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NO SATISFACTION? KEEP GOING

In the biggest moments of your life, or mine, there is often no satisfaction.
People just can’t get the story right, and it’s not that hard.
This was the biggest headline my last name ever got, and it’s missing the most important part.
But it’s spelled it right? That’s my take away?
I’ll take it.
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GOOD PARKS FOR A BETTER LIFE

I didn’t move to the suburbs for good parks, but I would have if I knew how important they are for living a better life.
The first time I took my tiny kids they weren’t impressed.
I was.
It was Cook Park in Tigard, Oregon and it was beautiful with paths and forests alongside the slow current of the Tualatin River running through Washington County.
I’m even more impressed now when my tiny kids, now grown up, take their own tiny kids who are growing up so fast.
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SENDING THE RIGHT MESSAGE TO WHO?

I’ve heard the right message all of my life:
Do this and this; don’t do that.
Sometimes the right message comes from the right place.
Other times?
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REMEMBER TO VOTE: BE SOMEBODY

Remember to vote at this late date.
Late? Well, this is the last day to drop ballots at collection sites.
Mine dropped yesterday. Felt pretty good.
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HIGH SCHOOL CLASS FOR PLUMB, LEVEL, AND SQUARE

The high school class I regret not taking?
Shop. Woodworking. Construction.
Why the regret? I bought a table saw.
It’s piece of machinery people in their thirties and forties buy because there’s something missing in their life: They’ve never built anything.
The table saw is also famous for kick-backs that send a piece of lumber rocketing through the garage door, and a sharp blade that sends detached fingers bouncing off the wall.
I bought the saw from a man who had already fed it a finger tip, so I was good.
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toughen up

PRE-EXISTING CONDITION AFTER CANCER DIAGNOSIS

The day a cancer diagnosis becomes a pre-existing condition   Like we learn everyday when things change, everybody is different. What you do after a cancer diagnosis isn’t the same as someone else. They might go along their way as if hearing a bee buzzing nearby. Shoo, cancer/bee. Or they might fall down on their […]

ELLMAN SURGITRON AND DR. MOLEPDX

    What To Do If You Start Looking Like W.C. Fields? Make an appointment with Dr. MolePDX and the Ellman Surgitron.   Like most baby boomers I see new things when I look in the mirror. Some things are better than others.   One in particular was troublesome.   What do you do when you […]

HPV16 EXPLAINED BY WASHINGTON POST, HPVANDME.ORG

    There’s no fake news about HPV16 explained in the Washington Post, even if you wish it weren’t true. A story headlined, “What men should know about cancer that spreads through oral sex,” ran April 2 this year. Impressive stuff to jump start Head, Neck, and Throat Cancer Week. What should they know? What […]

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boomer years

SIXTY @ SIXTY IN THREE PARTS

1. Know your roots. Remember where you came from. Turning 60 means you’ve met lots of people. You’ve had time to meet people; if you haven’t, get started. More than once you’ve had someone give this answer when asked, “Where are you from?” “Lot’s of places.” If you’ve given that answer it’s time to stop. […]

COMMUNICATION BLIND SPOT IN THE EAR

    Long married couples carry a blind spot in their ear on certain topics; they’ve talked about things, or only one thing, so often the momentum of communication is too great to stop.   Try and reset the bar of understanding on those things in the blind spot. It might be the best gift […]

PICKING UP CO-EDS 70’S STYLE

Which One Was You? Before social media, meeting co-eds at college meant leaving the basement. Starbucks moved into the space on the opposite end of the block from the U of O bookstore. It the seventies it was a college bar, the best place on the street for 21 and over students. And everyone else. […]

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buckle up

SHUT UP AND EAT: SOUTH PHILLY VIA SE PORTLAND

Geno’s or Pat’s? Or Shut Up And Eat? This cheesesteak. Or that cheesesteak. My readers know the value of cheesesteak. If I hear about a place from a reliable source, I’m there. Same for an unreliable source.

Travel Bans From History, Who Should Be Banned

    Travel bans tend to be specific in terms of where to go and where not to go.   Travel bans say one thing: Don’t go there, girlfriend. Stay away, pal.   Like a dress code in the NY disco dancing prime time of the late ’70’s, while punk rock was getting ready to […]

KITCHEN TABLE BEER TRAVEL: OREGON TO GERMANY

  Beer travel starts at John’s Market in Multnomah. Culturally aware types emphasize art and architecture for reasons to travel. They love the history, the land, the people. And they can’t stop talking about all the new stuff they learn. If it’s someone you know, you listen like you’re not hearing an endless variation of […]

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