Best Rants & Raves of 2010

Some of our favorite rants and raves from 2010

Rant and Rave BIG rant to the fools who trashed my doors, broke into my house, and got away with — among other things — — my deceased cat's ashes. Some score, fools; hope Cooper gives you hives when you try to snort him. A big rave to you, however, for giving me and my friends the best laugh we've had in ages.

Rave To the families of organ and tissue donors. My knee was repaired with someone else's spare parts. Six years later, I was able to do a challenging hike to a place on Mount Rainier that will sing in my heart forever. When I'm done in this life, please use anything you can!

Rant To the tech at the auto-repair shop who test drove my MR2 Spyder and totaled it.

Rave To Woodland Park Zoo, who found our 4-year-old son's missing stuffed gorilla, "Oooh Oooh," amid the pile of stuffed animals inside the Zoomazium, and returned him to us along with a photo-essay of his "adventures" during his month spent at the zoo. Your creativity, compassion and kindness stunned us, and we are so thankful that our son who declared "this will never stop hurting until I am dead" has his special guy back. Thanks for setting an example for our kids of what it means to go the extra mile in caring for others.

Rant To the driver that ran a red light and T-boned me. You stopped and talked to me, then without warning, got back in your truck and sped off. You are a low life. What you didn't realize is that you left a wonderful impression of your license plate in my door for the police. Watch over your shoulder, buddy. If karma doesn't get you, the Seattle police will!

Rave To the truck driver who looked up and printed directions to a hospital, and to the other seven kind and helpful people whom I asked for directions so that I could pick up my daughter-in-law and her new baby. I just have no spatial skills.

Rant For co-workers who are keeping their jobs: please quit your whining and complaining. I received my layoff notice and my last day is Dec 31. All around me my gainfully employed co-workers are griping about their jobs. I would give anything to have a job and I wouldn't complain about it!

Rave I lost a favorite vest and called places I'd recently shopped or visited to ask if they have seen a "lady's fake fur, black, gray and white striped vest, almost like a raccoon." Each person assures me, "Lady, if anyone found anything like that I'd absolutely remember!" Finally their answers made me laugh. Thanks to all who got me laughing though I still miss that darn vest!

Rant To me, for the years I lived in Seattle in a drunken stupor. A rant for all the special dinners I ruined "flirting" with your husband at the next table. A rant for being obnoxious beyond belief and totally inappropriate. A final rant for climbing behind the wheel of my car under the influence and endangering everyone in my unfortunate path. God does look out for fools and drunkards for I never did get in an accident. I'm going on 12 years sober through the grace of that same kind and loving God. It is my goal to atone by helping as many people as possible with my time, effort, money and caring before I die.

Rave To the people of Seattle, the EMTs, Virginia Mason Medical Center and the W Hotel with heartfelt thanks for their kindness, friendliness and helpfulness after I tripped, fell and broke my ankle while visiting your beautiful city. Everyone had a kind word, a big smile and helpful attitude. My hotel did everything they could to make me comfortable. The taxi driver that took me to the airport made sure that I was safely in a wheelchair before driving off. I didn't have the Seattle vacation I'd planned (I did have a lovely view of the Space Needle out of the ambulance window!) but the warmth and kindness of the people of Seattle far outweighed the accident.

Rant To the irresponsible driver deeply enthralled in a thick book while weaving in and out of traffic on I-405. You put many innocent drivers at risk. If it were not for extreme shock, I would have taken your license-plate number and reported the incident to the authorities, or the nearest mental facility.

Rave To the people who found my wallet at Safeway. This has happened not once in the past month, but TWICE. Cash, credit cards, ID, everything was there both times and both times it was turned in to customer service. Many, many thanks to you and to the helpful Safeway clerks. Now that I've confirmed the kindness of strangers, my next project is to learn how to hang on to my wallet!

Rant To the hateful bigot at Sam's Club who told my daughter and her friend that she wouldn't buy Girl Scout cookies from them because they "weren't American." Both children are non-Caucasian American citizens who understand the promise of America much better than that wicked old witch, and they have manners to boot! Thanks to this hate-spewing woman, they also ... now have a firsthand understanding of racism.

Rave To the wonderful couple who used their jumper cables to start my car, then followed me to the auto shop to help me install a new battery. It was their first date; what a way to spend it! Thanks again from a senior citizen.

Rant To the adult male driver who made a great effort to attract the attention of a 75- year-old lady in order to make a lewd comment. I suggest you turn in your 13 year-old-brain for a functional adult model.

Rave To the clerk at Trader Joe's who noticed my pink cancer-awareness shopping bag and remarked that her niece had died of breast cancer. I told her my daughter died from cancer last year and started to tear up. On my way out, the clerk ran after me, picked a bouquet of flowers from the display, gave them to me and said she hoped I had a better day. What an act of kindness!

Rave To everyone who finds something to rave about every day.

The Seattle Times publishes reader rants and raves on a space-available basis. We reserve the right to edit for length or content. Send yours to rantandrave@seattletimes.com