Since mid-March my life has been in upheaval.

As bunches of you already know, on March 13 I moved back to Madison after four years and three months in Portland, Oregon. I started a new job as the Office Manager of the Tenant Resource Center on Williamson Street in Madison the day after I got off the Amtrak from Oregon. I work right across from the ( Read more... )

I went to the 100,000 person Portland Women's March on the 21st. It was quite moving to see that many people show up in opposition to the fascists - especially when it is multiplied by the protests in so many other cities. Confession though - I spent 20 minutes there and, soaking wet and coming off of a recent cold, I bolted for warmth and home. My ( Read more... )

Portlanders are surly in the snow, and for good reason ( Read more... )

January 6, 2017 will mark 3 years since I moved to Portland, Oregon after half a life-time in the Midwest. From my vantage point here on the West Coast, the country seems prepared to lurch to the fascist right - hurting us all (unless we are rich) in some way, and sidestepping the melting polar ice caps; but at least I finally moved to the ( Read more... )

Democracy, as a process, is a lost art in America. That's a big lesson I'm taking away as  I work with my newly formed collective, which is just a baby in terms of organizational development. There are basic concepts to democratic process that uphold the equality of voters and the equity of access to information about upcoming votes. There should ( Read more... )

For just $2.50 the 72 bus line connects East Portland to Northeast and North Portland as it mopes along down 82nd Avenue through some of Portlands greatest destitution, and thece and abruptly turns westward . . . bopping along through the increasingly gentrified Northeast Portland and finally down to my work stop on Alberta and 15th. On 82nd the ( Read more... )

One of my co-workers found a fragment of my review. It was literally a torn up piece of paper near the cash counting station, and it had the person's name on it and was titled [Person's Name]s appreciations ( Read more... )

The bass booms through the door to my room this afternoon, as the House Daddies busy themselves on their never-ending journey to perfect Chateau Purr Pal - the name of this very strange House I stay at here in east Portland, Oregon. Terry is my friend from the ancient regime in Madison. Back before I shaved my head. Terry and his partner Krys are ( Read more... )

I left Madison for Portland, Oregon during the first week of January 2014 ( Read more... )

Well, looks like, having dis-engaged myself from most political, union, and co-operative stuff, that I am free to actually earn a living again. The tragedy of working for the common good is that I've suffered financially for it my whole life. It just is so much stress that doesn't pay - - in fact, that costs you ( Read more... )