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SCOREBOARD ANSWERS CONFUSING HARD LIFE QUESTIONS

Scoreboard shows winners and losers in a particular moment. Then the contest is over. The winners celebrate, the losers walk away. At least that’s what is supposed to happen.

CAREFUL LISTENING FOR THE NEW YEAR: CAN YOU HEAR ME YET

Careful listening to difficult conversations is key to better understanding. But you know this. You might not practice it, but you know it by a certain age. Think of being fifteen and listening to Mom and Dad explain how to drive a car after you got your learners permit. Careful listening then meant you might […]

2021 REVIEW: MOST READ POSTS ON BOOMERPDX

The 2021 review shows 14,941 readers visited here for 19,549 ‘views.’ It’s the second highest number of visitors after a decade of writing on BoomerPDX. While big-time bloggers see these numbers as a good afternoon of traffic instead of a year, I’m still tickled to reach anyone anywhere. The only disappointment in the 2021 review […]

BROKEN MAN ON 1, 2, 3

Hemingway said every man is a broken man, that’s how the light gets in. His inexact quote is a little different with, “We are all broken. That’s how the light gets in,” but the same idea. I’m just not as inclusive as the big guy. ‘We’ are not all broken, not yet, at least not […]

WRITER LIFE CHRISTMAS WHEN IT’S NOT ABOUT WRITING OR LIFE

Does ‘writer life’ mean writing about life, or the experience of someone who writes? Answer silently while you write about a life of writing. Writer’s Life? Mine began as a small child at my Grandma’s house. She handed me a book.

BROADWAY MURAL AT JEFFERSON IS FINE. HERE’S WHY:

The Broadway Mural is in the rearview mirror of every car heading south. If you saw this in the rearview mirror heading south on Broadway, what would you do? Make a right turn on Jefferson, buddy, and park the car. If you’re an out-of-towner in Portland and cruising up Broadway on the way out, this […]

PORTLAND CROSSROADS: SW 3rd AND ALDER

The Portland crossroads are the same at every intersection. North, East, South, and West. It’s the same where you live if you don’t live in Portland. Pick a side and proceed with caution. Why SW 3rd and Alder? Why not. What’s your favorite? Burnside and Broadway? Too easy. Burnside and the Willamette? Here’s the deal: […]

FRIDA KAHLO PAINTS PORTLAND IN DARK RAIN

Frida Kahlo came to Portland disguised as Vanessa Severo. Or was it the other way around? Either way, I met them when they both showed up at Portland Center Stage At The Armory and crowded the stage with characters.

FEELINGS MATTER, A REVIEW OF WHY ON SAUVIE ISLAND

Feelings matter when you see yourself in a forty year old reflection. In the image I’m looking through a window with another window shining on the other side. Every year for decades a crew would go to Sauvie Island and prepare a historical house for the upcoming season. Every room was cleaned, inventoried, and filled […]

ACCUMULATED CRAP NEEDS NEW TREASURE VAULT HOME

‘Accumulated crap’ is the name for important collections started so long ago I forget the point. It’s also the name for the avalanche of stuff from living long enough to get dumped on. Getting dumped on isn’t the best way of describing accumulated crap, but it fits the theme. If like attracts like, then my […]