high school Archives • DAVIDPDX

page contents Google

AGING FEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME

February 18, 2026 by David Gillaspie

Aging fear kicks in when you start wondering about tomorrow. Will you be there for it? Why wouldn’t you? Oh, that’s why.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: aging, aging fear, America, average, baby boomer, Baby Boomer blogger, basketball, blog, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, coach, dismissive, education, Fat, fear, football, good grandpa, high school, history, kids, learning, old man, old men, ordinary, seniors, soccer, sports, step up, story, teams, wife, wrestling, writer, writing

LIFE LONG LEARNING STARTS WITH A CALL

July 8, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Life long learning doesn’t end with the last school day, the last class, the last good-bye. It doesn’t end with a diploma, a certificate, or a license. Those indicate the culmination of a training sequence, but the learning is just starting. Now you find out what you need to know, which is . . . […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Afghanistan war, aging, baby boomer, BOOMER, business, city, etiquette, feelings, felon, helpful advice, high school, improvement, learning, life, life long, life long learning, livability, manners, message, North Bend, small town, turkey neck, Vietnam War, young people

BRAGGING RIGHTS ON THE WALL OF FAME

June 10, 2025 by David Gillaspie

You’ve got bragging rights when you’re got a good dog like this. We went to class together, graduated together, and one of us peed on the floor during class. We’re still going strong but the teacher and the store she worked for moved on. Education is funny like that. What we learn stays with us […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: advanced degree, Army veteran, bragging, bragging rights, college diplomas, doubters, fame, following orders, free spirits, generations, high school, high school diplomas, home team, homer, honorable discharge, Korean War, rights, service, skeptics, the Beatles, veteran, Vietnam, vietnam era, wall of fame, WWII, young guys

EMBRACING CHANGE, BUT NOT TOO TIGHT

May 18, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Embracing change is all there is to do when something new pops up. Either that or get miserable and bitter. Go with the flow or drown fighting the current. If you think this sounds like being a quitter, well . . .

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: athletes, big difference, cancer, change, cigarettes, coaches, community, difference, embracing change, fitness, fitness guys, game, hero, high school, lung cancer, money, parents, quitter, smoking, sports, teachers, team, weight lifting

LEADERSHIP TRAINING NOT FOR AMATEURS

March 25, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Leadership training happens every day, it just goes unnoticed. Unnoticed? Yes, unnoticed except by those who have had some training. Like me. Twenty-one hours of Leader Preparation Program time. You may call me a Fort Ord Leadership Academy graduate. This is why I’m such a fan of education for the young and old, and you […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: anticipation, anxiety, big decisions, college, education, high school, hustler, junior high, leadership, leadership role, leadership training, saw mill, training, United States of America, war office, Weyerhaeuser

OLD STORY? THEY’RE ALL OLD STORIES THE OLDER YOU GET

December 10, 2024 by David Gillaspie

An old story wears thin over time? Not when it’s your story, no matter how many times you tell it. When you hear, “I’ve heard this so many times,” don’t take it as criticism. That’s just someone bragging about their listening skills, not trashing your repetitiveness. Still, why not add something new?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: accomplishments, aging, beard, exercise, face, Fat, fat face, fitness, future wife, health, high school, intentions, long hair, MARRIAGE, married, nature, nature face, nw lovejoy, old, old man, old story, Portland, Portland Oregon, story, wedding, young face

SUNDAY WRESTLING DRIVE TO OREGON STATE

November 18, 2024 by David Gillaspie

I took a Sunday wrestling drive to Corvallis for a match. But it’s always more than a wrestling match at Oregon State. It always turns into a question of decisions made and paths taken. While it’s always a fun time, this time stood out.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Cael Sanderson, coaching, college wrestling, corvallis, cutting weight, David Taylor, high school, North Bend Bulldogs, Oklahoma State, old wrestlers, Oregon State, Oregon State Beavers, penn state, state championship, Sunday wrestling, wrestling room

MAN CARD? DON’T PULL IT TOO OFTEN

July 26, 2024 by David Gillaspie

The man card is a fictional device for super men to explain themselves. They are manly men and they want you to know. They want you to know so they can then tell you they’re pulling your man card. Don’t let that happen. Nobody can pull it but the owner, not that there’s anything wrong […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: delicate men, fictional device, high school, man card, manhood, manly man, manly men, respect, stolen valor, the army, valor, vote, voter, wrestling, wrestling practice

PLACING BLAME IN THE RIGHT PLACE

May 1, 2024 by David Gillaspie

What’s the best way of placing blame? Pointing a finger? Yelling? Or checking to make sure there’s anyone or anything to blame? What about the blameless among us who’ve never done anything wrong?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: above reproach, acid, alcohol abuse, blame, blotter, booze, cancer, chronic drunk, college, complaining, doctor, drinking plan, Drinks, drunk, dysfunctional behavior, high school, husband, micro-dot, perfect, placing blame, problem, right place, shot glass, start drinking, tequila, wife, witnesses

PEP TALK? MY BEST MEMORY BEFORE A BIG WRESTLING MATCH

April 25, 2024 by David Gillaspie

When does a pep talk make all the difference? You’re warmed up, ready to go, just as the coach gives last instructions. As a high school wrestler in my second year, I needed all the pep I could get. Ordinarily you wouldn’t put a second year guy out against a well known mauler, but . […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: best memory, coach, coaching, competition, crosstown rival, cruel, desperate, desperate move, desperate time, duel meet, football, high school, instructions, loser, memories, memory, pep talk, plan, remember, rival, smart guy, sports, sure loss, tactical, tactical plan, tough enough, wrestling, wrestling match