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PORTLAND CROSSROADS: SW 3rd AND ALDER

December 4, 2021 by

The Portland crossroads are the same at every intersection. North, East, South, and West. It’s the same where you live if you don’t live in Portland. Pick a side and proceed with caution. Why SW 3rd and Alder? Why not. What’s your favorite? Burnside and Broadway? Too easy. Burnside and the Willamette? Here’s the deal: […]

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NEW COMPASSION WITH A KIND RIGHT HAND

November 26, 2021 by

A new compassion has made its debut. And proved my Mom was correct. She believed most problems could be solved by slapping sense into whoever needed it. As one of her four kids, just hearing her theory was enough. Her career included managing a DMV office. (Keep that in mind the next time you complain […]

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HOLDING GRUDGES TAKES A SPECIAL KIND OF STRENGTH

August 7, 2021 by

Holding grudges is a time honored tradition between races, religions, nations, and families. “We don’t like them.” “Why don’t we like them?” “Why would we?” This exchange gets played out between young and old, men and women, brothers and sisters. Eventually holding grudges turns into something completely different than how it started because no one […]

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CITY TRASH FROM PORTLAND TO VANCOUVER

March 31, 2021 by

City trash comes with the territory. More people, more garbage, more clean up. Except the clean up part is lacking, and it’s not the first time. Take New York City trash for example. More people than Portland, which is bigger than Staten Island, but half the size of the other Burroughs. I moved to the […]

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BOOMER WRITER WHO DOESN’T WRITE EXPLAINS ‘PROCESS’

July 14, 2020 by

You’ve seen the boomer writer in a coffee shop, or at least used to before covid took up residence. They have a table, a backpack, and coffee, while they unpack like a campout. That’s the early stage. Later, they show their work place, a replica of the one they wanted to avoid, their home desk. […]

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TRAVEL BUG BITES BACK? SCRATCH THAT ITCH

April 23, 2020 by

Once upon a time the bite from a travel bug meant one thing: pack that bag. We all know people bitten by the travel bug. From pictures, to videos, to restaurant receipts, they can’t stop re-telling the same story over and over. We know them because that’s just who we are. See something that draws […]

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK? COME ON NEW YORK

April 19, 2020 by

Doing the right thing in New York is the same as doing the right thing in Oregon: Stay home, keep a social distance. My social distance from NYC is 3000 miles away, but it wasn’t always that way. Frank said it best:

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Cultural Exchange Without Leaving Home

August 23, 2018 by

  Last night my cultural exchange student, better said as ‘our’ cultural exchange student, prepared dinner for seven.   And the kid can cook.   I know the difference when someone mails it in from the kitchen. How? Because someone I know tried doing it for years.   Me.   Now I’m much better and […]

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BOOMER GENERATION BREAKS AMERICA ON TIME COVER BUT NOT IN OUR HEARTS

June 1, 2018 by

    At some point every generation can take credit for breaking America. The pinata of democracy is strong enough to take a few whacks.   It helps that those swinging the stick are usually too old to do much damage, but watching them still hurts.   Steven Brill explains it all for baby boomers, […]

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NEW YORK CITY 1980: HOW TO QUIT A GREAT TOWN

April 5, 2018 by

    New York City is easy to quit. Get on a bus, train, or plane and leave. Go ahead and be a quitter.   Except moving on isn’t the same as quitting. You got promoted and the new job wasn’t in New York City? You’re significant other got promoted and their new job wasn’t […]

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