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TRAVELING MAN ON THE LOOSE

One traveling man says he wouldn’t cross the street if he didn’t have to. Another says crossing the street is no problem, but he’s not going far after that. That’s enough travel for them. It’s enough for me, too. I understand the reluctant traveler. Growing up in North Bend, Oregon, Hwy 101 was hyperspace compared […]

KNIGHT CANCER INSTITUTE: SECOND OPINION ON SECOND OPINIONS

The Knight Cancer Institute has been on my mind since its inception. Why would a sports company founder devote huge resources to starting a cancer institute? It wasn’t a one time donation. Yesterday the Institute pulled in another $2 billion. It’s a big story built on little stories like this:

MARRIED WEED COUPLE LOSING GRIP

What happens when a weed couple changes their stance? When one of them decides to light up and the other doesn’t? If they are baby boomers, you’d expect them to do something baby boomer-ish, like write a letter to Dear Abby? No way. They’d sit down, after fifty years of marriage, and figure it out. […]

START THE HARDEST PART FIRST: BEER CULTURE

Doing the hardest part of anything is not the opposite of doing the easy part. The easy part serves as a warm-up? Sometimes. But, do that and you might be too tired for the next part, which is also not the hardest. Like what? Take drinking beer for example. I live in a beer town, […]

BASKETBALL TROPHIES: 1 ON 1

In the world of basketball trophies, this is the tip top of the pile, the NBA World Championship trophy. It was an honor to hold, a feeling with deep roots. I’ve held a few things that stir the feelings and this was one of them. But my own basketball trophies mean more, which makes the […]

PLANNED IGNORANCE? NOT SO FAST

Planned ignorance is not a plan for everyone. Parents who complain about teachers when little Jimmy gets a bad report card? It’s not Jimmy’s fault and don’t you dare say it is; don’t even think it. And it’s not the parents’ fault. Just ask them. Better yet, check with parents whose kids are just starting. […]

MELANCHOLY NOSTALGIA? WHERE DO I SIGN

Melancholy nostalgia is no one’s idea of a good time. Nostalgia alone is more than enough. Those ‘good old days’ never looked better until you start scratching around. Add a dose of melancholy to clear things up.

LOOKING BACK TO SEE IF YOU WERE LOOKING

I was looking back recently after hearing how great things used to be. Baby boomers had it so easy you could buy a house and two cars and a boat and send three kids to college on a part-time paper route for a weekly publication. As a result the entire generation grew lazy and complacent:

GOOD FORTUNE: ACCIDENTAL OR PLANNED

My happy good fortune could never be planned any more than a shark chooses their favorite remora. It’s all been a long string of happy coincidence. Just another fat baby boomer taking up space in comfort and luxury. That’s me. How about you, same thing? Probably not, but check with younger people to know for […]

WRITTEN RULES TO FOLLOW

Written rules started early for baby boomers. “Do this, not that, and do it better than you did last time. I’ll write it down so you don’t forget.” From yard work to school work, to spending time with friends, there were rules. Ignore the rules and you might be the kid standing in the corner […]