page contents Google

NEW STORY PROBLEMS? CHANGE THE SETTING

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.

HOW OLD IS ‘OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW BETTER?’

How old were you when you first heard it? My memory says I was a seven year old who couldn’t field a grounder after my last ‘bad hop’ bounced off my face. I wasn’t technically afraid of the ball, except I was afraid of what the ball might do. When one of the baseball fields […]

SHORTEST DAY, LONGEST NIGHT . . . AGAIN

Today is the shortest day of the year? If that’s true, then the shortest day follows the longest night, or tonight is the longest night. There’s got to be some kind of astrological meaning, but I don’t know. What I do know is the night before Christmas used to last what felt like a week. […]

ARNOLD RULES FROM TWITTER: YOU SHOULD . . .

The Arnold Rules are an encouraging list of what to do for a better life. If a better life sounds like something you’d like to try, something you’d like to model by example, Arnold is here to help. Could Arnold be a better man, a better person? He’s trying. Maybe you could try, too? In […]

DO PORTLAND CHRISTMAS LIKE A THREE YEAR OLD

A Portland Christmas goes one of two ways: “I will never set foot in that hell-hole.” Or? Peacock Lane? Let’s go.”

HISTORY WORK NEVER ENDS FOR THE CURIOUS

Doing history work where you live is the only way to get to your happy place. Or at least you’ll know where you are. The Oregon Historical Society’s downtown Portland history museum is just the place. But first ask yourself, “Am I curious?” If you read boomerpdx regularly, you pass the curious test. Take this […]

ALTERNATIVE FACTS FROM B TO Y

What is the first face you see when you hear Alternative Facts? Colonel Jessup in cover-up mode? Probably not. That’s Jack Nicholson acting up a storm, a furious storm, right before he found himself handled by guards and escorted to jail for his cover-up role. So where did alternative facts come from?

MILLION VETERANS PROGRAM, MVP

The VA sent out a mailer for joining the Million Veterans Program. The MVP is asking veterans to join 940,000 others to help improve health care for veterans. As a veteran of the Gerald Ford Army, the VA sent the request to my address. That alone shows efficient dexterity in such a huge agency. To […]

LONG SLOG BLOG GOES EVEN LONGER

A long slog is not a walk in the park. On a sunny day. With friends and plans for more fun. Oh, no, that’s not slogging. This is slogging:

OREGON HISTORICAL BUSINESS

The Oregon Historical Society holds a special place in my heart. I took a temporary job there as a museum guard, a six month assignment to watch over an exhibit called Soft Gold. Six months turned into twenty-odd years before I signed off. It was a dream job from guard, to exhibit worker, to curatorial […]