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HUMAN BONDING BENT BUT NOT BROKEN

January 25, 2022 by

If you over-analyze how life on earth works it comes down to one thing: human bonding. Call it trust, call it faith, because those are the ingredients. As humans we are bound by trust and faith in the recipe for human bonding. Take your car for instance:

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BRIDGE CITY BRIDGES, PICK ONE AND CROSS IT FOR GOOD LUCK

January 16, 2022 by

Bridge city is that place, that town, any bump in the road that needs a bridge. Walking on or driving over any bridge is an act of faith. But we do it without a blink. After all, that’s how we cross a river, a bay. That’s how we get to the other side. With luck […]

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BEER WRITING IS ABOUT DESTINATION BEER? NOT ALWAYS

January 14, 2022 by

Beer writing is about the new, the bold, the best beers on the market. It’s citrus beer, fresh hop beer, hazy and low-cal beer. From first beer to last beer, destination beer is still king. Go out for a new beer and you’ll get more than you bargained for if your destination is Kalama, Washington […]

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PORTLAND WRITING: WHAT TO SAY AFTER IT’S ALL BEEN SAID

January 13, 2022 by

Portland writing classes made it seem like everyone in town was a writer. Publish a book and that’s good enough to fill a teacher’s role? Yes it is. Word of mouth got around, a friend offers space, and people pay to show up and listen. And learn. But what do you learn?

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PAIN WRITERS: GUIDELINES FOR A PAINFUL STORY

January 12, 2022 by

Pain writers draw inspiration from two sources: Their own pain. Someone else’s pain. The source of pain is a standard feature. Pain writers want you to feel it. For example:

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THUNDER ROAD ON NW LOVEJOY, PORTLAND

January 7, 2022 by

Thunder Road is a map of the love/hate relationship I’ve felt for Bruce Springsteen since 1975. I love that Bruuuuuce has persevered beyond all expectations. I hate the decision I made when Mary Anne in the Philadelphia clinic invited me along with her friends to see the local phenom across the river in New Jersey. […]

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GIFT GIVING? HOLD MY BEER SIGN

January 4, 2022 by

Gift giving is such a mixed bag of emotions. From the funny: “Oh thank you, thank you, thank you, this is just what I wanted.” To the sad: “I didn’t know what to give you, so…” For reference, no one wants a beer sign after college, at least that’s the common adult thing. Beer sign […]

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ELECTED OFFICIALS TAKE OFFICE AFTER ELECTIONS AND VOTE COUNT? HOLD MY BEER

January 3, 2022 by

Elected officials come to office by many paths. Some feel strongly about making a difference and run a political campaign as a difference maker. Others fill a seat by appointment. And still others cheat and steal their way in then whine and accuse if they lose. However they get there, the job isn’t done after […]

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SCOREBOARD ANSWERS CONFUSING HARD LIFE QUESTIONS

January 2, 2022 by

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.

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

January 1, 2022 by

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 […]

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