Month: January 2026

A Stroll Around Portland

The other weekend, my Wife and I wanted to go for a stroll around downtown Portland. Since we wanted to be down by the water, we decided to give the Classic Downtown Waterfront Loop Walk a try. This is a summary of our adventure:

  • Since I dislike driving downtown, we opted to take the Max.
  • The most convenient stop for us was Old Town/Chinatown MAX Station which put us at the second section of the route, but since it is a loop it doesn’t much matter where starting.
  • I’ve driven across the Steel Bridge at least once and ridden the Max over it numerous times, but this was my first time crossing it on foot.
  • The picture above is an AI-filtered selfie with the Steel Bridge in the background.
  • The weather was cold, but sunny and beautiful so we chose to not cross over the Hawthorne Bridge, but rather keep walking.
  • The OMSI provided brief respite where we were able to drink water and utilize the “all-user (gender-neutral) restroom” that is located in the hallway near the Kendall Planetarium.
  • We walked over the Tilikum Crossing Bridge. While crossing, we took another selfie with the Marquam Bridge in the background. The image below is an AI-filtered remix.
  • We checked out Poet’s Beach, but were not overly impressed.
  • As we headed north along the west bank of of the Willamette River, we started encountering various people headed to a protest.
  • A family with young kids holding signs with offensive language offered us some of their extra signs. We politely declined.
  • In lieu of participating in the protest, we walked over to Mother’s Bistro and ate a fantastic brunch. I had the Wild Salmon Hash.
  • In a highly unusual display of judicious consumption and showing extraordinary restraint, I did not get a Fresh-Baked Pecan Cinnamon Roll.
  • Without waddling too much, we made our way back to the Old Town/Chinatown MAX Station, caught a train, and made it back in time to warm down before heading to the school district Honor Band concert.

This year my Wife and I made a goal to go on more little adventures. This counts and I’m we’re tracking it on Better by December.

AI-filtered remix of The Girl Child in “concert black” after the concert

Still More Sheveling

It’s been two-ish years since the last official sheveling of my desk so a 2026 National Clean Off Your Desk Day observance was necessary.

My "before" desk
Before

A new type of clutter this time around was a number of boarding passes and luggage receipts mixed in with the typical receipts and random papers. Here are other “discoveries” from the sheveling:

  • Cell phone case (for old phone)
  • 4 ESP8266 NodeMCU boards
  • DHT11 and DHT22 sensors (first bought the “11’s”, but decided they weren’t accurate enough so purchased the “22’s”
  • Platypus water filter
  • 80″ x 60″ cloth map of the world
  • Volume III of The Feynman Lectures on Physics
  • Luggage scale
  • Garage door opener backup battery
  • 4 Unused USB cables of assorted types and lengths
  • Assorted candy left over from Christmas
  • A birthday card from my Baby Sister
  • 11 Metal mint containers
    • 6 empty
    • 1 holding various expired insurance, business, credit cards
    • 4 containing original contents)
  • 5 USB power adapters
  • Ordered list of the first 18 Inspector Maigret books
  • COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card
  • 2 Mediocre USB chargers with “bonus” functionality (one has a light and the other works as a hand warmer)
  • Sticky-notes with tuition amounts and due dates
  • Stickers
    • Durston
    • trek10
    • Maglula
    • #MakeGoodChoices
  • Flossers and dental floss
  • Hammock
  • 2 vaccination receipts (flu and DTaP)
  • 2 Jury Summons (one for me, one for Boy#3)
  • $1.44 in coins
  • Map of the Classic Downtown Waterfront Loop Walk
  • 3 Juggling Bags
  • 2 “FunSize” bag of Swedish Fish Mini that expired 10 July 2025
  • 2 Sticks Extra Long Lasting Flavor chewing gum that expired 18 May 2021
  • 2 Garage door openers (I think there might be two more somewhere else . . .)
  • 16 Picks for guitar and/or banjo
  • Funnel
  • 1 Tootsie Roll of unknown age
  • 2 Ham Radios (handheld)
  • 2 Rubber Locusts
  • The 7th Dragonball
  • 6 Rubber Snakes
After

With the new year and the new sheveling, it’s only natural that my mind wanders back to the various events of the past couple of years and all the things that have changed. Three kids in college. A new job. Financial changes. Increased travel. Milestone birthdays. Adventures (some more fun than others). As I set new goals so that I can be Better by December, I think that, just like my desk is looking better, the future is also looking bright and full of potential.