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LOOKING UP IN RISING PORTLAND

Looking up in some cities comes with a warning: Don’t do it. Why? Because while you’re looking up someone is making plans you don’t see. Like what? Nothing useful, but when does that ever stop anyone?

OREGON BLUES ON A FATHER / SON DAY

Oregon blues are a different blues. I blame the clouds. But no clouds on Waterfront Blues Festival Saturday, which is why I wore a rash-guard hoodie instead of layers of sunscreen. It was a no cloud Saturday awash in family time:

PORTLAND BLUES SATURDAY

Portland blues come in more shades than one. Dark blue for the homeless. Darker blue for the park bench addicts. Blue green for the tax paying homeowners just living their lives and doing the best they can. But what about the rest of us?

FAMILY MATTERS MORE WITH DOUBLE MAGIC

Family matters more when the group starts shrinking. I know the story of a couple who immigrated to America with their little boy. Then they had a baby girl who grew up in Los Angeles. Like all the smart kids in school she moved to Oregon and married a local. This is where I come […]

ROSE GARDEN FLOWER GIRL TEST

When the rose garden calls how do you answer? There’s only one answer when it includes a birthday for a flower girl. And with a flower girl. With four flower girls? It started two weeks ago.

PORTLAND SUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

The Portland summer is why people move to Oregon. It’s also why people move away. Why? Because it doesn’t last long enough. That wasn’t the case yesterday at Portland Center Stage.

HOMETOWN WRITERS MISS THE BOAT?

Hometown writers miss the boat when they think everything’s been said about where they grew up. Then, to save their careers the turn their focus to their hometown. More like they use a sense of home to lure readers in. Like Thomas Wolfe.

SUNNY DAY FOR CELEBRATIONS EVERYDAY

A sunny day is the best sort of day for cheering. You can go outside and walk around with the joy of the day, no matter what is celebrated. And you don’t have to dress like you’re going on an undersea adventure. Just open the door and step out. But what is there to celebrate? […]

TAKE ‘THE PAUSE’ TO SHOW RESPECT

‘The Pause’ in this post is the moment a medical team takes after a patient dies. Whoever is in the bed deserves a moment of quiet for the life they led. I’m a fan of people understanding the idea of respect and how it’s shown. But why wait until the last moment?

FOUR FATHERS’ DAY FOR THE CYCLE

Four fathers in one family sounds like a lot? No, it’s just enough. This is the first time it’s happened and I can tell you it feels like a different Father’s Day.