What is a virtual volunteer? My wife and I were making quiche together. She seemed a little down. Earlier she’d asked me to bring the Halloween decorations tote downstairs. It struck me as an irony to decorate for a hands on holiday in the coronavirus era. I shared the feeling. No wonder she seemed a […]
BOOMERPDX INTERVIEW: ONE VETERAN, ONE STUDENT, ONE PARENT
September 10, 2020 by
A faux-BoomerPDX interview works to paint a citizenship picture, a mosaic, by covering nervous subjects. For this edition it’s a veteran, a student, and a parent doing the work. And they have plenty to say. Take a read:
BROTHER CHECK IN: WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY
August 27, 2020 by
A Facebook friend posted about a brother check, or check-in. Apparently he’s got lots of brothers, or he was using the inclusive ‘brother’ to remind everyone to check in with their loved ones during the corona virus pandemic. If you have a brother, a sister, or anyone you care about, what do you want to […]
AGING PARENT PROTESTS GETTING OLD
July 22, 2020 by
An aging parent is the hardest part for kids growing up. We like them in their prime years, when they could do anything, and did. The part the kids never understand is how long we get to be an aging parent.
APOLOGIZE NOW THAT YOU’VE HAD TIME TO THINK
May 26, 2020 by
Apologize now? For what? Who hasn’t had some regret during the coronavirus quarantine? Maybe a little remorse? If that’s you, then it’s time to apologize now. Start early and bring it up to speed.
BETTER PERSON? BETTER THAN WHAT?
May 3, 2020 by
Does a better person replace a good one? Or is ‘better’ the enemy of ‘good?’ Like most things, it depends on who you ask. You get an answer either way, asking or not.
WORLD STAGE: PLAYING MANY PARTS AT HOME
April 24, 2020 by
The world stage for Shakespeare was a different world than we live in today. “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts. . .” Is the Shaker talking about multiple personality disorder? No, but he […]
NATIONAL SIBLINGS DAY FORGETS THE ONLY CHILD
April 11, 2020 by
Does National Siblings Day mean anything to an only child? I’ve heard talk from only children, about how they long for a brother or sister, how much they miss family when they see others together. If you have brothers and sisters, and hear an adult only child whine about their aloneness, what is your response? […]
Funeral Feelings Expressed With Shovels And Sweat, Salt And Sea Water
September 1, 2018 by
“My father always wanted to be the corpse at every funeral, the bride at every wedding and the baby at every christening,” said his daughter. My father had a cowboy funeral. Instead of the nearest Boot Hill, his ceremony happened in the veterans section a big cemetery. People from every […]
BETTER SELF? IF YOU HAVE A BETTER SELF, WHO WERE YOU BEFORE FINDING OUT?
June 19, 2018 by
Life mysteries usually get solved by our better self, the part we hope others notice because it’s better than the usual. The mystery solutions usually fall between ‘Wow, I didn’t think I could do that’ and ‘Oops, I thought I could do that.’ One shocking example was Det. Mark Fuhrman during […]
