about getting from point A to point B in the most interesting ways possible

If you're a large woman in America, your whole life is an opportunity to feel self-conscious, embarrassed, resentful and way too big. You can hide in the corner or on the couch, you can go to therapy, or you can put on your lycra bike shorts and get out there and move.
—Jayne Williams, Slow Fat Triathlete

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August 18, 2005

sick, lazy, mediocre permalink

Scary, friendly monster? 8/17 walk
Vicious bone-carrying panda - 8/17 walk
Kristine's chalk outline - 8/17 walk
Bon vivant in the bike lane - 8/17 walk
Devil on the bike path - 8/17 walk
Natasha & Nigella
Echo
You know, the problem with calling in sick is that you're sick. Sure you're home, and the day stretches out in front of you, full of possibilities—but you feel rotten. No fair!

Anyways, I'm severely pissed off about this combination of things, and the worst of it is that I'm really too sick to go to work—it isn't even an option.

Yesterday, I got lots of walking in. I walked with coworkers at lunch, and Jill got some gelato for us that was very good. Then after work, sweetie and I walked to the Rose Quarter, and waited for a bus. We waited easily long enough that we could have walked all the way home. I took lots of pictures, until the camera died.

In the evening, I went to KnitFlicks, a one-off at the Clinton Street Theatre. It was great. I met up with a friend, we got some beer from the new Clinton Street Theatre brewpub (which starts actually pouring their own brews Friday), and then settled into the theatre with maybe 50 other knitters.

Some of the lights were left on, so you really had the best (or the worst) of both worlds. We were watching an old Fred Astaire-Jane Powell chestnut, Royal Wedding, and it wasn't dark enough for good contrast. Me, I was knitting pale pink yarn on beige needles, and I couldn't see any difference. I could see the contrast on my friend's needles clearly—red shiny metal needles with maroon yarn.

No matter. It was a fun time, cute movie, a nice sort of community event that did not actually involve much interaction.
...
Anyone who knows me in real life knows that I am crazy about Portland. I seem unable to avoid this sort of thing—I was crazy about Ann Arbor and Detroit, as well. I'm fiercely devoted and attached, and the thought of leaving, well, it feels like a betrayal of sorts.

There have been an interesting series of articles in our determined mediocre newspaper—one a review of an LA restaurant transplanted to town; the other an article entitled Admit it, we're mediocre and don't care.

Unlike the author of the latter, I was not burning myself out previous to moving here, and I didn't move here for the "lifestyle". I moved here because I fell in love with someone here. Once I got here, I knew the economy sucked. And plenty else, too.

Anyways, I'm not sure where I'm going here except that I have this website that I'm trying to bring back to life, about Portland and what to do here, and I've been thinking—when I say something is good, are people seeing that as It's as good as NYC or Chicago or SF or LA? Obviously I'm no expert on any of those places. Or are they seeing it as it's quirky and good for Portland?

It's just set me to thinking, that's all.

I'm putting aforementioned website into movable type in the hopes of making it supersonic and supersearchable. I think, frequently, daily, about doing a plain old database, but this seems to be a quicker hack at this point. (Is this further proving the laziness of Portlanders? Or my desire to improve this quickly, thus showing hard work? Oh hell, how should I know).

Posted at August 18, 2005

Comments

VJ, Portland sounds like heaven to me. Your coverage of it makes it seem like a vibrant community.

It's funny, I've been going through a phase of disenchantment with my city, and have been complaining about the lack of certain progressive, cultural amenities that I desire. I've realized that if I want to stay here it's up to people like me to create these progressive organizations or cultural events, that there is no amorphous "they" responsible for denying me a certain lifestyle, and if I want the things that a larger, more sophisticated city can provide, I should just shush and move (even as I would cry in my pillow about the drastic cost of living increase).

There's a bumper sticker locally that says "Keep San Antonio Lame" which is a riff on Austin's "Keep Austin Weird", and it can be interpreted two ways: one, that the city is boring and mediocre and backwards, or two, that being "lame", i.e. laid back and unpretentious, is one of the charms of the city that should be guarded.

I like that other website -- are you the author?

Posted by: Megan at August 19, 2005 6:30 AM

I agree with Megan. Reading your blog and looking at your pictures has given me the impression that Portland is a very nice city! Living in an area where the closest city has a population of 64,000, I love reading about your (and other's) urban experiences.

Posted by: Lara at August 19, 2005 7:03 AM