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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

CANCER EXERCISE EXPLAINED BY CHEMO RADIATION

    An article came out yesterday supporting the connection between cancer treatment and cancer exercise. It’s a positive connection in case there are doubts.   ‘The Guardian’ rolled out a well studied post with a sub-title, “Leading Australian researchers back world-first campaign for activity to be part of any treatment,” under this title:   […]

TRAUMA NATION AMERICA IN 10 POINTS

Is America The Leader In The Race To The Top Of Trauma? 10 Reasons For Yes On Trauma Nation America. Recent research shows DNA passes down trauma markers from parents to kids. That means if a father suffers a traumatic event his DNA adapts and gets installed in his children. It could be a good […]

GET A LIFE, THEY SAY. WHAT DO YOU SAY AFTER THAT?

“Get a life” isn’t the worst thing you’ll ever hear. Don’t make it worse. Get a life translation: What ever you’re doing is either wrong time, wrong place, or just plain wrong. Get and new life and make better decisions? Is that the idea? Before you transform yourself into someone you don’t know, don’t want […]

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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 […]

D-DAY PRACTICE: DIEPPE, SLAPTON SANDS

History of D-Day practice neither grand or glorious. The real D-Day turned the tide in World War Two, but the two D-Day practice events left more dead than the real D-Day. Through those deaths communications improved. Coordination improved. And suppressing news improved. No one wanted it out that commanders had screwed up a D-Day practice […]

ALL DOGS MATTER, NORTH BEND BULLDOGS MATTER MORE

  Of all mascots, North Bend Bulldogs rise to the top.   You probably heard this before? “You may forget names and faces, but you’ll never forget how you felt being there.” North Bend is where the ‘there’ is. It started early. Those lucky enough to finish their primary and secondary education in one place […]

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buckle up

PORTLAND’S EASTSIDE ALIVE

An Outsider Guide To Portland’s Eastside ‘Neighbourhood.’ When Virgin Atlantic blogs about your city expect a few things to be off. Not wrong exactly, just not quite the same as it looks. Portland’s eastside has an Artisan Quarter. Artisan? Quarter? I’ve heard Paris has a French Quarter but this is the first I’ve heard of […]

PORTLAND CHRISTMAS SEIZURE

Nothing says Portland Christmas louder than the Pioneer Square Christmas tree. And it’s better to catch up on the view sooner than later. Once December 1 hits it feels like a race to the 25th to get everything in. Make sure you have a big Portland Christmas by seeing the biggest tree all lit up. […]

FIRE ON THE CAROLINA MOUNTAIN

A sunset walk on Sunset Trail, and Marshall Tucker. Fire on the mountain Lightning in the air Gold in them hills Waiting for me there

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