The Slice: At some point, you’re all in

Paul Turner is taking some time off this summer. In his absence, we dive into the archives at Slice Central. Today, we revisit July 4, 2002.

Some of that lake water is cold, and it’s going to stay that way for much of the summer.

So The Slice wants to know. What’s your approach to taking the plunge?

Do you dive right in and try to get the temperature shock over with in one stunning, scream-producing moment? Do you try to sneak up on the lake, wading in slowly and adjusting to the big chill inch by inch? Or do you get halfway in and then try to become acclimated by gingerly splashing the cold water onto your shivering upper body? And do you think people’s approaches to this divide along gender lines?

Play of the week: A Spokane youth baseball umpire told The Slice that it’s not altogether uncommon for kids to apologize to him for the behavior of their parents or coaches.

signature sign-offs: You know how some people’s email has famous quotations or lines of poetry automatically tacked on at the bottom? Well, what if, for Spokane area computer users, these words of wisdom had a local flavor?

You know, perspectives on life as viewed through a Spokane lens.

It might be kind of fun to read someone’s electronic message and then see a localized “Thought for the day” down at the bottom.

Something like, “Quality can be a little spendy.”

Or “Talking about the need for better jobs is almost like doing something.”

Or “Social conscience and outdoor recreation are not mutually exclusive, but, what was the question?”

Or “Some people driving pickups actually need them.”

Or “Children are the future of camping.”

You get the idea.

Lifestyle advice from Dean Vernon Wormer: “Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life.”

Slice answer: Patt Wright thinks Grand Coulee Dam is the Northwest’s most impressive sight to see from an airliner.

Warm-up question: If your cat had a theme song, what would it be?