I SAW YOU
RE: IN MY DREAMS... If this is who I think it is, I am sorry for not letting you truly know how I feel. When I walk next to you, I feel as if my heart wants to leap out of my chest, and I get so nervous that I can't speak. I need more of that, and more of you. I hope you still have the email address I gave to you.RE: IN MY DREAMS: Mr. B, What are my initials?
HITCHED HAIRDRESSER: Almost a year ago now you were dyeing hair for a woman (I think your aunt?) two seats away from me at Glen Dow Academy. I was eavesdropping and heard you tell her about how you were 18 and just got secretly hitched to a guy you barely knew. You then said both of you still lived at home and didn't tell your parents. Are you still together??? I've since moved from Spokane, but I think about this story all the time and hope you're doing well girly.
CHEERS
THANK YOU: CHEERS to all the teachers at the Central Valley School District! YOU GUYS ROCK!!! Teaching our kids and making them grow into the great people you make them become! I appreciate all you do, especially when they graduate and make it out into the real world! THANK YOU!
OPTIMISM RESTORED: It ended with a greasy food bag taped to my front door with the message '"found your wallet on road, police have it" scribbled across it. It started with the sheer terror of realizing I lost my wallet. For hours I agonized, looking for it and when I finally got home I found your note. I went to the Police Station and retrieved my wallet. I asked the officer for your name so I could send you a thank you, but she said you didn't leave your info. At a time when my optimism was starting to wane, this act of kindness restored me. To thank you (whoever you are) I made a donation to my local food bank.
PRAISE FOR MESSAGE FROM THE JEERED: Thank you for the excellent message, which bears repeating. "We are critical of the small defects in our neighbors, but overlook the serious faults in ourselves. We are quick to complain of what we put up with from others, with never a thought of what others put up with from us....If we would look seriously to ourselves, we would find it easy to be silent about the deeds of others." This is so needed in these times of great division. Scatter kindness, not cruelty!
THE VOTING'S THE THING: Cheers to Bill Bryant for speaking up about the current nature of the Republican party. It's not working to be a body of representatives for the electorate anymore. His points are clear and he's correct about how we have more in common than current discourse shows. I feel his editorial should have included support for a better voting system because that's the place most people actually get to voice their opinion and our single vote, winner take all system demonstrably reinforces a two party system, regardless of the quality of those parties. Moving our country forward to a system like Ranked Choice Voting would enable us to speak more clearly at the ballot box for more parties and candidates. How we vote matters, so let's improve the voting to make our voices heard.
JEERS
RE: DEADBEAT CITY: I wholeheartedly agree with this regarding penalizing people for not paying for legal plates/tabs. I cannot believe how many I see that have been expired, not just for months... but for years! If you can afford to drive a car, then you must know that it is your responsibility to update tabs every year! Think of the revenue the state could have to meet the needs of our cities and citizens. Instead of them having to ask for levies, collect the money that is due the state. I have lived in many parts of the United States, and this is the first state that has this problem. Boy I would have had a ticket within days of an expired tab elsewhere. Come on people, REALLY!
THROWING AWAY COSMETICS INSTEAD OF DONATING: As I walk through the streets behind the stores of Spokane Valley, I can't help but notice the abundance of brand new cosmetics and goods being thrown away in dumpsters, meanwhile local shelters and organizations supporting people in need are struggling to provide basic necessities. It is heartbreaking to think about the potential impact these discarded items could have on someone's life. A fresh face of makeup or a new pair of shoes can be a small but significant step toward rebuilding confidence and starting anew. I urge local businesses to consider donating there excess inventory to those who need it most. Let's work together to reduce waste and make a positive impact in our community.
NOT SO THRIFTY STORES: As I've noticed the shift in thrift store practices, I'm compelled to speak out. Gone are the days of finding treasures at affordable prices. Now, donated items are meticulously priced at full worth, often exceeding their value. This change harms those who need it most: low-income families struggling to clothe their children. Once havens for affordable secondhand shopping, the thrift chains now resemble department stores. They've even eliminated try-on options citing potential theft, meanwhile they profit and reduce employee needs by having customers do self checkout. Let's redirect our generosity to the free clothing banks, veterans organizations, domestic violence shelters and churches providing refuge. These organizations genuinely support those in need without exploiting them for profit.
TIP THIEF: To the young man that drove up and stole my tip jar while I was running to the back to grab something, how dare you. You stole the jar for a measly $10? That's still theft. This road of stealing leads to bigger theft and eventually prison. I hope you change your ways before that becomes your destiny. Seriously, shame on you.
RE: CROSSWALK NONSENSE: I'm tired of people completely missing the point. No one is angry that cars drive over it, we are angry because people set fire to it in the middle of the night, that three young men thought they could intentionally deface it and yell slurs without repercussions. This is about holding people accountable for their hateful actions, not about where the mural is placed. I beg you, stop bringing up that's in on an intersection. We know. And please, have some more critical thought instead of this constant inane dribble.
WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ROSES? Visited Rose Hill in Manito yesterday, hoping to sniff my old favorites in the Tea Rose section. Empty, empty, hardly any bushes there. And someone is mislabeling roses in the heritage section (William Baffin is not white, it is a Canadian Explorer, not heritage). The sign which showed the location of the roses in the tea rose section has vanished. What happened??? Vandalism?? New administration, gardeners, etc?? Too much focus on Expo?? Lots of praise for the new design of Duncan Gardens now, but the Rose garden on Rose Hill is a Manito Heritage. Correction needed.
GARAGE SALE: Courtesy Garage and Estate Sale holders, PLEASE take down your signs when your sale is done. If you have the time and wherewithal to hold a sale, how can you not take an extra minute to remove your signs at its conclusion? If I had a dollar for every Garage/Estate Sale sign I followed to nowhere/nothing...! Well, I could probably buy a piece of furniture or treasure at full market price and not need to look for them in your neighborhood.
NICE MOVE MORGAN MURPHY MEDIA: Not since 98.9 KKZX dropped The Radio Men with no warning or farewell have I seen a local station suck so much at understanding their listeners. If you planned on giving the last of local morning radio the boot you should have sent them off in celebration and not quietly axed them hoping no one would notice. I guess that's what we get when our local stations are run by an out of state corporation.
92.9 ZZU: Jeers to the management of 92.9 for taking Dave, Ken, and Molly off the air with no warning. It was not fair to the staff, and especially the listeners that they couldn't say goodbye to us and each other. I know that the management at the radio station doesn't care but they have lost me as a listener. Dave, Ken, and Molly let us know how you are doing.
RE: RE: "PRIDE" CROSSWALK: I usually avoid engaging with comments like yours, as it would take a lifetime (hopefully shorter, for everyone's sake) to open your closed mind – and even then, it might not be enough. It's disheartening to see your intolerance towards anyone who isn't like you. Celebrating the achievements and existence of others doesn't diminish your own. Saying one group matters doesn't imply that other groups don't; that's just your misguided perception. The fact that the spotlight isn't on you for once doesn't justify your tantrum. Grow up and try some empathy for a change. ♦
