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AGING FEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME

February 18, 2026 by David Gillaspie

Aging fear kicks in when you start wondering about tomorrow. Will you be there for it? Why wouldn’t you? Oh, that’s why.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: aging, aging fear, America, average, baby boomer, Baby Boomer blogger, basketball, blog, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, coach, dismissive, education, Fat, fear, football, good grandpa, high school, history, kids, learning, old man, old men, ordinary, seniors, soccer, sports, step up, story, teams, wife, wrestling, writer, writing

ROY PITTMAN OFF THE MAT

August 28, 2025 by David Gillaspie

I’d heard of Roy Pittman long before we met yesterday. What I’d heard about him was legendary. A legend in the community, a legend on the mat, the difference maker you’d want your kids to meet. The Peninsula Wrestling Club is where he’s been since 1970, where 200k wrestlers learned the ropes.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: achieve, coach, david abraham, getting better, Hall Of Fame, inspire kids, interest, legend, legendary, MMA, motivational, peninsula park wrestling, Roy Pittman, sports, wrestling, wrestling room

FATHERS DAY AFTER CLASS IN SESSION

June 16, 2025 by David Gillaspie

My Fathers Day go-to family picture: A thirty year old man with three sons and a wife who looks like Jackie Kennedy taken in 1960. The old man has an expression asking, ‘What have I gotten myself into.’ It’s a father’s look, the same look over the gates. It never gets old. That’s me in […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: brothers, Class in session, coach, coaching, college degree, Dad, family, family picture, father's day, fathers day, give up, Middle Child, Mom, never stop, night class, old man, Oregon, sisters, Southern Oregon, teacher, teaching, walking away

SLOW LIVING GUIDE, LIKE SLOW TV, IS SLOW ON PURPOSE

March 15, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Slow living? Sounds nice, doesn’t it? No flash, no bang, hardly any drama. It could be a life goal, easing into each day with gentle anticipation. What prevents it? Excuses. But, it starts out with the best intentions.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: attached, availability, available, better, change, coach, decluttered life, decluttering, desert southwest, detach, detachment, drinking, expectations, football, football season, gambling, gentle expectations, hard work, life goal, PERSEVERANCE, salesman, seasonal routine, slow life, slow living, slow tv, wives, yelling

GROWN MEN WITH EMOTIONS IN CHECK

December 27, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Grown men are expected to keep their emotions in check. They need to keep calm and carry on. Add grown women in there, too. We have expectations of emotional maturity. I know I do, but there are times. For example:

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: acting, actor, checking in, circle of life, coach, Communication, conformity, deep feelings, emotional, emotional maturity, emotions, emotions in check, grown man, grown men, kids, life, locked down, married, maturity, men, refugee, soldier, teacher, team, world events, writer

TWITTER RESPECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA

December 19, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Twitter respect is what you get with certain posts. I ought to say ‘X Respect’ but I’ve been there since 2009, so twitter. And I get no respect. Why?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: authentic life, coach, kids, life, married, private message, read, readers, respect, Social media, sports writer, talking smack, trash talk, twitter, twitter respect, twitter success, well informed, X, x respect

HUMAN TRAINING IS DOG TRAINING

November 27, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Human training is complicated. How complicated? Ask a teacher, an instructor, a professor. Ask a coach, a Drill Sergeant, a parent. Or just ask yourself, “Was I difficult to train?”

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomers, better relations, boomer dog, boomerpdx, boomers, coach, command, dog communication, dog training, dogs, good boy, good girl, good life, human training, instruction, instructor, jump up, married, older people, parent, peaceful world, professor, relationship, relationship gold, snacks, teacher, training

PEP TALK? MY BEST MEMORY BEFORE A BIG WRESTLING MATCH

April 25, 2024 by David Gillaspie

When does a pep talk make all the difference? You’re warmed up, ready to go, just as the coach gives last instructions. As a high school wrestler in my second year, I needed all the pep I could get. Ordinarily you wouldn’t put a second year guy out against a well known mauler, but . […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: best memory, coach, coaching, competition, crosstown rival, cruel, desperate, desperate move, desperate time, duel meet, football, high school, instructions, loser, memories, memory, pep talk, plan, remember, rival, smart guy, sports, sure loss, tactical, tactical plan, tough enough, wrestling, wrestling match

BIG BROTHER WORK NEVER ENDS

September 14, 2023 by David Gillaspie

Big brother comes in a variety of shapes and sizes. A good big brother can be a guiding light. Growing up with someone who knows their role can set the stage for a good life. On the other hand? Roles can change.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: 1984, Authority, big brother, brother, coach, family, father, football, helper, orwell, teacher, work

MAKING TIME AND COUNTING DAYS

August 1, 2023 by David Gillaspie

Making time to do the things you need to get done is one thing. Taking time for the people and places important to you is another. Which one are you best at?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: baby boomer, blogger, BOOMER, boomerpdx, boomers, caregiver, coach, depressed, dreams, enthusiasm, making time, metal band, music, sports, tears, time, youth sports