page contents Google

HOW TO GROW A SENSE OF WONDER IN PORTLAND OREGON

Most of the time a sense of wonder in Portland means a painful memory from the days of old, of Meier and Frank downtown and the Georgian Room for tea. The place had a special aura during the holidays. The painful part? It hasn’t been there for years, Meier and Frank and the Georgian Room, […]

NO KITTY GENOVESE FOR YOU

Would an Oregonian save Kitty Genovese? A few years back a little boy in Portland, Oregon was accidentally left on a train platform. He made it home safely with his dad. A young woman stayed with him until his father returned, just a bystander who saw what happened and took time to care. Those few minutes ended happily; it […]

PUBLIC GOOD IS GOOD ENOUGH?

The idea of doing something for the ‘public good’ is a high standard in America. Why? Because the public, of which we’re all a part, is so broad. What’s good in one place is not so good in another, but no one talks about the ‘public bad’ as a goal. Or do they?

GREAT WRITING: WHEN WORDS MATTER MORE

From Google AI on current sentence construction:   Basic Structure: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) Subject: Who/what the sentence is about (e.g., Matt). Verb: The action or state of being (e.g., eats). Object: Receives the action (e.g., pizza). Example: “Matt eats pizza.”

NOBODY FROM NOWHERE? SO FAR SO GOOD

Some people lament being a nobody from nowhere. Not me. I’ve heard enough big shots complaining about their loss of privacy to the point of living like a shut-in. “I used to be able to go out with no one noticing. Now every time I leave the house is a big event.” Who wants to […]

THE HEART OF PORTLAND

Repost from 2012 Urban life grows more imposing the closer you get to Burnside. The pretty lights you see from I-5, the beautiful reflection off the Willamette, disappear once you park your car. Trade wheels on the road for shoes on the sidewalk and the pace slows enough for a good look around. You still […]

FOOD PREP MARATHON: BIRTHDAY BRUNCH

My food prep marathon lasted three days. The images here come from a tasty night in LA to set the mood. I’ve had other cooking marathons, but this one combines a few of them. It began with the idea of hosting a breakfast brunch. Hmmmm ? ? ?

DOG WALKING: THE LONG WAY HOME

Dog walking is the key to longevity? Whose longevity, your’s or the dog? And how far do you need to walk? My advice?

LOVE LETTER TO READERS AND SUBSCRIBERS

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.

ANOTHER TIME, ANOTHER PLACE

Part of the job in writing a blog like boomerpdx is reading The New Yorker. That’s where I found The Fifties by Monica Ferrell. She’s got a website loaded up with the works. The works?