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OFF GRID, NO PHONE SERVICE, BUT . . .

September 22, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

I’ve had mixed results with off grid peace and quiet. Once I stayed in a place the had no telephones in the rooms for just that purpose, peace and quiet. Sounded very thoughtful until a road grader started grinding across the parking lot pavement the next morning. It couldn’t have been any closer if it […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: books, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, education, family, GUITAR, history, learning, look around, music, off grid, Peace, peace and quiet, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, quiet, read, Social media, travel, wife, writer, writers, writing

TIME TRAVEL INSIDE A LUMBER BARN

September 21, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

It’s just a barn, a lumber barn in the middle of nowhere, but so much more. It’s an historical record, an archive of sawdust, splinters, slivers, and work. Hard work. The main attraction is a train engine used to move big logs out of the woods, along with other man-killing machinery. For me the big […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, boomerpdx, building, education, fall, faller, high school, history, learning, lesson, logger, lumber, lumber barn, message, old growth, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, safety, Social media, teacher, time travel, travel, tree, trees, wood, writer, writers, writing

OLD GROWTH LOGS FOR KNOT HEADS

September 20, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Old growth trees are a time capsule, capturing events in each ring of growth. Look at any standing tree and it carries the same message of time. The mystery in old growth shows the good, the bad, and the ugly. Want to take a look inside? Sure, you do. Let’s go:

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: boomerpdx, education, growth, history, learning, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Social media, time, time passing, travel, writer, writers, writing

HISTORICAL CORRECTION AFTER TIME OFF

September 19, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

After nine days away I need to post a historical correction. It seems like the right time since I can look at visitors and break down traffic without posts. Turns out I get hits on boomerpdx whether I post something new, or not. Call me disappointed. My audience is automatic, which means bots, robots, and […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, boomerpdx, bots, confused, education, Great Depression, historical correction, history, Hollywood, hollywood reporter, learning, manliness, marvin gaye, money, robot, Roosevelt, Social media, story, what's going on, wife, writer, writers, writing, WWII

MUSICAL URGE SUGGESTIONS: A LESSON POST

September 9, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Acting on a musical urge is always chancy. Will you sound the way you think you sound, would like to sound? There’s only one way to find out, and there’s a guitar laying around. Maybe it’s enough to stop thinking about it and get back to the more important things like video games and TV. […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: baby boomer, Baby Boomer blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, complicated music, education, GUITAR, guitar player, keep time, learning, music, musically, notes, play, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Prince, Social media, story, writer, writers, writing

CLEAN DRINKING WATER? I’LL HAVE ANOTHER

September 8, 2026 by David Gillaspie 2 Comments

This is the Tualatin River water, not drinking water. With this river running through Washington County to the lake in Lake Oswego, then out to the Willamette, why isn’t it tapped for drinking water in Tigard and LO? This warning from the Tualatin Riverkeepers lays it out:

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: America, beaver fever, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, bull run, Clackamas river, clean water, drinking water, education, elections, history, lake oswego, learning, mid term, Oregon, Oregon health authority, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, portland water, pristine water, privacy, Social media, Tigard, travel, Tualatin River keepers, vote, voter, water, Willamette River, writer, writers, writing

ARMY ENLISTMENT? HAPPY ANNIVERSARY

September 7, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Me: Today is my Army enlistment anniversary. Did you remember. Wife: It’s also the day my Mom died. Me: It is? I mean, yes, it is, and also my anniversary. Wife: I’m glad you remember it. Me: And there’s another thing to celebrate on the same date. Wife: What?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Army, army enlistment, Baby Boomer blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, education, family, for ord, history, learning, Love, MARRIAGE, married, Oregon, Portland, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Social media, story, travel, wife, wise words, writer, writers, writing

WANTED MAN vs NEEDED. THERE’S A DIFFERENCE?

September 5, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

If you’re waiting for a wanted man to make life better, you’ll be waiting a minute. This man was a one-float parade around Silverton during my last visit. You could hear him from blocks away with his booming sound system blasting AC/DC. When I left, he followed my car out of town, then turned back […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, education, family, history, learning, Love, love you, MARRIAGE, millennials, music, need you, North Bend, Oregon, Portland, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, silverton, Social media, story, town characters, travel, want you, wanted man, wife, writer, writers, writing

CLASSIC PORTLAND RIVALRY

September 3, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Social media Portland isn’t for the weak of heart. It’s either heaven on earth, or a hell hole from the underworld sticky goo. If you showed up recently, things are looking better; if you’ve been here a minute you’ve seen the ups and downs. Lastly, if you’ve lived here your whole life? Uh oh.

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PORTLAND BRIDGES – 1971

September 2, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Every city with a river have one thing in common: bridges. Portland bridges crisscross the Willamette River over and over to keep traffic moving. There’s more of them today than 1971, not to mention upgrades. The 405 is more of river of cars, and like every river it needs bridges to keep the city moving.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: apologize, apology, boomer blogger, boomers, bridges, city review, education, history, life review, Love, married, memories, millennials, Oregon, Portland, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, portland bridges, Portland Oregon, Social media, travel, vision, visionary, wife, writer, writers, writing