First-time sex after divorce. First time on pallets. “Tired of white, bearded, and hairy guys? Go bald smooth and Chinese.” That was the opening line on my dating profile. While my grandparents had arranged marriages in China, I had the freedom to swipe through hundreds of ladies sitting in a…

In my older age, I’m getting soft, and I’ve learned to do stupid things much smarter. Tired of all the white, bearded, and hairy fuckers! Go bald smooth and Chinese! That’s what I wrote on dating apps when I encouraged women to change it up from the norm in Portland…

Sending my 20-year-old cat over the Rainbow Bridge. — I walked into the lobby of my kids’ school. They would know something was wrong right away as it was mid-morning and a day they were supposed to be with their Mom. They rounded the corner and smiled nervously. “Is it Baetis, Daddy?” “Yes, buddies. It’s time. She’s bleeding out…

An Old Man’s Last Wave How do you want to go? Suddenly and without pain? Or fading over months, giving you time to say what you need to say, get stuff in order, and then have loved ones at your side? Would you utilize medical aid in dying if allowed? …

Canyon Therapy — Skating Surface Flies for Steelhead on the Deschutes River Deschutes River in August. The campgrounds resemble refugee camps. Flattened tents and twisted awnings mangled by desert winds litter the dumpsters. …

Beat down? It’s ok. Decay generates fertility. I load my surfboard into an old van, ready to leave the hustle of Auckland, New Zealand. I’m twenty-nine years old, gutted by the death of my dog, and still processing the loss of my brother. …

Movement is medicine. We don’t need a study to prove it. — I recently read an article by OHSU (Oregon Health and Science Institute) titled, Parkinson’s disease clinical trial tests exercise regimen to improve movement. I was excited to read it as my dad has Parkinson’s, and I had the honor of caring for him for two summers here in Portland, Oregon. …

Battling the rise of body image issues in young men. — “Who do you think is more ripped? Captain America or Wolverine?” asked my son’s friend. “Wolverine,” answered my son, Jaxen. I listened in as I prepared dinner. Their conversation focused on how superheroes look, not what makes them unique or what they have accomplished. At one point, his friend declared…

Canyon Therapy — Fly fishing on the Deschutes River during the Stonefly Hatch From the road above, the outside bend appears as churning chaos. Down at the water’s edge, I see the moving windows connecting trout to the skies above. Outside bends…