And Not One Arrived Stamped ‘Postage Due’

Kathryn Brenize of Mead is the winner of The Slice’s Super Colossal Labor Day Drawing.

Her postcard from Bolivia was plucked from a hat filled with cards sent from readers over the summer.

“I am here for three weeks to enjoy the culture and improve my Spanish,” she wrote.

She wins an assortment of Wake Up and Read It trinkets and lunch with The Slice.

Thanks to everyone who mailed a postcard. It was fun to read about your far-flung travels.

Cards arrived from San Francisco, San Antonio, Boston, the Bahamas, Oregon, Hawaii, Lake Tahoe, Indonesia, Tanzania, Canada, Las Vegas, Alaska, Montana, Florida, southern Idaho, Rosalia and elsewhere.

A special salute goes to Bill Hartman, a one-man global economy. He sent cards from China, Portugal, Singapore and Hungary.

* The four stages of reactions to a newcomer’s observations about the Spokane area:

1. Reaction to someone who has lived here two weeks: “That’s cute. I guess that WOULD seem odd.”

2. To someone who has lived here two months: “Look, people around here just say `The Lake.’ OK?”

3. To someone who has lived here a year: “That’s how we’ve always done it.”

4. To someone who has lived here more than a year: “Hey, pal. Wake up. You’re part of the problem now.”

* Three things you can do to give co-workers something to talk about:

1. Gain weight.

2. Become a sidewalk Bible shouter during your lunch break.

3. Drop the ironic detachment and express sincere feelings.

* Sometimes stereotypes are partly based on reality: Take the frustration of dealing with bureaucracies, for instance. We were reminded of that recently when dealing with the Social Security Administration. The people were courteous. It’s just that they provided conflicting information.

On another front, we just know some of those people in SUVs talking on cell phones are the ones saddling newborns with awful names.

* Five key questions:

1. What the heck kind of state motto is “Bye and bye”?

2. Does anyone in your family actually read instructions?

3. Do you even know what kind of trees those are out in your yard?

4. Which of your daily activities could inspire a new cable channel?

5. At what age do you get to start saying what you really think?

* Today’s Slice question: What city is a realistic role model for Spokane?