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HUSTLER MAN FAIL AT DINNER TABLE

I watched a hustler man work the magic one night at a dinner table. He was alone, wife out of town, with a few married couples. One woman caught his attention. Hustler: You seem very happy tonight.

PORTLAND PARK BLOCKS IN DECEMBER WITH DOG

The Portland Park Blocks, the south side, deserves a good look this time of year. Call it a learning moment, my dog did. Who’s a good girl. We started at Portland State University to see what the youths were up to.

OLD STORY? THEY’RE ALL OLD STORIES THE OLDER YOU GET

An old story wears thin over time? Not when it’s your story, no matter how many times you tell it. When you hear, “I’ve heard this so many times,” don’t take it as criticism. That’s just someone bragging about their listening skills, not trashing your repetitiveness. Still, why not add something new?

FRIENDLY OWLS IN THE FOREST DARK

I’ve heard owls hoot and they sounded like friendly owls. But I’ve never seen one in the wild. Until yesterday.

NORTHWEST PORTLAND, NOVEMBER 12, 2024

My Northwest Portland stroll started on Burnside and 23rd. This is the view looking across Burnside: The Envoy. I met a guy who lived there. He said it was great. That’s good enough for me.

ON VETERANS DAY 2024

Veterans Day is for the old folks who remember their youth and those who were young with them. They remember the young people who didn’t have the chance to get old. My Dad got a chance to get old. He out-lived his Dad, just like I’m out-living him.

GIVING THANKS TO CAREFUL READERS

Giving thanks for anything is a good idea. It only gets funky when you try to work it into something else, like the opposite of thanks. Would that be irony? But a sweet thank-you is not the same as a hearty F-you. All cleared up?

WRITING REWARDS YOU MISS IF YOU DON’T WRITE

Writing rewards come in flavors other than green. JD Salinger said the act of writing is reward enough. That from a guy who locked himself up for his reward. But he didn’t throw away the key.

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON MAKES IT THROUGH THE NIGHT

Kris Kristofferson died yesterday. I found out in a text from one of my guitar guys. “RIP Bobby McGee.” We mourned Tom Petty’s passing, now Kris. In baby boomer world, it’s reminder of our tenuous grip on life.