The Slice: Young females earn their wings

Welcome to Big Stinging Insects Somehow Getting Inside the Home season.

In recognition of this special time of year, I would like to dispel a gender myth.

There are, in fact, females who possess decent bug-removal skills.

It’s just that they don’t wear this ability like a badge of honor. And a lot of them happen to be about 11 years old.

“The shame lingers: Back in the ‘60s, WSU, UW, Gonzaga and Idaho were a combined 0-7 on national television’s “G.E. College Bowl” quiz show

“A little regional pride, please: Having lived in both the Southwest and the Southeast, I feel qualified to say this.

People don’t know how to complain about hot weather here.

Oh sure, you’ll hear garden-variety grousing and lackluster laments. But where are the gifted complainers who put a storyteller’s colorful spin on their grumbling? Where are the memorable Spokane colloquialisms?

Let’s resolve to do better.

“The more the merrier: Do I have an offer for you.

Maybe you saw Saturday’s Slice column. I essentially pledged to start wearing sunglasses on my walk home from work, to protect my eyes. Also, I admitted that I was committing my plan to print for the simple reason that it would force me to be faithful to my vow.

Well, not long after writing that, a thought occurred to me.

Why should I be the only one who gets to employ that particular accountability tactic? Wouldn’t some Slice readers also benefit from making their own pledges public?

Sure.

So here’s the deal. If you would like to make some behavior change or tackle a self-improvement project, feel free to share your goal with The Slice.

Then, if I print your declaration of intent, the pressure will be on — in a good way.

I can’t promise that this will magically result in you losing 10 pounds or call a halt to your swearing this summer. But it can’t hurt. There’s something about knowing people are watching that helps bolster your resolve.

And who knows. Maybe you’ll discover that you have a rooting section hoping you’ll succeed.

“Slice rebuttal: Maria Washington, who described herself as a notorious flirt, disagreed with the reader who said no one flirts here. “There’s a whole lot of it going on,” said Washington.

“Note to readers who invited me to come spend time with them at their workplaces: I’m still intending to do this. But my new plan calls for me to make these visits closer to Labor Day. So don’t be surprised if you hear from me in August.

“Today’s Slice question: When it comes to relentlessly critiquing other family members’ hand-washing frequency and thoroughness, who is the biggest nag in the Inland Northwest?