Author Jay Larkin from a suburb of London, England, is currently retired, but worked as a chemical engineer, later became a guidance counsellor in a college, and ended up as an art facilitator for young people with behavioral problems. She has been writing for about ten years. Her first book – under a pen name, […]
To Ponder
Lochburn Middle School: Academic Collapse Complete in 2024
Submitted by John Arbeeny. Each week as a public service Lakewood CARES will be providing an academic-based response to schools highlighted in the Clover Park School District (CPSD) “#SuperSchoolShoutOut“ articles in The Suburban Times. This is data you will not find elsewhere in CPSD public relations pieces, School Board meeting agendas or “Inside Schools”. This […]
Letter: Bring back shop class in schools
Submitted by Greg Alderete. Everything I Needed to Know I Learned While Using a Bandsaw in High School In the seventh grade at JE Murphy High School, I stood in front of a band saw for the first time. It wasn’t just a machine; it was a teacher in disguise. What started as a lesson […]
Letter: When What Is Sought Is Found
“How did the wise men know what star to follow and when to stop?” The five-year-old’s question of her grandfather came out of nowhere as they walked along, hand-in-hand. The morning air was crispy cold, a light dusting of snow lay like clusters of millions of stars in the shadows not yet touched by the […]
Jane and the Balls for the Game
Jane was in love, well . . . perhaps not love, but it might just work its way up to love if she behaved herself. She was enjoying junior college. She had not yet been accepted for the Women’s Fast Pitch team in San Diego, but was a killer at some of the local teams […]
A Christmas Carol At Harlequin – On the Mark and Darn Near Perfect
Ticket holders for the Olympia production were treated to a set of four carolers dressed in costumes from 1843, the year A Christmas Carol was written. Peg and I had seats in different rows. By the time the Carolers finished singing it looked like every seat in the house was taken. For Terry Edward Moore […]
Let’s Talk! – Periodic Table Games
Are you ready to switch off your screens and ponder or discuss another writing/conversation prompt from my friend Tyrean Martinson’s book? Here’s my take on it. What a fun prompt today – or not, depending on where you parse the compound noun. To me, it holds a lot of memories of an auditorium-style classroom, back […]
Letter: Why the Health Insurance System is Making America Great Again (And Again, And Again, And Again)
Submitted by Greg Alderete. Good evening, America! You’ve tuned into a very special edition of “The Daily Show,” because tonight, we’re diving deep into the most American institution of them all — healthcare. That’s right, folks. If you’ve ever thought the words, “I’m feeling sick, let’s call my insurance company and see if they can […]
Across the Fence: O Tannenbaum
Of course, with so many German immigrants in the U.S. population almost from the very beginning, quite a few cultural items have been adopted into American traditions that are undoubtedly German. Among them is the carol O Tannenbaum (pronounce: O ‘tunnen-bowm, meaning o fir tree). Next to Silent Night, it might be one of the […]