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SHARING SPECIAL DAYS, EVERY LAST ONE

Special days have special meaning which don’t hit the same for everyone.
For some it’s repeating, “Why bother,” for the fortieth time.
Others like to say, “I thought we’ve moved past all that.”
But you still find those looking for something special in every day, and keep looking until they find it. Hell or high water.
The last line is the bell ringer.
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OLD PORTLAND, YOUNG PARENTS

Make that old Portland, youngish parents.
Or not so old Portland, and not so young parents.
We weren’t teenagers, but if you ever want to feel like one push a stroller around downtown.
With two kids it’s like a double punishment, like sent to your room AND missing dinner.
What else?
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LET THEM, LET YOU, OR LET ME?

The Let Them Theory book has a lot of lets in the letters.
My favorites are the parts that address my problems, which come with a writing habit from what I can tell.
Will I discover why I’m not a better writer?
Learn what I should have done by now, or find a lingering message to get over myself already?
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NORTH BEND HEROES START HERE

 Calling North Bend a small town is a disservice to real small towns everywhere.
Driving south on 101 and crossing the North Bend Bridge takes you under this sign.
If you’re not paying close attention and keep going the same direction, the entire area of the largest metro complex on the Oregon coast feels like it’s all North Bend, especially if you miss the little coos bay sign.
How can the biggest city on the coast be a small town?
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READING HISTORY LIKE IT MEANS SOMETHING?

Reading history is the same as reading a story, but it comes with a bonus:
You can check the validity of the history story, check the sources, visit the places history happened and is still happening.
When old people check sources it’s because they have nothing else to do?
Baby boomers visit historical sites not to learn anything new, but to confirm their already established believes?
If this sounds like a load of crap, you are correct.
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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.   […]

CANCER IN THE CANCER CLOSET: GROWING TREND

  “The first time we got cancer we told everybody. We gathered the team and cheered.” It’s a good idea to rally the troops, focus the force. Then cancer-time sets in. One day. The next. Weeks. Months. “How do you feel?” “Are you feeling better?” “You must be exhausted. Are you exhausted?” You don’t want […]

WINNING THE PAIN GAME

Beat The Pain Game, Then The Withdrawal Game. One of the regulars came in today, though not on his cherried out Harley. Wet and cold is no way to ride a hog if you don’t have to. Said he’d been out a couple of weeks for shoulder surgery. Five places on his shoulder got opened […]

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boomer years

Millennial History Break: WWII-era

    It’s been a long time since history delivered WWII. A long time to learn what happened, too.   But not all are interested in the lessons of WWII, particularly the death camps where those deemed undesirable by the German authorities were warehoused until further notice.   Further notice was death for six million […]

BOOMERS IN A DOWNSIZING STATE OF MIND

Or Just Moving For A Better Portland View? From oregonlive.com: “The analysis of Census data showed more baby boomers than ever lived in single-family detached homes in 2012. The pattern holds true even for the eldest of the age group, born between 1946 and 1955. That an indication that the convention wisdom may be wrong, […]

MONUMENTS MEN, THE ULTIMATE BOOMER MOVIE

In The Baby Boomer World Encompassed By Boomerpdx, Who Expected This? Waiting a few weeks to review a new movie isn’t the sort of thing that pumps box office numbers. You want to hit it on the first night, or even better score a ticket to a preview showing. Timely reviews push new movies hard, […]

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buckle up

NEW IMPORT FOR OREGON BEER FANS

Wicked Weed, Asheville, NC, for Oregon beer fans. Name a better brand for Oregon beer fans than Wicked Weed. All things considered, it’s perfect. To make it even better, Wicked Weed Brewing makes great beer, one in particular. You won’t turn into one, but Freak of Nature rises to the top of my road beer […]

MANHATTAN STATES OF MIND ACROSS AMERICA

    Does anyone see a Manhattan sunrise and feel the power of the Big Apple, the urge to go out and take a big bite? Or a Manhattan sunset at the end of another satisfying day sorting chicken and chicken sh!t.   Manhattan promised you could make it anywhere if you could make it […]

SASQUATCH BIG RIG vs REAL LIFE RIG

    How does the Sasquatch Music Festival pull off a three day stand without the drama of conflict and violence? It is America, but no violence? How can that happen?   The rest of the world needs to know and maybe they can tamp down the problems in their neighborhood.   It starts with […]

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