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COLD WAR HISTORY FOR BABY BOOMER BEGINNERS

December 27, 2025 by

The Cold War? Even the name sounds dismissive. Are today’s students reading it and thinking, ‘No one got killed like a Hot War so what’s the big deal? Wasn’t it more peaceful after WWII?’ I know I did. But history isn’t about picking and choosing, hunting and pecking. It’s about the slow roll of time […]

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BE DIFFERENT, BUT HOW DIFFERENT

December 24, 2025 by

Be different, be better, be something. Just not the old coot where every day is the ol’ same ol’. It’s not the same, day after day, and neither are you no matter how you try. Why not be stable and dependable? That’s different enough.

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MEET THE NEW BOSS, SAME AS THE OLD BOSS

September 29, 2025 by

The new boss comes in to change things, to do what the old boss couldn’t do. Whether it’s changing the order of operations, the culture, or cutting expenses, it’s a job someone has to do. If you’ve worked in a place during the transition from the old ways to new, you know what happens: People […]

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ELDER RESPECT AND WHY IT MATTERS

September 16, 2025 by

Elder respect matters because not everyone gets there, and if they do, for however long or short a time, give them their flowers while they’re still alive. In one respect, being an elder is a privilege, especially if you’ve got any semblance of normalcy. By that I mean still functioning in the activities of daily […]

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HISTORICAL REFLECTIONS FROM WWII

July 11, 2025 by

I’m full of historical reflections because I read sources from history, also called history books. Those were the main readings for graduating with a history degree. It also helps to have spent two decades in historical agency work. The lasting lesson for me was seeing both sides of a story and how close things came […]

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BRAND LOYALTY? STAY TRUE

April 28, 2025 by

The best thing about brand loyalty is consistency. You know what to expect, you like what you get, and ask for more. But I have a hard time being loyal. You, too?

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BEST OF TIMES, WORST OF TIMES, THEN WHAT

June 13, 2024 by

After living through the best of times, there’s only one way to go. What’s better than the best? The correct answer is nothing, but that’s not the answer you’ll get from drunks and drug addicts. It’s hard to tell any time when you’re numbed to reality.

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LOYAL MEN FROM OREGON COAST TO MOUNTAINS

July 10, 2022 by

Loyal men used to do one thing: pledge and hold their allegiance to family and nation. It used to be a point of pride, like being a Dallas Cowboys fan. America’s Team, or just another outfit that can’t get out of its own way? How can we stay out of our own way?

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HONOR LIFE WHEREVER IT’S FOUND

March 14, 2022 by

How do you honor life when you don’t understand how anyone could live the way some people live? First, try to understand instead of judging. Besides, if you don’t understand their way of life, chances are they don’t understand your’s either. Remember, it’s not a contest, but if it was, the winner is the one […]

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LOSER LESSONS FOR A LIFETIME OF HOPE

May 13, 2021 by

Loser lessons make good winners. The trick is finding context. The particular context is knowing you’re not a lifetime loser because of a few events that didn’t turn our your way. I’ve had a few, you’ve had a few. Anyone who says they haven’t had a few are only lying to themselves. Some loser lessons […]

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