philadelphia Archives • DAVIDPDX

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LOVE LETTER TO READERS AND SUBSCRIBERS

November 3, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Who remembers the first love letter you wrote? Did you send it? Either way, it’s all about the intent. You were moved to express your feelings. I don’t know about you, but I remember my first.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, blog, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, boomers, education, family, feelings, intent, letters, Love, love letter, love letters, MARRIAGE, married, millennials, Oregon, philadelphia, Portland, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, readers, remember, subscribers, travel, wife, writer, writing

CONTINUING LEGACY, CONTINUING STORY

August 6, 2025 by David Gillaspie

When a continuing legacy includes another brick in the wall, or sidewalk, it’s a reminder. Who does this? I do, as part of a group, a family group. What’s it a reminder for? The path ahead.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Army, brick in the wall, continuing legacy, continuing story, family, family group, farm raised, first house, Grandparents, history, LA, legacy, legacy brick, live chicken, memories, NYC, pfc gillaspie, philadelphia, reckless, regular army, shadow, shadow girl, story

THE RIGHT SHIRT PULLS EVERYTHING TOGETHER

June 15, 2025 by David Gillaspie

What is the right shirt for the occasion? As all fashionistas know, it depends on the occasion. You don’t want to go too over the top as much as you don’t want to look like you could care less. Try not to channel your inner-Lady Gaga. This was the right shirt for the No Kings […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: army birthday, beer, dropout, education, enthusiasm, family, father's day, fathers day, GPA, history, joy, Love, low GPA, married, Michael Jordan, millennials, no kings, Oregon History, pater familias, philadelphia, public service, real world, retired teachers, right shirt, seventies guy, sixties guy, story, student loans, teachers, Tigard, US Army, us history, wife, young people

WHO IS JUST A POOR BOY?

March 2, 2025 by David Gillaspie

I am just a poor boyThough my story’s seldom toldI have squandered my resistanceFor a pocketful of mumblesSuch are promisesAll lies and jestStill a man hears what he wants to hearAnd disregards the rest

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: break up, choice, new york, paul simon, philadelphia, poor boy, Portland, Portland Oregon, ragged people, ragged quarters, sharp, still sharp, the boxer, white flight

THE WILD SIDE, OR JUST ANOTHER WALK

January 29, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Oregon’s wild side is a twenty minute drive away. Big city life gets gritty near Portland, Oregon’s West Burnside. The pretty lights, the shimmering beauty reflected on the Willamette from the top deck of the Marquam Bridge that looks like Paris lights on the Seine from the Eiffel Tower, disappear after you park your car. […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: assisted living, brooklyn, driving, family roots, forever home, look around, middle aged, old farts, Oregon, oregon pioneer, Oregonian, Paris lights, parking goddess, philadelphia, pioneers, Portland, Portland Oregon, public safety, seine, take a walk, transient, west burnside, wild side, willamette

ACCEPTABLE TOPICS SCROLLING TWITTER

September 21, 2024 by David Gillaspie

The notion of acceptable topics on twitter suggests there are unacceptable topics? Since it is the internet, you’ll find more than enough of both. You can find the funniest post you’ll see all day, and the saddest. But maybe we can skip the rampant bullshit?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: acceptable topics, hipster, new york, philadelphia, Portland, scrolling, scrolling twitter, Social media, subliminal advertising, subway, topics, twitter, twitter boss, twitter scroll, unacceptable topics

FANCY PEOPLE, BUT NOT TOO FANCY

September 2, 2024 by David Gillaspie

My wife and I are not fancy people, but one of us is more than the other. As it should be, as long as it’s not me. I’ve seen fancy and come away with the same feelings each time: No Thanks.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Broadway, college girls, community, dating, fancy, fancy people, girls, good manners, good will, jean jacket, kindness, main line, manners, Nordstrom's, overwhelmed, overwhelming, people, philadelphia, sex, sexual, sexual tension, thoughtfulness, wife

LEAVING TOWN IN THE 70’S, A MICRO MEMOIR

April 19, 2024 by David Gillaspie

When you say you’re leaving town for good it doesn’t start with a packed bag. You need to let the landlord know, the boss know, your friends. The best town I ever left was the Brooklyn borough of New York City. See ya, suckers.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: brooklyn, change, Coos Bay, dorm life, every day, fashion, got dumped, leaving, leaving town, memoir, micro memoir, most days, moving, new you city, normal people, philadelphia, prettiest eyes, Wall Street, wardrobe, women, work buddies

SAFE DATING OR SIDEWALK SERENADES

March 23, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Safe dating is the goal for everyone brave enough to step out of their comfort zone, get off the couch, and open the front door. Whether long term, short term, husband-wife, blind date, or one of those high school reunion prince and princess things you hear about, safety is paramount. But, if you’re anything like […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: apartment, Army, bad boy, blind date, college, comfort zone, dating, dreams, high school, hopes, husband, love affair, love torch, men, museum, nice girl, NW Portland, one woman, philadelphia, prom, relationship, relationships, safe dating, talk, wife, women

CALL THE MEDIC. ALL BETTER?

February 23, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Call the medic when there’s something wrong, anything at all. MEDIC. Right here, pal. Calm down. All better? Good.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Army, army air force, army medic, blog, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, boomers, call the medic, cavity magnetron, education, electrical diagrams, electronics, firebombing, japan, MEDIC, money, philadelphia, radar, research, rich, tinian, travel, writer, writers, writing, WWII