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NEVER HURTS TO ASK: VOTE BETTER

Baby boomers got a lot from this.
What you can do for your country is vote better.
Or just vote.
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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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toughen up

AUTHORITARIAN PARENT? WHAT OTHER KIND IS THERE

    A scene from the movie Vision Quest shows Louden Swain’s buddy Kuch at home with his dad. Instead of a bonding moment of shared struggle, the dad slaps Kuch around, telling him he’ll never be nothing.   Nothing. Wrestling might make him feel like a big shot, but he’ll still be nothing.   […]

HELPING THE EMERGENCY RESCUE

Or, How To Tell The Difference Between Yoga And A Case For Emergency Rescue. The gym I belong to is full of classes. Usually they happen in a dance studio with window walls on one side and mirrors on the other. It’s the usual schedule of jumping around with a wired up instructor, lifting Styrofoam […]

GET STARTED, KEEP IT GOING

Two of the hardest  words to learn in the English language: Get Started. Most get started after they’re told what to do. “Stand up. Put one foot in front of the other. Repeat. Get started now.” It’s that easy and that hard to get started. With the reported obesity epidemic sweeping the nation’s youth why […]

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boomer years

HIGH GROUND TO VIETNAM VET MEMORIAL: a photo essay

“The high ground is good.” That’s what the old timer said. “And there’s not so many people.” I found him under the Vietnam Veterans of Oregon Memorial bridge, sitting in a lawn chair and handing out pamphlets on Veteran’s Day. Had his car parked on one side of a flowerbed and a walkway without a […]

Willie Nelson Brings More To Portland Than His Band

The old guitar picker takes the stage tonight at McMenamins Edgefield. Willie Nelson, all eighty five years of himself, takes the stage after opener Allison Krause.   More important, he’s on the cover of AARP magazine. Why is that important? How many public figures don’t want to talk about age? In a youth motivated culture, […]

THE SOUND OF CIVIC DUTY

Ask An Academic Professional About Civic Duty And Listen Hard. You won’t hear about their civic duty or your civic duty, but the shared community. Might not be your community either. Keep listening. Civic duty is more than boundaries and lines drawn on a map, they say. An academic pro, the teacher, counselor, the administrator, […]

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buckle up

Walking Portland Memory Lane One Alley At A Time

As much as you hear about people moving to Portland, loving Portland once they get here, it’ll never be their home until they’re walking Portland on memory lane.   Like, “This is where I used to play basketball, where I got beat by a five foot six opponent,” didn’t ring up the oooos and ahs […]

VANDERBILT DAYS AT THE OMNI GROVE PARK INN

You don’t need to be a Vanderbilt to fall in love with The Omni Grove Park Inn. If you were a Vanderbilt, or a friend of the Vanderbilts, you’d stay at Biltmore House back in the day. That day began in 1895, and you’d travel with your staff, which included someone to dress you for […]

Travel Education Fatigue Makes Well Rounded Snob

  The first time I heard an acquaintance talk about travel education I was impressed as hell. They made me want to do it, to go where they’d been. Then I heard it again, and again. And again. Has this happened to you, travel education fatigue? You need to fight through it.

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