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SHARING SPECIAL DAYS, EVERY LAST ONE

May 9, 2026 by

Special days have special meaning which don’t hit the same for everyone. For some it’s repeating, “Why bother,” for the fortieth time. Others like to say, “I thought we’ve moved past all that.” But you still find those looking for something special in every day, and keep looking until they find it. Hell or high […]

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OLD PORTLAND, YOUNG PARENTS

May 8, 2026 by

Make that old Portland, youngish parents. Or not so old Portland, and not so young parents. We weren’t teenagers, but if you ever want to feel like one push a stroller around downtown. With two kids it’s like a double punishment, like sent to your room AND missing dinner. What else?

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THE LEADING AGE, I MEAN LEADING EDGE

April 27, 2026 by

The leading age comes after long years of experience, and putting it into practice for the benefit of others. The best blacksmith in town learns to pound steel into the correct form and he teaches others the same skill before his elbow sidelines him. The best woodworker shapes stock into useful pieces and helps others […]

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THE ART OF FRIENDSHIP, OR WHY YOU DON’T HAVE ANY FRIENDS

April 24, 2026 by

If you want to experience friendship, have friends, be generous. Loan money, loan tools, loan your car. That’s also the way to experience friendlessness when they don’t repay, return, and crash your car. The other way is spending time together. My wife says I don’t have any friends because the only people I spend time […]

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PICK A SIDE AND STAY THERE, OR NOT

April 13, 2026 by

What’s the problem when you pick a side? You’re stuck. You talked the talk, walked the walk, then something changed. But you’re stuck. Either stay on the bus as it goes off the bridge, or hit your eject button.

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GROWING UP NEVER STOPS

March 30, 2026 by

Remember the promise about growing up? “You’ll understand when you grow up.” “Things will be different when you grow up.” Now that you’re all grown up, how’s it going?

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QUIET LIFE STARTER KIT

March 19, 2026 by

Does a quiet life begin with keeping quiet? If so, how’s it going? Or does it mean something else? Let’s go with something else:

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HIDDEN SONGS OF THE OREGON COAST

March 15, 2026 by

People play their guitar in the basement alone looking for hidden songs. Hidden songs? There you are moving around the fretboard and something sounds different. You play it again. Nice. While you play you remember the old times you had when you were younger. Like yesterday.

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COLD WET OREGON WITH EXTRA WATER

March 14, 2026 by

On a cold wet Oregon day the beach was covered as far as the eye could see, and since it’s flat you can see a long way. Jelly fish, man of war, or whatever it was, it was a mass die-off of squishy critters up and down the beach, a purple carpet of goo to […]

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YOU TIME + ME TIME = OUR TIME

March 2, 2026 by

‘Our time’ is full of hope and promise for a better world. That’s what I learned in kindergarten and it set me on my path. Maybe it’s a baby boomer notion, or maybe it’s everyone over a certain age who feels that hope. Either way a better world has been a long time coming and […]

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