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FOOD PREP MARATHON: BIRTHDAY BRUNCH

November 9, 2025 by David Gillaspie

My food prep marathon lasted three days. The images here come from a tasty night in LA to set the mood. I’ve had other cooking marathons, but this one combines a few of them. It began with the idea of hosting a breakfast brunch. Hmmmm ? ? ?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: alcohol, Baby Boomer blogger, birthday, birthday brunch, blog, blogger, BOOMER, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, boomers, brunch, cheers, cooking, drinking, education, family, granddad, grandkids, history, kids, learning, Love, men, millennials, Oregon, Portland, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, variety, women, writer, writing

MY TOGETHERNESS: HOW IT STARTED, HOW IT’S GOING

September 1, 2025 by David Gillaspie

My togetherness started in my mom’s backyard with the girl in the blue summer dress, the one she wore when I first saw her. We seemed to get along okay in NW Portland, so I took a flier and had her meet the family. Everyone was in Eugene for my granddad’s visit from Texas. My […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: digestion, family, fun day, good day, granddad, how it started, how it's going, kids, Love, MARRIAGE, my togetherness, Naturopath, personality, sassiness, staying together, together, togetherness

HUMAN PROJECT OF YOU

August 16, 2025 by David Gillaspie

A human project is easy to find. They’re all around because everyone is a project in some stage of completion. The secret? It’s never complete, but there are signs of progress.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: baby boomer, better performance, BOOMER, future, good times, grace, granddad, helpful, human, human project, husband, joyfully, kids, Kurt Vonnegut, memory, Moana, movie night, nice, normal, parents, remember, sharing, Social media, today is the day, wife, work in progress

ROLLING ONWARD YEAR AFTER SHORTENING YEAR

June 24, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Today we’re rolling onward since it’s the only place to go. If you have a better idea, I’m listening. Comments are open for suggestions on the blog. My name’s not Gatsby and I’m not Great, but we do share a common sentiment: “And so we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: better idea, big winner, birthday, birthday events, common sentiment, Divorce, gatsby, good health, granddad, great, health, health business, NW Portland, rolling onward, stool softener, suggestions, the past, unexpected circumstances

“I HAD NO IDEA?” OK BOOMER

June 13, 2025 by David Gillaspie

At some point ‘no idea’ or ‘I have no idea’ is the wrong answer. You can use it as an excuse up to a point, up to a certain age, and it isn’t seventy. Too often I feel like I should have an answer to the hard questions, something better than raising the white flag […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: art, baby boomer, BOOMER, college, college degree, college education, education, granddad, grandkids, history, history of art, IDEA, knowledge, learned, learned answer, math, no idea, ok boomer, paris, qualification, resources, saint denis, science, works of art

NATURE SURPRISE, THE GOOD KIND

April 14, 2025 by David Gillaspie

A nature surprise is what I hope for every time I leave the house. It might be in the air, on the ground, or in a tree. I’m not looking for a snake or an alligator. Not deer, elk, or coyote. I’ve got a zoo for all of that.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: alligator, bumble bee, butterfly, deer, dragonfly, Eagles, elkton oregon, geese, goose, granddad, kid, natural, nature, nature scout, nature surprise, snake, tualatin national wildlife refuge, wild life, wildlife, zoo

SOVING PROBLEMS, THEN FINDING MORE

December 28, 2024 by David Gillaspie

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.)

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: baby boomer, better person, bigger picture, BOOMER, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, boomers, committed relationship, Dad, Death, dying, education, friend line, friends, good friend, granddad, haunted, in-laws, last words, millennials, parents, problem solved, problems, solving problems, the end, value, wife, writer

CONTAGIOUS BRAVERY NEEDED

November 8, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Contagious bravery helps new swimmers. Afraid of the water? Or afraid of granddad? Or, neither.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: afraid, contagious bravery, granddad, lost, rest, stay positive, talk

DAD DAYS TO GRANDDAD AND BEYOND

September 19, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Dad days never end, and I’m glad. I didn’t sign up for the part time version. There wasn’t a switch to throw for the eighteenth birthday that said, ‘I’m done.’ I’ve been a dad since my first born, then doubled up with my second. Since then a few surprises joined up, just not those surprises.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: academic, another dad, college, Dad, dad days, dad hug, education, funeral, graduate school, granddad, grandpa, grave, honor, husband, kids, last goodbye, role model, school, teacher, teachers, wife

SHAPE UP. THEN WHAT?

September 4, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Shape up. I’ve told myself that more than once. I’ve also looked at others and said the same thing. To myself. Most of the time.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Arnold Schwarzenegger, blogger, bloggers, body building, Charles Atlas, conditioning, culture, Dave draper, exercise, facebook, Facebook update, family, fitness, fitness blogger, fitness writer, football, granddad, heroes, muscle, older brother, sports, stronger, the future, UPDATE, wife, workout, workout culture, workouts, wrestling, writer, writers