Hello Portland DUers! I LOVE YOU ALL!

[Cascadian]

I am back from my long hiatus from DU and ready to for some great conversations about topics of the day and other stuff. I just want to give huge props to you all for the huge....HUGE turnout for Obama who will be the next president of the United States. I also want to give props for electing the first openly gay mayor of a major U.S. city Sam Adams. A man from what I hear is very progressive and I am sure he will do Portlanders proud. I am coming down from Spokane for a long overdue Portland fix Labor Day weekend and next year if all works out, I am moving down there. I always feel at home whenever I am in town and I want to make my Portland fixes permanent. I will coming with a big heart and open arms. My long nightmare of living in this little conservative town will be over and I can live life again. I will be among a dynamic, progressive, and eclectic people that I can relate to.

So cheers to you, Portland. I am happy that you are there! I want to be a part of your community!

:toast:




John

(A former resident of Old Seattle, stuck in Spokane, and soon to be in Free Portland!)

[FreedRadical]

1. You'll have to come have a beer with our little motley crew!!!

Welcome back from hell.:hi:

[Cascadian]

5. Sounds good.

I already have a list of to do's and a beer or two is certainly one of them. A Cuban dinner at Pambiche, Powell's Books, Saturday Market, a Punk Rock show or something Garagey or Indy gig, a little debauchery at Devils Point, Japanese Gardens at Washington Park, the Hawthorne District, and whatever I feel like doing or going to. :party:

It will even be better once I am actually moved there!


John

[Trajan]

2. I watched as this post hung out there ...

And drew little attention and no response ....

So, along with Freed Radical, let me extend a warm WELCOME ! .... We look forward to your arrival and your acquaintance ...

WE love Portland too, for so many reasons ... Not the least of which is the fantastic beerage, and the awesome feel of living in a world that concords with your liberal constitution ...

Cmon down, Cascadian ....

[Cascadian]

4. Thank you to everybody!

I am really looking forward to coming down. Labor Day weekend cannot come fast enough. Hell! June 2009 can't come fast enough! If I had an excuse and money I would be moving like yesterday!


John

[Radio_Lady]

11. Hi Cascadian. When I read your post, I had to laugh. It reminded me of the famous line:

"I know Portland, and you, Spokane, are no Portland." Just an adapted clip from VP candidate Lloyd Benson, debating Dan Quayle.

We drove through Spokane, Washington in the '90s. Our trek was from Seattle, WA where my husband's daughter lives, over to Roslyn, WA (Northern Exposure fans) then through Idaho and down into Utah, where my son and his family live.

Spokane reminded me of another small town where I've lived in briefly -- Hendersonville, NC, where everybody knows your name and is in your business. LOL! That was in 1970.

Glad to welcome you. Memories: We came here for the Labor Day weekend in 1997. The weather was beautiful. We drove from Portland out to Bend for the long weekend, and my husband had three interviews for jobs set up the following week.

We stayed at the Shilo Inn in Bend for two nights, and we were set to check out midday on Monday. Hubby ate breakfast and so did I. He had biscuits and gravy. I didn't. He went over to the mall across the road and bought me some nice boots.

After that, it was downhill, literally, all the way. He began to leak from all orifices... TMI, I know.

102 fever came next, shivers and hot -- put him into the bathtub. To the toilet. And back again.

It was Monday, Labor Day, and we had to get back to the Marriott Hotel in downtown Portland.

Somehow I got him packed up and myself too. I drove all the way back -- through this magnicent wilderness with snow on Mt. Jefferson. Fly fisherman were in the river, casting for fish. I had brought a cassette tape of Native American musical expression. Beautiful interesting music accompanied me. It was like being in an American calendar. Hubby was prostrate in the right passenger seat. I kept stopping to give him water and aspirin. We made it back to the hotel. He went right to bed.

Luckily, he was able to make the three interviews on Tuesday and Wednesday, although with a slight fever. He got two job offers!

The end of the story was accepting an offer that brought him back here in October 1997 to live with our daughter and son-in-law and to work with Regence Blue Cross/Blue Shield downtown on Market Street. It was a contract job. They were staffing up software people in anticipation of the Y2K problems.

I worked temporary jobs back in Boston, and we were lucky to get a buyer for our home. We closed on the Boston property on April 3, 1998, and we both flew back to Portland the next day to live in a small apartment until our house was finished August 10, 1998. We celebrate ten years in this house next month.

