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Afterword

As much Pete Buttigieg as we’re seeing, you have to wonder if he’s plotting a run for president. I’ve never seen a former Secretary of Transportation so visible.

A nice drive over Santiam Pass today, heading through the Cascades. Plenty of snow around, complete with a magical fog that emanated from it. #pnw

A winding road runs through a dense forest with tall trees on both sides under a clear blue sky.

First stop on the 2025 Spring Break Tour. Pilot Butte, Bend.

A family of four is sitting together on a stone ledge with a scenic view of a city and mountains in the background.

How very Bend, Oregon of you to take your cat on a hike up Pilot Butte.

A person wearing a backpack is walking along a forest trail while carrying a small cat.

An article from a few years back that I still think about sometimes as I grind away in the rat race and on the hedonic treadmill:

The activities that make people happiest include sex, exercise and gardening. People get a big happiness boost from being with a romantic partner or friends but not from other people, like colleagues, children or acquaintances. Weather plays only a small role in happiness, except that people get a hearty mood boost on extraordinary days, such as those above 75 degrees and sunny. People are consistently happier when they are out in nature, particularly near a body of water, particularly when the scenery is beautiful.

While I don’t agree with the children piece (they bring me a lot of joy), it’s just a good reminder to touch grass, move your body, and spend time with people you love.

The Rich Are Not Who We Think They Are. And Happiness Is Not What We Think It Is, Either.

Sometimes it’s still hard to believe a place like Forest Park is only about 15 minutes from my house.

A tranquil forest scene features a shallow stream flowing under a moss-covered fallen tree and surrounded by lush greenery.

Saturday March 22, 2025

A narrow street lined with parked cars leads towards a city skyline under a cloudy sky.

Spring in Portlandia. #pdx

A smiling woman and a dog are standing at the top of a moss-covered staircase surrounded by trees and flowering bushes.

🙄

Trump said he would move student loans “out of the Department of Education immediately” and that Loeffler and her staff are “all set for it. They’re waiting for it. It’ll be serviced much better than it has in the past. It’s been a mess.”

Trump says Education Department will no longer oversee student loans, ‘special needs’

Four years gone, kid brother. It’s never the easiest week to get through, and every time I struggle to say anything at all because I don’t want sympathy, I just want to send an echo of you back out into the world. Miss you and wish we could’ve gotten closer over the years. Easily my biggest regret.

Two young children are sitting together, with one child wearing a striped sweater and the other wearing a vest, in front of a wooden background.Two people are sitting closely on a couch, with one person playfully touching the other's head.Two men in suits are cheerfully lifting another man in a suit, surrounded by greenery.Three men are smiling and posing together in front of a decorated Christmas tree.

Looks like I’ll be staying indoors from now until forever.

Multiple cougar sightings reported near Beaverton shopping center

The default architectural design ethos has simply become “fuck it,” hasn’t it? Literally zero fucks given.

A modern multi-story building features large windows and is surrounded by parked vehicles under a partly cloudy sky.

Would really like to connect with more middle age dudes on the west side of Portland, preferably not into Joe Rogan, video games, or golf. I do enjoy live music, medium skill band jam sessions, writing meetups, hiking, euchre, hobbyist street photography, zoo meetups with kids (6 and 3). #pdx

Education Department dismantled. What if everyone with student loans just…stopped paying on them all at once?

Started my second set of clear aligners today and my front gap is already starting to close. Teeth are gross lol.

A person with a beard is smiling widely inside a car while wearing a jacket.

When I can pop that L5 vertebrae by giving it a little twist 🦴💥 🙌 Sounds like a thud on a hallow log.

There are two types of glass recyclers on my street: those with bins filled with spaghetti sauce jars, and then there are those whose bins are filled with empty wine and liquor bottles.