An Overheating Planet 119 Degrees Fahrenheit was painted in 2021 when the temperature in Portland reached record highs. Sweating through July and August changed the way I looked at summer and the many trips I used to take to blistering

  Limitless Possibilities  The wall outside my childhood bedroom was covered with photos of relatives both dead and alive. My father didn’t like it. He especially minded walking by the image of his deceased parents. Instead of dwelling on the

Walking on Air Though Oregon is a no-tax state, it has two freeports where businesses can avoid customs taxes. Is it worth warehousing my art in a freeport warehouse with the expectation that it will go up in value and

Great Expectations When my oldest son was 10, I remember picking him up from a two-week camping trip. He was excited to be home, and as I learned later, he imaged running into the house and collapsing on his favorite

Tigers, Rhinos, and Elephants—Oh my! It has been months since I last visited the zoo, but though Friday was cool, it was fair, so I decide to go there for my daily walk. The animals were alert rather than asleep

Mystery We commonly put laws in place without analyzing the consequences. Vigilantism, bounty hunting, and denying women the right to manage their own health are likely to wreak havoc beyond most people’s imagination. Bounty Hunting The Texas law that bans

APPLAUDING THE BLUES Morality and Happiness As I drove past the corner of Broadway and Vista, I was given the finger by a driver plowing out of turn through a four-way stop sign. A few days later in broad daylight,

A friend recently mentioned that getting old is inevitable, but growing up is optional. He and I share the desire to keep our minds as young and as flexible as possible to belie our aging bodies. We are not alone

“Ancient Egyptians believed that chaos is the first and most necessary ingredient in the universe. It could sweep you away, but it was also the place from which all things start anew.”  (Jodi Picoult, The Book of Two Ways). Chaos

I’m Upset  Homelessness, a national crisis, is even more of a problem in Oregon. It is number four in the per capita number of people unhoused. The city reminds me more and more of a giant refugee camp similar those