Wave Goodbye

Here I sit in a coffee shop on 45th and Division in Portland, Oregon. I even biked here, despite all the huffing and puffing and sore ass from biking yesterday too and being so out of shape... Tomorrow will be my last day in this town, possibly ever. I thought it might be a good moment to say farewell to this town.

It's definitely been a strange fucking time in my life. A very difficult one too. Trying to scrape and survive and be the master of my own destiny, trying to make things work, from the ground up. It hasn't been easy. Down right infuriating at times.

FUCK! Speaking of frustrating, I'm trying to download the new episode of "Lost" and this coffee shop's connection is SHITE! Did I mention that it's frustrating not having consistent internet?? And not having a car is so crippling, I never knew. Gee, thanks mom and dad for not supporting my decisions and my life and leaving me stranded without my vehicle. Really awesome of you.

If I sound slightly bitter, it's because I am. This has been the most difficult point in my life and I don't feel like there were any leeway, allowances, or anything of the sort to ease the transition, especially when things concern my parents. And the way everyone's so natural and hippie and PC, that's annoying too. I mean, it has it's good points, but the differences can be overwhelming and make you feel like the way you've lived your entire life, was schmuck-like, and a dirty corporate whore, even when you thought you've lived as just as you could. Grrr. I'm just a man!

Here! Laugh at this piece of funny writing I caught:

But I'll try to overcome all of this, I don't want to sound like a whiny blog bitch for all of this, I'd like to try to focus on some good stuff too. Seeing and living in a completely different American culture has been an adventure, and a lesson in human behavior. I've traveled in Europe and learned about them, but I've never lived anywhere else in the US, so this is definitely a lesson as well. Gives one a better understanding of American culture, and one side of it I've never seen--the extreme Left. Sure there are patches of it in Austin, but here there is nothing else. Kinda cool, but kinda strange. It seems almost less cool since it's not something you have to fight for, and be different about; that it's a given. Everybody up here is like that. In a way it's too homogenous. Yet I found all the loud rude rednecks in town at the Ryan Adams show...but that's a story pretty much already told.

It certainly seems like a nice town. Especially on paper. And especially if I wasn't struggling, AND if I had a car to be able to fully explore the city , get an idea of layout, instead of feeling like when you're playing a dungeon in Zelda, where the whole picture is dark, and the only areas that light up are the ones you visit on foot, wandering around. And you have to cover a LOT of ground to be able to uncover the whole. Those that understand the metaphor, you know what I mean.

But at least I've met some really nice people. Some of the people we've met have been very kind to us, over and above what is called for, considering the limited amount of time we've known them, so thanks to Zo and Melissa for helping us out.

Anyway, on to the future! If the present hasn't laid any fruit at your feet, at least look to the future for hopes of better things, and that's what I will do. Tomorrow we're hitching a ride with these girls from Cirque du Soleil up to Seattle, where we'll stay at Kim's Dad's place for the rest of May, up until I head to Chicago for training for my *NEW* summer job. Her friend Nanette is supposed to take us sailing one day, and there's some big party going on one night next week too. Plus I have to get my CPR certification before I head out too. So I'll be busy, and in a town I'm really fond of. So until my dear gal departs for the ocean, we'll keep busy, so that's good.

So farewell Portland, my home for the past 2 months. My last night here will be beautiful, seeing Sigur Ros at the Schnitzer. I'm very excited to see this show, as I'm sure you would be too if you were going to see some of the most amazing music ever made.

Until next time my Gentle Viewers, here's a beautiful picture that Kim took in this nice weather of recent here in Portland.