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GREAT NEWS FROM MT. ANGEL AND JOHN ROSSI PODCAST

The great news from Mt. Angel comes via the John Rossi Podcast visit to Lou’s Kitchen.
The Kitchen is a big winner in Best of Willamette Valley 2026 claiming the Gold Medal for best all-round restaurant.
When I opened the door the place was packed and buzzing at noon.
One grilled chicken salad and an Arnold Palmer later we retired to the podcast studio to work on stuff and thangs.

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THE PROPER PERSPECTIVE TO WRITING AN EVERYDAY BLOG

An everyday blog is just what it sounds like:
Every. Day.
Like most things worth pursuing, it takes tenacity and creativity to make something worth writing into something worth reading.
No problem, write. Right?
But, there’s more.
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BEER BELLY, BEER GUT, THEN WHAT

I’m working on a beer belly reduction plan, which means what?
Drink less beer, what else?
I was lamenting my loss after meeting a new guy who fixed broken guitar amps in his garage.
Me: I think the signs are lining up to loose my gut.
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BEING USEFUL LIKE ROBERT FULGHUM

This isn’t Robert Fulghum, it’s me being useful in my Robert Fulghum beard which has gone the way of every beard that dared show itself on my face.
He is probably a better beard steward than me. My enthusiasm for grooming an extra pet in the house lasts about six months.
The last dog lived sixteen years; the current dog is going on five.
Am I being useful for them? More than I am to a beard.
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A SECOND LOOK AT “THAT AIN’T RIGHT”

What’s a second look at this garage arrangement tell you?
What’s missing: a fitness area with a treadmill, squat rack, work bench, maybe a couple of cars stacked on a lift, and a designated music area with guitars, drums, and amps all ready to go.
Not to say this garage is lacking anything, but it looks more like a storage unit than a daily use area to build on, play in, and break a sweat.
This is a great set-up for people ready to move. Loading time in three, two, one . . .
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toughen up

The Best Medicine Not In The Cabinet

When the New York Times posts on Facebook you know it’s an important subject. Newspapers in the digital age can’t afford to waste print. Is it war in the Middle East? Famine in Africa? Economic doom in America? Is sweating good for you? It’s all of the above, but the last one is tricky.

GUN SAFETY TEEN TALK 2018, WHAT TO SAY

What can you tell teens about guns that they haven’t already heard? Don’t worry about embarrassing yourself by repeating an old message like, “Don’t shoot anyone.” If you’re a certain age there’s little to do that won’t make you an embarrassment. It may feel like you’re speaking a foreign language. So what is the right […]

WEAPONS FOR HOME DEFENSE: WHERE DO YOU LIVE?

    Home defense begins in the home, but you knew that. The real question of weapons and home defense starts with location, location, location.   I met a Portland man who bought a former crack house. Customers who didn’t get the press report on the crack wire crawled through his windows for a year. […]

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boomer years

THE BAD SIDE OF TOWN

It Matters When The Bad Side Of Town Is Better Than Your Town Now. Remember those days, those second bike days, the days after your first bike? You moved up. You were cool. You were road worthy. And you knew how to cruise with the quarter you stole from your mom’s purse. You’d leave through […]

IN PRAISE OF GOOD DRAINAGE FOR THE NEW YEAR

One of the highlights of Army basic training is a week long camp out. Everyone needs to enjoy the outdoors this way. You learn new skills and meet new friends. New friends come with the other half of the tent you’ll spend the week in…together. It’s called a shelter half. If you can’t get along […]

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, RIGHT OR WRONG

The wrong questions and answers still get the right words. All parents have heard questions from their kids that made them think they’ve both gone over the topic before. And they probably have, but that’s no excuse for ignoring any question from a kid. They want answers and you’re the answer man, the answer woman, […]

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buckle up

THOMAS WOLFE PACK PART 2

The rest of Thomas Wolfe pack part 2 begins with big shoes to fill. (Click here for Wolfe Pack One.) How big? Wolfe was six feet six inches. He didn’t prance around in ballet slippers. His sleds probably rolled to size fourteen or fifteen. Like a forty inch waist in mid-life, and shopping at the […]

BOOMERPDX ON THE ROAD TRAVEL ADVICE

How To Find Places To Stay On The Road. If two people travel together, one is planner. They’ve got the calendar, the days, the stops, and how long you’ll be in each place. Two planners are a problem. With two planners it won’t be a trip, it’ll be a hostage negotiation where one or both […]

BOOMER STREET

    Baby boomer gets the message. We’ve heard the message all of our lives. It goes like this:   Move over little dog, the big old dog is moving in.   We were once the little dog and moved over for those who knew better. We did what we were told. The idea is […]

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