time capsule september 2008

9/30/08

Telemarketing

My (supposed) "neighbor" just called to discuss the upcoming Presidential election.  She wanted to know if I was registered to vote in Tacoma, if I was going to vote, and even for whom I was planning on voting.  The conversation was nice and she wasn't trying to persuade or solicit me in any way.  Why then did I feel so dirty and violated after hanging up?  I think telemarketing has ruined the telephone.

-AP

9/29/08

Jake Locker Broken Thumb

The Washington Huskies may be hitting another rock bottom.  Are we looking at a potential dark decade?  Jake Locker has a broken thumb, and can't play quarterback for at least 6 weeks, probably longer.  Now they are saying he might play safety with a cast on his hand.  What are we going to say in 10 years when we look back on this era?  Perhaps the single greatest recruit in a generation gone completely to waste?  Eeks.

-AP

9/28/08

Tina Fey as Sarah Palin

Tina Fey of Saturday Night Live has always been funny to me. Her career was going just fine, and then Sarah Palin hit the scene. Nothing could have fueled Fey's comedy prowess more than the current VP candidate's mere existence. What a stroke of luck to be able to put your hair back, don some specs, and immediately be transformed into the nation's favorite buffoon!

-AP

9/17/08

Lowell Elementary Playground

Lowell Elementary school is unique. The playground is inside the chain link fence on I Street, near the bend where it turns into North 21st by Dave's Meat & Produce.  In the mornings, while parents are still coming and going and cross-guards are still working the intersections by St. Patrick's church, this playground is swarming with Tacoma's future leaders.  They are ravenously engaged in various physical activities. I can't figure out if this is the equivalent of 1st period at school, or if everybody shows up an hour early simply to enjoy the playground amenities. No school I attended ever looked like this in the morning. Fun stuff.

-AP

9/16/08

North 30th Construction

The road construction up North 30th hill out of Old Town has been hot and heavy for awhile.  After all the digging subsides, they leave asphalt patches all over the place and many of them aren't so smooth.  I wonder if they are finished at this point or if there is a better surface to come. And what are they working on?  Gas lines?  Fiber optic cables?

-AP

9/15/08

North Tacoma Burglary

Our neighbors on N 37th & Mason were robbed last week during the middle of the day.  I haven't heard of any other incidents, so hopefully it was an isolated event.  As the economy worsens, crime will no doubt increase.  Hopefully this won't become an epidemic in the north end.  It's up to us, the residents of Tacoma, to remain observant and diligent with our own homes and vehicles, as well as our neighbors'.  Keep your eyes peeled for crooks and call 911 if you see anything suspicious.

-AP

9/14/08

Seahawks Injuries Mounting

The Seahawks have lost more wide receivers to injury (6) than most teams carry on their roster.  Logan Payne and Seneca Wallace are among the latest players added to the triage.  Toss them in with Deion Branch, Bobby Engram, Nate Burleson and Ben Obamanu. What has happened to this franchise?  In no time flat, we are doomed.  Were we really in a Super Bowl a couple years ago?  This seems as unbelievable as the Mariners winning over 100 games in a season not so long ago.

-AP

9/13/08

North End Right

What is going on?? A [newer] neighbor just dropped a fat McCain sign in their front window. Are you kidding me? At least they'll be wasting their vote while living in this great state. I guess something positive CAN come from the electoral college system.

-AP

9/12/08

The 80's Are Alive in Proctor

The kids are back in school. This year more than any other, there are only two different types of kids around the neighborhood to choose from: (1) boys with shaggy hair and tight jeans or (2) girls wearing anything once sported by Pat Benatar. The 80's resurgence is alive and well. I would post pictures here to back up this observation, but photographing children would seem unwise at this juncture in my career.  You'll have to drive by Mason Middle School any weekday at approximately 3pm to see for yourself.

-AP

9/11/08

911 Flashback

On the 7th anniversary of 911, a question comes to mind. Has daily life in North Tacoma changed since the attack on the World Trade Center? I remember thinking on 9/11/01 that life may never be the same. However, as I sit here and reflect, it is my strong opinion that life is, in the words of the great David Byrne, "same as it ever was."

-AP

9/10/08

Road Work - The Good Kind

They finished the resurfacing of North 36th Street today and as a result I am giddy. Since before I moved to the neighborhood in October, 2001, this has been one sorry stretch of roadway. Not anymore! I can't wait to see how fast the speeders go now. I predict an accident at N 36th & Stevens before we set the clocks back.

-AP