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GIVING UP THE FIRST TIME

I don’t remember giving up, quitting, rising the white flag. But here we are, and I’m not alone. There’s the rocking chair, the TV, the food delivery. As long as everything lasts, why not rot away quietly? Why not? Here’s why not with Kurt Vonnegut:

TAKING TIME, MAKING TIME

Taking time for the little things is something we’re supposed to do. Making time to get it right is always the challenge. In some worlds, maybe yours, time is elusive, slippery, until you get rewired one way or the other.

WHAT MAKES A GREAT BURGER?

A great burger is a matter of timing. If you haven’t eaten all day anything would be great. That last thing you ate was a little off so you’ve been looking forward to the next meal. This burger fought through adversity to land on greatness.

DOWNTOWN PORTLAND OREGON ON A FAMILY SATURDAY NIGHT

Traveling to downtown Portland for a visit, for a look-around? But you’ve seen the news, the tents, the drugs, the crime. So have I. It’s a red flag, but not this time. We took a chance to claim, or reclaim, the Rose City as our own.

MUNDANE LIFE? CONGRATULATIONS

Fear the mundane life, or celebrate the accomplishment? The more the pace of life speeds up, and you don’t, the more your effort shines. Who knew normal and ordinary could feel so good? But there’s a problem. Not everyone gets it.

PEP TALK? MY BEST MEMORY BEFORE A BIG WRESTLING MATCH

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 . […]

FOR OLDER PEOPLE: WHAT’S IT LIKE?

Who doesn’t like a question directed to ‘older people?’ This was the question from twitter: I wonder what it’s like for the older people now, who were born in the previous millennium. How can people born in 1999 be old? Easy.

WORTH REMEMBERING? IT STARTS WITH EVERYTHING THEN A LITTLE LESS

It’s worth remembering the important things in your life. Did I ever know about the lines in a red cup? Will it matter in the future? I like the idea of the lines meaning something, but I just want a full pour of whatever’s supposed to be in there.

INSIGHTFUL AGING TAKES PRACTICE

Insightful aging? Oh yeah, I’ve got insight. It’s not such a reach when you see people leaving the party way too soon. Once you’re done, you’re done, then the question is how will you be remembered? So how will you be remembered? How do you want to be remembered?

SCOREBOARD MATTERS IN SPORTS AND LIFE

When a game ends, any game, anywhere, scoreboard matters. Coaching co-ed youth soccer teams meant getting trained to de-emphasize the final score. The problem was the kids. They kept score with each other.