page contents Google

BOOMER BLOGGERS UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL. TOO CLOSE?

As a cohort of boomer bloggers, I read all about them.
From posts and opinions, to ABOUT pages, we’re all about challenges and adventures, the places we’ve been, places we’re going.
Take this picture for example. It’s from the Portland Art Museum page.
Does that big golden ring look like an adventure, some kind of portal? Yes?
What do you do when you see a portal? Jump in.

[Read More…]

WANTED MAN vs NEEDED. THERE’S A DIFFERENCE?

If you’re waiting for a wanted man to make life better, you’ll be waiting a minute.
This man was a one-float parade around Silverton during my last visit.
You could hear him from blocks away with his booming sound system blasting AC/DC.
When I left, he followed my car out of town, then turned back at the city limits.
He was either a one float parade or a motor escort service.
Either way, I asked myself: Are there town characters everywhere?
[Read More…]

ONE PORTLAND JOURNEY: MINE

I got off the bus at the end of my Portland journey, only to begin the real deal.
This is where I lived after breaking up.
My usual move after a break up was moving to bigger and better.
For instance, I broke up in Delaware and moved to Brooklyn, NY.
Here, I broke up in far SE and moved downtown Portland.
This building had a lot of break up apartments, so I was in good company.
[Read More…]

CLASSIC PORTLAND RIVALRY

Social media Portland isn’t for the weak of heart.
It’s either heaven on earth, or a hell hole from the underworld sticky goo.
If you showed up recently, things are looking better; if you’ve been here a minute you’ve seen the ups and downs.
Lastly, if you’ve lived here your whole life? Uh oh.
[Read More…]

PORTLAND BRIDGES – 1971

Every city with a river have one thing in common: bridges.
Portland bridges crisscross the Willamette River over and over to keep traffic moving.
There’s more of them today than 1971, not to mention upgrades.
The 405 is more of river of cars, and like every river it needs bridges to keep the city moving.
[Read More…]

More Posts from this Category

toughen up

GUN TALK THE WRONG WAY … AGAIN

Raw Story posted a gun column about white men and guns. It was the sort of gun talk white men with guns shouldn’t identify with. “White men stockpile guns because they’re scared of black people and feel inadequate, science says.” That’s the rawstory title. It’s raw, but even more, it’s lazy, but a site called […]

MAKE NEW NORMAL BETTER THAN OLD NORMAL? THAT’S THE NEW JOB

    I’ll never to get used to hearing about the ‘new normal,’ which is a pretty common topic after cancer treatment. “How is your new normal?” I’ve heard. “Do you miss the things you can’t do anymore?” I’ve heard. What’s the right answer? There is no right answer, but the questions ought to serve […]

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT OSCAR GOES TO?

Who deserves the Oscar for the Affordable Care Act? Health insurance used to be simple when I was young. At least it seemed simple. Mom and Dad took me to the doctor when things looked funky, like my collarbone. Things break on kids, like bones when they fly through the air and land awkwardly. Have […]

More Posts from this Category

boomer years

COMPASS ROSE CITY PORTLAND

Compass Rose As Eight Ball? You Are Correct. The eight ball works with some people better than others. Ask a question. Smack a stooge. Repeat. For these explorers it works best. Not so much for the rest of us. We need direction. We need a compass rose city Portland sort of direction. And there’s only […]

HOW HARD? BOOMER HARD

Growing Up During Baby Boomer Years Made You Hard. The last thing you want to be called is soft. Soft in the head, soft in the gut, soft arms. Part of living a sedentary life, not a lazy life but not active, is how it leaves a body. Soft. Soft and lumpy after too many […]

THE BEST BOB HOPE CHRISTMAS SHOW

When servicemen spent time away from loved ones, a Bob Hope Christmas Show helped. Christmas 1974, Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas. Part of joining the ranks of the new all-volunteer Army meant meeting a new bunch of guys. They weren’t sports guys, or college guys. They weren’t career guys, or upwardly mobile guys. Instead […]

More Posts from this Category

buckle up

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 […]

SHARING EARTH WITH LIVING THINGS, EVEN THE CREEPY ONES

    “Quick, where’s my camera?” he said. “What?” she said. “Birds.” “Camera? Here it is.” “These birds are huge. Look at that formation.” “What are they?” “Birds. Really big birds. What are they?” “I don’t know.” “You don’t know these birds? Since when would you even admit it?”

MOUNT RAINIER CALLS JOHN MUIR, ME, AND YOU TOO

  “The mountains are calling and I must go,” said John Muir. If go you must, then go prepared. Most important is going with the right people. Or person. It’s not a marriage, but there are some similarities with a good travel partner. Can you take it if they make fun of your driving? Make […]

More Posts from this Category