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WRITER EVIDENCE IN THE HOUSE OF BOOMERPDX

    A hard rule among writers: avoid talking about a writing project. So what do writers talk about in writer meetings?   Last night while attending a Willamette Writers meeting I saw writer evidence all over the place across a crowded room. I scanned the crowd from a plush chair inside Tabor Space on […]

NORMAL TO NEW NORMAL A SHORTER WALK

    Exercise geeks always have something wrong. Not the biggest complainers in any room I’m in, but it’s always something. Why? Because small nagging aches and pains are proof of a finely tuned machine.   Like a racehorse where every muscle glistens down the backstretch. Or a fastball pitcher, guys who look like their […]

MAKE NEW NORMAL BETTER THAN OLD NORMAL? THAT’S THE NEW JOB

    I’ll never to get used to hearing about the ‘new normal,’ which is a pretty common topic after cancer treatment. “How is your new normal?” I’ve heard. “Do you miss the things you can’t do anymore?” I’ve heard. What’s the right answer? There is no right answer, but the questions ought to serve […]

PORTLAND STORY THEATER TELLS THE TALE AT WILLAMETTE WRITERS

  Lawrence Howard and Lynne Duddy ran the first Willamette Writers meeting of 2018. For all the wishes for a Happy New Year still echoing, their presentation confirmed the idea.   I came in right as they started and found a seat in the back, the last seat open. I start every meeting with high […]

CANCER TREATMENT: 5 THINGS I KNEW BEFORE STARTING

    I will submit to the cancer treatment sequence of events that may or may not do what is predicted. Like a lamb to slaughter, I would submit to whatever it took to kill the shit out of hpv16 throat cancer.   In the writing world we all dream of that one ‘YES’ that […]

Stomp Out Cancer: When Not If

    Stomp out cancer is a campaign with the hashtag #stompoutcancer.   Cancer survivors from OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital joined Nike and UofO to help create the uniforms the Ducks wore for Stomp Out Cancer.   Their efforts are a ray or hope for everyone crossing the line from cancer treatment to cancer survivor. […]

HPV16 VACCINE IN CONSUMER REPORTS

The HPV16 vaccine article in Consumer Reports pushes hot buttons across the board. It’s easy to understand why.   I’m a father of two, but it’s more than that. Too many parents are overwhelmed with the joy of their own reproductive skills and the bundle of joy as a result. I know I was.   […]

YOKE BUILDING PULLS A BETTER LIFE, BUT HOW

If you’re called yoked it’s not a joke, and it’s not about woodworking. It’s a compliment. Someone noticed your gains. They think you’re strong. You look strong, feel strong, and it’s because you lift weights. Whether a fitness lifestyle or just trying it out, lifting changes your body. Strong as an ox? Not a bad […]

WHAT SEVERE ILLNESS MEANS TO OTHERS

  Under the category of ‘Who Knew’, severe illness opens the door to compassion. And it’s not all about you.   Talk between cancer survivors is one thing; talk between a cancer survivor and someone untouched launches other topics. Some survivors are good listeners, others see the open door and rush right through.   That […]

UNCLE CLIFFY, MEDICAL MARIJUANA, PISTIL POINT CANNABIS

Why does it take a dramatic event like a health scare to break out the medical benefits of marijuana? Former Portland Trail Blazer Cliff Robinson, Uncle Cliffy in the industry, had a stroke. Is medical marijuana a cure? Here’s Robinson’s take from oregonlive: