Home for Christmas

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In 1997, I remember frantically stuffing everything I owned into 2 large and bulging duffel bags with my name stenciled on the sides. I quickly laced up my combat boots and walked out into the biting Oklahoma wind.

I had just finished 16 weeks of hellish training as an artillery observer for the Army. Having endured live rounds, the wrath of drill sergeants, a broken finger I fixed myself with duct tape, and situations I thought only existed in Hollywood movies - standing with frozen blue fingertips at the bus stop seemed a small price to pay:

I was going home for Christmas.

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Posted in Ramblings | Tags: christmas, greg rodgers

Quick Portland Photo Summary

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Portland, Oregon Photos

Rather than get my rusty creative gears turning, I’ve decided to do a summary of my Portland observations in photos. If one picture is worth 1000 words, then this thing is damn near a novel! Without further hooplah, here we go.

Portland Waterfront

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Posted in USA | Tags: oregon, portland

Walking Portland

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Walking around Portland, Oregon

Squeak. Squeak. Squeak.

That became the new soundtrack to my Portland experience….every time my left shoe hit the ground the annoying squeak would ruin my chances of sneaking past any environmental activists without getting stopped to sign something.

I had walked so much around Portland in the last several days that the sole on my shoe had finally given way to a hole, which was squeaking and allowing water pooled on the street to seep in. Bleh.Thank goodness I had duct tape on hand to fix it later.

I was on my own today and there are few feelings better than the total, intoxicating freedom of being somewhere new and going wherever you fancy. In fact, there is little of Portland that my shoes did not squeak across at some point today. When my legs literally began to tremble, I knew it was time to chill….

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Posted in USA | Tags: portland, vagabonding