The Slice Nothing Quite Matches A Hug From A Friendly Canine Buddy

The fourth-best thing in life is seeing a toddler hug a big, gentle dog.

Just sweat while you work: There’s a special place in hell reserved for those who insist on keeping the office thermostat set too high.

The No. 1 lesson from the 1995 reunion season: Trying to lose 20 pounds one week before the event doesn’t work.

The No. 2 lesson from the 1995 reunion season: “Be yourself” is bad advice to give to a jerk.

Someone call an interpreter: Five-year-old Kayla Adolfson’s Aunt Ruth arrived for a visit wearing a brace on her wrist. Asked about the brace, she said it was for carpal tunnel syndrome. Kayla said “You have the Cartoon channel? I love the Cartoon channel!” - submitted by Linda Hughes

Looking back: You’ve got to admit Darrin Stephens in “Bewitched” was a pretty good sport about routinely getting turned into a chimp and what-have-you. That had to get old.

Do us a favor: Try to hold off a few more weeks before offering your predictions regarding college football’s bowl matchups.

Kid stuff: “My then 6-year-year-old asked his mom about the origin of timekeeping - years, hours and such,” wrote Dan Cadagan. “Part of her answer included how we count years: before Christ died is B.C., and from after his death is A.D….His response: ‘You mean there really was a Jesus Christ? I thought they just made all that up to get you to come to church.”’

Another conversation killer: Saying that you consider your family’s finances a private matter. - Mark Quick

Warm-up questions: Has your cat ever tried to sleep on your head? Does any other state’s tax structure do more to encourage people to keep driving clunkers than Washington’s? Which old “Twilight Zone” episode most reminds you of Spokane?

Today’s Slice question: How often do you see the same people in traffic during your I-90 workday commute?

, DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Drawing of a cat

MEMO: The Slice appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Write The Slice at P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210; call (509) 459-5470; fax (509) 459-5098.