The Slice: He’s still waiting to exhale

Paul Turner is taking some time off this summer. In his absence, we dive into the archives at Slice Central. Today, we revisit June 25, 2005.

Slice reader George X. Hale reported that he yells “Hoy! Hoy! Hoy!” when jumping into cold water. (Yes, I know. In this context, his name probably should be “Inhale.”)

But my favorite answer to that question came from Eric Silk, an 11-year-old in Hayden. He said he would yell, “In the name of Thor!”

Not realizing that your Slice host knows his Silver Age Marvel comics, Eric went on to explain: “Thor is the old Norse god of thunder, strength and glory.”

And now we can add that he’s also the god of jumping into cold lakes. But here’s a tip: Leave the big hammer on the dock.

Just try to resist doing a Mae West impression: Earlier this month, a black-capped chickadee built a nest above John May’s back porch in Chewelah.

The single-family dwelling, made of tree moss, is right over a sprinkler system control box.

“Because they are so friendly, I am still able to adjust the controls,” said May. “But I tend to not do more than what is essential.”

May has temporarily discontinued using a smoker that’s out on his back porch. But he still makes use of a barbecue grill, monitoring the mother bird for her reaction. “She doesn’t seem to mind.”

May is pretty sure this bird has dined on seed at his place for several years.

Maybe now she’s ready for a cheeseburger. Hold the pickles.

Hoopfest excuses (free for the taking): “Our best player was determined to be academically ineligible.”

“The guy guarding me kept cracking me up with Lindsay Lohan ‘Fully Loaded’ references.”

“We shouldn’t have gotten drunk before the game.”

“It suddenly hit me that all my teammates voted for Bush and I went into a shooting slump.”

“I kept thinking about certain e-mails I’ve sent.”

“We forgot to dominate.”

“Gamblers got to us.”

“Something was wrong with the rim when we had the ball.”

What a man would learn from an hour spent at the Nordstrom cosmetics counters: “Never go to Nordstrom with a girl,” wrote Tim Riggs. “Never ever go to Nordstrom with several girls who can hold you down.”