reading Archives • DAVID G

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GIVING THANKS TO CAREFUL READERS

November 2, 2024 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Giving thanks for anything is a good idea. It only gets funky when you try to work it into something else, like the opposite of thanks. Would that be irony? But a sweet thank-you is not the same as a hearty F-you. All cleared up?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: author, blog, blog network, blogger, bloggers, boomerpdx, careful readers, comments, downtown Portland, filling a need, giving, giving thanks, gratitude, hairstyle, heart of portland, message, messaging, online, pissy old man, Portland, Portland Outdoor Store, readers, reading, scam, Social media, spam, thanks, vote, voter, voting, wig spam, writer

GIVING UP THE FIRST TIME

November 1, 2024 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

I don’t remember giving up, quitting, rising the white flag. But here we are, and I’m not alone. There’s the rocking chair, the TV, the food delivery. As long as everything lasts, why not rot away quietly? Why not? Here’s why not with Kurt Vonnegut:

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: blog, blog post, blogger, bloggers, books, boomerpdx, Death, Internet, Kurt Vonnegut, memory, mistakes, reading, remember, saul bellow, writer, writers

NEW YORKER THURSDAY IN THE MAIL, A LESSON IN READING

October 4, 2024 by David Gillaspie

The New Yorker magazine is my only subscription and I’m surprised how much fun it is. I actually look forward to it, which has been a surprise over the past year. I know what I’m doing on New Yorker Day:

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: adulting, books, cartoons, cinema, college, context, education, English major, fiction writing, history major, literary duty, literature, magazine, new york, new yorker, news writing, on television, reading, subscription, the theater, writing

QUIET LIFE? GOOD LUCK WITH THAT

September 1, 2024 by David Gillaspie

The quiet life is an aspirational goal. Even the biggest party person eventually welcomes a less social time in their life. But it doesn’t mean they’ve forgotten anyone. Hell, I remember the neighbors from the first house I ever lived in.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: a plan, aspirational goal, bad book, book, books, good book, good luck, quiet life, reading, rock fight, the classics

FAST LEARNING WITH PATRICK DEWITT AND BOB COMET

August 22, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Reading new material for fast learning is the way to go. Hands on experience? Also good when combined with reading new material. But something happens when new material comes in the way of reading a novel. The novel is ‘The Librarianist’ by Patrick deWitt.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: bob comet, content management, experience, fast learning, French exit, good impression, great writing, hands on, Huck Finn, impression, learning, Love, love actually, love story, Mark Twain, Martin freeman, new beginning, new material, novel writing, Patrick DeWitt, reading, sisters brothers, the librarianist, time travel, Tom Sawyer, writer's skill, writers

THE NEW THING vs OLD THING

August 13, 2024 by David Gillaspie

My new thing is blogging like I’ve never blogged before and calling myself a writer. “So what do you do?” “I’m a blogger.” “No, I mean what do you really do?”

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: aging, beautiful reflection, blog, blogger, bloggers, boomerpdx, clicks, creative side, decrepitude, diary, familiar faces, fitness, hate bloggers, influence, International Olympic Committee, journal, middle aged, money, new thing, notoriety, olympic medal, Olympics, personal pressure, racist bloggers, reading, right place, seeker, seeking attention, story, writer

READ INSTRUCTIONS, VERIFIABLE INSTRUCTIONS

July 28, 2024 by David Gillaspie

We all read instructions before starting things. Or should. But . . . ? You already know what to do? They don’t make sense? No one is telling you what to do?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: better tomorrow, bible, blog, blogger, blogger opinion, common sense, divisive, education, hateful, holy bible, ignorant, instructions, learn, learning, life experience, read, read instructions, reader, reading, regular people, Roman Empire, verifiable, verifiable instructions, verifiable truth, write, writer

GIVING UP, BUT NOT A QUITTER?

May 4, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Giving up is different than quitting. Really. Quitting means done, all over, finished. The Day I Quit. Giving up is a longer process. One is a reaction, the other a journey. Who’s got the map?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: blog, blogger, Bluehost, boomerpdx, cancer, chemo, dgs b&b, faith, give up, giving up, hope, huge blog, journey, Love, my people, partner, quit, quitter, quitting, reaction, reader, readers, reading, therapeutic, walk, wordpress, write, writer, writing

WRITING ROOTS: HOW DEEP DO THEY GROW

April 27, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Writing roots are reading roots. Everybody knows that from their first grade if they had a teacher as good as Mrs. Baker. I recall her saying, ‘Our writing is a reflection of our reading.’ I believed it then as I believe it now. (Folding a corner to mark my place in Patrick DeWitt’s novel The […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: characters, comeback story, conflict, English major, family roots, history major, Patrick DeWitt, readers, reading, reading roots, sisters brothers, story, story structure, teacher, work roots, write, writer, writing, writing roots, written story

OVERTIME RULES: ASK T-REX ALL ABOUT IT

March 18, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Overtime rules are simple: Come at me bro. It’s the same with normal time: Let’s go T. That’s T for T-Rex. The difference is that time is up for that big-headed beast. How about you? Are you feeling the same? Is your time up, too? Keep reading for hints it’s not.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: blogger, earth, education, ignorance, inspiring character, knowledge, memories, mentor, North Bend, OMSI, Oregon, overtime, overtime rules, Portland, Portland Oregon, reading, reading tips, remember, role model, rules, science, t-rex, the world, time, writer, writers, writing, your brain