Sad, Sad News...

This Saturday was our last column for The Seattle PI (sniff, sniff).

The section of the paper we wrote for, "@Home" has been discontinued. The same has happened to The Seattle Times "Digs" section.

Gone.

From what I understand, it had little to do with the content, but the advertising just didn't support it. Funny, because when these sections first debuted, there were LOTS of advertisers. Makes me wonder...

Regardless, it's really too bad. There was a lot of great information we put out for our readers in our section. I am really going to miss it. And I will miss hearing back from our readers - both the positive AND negative feedback!

What? We Evoke These Strong Emotions - About Decorating???

Not all reader feedback is of a positive nature:

Dear Robin and Christian and John (our esteemed editor):
How fabulous to read two columnists who have a lock on the truth! I am not an admirer, however. We just installed the shower head provided by the City of Seattle; it replaced that one they sent several years ago. This one allows us to turn down the water volume to just a trickle between soaping and rinsing, and despite the cold nipping at exposed wet skin, we take advantage of that feature because it seems to be part of being a good citizen.

Multiple shower heads are self-indulgent and environmentally indefensible as is the gigantic house featured on the front page of the paper today. Your training clearly reflects that you believe design and/or beauty is more important than anything else. You are shallow, and so "yesterday" besides. Your flippant dismissal of a tub for people with joint problems says it all. Don't pass yourselves off as thoughtful problem solvers. Your interests are clearly far more superficial than that.
M.E. , disgusted
(via email)

Well. I suspect this is in response to an article published a few weeks ago where the father wanted to update his single bed/bath condo for his son to live in, but still wanted to keep it in good marketable shape. He wondered if he needed to keep the tub for resale. We supposed that it would be okay,and maybe even great if he got rid of the tub and created a "spa-like" room. Maybe even including a shower with two heads.

This is not to say that those who luxuriate in baths or have joint issues are lesser concerns, but our response was towards a PARTICULAR instance of desire on the owners' part and future resale.

We said that the number of people that would be turned off by the loss of the tub would probably be minimal, in regards to putting it on the market.

Remember, this is a single bed/bath unit. There are many out there! Why not create some features that would make it attractive and unique?

Plus, what ever happened to life's little luxuries? I doubt a person uses a double shower head on a daily basis, for goodness sake! But - light a candle, play some great music and enjoy the double heads once in a while seems o.k. in my book.

I think too, there are issues in her answer that are a response to last weeks column about our view that there are varying shades of being "green". This reader may be on the far end of the spectrum, most people would NOT turn down their water in the middle of the shower... Maybe in the future this will be the norm, and the earth will be better off for it. But for right now...

Road Trip!!

Christian and I are back on the road for the PI - being the classy duo we are, we are hitting the discount stores looking for deals!

Today we drove all the way up to Seattle Premium Outlet mall, just outside of Marysville. We considered going as far north as Burlington, to hit the older outlet mall, but we aren't that dedicated to the cause... Actually, we just felt that it wouldn't be worth it for what we are trying to find for our readers.

We are looking for those types of deals that you can't find at the regular stores, even when they have smokin' sales.

Next stop: Southcenter. Yikes.