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I READ THE NEWS TODAY OH BOY

June 12, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

The news today is all about world events. News organizations deliver it every day with the same hype and urgency. News hounds consume every detail and load it onto the pile they carry in case someone asks them ‘what’s up?’ That’s when you brace yourself for the headlines as if they’re coming from an anchorman. […]

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“REALLY HIGH” BY KEVIN LOVE

June 10, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Kevin Love of NBA, UCLA, and Lake Oswego High fame listed a few things he likes to do when he gets high, what he likes to do when he’s really high, adding more for when he’s REALLY high. The big man is talking about weed, marijuana, dope, ganja, grass, hippie lettuce, herb, pot, Mary Jane. […]

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OFF THE HOOK IN GOLDEN YEARS?

June 8, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

As the golden years of retirement stretch out before you there are a few things to keep in mind. Probably more than ten line items, but this is a start. You don’t have to agree with any of them, but pick and choose in any order. I’ll start:

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, boomers, cooking, education, family, fitness, food, GOLDEN YEARS, history, kids, kitchen, learning, married, mental stimulation, millennials, music, Oregon, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, recipe, relax, social interaction, Social media, sports, story, twitter, volunteer, wife, workout, writer, writers, writing

END PRODUCT IS WHAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT, NOT PRACTICE

June 7, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

‘End Product’ is another way of saying, “What have you done lately?” We pay to go to concerts, games, and races. We don’t pay to go to practice rooms, weight rooms, or interval track training, the stuff done before the end product. Buy a ticket for an event and you expect a competent performance? Sounds […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: baby boomer, Baby Boomer blogger, basketball court, being smart, being strong, better, blog, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, Coos Bay, education, end, end product, keep practicing, marshfield high school, musical instruments, Oregon, organized noise, people care, practice, practicing, product, story, wife, writer, writers, writing

HISTORICAL ACCURACY? IMPORTANT, OR NOT

June 6, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

I’m a fan of historical accuracy, of a story that stands up to scrutiny not opinion, My feeling is that the people involved in historical events deserve the decency of applied history. How to apply history? It’s all about the sources.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: accuracy, applied history, Baby Boomer blogger, Baby Boomers, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, casual killing, D-Day, decisive leaders, dismissive death, education, family, historical, historical accuracy, history, history sources, Internet, leaders, learning, married, opinion, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, respect, scrutiny, settled history, Social media, story, travel, wife, writer, writers, writing, WWII

MAKING THE CANCER CALL 2026

June 5, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Ten years ago I got the cancer call. Me: Hello. Doc: Are you sitting down? Me: Yes. (I was in the bathroom.) Doc: The tests came back. You have cancer. Me: That’s not good.

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ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOR REMINDER FROM VETERANS ADMINISTRATION MAILER

June 2, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

As a veteran of the President Gerald Ford Army of 1974-76, I feel I know what acceptable behavior is without a reminder from the Veteran’s Administration in 2026. I knew the program way before joining the Army. Where did I gain such valuable information? The Boy Scouts. This all rings true from Acceptable Behaviors listed […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: acceptable behavior, Army veteran, Baby Boomer blogger, behavior, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, boy scouts, Death, education, fitness, harassment, history, honoring differences, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, respecting others, scout law, scouts, Social media, story, the troops, uncomfortable situations, veterans' administration, writer, writers, writing

MAKING PROGRESS WITH GRAND DECKS

June 1, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Making progress on a deck doesn’t look like this, but the ending does. Inspector dog agrees. Three picture framed sections? Check. Boards fastened without anything showing? Check. Railing is sturdy? Check. But what did it look like before?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: architect, artist, Baby Boomer blogger, Baby Boomers, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, builders, building, education, engineer, facebook, grand decks, history, making progress, millennials, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, progress, story, wife, writer, writers, writing, youtube

BOOK BUYBACK AT POWELL’S BEAVERTON

May 30, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

A book buyback trip to Powell’s Beaverton store usually hurts my brain. This time was no exception. Ouch, my head. Out of four bankers boxes full of books this is the shot of what they bought back. Am I buying the wrong books?

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LIFETIME MEMORIES FOR THE WHITE KNIGHT

May 29, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

The man in white has made more than a few lifetime memories for me. But why the white knight? Because he came to the rescue a few times.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, basketball, blessing, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, education, memory, North Bend, North Bend Oregon, Oregon, Portland, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, travel, wife, writer, writers, writing