Even when the Capitol Center building was under construction in the mid-1960s, it immediately became the structure we all loved to hate. In the 40+ years since it has invaded the space on the thin strip of land between downtown and the Westside, I have never heard anyone express a positive opinion about it. If my memory serves, that piece of land was used for Lakefair activities pre-1965. Anyway, it was not unusual to hear Olympians communicate the desire, in a joking way of course, that the place be blown up. Well, in 1975 someone did just that.

Here's some background on the status of the building in 1975 according to the Daily Olympian's end of the year wrap-up, Jan. 1, 1976:

"Without a doubt the top local story of the year was the selection at the end of June by Thurston County commissioners of the Evergreen Park site for a future courthouse."

"The saga of the once and future courthouse started more than eight years ago. Last Feb. 19 the county received no bidders in an attempt to sell the Capitol Center Building. County commissioners had surprised everyone when they bought this white elephant for $2.6 million as a future courthouse."

"The Thurston County Citizens Advisory Committee for courthouse site selection told the commissioners March 11 the best of all possible courthouse sites was one owned partly by the City of Olympia, next to city hall on Plum Street. After harsh words, much debate and head-knocking, Commissioners George Yantis and Ken Stevens came to support the site, with new Commissioner Marj Yung also expressing an interest."

"Suddenly, Olympia commissioners, apparently led by Mayor Tom Allen, on June 10 told the county commissioners they would not sell the city's land. Allen said the city needed the property and suggested the county commissioners build the courthouse on the Evergreen park property."

I found my Lotto ticket, a worthless piece of paper which gave me nothing for my investment. I found the Pick 5 ticket, a total of five drawings purchased on one ticket, which so far has yielded me $1 in return.

But my winning MegaMillions ticket was nowhere to be found. It wasn't hidden between pieces of paper, it wasn't hiding among stray receipts, it wasn't on the floor, under the couch, behind the console, in my pockets. I checked all the pockets of all the clothes in my laundry pile. Nothing.

Thankful that I hadn't told the folks at work to stick it I shuffled, broken and humble, to my place of employment. My co-workers, deducing from my red puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks that something was wrong, were given a dismissive explanation involving pollen. It's a guy thing.

Perhaps it's for the best that I'll never be able to put that $10 in my bank. I might've gotten a swollen head, considered myself better than everyone else, forgotten where I came from. Still, it could've been the start of a new future.

Moral: Don't store winning lotto tickets with discarded Safeway receipts, empty candy wrappers, ignored junk mail and petrified lifesavers.

"This year, they seemed bent on just wandering around town, buzzing around and stopping and then walking some more, and disrupting traffic," said Police Cmdr. Steve Nelson.

He said many participants seemed to be in a party mood.