WHAT'S NEW?
I've been traveling like crazy lately, and have had the opportunity to research some wonderful stories for a wide variety of publications.
This summer brings a feature on ASPIRING OLYMPIC ATHLETES in the July issue of the ALASKA AIRLINES MAGAZINE, as well as a feature on ways to enjoy and experience SEATTLE'S EASTSIDE SUBURBS in the HORIZON AIRLINES MAGAZINE. For the first story, I was lucky enough to visit the Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, California, and met and interviewed several of the athletes profiled in the story. I'll be all the more riveted to the TV when the Beijing Games are played in order to get a glimpse of the athletes whom I met. I was struck by how pleasant and personable they all were, and how much they have to dedicate their lives to their sports. It is such a dicey business: Jared Rome, a huge, friendly discus thrower, was the top-rated thrower in the country when I met him, and a lock to make the U.S. team, but he had a terrible performance at the Olympic Trials when the discus slipped from his grip twice, and he failed to qualify for the team. Four years of intense training gone just like that; I feel for the guy.
In Portland, look for my feature profile on MERRITT PAULSON III, the new owner of the city's professional baseball and soccer franchises, in PORTLAND MONTHLY magazine's August issue.
SEATTLE METROPOLITAN features my piece on visiting MT. RAINIER'S PARADISE INN in its August issue. It's funny to see the photos of wildflowers and sunshine in the magazine; when I was there in May to research the story, there was fifteen feet of snow on the ground and I awoke to a foot of new snow on my car.
For VIRTUOSO LIFE magazine, I write the BON VOYAGE cruise column, and this fall will see the publication of my story on CRUISING THE SEA OF CORTES, on a wonderful trip with American Safari Cruises where we saw blue whales and humpbacks, and we snorkeled with sea lions.
And for the AAA-WASHINGTON website, I recently covered a WINES OF WASHINGTON cruise and reported on the doings in SANDPOINT, IDAHO.
Coming up are stories in custom published magazines for the WASHINGTON HOSPITALITY ASSOCIATION and the DISCOVERY LAND COMPANY, as well as a wonderful "Get Out" piece for SEATTLE METROPOLITAN on taking flight lessons at Boeing Field.
Great times, and swell summer experiences.
Happy reading!
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WE'RE MOVING!
My brilliant wife Kris has landed a plum job as the Manager for the McMinnville, Oregon Downtown Association, and we're leaving Bainbridge Island and headed that way in August. Busy times packing and handling all of the logistics of moving. My e-mail and phone contacts will remain the same.