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WHEN FRIENDS MATTER MORE

January 24, 2026 by David Gillaspie

Do friends matter more the older you get? It depends on who you ask. If someone has lots of friends, they say yes. What about those with few friends? They say yes, too. But . . .

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: America, baby boomer, Baby Boomer blogger, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, conversation, destruction, education, elections, ethnic cleansing, friends, friends matter, friends of friends, friendship, helpful, historical, history, indiscriminate destruction, inhumane treatment, learning, mass population, read, read history, study history, subjects, true friends, tune out, work friends, writer, writers, writing, yalta

SELF DEFENSE WITH THE PROPER MOVES

January 11, 2026 by David Gillaspie

Self defense? I’ve never taken a class, but I encourage anyone to do it. Learn how to find a solution to a difficult problem. How much is too much? How far is too far? Where to start? In my mid to late teens I was a small town high school wrestler.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: America, avoiding trouble, baby boomer, Baby Boomer blogger, blog, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, defense, education, fitness, helpful, history, learning, Love, married, poor attitude, poor training, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, proper moves, self defense, sports, story, travel, trouble, twitter, writer, writers, writing

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

BOOMER VISION: WHAT WE SEE, WHAT THEY THINK WE SEE

February 27, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Boomer Vision is a ‘thing,’ or it should be. Butch Cassidy said it with, “I’ve got vision, the rest of the world wears bi-focals.” The only way baby boomers don’t have vision? They keep their eyes wide shut.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: baby boomer, Baby Boomer blogger, Baby Boomers, Better Boomer, better vision, blog, blogger, BOOMER, boomer blogger, boomer generation, boomer vision, detached, good listener, GUITAR, helpful, imminent doom, isolated, kids, listener, lost, millennials, out of touch, parents, school, tax, taxes

CRAFTSMEN KNOW HOW TO WORK, ARTIST KNOW WHEN TO STOP

February 26, 2025 by David Gillaspie

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 […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: art, artists, clean air, clean water, common decency, courteous, craftsmen, customs, education, famous, food, friendship, good, good food, good life, good news, helpful, hype men, learning, shelter, tool box, tool chest, tools, traditions, trustworthy, value, work

AMERICAN IDENTITY IS NO SURPRISE

August 24, 2024 by David Gillaspie

An American identity is more than a passport, drivers license, or birth place. It’s more than bragging rights and USA USA USA. What is it? Here’s one take on what it is:

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: America, American, American Dream, american identity, cancer, goals, helpful, hope, USA USA USA

SCREEN SPACE vs AIR TIME: BEING HELPFUL

July 24, 2024 by David Gillaspie

What are the goals of screen space and air time? Fill them up. That’s the primary goal. Secondary goals are making sense, being interesting, and ultimately trying to be helpful. I’m helpful. Which isn’t a way of asking, ‘Are you helpful?’

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: air time, being helpful, blog, blogger, boomerpdx, boomers, education, entertainment, false observations, helpful, helpful side, little bitch, president, presidential, presidential material, screen space, team player, team players, tired accusations, trustworthy, writer, writers, writing

DREAM DAY, D-DAY TOMORROW

June 5, 2023 by David Gillaspie

My dream day is pretty simple. I had one recently. Did I live every moment to the max and soak up the vibes? Or did I just feel lucky as hell to be a part of such a day? Well let me tell you my idea of a dream day at my house:

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomers, better world, D-Day, daughter in-law, daughters, DBE, dream, dream day, family curse, helpful, millennials, nineteen year olds, people, royal navy, Slapton sands, sons, trauma, women, WWII, you are worthy

MODERN MARRIED LIFE FOR BEGINNERS

October 8, 2022 by David Gillaspie

Modern married life for boomers like your’s truly was never going to happen. I remember a song from my parent’s record collection before they all melted: Kisses Sweeter Than Wine. Take it Jimmy.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: 1970, advice, boomers, girlfriend, helpful, Love, love train, MARRIAGE, married, married life, married people, modern, modern love, modern man, modern married life, newly wed, Portland, Portland Oregon, records

LEADERS LEAD, THAT’S WHY THEY’RE CALLED LEADERS

April 28, 2022 by David Gillaspie

Everyone knows leaders lead. The big mystery is why anyone follows a leader. And if it’s a mystery to you, maybe you’re following the wrong leader. Or you’re married. Let’s break down the makings of a good leader and get things straightened out.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: believable, brave, clean, courteous, dreams, education, friendly, good leader, greek ideal, happiness, helpful, infrastructure, kind, lead, leaders, leaders lead, leadership, loyal, movies, obedient, reverent, television, thrifty, trustworthy