boomer blogger Archives • Page 5 of 34 • BOOMERPDX

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SHARING SPECIAL DAYS, EVERY LAST ONE

May 9, 2026 by David Gillaspie

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 […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: anniversary, Baby Boomer blogger, bliss, boomer bliss, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, dear readers, education, family, fingers crossed, gift ideas, history, learning, Love, love notes, MARRIAGE, Oregon, party, Portland, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, readers, travel, wife, writer, writers, writing, youth culture

OLD PORTLAND, YOUNG PARENTS

May 8, 2026 by David Gillaspie

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?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, boomers, education, family, history, kids, Love, MARRIAGE, married, old portland, Oregon, Portland, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, young parents

NORTH BEND HEROES START HERE

May 6, 2026 by David Gillaspie

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 […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, Coos Bay, davidpdx, family, high school wrestling team, history, married, memory, North Bend, North Bend Bulldogs, Oregon, Oregon Coast, remember, state champion, still alive, the future, travel, wife, working, wrestling, wrestling team, writer, writing

READING HISTORY LIKE IT MEANS SOMETHING?

May 5, 2026 by David Gillaspie

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 […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: accomplished writers, addiction, America, Baby Boomer blogger, blue book, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, chaucer, college classes, davidpdx, drug addict, drunk, education, energy, history, new yorker, paris, playboy, reading, reading a book, reading history, stoned, story, the Canterbury Tales, time, wife, writer, writing, WWII

DIFFERENT SOLDIERS? HOW DIFFERENT

May 2, 2026 by David Gillaspie

The men in uniform during WWII were different soldiers, different kind of people. The Axis powers carried an extreme devotion to duty, an extreme devotion to their emperor, and an extreme devotion to cruelty over helpless victims. By the way, this isn’t new, not breaking news, but a reminder for short-memoried morons who ought to […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: America, Baby Boomer blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, different soldiers, education, extreme devotion, germany, historical, history, holocaust, illegal orders, japan, kadena air base, learning, men in uniform, moral clarity, moral superiority, ramstein air base, soldiers, surrender, travel, writer, writers, writing, WWII

RECLAIMING MY TIME ON SOUTHERN OREGON COLLEGE SIXTY-FIVE YEARS LATER

April 30, 2026 by David Gillaspie

Southern Oregon College Graduating Class of 1960: My dad. He transferred after two years at Central Oregon Community College in Bend. It was a well used path to the first college degree in his family. He was thirty years old, an old 30. Back then thirty was older, fifty was a grandparent. Hit sixty and […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: advanced degree, ashland oregon, baby boomer, blog, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, davidpdx, education, GI Bill, higher education, historical recreation, learning, Love, Oregon, Oregon shakespeare festival, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Shakespeare, southern oregon college, southern oregon university, travel, wife, writer, writers, writing

EARLY TO WORK EVERY DAY

April 28, 2026 by David Gillaspie

In my field if you’re not early to work, you’re late. If you’re late you can’t be a blogger? No, you can be late and blog, late and write, and it’s a good idea to be late. Being late builds demand. Can’t you feel it? But not too late.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, demand, early to work, good idea, late, something different, sweet spot, travel, writer, writers, writing

THE LEADING AGE, I MEAN LEADING EDGE

April 27, 2026 by David Gillaspie

The leading age comes after long years of experience, and putting it into practice for the benefit of others. The best blacksmith in town learns to pound steel into the correct form and he teaches others the same skill before his elbow sidelines him. The best woodworker shapes stock into useful pieces and helps others […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, blue collar, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, business leaders, ceo, coach, construction workers, davidpdx, decision makers, education, ELECTED OFFICIALS, google AI, history, learning, MARRIAGE, married, mentor, money, money guys, prime, tradesmen, travel, wife, workers, working class, writer, writers, writing

MUSIC MUSCLE: USE IT OR LOSE IT

April 26, 2026 by David Gillaspie

Where is the music muscle? In your fingertips? In your ear? In your voice? No wrong answer here. It’s all three, but there’s still something missing. Whether it’s ambient noise, sounds, notes, or whether it’s so important you buy tickets and make travel plans, there’s something about music I still don’t get. On one hand […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: America, baby boomer, Baby Boomer blogger, blog, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, education, engaged, engaging, learning, lose it, lost it, muscle, music, music muscle, musician, PAINTER, painting, travel, use it, writer, writers, writing

THE ART OF FRIENDSHIP, OR WHY YOU DON’T HAVE ANY FRIENDS

April 24, 2026 by David Gillaspie

If you want to experience friendship, have friends, be generous. Loan money, loan tools, loan your car. That’s also the way to experience friendlessness when they don’t repay, return, and crash your car. The other way is spending time together. My wife says I don’t have any friends because the only people I spend time […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, conversation, davidpdx, family, friendless, friendly, friends, friendship, get along, john prine, MARRIAGE, Oregon, Portland, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, portland queen, wife, writer, writing