Well, I just read in the paper that Puyallup and Bellevue are all about supporting business growth with permits and economic development resources, and I have to say, I remember when you could walk down Main Street and find a hardware store on every corner, not just a coffee shop that charges $7 for a latte and a $300 espresso machine—oh, and another thing, I still can't get over how they've turned the old corner grocery into a boutique that sells artisanal pickles, which I'm sure is great for the economy but terrible for the people who used to buy a can of beans for 25 cents and a loaf of bread for 50 cents, and you know who you are, the ones who replaced the hardware store with that new co-working space, and another thing, I swear the city council is just handing out permits like candy at a birthday party, and I remember when you could park anywhere for free, and now they're making it so hard to even find a spot to drop off your dry cleaning, and I'm not saying I'm against progress, but sometimes I just want to go back to the days when the only thing you needed to know was the name of the guy who fixed your car, and he was always happy to chat while he worked on your engine, and another thing, I heard they're rescheduling meetings on Mercer Island, which is fine, I guess, but I just wish they'd get back to the old way of doing things, where the council would actually listen to the people who lived here instead of just planning for the new people who are moving in, and you know how I feel about that, and I'm not saying I'm wrong, I'll circle back on that, but for now, I just want to say that the people who actually live here need to be heard, and I'm not just talking about the new business owners, I'm talking about the people who've been here for decades, and you know who you are, and I'm not saying I'm against change, I'm just saying I noticed it and I have a lot to say about it.
That's all for this week. You know where to find me.