Let’s start my column today by asking, what does my title, “70 X 70”, mean? Creating titles is a favorite part of my writing process. More often than not, every story I draft will have several proposed titles. In fact, my title for this column just changed a minute ago from 70 – 4 – […]
Lakewood
Letter: Hire the homeless – Lakewood should apply
Bipartisan Senate Bill 5261 would create a pilot program to hire homeless persons for local beautification projects. Lakewood should support passage of the bill and at the same time apply to be one of only three cities statewide to be so honored.Lakewood has long advocated for help to the homeless. “The City of Lakewood is […]
Film Review: King Kong vs. Godzilla
The popularity and evolution of Godzilla films in the 60’s and 70’s is an interesting genre to learn about, especially concerning its demographic. The original Godzilla, released in 1954, was metaphorical of the dangers of nuclear weaponry, and was a harsh but fantastical reminder of what the Japanese people had to go through during the […]
Westside Story – B.O.A.R.T.F.B.
Does anyone know what the new acronym, B.O.A.R.T.F.B. means? I am guessing not because I just invented it a minute ago. B.O.A.R.T.F.B. stands for Boyle’s Old Age Retirement Tax-Free Benefit. You can pronounce it “BOART FeeBee” to show how hip you are with cutting-edge acronyms. So when I think back my first recollection of a […]
An Open Letter to Lakewood Police Chief Mike Zaro
Not even two weeks into 2019 and Lakewood has another mental health death on its hands. Distressing, but we know it is not the first. At my very first meeting at the Public Safety Advisory Committee, I asked about non-lethal options. We discussed that all LPD officers are trained in proportional force progression and non-lethal […]
Across the Fence: Disneyland Is Somewhere Else
Only recently we traveled to Las Vegas, Nevada, to celebrate my husband’s round birthday. I have been there three times before within the past 12 years, always on business: as a trade show reporter, as the leader of my magazine’s reader’s trip group of 40 persons, and as a business consultant for a trade show […]
Westside Story – Tacoma Tests Trump Border Wall
This story is being told in the 3rd person. It is like Joe Boyle went to Topside Coffee Cabin (TCC) in Steilacoom and interviewed Joe Boyle and then wrote a story about another guy, who is, in actuality, Joe Boyle. Based on archived 1998 CIA reports, President Donald Trump learned that Lakewood resident, Joe Boyle, […]
The Sun’ll Come Out in Forbidden Broadway – Lakewood Playhouse Review
The Lakewood Playhouse took a chance and became the first northwest theater to produce the show Forbidden Broadway. The musical features parodies of Broadway and off-Broadway shows. The “chance” is not because the lyrics can be risqué or anything, but because the audience needs to be attuned to musical theatre and quite a bit of […]
Film Review: Mary Poppins Returns
To say that Mary Poppins had a profound influence on me as a kid isn’t exactly the most original statement in the world. I’m fairly certain it’s illegal in some parts of the world to not like Mary Poppins. With its infectiously catchy songs, lovable leads, boundless energy, fantastic choreography and its timeless and powerful […]