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A SECOND LOOK AT “THAT AIN’T RIGHT”

June 22, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

What’s a second look at this garage arrangement tell you? What’s missing: a fitness area with a treadmill, squat rack, work bench, maybe a couple of cars stacked on a lift, and a designated music area with guitars, drums, and amps all ready to go. Not to say this garage is lacking anything, but it […]

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FARMING DISASTER DONE ON PURPOSE

June 20, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

So much of the awful results of the farming disaster in the old Soviet Union came from bad policy decisions. In the early 1930’s their main guy Stalin decided he knew more about science and farming than anyone. He also had advisers explaining it to him in a way he agreed with. Who doesn’t love […]

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AUDIENCE RECOGNITION: KNOW THE ROOM

June 17, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Albert Einstein had audience recognition with his letter in 1939. His audience? Franklin D. Roosevelt, President of the United States. He knew the room. It was one person.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: audience, audience recognition, baby boomer, Baby Boomer blogger, blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, history, illegal orders, orders, Social media, speaker, speaking, story, travel, writer, writers, writing

BETTER LISTENING SKILLS FOR BETTER UNDERSTANDING

June 16, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

If practicing better listening skills isn’t a life goal, it should be. How hard is it to pay attention? You did it in the classroom with the encouragement of a teacher. I still remember Mr. Kraus singing ‘Toot toot tootsie goodbye’ when he tossed little tootsie rolls to students with the right answer in algebra. […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, better understanding, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, boomers, brag, bragging, bro, education, good answer, grave robber, GUITAR, guitar player, history, listening, listening skills, North Bend, Oregon, Portland, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, science, Social media, story, teacher, understanding, wife, writer, writers, writing

NBA CHAMPION CROWNED, AGAIN

June 14, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Becoming an NBA champion is a lifelong goal for every basketball player in the world. The best want to play the best, beat the best, to tell themselves they’re good enough. It’s that along with contracts and money and fame. All of that goes along the wayside when you stop playing in ninth grade like […]

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I READ THE NEWS TODAY OH BOY

June 12, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

The news today is all about world events. News organizations deliver it every day with the same hype and urgency. News hounds consume every detail and load it onto the pile they carry in case someone asks them ‘what’s up?’ That’s when you brace yourself for the headlines as if they’re coming from an anchorman. […]

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GIVING GOOD ADVICE, OR . . . ?

June 9, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

Who reads blogs for good advice? If you do, is there any follow through? Asking what to do means there might be a problem. The biggest problem is when you’re the only one who sees the problem. Then what?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: advice, English word, evil, following orders, good advice, insurrection, red flag, Social media, sports, story, travel, writer, writers, writing, WWII

OFF THE HOOK IN GOLDEN YEARS?

June 8, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

As the golden years of retirement stretch out before you there are a few things to keep in mind. Probably more than ten line items, but this is a start. You don’t have to agree with any of them, but pick and choose in any order. I’ll start:

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, boomers, cooking, education, family, fitness, food, GOLDEN YEARS, history, kids, kitchen, learning, married, mental stimulation, millennials, music, Oregon, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, Portland Oregon, recipe, relax, social interaction, Social media, sports, story, twitter, volunteer, wife, workout, writer, writers, writing

END PRODUCT IS WHAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT, NOT PRACTICE

June 7, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

‘End Product’ is another way of saying, “What have you done lately?” We pay to go to concerts, games, and races. We don’t pay to go to practice rooms, weight rooms, or interval track training, the stuff done before the end product. Buy a ticket for an event and you expect a competent performance? Sounds […]

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HISTORICAL ACCURACY? IMPORTANT, OR NOT

June 6, 2026 by David Gillaspie Leave a Comment

I’m a fan of historical accuracy, of a story that stands up to scrutiny not opinion, My feeling is that the people involved in historical events deserve the decency of applied history. How to apply history? It’s all about the sources.

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