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BETTER LISTENING SKILLS FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING

If practicing better listening skills isn’t a life goal, it should be.
How hard is it to pay attention?
You did it in the classroom with the encouragement of a teacher.
I still remember Mr. Kraus singing ‘Toot toot tootsie goodbye’ when he tossed little tootsie rolls to students with the right answer in algebra.
Maybe we need more of that? Instead we get more of this:

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RETURNING REVERENCE TO IT’S RIGHTFUL PLACE

There’s a scent of reverence in the air, of returning reverence after a long pause.
It started in my doctor’s office where I’d been called to sit on a panel with others.
One of the others was Roy Pittman, one of my personal heroes.
The next time I saw the doctor he told me he was surprised at the way I acted, that I showed reverence to Coach Pittman.
If I did, I didn’t know it. What I remember is feeling awe-struck. Maybe it’s the same thing?
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NBA CHAMPION CROWNED, AGAIN

Becoming an NBA champion is a lifelong goal for every basketball player in the world.
The best want to play the best, beat the best, to tell themselves they’re good enough.
It’s that along with contracts and money and fame.
All of that goes along the wayside when you stop playing in ninth grade like me, or in high school.
Do I blame the coaches that I didn’t become a star, a substitute, or even a benchwarmer?
Noooooo, but . . .
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CLEAN LIVING FOR A QUIET LIFE

Clean living is an art form, and like all art it takes practice.
Yes, we’re talking about practice.
It takes practice to talk without a particular tone, without too much edge.
Do that and you may have a productive conversation.
Go ahead and save the tone and edge for people you don’t know, who don’t know you.
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I READ THE NEWS TODAY OH BOY

The news today is all about world events.
News organizations deliver it every day with the same hype and urgency.
News hounds consume every detail and load it onto the pile they carry in case someone asks them ‘what’s up?’
That’s when you brace yourself for the headlines as if they’re coming from an anchorman. Or woman.
That’s the big news story you NEED to know.
The small news, the stories that make us step back, come out another way.
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toughen up

BOOMER GYM UP, MILLENNIALS ON DECK

Presenting the Best of the Best Gym Boomers They show up like clockwork and put in the work. Their personal record is attendance. If they don’t get results they think of suing the gym. Normal boomers get in, get out, and make a better day. The others look around for inspiration.

KNIGHT CANCER vs THE HUTCH

    Portland and Seattle have a storied rivalry throughout history, especially sports history.   Now it’s competition to find the cure for cancer. Let the games begin.   The Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle has a super story out yesterday, huge story in the Seattle Times.   “The Hutch closes in on […]

10 BOOMER HEALTH NOTICES

What To Know, What To Ignore For Boomer Health. 1. You weigh too much. Extra weight stresses your knees and hips, your ankles and heart. Too much weight is a golden ticket for Type 2 Diabetes. Why not go away and mind your own business? 2. You’re too thin. Thin people have a greater threat […]

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boomer years

FOR THE LADIES ON MEMORIAL DAY

Men get most of the attention on military holidays even it’s not Memorial Day For Men, or Male Veteran’s Day. Those days include women, but mostly as a second thought, and it’s military women. Please remember the men and women who died in uniform. They’ve earned our respect from the Civil War to Afghanistan. Young […]

BABY BOOMER ANTHEM UPDATE

Talkin’ ‘Bout Our Regeneration Baby Boomer Anthem. Let’s get it straight from the start. If you’re reading this you probably didn’t die before you got old. I know, it’s a big surprise. Especially for you big party dogs. By now you know to avoid white flour, white powder, and white lightning in excess. You’ve learned […]

HEROIN HISTORY TODAY

A person of heroin interest. Recent events around the Old Blog Coach’s yard brings back memories of the New York neighborhood. Heroin may not be on your radar, but it is stealthy. You don’t know until it’s too late, according to some heroin addicts parents. Still, no need to blame yourselves if your kid spikes […]

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buckle up

PORTLAND FEVER CHILL TONIC

What Would Tom McCall do about Portland Fever? Portland, Oregon, more than a map point, destination, or cultural reference, is an infection. And it’s spreading. Once you catch Portland Fever, you see Portland everywhere. Pop a craft beer in the middle of no where and it’s The Portland of No Where. People who’ve never been […]

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 […]

Sasquatch Music Festival, Travel Therapy and Spa, Part 1

    I collect things. Experiences, memories, a garage and crawl space full of important things saved for important people.   It’s almost like I haven’t heard the big news that kids don’t want their parents’ important stuff yet. Even bigger news? I have heard some parents share new memories with their kids instead of […]

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