made me smile and laugh. We didn't talk long, but your words and your kindness are something I will never forget. I will be there again in the warmer months, and I hope to see you and your dog again. Bless your heart, Austin. The world needs more people like you.

QUICK RESPONDERS: On March 17, I was getting out of my car, parked at the Safeway on Highway 2, somehow managed to trip myself up and landed on the pavement. I think there were five or six people who came to my aid in a matter of seconds. They got me to my feet in a very quick time. I just want to thank all of them, and I hope I can help someone too. An employee of the store apparently saw this too, and she helped me into the store and waited to help me get back to my car.

JEERS

WHY 'THE MENU' COULDN'T BE ON OSCARS' MENU: Why didn't "The "Menu" even rate inclusion on the Oscar appetizer sheet? The answer is obvious. The film's carefully selected guests at what would be Chef's Last Supper were deliciously skewered for their arrogance, cruelty, egotism and greed. They were perfect stand-ins for the real-life glitterati attending the Oscars — wealthy, privileged, entitled folks basking in their vainglorious reflected light. "The Menu" cut right to the bones of these A-list standing ribs, sparing no one, not even Chef himself, from getting (and being) their just desserts, human flambés who so richly deserved immolation. ... No wonder Hollywood ignored this movie. It struck too close to its rotten heart.

RE: CITY COUNCIL PRO-HOMELESS: Do you even read the ordinances? Nowhere in the multifamily home ordinance does it give City Council the ability to evict homeowners or property owners or businesses. And unless the mobile homes are parked illegally on public or city-owned land, they won't be forcing them off the plot. All it does is establish zoning laws and allows property owners and developers to build or convert their existing property into multifamily homes. It also ensures sufficient public transit to areas with an increase of residents. Also, it expires in July this year. The only mobile home park I know of at risk of evicting everyone is in Cheney, which, it may surprise you to learn, IS NOT IN SPOKANE. Stop being lazy and slurping up your news from fear-stoking morons. Maybe try reading the ordinances yourself.

SPOKANE IS TURNING INTO A TRASH CAN: Ten years ago Spokane used to be a great place to live and raise your kids. Now Spokane has become an overcrowded metropolis. Dwelling in the streets of Spokane are the homeless and convicted. The most recent event Spokanites have had to deal with is the sudden influx of people ... Spokane is now overpriced and the amount of road rage encounters is unfortunate. It now takes double the time it used to to get from point A to point B because the city has decided to not compensate for the increasing population. This is no longer a place to call home. ... Every year Spokane is getting riddled with more and more crime. The people that have lived in Spokane most of their lives, if not their whole life, are now at the mercy of the state. We are the ones that this affects most.

NEWS FLASH: News flash: Unless you're uber wealthy, you're only one or maybe two steps away from homelessness, and if you end up in that position I hope people are so mean to you and split hairs over the definition of a public space just to discourage you from seeking shelter. Technically, YOU don't need to visit the library, and if you do you can get your books for pickup so people simply existing in a public space won't ruin your pathetic day.

YES YOU! Jeers to all of the people who pay good money to go to a concert and look at their cell phones all night. Yes, checking your email is distracting to those around you. Yes, so is looking at your sites, filming, selfies, photos, flash: all of it. Put your darn phone down and enjoy the show; be present for once. Yes I mean you; your phone is annoying too.

I DO PARK THE WRONG WAY, AND...? I've decided to leave my Christmas lights up year round now, to show support for my fellow person who's a leave em up kinda person, your H.O.A. utopian standards don't apply here; just because it bothers you, don't make a deal about it. I bet your potato salad sucks. ♦