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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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2021 REVIEW: MOST READ POSTS ON BOOMERPDX

December 31, 2021 by

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 […]

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BROKEN MAN ON 1, 2, 3

December 28, 2021 by

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 […]

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

December 24, 2021 by

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.

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

December 9, 2021 by

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 […]

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