August 20, 2006
Now you see it
Ya live in the 'hood, ya take care of the 'hood; it's no harder than making your bed or wiping the stovetop. Unlike, say, mowing the lawn. And today was The Day: Seattle Paint Out.
Greenlake roomies Sara and Sarah (a political consultant and a software marketer, respectively) don't live in the nabe; they were recruited through Craigslist. (Good way to meet cute boys.) Hand them a map of Belltown and bucket of paint, they track down trash, stickers and graffiti as if hunting renegade dust-bunnies. "Love to clean the bathroom," says Sarah. "Instant gratification," says Sara. Me? I pull the wagon and admire their energy.
Note to serial offending sticker-er Katzenhof, wherever you may be: the difference between graffiti and art is permission. More about controlling graffiti in Seattle here.