problems Archives • BOOMERPDX

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PILING ON SHOWS A PERSONAL PROBLEM

October 29, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Just before a big election everyone becomes an expert on the issues and start piling on those they disagree with. It’s a personal decision on whether to join in. Instead of joining in the lowbrow debate of accusations and name calling, why not just vote? Do what counts in the long run, not the number […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, ballot, education, election, family, history, kids, learning, millennials, Mother Nature, music, personal problem, personal problems, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, problem, problems, Social media, story, travel, undereducated, wife, writer, writers, writing

NAME RECOGNITION IN AMERICA EXPLAINED, TO BE OR NOT

July 8, 2026 by David Gillaspie

Two nights ago I watched Hamnet from the blue velvet couch. It’s about Shakespeare, which isn’t a spoiler. At least it shouldn’t be. With one of the more helpful movie openings, it explained that Hamnet and Hamet are the same name. The same. So I was set. Hamnet it is?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: belgium, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, college, denmark, education, family, feeling, Florsheim shoes, france, german, hippies, learning, Love, millennials, music, Oregon, paella, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, problems, Shakespeare, social change, Social media, Spain, spanish rice, story, travel, twitter, Vietnam War, wife, writer, writers, writing

SOLVING PROBLEMS ONE WAY, (and the other)

January 13, 2026 by David Gillaspie

I started solving problems early with a traffic court appearance. I was sixteen and charged with speeding. On a Honda 100 motorcycle. It wasn’t known for speed. What was the problem?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: acid, America, baby boomer, Baby Boomer blogger, blog, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, court appearance, decision making, drugs, education, family, kid problems, learning, millennials, narcotics, Oregon, Portland, Portland Oregon, problems, solutions, solving problems, traffic court, writer, writers, writing, young man

INSTITUTIONAL MEMORY FADES WITH NEW TEAM

August 27, 2025 by David Gillaspie

I’m a fan of institutional memory, the part that solves nagging problems that don’t go away on their own. Unfortunately, the people who hold it can be a part of the problem. In small business, the new fixer comes in with knowledge gained in a good school, and experience from the last job they fixed, […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: big boss, businessman, family, generational upside, good school, great expectations, institutional memory, Ivy League MBA, mba resume, money making, nagging problems, personal, problems, small business, supply chain, workplace, wrong hire

BLOG FRIENDS WORLD WIDE GETTING A GRIP

August 19, 2025 by David Gillaspie

Blog friends come from the four corners of earth, which if my compass is correct, includes North, East, South, and West. Everyone from anywhere can come in with a good internet connection. Shout out to South Africa, Poland, Malaysia, China, Canada, Philippines, and Australia. To India, England, France, and Spain. To North America, South America, […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: arranged marriage, blog, blog friends, blog subscriber, BOOMER, boomer generation, boomer parents, Conditions, culture, customs, Facebook friends, forced marriage, friends, GETTING A GRIP, improved, Internet, internet connection, learn, learning, led astray, MARRIAGE, marriage of convenience, millennial, Millennial generation, nervous, new blog, problems, read blogs, readers, self absorbed, subscriber, thin skinned, twitter friends

AMERICAN WAY, MY VERSION

March 26, 2025 by David Gillaspie

The American way of my Dad was different than mine. For him it was finish high school, wait a year for his brother, then go to junior college to play baseball together. Instead of waiting it out, he got with his buddies and they all joined the Marine Corps. Everyone went in, except one, and […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: American, american way, blame, business, cash flow, civilization, concerned, concerned wife, drinking, fuck up, gambling, gravy train, junior college, Marine Corps, Marines, married, money, problems, society, solutions, wife, women, work

SOVING PROBLEMS, THEN FINDING MORE

December 28, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Solving problems is a process. One of the first steps, if not ‘the’ first step, is identifying the problem. The important part is not solving every problem at the same time. Pick one. (Not that one.)

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: baby boomer, better person, bigger picture, BOOMER, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, boomers, committed relationship, Dad, Death, dying, education, friend line, friends, good friend, granddad, haunted, in-laws, last words, millennials, parents, problem solved, problems, solving problems, the end, value, wife, writer

NEW STORY PROBLEMS? CHANGE THE SETTING

December 24, 2023 by David Gillaspie

New story problems are like cooking a chicken. You know how you’d like it to turn out, but that’s not how it always works. When it’s your Christmas story, and it’s December 24th, you’ve got work to do. Start with your story.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: blog, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, chicken, Christmas, christmas eve, Christmas story, cooking chicken, David Gillaspie, education, new story, new story problems, problems, story, story problems, Tigard, travel, writer, writers, writers experience, writing

RESOLVE PROBLEMS BEFORE ADDING MORE

June 16, 2023 by David Gillaspie

Before taking advice on resolving problems look hard at who is offering advice.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: advice, aging, Baby Boomers, baggage, botox, calm down, Oregon, personal baggage, Portland, problem, problems, resolution, resolve, resolve problems

SOLVING PROBLEMS ON THE PAGE IS REAL LIFE?

February 7, 2023 by David Gillaspie

Whether you think solving problems is ‘your thing’ or not, it is. To do it the right way, start with a blank page. No, not the proverbial blank page, canvas, or slate, but a real life blank page. Call it a screen, whatever. It’s blank. Now what?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: blogger, boomerpdx, married, old man, problems, readers, solving problems, students