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THE PORTLAND DIFFERENCE: URBAN FEAR

The Portland difference means telling yourself one urban space is different than another. How can anyone make such a judgement? There’s only one way: wander around urban spaces both new and old. From London to Paris, more like Paris to London; from Philadelphia to New York City, which most people think is only Manhattan without […]

TOP DOG? OR LAST DOG

Every dog I’ve had in my married life has been the top dog, starting with Lucky. We were talking about it when the kids were small. One of my wife’s friends heard about the talking and called to say she had one for us. The perfect dog.

THE RIGHT SHIRT PULLS EVERYTHING TOGETHER

What is the right shirt for the occasion? As all fashionistas know, it depends on the occasion. You don’t want to go too over the top as much as you don’t want to look like you could care less. Try not to channel your inner-Lady Gaga. This was the right shirt for the No Kings […]

NO KINGS? HOW THINGS CHANGE OVER TIME

Running at the No Kings march? No, but . . . Things change slowly that feel like warp speed looking back. One day you’re a marathoner in Seaside cruising down the road. Feeling good, looking good, before hitting the wall. Then it’s all about recovering and finishing big. On the sandy beach. Ugh.

LASTING CONSISTENCY OVER THE LONG HAUL

Lasting consistency means one thing: dependable. You know what you’re looking for and you know what you’re getting when you find it. History is full of people needing things they can depend on and you can depend on this writer to dig them up. I know you’ve got a few yourself but that’s for your […]

WHO DESERVES BETTER? YOU, YOU, AND YOU

I’ve taken a poll with the question ‘who deserves better.’ The results? Everyone deserves better. Shocking? I know. Here’s how it works:

POWER RULES WRITTEN TO FOLLOW

Power rules come in a variety of formats including written, verbal, and example. The written ones seem to carry the most importance since we’ll never know the verbal or actions of history. Unless it’s written down. Once direct orders are written down, the next bit of documentation is the recollection of events, the after-action report […]

MARATHON MINDSET OFF THE TRACK

I hear marathon mindset and the number 332 pops up. Three hours and thirty-two minutes, the longest 3:32 I can remember. Soooo long it felt never ending, but it all worked out after twenty-six miles. If things don’t work out, then it’s not the end, which is often a problem.

CARE MORE THAN WHAT?

“Care more about what you can change,” is the mantra I like. There’s something on your shoe? Clean it off. Your house plant is drooping? Water it. The basics are still basics.

ONLINE READING THE WRITE WAY

My online reading habit is a search for blog-worthy material. Fortunately there’s a lot of scrolls between what’s blog-worthy and what’s not, and as every writer knows, that’s where the good stories hide, the little stories behind the biggies. Those are the stories that bring focus on the larger picture. Not everyone has reading goals […]