Life in Oregon

For those of you who have not had the pleasure of spending any extended time in the great city of Portland here is a little something to give you a taste. This ran in The Oregonian several months ago and I think it gives a VERY accurate representation. I especially like that it is presented under the title of

Oregon's Deadly Sins

(I've added a few personal comments in italics)

Drinking instant coffee

Ordering regular drip at a Starbucks (if you even bother to set foot in a Starbucks instead of Peets or Stumptown or anything local)

Forgetting your personal cup and killing a tree (or your reusable grocery bags)

Tossing a soda can in the trash

Refusing to sort your recyclables

Complaining about the sun (which they do here when the temperature hits a mere 90 degrees)

Using an umbrella -- ever (we learned early on that if we wanted to "blend" the umbrellas must be banished)

Not commuting to work, shuttling kids, schlepping groceries or transporting furniture on a bike

Not yielding your right-of-way and creating a polite-off that stalls rush-hour traffic (this is my biggest pet peeve here. What it looks like is this -- I'm walking to work and come to the intersection with a 2 way stop so I politely wait if I see a car coming since THERE IS NO STOP SIGN FOR THEM, giving them the right of way. Yet, 90% of the time they will stop to let me cross regardless of any traffic that may be behind them. The worst is when I'm trying to cross with a stroller, children and/or dogs. This happens with other drivers as well at intersections everywhere. There is just no regard whatsoever for right of way and the concept of keeping traffic flowing. It drives me absolutely up the wall!)

Driving the freeway speed limit (This was also a tough one to adjust to. I had spent 8 years prior to living here in Dallas, TX where you "piss or get off the pot" when it comes to driving. As long as it wasn't rush hour you could seriously set your cruise control for 10 miles over the speed limit and be just fine. Here the limit is 55 and virtually no one ever actually reaches that speed! True to their laid back lifestyles here, they're just toolin' along - in the left lane I might add - maybe pushing 52. Maddening I tell you!


Rooting for ANY Husky sports team for ANY reason (even if your kid goes there) (That's one of the Universities in Washington. I still can't keep the OR and WA schools and mascots straight.)

Snowboarding on a downhill ski run

Drinking beer from a can (I feel bad for my husband that we are in such a crappy financial condition while living in a microbrew paradise.)

Not setting foot on a tribal reservation unless David Cassidy is performing (Yeah, I don't get this one either.)



Pride in your nonorganic lifestyle

Wearing Adidas onto the Nike campus

Desecrating the memory of the Church of Elvis

So there ya have it. They mean it when the say "Keep Portland Weird". But I think it's a lot of that weirdness that makes it such a great place to be.