Families should be forgiven, however, if they lose track of all the self-improvement opportunities.

For those scoring at home, state poobahs gave the Tacoma School District a free pass to whack four classroom days in 2008-09. Even though the calendar is already Swiss-cheesed with early-release days, WASL testing and the like.

We’ve never peeked behind the curtain of one of these “waiver” days, but we did have a chance to read the literature on an Oct. 31 session.

The name of the class offered to classified staff: “PEP: Developing a CANDO Culture.”

The instructor: Bruce Brummond, author of “Acronyms Building Character – The ABCs of Life.”

The sales pitch: “This fast paced, entertaining session will provide tools for you to develop a CANDO (Control All Negativism; Develop Optimism) culture by minimizing stress and maximizing teamwork. You will also discover methods to help balance your purpose, pleasure and peace of mind leading to a more fulfilling and rewarding LIFE (Love Is For Everyone).”

No word on whether participants disrobed, wore flowers in their hair and listened to Woodstock music.

So how did you spend your Oct. 31 waiver day? In the Nose household, we found ourselves dealing with Really Expensive Daycare For Another Curious Educational Diversion.

In the land of cutesy acronyms, you could call us REDFACED.

Without a hint of humility, the pitch for the CANDO class ends this way:

“If you are currently on the planet and have a pulse, this ‘moti-vacational’ experience will prove to be extremely valuable for you, your family, friends and colleagues.”

If only we had time for a “moti-vacation” at Casa de Schnoz. Though we’d never fit all our emotional baggage into the overhead bin.

The official shield of University Place is as plain as day on the city’s Web site, newsletter, letterhead, coffee mugs and other paraphernalia.

But somehow it didn’t dawn on us that something’s been missing for, like, a year and a half.

Here’s hoping it won’t take so long for UP honchos to notice and have an artist add a certain Northwest architectural icon.

Hint: It’s not the Town Center parking garage.

BusinessWeek just came out with its second annual roundup of the best places to raise your kids. And Washington’s winner might make you do a double take.

Bellevue. Kinda makes sense until you hear that affordability is supposed to be one of the main criteria. Affordable compared to what: Medina? Magnolia? Honolulu?

Even more of a head-scratcher is the magazine’s selection of a runner-up: Federal Way.

Best place to raise your kids? More like the best place to abandon your kid. No jail time required.

It’s no secret some folks in Lakewood think the city should wean itself off the $2.8 million in minicasino taxes it collects each year.

But Walter Neary is alone on the City Council in his call to start removing the teat now. His dais mates argued the opposite at a budget meeting Wednesday, noting that city voters just endorsed cardrooms as legit businesses.

Neary wasn’t having any of it.

“I think some of you are living in a Walt Disney version of Lakewood,” he said.

Apparently he wants them to live in the Walt Neary version.

Sorry, big guy. The sculptures outside City Hall might resemble a lot of things, but Mickey Mouse isn’t one of them.

Got news for The Nose? Call 253-597-8742, Ext. NOSE (6673) or write TheNose@thenewstribune.com.

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