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CRAFTSMEN KNOW HOW TO WORK, ARTIST KNOW WHEN TO STOP

Craftsmen know their work, the ins and outs, the customs and traditions; they know the lay of the land. The good news is you can tell a good craftsman by their work. As a young history worker I inventoried a donation of hand tools used to build the wooden ships of old. The toolbox was […]

GILBERT HOUSE IN SALEM: CHILDREN’S MUSEUM, ADULT PLAYTIME, OR BOTH

The Gilbert House Children’s Museum is fun for kids, a way for them to see new things in a new context. Gather up the kids and grandkids for an afternoon of the usual? Nope, not at the Gilbert House. There’s something undeniably sweet going on there for the big kids, the adults.

STAYING COMPETITIVE, WITH YOURSELF

Staying competitive can be a life goal. It means staying sharp, alert, ready. Being quietly competitive is one thing; you may bring out the best in you. Loud competition can be a problem, such as?

HAPPY PLACE? KEEP LOOKING

They say you’ll know your happy place when you get there. Who are ‘they?’ Happy people, that’s who ‘they’ are. Are they happy all the time? No, but . . .

PERMANENT BUILDINGS FOR THE FUTURE

I look for permanent buildings the older I get. It’s always a treat. I’m older than the town I live in, older than the first house I owned, older than where I live mow. Maybe I’m the permanent building? Naw. Maybe you?

ONLINE BUSINESS DECISIONS

People make millions with their online business. Millions, I tell you. Everywhere I look some blogger is making millions of dollars. And I don’t think it’s all google ad-words.

KEEN INSIGHTS, OR CULTURAL VOID

Keen insights are what I’m looking for. I want to know what I don’t know in a useful way. A new way to pull a nail, thread a needle, boil water. If it’s new and insightful, sign me up. What I’m not looking for?

SOVING PROBLEMS, THEN FINDING MORE

Solving problems is a process. One of the first steps, if not ‘the’ first step, is identifying the problem. The important part is not solving every problem at the same time. Pick one. (Not that one.)

MORE ‘WANT TO?’ BUT WHERE IS IT

‘Want to’ is what you need starting out. More ‘want to’ is what it takes to keep going. Some folks use it all in the start-up phase, others in the keep going phase. Then there’s the closer who never runs out.

PORTLAND PARK BLOCKS IN DECEMBER WITH DOG

The Portland Park Blocks, the south side, deserves a good look this time of year. Call it a learning moment, my dog did. Who’s a good girl. We started at Portland State University to see what the youths were up to.