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MEAT LOAF GLOWING LIKE THE METAL ON THE EDGE OF A KNIFE

January 21, 2022 by

Meat Loaf came on the radio a couple of years back while I was driving chaperones for French foreign exchange students around town. They were in their twenties, too young to know Meat Loaf. Hi, Quintan. Hi, Marion. I almost pulled over in stitches when they started singing along to Paradise By The Dashboard Light. […]

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OREGON DEFENDER? FACING ADVERSITY FROM THE INSIDE

January 20, 2022 by

The state of Oregon doesn’t need any defending, but a series of maps was practically an invitation for an Oregon Defender. The rest of the states can find their own defenders, and they need them. Before breaking down these maps from inside the Oregon border, they came from the Parent Influence dot com website, which […]

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MAP LIFE STARTS WITH FOLLOWING A PLAN

January 19, 2022 by

A map life starts with an idea, then a list. The idea is to see more than the usual, the every day, the mundane. A list compiles those magical places. You should have a list. If you have a travel partner and they make a list, make one anyway. Show some interest even if you […]

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MALE BONDING WITH FRAGILE EGOS

January 18, 2022 by

Male bonding isn’t about two guys becoming Blood Brothers. Let’s leave the knives out of it. No cuts and pressing wounds together with intense eye contact needed here. What is needed, though, is an element of trust. Not ‘trust’ with money or wives involved, but that other trust: Trust in doing what’s right. Lose that […]

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DALLAS COWBOYS FANS LOSE WILD CARD WITH EXTRA HUSTLE

January 17, 2022 by

I’ve been a Dallas Cowboys fan since I first heard of the NFL. My Granddad in Dallas used to send University of Texas Football magazines as Christmas presents in the Sixties. He mixed in a few odd Cowboys programs to complete the gift. I saw the roster change from Eddie LeBaron to Don Meredith in […]

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BRIDGE CITY BRIDGES, PICK ONE AND CROSS IT FOR GOOD LUCK

January 16, 2022 by

Bridge city is that place, that town, any bump in the road that needs a bridge. Walking on or driving over any bridge is an act of faith. But we do it without a blink. After all, that’s how we cross a river, a bay. That’s how we get to the other side. With luck […]

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RESPECTING DECISIONS IS HARD, BUT WHY BE A PUNK ABOUT IT

January 15, 2022 by

Respecting decisions is part of the hard learning process. It starts early. Parents decide to put little Jimmy in an accelerated learning school and he learns to doubt their decisions sooner than later. But he still shows up for school everyday. Why? Because even little Jimmy knows that respecting decisions made for him by people […]

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BEER WRITING IS ABOUT DESTINATION BEER? NOT ALWAYS

January 14, 2022 by

Beer writing is about the new, the bold, the best beers on the market. It’s citrus beer, fresh hop beer, hazy and low-cal beer. From first beer to last beer, destination beer is still king. Go out for a new beer and you’ll get more than you bargained for if your destination is Kalama, Washington […]

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PORTLAND WRITING: WHAT TO SAY AFTER IT’S ALL BEEN SAID

January 13, 2022 by

Portland writing classes made it seem like everyone in town was a writer. Publish a book and that’s good enough to fill a teacher’s role? Yes it is. Word of mouth got around, a friend offers space, and people pay to show up and listen. And learn. But what do you learn?

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PAIN WRITERS: GUIDELINES FOR A PAINFUL STORY

January 12, 2022 by

Pain writers draw inspiration from two sources: Their own pain. Someone else’s pain. The source of pain is a standard feature. Pain writers want you to feel it. For example:

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