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PERSEVERANCE TEST: HOW NOT TO GIVE UP

April 25, 2021 by

A perseverance test happens every day we face the impossible. Some of us take it in stride, make it look easy, like getting the toast just right. Others have greater challenges, life changing challenges, life fulfilling challenges. Did I say life saving challenges? That, too. For example:

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HORSE SENSE AND LEARNING TO RIDE LIKE A HUNGARIAN

March 20, 2021 by

Horse sense is common sense. Says as much right off in the dictionary. What it doesn’t say is what people learn riding a horse. To me that’s a better definition of horse sense. Instead of some blow-hard mansplaining how something simple is done in a most condescending tone, the horse teaches by example. That’s me […]

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ASIAN AMERICANS ARE AS AMERICAN AS IT GETS

March 12, 2021 by

Asian Americans are as American as it gets. I’ve said it twice. Fight me. Hate crimes against elderly Asian Americans is not a sport, not a statement, but an act of cowardice and ignorance committed by the sort of people we’ve seen too much of. Who are they? Who might be joining them? It’s people […]

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OREGON PIONEER, GOLD MAN, GOLDEN LOGGER, THAT GUY

March 5, 2021 by

The Oregon Pioneer atop the Salem capitol dome is every boy who grew up in the golden era of Oregon logging when you could drop out of high school, get a job in the woods, then buy a house, a truck, and a boat. All you had to do was show up early and do […]

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RELATIONSHIP TRAINING FROM ONE BAD DATE TO THE NEXT

February 16, 2021 by

Relationship training should happen before any long term relationships to avoid the question, “What is wrong with you?” This goes out to the guys in the audience: You will eventually run out of prospects for a Saturday night out if you don’t learn the ropes. Even married people get shut down if they don’t know […]

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SPORTS EDUCATION STARTS WITH KNOWING YOUR TEAM

January 26, 2021 by

Sports education with Raider Coach Tom Fores started in middle school at a parent teacher conference. I was the parent, the teacher was Miss Flores, my kid’s teacher. She was whip smart and knew how to reach her students in ways other teachers couldn’t. As a science teacher, she had an advantage. The night of […]

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EDUCATIONAL DYSFUNCTION: THE OTHER E D

January 13, 2021 by

Educational dysfunction happens to everyone when they get to a point in a project that needs extra help. Frank Thomas is an Auburn University man, something left out in commercials he appears in. The Big Hurt knows the education drill. Doug Flutie is a Boston College man who gets it, too. Whether books, YouTube videos, […]

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GAINING SELF RELIANCE STARTS WITH GOOD TEACHERS

January 3, 2021 by

Self reliance feels like the best goal to aim for, but how do you get there? We all start from the opposite end, as little babies depending on others to lead the way. Those common beginnings fade away in the self reliant types we look up to because they do everything so well. We forget […]

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BLOG TRAFFIC: BOOMERPDX FROM NATION TO NATION

December 15, 2020 by

Blog traffic map via google analytics. The big difference between the top map and every other map of the world is that this one tracks where the hits, the readers, the bots, showing up on boomerpdx originate. It’s a blog traffic map, which isn’t very writerly since geography isn’t about plot, story structure, or how […]

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WORKING WRITER STATEMENT: MOVE THE PILE

November 15, 2020 by

T.C. Boyle is a working writer with the sort of social engagement skills that can’t be taught. He’s got instinct on his side. Instinct is essential in the work he does, which is writing books and short stories that get read. It’s a familiar instinct for those who pay attention. And I do, which is […]

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