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: 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]

LETTER: ‘An Open Letter to all Real Estate Companies Selling in Des Moines’

An open letter to all real estate companies selling in the city of Des Moines, Describing as many positive reasons for buying a home in Des Moines  including: quality of the school system, beautiful views,... [Read more]

LETTER: ‘What’s Up with Marina District Banners on Streetlamp Poles on 216th?’

Question – What’s up with the “Marina District” banners on the streetlamp poles going east on 216th? They’re very nice looking but I would question the location. The Marina District is down here... [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]

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]

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: ‘South King Fire & Rescue Needs Our Help!’

Dear Editor, Our fire district has lost over 22% of its annual revenue since 2009 as property values have declined. This reduction has necessitated major cutbacks in service levels and personnel, longer... [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]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Light Bulbs.

by Dave Markwell A couple of days ago, I had the privilege of speaking to some 8th graders at Pacific Middle School in Des Moines, WA. My presentation was a part of my Rotary Club’s vocational program... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: MDW

by Dave Markwell I love Memorial Day weekend!! I really, really love it. As soon as Labor Day weekend ends, I look forward to this weekend. MDW is the official start of my summer. It represents a change... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: Weeds.

by Dave Markwell The other day I picked the weeds which live in the sidewalk in front of my wife’s office. I hate these weeds. I hate the weeds that clutter the sidewalk more than I hate picking them.... [Read more]

FEEL GOOD FRIDAY: The Bird

[EDITOR'S NOTE: Dave Markwell is taking this week off from writing, so this week we're re-running one of his previous columns.] by Dave Markwell I got flipped off by an old man the other day. I was driving... [Read more]