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THOUGHTFUL TRAVEL, OR HOW TO GET WHERE YOU PLANNED ON GOING

April 14, 2021 by

Thoughtful travel feels like something that takes the fun out of adventure. Besides, how thoughtful do you need/want to be in getting someplace? Plan the place, load up, and head out works. Until it all goes south. If you have all of your thoughtful travel plans on your phone, then lose your phone on the […]

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AMERICAN CITY ON THE LEFT COAST: PORTLAND

July 26, 2020 by

Normandy, not Portland Portland, Oregon is an American city on the west coast. Not too big, not too small, but just right for a big rural state on the edge of the North American continent. (Think top left corner of America. That’s Seattle. Everybody knows Seattle. Portland is down from there.) For an extra reminder, […]

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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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LIVING LIFE THAT PASSES THE TEST OF TIME

July 11, 2020 by

Living life? If that’s the answer you hear after asking someone how they’re doing, keep talking. Living the dream? Living life to the fullest? Those are okay, but living life is a problem? Why not ask a question, accept the answer, and move on? Because you care so damn much it hurts. Is that it?

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BUILT STRONG TAKES TIME TO GET IT DONE

June 3, 2020 by

Eiffel Tower, 1888 Who doubts the Eiffel Tower wasn’t built strong? That it’s still standing is the only testament it needs. Data shows it’s the biggest pay to visit site in the world. How strong is that? Like anything else, it started with a good foundation, and isn’t that the basis for anything built strong, […]

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HOTEL DUQUESNE EIFFEL FROM OREGON

May 14, 2020 by

I stayed in two rooms of the same hotel, I liked it that much. Call it Paris fever. “Hotel Duquesne Eiffel is a small 7th Arrondissement hotel within walking distance of such Left Bank sites as the Eiffel Tower and Musee d’Orsay,” from an oyster.com review.

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PARIS REUNION OF THE FUTURE

May 11, 2020 by

A Paris reunion points to a specific time and place, where other reunions bring people from school or work or family. In any case, there’s always someone absent, which changes the focus from who’s there to who’s missing. Instead of guesses and speculations, try and show up and be with the others who found the […]

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SMARTPHONE LOST AND FOUND

May 1, 2020 by

A smartphone is a big connection to the world for many people. It’s a lifeline during quarantine. Losing one during this coronavirus shutdown seems like losing more than just a phone. From one loser to another, how can we recover our phone self esteem?

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INVISIBLE BEAUTY: WHAT WE DON’T SEE

April 25, 2020 by

Invisible beauty is all around when I take a walk with my favorite. From the lattice-like leaves of a tiny plant, to clouds, to Mt. Hood, it’s all around for the taking. One of our walks goes past a rosemary bush that needs more trimming than the owner can do, and we love rosemary chicken, […]

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HISTORICAL DREAM OF PARIS AND VERSAILLES

February 28, 2020 by

One historical dream, a recurring dream for adventurers and scholars, is being somewhere important by yourself. Imagine renting Disneyland, except it’s Versailles. And you’ve got it all to yourself.

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