I was homesick at first (after almost 30 years in Massachusetts and growing up in Miami, Florida.) Now, I love the place, and wouldn't trade it for a sack of gold!

Hope I get to meet you sometime. Peace, and I wish you a non-eventful move!!! We had the Mayflower move from hell and I'd need another hour to tell you about that one!

Radio Lady Ellen Kimball and husband Audio Al (also know as Grandma Ellen and Grandpa Al) All retired and stuff...

[Cascadian]

15. And Spokane is still the same way.

Everybody claims to mind their own business and yet they do mind. It is slowly getting better in Spokane though but not as fast as I want. They even have Thai restaurants here but not as good as in Seattle or Portland. Most of the changes are coming from newcomers to the area but the townies are fighting the changes.

Liked reading your stories. Good to DU meet you anyways and maybe we'll meet up in the near future. I am a big fan of Powell's bookstore and they have a nice cafe. You and Audio Al could join me for coffee or something.


John

[Viva_La_Revolution]

3. Hello!

:hi:

I look forward to meeting you. :)

[Radio_Lady]

10. Hi Viva... I am in exile from the main forums and hope you extend me some welcoming arms.

I'm exhausted from fighting every damned battle. They are endless and no one wins.

When is the next meet-up?

Gratefully,

Radio_Lady Ellen and Audio_Al (who no longer posts at this site due to initial static from others in Sept. 2007).

At the theater in London (May 2006) I cut off all my hair last month, but Al's head looks the same!

[Cascadian]

18. It has gotten nasty in the forums.

I even had to go on hiatus for almost a year from DU. Best not to let the nasties get to you. It's not easy though.

John

[LWolf]

6. I don't know that I can "welcome" you,

since I live on the other side of the cascades and am lucky to make it to Portland for a day once a year or so. With gas prices, I probably won't make it this summer.

Have fun on Labor Day, and good luck with your move will have to do.

:hi:

[Cascadian]

7. It's official. I am coming Labor Day for a visit!

Flying in on Thursday August 30th and staying until Monday. I am game for some quality Portland time!


John

[FreedRadical]

9. Well that's cool bro'

I'm sure you will be able to find at least a couple Portland DUer that will hang out with you. Make sure to start new threads with your updates so people will know what's up. I don't think people check these older threads vary often. Sorry I'm actually planing to be in Montana that week.Hope to meet ya' when when you move back down. Peace man.:hippie:

[Radio_Lady]

12. My cousin Evan is scheduled to drive here from Philadelphia. That could be either on Labor Day or

the following week.

Please contact me by PM if you wish.

I'd love to meet you and spend some time.

Peace,

Ellen & Al

[Cascadian]

17. Coolness!

If you or anybody out there wanna chat with me when I am in town, just send me a private message via DU.


John

[Cascadian]

14. OOPS!

Make that August 28th. I was going to leave on Sunday August 31st but I am extending my stay by 1 day in PDX. I am flying down(60 minute plane ride) and then I am taking the train back which will be about 7 hours. Quickly coming down and taking my time back to Spokanistan! :D

John

[Athelwulf]

8. I too wish I could live in Portland.

My city, Klamath Falls (near the California border), is also very conservative. Ugh. However, I hope to be able to transfer to Portland State University, so maybe I'll get to enjoy my most favorite city in the whole world. :)

[Radio_Lady]

13. Hi Athelwulf. Welcome to the DU. I've never been to Klamath Falls. PSU is a good school.

We tried to interest our Boston grandson, age 19, to come out here to go to school.

I think he's planning to do a media studies course in North Adams, Massachusetts -- just a couple of hours from his home near Boston. He's a delightful fellow -- the pride of my husband and myself.

Let me know if I can help you in any way.

It's official: "I'm going local or I will go loco."

(Too much fighting in the big forums. I'm sorry I got involved with most of the incendiary topics.)

We're probably your grandparents age, right?

[Cascadian]

16. If anybody could please give me advice on moving to Portland...

that would be great. I would also like to know more info on Portland Community College. Does anybody here go there or have gone to classes there? How about job opportunities? Decent rentals? I am ultimately going to start up a graphic and art design collective business in town. I just need to complete my graphic design training first. I tend to think the job market is slightly better in PDX than here in Spokanistan. There is hardly anything here. I am lucky to have the job I do have which pays more than the average. Though it is not glamorous.

Thanks in advance!


John

[Trajan]

19. Here are some basics

http://www.pcc.edu

http://portland.craigslist.com (both jobs AND housing)