page contents Google

SOLDIER ADVICE: WHEN TO STAY, WHEN TO GO

March 2, 2021 by

Soldier advice usually comes from one place in the beginning. Can you guess where? If you said “recruiter,” you are correct. First they make an alluring argument for signing up. College money, healthcare, clothing, living expenses, food allowance. It’s all right here for a military career. If that hook isn’t sunk deep enough, Drill Sergeants […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,

GRECO ROMAN MEDAL WITH A HAPPY FAMILY

January 23, 2021 by

Greco Roman sounds so classic because that’s what it is, classic. It sounds old, like Greek City-State and Roman Empire old. Way the heck back there. In the sports world, Greco Roman is a particular style of wrestling, not an architectural element. It’s for athletes who don’t want to get tangled up in someone’s legs, […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

OREGON EXPERIENCE: WHAT TO EXPECT IF YOU’RE NEW TO THE STATE

September 24, 2020 by

People come from far and wide for the Oregon experience. They leave with gratitude for their time here, and make plans to return. After thrilling at the waterfalls, mountains, and beaches, they see places like Kansas and Oklahoma through new eyes. They take the Oregon experience home and make it work. By the way, what […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: , , , , ,

REAL NAME? CALL PEOPLE AND PLACES BY THEIR REAL NAME BEFORE IT’S FORGOTTEN

September 21, 2020 by

In a time not so long ago, a real name wasn’t important. It was a liability. Hollywood legends like John Wayne, Rock Hudson, and Marilyn Monroe weren’t good enough when they were known as Marion Morrison, Roy Scherer, and Norma Jeane Mortenson. But those days are long passed according to Benedict Cumberbatch. How did he […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FAMILY PLAN? FARM THE KIDS OUT FOR PEACE AND QUIET

September 16, 2020 by

For most, a family plan is making sure the kids are alright. Planned pregnancies and Tiger Mom tactics? What’s that? My parents had four kids and we always lived across from a sand dune and a forest. Smart move. When they said go out and play, we knew where to go. Forest play was more […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

FACING ADVERSITY FOR THE FIRST TIME, PANDEMIC EDITION

August 25, 2020 by

The biggest take aways from facing adversity the first time are the tools and tactics we learn for the next time. And there’s always a next time. Maybe not as big as now, but the tools still apply. So, what are the tools needed for facing adversity? You’ve come to the right place, reader.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

TIGARD MAN: WHY MOVING OUT OF INNER CITY PORTLAND WAS A GOOD IDEA

August 20, 2020 by

I’ve been a Tigard Man for thirty years, but it feels like yesterday. Memories of Portland keep reminding me why I moved. Not bad memories, but they weren’t good for others. For example:

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

FRIGHTENED MAN: WHAT SCARES THEM THE MOST

August 15, 2020 by

One thing about frightened man is they make lots of noise. They’re loud, yet never ask, “Can you hear me?” Instead, they keep the volume turned to eleven. How can you tell, besides the noise, if a frightened man is also nutty as hell?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

ROBIN RICHARDS TO THE RESCUE

July 19, 2020 by

Robin Richards top row center. Image via teamusa.org I grew up in a small Oregon town that had one big team, the wrestling team. And I wasn’t a wrestler, not yet. Instead, I played ball, the usual ball. And not very well, which made me question if I’d ever be more than washed up at […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

HOW STRONG PEOPLE PREVAIL OVER TOUGH TIMES

July 5, 2020 by

Strong people come from every corner of the globe. Based on what I call research, wandering around to flatten my learning curve, I met a bunch of strong folks between Philadelphia and Eugene, New York, and Portland. My interpretation of what strong means comes from where I was raised. It’s probably not much different than […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , ,