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PORTLAND TRAVEL NOTES: THE BOOKENDS

This is the flat spot in the river bank where people used to take a break.
Whether coming up from the Columbia River, or down on the Willamette, this was the original rest stop for paddlers.
Then it grew, grew some more, and for those of us who’ve traded punches on her streets, it’s all grown up.
And it has bookends on the part people think of when they hear the word ‘Portland.’

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MISTAKEN IDENTITY? MAYBE NOT

It could be a case of mistaken identity if you’re in an outfit led by a naked lady and winged horse all clad in gold.
Where’s the plan? What’s the goal? Is it safe?
No one gives a good answer.
Where’s your plan, what’s the goal, is it safe?
If the plan is to paint yourself gold and get a winged horse you might want to take another look.
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TO BE INTERESTING BE INTERESTED

It can’t be just in my individual baby boomer blogger brain, but these guys are famous in every form you see them, hear them, feel them.
I was driving around town, passed through a parking lot, and there they were on the wall looking like an Andy Warhol fever dream.
Were they trying to be interesting?

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COUNTING YEARS, ADDING TIME

Counting years, birthdays, anniversaries, is easy math even for non-math people.
One day you’re logging miles and running races and getting a new t-shirt.
The world is fresh and waiting for what you have to offer so show up and do your best.
Then the race changes, but the task is the same: show up and do your best.

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CONNECTING DOTS FOR A BIGGER PICTURE

When freedom is just through those two doors you’d better start connecting dots for a plan to get there.
That’s if you want to go, if you want to leave the cozy warmth of where you are.
Cozy warmth where you are? Are you cozy? Of course you are, and so is everyone you know.
America is all about cozy warmth, isn’t it?

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toughen up

WINNING THE PAIN GAME

Beat The Pain Game, Then The Withdrawal Game. One of the regulars came in today, though not on his cherried out Harley. Wet and cold is no way to ride a hog if you don’t have to. Said he’d been out a couple of weeks for shoulder surgery. Five places on his shoulder got opened […]

YOU HAVE FEELINGS? DO THEY SAY HAPPY?

  HOW TO TELL IF YOU’RE HAPPY You’ve heard it before, whether you’re ten, thirty-four, or seventy-four years old. Balance. Say it like they said, “Plastic,” in The Graduate. Life, or a good life, depends on balance. Think moderation. Most of the time you hear this and nod and agree like the fat man who […]

CANCER SURVIVOR ESSAY STRUGGLE

    Stories about a cancer survivor are an inspiration to all cancer survivors. Even a cancer survivor essay about the trauma of being a cancer survivor holds important hope.   Pam Parker gets into it with a cancer survivor story in the Chicago Tribune.   It’s not pretty and sweet and all dolled up […]

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boomer years

RAISING KIDS THE BABY BOOMER WAY

An article posted by salon.com, an article from 2001 titled The Curse Of The Hippie Parents, reflects on a then thirty five year old woman’s memories from childhood. If she’s forty eight now, she’s almost in late boomer territory. Which means her parents were early boomers, the group who made it all possible by their […]

THE BIRTHDAY BOY: HOW TO CELEBRATE YOUR DAD’S DAY

The Gillaspie children Wayne, Cleo, and Rex, c. 1948. This May 8th my Dad would have been 84 years old. Birthdays are important. To all baby boomers: Call your parents on their birthday. To all hipsters: Get off your scooter and show your parents you were raised right. Call them. To all millennials: Follow the […]

YAHOO CALLS OUT BABY BOOMER DEBT

Why can’t they get the numbers right. UPDATE: Baby Boomer Birth Years run from 1946-1964. It’s more a reminder than an update, which is important when a Yahoo writer fits boomers age into the 65-74 age bracket. I’ll do the math. The youngest boomers turn fifty this year. Their life span runs from 1964-2014. So […]

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buckle up

FIRE ON THE CAROLINA MOUNTAIN

A sunset walk on Sunset Trail, and Marshall Tucker. Fire on the mountain Lightning in the air Gold in them hills Waiting for me there

BOOMERPDX ON THE ROAD TRAVEL ADVICE

How To Find Places To Stay On The Road. If two people travel together, one is planner. They’ve got the calendar, the days, the stops, and how long you’ll be in each place. Two planners are a problem. With two planners it won’t be a trip, it’ll be a hostage negotiation where one or both […]

THE EXPLOSIVE BEAUTY OF THE NW

One Rule: Everything Changes. No, this isn’t the only region with snow on the mountains and this isn’t the only mountain. The Cascade Range pops up like continental acne, fueled by ocean crust diving under the heavier land plates, melting, and voila, volcanos. Capturing the power of geological force is one thing, capturing elemental force […]

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