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VOTING AGE FIRST PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER

I came of voting age just in time to vote for President Carter. Why not have a naval academy graduate in the White House? I was eighteen in 1974, not an election year. That was the year Gerald Ford pardoned former president Nixon.  

REACHING THANKSGIVING VELOCITY 2023

Reaching Thanksgiving starts on Halloween with: If I eat too much candy now I’ll eat less dinner on Thanksgiving. Also: If I gain weight now I’ll drop it by Thanksgiving. What usually happens?

GOOD PITCH, BAD DELIVERY, LESSON LEARNED?

When you hear a good pitch from someone you’re considering hiring, it matters. You’ll hire a hype man instead of the quiet craftsman with a good record. How does that usually work out? This is a picture of a call for a plumbing bid?

BLOG SURFER? THE TIDE IS HIGH, BRAH

I imagine the blog surfer who lands on boomerpdx. More than imagine, I get to read about them. At least that’s how I see my personal spam, my surfer spam. For example:

EVERYDAY EVERYMAN FOR THE WIN ON VETERANS DAY

An everyday everyman is the goal to strive for. Not average, not ordinary, not basic. Everyman isn’t richer, stronger, or taller, either. Even if they were, you’d never know. Why?

COURT CASES FROM ANOTHER ANGLE, MINE

If you’ve ever had a court case to show up for, what’s the first thing to do? Show up. I’ve been in court a few times. Traffic court. “But Blogger Dave, why not just send in the fine?” I probably should have. Every time. But I had to be the smart guy.

EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION USES GOOD MANNERS

Manners matter, good manners, if your aim is for effective communication. Steady eye contact and active listening nods and acknowledgment are part of the deal, but don’t stare unblinking like a psycho. Also, “Yup, yup, yup,” and “okay, okay, okay,” are not examples of active listening. Unless you do it ironically, but only if you’re […]

BIRTH WATERS: YOUR RIVER, LAKE, OR BAY. OKAY, AND OCEAN

Birth waters are usually called ‘breaking waters.’ I’ll get back to that. For now let’s say “Birth Waters,” and leave the amniotic fluid for later. Let’s throw in some suspension of disbelief while we’re at it, okay?

BAY BOY: FROM SAN FRANCISCO TO COOS BAY WATER

One or my favorite writers traveled across the country from California to New York. He called the Hudson “the river of his birth” which got me going. You can tell if you have a favorite author if they ‘get you going.’ I thought of the river of my birth, except it wasn’t a river. It […]

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 […]