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PERSONAL RIVALRIES? WE ALL HAVE THEM

Personal rivalries started early and close to home. We had kids down the street who challenged us to rock fights, tree house building, and dogs. And they won every time. It set me up for a lifetime of personal rivalries.

DRAWING LINES TO LIVE BY?

Who is drawing lines to live by? Picasso did. Unfortunately, you’re no Picasso, I’m no Picasso, so why bother? We bother with lines and borders for a sense of control like, “Don’t go there, girlfriend.” The big Question Of The Day: Who draws borders when they’re on the same side of the line you’re on?

CONFIDENT MEN ON THEIR SPECIAL DAYS

Confident men gain more confidence at each milestone. Eventually some become over-confident men. It’s gets worse in middle-aged men and settles into the murky waters of wtf in senior men. That’s a picture of the seniors on their football team. Not the same senior as old guys. Building confident men starts early.

BRIDGE CITY BRIDGES, PICK ONE AND CROSS IT FOR GOOD LUCK

Bridge city is that place, that town, any bump in the road that needs a bridge. Walking on or driving over any bridge is an act of faith. But we do it without a blink. After all, that’s how we cross a river, a bay. That’s how we get to the other side. With luck […]

BAY MAN ON COOS BAY, THE WATER AROUND NORTH BEND

Who’s a bay man? I’m a bay man, and here’s why: Born on San Francisco Bay. Raised on Coos Bay. Married a woman named Bayes. Three for three settles it for bay man. I can smell bay from here by just looking at the top pic, and it’s comforting.

OREGON STOPS: FROM CLAUSEN OYSTER TO CRESWELL BAKERY

The roads around here are not in drive-by country. Oregon Stops make you pull over, or turn around and go back if you missed the turn. Clausen Oyster is one such Oregon stop. What makes Clausen’s a good stop? Oysters in every size I could imagine. Even better?

SANDCASTLES AT SUNSET

Sandcastles, from the most ornate to a bucket of wet sand turned upside down, all have one thing in common: They don’t last. But instead of mourning the loss of the castle, think of this: You have a chance to build another one, a better one, one that will last. Knowing it won’t last never […]

NORTH BEND: A HOMETOWN IN THREE PARTS, 1, 2, 3

North Bend, Oregon has the same parts as anywhere else in the world. In my view, and I think you’ll agree, the three parts are: What I thought it was. What it is. How others see it. Sounds normal enough? It fits your hometown, too.

HOLDING GRUDGES TAKES A SPECIAL KIND OF STRENGTH

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 […]

YOUR LANE? STAY IN IT OR HIT THE GAS ON A HIGHER CALLING

The “stay in your lane” reaction comes from the wrong sources. As if anyone knows which lane is right for you, but they sure know which one is wrong. It’s the wrong lane when you take others our of their comfort zone of who they think you are. But people change. Just not those who […]