I want to tell a story from a couple years ago, but don't want my motives misconstrued. This is not a story about how great I am. It's a story about how you don't have to be great to make a difference; you just have to show up ( Read more... )

In the ongoing saga of My Wacky Apartment Building, today's episode features a door to the stairwell that will not open for love or money.  Tenants of the second floor, self included, have been instructed to enter and exit via the fire escape.  It's not clear when a locksmith is coming, if ever.

You know, just this morning I was turning the 200th ( Read more... )

The second anniversary of the John T. Williams shooting is today, in case you needed another reminder of how little the establishment cares about the lives of the poor.

Williams was a homeless, hearing-impaired Native American who was often seen meandering in my neighborhood.  I knew him on sight, although not by name. Once he had a sort of necklace ( Read more... )

An open letter to those who have decided to live on the opposite side of Lake Washington from where they work, then complain endlessly about their commute:

Shut up. Shut up.  Shut up.

Is your commute slow?  Yes, there's a fucking glacial lake in the middle of it and you're not driving a fucking boat.  Is it now costly?  Yes, and why should the rest ( Read more... )

I haven't been to the Seafair hydro races since I worked for Rainier Brewing Co.'s PR department. Every year we'd sponsor the Rainier Cup, and every year the Miss Budweiser would win it. The Miss Bud was the Yankees of Lake Washington: an entity fueled by millions of corporate dollars for the purpose of dominating and thereby ruining what used to ( Read more... )

Does organic food turn people into jerks?  It's an interesting question to pose.  Fortunately, when stated in the interrogative rather than the declarative ("Organic food turns people into jerks") you absolve yourself of any imperative to present evidence. After all, you're just asking an innocent question. Tea Partiers have been pulling this off ( Read more... )

ACT I

Local: Hey, new co-worker.  So, did you just move here?

Out-of-towner: Hi!  Yeah.

Local: Where from?

Out-of-towner: [Some metropolis or, less likely, small town.]

Local: Oh, cool, [and other pleasantries.]  I've lived in Seattle since college.

Out-of-towner: Really?  How can you stand it?  Everyone dresses like they're homeless hikers.  It ( Read more... )