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ONE STORY ENDS, ANOTHER BEGINS

At a certain age you know how the story ends.
Things change, someone moves, you drift away.
But you still have memories, sweet memories, and that’s enough?
Noooooo. A good, long, “Noooooooo.”
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WHAT TIME IS IT? WRITING TIME

It’s writing time, so pick up that pen, open that lap top, turn on the faucet, and let it pour.
Is it pouring yet? How about now? Let it out.
You’ve made a decision to write, so write.
What’s the problem? I’ll go first.
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VOTING FOR THE PATH FORWARD, SO VOTE

Take a moment from your busy day and consider, if you will, the path forward.
It’s that way, this way, your way, my way, but it’s forward.
How can you tell if you’re moving forward?
By not falling back. Follow me for more wisdom behind doors number 1, 2, or 3.
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SHARED PLACE FOR SHARING SPACE

A public park is a shared place for sharing space, and this one is one of the best at the job.
Some parks are better at it, some worse, but this one hits the sweet spot on every count.
A river? Check.
A forest? Check.
Comfy trails? Check.
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PILING ON SHOWS A PERSONAL PROBLEM

Just before a big election everyone becomes an expert on the issues and start piling on those they disagree with.
It’s a personal decision on whether to join in.
Instead of joining in the lowbrow debate of accusations and name calling, why not just vote?
Do what counts in the long run, not the number of clicks in the moment.
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toughen up

NORMAL TO NEW NORMAL A SHORTER WALK

    Exercise geeks always have something wrong. Not the biggest complainers in any room I’m in, but it’s always something. Why? Because small nagging aches and pains are proof of a finely tuned machine.   Like a racehorse where every muscle glistens down the backstretch. Or a fastball pitcher, guys who look like their […]

AR15 PURCHASE QUESTIONS THAT NEED ASKING

    The Washington Post ran an nice piece about a guy buying his first AR15. He’d wanted one for years and finally the day came.   Money, motivation, and gun show all came together for him.   The WaPo research seems pretty good, even with a tag of fake news thrown around.   The […]

BOOMERPDX DIET TIP

Five things to stop eating? Or zero? That’s A BoomerPdx Diet Tip. C – carbonated drinks R – refined sugar A – artificial sweeteners &colors P – processed foods Why stop eating anything? White bread, white rice, pasta. Sugar and cream. Stop eating that? Too controversial. Food is nutritional, cultural, and historical. Bread means farming […]

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boomer years

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 […]

WOMEN STEER LOVE BOAT, THE REST OF US JUST SHOVEL COAL

    An unmarried man can have a great idea, work through problems, and it will either fail of succeed in some measure. Work hard enough and things get changed.   A married man knows this will never happen.   Instead of a great idea to dive into to, the idea becomes a conversation. If […]

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 […]

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buckle up

PUBLIC BEACHES FOR OREGON MARINE GARDEN, MARINE RESERVE, MARINE OIL SPILL

    Public beaches usually mean one thing, like the one thing private beaches convey. Public beaches, like Oregon beaches, are available to everyone, anyone.   Private beaches? Not so much. More like a backyard pool.   But what happens when public beaches in Oregon come with obstacles?   What are we supposed to do […]

BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN HUG FROM GROVE PARK INN

Or, How the Grove Park Inn cures your ills without pills. The Omni Grove Park Inn, GPI, comes packed with the sort of history that ties people to places through material anthropology. And it’s a clever knot. With an original main lodge dating from 1913 flanked by wings added in the ’80’s, the property sits […]

PODUNK TOWN, OR YOUR HOMETOWN

Nothing Explains Feelings For A Hometown, Your Hometown, Than Traveling Though Others. Drive down I-5, Highway 99, 101 down the coast, or 97 east of the Cascades, and you roll through one podunk town after another. You don’t even have to go far off the road to see them. Just drive by, take a look, […]

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