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LEAVING TOWN IN THE 70’S, A MICRO MEMOIR

When you say you’re leaving town for good it doesn’t start with a packed bag.
You need to let the landlord know, the boss know, your friends.
The best town I ever left was the Brooklyn borough of New York City.
See ya, suckers.

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TOYOTA HIGHLANDER FOR LIFE?

I owned a Toyota Highlander, but it didn’t start that way.
Somehow the wife and I went to a car dealership traded a van and ended up with a Rav4.
She decided it was the worst car ever since I insisted on the barebones cheapest version.
By the time we got home I knew it was going back.
But . . .

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CIVIL WAR CLOSE UP

 

How often have you seen a movie like Civil War in iMax and got closeups of the stars.
Oppenheimer did it with detailed inspection of faces from about an inch away.
I’m fan of movie stars in all their glory, but do we need the dermatology exam camera work?
That’s the visual effect of the people; the storytelling is another, well, story.

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HARD LOVE DADDY ON A HEALTH KICK

I saw hard love work on my Dad after he got his heart fixed.
No smoking for the old chimney.
The doc said it, the family said it, the friends said it.
You’d say it too.

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REWRITING HISTORY: HOW HARD CAN IT BE

People are rewriting history all of the time and don’t know it.
If you repeat what you’ve heard to one person, and it turns out to be not accurate, what’s the big deal?
Not so big for one person, but what if you repeat what you know to be false to millions of people?
Do that and you’re not only rewriting your own history, but in the case of people with a great need to believe in something, anything, you’re rewriting their history too.
That’s the part that bothers me most.

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toughen up

PORTLAND STORY THEATER TELLS THE TALE AT WILLAMETTE WRITERS

  Lawrence Howard and Lynne Duddy ran the first Willamette Writers meeting of 2018. For all the wishes for a Happy New Year still echoing, their presentation confirmed the idea.   I came in right as they started and found a seat in the back, the last seat open. I start every meeting with high […]

TRAUMA NATION AMERICA IN 10 POINTS

Is America The Leader In The Race To The Top Of Trauma? 10 Reasons For Yes On Trauma Nation America. Recent research shows DNA passes down trauma markers from parents to kids. That means if a father suffers a traumatic event his DNA adapts and gets installed in his children. It could be a good […]

Stomp Out Cancer: When Not If

    Stomp out cancer is a campaign with the hashtag #stompoutcancer.   Cancer survivors from OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital joined Nike and UofO to help create the uniforms the Ducks wore for Stomp Out Cancer.   Their efforts are a ray or hope for everyone crossing the line from cancer treatment to cancer survivor. […]

The Best Medicine Not In The Cabinet

When the New York Times posts on Facebook you know it’s an important subject. Newspapers in the digital age can’t afford to waste print. Is it war in the Middle East? Famine in Africa? Economic doom in America? Is sweating good for you? It’s all of the above, but the last one is tricky.

HEALTHCARE VOTE FOR CANCER COURAGE, CANCER COWARD

What are the chances of any U.S. Senator feeling the pain of cancer, or any other pre-existing condition? John McCain is front and center with a brain tumor. Let’s watch his healthcare vote to decide if the rest of America deserves the same medical attention as a U.S. Senator. This is the Navy flier who […]

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boomer years

FAILING MEMORIES, ENHANCED THOUGHT, BOOMER BRAIN

Failing memories include a list of golden moments that show up online more often than it should. They’re supposed to invoke a better time, but for the wrong reasons. Someone needs to set it straight, but who? Could be you if you saw the television shows first hand, been alive for events, and remember. The […]

BOOMERPDX BOOK CHOP

Like Food Channel’s Chopped Except No One Spits On The Pages. The most often heard complaint of the avid reader? “What do I read next? I’m in between books.” Even with libraries and bookstores stocked to the roof, the next book is still an important choice. Museums have research libraries, colleges have academic libraries; hospitals […]

CORPORAL PUNISHMENT: TWO BABY BOOMERS TALK ABOUT IT

The last question you want to ask a combat vet is, “Did you kill anyone?” Just figure they did and if they want you to know, they’ll tell you. The last thing you want to ask a boomer is, “Did your parents and teachers physically abuse you as a child?” We come from an era […]

ILLEGAL ORDERS: FOLLOW OR NOT

How illegal orders were explained in the 1970’s Army. The beginning of the All-Volunteer Army came with something extra. New boots needed to know about ‘illegal orders.’ Call it a special understanding to make the Army a more attractive choice. Not more swearing, yelling, smacking, punching, and general ass-kicking. And no more illegal orders. The […]

CAMBRIDGE KILLERS FIND NO HONOR IN ENGLAND

                    “Alexander Lloyd was 23 when a man wielding a Swiss Army Knife plunged the blade into him seven times – including once through the heart. “Bakri Siraj-Eldin, a retired petrol industry scientist from Cambridge, received 10 years for wounding Alexander Lloyd with intent, seven-and-a-half years […]

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buckle up

PUBLIC BEACHES FOR OREGON MARINE GARDEN, MARINE RESERVE, MARINE OIL SPILL

    Public beaches usually mean one thing, like the one thing private beaches convey. Public beaches, like Oregon beaches, are available to everyone, anyone.   Private beaches? Not so much. More like a backyard pool.   But what happens when public beaches in Oregon come with obstacles?   What are we supposed to do […]

King Arthur, The Baby Boomer’s Friend In Need

If reading tales of kings and queens encourage a child’s imagination, dragging them up the treacherous goat trails of Tintagel Castle makes it real. Who does that? Baby Boomers seeking greater cultural meaning. King Arthur is a good one to focus on. You know the story well enough to sound like an authority. Sword in the […]

PORTLAND OF THE SOUTH PT. 2: KNOW WHERE YOU ARE

An ongoing series about Asheville, NC, Portland of the South pt. 2. In Portland, Oregon, going under the Morrison Bridge at midnight for southern food seems like a good idea every time. Yes, it’s dark, there are homeless tents scattered around, but Montage is still Portland. Park and go on in. If it was any […]

SHOW UP LATE? APOLOGIZE AND PROMISE TO JUMP

      I’m sorry I’m late.  

BOOMER TRAVEL: GO IT ALONE?

The Benefits Of Single Boomer Travel Are Many, Even If You’re Married? Good reasons to travel as a couple include shared experience above all. There’s a bond that occurs between a husband and wife traveling together. Pictures and video don’t tell the story. Neither does a diary or a narrative recounting. The glee and spirit […]

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