The Slice: Breaking it down by the numbers

Here are some year-end Slice stats (figures do not include The Slice Blog).

Number of times lentils were mentioned in The Slice in 2016: 9

Number of times marmots were mentioned: 22

Number of times cats were mentioned: 79

Number of times nudity was mentioned: 2

Number of times Athol was mentioned: 3

Number of times the word groin was used: 2

Number of times crows were mentioned: 3

Number of times the expression “full figured” was used: 1

Number of times the word “lake” was mentioned: 74

Number of times beer was mentioned: 18

Number of times marijuana was mentioned: 18

Number of times the Donner Party was mentioned: 2

Number of times Expo ’74 was mentioned: 13

Number of times I-90 was mentioned: 4

Number of times Riverfront Park was mentioned: 6

Number of columns in which “Spokane man” appeared: 4

Number of times sunburn was mentioned: 4

Number of times “teacher” appeared: 22

Number of times Spokane TV news was mentioned: 3

Number of times hamburger was mentioned: 8

Number of times fishing was mentioned: 7

Number of times Father’s Day was mentioned: 2

Number of times the word “grandparents” appeared: 14

Number of times the expression “first date” was used: 1

Number of times potato salad was mentioned: 3

Number of times raccoons were mentioned: 3

Number of times Manito Park was mentioned: 4

Number of times North Central High School was mentioned: 1

Number of times the expression “laundry disaster” was used: 1

Number of times the Marmot Lodge was mentioned: 6

Looking back: Here are a few Slice questions that have appeared on New Year’s Eve over the years.

1996: Complete this sentence: You know someone will never ever move away from the Spokane area when …

2002: Do you secretly hope for harsh winter weather so you can bask in your ability to take it in stride?

2006: To what extent will consecutive three-day weekends make returning to a regular work week schedule seem brutal?

2009: Do you feel weird about using leftover Christmas stamps to mail bill payments?

Today’s Slice question: Do you remember being all excited about trying to stay up past midnight when you were a child?

Write The Slice at P. O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; email pault@spokesman.com. Requiring kids to write thank-you notes: Yes or no?