FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Sick and Tired.

by Dave Markwell My household is sick, most of it anyway. My son and dogs seems to have avoided the bug. Ironically, these creatures take the least care about whom they interact with and/or what they put... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: The Phone Call

by Dave Markwell Twenty-four years ago on Halloween day, I received a phone call that changed my world. I was in college and had just returned home to my apartment from my early morning classes when the... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Collisions.

by Dave Markwell I am not a big Halloween guy. I don’t like to dress up much. With the one notable exception in my life being my plastic Batman costume that I had as a kid and wore religiously until... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Pull Up Your Pants!!!

by Dave Markwell “Aden!! Get up!!” I hollered at 6:45 A.M. My wail was answered with an impressively quick, but thankfully inaccurate paperback novel chucked in the direction of my face. My son gets... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Big Ideas

by Dave Markwell “Hey, Dad! Check this out!!” my thirteen year old son, Aden, bellowed. Based on a rather dubious history with his exclamations, I am rarely quick to respond to these requests, because... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Cages

by Dave Markwell Following a particularly troublesome morning in my wife’s office, we sat at the picnic table on our patio and ate lunch in the sunshine. We talked about her challenges. During our discussion,... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Ice Cream

by Dave Markwell The softness of the morning melted like ice cream throughout the rest of my day. And like melted ice cream, once it was gone, I was left with a sense of loss and a longing for some more.... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Night and Day

by Dave Markwell Last night was a blood bath. My eight, almost nine, year old daughter hit the wall, and some other things, including her brother. I saw it coming, but could not avoid or outrun the train... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: The Garage.

by Dave Markwell Today, I began my cleaning and organizing my garage. When this project will end I do not know. I have piles of tools and hardware and camping crap and kid crap and wife crap and my crap... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Last Dance

by Dave Markwell I was thinking about death the other day. I was thinking about my brother and Dad and grandparents. I was thinking about how I missed them and how my life changed when they passed. What... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Old Friends

by Dave Markwell To have old friends, one must BE old. Well, I am and so are they. It is with no small sense of perverse pleasure that I endure the passing of time in my life with the compromised collection... [Read more]

PIE JOUST: You’d Better Start Studying for the ‘Extreme Spelling Bee’ on Saturday

An innovative and fun new feature is coming to this year’s Pie Joust – to be held at Burien Town Square Park this Saturday, Aug. 18 (we’re proud to be a Sponsor) – the “Extreme... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: The Dump.

by Dave Markwell I love going to the dump. I have always loved going to the dump. Some of my earliest memories involve climbing into the back of my Dad’s old Ford truck and “helping” him unload various... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: A morning…

by Dave Markwell This day belongs to the dogs. They claimed it early and aren’t letting it go. The tic-tac revelry call of toenails on the hardwood floor kills any hope I have of finding my place back... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Ch..Ch..Ch..Changes…

by Dave Markwell My son is growing up. While this fact may not seem especially profound, when he called me on the phone the other day and I did not recognize his voice, it felt pretty profound to me. To... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: The Buzzard

by Dave Markwell “Dad didn’t do it.” My traitorous vulture of a thirteen year old son chimed in, accusingly and unsolicited, to my wife’s query about whether or not a certain project had been completed.... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Courage.

[EDITOR'S NOTE: This week's column is a rerun, as Dave Markwell is still recovering from an amazing 4th of July:] by Dave Markwell This week’s column was especially challenging to get a bead on. My original... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Home Improvement

by Dave Markwell Last night, my wife cussed at me. It wasn’t a big cuss out, but it wasn’t small, either. An “F” word was involved. We were working on a little home improvement project and, as... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: It’s A Dog’s World

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Today we're re-running one of Dave's previous columns, as his dog ate his latest one:] by Dave Markwell It’s a dog’s world. I woke up stealthily and ready for battle. I silently crept... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: The Countdowns

by Dave Markwell Well, the countdown is almost over. Next Friday ends the annual month-long trek towards summer vacation. It will begin. Understanding that summer vacation marks the beginning of nearly... [Read more]