If you’ve ever been to Portland, Oregon, you know it’s Heaven for any food connoisseur. Portland, called PDX by locals, is known for its plethora of restaurants, with delicious food from many cultures. You can find food carts on nearly every street corner, with plenty of choices.

I lived in Northeast Portland once, where I could eat at different restaurants every night. I tried a few and discovered a wonderful Thai food restaurant called Full Moon Thai. I was vegan at the time and had the best Pad Thai I’ve ever had.

According to their website, there’s a reason why…

I received my first dose of the Pfizer vaccine last Friday, May 7th, 2021, at 2:14 PM, and here I am. I didn’t die.

I drove up to Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. I met a series of wonderful attendants and the nurse giving the jab. They were all helpful, kind, and supportive.

I told my nurse I was nervous but trusted it was the right thing to do. I acknowledged my privilege to be able to get vaccinated. I told her to please share with others who are scared that we can do it. We can do hard things…

When we returned to live in Eugene, Oregon, Mucho Gusto was the first restaurant we visited. I craved the Grande salad with their amazing chipotle vinaigrette dressing. After we tried Mucho Gusto a couple of years ago, I couldn’t imagine eating anywhere else.

Mucho Gusto offers fresh, fast Mexican-American food with a ton of flavor and excellent customer service. I always have pleasant chats with the teen and (mostly) young adult employees, who serve up delicious personalized meals with flair and skill.

They have two locations in Eugene: one is at the popular Oakway Plaza and a newer one on…

Santa Barbara, CA, has a few animal shelters, all of them “no-kill.” Because I grew up in that area, I didn’t know some places killed animals unnecessarily until I was an adult. Shelters do humanely euthanize when an animal is suffering, but not because of inconvenience or overcrowding.

I was fortunate to see the love and attention paid to strays and animals who needed rehoming for various reasons. Animal shelters often serve as a rescue sanctuary for lost pets so their owners can find them. Volunteers and staff treat wounds, injuries, or diseases, and certified trainers address behavior issues.

I’ve…

Organic Soup Kitchen of Santa Barbara, CA, serves nutrient-dense soups to “support the health of cancer survivors, low-income seniors, and those with chronic illnesses,” according to their website.

Anthony Carroccio and Andrea Slaby founded Organic Soup Kitchen in 2009. Their mission statement:

“Organic Soup Kitchen provides oncology nutrition and addresses food insecurity to a diverse demographic of individuals struggling with the effects of cancer and chronic illnesses.”

OSK expanded by starting their Cancer Recovery Program in 2013. They’ve supported 15,000 cancer patients, serving over one million bowls. …

Hello my friends,

When I started Gratefully Yours publication, I had big dreams to expand our sense of gratitude through the written word. I’m still on board with that, though I didn’t pay much attention to pub operation until now. I’m hereby rebirthing this tiny but mighty project for collective enjoyment and inspiration.

Life often hits us with challenges we don’t initially consider all that fabulous. But then we discover that we’ve been offered a valuable growth opportunity. When we can see this, our perspective shifts and we access gratitude. We find the silver lining in the clouds.

“There is…

When I was relatively new to Medium, I heard it was a good idea to start a pub. I knew it would have to be about gratitude because that’s my jam. I love hearing about what’s good in your world, especially when it comes from unlikely places. I’m ever searching for blessings in disguise, the silver lining in the clouds.

Much like other unfinished projects of my past, I was initially excited to share gratitude through our sharing in this pub. But I began to neglect my sweet little space. …

I don’t believe in writer’s block. I believe we think ourselves into believing we’re blocked. It makes sense that we also can think ourselves out of it. We change our thinking, take action, and the perceived block dissipates. Our minds are that powerful.

If you’re wondering what to write, try writing. Sometimes it’s that simple. Every time I do a free write, I find hidden material inside my noggin. It’s been waiting to get out, so why not oblige?

I finished 17 errands and tasks the other day. I wrote the list after the fact, so it was more of…